The Cresperian Alliance by Stephanie Osborn Read Free Book Online Page B

as well."
    "Understood, Sam,” Admiral Terhune noted softly, watching the pain on the video image of his old friend's face. “Bring it on home, buddy. We'll be waiting."
    "Wilco, Wayne. Thank God."
    The monitor flickered and died.
    "Sumbitch,” Wersky said blankly. “Real bad ass bastards out there."
    "Thank God the Crispies are nicer,” Nunez noted.
    "Sometimes,” a familiar voice said, and the White Horse Second Squad turned to see Sira sitting beside them. “If the conversion to human is not properly monitored and mentored, it can lead to homicidal paranoia and madness in Crispies."
    "So...” Bangler began slowly, “depending on what we find in Scotland..."
    "Yes,” Sira said simply. “However, from what I have been able to determine, I think we will be safe, in that respect."
    "Oh, I really must dispute the military interpretation,” Secretary of State Sandra Fellowes protested, popping to her feet as the communication ended. “The conclusion that those poor aliens actually understood what the diplomatic party was saying is patently false. They would never have attacked otherwise. They must have concluded that the ship from Earth was an invasion force. It's the only explanation. Especially with those two... soldiers... along."
    Secretary of Defense Mark Singletary turned toward her with a scowl. “You have got to be kidding me, Sandra. There was NO BLOODY PROVOCATION! We could see that with our own eyes!"
    "Yes, but we couldn't HEAR what was being said,” Fellowes pointed out. “A truly advanced, space faring race MUST be peace loving."
    "We couldn't hear because nothing was spoken, Sandra,” Waterman said, disgusted, fingers on the bridge of his nose. “They don't speak English. Or any other Earth language."
    "Tone of voice,” Sandra declared stubbornly. “They felt threatened. Technology as advanced as that must be from a peace loving race."
    "Ma'am, I don't know where you get your ideas,” Terhune added, “but those ‘peace loving’ aliens killed several hundred of our people, CIVILIAN as well as military. And if a trained diplomatic corps can't get through to them our peaceful intent, how do you propose we do so?"
    "For starters, do it as it should have been done to begin with,” Fellowes snapped. “Let the State Department handle it."
    "Those were personnel recruited FROM the State Department, ma'am."
    Fellowes shook her head. “They must have been junior diplomats, then. Any further contact with that poor misunderstood race will be personally managed by me."
    "IF I say so,” Waterman interjected, red faced. “And as of right now, I am issuing a Presidential Order confirming the no-fly zone around the Swavely system."
    "But Tom—"
    "I don't give a damn about your ideals, Sandra,” Waterman barked. “I DO care about not attracting the attention of a more advanced, inimical race. End of discussion."
    "The hell it is,” Sandra muttered under her breath.
    "You've all received your briefing,” Waterman continued, having had enough. “Consider it intelligence information, and handle it appropriately. Dismissed."
    The Cabinet members solemnly filed out of the room.
    "I don't like it,” the Secretary for Employment to the Ministry of the Interior, one Lord Ernest Bloch, told Erich Nordyke, the Prime Minister. “I think they're planning something. After all, they have that ship."
    "Trust me,” the Prime Minister replied. “We have all the possibilities covered. We have radar from the nearby airfield; we have sensors disguised as cell phone towers. We have motion detectors, infrared detectors, and booby traps. And our spy satellites are all focused on that starship. It's landed in one of their bloody prairie states—Kansas, I think. Something like that."
    "But what if they come up the loch?” the cabinet minister protested. “The United States has the best subs in the world, after all, since the U. S. S. R. broke up."
    Nordyke smirked. “You know the legend of the loch, Ernest,” he