Star Traders (Corporate Marines Book 3) by Tom Germann Read Free Book Online Page B

the background support going on. But you do realize that the numbers you have heard in the advertising for the Marines, the ‘Only one in thousands has what it takes,’ are actually low. Some of the official estimates are that only one in half a million people has what it takes to run armor and operate in a section at peak. Everyone else who gets through training is only able to use the armor at about 75 percent capability.”
    Two pauses and looks at each one of them, making eye contact, as she continues explaining. “None of us interact well with personnel outside of the program because of our training. I am meant as a guard dog to protect the pack animals. This will sound bad to you, but I don’t view you as a threat because you are corporate, and I am meant to guard you and we are on a higher level than you are. I wouldn’t hurt you because it would be like hurting a puppy.”
    Two pauses for a minute and evaluates their facial expressions. “I understood when you said you had read our files that you knew all this already, captain. I see that you may not have understood the significance of the information in that file on us.”
    The captain nods. “I really did not understand in anything more than an academic way what that information meant. I still can’t fully comprehend it.”
    Two returns his nod. “I do understand where you find it difficult to track what I am saying. We go through months of training and testing before we are considered ready, and by that time, there are still many more tests, and more and more people drop out constantly. Getting back to my point, I can understand your concern, but I think you are missing the point that I was going to try to make.”
    As Two pauses, Patroe and Terry look at each other and then at Two. Patroe, for once, speaks first. “You are not the potential threat, are you. The threat would be Eight.”
    The captain leans back in his padded chair and crosses his legs. His gold-colored ship suit gleams in the direct overhead light. “Please explain how the more sociable Marine is the higher threat.”
    Two looks at the captain and pauses while collecting her thoughts. “I have remained distant and remember my job. Eight has lost some of that distance. If one of your personnel were to become a perceived threat, then he may treat them as an equal and that could lead to a problem.” Two smiles cheerfully at the three crew members who were sitting there looking shocked.
    Now it is the captain’s turn to straighten up and lean forward. He breaks the silence first. “So I have been completely wrong in my concerns, then? I have had it all backward. Is Eight a threat?”
    Two shakes her head in the negative. “No, he is still a trained Marine and everyone on board is corporate. This is our first deployment out. After we get in with our section, we will settle down and everything will be fine. As long as no one pulls a weapon on him, there should be no issue.”
    The captain stares at Two as if hoping that she has some words of wisdom that will fix all the problems that may be facing them. But she just looks back at him.
    The ship’s internal communication system goes off. “Captain to the bridge. We are exiting jump space in approximately thirty minutes. Captain to the bridge. All off-duty personnel, report to their rooms. All on-duty personnel, this is the thirty-minute notice to exiting jump space. Stand by stations at twenty minutes to re-entry.”
    Everyone in the conference room stands up. They nod to each other and head off to their ship stations: the captain to the bridge, Terry to engineering, and Patroe to the security office. Two strides off to her personal room.
    Eight is waiting for her outside of her door. “We need to talk, Two.”
    “Yes we do, Eight.”
    The ship’s internal communication systems click on again. “ Twenty minutes to re-entry. No problems reported. Re-entry is clear. Please relax as we exit jump space in nineteen minutes. The next