information in a flowing, liquid script.
“Your information is ready,” the holo said again.
“Display,” he commanded, seating himself. As he located knife, fork, and napkin, the screen filled with information on Dusk.
“Readout,” he added, cutting into a tender, juicy piece of prime Terran ribeye, listening intently as the computer read out pertinent information about Dusk’s location, history, and important laws.
When the cool, feminine voice completed the readout, Pete murmured, “Hmm. Display off.”
As the holoscreen’s glow faded from the room, he pushed the demolished tray away and withdrew the small envelope. Breaking the seal with his thumbnail, he peered inside, then turned the envelope upside down so the contents tumbled into his palm.
A small strip of red plas emblazoned with black lettering and two tiny silver eagles glinted up at him.
The eagles, ancient symbols of a colonel’s rank, jarred him, even though he’d been expecting them.
The red plas strip, on the other hand, scared the hell out of him. Only orders that were so confidential the bearer would be required to commit suicide if necessary to keep them secure were marked that way.
What the fuck have I gotten myself into now ?
Resignedly, he fed the strip into the holoscreen’s data slot.
Chapter Five
Merrick guided the ’car into the docking facility on manual control. Despite the half a bottle of Merlot he’d drunk with Olivia, his hands were sure and steady on the controls as he nosed the ’car toward his slot and brought it down. The landing was so precise and light that Olivia had to do a double-take to verify they had in fact stopped.
“I had a wonderful time, Merrick,” Olivia said, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek. He still tasted of sea salt, and she smiled as she realized that she would forevermore associate that flavor with Merrick turning her senses inside out on the beach. She shivered deliciously, wondering how soon they could return for an encore performance.
“I did too, sweetheart,” he assured her. His hazel eyes danced in the dim light of the control panel. “I wish we could do that every day.”
She laughed. “You’re insatiable.”
“Only for you.” He winked.
The canopy slid open and locked back, allowing her to exit. She was so lost in admiring the view of Merrick’s tight buttocks as he swung out of his seat that it took her a moment to realize she was being hailed.
“-- via! Oh, God, Olivia!”
She turned to see Hui Sin Ling hurrying toward the ’car, her face so white she looked like she’d just been doused with flour. “Ling! What’s wrong?”
“It’s… it’s Ambassador Trelawney!” Ling skidded to a stop less than a handspan away. “I think he’s… he’s…”
Her eyes overflowed with tears. Reflexively, Olivia put her arms around the other woman.
“He’s what, Ling?” The bottom dropped out of Olivia’s stomach.
Ling twined herself around Olivia like a limpet, her sobs so powerful they set Olivia’s teeth rocking. Olivia could only make out the word “dead” through the other woman’s wails.
“Dead? Ambassador Trelawney’s dead? How do you know?”
Ling only sobbed all the harder, any attempt at speech blocked by her jerky inhalations and warbling cries.
Over Ling’s shoulder, Olivia speared Merrick with a glance. “Go check on the Ambassador. I’ll stay here and try to calm Ling down.”
Merrick didn’t ask any questions. His chiseled jaw tightened, but he only turned and loped away toward the corridor that led to the DDC lift to the top of the Aerie.
Once Merrick was safely away, Olivia guided Ling to the floor. Despite the fact Ling probably outmassed Olivia by thirty kilos, she followed Olivia’s guidance without protest or question. Olivia held her close and stroked her silky hair until the woman’s sobs faded to mild hiccups, and then asked again.
“What makes you think he’s dead?”
Ling met her eyes with her own fiery
“Your information is ready,” the holo said again.
“Display,” he commanded, seating himself. As he located knife, fork, and napkin, the screen filled with information on Dusk.
“Readout,” he added, cutting into a tender, juicy piece of prime Terran ribeye, listening intently as the computer read out pertinent information about Dusk’s location, history, and important laws.
When the cool, feminine voice completed the readout, Pete murmured, “Hmm. Display off.”
As the holoscreen’s glow faded from the room, he pushed the demolished tray away and withdrew the small envelope. Breaking the seal with his thumbnail, he peered inside, then turned the envelope upside down so the contents tumbled into his palm.
A small strip of red plas emblazoned with black lettering and two tiny silver eagles glinted up at him.
The eagles, ancient symbols of a colonel’s rank, jarred him, even though he’d been expecting them.
The red plas strip, on the other hand, scared the hell out of him. Only orders that were so confidential the bearer would be required to commit suicide if necessary to keep them secure were marked that way.
What the fuck have I gotten myself into now ?
Resignedly, he fed the strip into the holoscreen’s data slot.
Chapter Five
Merrick guided the ’car into the docking facility on manual control. Despite the half a bottle of Merlot he’d drunk with Olivia, his hands were sure and steady on the controls as he nosed the ’car toward his slot and brought it down. The landing was so precise and light that Olivia had to do a double-take to verify they had in fact stopped.
“I had a wonderful time, Merrick,” Olivia said, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek. He still tasted of sea salt, and she smiled as she realized that she would forevermore associate that flavor with Merrick turning her senses inside out on the beach. She shivered deliciously, wondering how soon they could return for an encore performance.
“I did too, sweetheart,” he assured her. His hazel eyes danced in the dim light of the control panel. “I wish we could do that every day.”
She laughed. “You’re insatiable.”
“Only for you.” He winked.
The canopy slid open and locked back, allowing her to exit. She was so lost in admiring the view of Merrick’s tight buttocks as he swung out of his seat that it took her a moment to realize she was being hailed.
“-- via! Oh, God, Olivia!”
She turned to see Hui Sin Ling hurrying toward the ’car, her face so white she looked like she’d just been doused with flour. “Ling! What’s wrong?”
“It’s… it’s Ambassador Trelawney!” Ling skidded to a stop less than a handspan away. “I think he’s… he’s…”
Her eyes overflowed with tears. Reflexively, Olivia put her arms around the other woman.
“He’s what, Ling?” The bottom dropped out of Olivia’s stomach.
Ling twined herself around Olivia like a limpet, her sobs so powerful they set Olivia’s teeth rocking. Olivia could only make out the word “dead” through the other woman’s wails.
“Dead? Ambassador Trelawney’s dead? How do you know?”
Ling only sobbed all the harder, any attempt at speech blocked by her jerky inhalations and warbling cries.
Over Ling’s shoulder, Olivia speared Merrick with a glance. “Go check on the Ambassador. I’ll stay here and try to calm Ling down.”
Merrick didn’t ask any questions. His chiseled jaw tightened, but he only turned and loped away toward the corridor that led to the DDC lift to the top of the Aerie.
Once Merrick was safely away, Olivia guided Ling to the floor. Despite the fact Ling probably outmassed Olivia by thirty kilos, she followed Olivia’s guidance without protest or question. Olivia held her close and stroked her silky hair until the woman’s sobs faded to mild hiccups, and then asked again.
“What makes you think he’s dead?”
Ling met her eyes with her own fiery
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