Countdown, John Walker [online e book reader txt] 📗

to report that before people started throwing switches.

“Noah’s on the shuttle,” Oliver said. “He wants to talk to the commander of this boat. See if she’ll cooperate.” He shrugged. “Before he does that, he hoped we might have a quick chat.”

“Sure.” Rita nodded to Zem before stepping away. “It’s good to see you, Olly. What do you say we find something else to bring us together next time? I’d like to avoid another alien invasion if it’s all the same to you.”

“I can be persuaded.” Olly put his arm around her. “You’re insane, you know that? Just going with this asshole. What were you thinking?”

“That he’d either kill me quick or give me a chance.” Rita shrugged. “I had to save Alden. He was the only thing that would make the alliance work. You know that too. I didn’t have a choice.”

“Maybe not.” Olly shook his head. “It was still reckless.”

“I agree.” Noah called from the ramp of the shuttle. He hurried over to hug them both. “Oh…I’m glad to see both of you.”

“Not a bad result, huh?” Rita smiled. “What do you guys think?”

“We’re alive,” Noah said. “And that’s something considering. You coming along like that… incredible.”

Rita shrugged. “I make an entrance. Both when we met back at that colony I was trying to rob and now. You know, it’s all about style.”

Noah chuckled. “You’re ridiculous. So! You’re both Majors now. What’re you going to do with that?”

“Oh, not me.” Rita held up her hands. “I’m out of that business. I’m taking the job with Erris.”

“Really?” Olly lifted his brow. “You want to be with MerCon?”

“Yeah, I think that’s more my speed now. I’m done with military life. That brief taste of it on Whitaker’s ship did me in.”

“You go with our blessing,” Noah said, giving Olly a look. “Anyway, I thought you’d both like to know I’m planning on retiring after this is over.”

“No way!” Olly nudged him. “You always said you were in for life! Admiral… potential marshal.”

Noah shrugged. “I’ve seen enough to back out while I can. Besides, I could’ve been Admiral twice over and turned it down. I’ve missed a lot of things staying in the military the way I did. It’s time I see something else.” He gestured around. “But not before we secure all of this…and get home of course.”

“What about you?” Rita tapped Olly’s nose. “Your lady might like it if you took a break from all this soldiering.”

“Meredith…” Olly nodded. “I’ve been thinking about that.”

“I’m going to put you up for that promotion,” Noah said. “I promised. Could be a desk job for you if you need to but…I kind of think you’d be better off wandering around with the doctor. It’ll be a lot more exciting.”

“And lucrative,” Rita said. “At least… for science…” She shrugged. “Okay, you’ll probably be poor.”

Olly laughed. “Wow. You’re asking me to get out?”

“Suggesting,” Noah said. “You gotta make your own call with that.”

“What’s Zem going to do?” Olly asked.

“I’m offering him a position too,” Rita replied. “Pretty sure he’ll take it, too. Which just leaves Borden. Though I have a feeling I know what he’ll get up to.”

“More thieving?” Olly asked.

“No… he and Hayes… maybe that Vic guy… they’ll get up to something. I suspect it’ll even be legal. The three of them have had enough of living on the wrong side of the law. Just an impression I’ve got. I know I’m done. I gotta get out of that life. Get into the real world. Have the option of returning home.”

“What about the Ruby?” Noah asked. “The frontier might miss her.”

“Oh, I’m sure there’s some asshole running around calling themselves that.” Rita shook her head. “Worry not, my stupid moniker will live on in infamy. What about that prisoner? Trenik? And Harcourt?”

“They’ve become quite the friends,” Noah replied. “Seems they’ll keep working together. I think we’ve got our first set of ambassadors.”

“Whether they like it or not,” Olly muttered.

“We’d better get to work,” Noah said. “We’ll have plenty of time to catch up on the way home. I hope you’ll both join me on the Morrigan for our last trip together as soldiers.”

“But not the last one as a family,” Olly pointed out. “Right?”

“Absolutely.” Rita hugged them both again. “We won’t be apart for so long again. Promise me.”

“I promise,” Oliver muttered into her shoulder.

“As do I.” Noah drew back, looking her in the eye. They took a long moment of silence together before he gestured with his head. “Let’s get going. See you soon.”

***

Torrence watched Rita walk off with Oliver. She turned her attention back to Zem and Dora. Ronnie came hurrying down the ramp to stand beside them with McCully in tow. They’d become quite the little team, not just on that mission but before as well. It was on the verge of ending. They wouldn’t be working together again.

“This is it, huh?” Torrence asked. “We’re going our separate ways.”

“I’m with Rita,” Zem said. “Which means I’ll be working for MerCon soon. Never thought I’d see the day they’d accept us there. Not after all we’d done. It’s crazy.”

Dora added, “I put in a request to have Ronnie permanently assigned to The Bounty. We’re a transport ship that hits some hot LZs. I think I could use a badass engineer. One that’s pretty much not afraid of anything.”

“Aw,” Ronnie said, “you think I’m badass?”

“Nah, I just tell other people that.” Dora pulled the girl into a half hug. “I’d miss you too much if you went off to be on some boring Engineering team.” She turned to Torrence. “What about you?”

“Back to the units.” Torrence shrugged. “Soldiering.”

“You could come with us,” Zem offered. “We could see…”

Torrence shook her head. “I saw a side of you I didn’t