Every Last Mother's Child
Page 75
Chapter 11: Bad News Doesn’t Always Come In Threes
“Sir Mike,” Michael was working at home the Sunday morning after convention center bombing when Maggie knocked on the door to the study. He was watching the Sunday morning talk shows as he read reports from his various staff officers and commands.
“Yes Maggie,” Michael said looking up from the reports.
“The captain from the Roustabout is here.” Maggie returned. “The staff brought him straight here.”
Wilson nodded. The Queen and Lisa had decided to pack up both girls to spend Sunday at the Queen’s summer estate. Thinking it would be a nice get away for the kids, and the two of them. Lisa had suggested that they pick up Lamile, so as to give Mylea some quiet time also. Wilson had at first been insulted that the invitation didn’t extend to him, but his bride put it to him, “Michael, this is a gift from me and the girls to you. You need some quiet time. Give you some time to yourself.”
He had finally relented by saying next Sunday was his. He was surprised how much work he had gotten done and how it helped to get his mind together by just being a bachelor for a couple of hours.
“Show him in Maggie and would you bring me and the good captain a pot of coffee?” Wilson asked. Maggie nodded and left to show the captain in.
“Good Morning Marshal,” The captain said as he came into the study, “I’m sorry to disturb your Sunday; but I wanted to make sure you got this before it’s leaked. I have my crew on restriction. No off ship communications and no leave until I deliver this report.”
“Well let’s see what you have,” the Marshal asked as Maggie set a coffee service on the edge of the desk and poured the coffee for the two men and retired.
“Marshal I have a presentation for you, but when it is all said, and boiled down to the essentials; Cherokee as we are calling the world, is unsuitable for our colonization. It’s a beautiful world, temperate, and quite livable, but already inhabited by a six century pre empire civilization. We hunted for evidence of a crashed star ship thinking that a colony or passenger ship crashed on the world but there was no evidence. Even if we had, they are so backward that it wouldn’t be a good idea to make contact. We put beacons out hoping that future visitors won’t land. I flagged the Star Exploratory Forces and the council about the world and they’ll send patrols in every once in a while and try to keep the wolves out.”
“Anything else captain,” Wilson asked.
“No sir,” the captain answered, “I’m sorry Sir Mike. I was truly hoping this would work.”
“Well it’s always a crap shot when we go look at a colonizable world. Publish your results.” Wilson said.
“Aye Sir,” the captain fired off a salute and left.