Frontier's Shadow: A Space Opera Adventure (Frontiers Book 3) by Robert C. James

Author:Robert C. James [James, Robert C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-06-12T22:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Seven

Captain Vorholan handed Jason the sealed black container, no larger than a briefcase. And while it appeared innocuous, what lay inside it was a monumental lifeline. All their hopes now rested on Aly being able to use the Iota particles to get them to Tadrosia.

Jason passed it to her and she rushed off with Althaus by her side. “Take this and figure out how to open a vortex.”

She nodded and rushed off to the engine room with Althaus by her side.

Jason led Vorholan to one of the many containers in the cargo bay. He cracked it open and reached for a box, revealing the dozen bottles of Blue Jacket bourbon inside. “With this case gone, I’ll be the commander of a dry ship.”

“I’m sure your crew will manage,” Vorholan said optimistically.

“They may. I won’t.” Jason chuckled. “All work and no play…”

“Excuse me?”

“Don’t worry.” Jason yanked a bottle from the box and held it as if it were a small child. “Promise me, Captain, when you drink this, take the time to savor it. I realize it’s just cheap liquor, but I’ve crawled into many a bottle like this over the years and—”

“I think you have a problem, Captain,” Vorholan cut him off. “Perhaps when you get back to this Earth of yours, you should seek some help.”

“You’re not the first person to say that.” Jason hated admitting he had an issue. And even though he hadn’t drunk to excess since his return to the Argo, the thought of being unable to have the tiniest sip of the brown nectar horrified him.

Vorholan took the case and made his way to the starboard airlock. Jason put out his hand, and Vorholan did the same, not quite sure what to do with it.

Jason clasped it tightly. “Thanks for the rescue. I guess we were lucky you were in the right place at the right time.”

“An unusual expression along with an equally unusual custom,” Vorholan said, staring down at their hands.

Jason chuckled, pulling his hand away. He opened the airlock and allowed Captain Vorholan to depart. With another mash of the panel, the hatch closed, and the grungy salvage ship maneuvered away into the distance.

The elevator came to a halt behind him, and Kione stepped off. “The trade is done then?”

“Aly’s working with the Iota particles now. With any luck we’ll be back on the road soon.” Jason led him back toward the elevator. “Talk to me, Kione. You have reservations about this?”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Always.”

“Do you think we’re doing the right thing?”

They stepped inside, and he directed the car up to A Deck. “In what sense?”

Kione seemed to have trouble putting the words together. “We’re using the remains of an intelligent being that was killed.”

“Kione, that kwigamanthingy is dead.” He furrowed his brow. “And do you know why it’s dead? Because it was trying to kill us. If it weren’t for the Natrusians, me, Aly, and Althaus would be six feet under right now. I don’t think it would’ve cared about our remains.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.