STAR HOUNDS -- OMNIBUS Read Online Free PDF

at Jaxdron operations on Baleful, as that beachhead is one of several which may be involved with military maneuvers to come.”
    “Why can’t you just speak plainly, man?” Laura said, excited but also annoyed. “You want me to scout weapons placement. And unless I miss my guess, if I can manage to do that, it doesn’t make a hell of a lot of difference whether I return or not, as long as I subspace-radio the details.”
    Lasster’s face resumed its marblelike coolness. “Still a foolhardy mission.”
    “A human with a mission is not a fool, Friend Lasster.” He turned back to Laura Shemzak. “Though your reasons oppose Friendhood standards, the council finds no reason why we should not use them to our advantage. Knowing this, do you still want to undertake this journey?”
    “You bet your balls I do!” Laura grinned over with triumph at Lasster, who swallowed the last of her drink and poured some more. “Just give me a ship and I’m ready to trip!”
    “It’s a little more complicated than that, I’m afraid,” said Friend Zarpfrin. “Naturally, for the sake of the mission’s success, we wish you to utilize the latest-model blip-ship—”
    “Hot damn …. Not the Armageddon Special!”
    “The XT Mark Nine, to be exact.”
    “Well, they’re still testing those at the factory on Shortchild in the Capellan system, I thought.”
    “Yes. We can immediately arrange for your transport to Shortchild, and will naturally subspace instructions to the office on that planet. When you arrive, the Mark Nine should be ready for your use. Fortunately, Capella is on the way toward Jaxdron space anyway.”
    “Now, that’s what I call serendipity! I’m set to go.”
    “One little detail, but an important detail, Laura,” Friend Zarpfrin said. “The Mark Nine is a significant advance over the other vessels in the XT line. Proper use of its full capacity requires an adjustment in your cybernetic systems.”
    “Okay, so you’re going to poke around in me some more. That doesn’t take long. It’s not like you’ve never put the screws to me before.”
    “Excellent. You shall be escorted to the nearest biomech hosp, where you will meet our specialist, Dr. Minz.”
    “What happened to Hamsin? He’s my usual med,” Laura said, for the first time feeling some small concern. She had grown to trust Dr. Hamsin. He’d been with her from the very beginning of the mech operations, when she was just eleven years old.
    “Dr. Minz has been specially trained to deal with the bio-applications of the new parameters of the XT series, Citizen Shemzak. This will only require the afternoon and the evening. Following a short sleep, you will be dispatched to the next transport to Shortchild.”
    “Thank you, Friend Zarpfrin, and please thank the council as well.” She shot a hateful glance toward Chivon Lasster. “It was clear that I was barking up the wrong tree in this office.”
    “Friend Lasster,” said Friend Zarpfrin, “would you kindly arrange for Citizen Shemzak’s transportation to biomech facilities? And then I should like to have a brief meeting with you, concerning your attitude in this matter.”
    Laura Shemzak shot Chivon Lasster a victorious look.
Don’t worry, Cal,
she thought.
Your sister’s coming to get you!

Chapter Four

    W hen Cal Shemzak woke again, he no longer felt any pain. He awoke relaxed and refreshed. “
I feel marvelous
,” he thought, “
considering I’m a prisoner on an alien spacecraft
.”
    Not only did he feel good; he was also no longer cold. He sat up, noticing that he wore a formfitting robe, a solid gray in color. Slippers of an identical material—fibrous, silky, but thickly tough—clung to his feet.
    He hopped off his slab and looked up at the clouded ceiling. “Hey! Thanks, guys. I feel much better. Are we going to talk now?”
    The clouds shifted darkly in response, a tremble of light shuddering through the shadow.
    “The strong, silent types, right?” He lifted his