The Twice and Future Caesar by R. M. Meluch Read Free Book Online Page A

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    â€œYour pod is failing,” Calli said into the com.
    â€œI noticed that,” the voice returned, sluggishly dry. “I am also riddled with nanites. My exploding nanites are programmed to go off when my oscillating nanites synchronize. Something like that.”
    Calli and Dingo exchanged silent stares.
    Dingo spoke into the com, “Have your own lot get you out of your fix, pirate.”
    The pirate’s diction was getting sloppier, “Don’ have the right equipment. Can spot ’em. Can’t get ’em out. You’re the only ship might could maybe help me. My name used to be John Farragut.”
    Calli reeled away from the com as if she’d been spat in the face.
    The voice from the com slurred onward, “An’ I’ve seen Adamas.”
    Calli motioned toward the com tech, her finger slicing across her throat.
    â€œWe’re mute, sir,” said the com tech.
    â€œScan! Scan everything!” Calli ordered aloud. “Tactical!
Is there anything else out there?
”
    â€œNegative spacecraft,” Tactical came back. “Unless it’s a Xerxes. And I will bet all our lives there is a Xerxes very close to us right now.”
    A Xerxes type ship could make itself register as part of the vacuum. The pirate ship
Bagheera
was a Xerxes type ship.
    â€œGunners. Fire Control. You are clear to fire if you
think
you have a target other than the life pod.”
    Her hand formed itself into a fist.
This is a huge hoax. But I’m hooked. The pirate knows it.
    If the Farragut didn’t do it, the Adamas part did.
    Adamas
was the Latin word for steel.
    The pirate had seen TR Steele.
    Do I believe him?
    I see the bait. I see the hook. Can I afford not to bite?
    There had been unsubstantiated reports of attacks by the pirate band known as the Ninth Circle since their spectacular deaths last year.
    This man was claiming to be one of the Ninth Circle. He was claiming to be John Knox Farragut Junior—the younger brother of the famous Admiral John Alexander Farragut, former captain of the
Merrimack
.
    But how to know for sure? Who was she really talking to? It was someone playing to her hopes that TR Steele, the commander of her Fleet Marines, was still alive.
    â€œCom!”
    The com tech nodded when the mute was off again.
    Calli said experimentally into the com, “I have you in my sights and the trigger in my hand, John John.”
    The weak voice groaned. “Oh, just shoot me. I’m cold.”
    Startled, Captain Carmel snapped to the com tech. “Cut com.”
    â€œAye, aye, sir. We are silent.”
    Calli crossed the deck with sharp, agitated strides. “He’s for real.” The pirate’s reaction to the name John John sealed it beyond any doubt.
    Calli announced to all hands on the command platform, “Nothing the pirate said is to leave this deck!”
    There was a chorus of aye, aye, sirs.
    Dingo warned, “He’s still a Trojan horse, Captain.”
    â€œOf course he’s a Trojan horse!” Captain Carmel said. “And I am not bringing him aboard.”

    Nox waited in the cold darkness for the return voice. Or the kill shot. One or the other. Just get on with it.
    He couldn’t stay awake. He couldn’t seem to breathe. He was dreaming with his eyes open—ugly black gray clouds swirled in the perfect black, punctuated by sparking flashes. Where were those coming from? He wondered if those were his oscillating nanites. Flashing.
    He floated up against one side of the life pod and stayed pressed there. There was the aneurysm in the membrane. He was using up his oxygen in here. The life pod’s rebreathers were overwhelmed and the carbon dioxide was building up. And Empress Calli had gone silent.
    Nox shut his eyes.
    It was a good try, O mybrothers
.

12 Ianuarius 2448
Bagheera
Indra Aleph Star System
Perseid Space
    C INNA WATCHED THE MONITORS . Pallas and Faunus crowded him, earnestly helping