Hunting Cari (First Wave) Read Online Free PDF Page B

sending all information to the comm’s. I
want a plan of action developed to get us to the planet and the distress
signal, including any contingency plans in case it’s a trap, by tomorrow
morning. We’ll finalize the plans then. Everyone is dismissed.” Scaden said to
the team.
    He watched each man leave the room until only he, Gracus and
Amun were left, knowing his friends wanted private words with him as much as he
did them.
    “Scaden, we need to contact the Council and let them know
everything we’ve learned and find out if they want us to go to the planet. You
can’t just make that decision yourself. Your Father and the Council will strip
you bare of your rank if anything goes wrong on this mission. You have to get
their approval for this.” Gracus stated firmly to his friend and Commanding
Officer.
    “I am going with you to the planet, my friend. I want to begin
the cataloging of the natural signatures in the area. And if we do find some of
our people, they may be in need of medical care. We have no idea what they may
have been exposed to on the planet, nor do we have any idea if what they have
been exposed to is contagious and can infect the rest of the crew. I may have
to bio-shield them for the sake of all the crew and themselves.” Amun stated
trying to contain his excitement at the thought of going to the strange planet.
    Scaden looked at both of his friends. The three of them had
completely different personalities whom you would think would never get along
together, yet they’d been the best of friends growing up and stayed that way
through their young years. He sighed, having no answers or explanations for his
behavior, just a gut instinct driving him not to wait on the Council to review
the mountains of information they’ve acquired. They would argue over it for
months and maybe years before making a ‘safe’ decision. He didn’t want to wait
that long. He wouldn’t wait that long. His mind was made up, and he’d damn the
consequences later.
    Gracus knew as soon as Scaden got that look on his face, that he
wouldn’t be notifying the Council. And he knew nothing he said would change his
mind. He was too stubborn to listen to reason. The only option he had now was
to mitigate some of the potential problems that would come from another one of
his rash decisions.
    Giving Amun an angry stare for not trying to stop their friend
from making a terrible mistake he relented. “I’ll stay on the ship and make
sure we stay hidden from the robots on the Mars surface and maintain
communication channels with you and your team. I’ll have the images of all the
members of the original outpost sent to the comm’s. Amun can make sure you have
the cell signatures, so if you do find survivors you can make sure they are
ours and not shape shifted Relians.”
    “From the ship we’ll monitor all the planet’s military
installations to ensure that they do not pick up on your arrival and departure.
And we need to make sure that the translators are all updated with the languages
of the inhabitants. We won’t know for sure what you may encounter, so it won’t
hurt to put all of them in there.”
    Scaden clapped both men heartily on their shoulders and gave
them both a huge grin. “This, my friends will be a fantastic adventure!” Scaden
said with an excitement he hadn’t felt in a very long time. He knew something
about this mission would change their lives forever.
     

 
    Chapter Three
    It
had been several days since the trip to the store, but Cari couldn’t shake the
feeling that she was being watched. When Uncle Randor wasn’t watching, she’d
pace the small cabin and look out each of the windows trying to find any
unusual movements in the woods surrounding it.
    Although
they hadn’t been anywhere near the town or its people since the supply trip,
she knew someone was lurking around, someone watching and waiting. For what she
didn’t know, but she was scared. She knew she needed to tell her Uncle, but