Free Inherited War 1: Retribution by Eric McMeins Page A

past the door to the bridge.  They went down to the other end of the hall by the lift, and stopped at the door Cole had noticed earlier when they had first come up.  Guard 1 hit the door chime.  After a few moments, the door opened and the guards pushed them inside closing the door behind them.  Cole and Sky stood next to each other waiting for someone to speak.  The Archon Admiral Nasser was standing behind the desk in the middle of the room with his back to them.  The room stayed silent.  Finally the Archon turned around.  “Welcome to my command, allow me to introduce myself. I am Admiral Passen Nasser formally of Sector 1 Fleet command.” 
    A t that point Cole couldn’t contain his mouth anymore and in a moment of weakness he said,   “Where is your cap?  How can you be an Admiral without a cap?”   
    Sky interjected, “Please Sir, understand he has limited control over how he reacts to things and no inhibitions for the moment. He can’t control what he says at times, and tends toward humor or sarcasm.  Frankly I don’t know what half the things he says, mean.”  She pleaded.
    “No apology necessary , I understand that the procedures he has undergone are quite stressful and a certain amount of leeway is understandable.  This is purely a social call to meet the Doctor and human who will soon be responsible for making me one of the strongest powers in the galaxy.  I wanted to tell you two, because I think you deserve to know what is about to happen.  In a few days time when preparations are complete, we will be entering into system 1000981 a previously unexplored system on the outer rim of the galaxy.  Unexplored by anyone except the Pure Humans that is.  Inside the system is a fully automated manufacturing facility that a few decades ago started to build ships never before seen in this galaxy.  My long range scans tell me that in the last seventy-five years, roughly thirty-five ships have been fully built.  Built for a war that has not been declared yet.  A war that was to be fought by your descendants young human, against the Roche, Esii and whomever it was that backed them in their rebellion against the Pure Humans.  But alas, I managed to find them and you first, so now they will be mine and you, my pet human, will go and get them for me.”  He paused for dramatic effect, Cole supposed, “And get them you will.  Or I will activate the very small capsules located in different parts of your body that will flood your system with acid that will eat you alive from the inside out.  So you see, I hold all the cards and you are powerless to alter my destiny one single bit.”
    Sky looked up at Cole with sorrow in her eyes.  Cole looked at Sky, winked then looked towards the Admiral grinning an evil grin and said.  “I’m your huckleberry.”

10
     
     
     
     
     
    After the pair had left , the Admiral leaned back in the ex-Captains chair with another drink in his hand.  He had many decisions that had to be made before Captain Feng left in a few days time.  He needed to decide first and foremost whether Captain Feng would be allowed to return from his supply run to Archon alive.  He liked the Captain a great deal and no one else he knew could have done this mission as well as the Captain.  He was a one of a kind Kerr.  He was almost indispensable at this point, with his network destroyed and fragmented.  Once you come to rely too heavily on a being, that being takes a small part of you and will eventually want the rest.  No, he was too dangerous to let him live for too much longer.  He regretted it and dreaded finding someone as good to replace the Captain, but in the long run it had to be done to protect his own position.  His eyes travelled around the office.  Not a single personal touch anywhere thought the Admiral.  She still looked the same as when she launched, though there were some odd looking dents in the wall.  He mentally shrugged to himself “oh well” now