Machine Gods (Star Crusades Nexus, Book 2) by Michael G. Thomas

in the next few days.”
    He did his best to
reassure Teresa , but even Gun found it
impossible. Teresa tried to smile, but she couldn’t manage it.
Spartan had gone missing in the past, but this time it was
different. By entering one of the Spacebridges, he had travelled to
a destination that could be anything from a light year to thousands
of light years away. There simply wasn’t a way to track him down
other than visiting every star for thousands of light years, a task
that would take centuries and resources that simply didn’t exist.
The whole idea was in fact an almost impossible task. The door
opened behind her, and in walked two marine guards. They stepped to
the side and waited in silence. Gun nodded to the Admiral and then
moved out and through the door. Teresa started to follow him but
paused, and then turned back. Admiral Anderson had a concerned,
serious expression on his face.
    “ I know you must
have doubts , but the knowledge this
expedition could obtain will help secure Spartan’s life, and
guarantee the safety of the Alliance. The T’Kari are willing to
share critical data with our leadership, in exchange for our
military support in leading this expedition to Helios. The
Taskforce will assemble at Hades in three days. I will pass on the
details to you.”
    Teresa nodded, still having no idea what she had
just agreed to.
    “ There’s just one
thing,” s he finally said, now desperate
to learn anything.
    “ What are
w e expecting to find there, and how will
it help us or Spartan?”
    The Admiral moved
around the table , placing his hand on her
shoulder. To most it would be something too familiar, but their
history was complex, and the trust between them could only be
earned through struggle and combat.
    “ Helios is
apparently the center of something
important. The T’Kari have not been there for a long time, but they
say it will give us all the information we need to map and protect
the Network once and for all.”
    Teresa was
unconvinced. This was the first she’d heard about
Helios , and the idea they would arrive to
find a map detailing the arteries of space sounded like a fallacy
to her. The Admiral could see her confusion, so he hardened his
tone slightly.
    “ Teresa, this
operation is critical , and for it to work
it will require a combined effort that includes people from both
our societies, T’Kari and the Alliance. Now you and Spartan have a
colorful past, which is true. But one thing nobody can argue with
is your ability to get the job done, and the T’Kari have already
seen this. They want you on this operation...and so do
I.”
    The room was quiet
for a moment as he let his words sink in.
    “ Extraordinary times
call for extraordinary measures, and we need every man, woman, and
child, even Jötnar to be ready. You weren’t there for the meeting
of the Joint Chiefs when we briefed the President. There are
concerns, serious concerns that Pontus and his cronies could show
up at any time. We have the intel on Helios, but how is it going to
affect us? The Alliance can’t afford any more schisms. We need
strength, and we need unity. More importantly though, we need a
full and complete picture of what the hell is going on out
there.”
    Teresa looked up at
him and thought of Spartan, and the people that worked for their
company. What he said sounded interesting, but she had other
commitments now. The Admiral could see her hesitation and sensed
the moment was now. He reached into his jacket pocket and handed
her his secpad. She held it up, noticing it was the front page of
her own military dossier. She looked back at him in
confusion.
    “ We need you back.
As of thirty minutes ago, your corporation’s contracts in T’Karan
were terminated, as were all those in the remaining PMC
Corporations. I understand that in the next hour your senior
executives will be forced to ask for emergency financial aid, or
have your assets liquidated.”
    Teresa twisted
around in surprise. Her face