Terminus (Fringe Worlds #1) by Kevin Hardman Read Free Book Online

jump to hyperspace, but their ship was damaged so they had to head someplace to make repairs…Terminus.”
    Maker’s brow creased in thought. “That’s a lot of conjecture based on nothing more than a radiation trail.”
    “Well, we’ve got a little more than that,” Browing confided. “They’ve actually been dealing with local merchants, trying to obtain certain goods, which is how we got the holo-pic. One of our non-human allies took it.”
    “What are they trying to buy?” Maker asked.
    A cocksure grin found its way onto Browing’s face as he responded. “Shield generators, fusion coil, fortified alloy…”
    The list went on, but it was clear that much of what the Vacra had been seeking was material used in the construction of spacefaring vessels…or the repair of them.
    “Alright,” Maker said when Browing finally finished reciting the Vacra’s shopping list. “I suppose this is all leading up as to why you’re here. If you’re just looking for confirmation, you got it. They’re the ones that attacked us four years ago.”
    Maker spent a moment thinking about how much time it had been, although he knew it almost down to the second: kicked out of the service a year after the incident, then bumming around the Gaian Expanse for another year before finally settling on Ginsburg for the past two. Altogether four years. Four long years for it to finally become clear that the encounter he’d reported hadn’t been some figment of his imagination.
    It felt good to finally be vindicated. Maker looked expectantly at his visitors, suddenly wondering if his corroboration was all they had come for. He didn’t have to wait long to find out.
    “We want more than confirmation,” General Kroner said after a few seconds. “We want you to go after them.”

 
    Chapter 4
     
    Maker didn’t immediately respond to the general’s statement, prompting Kroner to repeat himself.
    “I heard you the first time,” Maker said. “I’m just not sure what you’re asking. Are you saying that you want me as some kind of civilian advisor to a military campaign, or maybe as–”
    “We want you to lead a recon mission to locate the Vacra on Terminus,” Kroner said, interrupting him.
    “Recon??!!” Maker shouted incredulously. “These things have attacked and destroyed at least three of our ships! You need to be organizing a strike !”
    “We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it,” the general said. “For now, we need to find out more about them. They clearly have weapons and technology that we don’t understand. A show of force probably isn’t the wisest course of action. As you yourself said, Gant, they’ve destroyed three of our ships. We need to know what we’re up against before we start picking a fight.”
    Maker spent a few moments brooding on what he’d just heard. He hated to admit it, but the general’s position actually made sense. An attack really didn’t seem prudent when they had no idea what they were facing.
    “We understand how you feel,” Dr. Chantrey suddenly chimed in, apparently interpreting Maker’s silence as opposition. “However, charging in with almost no intel would be complete folly. We need you to do this our way.”
    “Assuming I agree with you,” Maker said, “I can’t recall the last time a civilian led any kind of military action on the front lines like you’re suggesting.”
    “We’ll reinstate you,” Browing said. “Full time and credit for the past few years. You’ll be a full-fledged Marine again, with uninterrupted service as far as your record goes.”
    Maker laughed derisively. “I spent fifteen years getting my butt shot off for the Marines, and at the end of the day they gave me the bum’s rush. Why would I be eager to sign up for that again?”
    “Because you’re a patriot,” the doctor said, “and a Marine at heart. Service is in your blood, and right now that service is needed.”
    “Stop it,” Maker told the doctor, still smiling. “Just