Edge of Redemption (A Star Too Far Book 3) by Casey Calouette Read Free Book Online Page B

suits. He had a hunch it was going to be a long day. But on the plus side, he’d get a stab at some second breakfast. He looked at the growing crowd of engineers and wondered if this was the equivalent of a ship sinking right out of drydock.
    *
    A week later they departed with little fanfare and less reception. Throughout the week more of the stubby pocket frigates detached from the station and sped for points throughout UC space. News and plans were still months old, set into motion as foreseen and unknown. Orders passed down set out guidelines for reaction—Earth was simply too far away to oversee every contingency. Never before had so much relied on so few.
    They passed by freighters, clawed and mauled. Raking damage from mass driver barrages and blooms of carbon black showed the truth of the battles. A particularly mangled Arkhangel class battlecruiser forged past with a gaping hole large enough to drive the pocket frigate into. Somber greetings were made and they passed in opposite directions.
    William scrutinized each ship as it passed by under high power magnification. He wanted to see what the wounds of war from a different front looked like. He’d been on the receiving end of the Hun once before, and of the Sa’Ami recently. Was anything different? Or did they still rely on the massed barrages and simple technology?
    They passed more ships heading for refit and eventually met up with the convoy in orbit around Mars. The dusky red planet was like an iron-stained cueball. The poles glowed white with bands of dirty green streaking through some of the valleys. Ships and cargo arrays were strung out around the planet everywhere. The bladder of intergalactic trade was suddenly stopped and the piss of commerce was holding above.
    He found his convoy just beyond the edge of Phobos in the shadow of the moon. Three bulk freighters: one old enough to house a museum, along with a personnel carrier and a single corvette that looked very similar to the one he’d taken on his way out of Redmond. That beautiful little ship came back to him, Samoan mercenaries and all. It was a bloody business. It was his, if only for a few short weeks. His first real command.
    Now this was his duty, that little pack, strung along to the very edge of UC space. Where beyond only licensed prospectors and the very fringe of society dared to roam. There was a part of him that envied those that went beyond.
    “Send along course plot, please,” William said to Lieutenant Shay. He squirmed in his chair and tried to get comfortable. The bridge was tiny, claustrophobic, like a closet compared to the spaces he’d been on before. With each hand he could lean forward and tap whoever was at either command station. At least he could wake them up easy enough.
    The entire ship was tight, cramped, small. To make it even worse, the main hall between sections was zero gravity—it wasn’t even possible to walk and stretch. He never realized how much he’d miss a simple walk. Judging by his waistline, he’d need to start working it off soon, or find a nanite fat burner. The thought brought him to dinner. The other downside of a small ship was that the scent of every meal wafted and drifted everywhere.
    “Course sent, acknowledgments from all except the, uh , Greater Prosperity of the Rising Ocean .”
    “Who? What?” William leaned and looked over Shay’s shoulder. The ancient freighter appeared to be powered down. “Ping them again please.”
    After the third hail, the pitted and worn freighter finally acknowledged the call.
    “Datastream live please,” William said.
    Screens flashed to life and showed incoming data from the convoy members. Reactors were primed, Haydn’s powered up, and all systems showed nominal. Except for the Greater Prosperity of the Rising Ocean . William shook his head. He had a feeling he’d be babysitting that one.
    “Overlay that name, call it the Grouper ,” William ordered.
    Lieutenant Shay nodded with a smile. “Done,