Xeno Reckoning: An Interstellar War Story (The Essence Wars Book 1) by Paul Heingarten

Author:Paul Heingarten [Heingarten, Paul]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Decatur Media
Published: 2021-02-15T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

Selina and Wexan cornered the perps on the Energy theft and saved a huge relay system from being knocked offline. They returned the pieces back to the Mardaks, who restored the fragile but lingering power grid in Tas Ralong to its current state, mediocre as it was. Her shift ended, Selina headed back to NewEarth for a two-day break.

The Commissary was a common meeting ground on NewEarth. The facility was built in the hope it gave NewEarth citizens the beginning of a routine for their day, even if it was just a regular place where they congregated, satisfied their hunger, and even percolated the smallest bits of gossip on their neighbors. The traditions of gathering from Earth were carried over.

The Commissary was run by Ward Dixon, a former maintenance worker who'd helped with the establishment of NewEarth and had decided to kindle that one portion of the human existence, the sharing of stories and times good and not so good over whatever meager rations were available.

Ward's Commissary was a business, but since UA Credits weren't quite that common around NewEarth yet, Ward happily adopted a more or less barter type system, trading basic items, or even the occasional credit type transaction—whatever it took so people's bellies were full and the NewEarth community kept growing.

Ward greeted Selina as she came through the food line. His large belly pressed close to the counter as he scraped food portions onto Selina's tray. “How's my girl doing?” Ward said in his inimitable booming voice.

“Eh, surviving. Just finished my first shift with a Mardak.”

“Oh boy, sorry to hear that.”

“Right?” Selina chuckled.

Ward nodded sympathetically. “They come this way now and then; seen 'em when we do crop transfers. Bunch a smelly bastards.”

“Try riding in a hover with one.” Selina smiled.

Ward laughed. “'Suppose we gotta play nice though. Keeping order takes all the help we can get. I'm still seeing some theft around these parts too, ya know. Don't understand how people are so bent on taking things from their fellow humans.”

“We all want more, especially when we've got so little.”

“Yeah, I guess. So, how's your mama been? Ain't seen her too much.” Ward's lips drew in a line.

Selina's eyes cast down a bit. “Recovering. I've been trying to slip her some extra water rations when I can. Dehydration sickness isn't pretty.”

“No, it ain't. Tell ya what, I got some extras from my food prep. See me on your way out; I'll give you some.”

“Aw, Ward, that's for your business.”

“My business is taking care of people. If we don't look out for each other, who else will?” Ward extended a knobby hand to Selina.

She swallowed a lump in her throat and blinked hard to bat away a tear that formed. She hoped the waver in her voice wasn't noticed. “Thanks, Ward.”

Selina grabbed her tray and made her way to a spot on the far end of the large hall. She felt better with her back against a windowless wall. Ever since Regulation training, Selina was told

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