3013: SALVATION (3013: The Series Book 5) Read Online Free PDF Page A

of
contentment and happiness. Skylar was pleased that her friend had found her true
loves, although their love story had not been an easy one.
    The living room of the suite was
luxuriously appointed, filled with beautiful gold and cream decor and plush furniture.
It wasn’t any surprise though, considering everything on New Vega was lavish
and elegant. Archer pushed two large duffle bags on the floor out of the way
with his foot so they could continue into the living room.
    “Sorry for the mess. We were just
packing. Our new vessel, the Stargazer, should be arriving in a few
hours. When it docks, we’ll be moving over to our quarters onboard.”
    Skylar nodded. “It won’t take me
long to pack.”
    Serra gestured for her to take a
seat on one of the lounge chairs. “Why don’t you sit down? Relax. Can I get you
something to drink?”
    Skylar shook her head at Serra’s
offer. “Sorry, Serra. I’m not here for a social call. I was told Jax wanted to
see me.”
    “He didn’t tell me about that.”
Serra’s brows creased into a slight frown. “He’s been in a really awful mood
all afternoon.”
    “Shit.”
    Archer laughed while he stroked a
hand over his chosen’s hair. “Sweetheart, I don’t think that’s something Skylar
wants to hear before she has her meeting with Jax.”
    Distress clouded Serra’s
pale-green eyes. “Sorry. I guess it isn’t. He’s probably not mad at you.”
    Skylar groaned. “Serra, you
aren’t helping.”
    “Want me to come in with you?”
    “Thanks, but no. I think I prefer
to get my ass chewed out in private.”
    “He’s in the conference room.
First door to the left down that hall,” Archer said. “We’re here if you need to
talk...after.”
    Well, shit. That statement said
it all.
    Skylar’s nerves started to hum as
she realized the sympathy she saw on Archer’s face meant he knew what she had
been called here for. It had been months since she had faced the wrath of Jax,
and she’d been racking up enough strikes in the last few weeks that she was
about due.
    With a tingle of trepidation,
Skylar nodded to Archer, then made her way down the hall to the conference room.
She rapped sharply on the door and pressed the panel on the side of the entrance
when she was told to enter.
    Jax looked up from his data unit
as she walked into the room. He sat at the conference room table, as much at
home there as he would have been in his own office. High Commander Jax Spartan was
the epitome of what an elite soldier aspired to be. Until recently, Jax was the
commander of the Capital, the largest and most prosperous city on Earth, but he
had recently been promoted to the position of High Commander. It was an ideal
situation since he could now travel the stars with his chosen.
    It was said that one look from
Jax’s piercing gray eyes could freeze a person in place, but Skylar knew his
legendary temper made most people avoid him at all costs when he was angry. Jax
was a man that was feared throughout the universe, but Skylar had known him
since she was a little girl, so he didn’t scare her.
    Well, not much.
    Skylar could tell by the dark
expression on Jax’s face that he probably hadn’t forgiven her for the
latest...mishap she had been involved in that afternoon. The truth was that
Skylar would have been more than happy to steer clear of Jax for the remainder
of her time away from Earth, but that just wasn’t possible.
    Suck it up, Elite.
    “Reporting for duty as ordered,
sir.” Skylar saluted the high commander by holding her fist to her chest, right
over her heart.
    Jax nodded in response then
gestured to a chair on the other side of the table. “Sit down, Officer Aris.”
He studied her for a moment in silence as she did so, then said, “First, I
wanted to let you know that a new commander and two generals are on their way
to X7 as we speak. Dom and Arik are supervising things there until the
replacements arrive later this evening. The Stargazer should be here in
a few