The StarMaster's Son by Gibson Morales

Author:Gibson Morales [Morales, Gibson]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781943575268
Publisher: Mo Bros Books
Published: 2020-04-28T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

FELIK

Felik hadn't enjoyed his experience with the Wraiths. He'd even relished seeing this very moment, when the Union Omega—or part of it—decided to put an end to their technological expansion. Yet there didn't appear to be a direct link between the Wraiths and the hacking of Arteyos's ghost. But they would be punished for it.

"I concur with the Ascendi," the Anunnaki Blemu said. Obviously he wasn't biased in supporting his fellow Anunnaki. "We can't allow other star systems to believe they can leave the Union Omega without consequences."

"Look at you, doing the Envoy's job for him," Dryker said.

"Speaking of him, can we stipulate that Felik will allow us the Nassatar's support?" Xerix said.

Felik's surge of anger at the Chief Navigator replaced his concern. Even though he knew it was a ploy, he still resented them trying to make him look like a puppet of the Union Omega.

"We could ask him," the Ascendi Alpha said, all but outright doing so.

What a joke, Felik thought. They had asked him to attend the meeting and join the Watchers network, but they weren't going to offer him the respect they afforded themselves. He might as well have been asleep for all he was doing here.

"Wouldn't using it be overkill?" Hayland interjected, and Felik remembered the warning he'd given him earlier. "The Nassatar's past her battle days. We don't need to tarnish her like that. She's a symbol now, not a weapon of war."

"The Nassatar is a he now," Xerix said snidely. "And a symbol is exactly what we aim to present. So it would in fact be quite useful."

"I trust the Fleet Admiral's protocols on this matter," Dryker said. "Sending the Nassatar out is a bad idea. It makes us look desperate."

Oberon frowned. "You might have a point, but can we really call the Fleet Admiral's judgment objective on this matter?"

"My relation with Felik isn't influencing my decision," Hayland said.

Dryker continued. "Oberon, we should use your fleet and your...Elder One. I think we can all agree that would send the best message."

"There's no love lost on Oberon among the star systems," Har'oosh said. "If we lead with his weapons, it will undoubtedly be a severe blow to his karma."

"Now that would be an injustice," Hayland muttered.

"And there will be a lot more injustices if Megas becomes the StarMaster."

Even as their exchanges pushed Felik to increasing levels of irritation, he kept quiet and tried to find the humor in it.

<Be honest New Terran, does this conversation annoy you?> It was from the Ascendi Alpha.

Felik was taken aback by the directness. Was it a trick question? <Why do you ask?>

<Because it annoys me and very few here will admit the same. You're new and, perhaps, not yet conditioned by our proto's wonts.>

Many Anunnaki spoke Basic without a translator and the Ascendi was one of them. His choice of the word "wonts" made Felik wonder how long ago he'd learned it. <Doesn't it worry you that they speak like this?> he sent.

<How so?>

<It's wasteful. Couldn't we

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.