Free The Athena Operation by Dalton Cortner Page B

sleep. Seraph had half fallen asleep himself, though he kept himself from giving in entirely. He knew that he couldn’t let himself fall prey to exhaustion.
    Seraph stumbled to the pilot’s seat and glanced out the center window. Danae Pilus was a galaxy away from Vidron, deep in the outskirts of the Triangulum Galaxy, part of the Tri-Galaxy area that incorporated the Milky Way, Andromeda Galaxy, and the Triangulum Galaxy, all three together forming what was known as the Ternion Range. Seraph had never seen Danae Pilus before. The Confederate Chamber’s jurisdiction fell only within the Andromeda. The Milky Way and Triangulum often found their own—not necessarily legal—local authority forces.
    Danae Pilus was out on the ridge of the Triangulum, not the easiest spot to reach.
    Ret moved up behind Seraph, rubbing his bandaged wound. Aceso administered hours prior left it numb. “How are we looking?”
    “The radar isn’t detecting any other ships in the vicinity,” Seraph said. “It’s looking pretty bleak. Nobody’s made it here? No seythra, no other confederate officials, no politicians, no soldiers? I don’t know.” Seraph felt uneasy.
    Ret shook his head. “Shit, things just keep getting worse, don’t they?”
    “Maybe not. Let’s just wait and see.” Seraph let loose a yawn and cracked his neck.
    “I hope the fesar on Danae are ready for war,” Ret said. “Maybe news about the attack hasn’t even reached the Triangulum yet. That, or they got hit first, and we’re walking into a planet filled with corpses.”
    Seraph remained silent. He punched in the coordinates of the retreat shelter and marked it as the next destination. The coordinates had been drilled into every soldier’s head at the end of basic. Of course, nobody expected that they’d ever actually have to use them. The ship’s computer acknowledged the new coordinates with a chime and began the descent onto Danae Pilus.

 
    CHAPTER 14: AVALON
     
     
     
     
    The ship landed in an open field of yellow vegetation. There was a large building to the left. Tropical foliage decorated the outskirts of the area. Dense trees ran jaggedly along either side of the field, and the sun cast everything in a yellow-orange coat of light. The planet gave off a serene vibe.
    The three survivors stepped off the ship, armed and strapped in armor. The smell of fresh, crisp air with a forest scent greeted them as they planted their feet on the ground.
    Ret looked out into the woods. “This is beautiful.” Despite everything that was happening, seeing the sight brought him a small feeling of tranquility.
    “Let’s not get too comfortable,” Seraph said. “Come on; let’s try that building.” He pointed to the left of the field. “This place is underground, so there has to be an entrance.”
    The group walked over to the building, on alert. The landscape looked untouched by war, but the men weren’t fooled. They weren’t taking any chances. Not after what they’d seen on Vidron.
    Drever planted his back on the left side of the door and Seraph covered the right. Ret stood at the opening, pistol aimed at the entrance. No sound came from the building. From the outside, the building seemed like some sort of corporate headquarters or office. As far as they could see, this was the only piece of civilization in the deep jungle that covered the planet.
    Drever kicked the door in. Ret stormed in first, followed by Seraph and Drever.
    The room they entered was a lobby with a desk and a waiting area. Just as they started sweeping the room, they heard the chambering of a round in a gun and a loud voice.
    “Drop your guns! I’ve got all three of you in my sights!”
    Seraph exchanged a glance with both Ret and Drever. He tossed his pistol onto the ground and turned to face the gunman.
    He couldn’t believe who he was seeing. It was Sadhis. Seraph’s jaw dropped. He held up his hands.
    “Whoa, whoa, Sadhis! It’s me, Seraph!”
    Sadhis took a moment to