Warrior Chronicles 5: Warrior's Curse by Shawn Jones Read Free Book Online

his own grave and devised a way to keep the dirt from collapsing on him. When it happened, the quasar I mean, he died and let go of the device he had built. That caused the dirt to be released and cover his body.”
     
    “It sounds as if Raon was quite a person.”
     
    “Yes. I remember him most of all.”
     
    George turned to face Cort. “Should I tell Doctor Tsao about them?”
     
    “I can’t answer that for you, George. I’ve had to make the same decision though.”
     
    “How did you resolve it?”
     
    “My past is common knowledge now. What isn’t is how my first wife Angela and our daughter Diane died.”
     
    Cort could almost see George accessing the datanet and looking at the files. “It was a car accident, Father.”
     
    “Yes it was. But my wife was coming home from seeing her lover. She had been drinking alcohol as well. After she picked Diane up from a babysitter, she lost control of the car and crashed.”
     
    “Have you told anyone?”
     
    “Just you, Son.”
     
    “Why are you telling me?”
     
    “That’s how I balance my past. I have that one thing that I don’t share with anyone. You have something like that too.”
     
    “What thing?”
     
    “Your memories of Raon. You could give Doctor Tsao everything else, but don’t tell him about Raon. That can be a secret only you and I share. Just as what I told you about Angela and Diane is.”
     
    “Thank you, Father.”
     
    Cort put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Let’s go find the others. I’ll bet your brother is getting hungry. I know I am.”
     
    As they began walking, George said, “ I would like to talk to you again after he is in bed.”
     
    “About anything in particular?”
     
    “Yes. I have a suggestion about how best to utilize my abilities.”
     
    “I don’t even know all of your abilities yet, George.”
     
    “Neither do I, Father. But we should learn them, don’t you think?”
     
    They turned a corner to see the wolves running toward them and Kim and Dalek walking through an ancient living area. The family had a picnic lunch in the ruins and spent the rest of the day exploring the surrounding area.
     
    That evening, after the family finished dinner, Cort was reading a paper book. Tur interrupted him and clicked, “Doctor Ceram is here to see you, General.”
     
    “He can wait. I’m not back on duty until tomorrow morning. I’ll see him then.”
     
    Tur left the room and returned a moment later. “Sir, he says that you can see him, or he can contact Mrs. Addison.”
     
    “Godsdammit. Send him in.”
     
    Ceram moved into the room and clicked, “General, how are you feeling?”
     
    “I feel like breaking off your antennae, Ceram. Why are you here?”
     
    “You agreed to allow me to examine you once a day. It is time for that exam.” Ceram looked at the sideboard and added, “May I have some sweetwater?”
     
    Cort jerked his thumb toward the cabinet. “Get it yourself.”
     
    “You are in a bad mood, I take it?”
     
    “My mood was just fine before you interrupted me,” Cort growled, standing up.
     
    The big insect poured a liter of warm water into a specially shaped container and added nearly a pint of honey to it. After the mixture was complete he widened his mandibles and drank.
     
    “I must examine your face. Please remove your bandage.”
     
    Cort unwrapped the bandage and turned to face the doctor. Ceram manipulated his skin and took a blood sample. As he put the sample away, he said, “Your eye is beginning to develop. Now that the socket is fully formed, I can fill it with a nutrient pod and cover the hole. In a few months, four at the most, your eye should be fully formed. Then we can recut your eyelid and allow it to grow back normally.”
     
    Looking at Cort with what the human had come to recognize as contempt, Ceram added, “Your eye would be almost usable by now if you hadn’t cut it off for dramatic effect. You have travelled through time, founded an