Méridien (The Silver Ships Book 3) Read Online Free PDF

made during Alex’s visit with René and Étienne, lying to them and her parents about Étienne’s interview, was a painful memory that had plagued her every day since Alex had left. That he wanted her on the comm with Mom and Dad was an opportunity to make up for her selfishness—an opportunity she promised herself she wouldn’t waste.
    Alex began falling back asleep, lulled by the warmth of Renée, who disdained clothing in bed, when he heard his mother’s voice.
    “Alex, it’s Mom. Where are you?” Katie said.
    After a few polite words of greeting, Alex launched into a synopsis of the last half-year’s events from their arrival at Méridien to their escape from Libre to their return at New Terra. As the recollection of events piled up, Alex began to lose his family’s focus.
    “Wait, who is the Admiral you mentioned?” Christie asked.
     Alex replied. “Oh,” was all he heard from his sister.
    “And these people, Alex, how many were there on Libre?” his mother asked.
    
    “How big are these ships, Alex?” Duggan asked.
    
    “And you’re the Admiral because …” Duggan ventured.
    
    Suddenly Alex’s family was talking all at once. Duggan attempted to confirm that the quarter-million people reported to Alex. Katie wanted to hear about Renée, and Christie’s voice got lost in the noise.
     Alex sent, which resulted in the family’s immediate silence. Alex winced as he realized he had used his commander’s tones. Alex confirmed as he looked down at her sleeping face. He stroked her hair again, eliciting a little moan of pleasure as she snuggled closer to him.
     Christie asked eagerly.
    It was the question Alex kept hoping wouldn’t be asked, but now he couldn’t get around it.
    He endured a few moments of Christie’s teasing and parental murmurs of appreciation; although he could tell they were confused by what his announcements meant.
     Duggan announced formally,
    
    If Alex had been able to see his family, the reader lying between them on his parent’s bed, he would have seen the huge grin on his sister’s face.
    *   *   *
    Before midday the following day, Alex had assembled everyone he required—Renée, his Captains and their officers, and his Directors—all outfitted in their best dress. The group arranged themselves around the Freedom ’s semicircular bridge, facing rearward and flanking Alex. They formed a most presentable group to the vid cam mounted at the rear of the bridge.
    At 13.50 hours, Cordelia activated the bridge cam and linked to Christie’s reader via the FTL station. Then on Cordelia’s cue, Christie commed the By-Long Media House, which last year had produced her historic and the one-and-only Méridien interview with Étienne.
    Earlier that morning, Christie had called the By-Long Media House and had been instantly connected to producer Charlotte Sanderson, who sounded excited to hear from the sister of the famous Captain Racine. What Charlotte didn’t expect was to be asked for a half-hour of airtime with no conditions imposed by the station on Christie’s broadcast. If Charlotte hadn’t had such a widely successful program featuring Christie’s previous interview, she