Reprisal (Space Colony One, #9) by J.J. Green

Author:J.J. Green
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: J.J. Green
Published: 2023-02-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

Meric’s argument with the commander of Chimera’s paramilitary had been building for half an hour. Wilder waited in an adjacent room with Miki as the two slogged it out. At first, their voices as they discussed Miki’s transgression had barely penetrated the dividing door, but for the last few minutes the commander had been shouting, every sentence painfully clear.

“I don’t give a shit who they are! They might have brought the Scythians right to our doorstep. And that idiot girl is a liability. She was a minute from wandering out into the open and giving us all away.”

Meric’s reply was soft, a murmured attempt at appeasement.

“Who cares whose daughter she is? You’re seriously telling me you allowed Scythians spies to live because one of them has a bit of red in her hair? Are you insane?”

Again, the sound of Meric’s response was audible but his words were not.

“They have no place here!” the commander yelled. “We don’t know who they are or where they’re from, and you’re jeopardizing the safety of this community on a fanciful dream. The Sirocco’s crew died a long time ago and if they didn’t they’re whooping it up on Earth. You’ll be telling me next the guy in bed in sick bay is Ethan and their supposed pilot is Aubriot. They’re all dead, Meric. Dead and gone. The sooner you accept that and get rid of our unwelcome visitors the better. If you don’t, you should reconsider your fitness as Leader.”

The door slammed open, and Wilder and Miki jumped in unison.

Casting each a baleful glare, the commander thumped past them and out the exterior door.

Meric appeared, his brow furrowed and rubbing his hands. “I guess you must have heard a lot of that?”

“We got the gist,” Wilder replied.

“I’m sorry. Commander Orson is hot-tempered and speaks his mind, but he isn’t rash. He’ll calm down eventually.”

“Do we have to leave?” Miki asked. “I didn’t realize I was doing anything wrong when I walked up the tunnel. I only wanted to go outside for a little bit. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“You picked a bad time, unfortunately. Usually, there would be guards at the inner doors. Chimera is guarded day and night at both ends of the tunnel in case of Scythian attack. No one living here would want to go out even if it were permitted. But the moment you chose for your excursion happened to be the scheduled arrival of a supply shipment. We’re at our most vulnerable when we open up to allow the trucks in, so all guards were deployed at the surface.”

Wilder asked, “Isn’t it incredibly risky for Chimera to be supplied in that way? The Scythians would see the vehicles from the air.”

“The entire route from the port is camouflaged, and the trucks only travel by day. The Scythians seem to have poor sight in bright sunlight, and the heat from the desert seems to confuse them.”

“I’m sorry for what I did,” said Miki. “If it would make things better, I’ll leave.

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