Hostile Genus: An Epic Military Sci-Fi Series (Invasive Species Book 2) Ben Stevens (best contemporary novels txt) 📖

the paradox that was the fear of defeat and peace that was surrender, and the sheer terror that comes to a man who is impotent to banish whatever or whomever is causing the one he adores to suffer, Jon found himself calming down.

“Look, I don’t have all the answers. And maybe there aren’t any. But right now, we keep moving forward. We don’t think about it. We just do it. One day at a time, one step at a time. I know that sometimes leads to horror. Even if you hadn’t shown me all of history, I experienced it for myself yesterday. We all did. I didn’t want to kill those people, but at that point, if I hadn’t, they would have killed me… or you.” She lifted her head back up and stared, somewhat astonished at Jon once more. “And yeah, I know we could have avoided that whole situation if we had just gone around the city. I know we screwed up; I know. We move on. We learn from it. I know what we did was wrong, but I also know that if we don’t find whatever it is that you are looking for and find it soon, the Harvesters will rally to Home first, and then the rest of the planet. What we are offering has got to be a whole hell of a lot better than that. We stole New Puebla’s protection from them, so we must replace it with something else. It’s our duty.” Maya said nothing. Jon sighed, exhausted, defeated, and hung his head. He shifted from his squat to a sitting position and crossed his legs. He tossed his hands maybe half an inch into the air and finished with, “I don’t know. I give up.”

Maya unclasped her hands, stretched her legs out as lithely as a cat, and shifted her weight to one side, bringing herself closer to Jon. He didn’t notice. She reached out and placed her small hand on the back of his large one. Jon’s head, still down, cocked a bit to the side and he stared at the back of her slender, smooth hand and fingers.

She truly is beautiful. It’s so sad that she is so sad. He knew that her sadness went far deeper than the debacle that had been the liberation of New Puebla. He wanted so badly to know what the source of that was, and then to displace it from her life.

“Jon.” Her voice, quiet, wove its way through the falling rain and thunder and landed on his ears as soft and warming as the promise of tomorrow’s sun that would heat the chilled land and dry away the leftovers of the night's storm.

He lifted his head and peered into her jacket hood. The falling rain looked silver behind her.

“Let’s… how do you say? Soldier on?” There was hope in Maya’s voice. Jon half chuckled. Then that spark touched some unknown, hidden tinder and began to make a flame. A reluctant, tired smile spread across both their faces.

“Yeah. That’s right. Good idea, Maya. Let’s.”

Epilogue

“I’m hungry!” Wyntr whined, pouting.

“You have to be patient!” To-Kan called from across the room, where she was preparing food for the child.

“But I’m hungry now!” Wyntr said, jumping up and down on the room’s luxurious couch.

“Wyntr!” To-Kan yelled back, her voice taking on a serious tone. “Be still, sit down, and stop yelling, or you won’t get anything at all!”

“Okay…” Wyntr said, plopping down onto her rump as she finished the last jump. She crossed her arms and frowned.

“Thank you. Now, here you go. Lean over and don’t make a mess.”

Wyntr watched with anticipatory glee as her elderly caretaker, crossing over the open floor of the suite that had once belonged to the nice Lily Sapphire lady who rescued her, bringing her a steaming bowl of warm curry.

“Yummy!” Wyntr exclaimed, receiving the bowl and digging in.

“I know how much you like my butter chicken,” the old woman said as she smiled down at Wyntr. “Eat up, then it’s bath time.”

The child didn’t have to be told twice and began to devour the food, when a beep came from the door.

“YOU HAVE A VISITOR,” the room’s limited AI announced. Continuing to inhale her dinner, Wyntr watched To-Kan go to the front door and touch a panel adjacent to it. The door snapped open to reveal a haggard-looking Miller on the other side.

“General Miller!” To-Kan said. “What a pleasant surprise.”

“Please, To-Kan, just Miller when we aren’t in the council chambers. May I come in? We need to talk.”

“Of course, of course. Come on in. Have a seat. Dinner is on if you’re hungry.”

“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary. I won’t be staying long,” Miller said, stopping just inside the door, which snapped shut behind him.

Taking her bowl in her hands, Wyntr twisted on the couch and peered over the back of it, observing the adults as they conversed by the door.

“I take it you’re here about Matiaba?” To-Kan asked.

“You think? How could we let that happen?” Miller replied, quickly becoming agitated.

“You know I trust you, Miller, always have.”

“But?” the big man asked.

“But,” To-Kan said gently, resting a hand on Miller’s thick metal arm, “despite the… slimy nature of that lawyer, Libis, Matiaba has a point. We don’t know that he was any guiltier of anything than any other soldier.”

“Really? You really gon’ doubt the things he put Lucy through?”

“That’s not what I’m—”

“That’s what it is, To-Kan. By letting him walk, we are completely dismissing Lucy’s testimony.”

“I know, I know. But she isn’t here, Miller. And we could use Matiaba’s help getting this city running again.”

“That’s the other thing,” Miller said. “There has been no word from them. Not a peep. We lost contact before the first day was even over, and they’ve been gone two weeks now! Sooner or later, everyone will know. Even Martin and the Old Guard. I’m worried about what will happen then. You know the supply caravan didn’t make it back. I’m gonna have to