Edge of Redemption (A Star Too Far Book 3) Read Free

left an out for Dover—the Gruffalo could walk. But at what price?
    Admiral Dover’s shoulders dropped and his body relaxed. The fight drifted away in the silence. He turned and glanced to the others behind him. Wooden faces stared back.
    “I resign,” the Gruffalo said in a low voice, barely a whisper.
    William felt a chill run through him. A dozen Admirals? Resigning? Then it dawned on him: the Admirals standing with the Gruffalo were all born off Earth.
    Memories of his last Captain came back to him. Khan, a bigot who despised him because he wasn’t born on Earth. She implied that he’d not stand with Earth but join with the attacking Colonists. It still pained him to think of it. He bore the scars of where she’d shot him for disobeying an order. Later he’d take possession of her ship after she lost it to the Sa’Ami. Then his crew held the Sa’Ami, held them against all odds... And now it was all falling apart.
    Now it was happening again, except now it was Flag Officers.
    Admiral Dover turned and walked through the crowd. Pain was etched across his face. Sweat ran down his cheeks and stained the collar on his working uniform, the steel gray cloth turned black.
    He passed William and looked up in surprise. A look of shame spread across his face as he dropped his eyes and walked down the passage. Behind him the dozen Admirals he stood with repeated the same words: “I resign.” Each walked out silently.
    Admiral Hollins watched. His face had a surprised look, like he’d bluffed a hand of cards and still lost the pot. He glanced up and noticed the crowd. The surprise drifted away and was replaced by a calm professionalism of a man who’d made a decision.
    William watched Admiral Hollins walk out. The room had the feel of a boxing ring. Of a bout where it ended in a technical knockout in the second round. No one wanted to leave, still expecting the fighters to keep going. Voices drummed up and the crowd dispersed. Marines walked back into the room and took up posts.
    He stood in stunned silence. It took a moment to process what he’d just seen. The faces he saw were all men and women who’d served a lifetime in the name of the colonies, not just Earth. And now they were being tossed aside. He felt cut loose, adrift from everything he’d ever believed in.
    *
    T he officer he reported to was a chubby Commander with cheeks perched on his face like peaches. He smiled and squinted at William. “Sit, Lieutenant, sit!” His voice was friendly. A bowl of orange rock candy was on the desk.
    The room was tight and raw. No one had bothered to come through and add any coating to the walls. It, like the rest of the area, had the feel of a coal mine turned into a cheap hotel. The only decoration was a picture frame with a cracked corner. Inside was a picture of a beach stretching to nowhere. William recognized the photo, it was from the paradise colony Haven.
    “Admiral Sahji will be here shortly, he had to meet with Admiral Hollins,” the Commander said. “Have you been through the yard?”
    “No sir, I just arrived from Bosporus.” William eyed the candy.
    The Commander’s eyes widened. He leaned in closer and glanced out the door. “Is it true?”
    William smirked. “I’m uh, I’m not sure what you mean, sir.” He wasn’t sure what was open knowledge and what was rumor. He knew couriers had arrived before he did, but didn’t want to spread rumors.
    The Commander leaned back and smiled slyly. “I’ll wait for the Admiral, but was there really a Queen?”
    William tried not to laugh. A gossip? “No, no, I don’t think so. I didn’t think they were a monarchy.”
    “Well, who knows, right? You send someone off into the stars and god forbid what sort of habits they’ll pick up in a few generations.”
    William smiled back and nodded. The conversation was taking a turn somewhere he didn’t want to go. Not after watching a pack of Admirals resign. His desire for the orange candy soured.
    He drummed