War Machine (The Combat-K Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

dangerous; and he was definitely not to be trusted.
    “Tell me about the job.”
    “You have heard of the planet Ket?”
    “I’ve heard it mentioned news-side. After the Helix War Peace Initiatives there were a cluster of planets that refused to surrender arms. Ket was one of them, a God-awful place where, I believe, war is a constant, not a means to an end. Apparently, violence and death are a way of life.”
    “Ket refused to relinquish arms under the Quad-Gal Peace Unification Process. Now, I will be honest, Mr. Keenan, the place is war torn, a veritable hell, in fact. The entire planet is a seething pit of violence, but it contains an incredible prize for those daring enough to see beyond the battered shell.”
    “What do you want me to steal?”
    “The Ket-i’s most valuable treasure: the Fractured Emerald.”
    “Never heard of it.”
    Prince Akeez shrugged. “Why should you? If your planet contained the most fabulous, incredible, talented wealth of the universe, would you publicise its presence so that every bounty-hunter and treasure-seeker in Praxda Zeta made a beeline?”
    “Sounds dangerous,” said Keenan warily, “and illegal, and likely to get me killed. IfI agreed to do this, and ifI thought success probable, my fee would be high. Depending on my mood, you might never be able to pay enough.”
    “Oh, you will agree to this venture, Mr. Keenan.”
    “Why’s that?”
    “Your family was murdered, was it not? Prior to this, you had sexual relations with a member of your combat squad, a woman named Pippa. Your wife discovered this adultery and you had, shall we say, a violent quarrel, but she died before you were able to speak to her one last time. You are therefore a man torn with guilt and grief; a man who would turn back the clock... if he could?”
    Keenan had gone cold. Slowly, he reached back and pulled free the Techrim. He leant forward, placing the weapon on the warped timbers with a solid clack. Keenan stared into Prince Akeez’s eyes and composed his words with care before opening his mouth.
    “I think, my friend,” his voice was low, and very, very dangerous, “you over-step the mark.”
    “I am sorry, Mr. Keenan. I do not wish to offend. Let me explain: I know about Terminus5, I know you were a member of an elite Combat K squad. I know your mission went horribly wrong and your CK was disbanded. You received prison sentences and were prohibited from re-forming your merry group of killers, with a GroupD prohibition. To meet up again means to die. Yes?”
    “Go on.”
    “After you were sentenced for sending the Terminus5 K Series Shield Reactor critical and putting the whole Terminus5 planet at risk, you—and your comrades—spent eight months in a high security military facility called the Pit. During this time, your wife discovered your infidelity, visited you in prison just prior to your release, and you fought, quite savagely by all accounts; the kind of argument that can never be taken back. Three days later, and a day after your release, both your wife and your little girls were massacred. Police investigation led to a dead end. There were no suspects—except you—nobody arrested or questioned; no clues, no samples, no DJK files, nothing. No terrorist group claimed responsibility. Nobody came forward after reel-to-reel reports on news-side CrimeShows. The case was eventually suspended, which we both know means it was put on an eternal, no-hope hold.”
    “I see you have access to my military files,” said Keenan, finishing his cigarette. His face had changed; no longer did it hold any hint of friendship. It had gone hard, like a brittle shell. His eyes shone with a terrible light.
    “I can offer you ten million gem-dollars... if you can recover the Fractured Emerald.”
    “Prince Akeez, suddenly, I’m not very interested in your money. Now, I’m going to ask you politely, but I’m only going to ask you once. I advise you not to misinterpret my politeness as weakness, nor