Endurance Read Online Free PDF Page A

recoil of pain stabbing through my newly healed wrist and my burned arm. “Lights, damn it!”
    Before I could land another blow, Reever flung me back on the sleeping platform, then landed on top of me.
    “Stop it,” Reever muttered, spreading his legs over mine. I gulped in enough air to shriek, and his hand locked over my mouth to smother the sound. At the same time, his other hand encircled my throat and clenched. “Quiet.”
    The door panel slid open.
    “Pretend you’re asleep.” Without a sound, Reever rolled off me and over the side of the sleeping platform.
    There was someone in the room with us. I could hear the thickened breathing, the shuffling footsteps as they approached my bed. Was it that rat-faced, vigilante nurse? Through my eyelashes I watched the glimmer of tiny indicator lights as the intruder lifted a pulse rifle. The slight hum of the weapon as it activated made me stiffen.
    Something Dhreen, the Oenrallian pilot who had originally helped me escape from Terra, had said to me on Furinac came back to me.
Doc, what is it with you and weapon-carrying assassins
?
    At that time the Furinac First Scion had been trying to kill me, planning to later frame me for his father’s murder. He’d ended up committing suicide by blowing his own head off, an inch from my face.
It’s a gift, Dhreen.
    I wanted to pound something. Was there anyone left on this blasted ship who
didn’t
want to beat, poison, burn, or shoot me?
    This latest assassin moved in closer. The scent of acrid alien sweat drifted to my nose. It wasn’t the nurse—I’d have known that smell anywhere. It took every ounce of willpower to remain motionless and let him cross those last few inches. A low, soft sound disturbed the air.
    Former fleet commander Colonel Shropana was giggling.
    I don’t know why. Patril should have been rather upset with me. He’d come all the way to Varallan Quadrant on League orders to abduct me, had threatened to blow up Joren, and then had suffered the ultimate humiliation by falling for my Trojan horse trick. I’d turned him and his forty League troop freighters over to the Hsktskt in exchange for Joren’s safety.
    Considering our history? Laughing or not, he’d definitely use the rifle.
    A metallic clunk came from across the room, and Shropana swung back around. I took the opportunity and rolled off the sleeping platform in the same way Reever had. I landed face-first on the deck, and cringed at the resounding
whack
. How had Reever done it so silently?
    “Torin.” Shropana kicked something out of his way. “I will make it quick. Come out where I can see you.”
    “Don’t move, Cherijo.” Reever’s voice came out of nowhere, sounding very much in charge. “Drop the weapon, Colonel.”
    For once Reever had a good idea. I stayed put and covered my head with my arms.
    Shropana cursed. The door panel opened a second time. The pulse rifle fired, causing a muffled explosion. A sibilant roar echoed the shot. Then complete chaos ensued. Furnishings flew over my head. Heavy objects crashed into plasteel panels. Bones snapped. Flesh ripped.
    “Stop it!” I pushed myself to my feet just as the lights came on and I saw who had taken care of business.
    “Shall I kill him for you, HalaVar?”
    TssVar held the Colonel suspended a few feet above the deck. Shropana’s broken body twitched with spasmodic shudders. Reever had the pulse rifle in his hands and was deactivating it. He looked from the League Commander to me, then made a gesture I’d never seen before.
    “Very well.” TssVar dropped the wounded man to the deck. The body made a distinct, wet thud.
    “Oh, for God’s sake.” I ran to Shropana. The Hsktskt had done an excellent job, I saw as I crouched down next to the unconscious man. He was very nearly dead. “Couldn’t you have just knocked him out?”
    The Colonel was a mess. Deep head wound, obvious fractures in both front and back hocks. Dark purple blood spilled from the sagging flews around