From Furies Forged (Free Fleet Book 5) by Michael Chatfield Read Free Book Online Page B

board.
                  “It’s your job to keep him safe. That means looking after your own damned self too,” Monk said, a distinctly commanderly tone entering his voice.
                  Krom snorted at the care in Monk's words.
                  “Very well. Your move,” Krom said.
                  Monk looked as if he was about to push the matter for a moment before looking to the board and moving a pawn.
                  Krom surveyed the board with renewed interest.
                  “Conservative aren't you,” Krom mused, pushing his knight up.
                  “I work on Parnmal; the damn thing is an armored asteroid. Safe and steady is pretty much par for the course,” Monk drawled, a gleam in his eyes.
                  Krom let out a peal of laughter, his eyes focused on the board as Monk moved his bishop out.
                 
                                                                          ***
     
                  “So how are we looking?” Silly asked from his seat. The receipient was Chief Domask, a Dovark and the man that would be taking over managing Nancy. He’d been kind enough to allow Silly to use his old office until he was picked up on his journey to the Star-destroyer yard.
                  “Well if this engine coolant system works as it’s supposed to, I should be there in about two weeks,” Felix said, he was the leader of a bunch of engineers stuck in a desolate system beyond Earth. Felix and his people didn't pump out ships like the other yards down the corridor. They developed the systems used across the fleet to increase the fleet's combat power. Their fingers had a hand in creating a number of systems and creations from the Point Defense Systems on every Free Fleet ship, to a combination of Union sensors, AI computing and human Gatling guns, to even the HAPA and Jump ships that were now coming into major production.
                  “Get some damned sleep before then Felix,” Silly said, gesturing with his Kuruvian manipulators. He would go around Felix and talk to the other engineers into putting their commander to bed if he had to.
                  “I hear and obey,” Felix said with a tired smile, his dark hair almost as dark as the rungs under his eyes as he leaned back in his own chair, sipping on his coffee. “How are the preparations going for LaRe?”
                  “I will be ready for transport shortly,” a voice came through Silly's old office and over the conference being held over FTL relay.
                  LaRe was the AI that was responsible for managing Nancy, the Free Fleet's biggest yard since it was captured in the defense of Earth.
                  He would be coming with Silly and Felix to their new post in the middle of Kalu territory.
                  “Good, I'm looking forward to finally getting down to turning those Star-Destroyers into Henry-classed Destroyers,” Felix said, a dark note to his normally enthusiastic voice.
                  “I would also like to report that the first HAPA factory has come online and we will be transporting them to the reserves closest to the line. Transports started to leave with the armor three hours ago,” LaRe said, not without some pride.
                  And proud he should be, he was one hell of a driving force behind the whole thing while I looked to getting the new Dreadnought's Battle Cruisers and our first super-carrier ready to go. Silly thought.
                  If Resilient was LaRe's mother, then he was undoubtedly the father, he had pushed LaRe to succeed and given him all the opportunities he could to grow.
                  LaRe had done him proud, and Silly's half-mad family had come to think