The Cresperian Alliance by Stephanie Osborn Read Free Book Online

“Assuming we can FIND our way in and out."
    "That'd be my guess, Nunez,” Bangler agreed.
    "That's what we figured, too, dammit. Any ideas where those deeper rooms might be?” Anderson wondered, directing the question at his most educated staff sergeant.
    Bangler pursed his lips to one side in thought, continuing to study the plans. He realized that Anderson was looking to him to confirm his own thoughts, so he pondered a bit before answering.
    "I'm thinking either here, or here,” he put his index finger on two different areas of the diagram, then moved back to the first area. “Here, because it's farthest from the stairs of the house, and here,” he moved his finger to the second location, “because it's under the partial second story."
    "Hence buried deeper,” Anderson verified.
    "Right."
    "That will NOT make our job any simpler."
    "No sir."
    "Which unit are we?” Wersky asked.
    "Let's just say,” Anderson replied, “that we're gonna get plenty of interaction with Crispies."
    "Uh boy,” Nunez muttered.
    "You got a problem with the Crispies, Nunez?” Anderson asked sharply.
    "No sir,” she replied calmly. “Just thinking about the magnitude of the task. And wondering how to patch up a Crispy."
    "They patch up their own, from what I understand, Sergeant,” Anderson said in a more relaxed tone. “And may even be able to help you patch up any wounded on our team."
    "Wow.” Nunez’ eyes grew big with excitement.
    "Now, we have an all hands call in one hour back in the auditorium. Video downlink, I have it to understand. Simo feed to us and to the Cabinet."
    "Whoa,” Wersky said. “Sounds important."
    "It is,” Anderson said soberly. “It's the formal report from the Zeng Wu ."
    "Good or bad?” Bangler wondered. “Any preliminary summaries?"
    Anderson drew a deep breath, but Bangler didn't think it calmed him any. He also decided he had his answer regarding preliminary summaries. “You'll see when you watch the video,” Anderson remarked cryptically.
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Chapter 4
    The President's Cabinet gathered in the Oval Office. In a niche to one side of his desk, a video screen had been erected. In front of it were seats sufficient for selected members of the Cabinet only; no aides were permitted at this time. Gradually the various members filed in and took seats. President Waterman winced as Fellowes minced in excitedly and took a seat in the front row.
    A special seat in the front was reserved for Admiral Wayne Terhune, commanding officer of the U. S. Space Fleet. He entered, but remained standing. Waterman sat down at his desk, cue for everyone else to sit.
    Waterman nodded at Terhune. “Admiral, you may begin."
    "Yes, Mr. President."
    Everyone who could manage to wangle orders was present in the Enclave auditorium for the all hands. The all hands had originally been intended for just the members of the extraction teams, but as rumor had spread, other important members of the underground facility had wormed in. By the top of the hour all seats were filled and there was a substantial cluster of personnel around the walls.
    The voice of the Space Fleet's commanding officer was heard over audio. “Terhune to USSS Zeng Wu . Do you copy?"
    " Zeng Wu to Admiral Terhune. We copy. How do you read?” a crisp voice answered, as the screen in the Oval Office began flickering.
    "We read you five by five, Captain Haley,” Terhune replied. “How far out are you?"
    "About an hour and a half, Wayne,” Haley responded, as the encrypted video came to life and displayed a haggard man in an Army general's uniform. “We'll be dropping out of unreality drive in an hour."
    "Copy that, Sam,” Terhune answered softly. “We're all here, and listening. You can begin your debrief."
    Haley drew a deep breath. “First off, you'll notice I'm here and not Captain Bronson. Bronson was killed—as were well over half the crew of the Zeng Wu and a significant number of the Galactic 's crew—by an inimical