Casserine by Bernard Lee DeLeo

Author:Bernard Lee DeLeo [DeLeo, Bernard Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781410761316
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Published: 2003-07-03T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 27

With Victory, Peace

Jake sat at the terminal in the command room off of the Bridge, where Colonel Peters and Major Corey had brought him. “Hi Charlie, I hear you haven’t killed enough people to make them behave down there.”

Mercer, who appeared to be in a small room, laughed appreciatively. Jake could hear Jack Johnson’s distinctive bass laugh too. “Sorry to bother you, Jake. Our envoys have met with the old EC countries’ leaders. Although most are suitably impressed with the generosity of our offers, they tell me there’s one glaring holdout. They feel if you could come on down, and hear what the holdout’s rep has to say, negotiations would get moving again.”

“You already explained that I am the complaint department, and the last person they want to have come down there, didn’t you?”

“Oh boy, Jake,” Mercer replied earnestly. “Jack and I have explained it in as many ways as we could think of. This royal family that runs this sandpit they call…ah.. Jack, what did you say the name of it was?”

Major Johnson sat down next to Mercer, where Jake could see him. “It’s the area they used to call Saudi Arabia, Sir. The Saudi royal family still controls the entire area, and parts of other nations within the United Arab Emirate. They had a rather large voice in what went on at Earth Command, and the profits from most of the fuel cell mining funneled through them. Their representative wishes to speak to you directly. They want to retain some voice in what goes on in the colonies.”

“With all the goofy little dictators we already creamed,” Mercer added, “the rest of these folks are really excited with the new arrangements.”

“Why are so many of these Saudi guys still alive to screw with us?” Jake asked.

“They were in hiding during the EC demolition party we threw,” Mercer explained. “It sort of left them on top of everyone. These Royals live in opulent palaces, while the rest of their people live like paupers. Supposedly, the people love them so much, they don’t want to change anything about their circumstances.”

“What a load of crap,” Jake stated angrily. “I don’t have time for this. We need…oh hell, never mind. Sorry guys, I’ll leave right now. Thanks for acting with restraint down there. Jas told me you haven’t had to wipe out anyone.”

“Believe it or not, Jake,” Mercer replied, “we’ve been treated like celebrities here. We’ve been on our guard, and the Drop Ships have been on round the clock patrol, but it hasn’t been necessary to chastise anyone yet. This Saudi guy is the only one giving us any trouble, and the rest of the people at the table are so afraid of the royal family, they defer to him at every step.”

“I guess Mr. Snappy would not be a diplomatic way to handle this, huh Charlie?” Jake asked with a grin.

“I’m trying to put my ruffian reputation behind me on this mission,” Mercer replied disdainfully. “Haven’t I, Jack?”

After Johnson howled in laughter for almost a minute, he managed to gasp out a reply.

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