Exodus: Empires at War: Book 7: Counter Strike by Doug Dandridge

they would have to
pass ten percent before that was a problem.  They reached eight percent
overheated when the station hit the halfway line, and the Tech pulled the power
back to one hundred and ten percent, then to one hundred a few moments later.
    “She’s going to make it,” shouted the Supervisor
in glee.  The station was speeding up, getting closer to the mark.
    “Back them off to fifty percent,” said
Lucille.  “I don’t want her to rebound past optimal.
    It took several more minutes for the station to
slide into that optimal orbit, and only then did Lucille allow herself to feel
the relief that they had saved the situation from falling into disaster.
    “Setting grabbers for automatic station
keeping,” said the Tech, pushing several control panels, as the klaxons and
flashing lights died.
    “How many of these do I have to go through?”
whispered Lucille.  She turned to the Supervisor.  “Get repair crews to work on
the damaged cable and hull sections.  I want us at one hundred percent
integrity as soon as possible.”  Which will probably take a couple of
months, but we can be operational again in twenty-four.
    “Lucille,” said a voice over her internal com
link.  “Are you alright?”
    “God, but it’s good to hear your voice, Jimmy
Chung,” she said over the link, a smile stretching her face.  “I thought maybe
I had lost you.  Was getting rid of that bomb your doing?”
    “I wish I could claim that it was me,” said the
Agent, his voice sounding as weary as she had ever heard it.  “No, it was our
legendary warrior.  The man’s a machine.”
    “Walborski, again,” said Lucille, not really
surprised at the answer.  “Did, did he make it?”
    “I don’t know how,” said Jimmy after a short
chuckle.  “I don’t think he knows how to die.  If he doesn’t get another medal
out of this, I don’t know if anyone would ever deserve one again.”
    “Director Yu,” said a voice interrupting on the
com.  “Priority call for you.  It’s the Emperor.”
    “I’ve got to take that call, Jimmy.  But I
can’t wait to hear your tale.”  She cut the link and picked up the other call,
anxious to give the man who ruled the Empire the good news.
     

Chapter
Four
     
    War involves in its
progress such a train of unforeseen circumstances that no human wisdom can
calculate the end; it has but one thing certain, and that is to increase taxes.
    Thomas
Paine
     
    CONGREEVE SPACE. 
NOVEMBER 22 ND , 1001
     
    Thank god , thought Sean, after he had gotten off
the com with Director Yu.  If we had lost that station, I don’t know what we
would have done.  We have to increase security on that thing, and fast.
    Sean got up from his chair, where he had been
sitting, waiting anxiously for the news to come, good or bad.  What the hell
am I going to do with that boy? was his next thought, a smile on his face.  I’ve already given him two of our highest award for bravery, and I have a
feeling that he will be earning more.  The day the Cacas killed his wife was
the day they birthed one of their worst nightmares.
    He thought for a moment, a difficult thing to
do with his fatigue.  A knighthood in is his immediate future.  He can’t
refuse that.  And at least a Golden Sun .  That was the second ranked medal
in the Empire, and Sean thought Cornelius would probably gather several of them
as well before he was through.
    “I’m turning in,” Sean spoke into the chamber’s
com system.  “Do not disturb, unless it’s something vital.”  I have to
delegate some of this stuff.  Like Jennifer said, I have the best people
possible in their positions, so it’s about time I used them.  And Len should be
on his way in the next couple of hours.  If anyone can handle the situation
with the Fenri Empire, it’s him.
    With that last thought the exhausted monarch
left the room, ignoring the bodyguards that fell in around him, and made his
way to the nearest lift, looking forward to being