The Catherine Kimbridge Chronicles #4, Retribution by Andrew Beery Read Free Book Online Page B

going to invite the Syndicate to make an example of them . ”
    “ No battle plan ever survives first contact , ” Honey said, softly, paraphrasing a German Field Marshall from the 19 th century.
    Ricky grunted his agreement and add e d ,“ Usually that is first contact with the enem y … not on e’ s allies ! ”
    “ True , ” Hikaro agreed .“ But w e’ ve got to play the cards as they get dealt. If the Syndicate tries to make them an example to send a message to others contemplating a Syndicate-wide uprising, then we just need to make sure we control the message. Honey, do you think you can get a request to Admiral Faragon ? ”
    The shi p’ s avatar, who once again looked completely huma n – having discarded her blue Aenar disguise, perked up .“ Why, I would be delighted, sir ! ” she said .“ And what would you like to ask him ? ”
    “ She never calls me ‘ sir , ’” Ricky commented dryly.
    Captain Takei smiled, while winking at Honey .“ Ask the Admiral to send in the cavalry . ”
    .
    ***
    Cat was jogging around the Yorktow n ’ s quarter-mile track at a leisurely three-minute-per-mile pace when the call from Admiral Faragon came in. Her internal commlink signaled a message, and she told her personal AI to acknowledge it and open the channel.
    “ Good morning, Catherine. Did I catch you at a bad time ? ”
    “ Never, sir. I was just getting a morning jog in . ”
    “ I’ ll never understand it. You have the most advanced nanites in the known universes keeping your body in pristine shape and you still have to jog. Sherry typically has to threaten me with budget meetings in order to get me out on the track . ”
    Cat smiled to herself. It was a conversation sh e’ d had many times before and with many people.
    “ Commander Melbourne is just looking out after her commanding office r’ s well-being. You know she would never trust you with the budget. But seriously, I run not for the exercise but because the running helps my thinking process. Can I assume your call has something to do with our Modos situation ? ”
    She heard Faragon sigh. Her auditory enhancements had detected the strain in his voice, despite his attempt at casual banter.
    “ Indeed, it does. I’ ve ordered Jason and his task force to pull back to their secondary positions. We are officially ceding the space around SgrA to the Syndicate forces. We are now defending primary GCP worlds and as many non-affiliated as we can. Unless we can force a withdrawal we are looking at a permanent change in the political landscape of this sector of space . ”
    Cat finished her run and grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat from her face.
    “ So, that neatly brings up the question: how is our team in the Betaverse doing ? Any word from Hikaro or Ricky ? ”
    “ This is actually why I called, Cat. We are going to need to do some creative resource shuffling. The Naans are moving early . ”
    “ Not completely unexpected , ” Cat mumbled, as she toweled off the sweat from her run .“ We knew that there was a real chance one or more of the groups we were contacting would not see the wisdom of dividing the Syndicat e’ s attention. I assume you want me to head up the contingency plan ? ”
    “ Affirmative Cat. I have three mechanized Ranger battalions in route to you now. Your orders are to remain cloaked and assist only if the Syndicate responds in force to the Naa n’ s efforts to retake their planet . ”

    Chapter Si x – The Battle for Naanac...
     
    It had been a long day. Chairman Snatch Bait was just sitting down to dinner in the Admira l’ s lounge aboard the Syndicat e’ s newly commissioned flagship, the MS Typhoon . She was a Conqueror-class dreadnaught with state-of-the-art shields and weapons. In short, she was the perfect stage from which he could direct and view the coming defeat of the Galactic Coalition. As he settled into his seat and began to sip his lightly fermented and spiced squid-ink cocktail, a young lieutenant