Read World of Water for Free Online

this is Harmer, yes?”
    “Dev Harmer, ISS,” said Dev.
    “So they’ve made you a fish-man too, eh?”
    “In their infinite wisdom.”
    “Well, I suppose it makes sense. If the natives are restless, deploy an asset who’s half-native and can speak the lingo.”
    “That would seem to be the general idea.”
    “Lieutenant? Thank you. You’re dismissed.”
    Sigursdottir and the other two Marines saluted, about-turned and left.
    “Heck of a good officer, that one,” said Maddox. “Takes no shit, gives no shit. The ideal combination. Drink?”
    Handler declined, but Dev said, “Don’t mind if I do.”
    “Only have some of the local rotgut, I’m afraid. Distilled from fermented kelp. An acquired taste, but it does the trick.”
    He uncorked a label-less bottle containing a greasy clear liquid with a greenish tinge, and poured Dev and himself a tumbler each.
    “Down the hatch.”
    “Fuck me!” Dev yelped after his first swallow of the stuff. He exhaled hard and thumped his chest. “Whoof. That clears the pipes.”
    “And that’s why I passed,” said Handler, while Captain Maddox guffawed lustily.
    “Told you. Takes some getting used to.”
    “It’s like seawater mixed with acid,” said Dev. “And fish.”
    “That’ll be the other main ingredient coming through. Bile from the gall bladder of one of the local fish species – runty little sucker that looks a bit like a herring.”
    “You could have warned me.”
    “And ruin the surprise? This drink’s been known to cause blindness and renal failure, by the way. But it gets a buzz going like nothing else.”
    “Does it have a name?”
    “Don’t think anyone’s dared give it one. I’ve heard it referred to as ‘double moonshine,’ which is reasonably witty, but I reckon leaving it anonymous shows it the respect it’s due. Top-up?”
    Dev figured he was being judged, so he held out his tumbler. “Go on, then.”
    The next shot tasted no better than the previous one, but at least this time he was prepared for it. He could feel the alcohol hitting him already, a heat spreading outward from his belly. Quick work. The sensation of peaceful ease it brought was almost worth the disgusting aftertaste lingering in the back of his throat.
    “So, Handler, this request you put in...” said Maddox. “You’re wanting some of my men.”
    “As many as you can afford to lend us, if that’s all right,” Handler replied. “I know it’s an imposition, but we’d be eternally grateful.”
    Dev felt this was the wrong approach to take with a man like Captain Maddox, who respected forthrightness, not politeness. By the same token, Handler should have accepted the offer of a drink, regardless of how much he didn’t want it. Still, Handler knew Maddox, this was his negotiation, so Dev said nothing and let him take the lead.
    “How many?” Maddox barked.
    “We’re thinking a contingent of about a dozen Marines,” Handler continued. “Unless that’s too many. Half a dozen will do.”
    “A dozen, half a dozen – why should I go along with that? Why should I let you have any? We’re on code amber right now. Do you know what code amber means?”
    Handler floundered. Dev stepped in.
    “Strong threat of imminent attack,” he said.
    Maddox regarded Dev evenly, reappraising him. “There speaks a serviceman. War veteran, yes?”
    “As it happens.”
    “Where did you see action?”
    “Easier to name the places where I didn’t. ”
    “Who were you with?”
    “Ninth Extrasolar Engineers.”
    “Sapper regiment.”
    “Yes, but they chucked us into just about any firefight going.”
    “Including Barnesworld?”
    “Of course.”
    “Leather Hill?”
    Dev flinched a fraction.
    “Ah,” Maddox said. “Say no more. Your reaction speaks volumes. Let’s have another glass.”
    They clinked drinks.
    “To fallen comrades.”
    “To fallen comrades,” Dev echoed.
    “Wasn’t there myself,” Maddox said.
    “Why would you be? It was an inland battle, not