Abysm Read Online Free PDF Page B

how it had happened.
    But he’d been doing this job long enough that, once he moved past the initial flare of mortification, he recognized it was simply deflection on their part. It was far easier to crack bawdy jokes about sex than to talk openly about committing sedition.
    Paredes tossed him a wink, which only made it worse.
    He growled a warning. “Gentleman, ladies, and the rest of you—by which I mean all of you—can we focus? I realize it’s a challenge, but try. I also realize nobody want to have this conversation, but it’s our responsibility as Marines to have it, and we need to have it now.
    “Admiral Solovy asked us to choose to protect the innocent rather than imprison them. I, for one, believe she’s right, and I plan to set about doing exactly that. But I won’t attempt to force any of you into following me. I’m your superior officer, but I am not your conscience. I give you leave to do what you think is right.
    “I’ll be in our hangar bay in twenty minutes. In twenty-two minutes I will depart for Messium in the Gambier to assist Admirals Solovy and Rychen in their endeavor. Anyone who wants to join me, be there then.
    “Anyone who doesn’t, you will be honorably transferred out of the unit. See the base Operations Officer for your new assignment. Thank you for serving with me. It has been my privilege.”
     

4
    MESSIS I
    E ARTH A LLIANCE O RBITAL S TATION
M ESSIUM S TELLAR S YSTEM
----
    K ENNEDY TROMPED AROUND THE PERIPHERY of the breakroom. “A planet-sized plant intelligence? Seriously?”
    “No bullshit. Three of them.”
    “Two of which tried to kill you.”
    “Rather strenuously. And the third healed me.”
    She veered around another corner. “And now you and Caleb are planning to lead an army of Metigens, or something? In a war against…humans?”
    “I don’t think they’d technically be considered ‘human’ any longer, not as we—”
    “Not the point. In case you didn’t notice, there’s about to be a war here to fight.”
    Alex groaned. “Which is why we came back! To help. To try to, I don’t know, keep everyone’s stupidity from destroying civilization. Again.”
    Kennedy threw her head back to glare at the ceiling. “Ugh, this is the thing about you that drives me nuts. You always expect the worst from people. You learn what’s happening, and you see idiots and bureaucrats and swindlers. I look out there, and I see people standing up for their right to live the way they choose. I see a whole bunch of people embracing progress and new ideas, even though it’s scary to do, and coming together in new ways and across lines which used to divide them.
    “Alex, maybe for once you should think about fighting for something good instead of just against something bad.”
    She stared at Kennedy, flabbergasted. She’d left for a few months and…what was this? “You’re really angry with me?”
    Kennedy’s lips twitched; finally she shrugged weakly. “I don’t know. I was pissed when you took off and all I got was a bye-bye note. Then I had to leave behind my family and all my fancy comforts to strike out into the unknown, and you weren’t here for me to talk to about it. Noah almost died, and you weren’t here to tell me it was going to be okay, or at least crack jokes so bad I’d have to laugh.
    “I missed you, over and over again. But I bucked up and did what I needed to do anyway, and I’m kind of damn proud of myself. So I don’t want you coming in here badmouthing what we’ve accomplished simply because you’re irritated.”
    Alex sank into the chair. She felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. The world—events, people, sounds, movements—were whirling past her, and she couldn’t catch her breath.
    “I’m sorry. I…you’re right, of course. I didn’t mean to denigrate or minimize everything you’ve done. It’s amazing, all of it. It genuinely has been a tough week and I need more sleep, but that’s no excuse. I should