Read Ghost Legion for Free Online Page B

this place. Damn
machines saw more than any of us. Spend your time debriefing them.
Like I said, I'm leaving."
    "I don't suppose you'd care to elaborate... ."
    A series of beeps came over the commlink—the cyborg's
mechanical arm, Tunning through a routine systems check. Xris made a
few minor adjustments, looked back at Dixter.
    "Yeah, all right, boss. I could use your help, in fact. I plan
to make a quick trip out of the galaxy. If your perimeter patrols
spot me, I'd appreciate it if they didn't shoot me, either on the way
out or on the way back."
    "You're going into Corasia?"
    Xris took a twist out of his pocket, studied it with interest.
    Dixter tried again. "This wouldn't have anything to do with
those humans taken prisoner during the raid on the Nargosi outpost,
would it?"
    Xris lit the twist, drew the smoke into his lungs, blew it back out.
    "I can't give you permission to go behind enemy lines, Xris,"
Dixter said gravely.
    "Fine, then. Skip it. Forget I said anything."
    "Are you going alone? You can at least tell me that much."
    Xris considered; apparently decided he could. "I was. But that's
all changed—thanks to Raoul and his big lip-glossed mouth. The
whole team's going. Though what the hell I'm going to do with a
poisoner and an empath is beyond me."
    Dixter thought the matter over. "If someone could rescue those
people . .." He nodded. "I'll pass the word along. Nothing
official, of course. I can't do that."
    Xris looked intently at Dixter, actually almost smiled. "Thanks,
boss."
    Dixter shook his head. "You know the odds. If you get into
trouble, I'll have to deny I ever heard of you. The treaty and all
that."
    Xris grinned. "If we get into trouble, you won't need to bother.
Nobody'll ever hear of us again. Though I wish I could stick around
and help you on this other job. Damnedest thing I ever saw—or
didn't see. I could give you the names of some good people ..."
    "Thanks, but I have someone in mind. You know him, in fact.
Tusca. Former Scimitar pilot. You rescued him from the Corasians—"
    "During that job we did for the Starlady. Yeah, I remember. You
know, boss, it's mostly because of Lady Maigrey I'm doing this other.
Something she said to me. She had a way of sticking to your mind."
    "She did indeed," said John Dixter. "Godspeed, Xris."
    "Same to you, boss."
    The image of the cyborg vanished. The vidscreen went blank. Dixter
stood staring at it a long time without moving. Then he wiped his
hand across his face again, grimaced at the pain in his stomach. He
stuffed the printouts under his arm, to be studied again at his
leisure, coded the information contained in the computer under the
highest possible security, then summoned back the operator.
    "Have that new material in there gone over by experts," he
ordered.
    "Yes, sir. What type of experts, sir?"
    Dixter pondered, frowning. "Damn it, I don't know!" He
exploded, frustrated. "Expert experts. We seem to be inundated
with them around here. Maybe they can do something useful for a
change."
    The officer stared at him, startled. The admiral was noted for being
easygoing, unflappable.
    Dixter drew a deep breath, raised his hand in a mollifying gesture.
"I . . . I'm sorry, Captain. I didn't mean to bark at you. My
guess is we're dealing with some type of newfangled probe. Start
there. Oh, and bring in a parapsychologist."
    The captain raised her eyebrows. "Parapsychologist, sir?"
    "Yes." Dixter smiled. "Parapsychologist. A person who
studies the supernatural."
    "I know what one is, sir," said the officer stiffly.
    "Then no doubt you'll be able to find me one, Captain."
    "Very good, sir," said the officer, mystified.
    Dixter left the commroom and bumped into Bennett, who had been
hovering near the door.
    "Are you feeling quite well, my lord?"
    "Not particularly," Dixter growled. He sat down at this
desk, began rummaging around among the papers.
    "The antacid tablets are in the top drawer to the right, my
lord."
    Dixter grunted, found the