The Enclave (The Verge) Read Online Free PDF Page A

you tell me you had joined the Service?” she asked her brother.
    “Would you have looked at the message or taken my call?”
    Katherine conceded his point.  She would have junked it as soon as she saw the caller ID.  “Fair point,” she grudgingly said.  But the fact that he joined the Service after arguing vehemently against her application was galling.  He had vowed never to speak to her again when she was accepted to Duntroon.  He had thought the military wasn’t good enough for their family, that it was a draconian machine that would eventually consume itself into oblivion and war.
    But, so far that had not happened.
    And then, after she had graduated from Duntroon, Katherine discovered that her brother had been head hunted to work for the Australian Security and Intelligence Organization (ASIO).  And now it seems he was a ‘Sid, working for the service he had despised.
    “You’re the reason I’ve been ordered back to Curtin?”  Katherine could not keep the resentment from her voice.
    John gave her a small nod.  “Yes I am.  And before you say anything, I requested you for good reason, a reason I won’t tell you unt il we are on our way to Junter Three.  I cannot risk this information leaking out.”
    “And I’m supposed to take a spook’s word that there is a good reason!”
    “Commander-” Tom’s shocked warning was immediately shrugged off.
    “Lieutenant, this is that butt feeding, pox off a knat’s flea, hypercritical brother I’ve told you about,” she snapped by way of explanation.  “I can speak to him any damned way I like.”  Katherine knew she was probably over reacting but the anger and stress over the last day had got the better of her.  She should have better control as a commanding officer Katherine noted sourly.  This realization just made her more annoyed.  But to see John standing in front of her after ten years made her see red.
    “Commander Kirk, remember what we discussed on the Adelaide ,” Baverstock’s voice cut across the tension of the room.  She had momentarily forgotten the Admiral’s presence.  Katherine felt her cheeks flush warm in embarrassment.  She was a representative of the Service and should not let her personnel feelings affect the performance of her orders.  Katherine took a tight grip on her anger and squashed it down deep inside before letting her body fall stiffly to attention.  She gave an imperceptible nod to her Lieutenant, her apology for rebuking him.  He was just being a good junior officer, trying to protect his senior from making an arse of herself.  Katherine had to remember she would be dealing with people used to the formality of the Central Systems.
    “Yes Admiral.”
    Any vitriol that she needed to spew at her brother can be done when he boards her ship and comes under her authority.
    “Why place a request for me to ferry you John?  Surely one of the fleet of ships currently in dock at the moment would have been adequate for your needs.  Instead you have me pulled from finally getting the man that murdered my husband and son.  Your nephew !”
    “Katherine.  All I can tell you at the moment is that there is a good reason why I requested you.  When I deliver your full orders, you might even thank me.”
    “Fat chance,” Katherine muttered.
    “That’s enough Commander.  You have your official orders and Fleet expects them to be obeyed.”
    Katherine snapped to attention quickly followed by her lieutenant.  “Yes Sir.”  She then endured the rest of the meeting in silence.
     
     
     
    Chapter
    Four
     
    “Damn the Val Myrans.  Why did they have to choose now to defect to the Earth Federation?”
    Katherine moved in her chair on the Operations Deck.  Her brother and his entourage would be arriving shortly and she was not looking forward to it.  Coulthard had already made arrangements for Ambassador Kirk’s living quarters (the XO had given up his own) and the rest of the Ambassador’s staff will have