Surviving The Theseus by Randy Noble Read Free Book Online Page B

organized it
did not count on how many planets would want to participate. They
grossly underestimated the security needed.”
    “You can’t spare one extra team, Brad?”
George said.
    “No, I can’t. Half the ships are already at
the games, and half of the ones left in the bay are under repair.
Plus, we have to maintain our regular security posts. As it is, all
the other military branches are chipping in and we’re still not at
a number we should be.”
    Michael felt a rant coming on, Brad trying to
justify why they had to go out on a hunt that, if it was what Brad
was saying it was, could have been checked out by the nearest gate
patrol. All they had to do was follow the matchstick road.
    Sure enough, after a deep inhale, Brad
continued. “It’s a cluster fuck with billions of people en route or
already there, and thousands upon thousands of ships of all sizes.
The rest of the precinct ships will be on their way soon. Lancer
will be moving to the nearest gate by the games. I’m sorry, George,
but that’s why I picked your team. Your team combined has the most
field experience.” Brad sighed. “There’s one other thing.”
    “You’re killing me,” George said. “Only one
ship for the whole team?”
    Brad nodded. “I’m sorry, but that’s the
situation, as shitty as it is. Your control devices have more
information about Pyramid One. Lancer is close to going through a
gate so you have to leave right now. Keep in contact.”
    Brad leaned towards his device. “Screens down
and control off.” The screens moved down, back into the table,
turning to clear glass as the images disappeared. “Talk to you
soon.”
    Brad got up, looked like he was about to say
something else, and then just nodded at the group, a forced smile
on his face.
    After he left, Mary and Michael looked at
each other and shook their heads. George noticed.
    “We’re going whether we like it or not, but
damned if I won’t be prepared, even if it’s most likely just
software glitches. Michael. Mary. I want you and everyone else to
read everything about this ship. I want you all to know it inside
and out before we get there . . . docking bay, engineering,
control, communications. Everything.”
     
     

Chapter 17
     
    Another floorboard creaked, just outside the
door of the cottage Regina hid in, and she could have sworn she
heard a man’s voice say “Shh-it!”
    Regina smiled.
    She heard the iron latch on the door slowly
open with a slight click.
    She moved her index finger over the
trigger.
    The latch released.
    She took a breath.
    The door slowly started to open.
    Regina held the breath.
    Two silhouetted figures entered the cottage.
They closed the door and dropped themselves into near dark, except
the light coming from the porch and what light remained from the
sky above coming in through the windows in the dining area.
    There wasn’t enough light to see their faces,
but Regina knew the figures to be a man and a woman. She felt no
threat from them, but she wasn’t about to take any chances. “Hands
in the air and walk towards my voice until I tell you to stop.”
    The man jumped back when Regina spoke, but
the woman did not budge.
    Regina continued. “I have a forty-five, with
a shock blast of ninety-nine percent, pointed at you, meaning if I
even nick a finger there’s a ninety-nine percent chance you will
never get up again just from the voltage alone.”
    “We’re unarmed,” came the woman’s voice, as
both the man and woman lifted their arms above their heads and
walked towards Regina.
    “Stop right there,” Regina said as she stood
up. The man and woman stopped just inside the living room. Regina
hopped over the couch, never losing sight of the pair.
    “Let us explain why we followed you,” the
woman said before Regina had a chance to ask.
    Regina pointed her gun away from them, over
to the couch, and both of them moved and sat down on the couch as
Regina backed up by the fireplace.
    “My name is Rachel Winslow, and