New Contract (Perimeter Defense Book #3) by Michael Atamanov Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michael Atamanov
cities here as well. More than fifty people in the past three days. Of course, I refused them all."
I mulled it over and gave an evil grin:
"Rats, the lot of them. The first thing they do is run, even though the capital can still be saved. They need to be taught a lesson! Here's how we’ll do it, captain. Order your weaslliest officers to get in touch with these people, and take their money for 'tickets.' A million credits a seat. I think that will be enough. But be sure to warn them that this is all strictly illegal, and they will have to board as technicians, electricians, etc. Let them all think that the yacht will take off the day after tomorrow, but tell them they all must arrive by this evening. And when all these rotten characters have all arrived..."
"We line them up against the wall?" suggested Admiral Mike ton Akad with poorly hidden hope in his voice.
I put on a mocking flare up:
"Look at the kind of people I work with! And I'm the one they call bloodthirsty?! No, we don't need to execute anyone. We'll just talk about executing them, get them all riled up, and kick them off the ship after stripping them of their posts in the Unatari government! Captain, give ten percent of the money you collect to this brilliant officer, and transfer the rest to the fleet treasury."
"Will do, my Prince! It's great doing business with you, your Highness!" Tarik ton Miro began smiling with his whole mouth, having potentially become a millionaire today.
Standing change. Empire Military faction opinion of you has improved.
Present Empire Military faction opinion of you: +17 (warm)
Alright. It worked! Though it was somewhat unexpected to see the faction relationship change, despite the fact that the Unatari star system had technically been cut off from the Empire for eleven days. And also, I noticed that my relationship with the military, though it had soured in my absence, had still not reached such catastrophic levels as my standing. Last time, I had to start from actually negative numbers, so +17 with the military at the very beginning was pretty cool!
When the captain had left, Admiral Mike ton Akad said thoughtfully:
"Crown Prince Georg royl Inoky ton Mesfelle was once considered a great master of unexpected solutions and improvisation. That is precisely why I hurried to occupy the vacant seat left after Kiro Sabuto's resignation. For a long time, I thought I had made a mistake. But today, I see glimmers of that very brilliance. I may see yet why it was once said that your fleet did not know the meaning of the word 'defeat.'"
I did not have time to reply. A knock came on the door, and Ayna swiftly entered, holding a tablet computer.
"Prince Georg, I have found your cousin's location, composed a list of the most valuable objects on the yacht and... here," the girl stepped aside, letting a guest enter.
Into the office came... the one Chameleon I would recognize from among thousands of others. Popori de Cacha!!! I stood up and took a step forward to embrace my old friend. After a second of confusion, the huge bipedal gray lizard responded in kind and embraced me with her (or maybe his, hard to say with a Chameleon) flexible appendages.
"After your Highness fired the Chameleon bodyguard team, I tried to find work for myself and my subjects as bodyguards for the senior officers on Crown Princess Likanna. And now, I'm hearing that the Crown Prince wants to see me," explained Popori de Cacha, very quickly elucidating me on the circumstances of her arrival to the space yacht.
"I'll be brief, Popori de Cacha. I need my great bodyguard head back. And with her, I need six, or even just two more invisible guards."
The Chameleon smiled with two rows of sharp teeth:
"I am delighted, my Prince. I'll do it all to the best of my ability. That said, I am a ‘him’ again, not a ’her.’ After giving birth to my children, I changed back to my original gender."
The interactive character popup was showing that Popori de
I mulled it over and gave an evil grin:
"Rats, the lot of them. The first thing they do is run, even though the capital can still be saved. They need to be taught a lesson! Here's how we’ll do it, captain. Order your weaslliest officers to get in touch with these people, and take their money for 'tickets.' A million credits a seat. I think that will be enough. But be sure to warn them that this is all strictly illegal, and they will have to board as technicians, electricians, etc. Let them all think that the yacht will take off the day after tomorrow, but tell them they all must arrive by this evening. And when all these rotten characters have all arrived..."
"We line them up against the wall?" suggested Admiral Mike ton Akad with poorly hidden hope in his voice.
I put on a mocking flare up:
"Look at the kind of people I work with! And I'm the one they call bloodthirsty?! No, we don't need to execute anyone. We'll just talk about executing them, get them all riled up, and kick them off the ship after stripping them of their posts in the Unatari government! Captain, give ten percent of the money you collect to this brilliant officer, and transfer the rest to the fleet treasury."
"Will do, my Prince! It's great doing business with you, your Highness!" Tarik ton Miro began smiling with his whole mouth, having potentially become a millionaire today.
Standing change. Empire Military faction opinion of you has improved.
Present Empire Military faction opinion of you: +17 (warm)
Alright. It worked! Though it was somewhat unexpected to see the faction relationship change, despite the fact that the Unatari star system had technically been cut off from the Empire for eleven days. And also, I noticed that my relationship with the military, though it had soured in my absence, had still not reached such catastrophic levels as my standing. Last time, I had to start from actually negative numbers, so +17 with the military at the very beginning was pretty cool!
When the captain had left, Admiral Mike ton Akad said thoughtfully:
"Crown Prince Georg royl Inoky ton Mesfelle was once considered a great master of unexpected solutions and improvisation. That is precisely why I hurried to occupy the vacant seat left after Kiro Sabuto's resignation. For a long time, I thought I had made a mistake. But today, I see glimmers of that very brilliance. I may see yet why it was once said that your fleet did not know the meaning of the word 'defeat.'"
I did not have time to reply. A knock came on the door, and Ayna swiftly entered, holding a tablet computer.
"Prince Georg, I have found your cousin's location, composed a list of the most valuable objects on the yacht and... here," the girl stepped aside, letting a guest enter.
Into the office came... the one Chameleon I would recognize from among thousands of others. Popori de Cacha!!! I stood up and took a step forward to embrace my old friend. After a second of confusion, the huge bipedal gray lizard responded in kind and embraced me with her (or maybe his, hard to say with a Chameleon) flexible appendages.
"After your Highness fired the Chameleon bodyguard team, I tried to find work for myself and my subjects as bodyguards for the senior officers on Crown Princess Likanna. And now, I'm hearing that the Crown Prince wants to see me," explained Popori de Cacha, very quickly elucidating me on the circumstances of her arrival to the space yacht.
"I'll be brief, Popori de Cacha. I need my great bodyguard head back. And with her, I need six, or even just two more invisible guards."
The Chameleon smiled with two rows of sharp teeth:
"I am delighted, my Prince. I'll do it all to the best of my ability. That said, I am a ‘him’ again, not a ’her.’ After giving birth to my children, I changed back to my original gender."
The interactive character popup was showing that Popori de
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