Nova Read Free Page B

state your reason for station
visit and transfer authorization codes.”
    “Open the channel for me, Rygel.” Serros ordered.
    “Yes, Sir. Channel open… now.”
    “This is Captain Avara Serros, Quorum Shield, here on Quorum
business; authorization code SAV–thirty–three–seventy–seven–fifty–eight. Please
notify Quorum Shield Operative Major Goyan Hadarr.”
    Less than a minute passed before station communications
responded with “Identity and purpose confirmed and cleared. Shield Operative
Hadarr will meet your party to board at Docking Bay 17C, Captain Serros.”
    “Thank you, Station. Lieutenant Chopa, please initiate docking
cycle and bring her in.”
    “Docking cycle initiated, Captain.” The Excalibur’s Navigation
Officer responded.
    Turning her head to the Ops station positioned to the left
of Navigation on the Bridge portion of the Command Deck, Serros announced, “Lieutenant
Commander Adeline, please assemble Nova Squad for debrief in the Strategy Room.
Additionally, I want all Senior Staff present.”
     “Yes, Sir.” The Excalibur’s Senior Operations and
Intelligence Officer nodded in response as she coolly carried out the expected
order.
    “Commander Perez, you’re with me. All right people, let’s go
meet our new addition.”
     * * * * *
    “If it is indeed them, the Fosaki interest would be obvious,”
Lieutenant Commander Diana Adeline started, lustrous brown eyes intense as she
considered the scenario like a university’s top student attacking a
particularly prickly equation.
    “Yes. Synthheads are practically not even biological
anymore.” Major Ca’rrakk rumbled, the casual epitaph strangely at odds with his
normally urbane mode of speech as coal–colored fur rippled in disdain.
    “Yes, obviously. However,” Lieutenant Commander Adeline
began again, irritation clear as she tossed her head towards her Gorath squadmate,
kinky dark–brown hair flaring with the movement and serving to emphasize her
annoyance, “We know that the Matrix already possesses and employs all Arca
Microtech augmentations. Meaning , they have little need to covertly gain
access to Vosaia research that they already possess the equivalent to. Which
leaves us with well–founded skepticism.”
    “Major Hadarr? Perhaps you can offer some motive clarification
and insight into the purloined data?” Captain Serros asked, watching her fellow
Shield Operative closely.
    Goyan Hadarr smiled faintly, her expression cool and
slightly disapproving of the apparent free–for–all brainstorming session taking
place in the Strategy Room. She was dressed entirely in well–fitted, dark brown
synth the color of Old–Terran saddle–leather. Like all Vosaia, Hadarr was
striking, with ice–white skin and pale blue markings, in her case, on her brow
and chin as well as trailing up the front and back of her neck. Her straight
hair was a natural blue–silver in hue, an asymmetrical, feminine cut framing elegant
features.
    One long leg crossed over the other as she sat back into the
chair, considering the question. “As all of you are undoubtedly aware, there
are currently nine separate Enhancements and levels of Arca Technology that an
individual can potentially permanently fuse with her biological make–up.”
    Pausing as if not entirely pleased to be sharing the next morsel
of datum, the Vosaia Shield took a measured breath before adding, “What is
definitively not common knowledge, is that through a government
sponsored contract, the Vosaia company ApexArcatech has been developing a tenth
Enhancement for the past eleven years. It is an Enhancement that is currently
in the final stages of testing.”
    Lieutenant Dane Rygel’s whistle split the silence that
suddenly smothered the room. Hadarr’s faint smile appeared again.
    “Arca Level X?” Major Belgrum Naxos asked, onyx pupil–slits
dilating within green–blue irises.
       “There hasn’t been a new Arcatech breakthrough in over three
centuries.”