by David Ryker
Well, maybe one thing. On the floor, in a heap, was the body of Iona Ridley. He would miss her a great deal. He regretted that the amplifier had been necessary in order to begin the next phase of the operation, but, as he had said, one couldn’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.
As for the other body, he wouldn’t miss Sloane. As Sloane himself was fond of saying, it was of no consequence.
He turned his attention back to the monitors. Three of the five Raft feeds were still functioning. The three surviving drones had performed system checks. The ships were salvageable, but without a means of reaching the moon’s surface, it would be impossible to do so. He ordered each of them to perform as many repairs as they could until their supplies expired. One of them would likely succeed.
He found himself wishing he could access the cameras aboard the stolen Raft, but it was much too far away by now, thanks to Sloane’s modifications. It was another reason he wanted to kick the corpse on the floor. Just couldn’t be patient, could you?
With the rest attended to, Kergan prepared for the task that he hoped would bring him out of his funk. Oberon One was nowhere near as much fun with just him and the drones. He’d still be able to mate—had even picked out several candidates among the former inmates and guards—but ultimately, it was less than thrilling. As his inner companion pointed out, even though another body would be involved, it would essentially be masturbation.
And, of course, he would miss talking with others. But he was about to begin the process of making a new friend, someone with whom he could have many conversations in the days and weeks to come while he built the wormhole gate.
He sat down in a chair in front of one of the bridge’s consoles and entered the vessel of Sean Farrell. The body sprang to life from its position on the floor and he walked it over to a mirrored surface. Oh dear. This one needed attendance. He walked it to the nearest staff latrine and ran his hands under some water, then through his hair. Luckily they all wore a version of the same SkyLode jumpsuit, so he didn’t need to change clothes.
Normally, utilizing a drone only took a tiny fraction of his full consciousness, but that was for menial tasks. This one would require more attention, and some imagination. Thanks to his new partner, the original Butch Kergan, he had more than he needed of that particular commodity.
He strolled off the bridge and took a left to the guards’ private lounge, such as it was. Just a small collection of tables and chairs, a coffee maker, plus a vending machine for sweet treats. What he was looking for was the terminal in the corner with a chair bolted in front of it. He sat down at the commlink and called up the code that he’d used once before.
The receiver picked up on the first indicator. The screen was soon filled with the face of a man in late middle age, with hair as silver as Farrell’s own.
“Sean,” said the man, his face grave. “I take it you’re not bringing me good news.”
“I’m afraid not, Mr. Bloom,” Kergan said through Farrell’s lips. “Chelsea and her cohorts… well, sir, they stole one of the Rafts.”
Bloom pounded the table in front of him. “Goddammit!”
“There’s more, sir.”
“Jesus, what else?”
“There were sixty-seven inmates killed in the riot. Plus a dozen guards.”
Bloom nodded quickly. “Mm, yes, of course, that’s horrible. I’ll make sure the company sends flowers to their families. Was there any collateral damage?”
Kergan manipulated the warden’s face to convey understanding and compassion. He had become quite good at expressions. They were fun.
“The other Rafts were damaged in pursuit,” he said. “But nothing we can’t fix, I’m sure. If I may say so, sir, the real damage in all this was the damage done to your daughter. You’re the victim in all this. And her, of course.”
Bloom ran a hand down his face. “I appreciate that, Farrell, I really do. And, of course, I appreciate your continued discretion in all of this.”
Kergan/Farrell closed his eyes and raised a had to stop him. “Not another word, sir, it’s my pleasure. No one needs to know your business but you, that’s what I always say.” He paused. “Of course, there is the matter of the supply ship that’s en route. When they get here, there may be questions…”
“Shit,” Bloom muttered. “I forgot about that. I told Chelsea she should get on that ship and take it back home, get away from that goddamn station. Now it’s too late.”
“How sharper than a serpent’s tooth is an ungrateful child, sir.”
“Exactly. Listen, Farrell, what if I have the ship recalled to Earth? My company has faster ones. I can send a private supply ship to you. Maybe send along some other things you might need. You know, to compensate you for your troubles.”
Kergan/Farrell grinned sheepishly. “You honor me, sir. I would be grateful for a few amenities. In fact, there’s a list of some tech supplies that we’re really desperate for. Could I send you that on the network?”
“Fire away, my good man. Whatever you need.” Bloom glanced off camera. “Shit, my wife is home. You send me that list, Farrell, I’ll call back the ship. We’ll get this worked out.”
Kergan/Farrell blinked. “Ahem. Are you perhaps forgetting something, sir?”
“What? Oh, of course, you’ll receive a bonus. Send me your account details with the email.”
“I was speaking of Chelsea.”
Kergan smiled inwardly. This was so much fun.
Bloom’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets. “Oh my God, of course.” He laughed nervously. “I was just so overcome with, uh, you know. Grief? So where is the ship headed? Wait, shit. they must be trying to rendezvous with that supply ship. There’s no way a Raft could make it back to Earth.”
“Exactly what I was thinking, sir. Perhaps it’s best not to recall that ship—just let Chelsea and her new friends do what they’re going to do, and we’ll just ignore it. Go ahead and send your private ship.”
Bloom nodded vigorously. “You’re a good man, Farrell. I need good men in my organization.” He looked off camera again. “Hello, darling, just signing off.” Back to Farrell. “We’ll talk again soon, my friend.”
The image flickered out and Kergan/Farrell tented his fingers under his chin.
“Absolutely,” he said with a grin. “I very much enjoy talking with my friends. Just ask Iona and Sloane.”
THE END
Become a reviewer!
If you enjoyed Breakout, and love free books, then stick around… I’m looking to build up a review team - a crack team of ninjas who can read and review a book within a week or so of receiving it. In return, you’ll get a free copy of every book I publish - which is a lot (see below!) Reviews make a huge difference to the success of an independently published book, and I have twenty or thirty spots available. It’s first come first served…
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Currently available for review:
Invasion - Contact One
Downfall - Contact Two
Breakout - Fugitive Marines One
Wanted - Fugitive Marines Two
Coming Late September:
Untitled - Iron Legion One
Untitled - Fugitive Marines Two
Author’s Note - David
Thanks for finishing Breakout! What did you think? Don’t worry, if you didn’t like it, then don’t tell me. It’s easier on my ego!
Doug and I had a great time working on this one. Honestly for me the most amazing moment was receiving the proofs for the cover art, it’s honestly beautiful. You should see what’s on the cards for the cover of book three! I think you’re going to love what you see. I’m having a few of these pieces printed up and framed - if you want one of your own, just join my Facebook group for a chance to win a print, or download the artwork as a free screensaver!
I’ve got a pretty exci
ting September coming up. I’ve been working on a few different series in parallel over the past few months - not just Fugitive Marines, but also an epic Space Fleet series called Contact. Iron Legion, a mech series, is only about three weeks away, and I couldn’t be more excited.
If you want release updates for this avalanche of new books, as well as access to novellas in both the upcoming Fugitive Marines and Iron Legion worlds, the best place is probably my brand new Facebook group, which I have pretentiously called Ryker’s Rogues. I will be running a weekly competition inside the group as mentioned above, with a grand prize of a print of the artwork on the cover of this book, delivered to your home. You can see the full version on www.DavidRyker.com.
Finally, to sign up for email updates, and for those who hate Facebook, click here to subscribe. I launch at $0.99 for the first 24 hours, and I’ll email to let you know. After that, unfortunately, the discount window slams shut…
N.B. I hate spam as much as the next guy, so barring your joining emails, you’ll only ever hear from me when I’ve got a new release, or if I’m running a sale. (Scout’s honor).
Happy Hunting,
David Ryker, Aug 2018.
Upcoming Releases:
Sept 2nd: Downfall - Contact Book Two
Sept 4th: Breakout - Fugitive Marines One
Sept 4th: Wanted -- Fugitive Marines Two
Sept 18th: *Untitled* - Iron Legion One
Sept 25th: *Untitled* - Contact Three
Author’s Note - Doug
For some reason, I’ve always been a sucker for an underdog, so when David suggested we write a series together about the ultimate underdogs, it really sparked my imagination. That brainstorming session eventually turned into the story of a group of Marines who’ve been beaten down their whole lives and yet they still come out fighting, against impossible odds, again and again. Those are the kind of people who inspire me, and I hope they do the same to you. Sure, they’re fictional and, let’s face it, they’re in ridiculous situations that could never happen in real life, but isn’t that the reason you downloaded this book? To escape and cheer on some people you like to spend some time with once in a while?
I love heroes that are larger than life, but at the same time are still human and can fail just like the rest of us. That’s what makes them heroes, right? And it’s why we want them to succeed. Let’s face it, a band of disgraced Marines and their fellow inmates in space prison are the last people anyone would pick to lead the resistance against an invading alien menace. But hey, in real life, I’d be at the bottom of that list myself. That’s what makes it so much fun to write, and, I hope, to read.
The characters in this series really speak to David and me, and their story just seems to keep getting longer and more interesting the more time we spend in their world. There’s a lot for Quinn and his crew to do if they’re going to save the human race from a fate worse than death, and they have a lot of adventures headed their way. I hope you’ll buckle in for the ride, because as long as you keep reading, we’ll keep following the Jarheads and their misfit friends into battle.
Oorah!
Douglas (Scotty) Scott