Rebellion of Stars (Starship Blackbeard Book 4) by Michael Wallace

Rebellion of Stars (Starship Blackbeard Book 4) by Michael Wallace

Author:Michael Wallace [Wallace, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction, Colonization, First Contact, Galactic Empire, Military, Space Fleet, Space Marine, Space Opera
Amazon: B00UXQO46W
Publisher: Balsalom Publishing
Published: 2015-08-27T07:00:00+00:00


Chapter Fifteen

Back at the lake the next morning, Tolvern stood on shore with her hands on her hips as their captives searched for the pod. Four Hroom waded through the mud and reeds to where the water grew deep, probing with twelve-foot-long poles. Others hacked branches from one of the fern trees on the edge of the lake to expose its trunk. They’d hauled a thick rope from the village, which they now tied around its base.

Pez Rykan stood on the shore next to Tolvern. “I have warned you. I will not retract my judgment should your vessel fail to appear.”

“You’ll see. This is going to change everything.”

Tolvern felt confident, almost cocky. This was the entire reason she’d come to Hot Barsa, and after several narrow scrapes, she was finally ready to complete her mission. But there was no time to waste. There was a rebellion to foment.

After pronouncing judgment, the Hroom leader had put them in one of the stilt houses and brought them water. Later came food, some sort of cooked tuber and meat dish that was surprisingly edible, though she didn’t want to think about what kind of animal she was eating. They were all in better spirits after that, and ready for a return trip to the lake in the morning.

Nyb Pim remained captive at the Hroom village, but Pez Rykan brought the other three along. Following the previously cut trail, with everyone on foot now, it only took a few hours to reach the lake. Carvalho cut his own pole, and soon joined the Hroom in poking into the lake, looking for the pod. Brockett sat on the riverbank with a pad of paper and a charcoal drawing stick given him by the Hroom, running some sort of calculations about the sugar antidote.

“How far away are the plantations?” Tolvern asked.

Pez Rykan hesitated, as if trying to decide whether to answer. “The nearest estate is a day’s march to the northeast.”

“That close! That’s great news. Is it a big one?”

“Naturally,” the chief said. “It belongs to your king. He has hoarded the richest lands for himself.”

“Lord Malthorne is no king of mine. My king was killed by the Hroom, and when we replace him, we’ll choose a better sort than Malthorne, believe me. Someone honest and just.”

“Does such a human exist?”

“How many slaves on this estate?” she asked, not to be put off by his digs.

“Tens of thousands. Living in misery, worked to death to make the very poison that is killing them.”

“We’ll put an end to that, by God.”

“Unlikely. Dozens of humans and armed sugar eaters guard the estate. Our entire rebellion is a single village in the swamp. How would we manage such a thing?”

Tolvern allowed herself a smile. “Wait until you see what I have. Then you won’t be so glum.” She glanced up at the mottled skin around his neck and face, and found herself wondering. “You were a sugar slave, weren’t you? How did you escape?”

Pez Rykan didn’t answer, but kept staring out at the lake.



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