THE STARTER (Galactic Football League) by Sigler Scott

Author:Sigler, Scott [Sigler, Scott]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science Fiction
ISBN: 9780615365428
Publisher: Empty Set Entertainment
Published: 2010-11-30T05:00:00+00:00

• • •

QUENTIN WALKED DOWN THE TUNNEL toward Ionath Stadium’s field. In Earth Standard Time, the system that everyone used to track all things football-related, it was Saturday. Today they’d have a walk-through practice — get a decent workout, but not push too hard, and no hitting. Tomorrow the Themala Dreadnaughts would come calling. The Krakens had to be rested and ready.

He walked past a Human cop, one of the dozens guarding Ionath Stadium.

“Hey, Mister Barnes,” the guard said. “Hey, do you mind signing this for me?”

The guy looked left and right, then held out a messageboard. It seemed a little suspicious, but then again, if the guy had already got past Gredok’s guards and wanted Quentin dead, Quentin would be dead. Quentin took the messageboard, signed it, and handed it back.

“There you go.”

“Thanks, Mister Barnes!”

Quentin nodded at him, then started to walk out of the tunnel.

“Hold it, Quentin. I’ve got some questions for you.”

Quentin stopped. Same guy, but his voice sounded different... familiar. Quentin turned and peered at the smaller man’s face. The eyebrows were different, and he had a mustache, but the shape of that face...

“Frederico?”

“Frederico Esteban Giuseppe Gonzaga,” he said. “And you actually figured out it was me? You should be a punch-drive scientist, you know that?”

“Why did you have me sign that messageboard?”

“Just messing with you,” he said. “And testing my disguise skills.”

The words disguise and messageboard clicked together in Quentin’s thoughts, sparking a memory.

“You were our driver on Isis.”

“Wow, can’t put one past you,” Frederico said. “Oh, wait, I guess I did.”

“What were you doing there?”

“Sometimes John hires me to be his bodyguard.”

“John Tweedy hires you to be his bodyguard?”

“Don’t look so shocked, Quentin. There’s more to conflict situations than being big and fast. I can fly just about any ship known to man, and some that aren’t. Considering that you seem to be a magnet for trouble, you might keep my skills in mind.”

John was the most dangerous sentient Quentin had met. If he hired Frederico as a bodyguard, what did that say about Frederico’s abilities?

“How do you know how to fly ships?”

“I used to be a navigator in the Navy.”

“Which navy?”

“None of your business,” Frederico said. “Look, I need to talk to you.”

“So why didn’t you schedule it? Messal would have set it up, you don’t need this silly disguise.”

“Oh, but I do,” Frederico said. “Let’s just say that Gredok is not my biggest fan.”

“Look, Fred, I have to get out there for practice.”

“Not until you tell me about your involvement with the Zoroastrian Guild.”

“The who?”

“You heard me.”

Quentin shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re lying,” Frederico said. “A splinter cell was behind the parade bombing.”

“A cell of what?”

“What are you, deaf? The Zoroastrian Guild.”

Quentin felt his temper rising. He’d have to watch his control — if he lost it and hit a normal size man like Frederico, a single punch could do major damage.

“Look,” Quentin said. “I don’t know anything about this Zoro Guild, and... hey, wait a minute, don’t you work for me?”

“Not if you’re involved with the ZG,” he said.

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.