Chronicles of Athena Lee Read Online Free PDF Page A

their SAR ships would rescue them.”

    “That fact is going to haunt me to my dying day, damn it! Just the thought of those poor men and women lost in the dark waiting for rescue.... It gives me the chills. As you know, I was a fleet commander in the PPLN at that time, not an Admiral.”
     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    “On the question of the Ensign, we checked our records, she appears to be who she says she is. Her academy records show her to be a prodigy, at the top of her class. In fact she graduated a year early. She comes from a family with a strong military tradition. Her father is a retired ground forces Colonel She was on the “list” for early promotion, she was a rising star.”
     
    “Well this rising star is now the Ghost in the machine. We aren't sure if we should recruit her or shoot her!” said the Admiral with a chuckle. “What else do we know?”
    “Fleet engineering has analyzed the battle records of the Churchill. Judging by what ships remained and what were partially destroyed, she may be better armed than Captain Carver thinks. If she salvaged all the weapons from both fleets.... well, it won't be good. If you don't kill her, engineering wants her, badly. An engineering student who can build her own battle station could be a major asset to the fleet. “
     
    Breathing out a heavy sigh, the Admiral looked at the rest of the board. “We need to send reinforcements to Captain Carver and someone of authority needs to go. The person we send also has to be active duty and a former PPLN officer. Someone that she might recognize. Unfortunately that someone is most likely going to be ME!”
     
     
    Pointing at the research team, the Admiral said “ pick your best people and bring your research, they are coming with me.”
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 12
     
     
     
     
     
    For two days we have been sitting here staring at each other. I was starting to think that we might be here forever.

     
    “Ensign, sensors just picked up a small fleet entering the system! A Carrier, three destroyers, two cruisers and a couple of freighters.”
     
     
    Well, there goes the neighborhood. It looks like they waiting was over. I guess they decided to attack me. The newcomers joined up with the other two ships and slowly began it spread out into a defensive formation.
     
     
    “Wilson, bring all weapons to full alert, including Huey, Dewie, and Lewie. Lock the station down and activate all internal defenses.”
     
    “This is gonna suck!”
     
     
     
     
    “Admiral, its good to see you.” Captain Carver was relieved that the Admiral was here.
     
     
    “Captain Carver, what is the situation? Has anything changed? We got your report about Captain Buckley. I went to the academy with his father. He too was a little rambunctious. That whole family is nothing but a bunch of glory hounds.”
     

    “If he had only followed orders. We moved out of torpedo range when talks broke down. We didn't have any real proof as to our identity, and the station scanned us pretty hard with a laser.”

     
    “What kind of a laser? A comm laser, maybe? Did you check your systems for intrusion?” This was new information. Information was what the Admiral needed.

    Red faced the Captain replied “Uh, oops? We didn't check for that. I will have our techs check into that immediately.”

    Blowing out a breath the Admiral said, “I am here it to try and talk her down. We are hoping that she can be useful to us, we would rather not kill her, if we can.”

    On the Station I was getting nervous. Could we take on a full fleet? I had an escape plan but I could only get so far in the runabout. I did have a bug-out location, but it was more like a hut than a base. When I built it I had not finished the base and had, had a nightmare about pirates and slavery.
     
    “Wilson, would you please clone yourself and put it in my link. I'm thinking that if I have to run, I want you to come with me.”
     
    “Athena, you have treated me like