Warrior Chronicles 4: Warrior's Wrath Read Free Page B

like being followed.”
    JJ blushed and said, “Moving on, General .”
    “I have another appointment in a half hour at the Isthmus, so I am going to finish up what I have to say and the rest of you can continue without me. JJ, you will have to choose who takes over the shipyards. Rand, expand your diplomatic corps. That’s an order. You look like shit. Don’t be afraid to ask Dar for help. Dar, find out what is going on with Chief Rhodes. I would like him back in our corner if that’s possible. I know he’s still ‘anti-me’, but he’s a good man. Finally, Wynn Black has suggested we start marketing the planetary resonators to additional species. We don’t need them against the crystal anymore, but it seems they have the very beneficial side effect of minimizing seismic activity when activated prophylactically. It makes sense to me, but I don’t really care either way. He just asked me to pass it along.”
    After Cort and Heroc left the meeting, JJ said to Rand and Dar, “Not one fucking word from either of you about Wynn Black being my puppy. Are we clear?”

Two
    Bergh Station
    As Cort and Heroc walked toward his flight, Dar’s nephew Lex Sike approached them. “I have a meeting with Doctor Tsao in thirty minutes, so make it quick, Lex. Walk with us.”
    “Yes, sir. May I speak freely in front of Heroc?” Lex Sike turned to the insect queen and said, “No offense, ma’am.”
    “None taken, Lex.” Turning to Cort, Heroc said, “I can meet you at the flight if you would prefer, General.”
    “What’s it about, Lex?” Cort asked.
    “Speral and Jeff, sir.”
    “We can talk freely then. What’s on your mind?” Cort asked.
    “Sir, well, she is always naked, sir. It was one thing when she was visiting a small group of us who are used to her, but now she is around us full time. And her tank placement,” Lex said, shaking his head. Speral needed a small tank of additional gases to breathe in human atmosphere for more than a short period. Her current harness held the tank just under her breasts, lifting them and making them move noticeably with every step.
    Lex went on. “We really need to come up with a better solution and some clothes for her. It is becoming, well, distracting. And if Jeff hears any of it, I’m certain we will find out how much of his training he remembers.”
    Cort sighed as he walked. “Okay. I will look into it. In the meantime, do you remember what I told you about parenting being a mind game?”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “Create a circumstance where I hear one of the junior officers say something about aliens. We need an example, and it will serve a dual purpose. The new recruits will see that the rules apply to everyone and everyone will see that I won’t tolerate disrespect.”
    “Yes, sir,” Lex said.
    Heroc flexed her mandibles into a smile and said, “You both do realize that I am naked too, right?”
    Cort laughed, saying, “Yes, Heroc, we do. But you don’t have tits.”
    “Tits, General?” Heroc asked.
    “Breasts. And you also don’t have reproductive organs that are compatible with ours,” Cort answered.
    “Ah. I understand. Enjoying the act of fertilization is an alien concept to me, but seeing how your males respond to your females is humorous.”
    “Humorous, ma’am?” Lex asked.
    “Well, we are speaking freely, so I will be honest. Your males seem to become less intelligent in the presence of females with whom they wish to mate. And your females become mean. I think the term Kimberly uses is bitchy. Especially toward females they see as rivals for copulation.”
    The two men laughed and Lex said, “Well, ma’am, that is a fairly astute observation.”
    Heroc was walking between the humans and said, “The only thing that is really surprising to me, is that you mate for reasons other than reproduction.”
    “And your ways are just alien to us as ours are to you, Heroc,” Cort said.
    “General. Your ways are not alien to me. I just don’t understand