Rimward Stars (Castle Federation Book 5) by Glynn Stewart

Rimward Stars (Castle Federation Book 5) by Glynn Stewart

Author:Glynn Stewart
Language: eng
Format: mobi, azw3, epub
Publisher: Faolan's Pen Publishing Inc.
Published: 2017-05-10T06:00:00+00:00


#

Chapter 26

Deep Space en route to Reinhardt System

10:00 October 30, 2736 Earth Standard Meridian Date/Time

DSC-052 Kodiak

“It’s good to see you, Captain Sarka. After I heard the extent of your injuries, I was more than a little worried,” Kyle told his subordinate over the q-com link. “As it is, I think he must have been exaggerating. You look as good as I’ve ever seen you.”

“God, Roberts, I didn’t think I was that ugly,” Sarka replied with a chuckle that rapidly turned into a wince. Her right arm and eye had been replaced with blocky metal emergency prostheses. “I can barely see or use the damn arm, but it’s better than nothing. The docs tell me both will learn, and either I can keep these—which work just fine once they’ve learned—or transfer the software to a proper cybernetic like my other eye.”

“So far, I’ve managed to avoid needing those,” he admitted, “though at least you missed needing a neural implant regrown.”

“I’m currently just mentally complaining about every single person I know who’s had limbs regenerated,” Sarka told him. “Bitching at them in my head helps distract from the fact that my face hurts.”

“I read your doctor’s report,” Kyle replied, the humor fading. “You need to be transferred to a top-line hospital, preferably groundside back home. You might not regen, but you’re still due a new limb and a month of physical therapy.”

“I’m not even the worst hurt on my crew,” she admitted. “Modern medicine is wonderful, but…” She shrugged eloquently. “I lost a lot of people, and some of those who lived won’t even walk for a while. At least being allergic to standard regen means they do sticks these chunks of circuitry on me straight away.”

The emergency cybernetics were perfectly functional, but the process of installing any cybernetic rendered regen almost impossible. Doctors preferred not to install them, giving up immediate functionality for the ability to fully restore the patient later.

“You saved the entire convoy, Captain Sarka,” Kyle told her. “I’ve reviewed Alexander’s automatic after-action report, though I look forward to both your and Kanaan’s commentary on it, and I can’t see anything you could have done differently. They brought overwhelming force and you kicked it back in their teeth.

“Gods, Captain, you did well,” he insisted. “And my own report on the affair will reflect that.”

“Thank you, sir. What happens now?”

“Well, since someone sensibly set her scatter point at Serengeti and that’s where I’m heading, we all rendezvous there. From there, I think Alexander will likely be heading home with the wounded—most definitely including you, Captain Sarka—and the rest of us are going hunting.”

“I’m almost more bothered by the pirates than the Commonwealth,” she admitted. “They had Cobras, sir. A lot of Cobras—and those modular ships of theirs are no slouches, either. Shitty deflectors, but four missile launchers and God only knows what for lances, plus able to combine multiple ships to make a single A-S bubble?”

“My chief engineer is, for once, not bored and causing trouble because of that,” Kyle replied with a soft chuckle.



Download



Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.