The Refugee (The Korvali Chronicles Book 1) Read Online Free Page B
Author: C. A. Hartman
Tags: Science-Fiction
others did not have the capacity to survive under such conditions.”
“But you did,” the Captain said, her tone skeptical.
Dr. Vargas chimed in. “We can explain that at the briefing, Captain.”
“Why aim for the water supply, rather than the entire ship?” Ferguson pressed.
“That is not how it is done,” Eshel replied, offering no further explanation.
“We’ll consider your request for asylum,” she said. “For now, we’ll need your assistance in handling the deceased. You’ll remain under guard until further notice.” She turned to Catherine and Vargas. “I want you two at the meeting at eighteen hundred. I expect a full report beforehand.”
“Yes, Captain,” they replied.
Ferguson turned and left sick bay.
Dr. Vargas turned to Catherine. “Thank you for your assistance, Dr. Finnegan. You’re dismissed.”
Catherine, disappointed at her dismissal and wishing she could stay, saluted Dr. Vargas. She then turned to Eshel and nodded. He returned her nod. With that, she left sick bay.
But back in her quarters, Catherine couldn’t sleep. She had too many questions. And there was only one person who could answer them.
September 28 th
Hi Dad,
You’re not going to believe this. On what has (so far) been a rather uneventful mission, the most amazing thing has happened. I don’t know if I’m allowed to discuss it, but you’re going to find out anyway when you go back to Headquarters, and for once I’m too excited to keep this to myself.
The other day, the ship dropped out of FTL. We’re way out past the Katara system, nowhere near civilization. I’m the last to know anything around here, being a scientist and all, but the guys leaked at the poker game that we’d chased down an SOS. They found a small ship with ten dead Korvali on it. But… it turns out one of them was ALIVE and in some kind of stasis. Vargas woke me out of a dead sleep to help him figure out some genetic oddities with the patient. While he and I were blathering about the particulars, we heard a voice—it was the Korvali, sitting up and fully alert! Even Vargas—who we both know is prone to talking more rather than less—was temporarily stunned into silence!
Dad: he survived with no food or water—for more than two weeks—because he altered his own epigenome. GENETICS, Dad! No one’s ever done anything like this before. I know you aren’t especially confident in medical genetics because of Mom and all, but think about the potential implications of this!
You wouldn’t believe his skill with our language. And he was forthcoming with me, and even offered his hand. His hand, Dad, for shaking! I knew it. I knew they weren’t like people say. I knew they didn’t hate us. Admittedly, he was really cold to Dr. Vargas and didn’t seem intimidated by anyone, even Ferguson. I found that funny. Oh, and his name is Eshel.
But on to my main point. I don’t understand, Dad. I assumed these Korvali were on their way to Suna for a scientific meeting and something went wrong… but then he asked Ferguson for asylum from Korvalis! They escaped Korvalis and nine of them died, all because they wanted to leave. Do you know anything about this? Why would a scientist from the most powerful clan of a people who shun outsiders want to leave and live among strangers?
Love,
C
P.S. I hope you don’t mind my sending this over FTLcom. We’re out of range and I don’t know when that will change. I’ll reimburse you for it…
CHAPTER 3
“Mail,” Catherine said. A moment later, a brief response from her father, along with two attached documents, appeared on her viewer. Keep them to yourself, her dad said. She scanned the first document, a brief report from the Alliance. The report, dated over a year ago, was written by an official from Suna’s military government.
One of our patrol vessels, on exploratory detail 0.77 kpc 240 degrees from our Katara solar system, discovered a vessel adrift
“But you did,” the Captain said, her tone skeptical.
Dr. Vargas chimed in. “We can explain that at the briefing, Captain.”
“Why aim for the water supply, rather than the entire ship?” Ferguson pressed.
“That is not how it is done,” Eshel replied, offering no further explanation.
“We’ll consider your request for asylum,” she said. “For now, we’ll need your assistance in handling the deceased. You’ll remain under guard until further notice.” She turned to Catherine and Vargas. “I want you two at the meeting at eighteen hundred. I expect a full report beforehand.”
“Yes, Captain,” they replied.
Ferguson turned and left sick bay.
Dr. Vargas turned to Catherine. “Thank you for your assistance, Dr. Finnegan. You’re dismissed.”
Catherine, disappointed at her dismissal and wishing she could stay, saluted Dr. Vargas. She then turned to Eshel and nodded. He returned her nod. With that, she left sick bay.
But back in her quarters, Catherine couldn’t sleep. She had too many questions. And there was only one person who could answer them.
September 28 th
Hi Dad,
You’re not going to believe this. On what has (so far) been a rather uneventful mission, the most amazing thing has happened. I don’t know if I’m allowed to discuss it, but you’re going to find out anyway when you go back to Headquarters, and for once I’m too excited to keep this to myself.
The other day, the ship dropped out of FTL. We’re way out past the Katara system, nowhere near civilization. I’m the last to know anything around here, being a scientist and all, but the guys leaked at the poker game that we’d chased down an SOS. They found a small ship with ten dead Korvali on it. But… it turns out one of them was ALIVE and in some kind of stasis. Vargas woke me out of a dead sleep to help him figure out some genetic oddities with the patient. While he and I were blathering about the particulars, we heard a voice—it was the Korvali, sitting up and fully alert! Even Vargas—who we both know is prone to talking more rather than less—was temporarily stunned into silence!
Dad: he survived with no food or water—for more than two weeks—because he altered his own epigenome. GENETICS, Dad! No one’s ever done anything like this before. I know you aren’t especially confident in medical genetics because of Mom and all, but think about the potential implications of this!
You wouldn’t believe his skill with our language. And he was forthcoming with me, and even offered his hand. His hand, Dad, for shaking! I knew it. I knew they weren’t like people say. I knew they didn’t hate us. Admittedly, he was really cold to Dr. Vargas and didn’t seem intimidated by anyone, even Ferguson. I found that funny. Oh, and his name is Eshel.
But on to my main point. I don’t understand, Dad. I assumed these Korvali were on their way to Suna for a scientific meeting and something went wrong… but then he asked Ferguson for asylum from Korvalis! They escaped Korvalis and nine of them died, all because they wanted to leave. Do you know anything about this? Why would a scientist from the most powerful clan of a people who shun outsiders want to leave and live among strangers?
Love,
C
P.S. I hope you don’t mind my sending this over FTLcom. We’re out of range and I don’t know when that will change. I’ll reimburse you for it…
CHAPTER 3
“Mail,” Catherine said. A moment later, a brief response from her father, along with two attached documents, appeared on her viewer. Keep them to yourself, her dad said. She scanned the first document, a brief report from the Alliance. The report, dated over a year ago, was written by an official from Suna’s military government.
One of our patrol vessels, on exploratory detail 0.77 kpc 240 degrees from our Katara solar system, discovered a vessel adrift