Stratagem Awakening: An Interstellar War Story (The Essence Wars Book 8) by Paul Heingarten

Author:Paul Heingarten [Heingarten, Paul]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Decatur Media
Published: 2022-10-17T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

Charista's summons arrived two days after she returned. Her spirit sank when she saw the red digital document at the top of her incoming messages. It was there just when she'd thought she had a few days to not think about it. Breaking rank and sending the kind of comm Charista did would've earned any member of an Omegan flight crew time in port, admin leave without pay, a stint in Retooling, or worse. But, as Charista was already subject to reviews from her father's past, her latest deviance only added a healthy amount of fuel to that already blazing fire.

I just wish they'd give me a chance to breathe. How am I supposed to ever prove myself again if they're holding dad's past over me each waking moment?

As Charista fumbled with the manual controls that adjusted the light in the main room lower, a chime tone sounded on the viewscreen on her wall. Charista looked over to a report of the incoming haul of Xeno prisoners. Maybe this will help my case. Of course, I'm sure By-the-Book Risberg will have his way with me on the insubordination charge.

She flopped down into a chair. Time to get ready for yet another grilling.

#

After a fitful sleep, Charista woke up earlier than usual. She sprung out of bed, her mind chock full of ideas. This time, her schemes focused on her review. Charista imagined how her mother Winola prepared to lead troops into a skirmish. She also thought about her father, developing Brescar, steeped in the knowledge that any wrong step or move would've meant the end for him, probably planet Omegana and maybe even Ling Galaxy. Charista wasn't leading a skirmish, though, nor was she making complex calculations on an energy-producing matter that could've had drastic consequences.

Her battle was of the will. Her fighting arena was the Inquiry Hall. Her weapons: words. Those alone had enough power behind them, and she knew she had to be careful.

The Omegan Military escorts arrived promptly to pick her up. Once they put Charista in wrist restraints, they helped her into the transport for their ride to the center of town. The trip was mostly silent; the only noise in the cabin was the occasional chatter over the vehicle comm. Charista watched the Omegan buildings as they drifted past on their drive. Gajanan had many facilities for production and retooling, but the military was undoubtedly the most prominent presence there. The Science Wing had their collection of structures, too. Charista smiled as their vehicle passed the building where Findlay worked up until he was removed from his post. Despite Findlay's achievements in Omegan weapon power supplies and building structures like the one the Trussel crew installed on Agmon, his legacy, besides in the memories of Charista and Joanna, was betrayal.

The transport jolted to a stop. Charista glanced out the side window at the entrance to the Inquiry hall. Her two escorts exited first and helped Charista to the sidewalk at the bottom of the vast set of stairs leading into the hall.

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