Greenshift
Page 18
One name that he didn’t recognize always brought about the most violent episodes. If this Faya had been around tonight, he believed Sara would have torn her apart with her bare hands. At this point, Sean could have done that himself.
The lights of her intra-tat bounced around in erratic pulses in a frightening way that wasn’t alluring like when he first touched her hand. Tonight they were a physical sign of whatever horror she was experiencing.
He brushed her damp hair back with his fingers and whispered words of reassurance, knowing this could be the biggest mistake of his life. She had been sent here to flush out a fragger operative, that much he knew. Right now she and the Embassy thought David was their man—he didn’t know whether to laugh at the absurdity or be insulted. If that’s what her Embassy intel was saying, then it might be easier to bring down this government than he thought.
“Sean.” She reached out to the empty space beside her.
He put his hand over hers. “I’m here.”
When she whimpered and shook, he lay down next to her because he knew what it was like to go through this alone. He knew what it was like to go through everything alone. Folding Sara in his arms, he pulled her tight against his chest until her body relaxed against him. He kissed the top of her head to soothe her.
If she betrayed him later, he’d deal with that when it happened. It’s not like he hadn’t thought of offing himself, and not the pleasant way with passing drugs and a bedside full of family crying for him. Maybe she’d be doing him a favor. Sean’s older brother had killed himself. He told Sean before he did it that Sean wouldn’t understand because he had never known their father, so couldn’t really miss him. But Sean did miss having a father…and an older brother.
Sara’s breathing deepened with exhaustion. So did Sean’s. He rested his cheek against the top of her head and fell asleep.
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THE PLANET MOONS
TAMPA ONE
The first to be terraformed, Tampa One was only halfway settled before its larger neighbor, Tampa Deux, was ready for habitation. Home to large swaths of unspoiled wilderness, like Archenzon, much of the moon remains a preserve for millions of species of animal and plant life.
TAMPA DEUX
Heavily populated, even after Tampa Three was terraformed, Tampa Deux’s popularity still grows because of its infrastructure and planning.
TAMPA THREE
The smallest of all the moons, it was originally meant to be an exclusive world for Socialite families with the most money; however, bad terraforming and rushed planning made this the least desirable planet in the system.
YURAI
This world was terraformed to compete with Tampa Three as the optimal planet. Socialites left it to the Armadans because they believed its potential wasn’t as high as Tampa Three, but now Yurai’s size and wealth is rivaled only by Tampa Quad.
TAMPA QUAD
The most populated planet in the system, Tampa Quad is the center of government and commerce. As the largest moon, Tampa Quad boasts more inhabitants per square foot than any other, while still maintaining as much wild space as Tampa One.
DELEINE
Deleine was the newest planet to be terraformed, mainly so that workers could be close to the plethora of uranium, iridium, and boxite mines there. The extensive mining has caused health issues, especially among the less genetically diverse Socialites.
Heidi Ruby Miller writes stories where the relationship is as important as the adventure. She loves romance, high-heeled shoes, action movies, Chanel, intense music, and video games. Heidi also teaches creative writing at Seton Hill University, where she graduated from their renowned Writing Popular Fiction Graduate Program. The writing guide Many Genres, One Craft, which she co-edited with Michael A. Arnzen, is based on the Seton Hill masters program. Her thesis novel Ambasadora, inspired all the tales in the Ambasadora-verse, including Greenshift. Heidi is a member of The Authors Guild, Pennwriters, Broad Universe, SFR Brigade, and SFPA. Find out more about her at her column Geek Girl Underground on IMJ and at her blog: http://heidirubymiller.blogspot.com.
To review this book and check out all of Heidi’s other books follow this link: http://www.amazon.com/HeidiRuby-Miller/e/B002BM1M48.