Alliance by S. H. Jucha

Author:S. H. Jucha [Jucha, S. H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Hannon Books, Inc.
Published: 2019-09-28T21:00:00+00:00

-19-

Hall of Delegates

“Commandant, have you received an update from the president’s office?” Major Paul Lindstrom asked.

“The president called me directly,” Ophelia Tuttle replied.

“What do you think we should do?” Paul asked.

“About what?” Ophelia replied.

“We know nothing about these visitors, and the president is planning to meet with them,” Paul said, with concern. “It’s possible that she could be in danger.”

“Paul, the visitors are sailing starships,” Ophelia said. “They brought our people from the Sylian home world. Who knows how far that is from here? They launched a shuttle from below the ecliptic and made Triton Medical Station in less than three hours. According to Jess Cinders, they can land their shuttles without scorch marks. Something was said about grav drives. Just what kind of security do you think we could offer the president, if she even chose to take it, which would be effective against whatever they might want to do?”

“Well, when you put it that way, probably nothing,” Paul admitted. “Are you going to be at the meeting?”

“Absolutely,” Ophelia replied. “If nothing else, I don’t want to miss this supposedly miraculous landing. Paul, I want you to remember that we have one major thing in our favor. Kasie has spent significant time with the visitors. If she had any concerns, Jess or she would have found a way to warn us.”

“What if it’s a matter of Kasie’s power and sensitivity?” Paul asked. “She’s not got your capabilities. No one else is the great-granddaughter of Sasha Garmenti.”

“Every empath today is strong enough to sense the emotions of any sentient we’ve ever encountered,” Ophelia replied. “These are humans. They won’t be unique. As a descendant of Aurelia Garmenti, Kasie has more than enough capability to detect any dichotomy between their words and their feelings.”

“Will you be taking a security team with you to the meeting?” Paul pressed, trying once more to get Ophelia to take his concerns seriously.

“No, mother, I won’t be taking an escort,” Ophelia replied tartly.

Paul had heard Ophelia call him that a few times before. It was her way of saying that she’d heard enough, and he was to cease and desist. In truth, he accepted the name proudly. He thought of himself as her elder brother, and he saw that part of his job was to look out for her.

Ophelia ended the call with Paul and finished dressing. She used her comm unit to call a car. The communication device wrapped around the lower sleeve of her uniform. Its wafer-thin body was fed power by the solar-collective fabric. Her uniform’s jacket doubled as an antenna.

By the time Ophelia exited her generous-sized apartment, the e-trans was waiting. The door of the cylindrically shaped vehicle slid aside at her approach.

“Destination,” the vehicle requested.

“Hall of Delegates,” Ophelia replied.

“Estimated arrival time is two hours and twenty-three minutes,” the vehicle replied, as the door slid closed. It accelerated and followed its guidance program.

After navigating a few ped-paths to clear the hub, which encompassed Ophelia’s building, the e-trans climbed a ramp and halted. There was a short wait.

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