Galaxy of Empires- Merchant Wars Episode #1 Read Online Free PDF Page B

the telepathic underground movement and were trying to take
you out.”
    “Makes sense. I guess I am on their hit list
now. I was not expecting an assassination attempt a few minutes
after another assassination attempt. I mean they don’t usually come
that close together from two different parties. Our former First
Officer was working for the merchant group Apel. They promised him
my ship if he took me out, and unfortunately for him, his attempt
failed.”
    “The Apel group is one of our current
challengers. Yes, we need to start taking out some of these
challengers to show them who is on top, right Boss?” 42
responds.
    “Yes, that is one thing we need to attend to
soon as we get back. Ship status and how long before you get to the
coordinates I gave you?” Eve inquires.
    “All systems go, cleaned up the fires, and
repaired the damaged halls where you were ambushed. Should be at
the coordinates in about two hours.”
    “Very good, 42. You will make a fine First
Officer. Give yourself a 5% raise. Do you think I should hire
someone else to do the accounting or communications? I can or do
you think you can handle First Officer duties along with the duties
you already have?”
    “It is okay, Boss. I am an Android and I can
handle it all, so you do not need extra personnel for those other
two jobs.”
    “Very well. Inform me when we arrive at our
destination. It will take me two hours to convince the doctor to
let me out of this place.”
    The doctor in the next room replies, “I heard
that. You need bed rest and time to heal, Captain. You do not need
to be out exploring, adventuring, and being shot up. Besides, you
never know when the next assassination attempt will be and so you
need to be at full strength.”
    “I assure you, Doc, I am fine,” Eve
promises.
    “I don’t tell you how to captain ships, do I?
When it comes to you and this crew’s health, my job is to make sure
that your well-being comes first. Now the rest of you clear on out
of here and let her go to sleep.”
    The twins and 42 leave the room. Eve begins
to rest and falls asleep.

 
    Chapter Four
    Two hours pass by and the intercom activates
ship-wide. “Action stations! Action stations! Contact made!” 42
announces. Eve awakes and presses her com badge.
    “Report!”
    “Boss, we have a distress signal coming from
an area close to the coordinates that we have arrived at.”
    “I am coming to the bridge.”
    “You are so stubborn; it may open up your
wound again if you do not watch it,” the doctor sighs.
    “Just put me on those floating med chairs and
I will be okay, Doc. I need to be on my bridge.”
    “Very well, but I am coming with you to
monitor your condition. You do not need a lot of stress right
now.”
    “Fine.”
    Upon reaching the bridge, Helma and Nelma
were on duty along with 42 and Gartooth.
    “Status?”
    “Picking up a week distress signal coming
from the asteroid belt approximately five minutes from this
position,” 42 informs.
    “Hmm…. Sounds like a pirate trap. They use
asteroid belts a lot to sucker people in,” Gartooth suggests.
    “Yeah, that is what I was thinking. Get the
stasis net ready for deployment just in case we have any uninvited
guests. Also, load those mines up into the mine deployment
shuttle.” Eve commands. “Move in range of the asteroid belt and
launch a class A-probe.”
    “Launching probe. Readings will begin in 60
seconds,” 42 says. “Looks like the asteroid belt is dense, but
there is an opening at 98.2 x 36.1 x 52.8 that can fit a ship of
our size. The asteroids in the belt consist mostly of non-valuable
minerals and ores. Picking up the distress signal, which appears to
be an Elemental Empire signal. Coming from within the asteroid belt
and the approximate location of the opening, I just mentioned.
Probe is too far away to scan for life signs; we need to get closer
to the mouth of the clearing of the asteroid belt and I’m not sure
from how deep the signals are