Dana Cartwright Mission 2: Lancer Read Online Free PDF Page A

be more careful. Should be using class-4 non-metal tools.”
    She had none with her, but back in her quarters was a Sterillian blade, a gift from Kieran. She didn’t dare use it. Too valuable… In fact, it was the only thing of value that she kept from her younger years.
    That thought brought her back to the visit with Neville Brandt and the idea that her father had sent a gift.
    “Hope Xalier — or should I say Davis — finds the brutes that assaulted the Commander and stole the gift.”
    She finally sighed and tapped her voice badge. “Commander Dutch? Trader One requires an engine test. Is it safe to fire up?”
    After a pause, Dutch’s strong, masculine voice returned, “Roger, Dana. Safety warnings have been initiated. You may proceed with your engine test.”
    Dana set her voice-badge on the top of the console and settled into the pilot’s seat. She even snapped the safety bar into place, going through the preflight checklist from memory, before starting the shuttle’s engines.

CHAPTER FIVE

    The moment Macao returned to Lancer ’s Bridge, Communications Officer Nishada rose and brought the Captain a padlet.
    “Still no mission update, sir, however, a private message came in — your eyes only.”
    “Thank you,” the Captain mumbled, accepting the device as he settled into the command chair.
    “Mister Nichols?”
    “ETA: seventeen minutes,” the First Officer advised before Macao even asked.
    A blue-white dot shone in the center of the forward view screen, several magnitudes brighter than the surrounding star field.
    A telepathic image of Forever Pointe flashed before Macao’s eyes. Why, he could not deduce, but the vivid picture of Centauri Prime caused him to cringe. He hated Forever Pointe, the red rock canyon, where his elder brother often went to fly a kite glider. He shrugged it off at first, lifting the padlet to read the personal message, but the screen blurred before his eyes and the telepathic energy of the vision overpowered.  
    Macao glanced about the bridge, attempting telepathically to define where the image originated. A jumble of emotions came to him from the officers present   — primarily boredom.  
    Still, the image persisted.
    He sighed and used a breathing technique from the Alphan Masters of the Elect training learned in his youth to dispel it.  
    The image of the forbidding heights still overwhelmed, along with a familiar anger targeted at his elder brother. Kieran had pushed him off that cliff when they were young, knowing of his fear but disavowing it.  
    He finally concluded there was no logical explanation for the memory to surface now and returned his attention to the padlet to read the private message.
    “What!” His face contorted into an even deeper anger as he read the cryptic message.
    “Commander Brandt wounded. Substitute assigned. See attachment. Blade Class shuttle awaits inspection, Bay 76. Shore leave request denied. Station Four, Security Chief Davis out.”
    Macao echoed aloud the last line, “Shore leave request denied,” and glanced to his First Officer. “What do you make of that?”
    Nichols shrugged. “Seems odd, sir.”
    The Captain kept the rest of the message to himself, deleting it securely. He then opened the attachment and gave the reassignment order for Lt. Commander Dana J. Cartwright a cursory scan, muttering under his breath, once again using the Alphan technique to calm his anger.
    His life-mate remained uncharacteristically silent.
    “Since we’re not welcome at Four, order all departments to stand by while we’re here. I’ll go down and file a protest. Are we in MAT range of the station yet?”
    “Just reaching approach zone now, sir,” Navigator Bryant advised.
    “Mister Nichols, you have the con. Assume station keeping. I’ll be…” Macao didn’t complete the thought. He stood, taking the padlet with him as he exited the Bridge.
    He rode the lift down to the shuttle bay, reaching some degree of quiet calm during the