Empire of Bones by Terry Mixon Read Free Book Online Page B

but in the ship’s center. Command and control needed to be one of the most protected areas of the ship—not because the commander was more important, but because loss of control meant probable death in combat.
    Not that he’d ever been in real combat. No living Fleet officer had.
    Helm and tactical took up the front of the bridge. His console was in the center of the compartment and three unattended consoles faced to the rear and side of the oval chamber. Extra crew could staff those positions if something happened to the main consoles, but they typically housed observers.
    It was a much tighter fit than in the vids, too. Barely seven meters long and five wide. A heavy cruiser’s bridge was about twice that size.
    Graves stood as Jared entered. “You made it back alive, I see. I was just about to send the marines.”
    Jared smiled and took the seat his XO had just vacated. “It was a close thing, let me tell you. What’s our status?”
    “All personnel are present. The last load of supplies came on board five minutes ago. Best Deal is running behind. Of course. Things seem a little disorganized over there. Captain Keller said they would be ready in ten minutes.”
    That likely meant fifteen or twenty minutes. Anything that had to do with the civilian scientists seemed to be prone to delays.
    Jared shook his head with a smile. “There’s no use pushing for them to go faster. That would slow them down even more. I can’t wait to see the first emergency drill over there.”
    Charlie rolled his eyes. “No kidding. People running in every direction and some not bothering to go to emergency stations at all. Too busy with real work to be playing sailor. It’ll be a real laugh.”
    “I wouldn’t start chuckling just yet. I’m sending you over to set it up and grade the results. Then you’ll work with Captain Keller to get a training plan in place to see they get better. If things go to hell, I don’t want them killing themselves.”
    “Thanks,” Charlie muttered.
    Lieutenant Anderson turned toward them. “Captain, there is a cutter requesting permission to dock. It says they have a couple of late arriving crewmen.”
    Jared arched an eyebrow. “I thought you said everyone was aboard, XO. Did you misplace someone?”
    Graves looked puzzled. “Everyone is accounted for.”
    “Zia, who are the crewmen?”
    She spoke into her headset. “They say they have the diplomatic representatives on board.”
    Jared brought up the crew manifest on his console. No diplomatic representatives. According to his orders, he’d be representing the Empire if need be. “Permission to dock is granted. I’ll go down myself and find out what’s going on. Charlie, you have the bridge.”
    “Aye, sir.”
    Jared took the lift back down to the forward docking bay. He heard the muffled clank of the cutter docking just as he arrived. A bit of cold mist puffed out of the lock as the interior and exterior doors slid open. A crewmember in a dark grey flight suit stepped out and saluted him, right fist to chest. He’d just returned it when two other people followed the man out.
    Jared didn’t know the gentleman in the lead, but he looked like a diplomat. Tall, his dark hair shaded with distinguished gray, and impeccably dressed. However, the young woman behind him was all too familiar.
    “Princess Kelsey,” Jared growled. “What are you doing here?”
     

Chapter Six
     
     
    Kelsey made certain to keep Carlo Vega between Jared and herself. The diplomat didn’t react to her half-brother’s expression as he held out his hand. “Captain Mertz. So kind of you to meet us. I’m Ambassador Carlo Vega from the Department of Imperial Affairs. I’ll be your diplomatic attaché on this voyage of discovery.
    He stepped to the side, exposing Kelsey. “I believe you know my assistant, Kelsey Bandar. For the duration of our assignment, she will not be acting in her Imperial capacity. Rather she will operate solely as Deputy