I could see the defeat in Captain Hansen’s face. She’d fallen into a trap. Resigning would mean financial ruin for her. There was no way she could fight back against the company’s legal argument in the corrupt courts. She was stuck, and Malkin knew it.

  As we left the controller’s office, I was seething. The company’s position was ironclad. It seemed like there was nothing we could do about it.

  “Captain,” I said, “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry about how things turned out on this mission. I don’t know all the details, but I know you tried to do what was best for the crew.”

  Captain Hansen’s face twisted up for a moment, but then she heaved a deep breath. “Thanks for the support, Starn. Sometimes, I have to make compromises—even if I don’t like them.”

  We went our separate ways. I couldn’t help but think that perhaps Captain Hansen’s stern façade was her way of shielding herself from the harsh realities of our corporate-controlled lives. Maybe, just maybe, she was an emotional wreck underneath that tough exterior.

  Ana and I finally managed to get together after that. I found her with Ledbetter in a bar. Precisely against my instructions, he’d taken her out and gotten her tipsy.

  I took her off his hands, and we soon found ourselves in a small hotel room just outside Mars City. It was a tourist-trap, a mini-dome located adjacent to the main one.

  Our room was cozy and dimly lit. It wasn’t very big, but it protected us from the cold Martian landscape.

  By midnight, we lay tangled in each other’s arms, our bodies spent. I glanced out through the thick dome of glass, watching a sandstorm rage outside. The storm reminded me of my own chaotic life. The red dust obscured the landscape. It felt like we were alone on the planet.

  “What do you think our next mission will be like?” I asked, my fingers absently tracing designs on Ana’s bare belly.

  She shrugged. “I don’t know, Devin, and as long as I’m with you, I don’t care.”

  I approved of her attitude. Her warmth and simplicity were just what I needed tonight.

  We watched the sandstorm until we fell asleep.

  THE END

  Thanks Reader! I hope you enjoyed RED COMPANY: DISCOVERY the second book in the Red Company Series. If you liked the book and want to read more, please click to put up some stars to support the series—then read the next one!

  -BVL

  The RED COMPANY Series:

  First Strike!

  Discovery

  Contact

  More SF Books by B. V. Larson:

  The Undying Mercenaries Series:

  Steel World

  Dust World

  Tech World

  Machine World

  Death World

  Home World

  Rogue World

  Blood World

  Dark World

  Storm World

  Armor World

  Clone World

  Glass World

  Edge World

  Green World

  Ice World

  City World

  Sky World

  Jungle World

  Star Runner Trilogy:

  Star Runner

  Fire Fight

  Androids and Aliens

  Rebel Fleet Series:

  Rebel Fleet

  Orion Fleet

  Alpha Fleet

  Earth Fleet

  Star Force Series:

  Swarm

  Extinction

  Rebellion

  Conquest

  Army of One (Novella)

  Battle Station

  Empire

  Annihilation

  Storm Assault

  The Dead Sun

  Outcast

  Exile

  Demon Star

  Starship Pandora (Audio Drama)

  Visit BVLarson.com for more information.

 

 

  B. V. Larson, Red Company: Discovery

 

 

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