Valour's Choice Read Online Free PDF Page A

moment it left although a considerable number of light-years away.
    * * *
    “Good news. Second Lieutenant Jarret graduated in the middle of his class.”
    Several members of number one squad glanced up, and someone asked, “Why is that good news, Res?”
    Bare feet up on one of the tables filling the area between the double row of bunks, Ressk stretched out his toes and grinned toothily up at Juan Checya, his fireteam’s heavy gunner. “Top of the class would’ve made him an insufferable overachiever and bottom of the class would’ve made him a chrick.”
    “Edible?”
    “Edible.”
    Checya snorted and dropped onto his bunk. “What the fuk don’t you consider edible?”
    “Not much,” Ressk admitted, fingers dancing over his slate. “Oh, my, this is interesting. One of the lieutenant’s parental units was Admiral di’Ka Tereal, now ex-Admiral qui’Ka Tereal, and she tried to block his application to Ventris Station.”
    “Wanted him in the fukking Navy?”
    “Wanted him out of the fighting entirely.”
    Corporal di’Merk Mysho tossed her brush into her locker and leaned over Ressk’s shoulder. “It’s a qui’Taykan thing,” she explained. “There’s nothing more conservative than a breeder. Aren’t those restricted files?”
    “Depends on what you mean by restricted.”
    “Not intended to be accessed by all and sundry.”
    “Which am I, all or sundry?”
    She smacked him on the back of the head. “Didn’t Staff Sergeant Kerr specifically tell you not to invade classified areas while we’re on the Berganitan?”
    “Technically, she told me not to invade classified areas of the Berganitan. I’m in Division records; all Marine, no Navy, no problem.”
    “Unless you get caught.”
    He brought a cup of sah to his mouth with one foot and took a long swallow. “Do I ever?”
    “Do you ever what? Regret not eating Hollice’s thumb when you had the chance?” Pulling the cup from his toes, Binti Mashona, the fourth member of the fireteam, set it back on the table. “You know I hate it when you do that with food.”
    “You’re just jealous my species has more opposable parts than yours.”
    “‘I’m just thinking that foot spent most of the day in boots doing drill.”
    “Speaking of opposable parts,” Juan interrupted, leaning down from his bunk. “You get lucky with that service tech back on station?”
    “Nah.” Binti pulled a game biscuit out of her locker and slid it into the side of her slate. “She didn’t want to get involved with someone from a combat unit.”
    “Involved? Fuk, I thought you just wanted to get laid.”
    “If you wanted to get laid, why didn’t you ask a di’Taykan?” Mysho wondered.
    “Because once you pop your masker, I don’t have a choice. Couldn’t change my mind if I wanted to.”
    “But if you wanted sex...”
    Ressk snorted. “It’s a Human thing, Mysho, you wouldn’t understand.”
    “Speaking of Human things, you guys hear what the staff is up to tonight?” Binti grinned, her teeth startlingly white against the rich mahogany of her skin. “Big fancy reception to meet these diplomats we’re supposed to honor guard. Little tiny bits of food on platters, dress blacks, and polite conversation.”
    There was a moment of startled silence, then Juan slowly shook his head. “Staff’s gonna fukking hate that.”
    “Anyone want to see how badly she hates it?” Ressk tapped his slate suggestively. “I can tap into the ship’s security vids...” He let his voice trail off as the Marines gathered around the table exchanged speculative glances and then turned in unison toward Mysho.
    “What?”
    “You rank, Mysh.”
    “Oh, no, Conn got his second hook long before I did.”
    “Conn’s off trying to rabbit something shiny for Myrna. Your decision.”
    She muttered something in her own language, then threw up her hands. “Why not. You’re going to do it anyway, Ressk, so we might as well all get a look at it.”
    * * *
    “Can one of you