Savage Tide (Starcaster Book 5) by J.N. Chaney & Terry Maggert

Author:J.N. Chaney & Terry Maggert [Chaney, J.N.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Variant Publications
Published: 2021-01-30T16:00:00+00:00

Tanner’s little briefing room behind the bridge was too small to hold Bertilak, and more than one other normal, human-sized person. The Captain called him and Thorn to his cabin instead.

“Prefer not to meet here if I can avoid it. Like having a space that isn’t entirely about work,” Tanner said, as they entered.

Thorn nodded his understanding. “I get that, sir. It’s not exactly somewhere to get away from work, but I use the witchport as my quiet place, when I need some alone time.”

“Have to be honest, Stellers, I’ve always suspected you spend some of your time there sleeping,” Tanner replied, another of his hinted smiles on his lips.

Thorn grinned. “I almost never sleep in there, sir.”

Tanner’s eyes twinkled with brief amusement, but a chime from his comm terminal interrupted. “That’ll be Admiral Scoville. He said he’d get back to us when the Arcturus was in real-time comms range,” Tanner said, sitting at his desk and tapping a control. The ON logo vanished, replaced by the gruff cragginess of Scoville’s face.

“That report of yours makes for some unsettling reading, Captain Tanner,” Scoville said.

“It was meant to, sir. Based on what Bertilak has told us, the squids are dealing with seven or eight different races, and those are the ones he knows about,” Tanner replied.

“Can’t deny they’ve obviously been putting more effort into diplomacy than we have.”

Thorn, who’d sat on Tanner’s bunk, shifted slightly to get a better view of Scoville’s image on the terminal. “That’s true, sir. But all of these other alien races are pretty much on the far side of Nyctus space. The Danzur are the closest to us, and even they’re a long flight away.”

“Understood. But that doesn’t change the fact that we need to start doing business differently. I’ve spoken to Fleet, to the Admiralty, and they’ve been talking to the Allied Stars Council. They all agree that we need to put more effort into diplomatic efforts, especially with these—” Scoville stopped and consulted a data-pad. “—these Imbrogul.”

Tanner crossed his arms. “Unless we cut through Nyctus space, it’s going to take any diplomatic mission at least six weeks to get to them, sir. And if we do cut through Nyctus space, then we’re going to have to send a chunk of the Fleet along to escort them.”

“I can’t imagine the squids taking very kindly to us trying to get chummy with the Imbrogul, sir, in any case. That’s going to be a tough mission either way,” Thorn said.

Scoville returned a thin, hard smile. “All excellent points. That’s probably why they’ve been major topics of discussion between the Admiralty and the Council.”

“Didn’t mean to steal your thunder, sir,” Tanner replied.

“And you haven’t. The conclusion reached is that we do need to send a mission, we need to do it now, and it needs to get there as close to now as we can manage.”

Thorn glanced at Bertilak, who just raised an eyebrow. He had an uncomfortable idea where this was going, but bit his words back and just waited.

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