Read Star Carrier (Lost Colonies Trilogy Book 3) for Free Online Page A

most.
    Durris seemed to understand my plight, but he didn’t share my sentiments.
    “Can’t get enough of the glory, can you Captain?” he asked.
    “It’s not that, Durris. I feel useless here. Admiral Halsey is about to leave the system, but I think he’s going to need our experience and guidance once he’s gone.”
    “Maybe he will, or maybe he won’t, but I guess it’s not our place to say.”
    I nodded in agreement and finished packing a duffel bag. I’d given everyone a further extension of their shore leave, and this time I’d included my command staff. We’d placed stand-ins on Defiant for now. There were plenty of green spacers begging for the chance just to fly my ship in circles.
    When I was finished, I headed for the station docks. I couldn’t help but tap at the walls of my ship as I walked the passages. I’d truly believed we were about to fly her into the unknown once again. It was such a disappointment.
    Zye met me on the station decks. She’d obviously been waiting around for me to disembark. I didn’t complain as I knew she was nervous whenever we returned to Earth. Too many people here seemed to wish me harm, and as my self-appointed bodyguard, she was keenly aware of this fact.
    My implant buzzed as we rode the sky-lift down the umbilical. I checked reflexively for storms or other oddities, but all seemed peaceful this time.
    Zye was stoic as usual. Her staring green eyes roved over the environment, suspecting every man, woman and child present of ill intent.
    Checking the identification of the caller, I knew in an instant it was Chloe of Astra. I smiled despite myself and answered quickly.
    She did not materialize at my side, but rather summoned me to her location. I went with the invitation, and I appeared beside her within the Astra family mansion.
    House Astra was richly appointed. There were crests, moving holo-portraits and deep carpets that gently massaged the foot. As I was only a hologram myself in her surroundings, I couldn’t enjoy the sensations, but I could hear and see everything else.
    Chloe was speaking with two of her house agents. I was glad to see their breed hadn’t been wiped out during previous unfortunate encounters at House Astra. The agents were impressive, as always.
    Fiercely loyal and bred for the job, they had the bearing of predatory beasts in human form. I knew from experience they weren’t thoughtful men. They were more akin to a special breed of dog. They’d been cultivated for nearly two centuries to serve the household with zeal.
    They had short dark hair, broad shoulders and expressionless mouths. Wearing midnight blue, their capes hung low and were dripping wet. I could tell they’d been out in the rain.
    My ghostly form stood motionless, waiting for her to finish with her agents. Chloe turned away from them at last and stepped toward me.
    “Thanks for accepting my invitation,” she said.
    “I wouldn’t think of refusing.”
    Her lips fluttered as if trying to form a smile, but failed at it.
    “What’s the matter, Chloe?” I asked.
    She licked her lips and stepped close before answering. The two men behind her stood silently. I knew that if they could have seen how close I was standing to her, they would have watched with great disapproval.
    “William, did you meet with certain people on Earth—after your last mission?”
    I shrugged. “I met with many people.”
    Her eyes darted around the room then landed back on me. “I’m not sure our words are private, but I must ask you more directly. Did you meet with certain individuals of… shall we say… unusual age?”
    This last question caused me to wince slightly. I had indeed met with a grim tribe of oldsters. People who should be, by all rights, long dead. People who our history files no doubt listed as deceased—but who had somehow evaded the reaper.
    “I might have,” I said cautiously.
    The oldsters in question had commissioned the very fleet I’d just seen off to war. They’d