The Valkyrie Protocol by David Weber & Jacob Holo

Author:David Weber & Jacob Holo [Weber, David & Holo, Jacob]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Science Fiction, Time Travel, Action & Adventure, Hard Science Fiction
ISBN: 9781982124908
Google: ct08zQEACAAJ
Amazon: 1982124903
Publisher: Baen
Published: 2020-10-06T04:00:00+00:00

chapter twenty-three

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Argus Station

SysPol, 2980 CE

“Sorry. Sorry!” Commissioner Peng said, and Klaus-Wilhelm looked up from his prepared notes as the Arete Division’s commander materialized in the conference room between Chief Lamont and Commissioner Hawke.

“What’s your excuse this time?” Hawke prodded in an elaborately patient tone.

“You know, I try not to be late. I really do.” Peng shook his head. “But these morons . . . ”

“The Society?” Lamont asked.

“Yeah. Again.” Peng blew out a frustrated virtual breath and dropped into an equally virtual seat. “Bunch of uppity jackasses, if you ask me. They think they’re the first group to ever lose a court case. Here’s a hint, guys. Every court judgment in all of history has a losing side. Get used to it and try harder next time. It’s not my job to clean up after your ‘civil disobedience’ every time you get a little angsty. Sheesh!”

“Actually, it is your job,” Hawke noted wryly.

“What happened?” Lamont asked.

“Well, you know how both Atlas and SourceCode have been showing off their prototypes for the Dyson project?”

“Vaguely.”

“Atlas scheduled a big demonstration today near L4. Their CEO and half their board were there. The press was there. Senators from both sides of the aisle were there. Members of Byakko’s cabinet were there. The lead engineer turned on their ‘patented macrotech constructor,’ the test asteroid went in”—he spread his hands—“and a shower of giant middle fingers came spewing out the other side.”

Hawke snorted a laugh.

“I know, right?” Peng flashed a grin of his own. “Turns out one of their programmers is a Society member. Three guesses who just lost her job!”

“But the situation’s under control?” Lamont asked.

“Yeah, it’s fine,” Peng assured him. “The Atlas engineers had most of it cleaned up by the time my first team transmitted in, and, honestly, I only got dragged into this mess because the cabinet members were there.” He glowered. “Politicians. Gotta love ’em. And all this excitement over a hunk of rock no one’s using.”

“Anything else?” Lamont asked.

“I wouldn’t mind venting for another twenty minutes,” Peng said. “But, nah. Nothing we need to cover now.”

“Then let’s get started.”

Lamont nodded to Klaus-Wilhelm, who loaded his presentation into the room’s infrastructure and stood.

“It’s good news, right?” Peng asked. “I could use some of that.”

“It’s . . . mixed.” Klaus-Wilhelm opened a top-down image of a chronoport leaving the DTI tower.

“Pioneer-class, if I’m not mistaken?” Lamont said.

“Pioneer-class refit,” Hawke corrected. “But the impeller looks a little longer.”

“That’s because it is,” Klaus-Wilhelm said. “This is the second chronoport to be equipped with transdimensional tech, and the first the Admin’s achieved on its own.”

“Shit,” Peng breathed. “So much for good news, Klaus! Thanks a lot.” He shook his head. “Gentlemen, the genie is officially out of his bottle.”

“We knew this would happen eventually,” Lamont countered. “It was only a question of timing.”

“And we didn’t come out of the exchange empty-handed,” Klaus-Wilhelm pointed out. “Agents Andover-Chen and Kaminski collected a great deal of data on DTI operations and technology, as well as providing us with a firsthand look at the Admin’s newest chronoport.

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