Alicia Jones 4: Enigma Read Online Free PDF

said something stupid,
and looked as if she were wondering if I was feeling okay.
    I smiled, had I been that bad?
    “Well, I was thinking, the probe wasn’t armed right?  I
mean, I don’t want to assume they’ll ignore any ship.  After all, would we
let a race armed like this ship is, to approach one of our worlds, from a race
we couldn’t talk to or understand yet?  Granted, they’re different, but
they clearly defend themselves from the bugs, so we have that much in common at
least.”
    Senna nodded, “That makes sense, but what can we do?”
    “I’m going to redesign the taxi by pulling out the wormhole device,
and make it big enough to comfortably fit nine, and then finish it up.  I
suggest we park this thing on the edge of their space, specifically, on the
Seltan side of the border.”
    Nora asked, “Will that take long?”
    I shrugged, “Just a few minutes for the design with Al’s
help.  The changes are small, since its already an unarmed hull.  I
just need to add life support and creature comforts which we already have
specifications for.  It should take a day to finish from where it is now. 
Nora, do we need to pick up your scientist, or is she taking a ship up?”
    Nora replied, “She has her own shuttle.”
    Kristi interjected with humor, “Well, were at Tressia, so
tell her to come on up.”
    I took a few minutes to remove the systems we didn’t need, and
to make room for what we did.  While I tuned out the conversation around me I
swapped some stuff around and restarted the build.  It was twice the
length of a standard sized shuttle, there’d be plenty of room for nine people
to work comfortably, with a restroom and some basic food and amenities, but it
would have no sleeping berths which might get old fast.  I supposed we
could always come back to the battle cruiser to sleep.
    “Anyone hungry, or want a drink?” I asked curiously.
    There was a general affirmation to the idea, and we all
filed off the bridge.  It would actually take longer for the shuttle to
arrive than the trip from Earth to Tressia had taken.  I frowned, I knew
eventually the tech would leak out, spying was pretty standard to all humanoid
races.  I was friends with all these people though, well, most of them,
and I hoped there would be no misunderstandings. 
    It may have been inevitable, but it wasn’t going to happen
on my watch, or my ship.  I wondered if I was getting a bit cynical, but
decided I wouldn’t be as worried if we weren’t bringing along four total
strangers.  It also occurred to me I’d never asked who had requested I go
on this mission, Nadia had been very vague about that.  Okay, now I was
paranoid.  Still, what if it hadn’t been the council for the USFS, but our
allies, and they had more than one reason to request my presence.
    I shook it off as we got to the galley, and grabbed a
coffee…
     

Chapter 6
    I nodded congenially when Nalla walked out of the back of
her shuttle, “Welcome aboard.”
    Nalla looked almost grave, “Thank you.  Do you know
when we’ll get started?”
    Nalla struck me as being uptight, studious, and
arrogant.  That was my first impression of her anyway, hopefully she would
warm up or this would be a long trip.  And by first impression, I meant
soul reading, she was uptight, studious, and arrogant, it hadn’t been a
guess.  Still, that could change and was only her outer feelings for the
moment.
    Kristi interjected, “It will be at least a day, we’ve
decided not to go into Drenil space with an armed ship.”
    Nalla didn’t look too happy with that delay, but she nodded
in acceptance.
    I added, “It will give us some time to go over data we
already have.  It wasn’t much, but I already have some speculations.”
    Nalla looked slightly mollified by that idea, and I wondered
if I knew the true meaning of workaholic after all.  I also considered I
might be a lot like her if I didn’t have Kristi as a best friend.  A best
friend who constantly