The Fifth Reich: Beyond The Stars by Palliser J

Author:Palliser, J [Palliser, J]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2017-03-22T16:00:00+00:00

28

Twenty-Seven

2304, Deck 10, Main Crew Lounge, KMS Bismarck, 0830 hours Casana pressed her nose against the glass, staring intently out the window into the depths of space. Seeing nothing, she frowned and turned her head to one side and then the other. As she went back to staring straight ahead, she unconsciously lifted one heel and twisted the foot back and forth on the toe.

"What are you doing?" Sonya asked from the table a few meters away.

"I'm watching for the ship!" she chirped back exuberantly, tapping on the glass. "The Berlin is approaching at gravity-drive velocity," Dejah stated. "As such, it will enter the system traveling faster than any photons emitted by or reflected off of it. Your efforts are therefore in vain."

Casana's shoulders slumped and she pushed herself off the glass. She trudged over to the table with a forlorn look on her face and flopped back into her chair. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're kind of a buzz-kill?" she said, looking up at Dejah.

"You have told me that on numerous occasions."

"Well, they're late, and I'm bored," Casana said with a pout.

"We go through this every time we get new crewmen," Kara smiled, leaning back in her seat.

"I like meeting new people," Casana sighed before taking a sip of Sonya's lemon sharbat when she wasn't looking.

"I just hope they know wha... hey!" she yelled, grabbing the glass out of Casana's hand. "You're like a child!"

"Oh, you can only pray your child is as adorable as me!" she cooed back, batting her eyes and sucking her thumb.

"I'd settle for marginally more mature," Sonya scowled at her. "Oh, don't mind her, Cass," Kara laughed, putting a hand on Sonya's shoulder. "Sonya always gets grumpy talking about our daughter."

"When are you actually gonna to have her?" "We haven't decided yet," Sonya answered, looking away. Casana and Dejah exchanged looks.

"You have had a considerable amount of time to plan," Dejah said. "I am surprised that you have not yet decided."

"So, who's going to carry the little kid?" Casana asked, looking anxiously out the window.

"We aren't telling!" Kara smiled wickedly. "You'll have to wait and find out."

"Lieutenant Mueller," Dejah said casually, taking a sip of her tea.

Sonya and Kara looked wide-eyed at each other, then at Dejah. "How did you know that?" Kara gaped.

"She doesn't," Sonya scoffed. "She's guessing."

"I do not 'guess'," Dejah replied, almost offended. "They're here!" Casana shouted, knocking her chair over as she leaped to her feet. "They're here!" The others turned to look out the window. Sure enough, a few kilometers in front of the Bismarck was another ship.

"KMS Berlin," Sonya sighed as she got to her feet. "Phoenix-class." "Haven't seen one of those in a long time," Kara said, wrapping an arm around the taller woman's shoulder. "Hard to imagine that there's only a handful of them left in service." Casana bounced out the door, with Dejah, Sonya, and Kara following behind.

"You know, when I was a kid, those ships were legendary, all 'First War" legends," Sonya said as they walked down the corridor towards the turbo-lift.

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