The Lazarus War: Legion by Jamie Sawyer

Author:Jamie Sawyer [Sawyer, Jamie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Science Fiction, Action & Adventure, Alien Contact, Military, Space Opera
ISBN: 9780316386449
Google: 0CVRCgAAQBAJ
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 2015-08-31T12:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

ALLIANCE DAY

Alliance Day marked not only the founding of the Alliance, but through engineered coincidence also the end of the Martian Rebellion. When I was a kid, the annual celebration had been a big deal – a chance for disparate and often fractured communities to come together in a common cause. I could still remember the street celebrations. Fireworks, hot food, a late night: such simpler times. The few fond memories I had of the Metro seemed to revolve around Alliance Day.

This was a pitiful affair in comparison. It was held in the mess hall; the room cleaned out for the event. Tables were pushed to the edge of the room, lights dimmed, some music piped in through the ship’s PA. Loeb had issued an open invite to the Colossus’ officers and all off-duty personnel but few had attended. Those that had were in a sombre and withdrawn mood. Ordinarily it would’ve been an easy trip between the Colossus and the other ships in the battlegroup – a short shuttle ride – but the storm had locked down inter-fleet transport. I’d heard that similar gatherings were being held across the fleet, and couldn’t help wondering whether those parties were any better than this.

The only positive aspect of the gathering was alcohol. The last supply run had ferried some crates of alcohol as well as the usual food rations. A few thousand cans of Alliance-issue beer, together with some stronger spirits: enough to take the edge off.

James and Scorpio Squadron had opened up the adjoining rec room. That was a small, cramped chamber, with a holo-pool table in one corner and a very amateur-looking bar in the other. A deckhand was playing the role of bartender; mixing ad hoc cocktails and distributing bottles of beer.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Elena.

Did I really see her? I wanted to believe that she had been real. But even I could appreciate that there were so many unanswered questions, too many improbabilities. I had to make another transition. This time, I told myself, I’ll know for certain. But I couldn’t make transition without arousing suspicion. I had to pick my moment.

So I did what I do best: I got drunk.

I sat at a table in the rec room. Lieutenant James perched at the bar beside me.

“Credit for your thoughts?” he asked.

“I don’t feel like talking.”

“I heard about what happened.”

I changed the train of the conversation. “You ever change that flight-suit?”

“Not if I can help it,” he said, taking a deep swig from his beer.

“I thought that you said that alcohol didn’t affect you?”

James smiled. “I said that I filter out the good stuff before it can act. But there are ways around that.” He indicated to the line of empty bottles on the bar top. “Namely: speed. If I drink a lot, and I do it fast, then it’ll work for me. Just don’t tell Dr West.”

I laughed. The lieutenant popped off his barstool, pulled up a chair at my table.

“Like I said: I heard about what happened.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.