Star Force: Retribution (SF60) by Aer-ki Jyr Read Free Book Online Page B

mentioned was
more than worth it, for her fellow trailblazer didn’t like losing records, of
any kind, and had gradually worked her way back up to top Archon status after
being at a decided disadvantage to those who’d camped out in the advanced
training group while she was off on field missions.
    But this was different, for she not only lost the
record but had it literally blown off the map. The trailblazers weren’t quite
sure what to make of her, and despite that fact that she was so young and weak
compared to them Taryn and the others looked at Ginsi like a little sister,
wondering just how long this hot streak would last and if she was truly in
their league…or perhaps even better.
    Taryn didn’t know, for a big part of being a
trailblazer was figuring things out for yourself or with your peers and Ginsi
was having everything fed to her. That’s what the trailblazers had worked to
build, so weaker Archons could gain greater strength by following their example
and using training programs and drills refined to perfection before they were
even born. It was a very good thing, but there was a higher level for those who
managed to do it on their own, which left Ginsi in ambiguity as to what her
caliber was as far as Taryn and the others were concerned.
    So they were in wait and see mode, with Taryn keeping
a very close eye on her little sister and fellow Clansmen heading forward.

 
 
    5

 
 
    December 28, 2679
    Pooovalla System
(H’kar territory)
    Ratchniva

 
    Gavra walked down one of the
long, curvy corridors that typically made up H’kar infrastructure, coming to a
dead end and stepping on the elevation pad that lowered him down to the next
level. The four-legged armored ‘crab’ walked on, finding another pad nearby and
moving down a second level, then another 8 until he came to a guard post with a
pair of fellow H’kar soldiers with weapons strapped to two of their six arms.
    He was known to them, so with a nod of recognition he
passed through the checkpoint and into one of the off limits areas of the
command complex where only a few high ranking H’kar were allowed to enter. There
he walked through a few more corridors, traveling from memory rather than the
navigational markings on the ceiling, until he came to the main receiving
chamber where a small assembly was ongoing.
    The Royal halted their conversation the moment he saw Gavra , clicking a welcoming tone on his mandibles and
getting the crowd to part ways to allow the senior military commander access to
the central slot in the approach bank. The H’kar formerly standing there backed
away, leaving two other niches in the narrow, curved table occupied by
non-military personnel but otherwise high ranking officials with the H’kar.
They faced the Royal, situated inside the shallow arc of the approach bank and
surrounded by control boards and display screens/ holos .
    Gavra ignored them all,
along with the tidbits of conversation he had heard upon entry. Without a word
he began pressing buttons and accessing a secure file that even the Royal
didn’t have the access codes for, bringing up a map amendment that changed the
regional holo that was centered on Pooovalla and
showed the scattering of H’kar systems butting up against the Li’vorkrachnika
border.
    When the update was applied, several new dots interspaced
between the H’kar systems changed color, indicating new acquisitions by their
enemy. None of the systems were previously H’kar owned, but it was clear that
they were failing in their Nexus mandate to control the local region.
    “ The situation
has worsened far more than we anticipated ,” Gavra said sternly, his respect for the Royal present in his tone but it not masking
his anger and frustration. “ We wrongly
assumed the Li’vorkrachnika would strike back at one of our worlds in
retaliation for the strike on their core worlds. To be truthful we hoped they
would, for such an attack would be to our advantage by consolidating a