Ice and Peace by Clare Dargin Read Free Book Online Page B

these things. He wondered why whoever it was was bothering him.
    “Sir, it’s Commander Berger. May I enter?”
    “Enter.” He wearily swung his legs over the side of the bed.
    The bright light from the hall nearly blinded him as the door slid open. Keegan stood in only his boxers and T-shirt and approached the commander.
    Berger closed the door behind him.
    “Lights,” Keegan barked. The room lit up immediately. “How may I help you, Commander?”
    The man about Keegan’s age handed him a beat-up scriv. He entered his code and read the orders. He chuckled at the words across the screen. More surprises. It would have been nice if they had informed him of the appointment ahead of time, but then again, beggars couldn’t be choosers. “Interesting.”
    “Sir?”
    “Now they tell me.” Keegan handed the device back to him. “At ease, Commander.”
    Berger relaxed his stance. “What is it, sir?”
    “Apparently you are my new executive officer.”
    Berger’s surprised look told Keegan it was news to him, too. Keegan sized him up. The younger man appeared to be the consummate career officer. He wore his khaki brown service uniform in a neat and professional manner. His hair was cut short on the sides, allowing his deep brown skin to show. His dark brown eyes gave no hint of the turmoil Keegan guessed was going on in the man’s head.
    With all that information, would he take the job? Keegan waited.
    A line creased the younger man’s forehead. Berger’s mouth was set like stone then he said confidently, “It will be an honor, sir.”
    “Believe me, I know what you’re feeling.”
    “I don’t think so, sir.”
    “Yes, I do. At any rate,” he said with an outstretched hand. “Commander Berger, do you accept this assignment?”
    Pausing momentarily, Berger answered soberly, “Yes, sir, I do.”
    The two shook hands.
    “Thank you for accepting this assignment. I’m certain it will be a pleasure. And maybe when things calm down, we can have a drink. Until then, we have work to do.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “Commander, if you don’t mind, we can finish this later,” Keegan said, climbing into bed.
    “Yes, sir.” He walked to the hatch.
    “Lights off,” Keegan barked.
    The hatch clicked shut. Keegan fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, hoping he wouldn’t come across any more surprises.
     
    ***
     
    A full moon hung over the training grounds at Cole Naval Air Station. The blizzard passed as quickly as it came, leaving a fresh blanket of snow on the ground. The big Montana sky wore a black blanket overhead, allowing the stars to twinkle like distant beacons. The cryo team stood in the night dressed in their pixilated white Arctic camouflage that mimicked the shading of the native brush. Some smiled, others were irritated, but all found the sight interesting.
    As the team closed in and around Caitlin, she stared at the alien body on the ground, swearing to herself. She could hear the boots pulverize the snow and dirt underneath as the wind kicked up around them. Looking up, she saw some of them standing with their hands in their pockets, trying to stave off the cold, while others stood as casually as if they were on a beach in Florida. Their tight circle acted as a windbreak for her and protected the downed trainee from the freezing air.
    “Wake up!” Caitlin demanded as the cold wind howled in disagreement.
    Wind chill was the biggest culprit in cases of hypothermia. She knew this, all her trainees knew this…but this thing—this so-called higher intelligence didn’t have a clue regarding basic precautions against exposure. She stared deeply at the body of the alien in front of her. Its lidless eyes were round with dark pupils as black as deep space. There was no life in them. She couldn’t tell if the thing was dead or alive.
    “Maybe it’s too cold. Somebody ought to get a blanket,” Petty Officer Nico Jesswan quipped.
    The others laughed at his remark.
    “Quiet!” Caitlin frowned at