The Iron Admiral: Conspiracy Read Online Free PDF

further.”
    “Did you say the first death was somebody who’d recovered from a thranx attack?”
    “That’s right.”
    He frowned, gazing into his glass. “It sounds almost as if something crossed and combined,” he
    muttered. “It’s intriguing.” He shook his head as if to flick the thought away. “I’d love to see the diary.
    And the musical instrument you mentioned.” He gave her a tentative smile. “Could you show me?”
    She wavered for a moment. But why not? She wanted to share what she’d found. “Okay. Come on.”
    She took him up to her room, feeling a little like a student sneaking a man into the dormitory after hours.
    She fetched the books first. He admired them and commented as she had done on the quality of the
    paper. Theghabra riveted his attention. He turned the instrument over with gentle hands. “This is
    incredible. How is it played?”
    Allysha grinned. “They use their top mouth to blow into here and then block the holes with their
    tentacles. It’s quite astonishing to watch a really good player; their tentacles are a blur.”
    “What does it sound like?”
    “Like half a dozen cats fighting.” She laughed. “But that’s just us ignorant humans.”
    Jarrad had his head on one side. “Maybe you should get this sterilized before you take it anywhere.”
    “Why?”
    He shrugged. “I guess as a precaution, really. If the mine manager played this while he was ill, there might still be traces of the virus.”
    “After thirty years? Surely not.”
    “Viruses are tough and this environment is ideal for them. Moist and warm. You’re probably right but is it worth the risk?”
    Allysha stared at him. The very idea that Xanthor and his family might contract this horrible disease was too ghastly to contemplate.
    “Let me take this. I’ll sterilize it for you and bring it back.”
     
    She nodded. “Take care of it. And keep it secret, yeah? You’ve seen what these… these vandals do to
    ptorix artifacts.”
    “Of course.”
    She let him kiss her goodnight, not tongues and passion, but she put her arms around his neck.
    “You’re very beautiful, Allysha,” he whispered. “I love your eyes.”
    She smiled. “Thanks for the evening, Jarrad. It was fun.” She had enjoyed herself. He was nice,
    enthusiastic, interested in her and where she came from, and in the ptorix and their culture. Yes, he was nice.
    “See you tomorrow?”
    “Fine. Same place, same time?”
    “For sure.” She walked to the mine entrance with him and watched him walk away, wondering why her
    body wasn’t thrumming with anticipation.

Chapter Six
    Chaka Saahren, currently using the identity Brad Stone, alighted from the shuttle on the Tisyphor landing platform along with the other new arrivals, three men and a slatternly-looking young woman who’d tried to attract his attention on the day-long flight. The heat hit him like a wall. This would certainly try his fitness. He hadn’t spent much time planetside anywhere for years, let alone a steamy, jungle location.
    “Take the lift down to the ground,” somebody shouted.
    He crammed into the waiting car with his fellow travelers, jammed tight next to the girl. She pressed her breast against his arm and simpered at him. The smell of cheap perfume competed with body odor.
    He stepped out of the lift with the others and breathed a sigh of relief when an ugly woman with hair scraped back from her face gathered up the girl. A big, florid man welcomed the three men while a
    thickset fellow with the look of a bully stepped toward him, arms folded.
     
    “Brad Stone, right?”
    “That’s right.”
    The fellow gazed up at him, chin jutting. “I’m Seth Ludovic. You can call me ‘boss’.”
    Saahren nodded. “Understood. Boss.”
    “Come on. I’ll show you the barracks and get you a uniform, then I’ll show you around.”
    He jumped into a ground car, flicked his fingers at the passenger seat and waited while Saahren swung inside.
    The car rose and