Space Travelers: Fiction River Presents, Book 9 by Fiction River

Author:Fiction River [Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Edited by]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: WMG Publishing Incorporated

The embeds get decided up top. I’m not sure how far up top, but farther away than some podunk war in some backwater system. So when I arrived at SC3RT15, the main base for the LaDucci Action (as it’s officially called), I got sent to the Corps Commander, which never happens. Usually I arrive, head to the press office, get assigned a unit, get a dressing down from Whoever Runs The Thing—all of it involving stupid rules that (in recent cases) I knew before Whoever was born. Heck, some of those rules were put into place after I did something that convinced the military that they needed a new rule to prevent anyone from doing that something again.

This time, I didn’t go to the press office. I was sent directly to the Corps Commander.

I’d never encountered her before, but I knew her reputation. I also knew that this posting was a demotion for her, particularly since the rules of engagement stated that no women should fight on LaDucci for “species interaction” reasons. In other words, she could be in charge of the whole fight—from space, far away from the action.

She’d been pretty once, although she’d probably kick my ass for saying that. The pretty had disappeared into a tight-lipped expression that raised lines around her narrow mouth and suspicious eyes.

“Can’t have you here, Khalil,” she said. “You’re male.”

I rolled my eyes. Of all the reasons she could have chosen, she chose the one I knew was false.

“C’mon, Commander,” I said. “The guidelines say men only in LaDucci.”

“Only men can serve in the LaDucci campaign,” she said. “Reporters and support staff need to be female.”

I couldn’t resist. “You’re support staff?”

She gave me a preoccupied smile. “Nice try, Khalil. You can’t sidetrack me here.”

“Honestly, I’m not trying to. They sent me, I’m officially embedded, I get to go where my unit goes.”

She studied me. She knew I was right. Once a reporter’s name was attached to a unit already involved in a conflict, the reporter owned that story.

“If you stay, you’re going to regret this one, Khalil.”

My turn to flash the preoccupied smile.“Commander,” I said, “I regret each and every one of them.”

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