Omega Force 7: Redemption Read Online Free Page B

government, or a splinter faction, cooperating with someone outside to grab the netjere ... that's something I've seen more than once."
    "You have?" Kalette asked, clearly surprised.
    "You have to understand that even though the ConFed claims to be an umbrella under which we all fall, they more or less allow independent systems to govern themselves, including fighting with each other, so long as it's contained and they continue to pay their taxes," Jason said. "We had a front row seat to much of the underhanded dealings between individual planets while Omega Force was still operational."
    "Everyone speaks of this Omega Force as if it was something great," she said carefully. "Why is it no longer something you do?"
    "It's complicated," Jason said.
    "Most things are," Kalette said, a challenge in her voice.
    "This more so than most," Jason said, turning to look out at the green waves crashing against the shore. Kalette leaned forward to climb out of the chair, intent on leaving him with his thoughts, when he spoke again and stopped her. "Omega Force was always something that was balanced on a razor's edge. There had to be trust, desire, and dedication ... if any of those faltered it was doomed to fail, and failure in that business is usually a gruesome death on some godforsaken world nobody cares about."
    "Which of those three things was the first to fail?" she asked, sliding back into her seat.
    "It's a long story," Jason shrugged, surprised he was talking about this with a complete stranger. He wouldn't even talk to Lucky about it no matter how many times the battlesynth tried to broach the subject.
    "It would appear we have some time to spare," she said, her eyes boring into his. Months and months of pent up frustration and heartache suddenly became too much for Jason to hold in anymore. He exhaled loudly as he sat down in the chair across from her, collecting his thoughts.
    "Well, it all went to shit like this ..."
     
    30 months prior ...
     
    "We're coming up on the drop off," Jason said. "How are we looking?"
    "I've got the confirmation signal from our contact," Kage reported. "Let's go ahead and make one more orbit before our final approach and it will give them time to settle into position."
    "Copy," Jason said and pushed the throttle up. He angled the Phoenix over and slid back into a lazy, circular course above the city that wouldn't attract much attention. The settlement was perched up on the top of a mountain and landing spots were at a premium for the myriad of ships that were coming and going. As such, there seemed to be a permanent halo of circling spacecraft and even some aircraft.
    The city was important for a few reasons, one of which was that it had been the seat of power for all of the planet's many, many governments. The other was that the supermax prison, De'Moltia, was inside the mountain the city was perched on. An ancient house of horrors carved into the heart of the rock that held some of the most feared criminals from around the sector as well as more than a few political dissidents. It was the latter that was the reason the Phoenix was slowly circling.
    "We've just received a coded signal from the contact," Doc said. "We're clear to proceed."
    "Turning in now," Jason said, eager to get this mission over with. There were aspects of the mission that he had never been happy about, but he had allowed himself to be overruled by his crew and Crisstof's assurances. He struggled to keep his composure and not come in so hot that it would attract attention.
    "Looks like we departed the orbit at a good spot," Kage said. "I see our contact's shuttle now. I'm highlighting it on your tactical display." Jason looked as a red, pulsing ring was imposed over a small cargo shuttle that was settling down on a landing pad which belonged to a logistics business that serviced the city.
    "I've got it," Jason said. "Lucky, get down to the cargo bay and get ready. I'm not dropping the landing gear, so as soon as the ramp hits