Condorian battle cruisers in this sector? The ones who don’t know about the little setup on the Venus? Why wouldn’t they have fired on us?” Lyra asked.
“I’m assuming such a transport would be allowed through. The enemy officers aboard Aigean’s ship wouldn’t want to miss their deliveries of looted food, drugs, or alcohol. Aigean’s unwanted
guests
would have gotten it through Condorian lines without so much as being searched or even tracked.” He switched topics. Time was passing and they needed to be ready. “Bury your uniform where it can’t be found. Take nothing with you that can give your identity away. If I recall your surname correctly, you’re now Lyra Markham …
seductress
.”
She nodded in acknowledgement of his memory. “Just so you know … I intend to do whatever it takes to see some enemy blood on my hands. My dead friends would have given anything for one decent meal before they died. Those raiding thugs are going to pay … I swear to God!”
He said nothing as she stalked around a stone outcrop to change and relieve herself. It occurred to him that her prudishness in not completing these small tasks in front of him was ridiculous in light of the roles they were engaging. But the last of normalcy would soon be gone from their lives. Let her do what she must and have a bit of privacy, while she had the chance.
Lyra Markham was a warrior and wouldn’t appreciate his telling her not to go too far from the oasis, but his protective instincts still emerged. She was so small next to him. How could she have been effective in battle? Still, to achieve her rank she must have done something right. He shook his head and pulled out clothing for himself.
As he relieved himself then washed with copious amounts of bottled water and a bar of his own, old-fashioned soap, he tried to imagine how their so-called intimacy could work. They barely knew each other. What if they couldn’t pull this off?
He prayed to the Creator that some good would come from this effort. Either they’d make a huge difference, or they’d die on this gritty world without anyone having known what they’d been up to. The only damned reason the Condorians had chosen this place to attack was because of the ores that could be turned into fuel. From Reisen Four, a number of planets could all be reached within the span of a few days using wormhole technology. And there was the added benefit of being able to land their pleasure vessel in the wasteland far away from their ground fighters.
Few would suspect that members of Condoria’s High Command had the Venus hidden on this rock. Enemy ground troops, intentionally deprived of such delicacies as sumptuous food and women, would certainly turn on their leaders. It had happened before. Their officers had been slaughtered in very inventive ways, by their own subordinates. He’d seen the remains.
If it hadn’t been for the idea that a man might get aboard and relay a great deal of information back to Allied Command — with the help of Aigean Florn — it would have been more expedient to call in a strike on the Venus and kill everyone. As Lyra suggested, even the innocent aboard her craft would normally be deemed expendable by the powers-that-be.
The very worst scenario for his new partner was obvious.
The Venus could be overrun by Condorian ground troops while she was aboard. And while Aigean’s staff would be killed, how much worse would it be for Lyra if one of the employees gave her away as an allied soldier? That could obviously happen even if the enemy officers weren’t discovered by their own men.
This was an outcome Lyra must still be considering.
As for him, he’d been prepared for that possibility. Though Aigean had sworn allegiance to the allied cause, and she had been correct with all her information, how much could anyone really trust her? She’d survived a very long time among the enemy. How?
Something in his brain kept warning him, like an alarm. What was
“I’m assuming such a transport would be allowed through. The enemy officers aboard Aigean’s ship wouldn’t want to miss their deliveries of looted food, drugs, or alcohol. Aigean’s unwanted
guests
would have gotten it through Condorian lines without so much as being searched or even tracked.” He switched topics. Time was passing and they needed to be ready. “Bury your uniform where it can’t be found. Take nothing with you that can give your identity away. If I recall your surname correctly, you’re now Lyra Markham …
seductress
.”
She nodded in acknowledgement of his memory. “Just so you know … I intend to do whatever it takes to see some enemy blood on my hands. My dead friends would have given anything for one decent meal before they died. Those raiding thugs are going to pay … I swear to God!”
He said nothing as she stalked around a stone outcrop to change and relieve herself. It occurred to him that her prudishness in not completing these small tasks in front of him was ridiculous in light of the roles they were engaging. But the last of normalcy would soon be gone from their lives. Let her do what she must and have a bit of privacy, while she had the chance.
Lyra Markham was a warrior and wouldn’t appreciate his telling her not to go too far from the oasis, but his protective instincts still emerged. She was so small next to him. How could she have been effective in battle? Still, to achieve her rank she must have done something right. He shook his head and pulled out clothing for himself.
As he relieved himself then washed with copious amounts of bottled water and a bar of his own, old-fashioned soap, he tried to imagine how their so-called intimacy could work. They barely knew each other. What if they couldn’t pull this off?
He prayed to the Creator that some good would come from this effort. Either they’d make a huge difference, or they’d die on this gritty world without anyone having known what they’d been up to. The only damned reason the Condorians had chosen this place to attack was because of the ores that could be turned into fuel. From Reisen Four, a number of planets could all be reached within the span of a few days using wormhole technology. And there was the added benefit of being able to land their pleasure vessel in the wasteland far away from their ground fighters.
Few would suspect that members of Condoria’s High Command had the Venus hidden on this rock. Enemy ground troops, intentionally deprived of such delicacies as sumptuous food and women, would certainly turn on their leaders. It had happened before. Their officers had been slaughtered in very inventive ways, by their own subordinates. He’d seen the remains.
If it hadn’t been for the idea that a man might get aboard and relay a great deal of information back to Allied Command — with the help of Aigean Florn — it would have been more expedient to call in a strike on the Venus and kill everyone. As Lyra suggested, even the innocent aboard her craft would normally be deemed expendable by the powers-that-be.
The very worst scenario for his new partner was obvious.
The Venus could be overrun by Condorian ground troops while she was aboard. And while Aigean’s staff would be killed, how much worse would it be for Lyra if one of the employees gave her away as an allied soldier? That could obviously happen even if the enemy officers weren’t discovered by their own men.
This was an outcome Lyra must still be considering.
As for him, he’d been prepared for that possibility. Though Aigean had sworn allegiance to the allied cause, and she had been correct with all her information, how much could anyone really trust her? She’d survived a very long time among the enemy. How?
Something in his brain kept warning him, like an alarm. What was
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