Hunt for the Saiph (The Saiph Series Book 3) Read Online Free PDF

this moon for scientific research. A joint venture between the different nations. However, neither they nor their people remain, so we survivors are all just Edasich now. Nothing more and nothing less."
    "But how did you survive the attack?"
    "Our base commander, Felan, saw the first bombs fall and ordered every non-essential system shut down in the hope we would evade detection. We kept the radio receivers on and heard the calls for mercy on every frequency. Their pleas were never answered. When the last bomb fell, the silent ships turned around and simply left. Felan ordered the power levels kept at minimum in case they somehow discovered us. For forty rotations, we stayed the same way. The recycled air was always stale and the cold... many succumbed to the cold while some took their own lives in despair. We had nearly reached breaking point, so Felan allowed the reactors to be brought back up to full power. The hydroponics labs, which had only been experimental, were now our only hope for food so they were expanded and we mined for water trapped in the ice below ground. It has been a struggle but we have survived."
    A double tone in Travis' ear bug alerted him to an incoming signal. "Go for Travis."
    "Travis. Captain Zubek. It looks like your prisoner’s friends are massing just inside the airlock."
    "Hold on, sir, I'm going to put you on speaker." With a touch of his suit controls Travis activated his external speaker. "Go on, sir."
    “I’m expecting some sort of breakout imminently. If they come out shooting, it won’t end well for them. I have a company plus on the crater lip. Tell Ambassador Jelav if he's going to do something then now’s the time."
    "Understood, sir." Travis cut the link.
    Inside the chamber, Weloo looked distraught. "Let me speak to them. They probably think, as I did, that you are the same people who attacked us before and are back to finish what you started.”
    Jelav looked at Travis, who shrugged. "It’s your call, Ambassador. All the way here, Weloo was allowed to use his suit radio to speak to his base so they know our rough numbers. They probably don't know our dispositions but if they come out the airlock firing Captain Zubek, will cut them to shreds."
    Seeing he really didn’t have a choice, Jelav turned back to Weloo. "Weloo, please tell your people to wait. Tell them we will defend ourselves if they fire upon us but we will make no attempt to enter the crater. I’d very much like to speak to this Felan. If he’s willing, I’ll meet with him at a time and place of his choosing."
    Weloo was already speaking animatedly into his suit’s pick-up. His head took on the now familiar cocking movement as he listened to the reply.
    Through the corner of his eye, Jelav saw the comms tech give him a thumbs-up, so he was prepared for Weloo's next statement.
    "Felan has ordered all personnel to hold their positions. He asks you meet him by the airlock and orders me to remain here as your... guest until your safe return."
    Jelav waved a hand dismissively. "I don't believe that’s required, Weloo. I’d prefer for you to accompany me to this meeting." Turning to Philippa and Travis he said, "Would you be so kind as to make yourselves available as escorts, Lieutenant? We leave as soon as I suit up." Jelav headed for the suit room.
    #
    The walk back to the crater holding the airlock door for the sub-surface base took the small group of Travis, Philippa, Ambassador Jelav, his assistant Clare Honeywell, and Weloo less time than it had taken to reach the First Contact team’s shuttle. Understandably, Weloo was anxious to get back to his own people and Philippa was forced to place a restraining arm on his shoulder a number of times so that the diminutive Garundan ambassador could keep up. When they finally arrived at the crater’s lip, it appeared to be covered in a solid wall of marines. Each one had their weapons trained on the still-open airlock door that Philippa had disabled with her plasma