Legion Of The Damned - 06 - For Those Who Fell Read Online Free PDF Page A

eyes seemed to narrow. “What does that mean? Will they support the Confederacy?”
    â€œI don’t know for sure,” Orno replied, “but if I were forced to guess, I’d say ‘yes.’ ”
    â€œThat’s regrettable,” the Queen said, as if thinking out loud. “It’s my understanding that their military is quite strong. What of the Thrakies?”
    â€œThe Thraks claim to be neutral,” Orno replied, “but they tend to be rather pragmatic where political relationships are concerned, and could prove useful. Not as formal allies, mind you, but as go-betweens, through whom we can interact with others. Of more immediate importance is the need for technical assistance where the newly acquired Sheen ships are concerned. They need to be retrofitted in order for the navy to make full use of them. The Thrakies have the necessary know-how.”
    â€œYes,” the Queen replied, “the War Norr mentioned the matter to me. I assured the admiral that you and your staff would do everything in your power to resolve the matter.”
    There had been no firestorm of criticism, and insofar as Orno could tell, there wasn’t going to be. He allowed himself to relax slightly. “Yes, Highness, please rest assured that we will.”
    â€œGood,” the Queen replied. “Give my best to the Egg Orno . . . and may the gods guard your travels.”
    Orno, knowing a dismissal when he heard one, bent a knee and withdrew. Meanwhile, during the relatively brief conversation, 1,754 eggs had been added to repository below. The race continued to grow.
PLANET ALGERON, THE CONFEDERACY OF SENTIENT BEINGS
    In spite of the fact that the cyborg was dressed in civilian attire, the officer of the day (ODD) knew who Sergi Chien-Chu was, and shouted “Atten-hut!” as the man that many called the Father of the Confederacy stepped out onto one of Fort Camerone’s snow-encrusted ramparts. His appearance was that of a twenty-five-year-old male with blond hair and a woodenly handsome face. Thereality was something else. While his brain continued to function, the rest of his biological body had been dead for many years.
    It was daytime, for the next seventy-two minutes atleast, and the former president of the Confederacy, founder of Chien-Chu Enterprises, and Reserve Navy admiral wanted to take a brief look around prior to plunging into what promised to be a long series of meetings. He nodded to the parka-clad ODD. When he spoke no vapor appeared. “As you were, Captain . . . Do you mind if I take a little stroll?”
    The captain wanted to say, “Yes,” she did mind, but Chien-Chu’s naval rank was equivalent to that of a two-comet general, and there was only one answer she could properly give. “No sir. Watch out for the ice—it’s kind of slippery.”
    Chien-Chu could see the concern in her eyes and knew it didn’t have anything to do with the ice. He smiled. “Don’t worry—I’ll keep moving. Besides, I have a backup body back in my room.”
    The captain laughed at the joke, but she knew that if the cyborg took a high-velocity slug through his brain box, it would put him down just as effectively as a bio bod such as herself. The moment the admiral was out of earshot the ODD triggered her belt radio and spoke into the boom-style mike that curved out in front of her lips. “Blue Six to Blue Five. Launch two fly-forms and tell them to pull a check on the surrounding hills. Over.”
    There was a double click by way of response followed by a steadily rising scream as four engines wound up, and two of the skeletal fly-forms jumped into the air. Outside of the heavily armored brain boxes that housed the pilots, the aircraft were unmanned. That meant every bit of their considerable payload could be devoted to ordnance. Each ship mounted a laser cannon in its blunt nose, a .50 caliber machine gun on each