Star Viking (Extinction Wars Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

The edge of the force blade touched my forearm. Blood spurted. A loud crack told of broken wrist bones: his. Tiger fingers became numb and released the handle. Given the safety design of the force blade, the energy portion of the knife disappeared.
    Time flowed back into normal channels for me then. Because of my move and throw, Sant sailed over me, flailing his long Lokhar limbs. He crashed against a wall and slid down in a jumbled heap, tangled in his robes.
    I clamped a hand onto my bleeding forearm. The force blade had barely touched the skin, but it was enough to spill blood. A fraction more pressure and that end of my forearm would by lying on the bed in a welter of gore. Instead, the white handle lay on the bed.
    As Sant worked to untangle himself, I reached down and picked up the force blade. A hum warned of the reappearance of the energy blade. I cut the blanket and wrapped part around my forearm. Blood soaked it, but I stanched some of the bleeding.
    Turning with his force blade in my hand, I faced Sant. He sat against the wall, cradling his broken wrist.
    I walked to the bar, set down the knife and picked up my glass. Ice cubes rattled in it. I drank the liquid. It was barely enough to wet my mouth. Even so, that made my cheeks warm.
    “The Shi-Feng is a holy order,” Sant said from where he sat. “They cleanse away evil. None has ever seen one. In their purity, they commit deeds no Lokhar would dare. They accept modifications to their body. They commit ritual suicide and they use their blood to wipe away wickedness.”
    “I’m wicked?” I asked.
    “You have learned the name of a Forerunner artifact. You are the chief guardian to an object that belongs to the Lokhars.”
    “If you’re referring to its stay in the Altair star system—”
    “I am,” Sant said.
    “Yeah, well, I didn’t move the Altair Object. It relocated on its own, remember?”
    “That is not how the Shi-Feng would view it. To them, you are a beast, Commander. It is inconceivable for a creature to do the things you have. No. You must relinquish the Forerunner artifact. You must formally return it to the Lokhars.”
    “Now you can say their name?” I asked.
    “It doesn’t matter,” he said. With his back against the wall, Sant slid up to his feet. “You’re about to die.”
    I raised an eyebrow. “Why? Are the Shi-Feng about to break into my room?”
    “It is not wise to mock what you don’t understand.”
    “That’s why I asked you to come to Mars. Explain the situation to me.”
    “You are marked for death, Commander. That you have resisted your fate endangers the rest of us. I cannot allow that to happen.”
    I picked up the force blade. “Do you see who has this?”
    “I will make your passing quick, Commander. And perhaps it is well for you to understand.” He winced painfully, glancing at his broken wrist.”
    “Let me summon you aid,” I said.
    “No! I will leave on my own. First, you must know this much. When one mentions the Shi-Feng, it means their actions must be honorable. Without realizing it, you brought the old codes into play.”
    “What are you talking about?” I asked.
    Doctor Sant reached into his robe and pulled out a wicked little needler. He pointed it at me.
    “This is a spring-driven weapon,” the doctor said. “It holds poisoned slivers. It was fashioned without any ferrous metals. Thus, it passed your detectors.”
    “If you had that all along, why use a knife to try to stab me?” I asked.
    “Didn’t you hear my words? You invoked the Shi-Feng. I had to slay you with a knife, washing away your insult with blood.”
    “What insult?”
    “That you, a beast, should name the holy ones,” he said.
    “Holy ones blow themselves up to kill others?”
    “Good-bye, Commander Creed.”
    “Shi-Feng!” I shouted.
    Sant frowned. “Why do you shout those as your death words?”
    “I’m invoking them. You have to fight me honorably now.”
    “I attempted that. Now, you will use dishonor