Halt Read Online Free PDF

She slipped a spare set into her ear and listened to her first Guardian assignment with the tip of one glove between her teeth to keep her from butting in.
     
    “Silver, their ship is dropping.”
    “Got it, Quell. Will you take care of the crew?”
    “Of course. Just get them down safely.”
    “Done.”
    Flick piped up, “Watch your back, Silver. That ship is unstable.”
    “Acknowledged.”
     
    Tazzy hunted around and flicked up the visual display. She watched the wave of liquid silver as it held and supported the crashing ship. She could see Silver’s outstretched hand and the puddle of his talent as it brought the ship down on a green meadow.
    She watched Quell’s back as he left the transport and stepped in front of it. The crew of the downed vessel stumbled free, and Quell had them dropping to the meadow in seconds.
    Flick sprinted through the downfall, and he whisked around, depositing and cataloguing weapons.
    They were an efficient team.
    Tazzy sat back and watched them tidy up, wondering what she could add to their unit.
     
    They returned to the base four hours later. Flick dove into the new batch of cookies and the other two headed for their offices to file reports.
    “You don’t have to file reports?”
    Flick smiled and shook his head. “I am not the most linear of folk. My reports are barely legible and never comprehensive. They allow me to simply use the recording feed you saw today.”
    She blushed. “You could see that?”
    “Of course. Anyone looking at the feed causes a signal on the transport control.”
    “Oh.”
    Flick chuckled. “These are even better than yesterday.”
    “The recipe is the same, you are just hungrier.”
    “Probably. So, were you impressed?”
    “I was. You work very well as a team. I have no idea what I can possibly bring to the assembly.” She smiled.
    Quell came into the kitchen and rescued one of the last cookies. “We lack people skills.”
    Silver entered a moment later. “Are there any left?”
    She snorted, opened a cupboard and pulled out a covered tray with another batch on it.
    “My hero.” Silver smiled and winked at her, his blue eye bright behind the dark pewter mask.
    Flick grinned with chunks of cookies in his teeth and his cheeks puffed full. He grabbed another handful and headed for the common lounge.
    Quell laughed. “He is yours for life if you want him. You need only keep a supply of these confections coming.”
    “I think that baking is better left as a pleasure and not as an obligation. What were you saying about people skills?”
    Quell sat at the kitchen counter and Silver sat next to him. Bots brought them caf and they settled in.
    Quell inclined his head. “We can act physically, I can knock folks out or calm them, but I have no ability to coax information out of them. We believe that you can do that coaxing with your particular chemistry.”
    She blinked. “I thought I was here as a liaison.”
    “Oh, you are, but you are also now an adjunct to a Guardian team. We have the right to make use of all your talents in the line of duty.”
    Tazzy sighed. “Fair enough.”
    “You have been provided with a Guardian uniform. I believe it will suit you.”
    She blinked. “A uniform? I have my peacekeeper uniform.”
    “Nevertheless, you will dress as a Guardian while on duty.” Quell nodded.
    It was hard to take a lizard eating cookies with both hands seriously, but he managed to project gravitas.
    Silver winked again and kept eating. “The bots will have dinner ready in two hours if you want to swim. I do recall that you enjoyed swimming.”
    She smiled. “I think I will. Well done today. Was it an invading ship?”
    Quell shook his head. “Just some drunk nobles on an island crawl with a few too many drinks and far too much needed maintenance.”
    “Does that happen a lot?”
    Silver shrugged. “Decolian 12 is rather idyllic. We keep Guardians on hand for the moments that are not usual.”
    Tazzy nodded. “Fair enough. Do I