The genesis defense beyo.., p.33
The Genesis Defense (Beyond the Impossible Book 5),
p.33
The Turk, who worked shirtless, paused his poetic motions.
“That would be most kind, Empress.”
“A man like you needs a woman whose body hasn’t been utterly fucked by time.”
“You’re quite beautiful for your age, Empress. God has been generous with his gifts.”
“God is weak. He won’t let me die because he’s terrified of my granddaughter. Have you met Eve?”
“No, Empress.”
“Count your blessings.”
Chastain hadn’t spoken to the Empress-in-Waiting for a hundred standard days. She’d rather breathe her last than give Eve the courtesy of another contentious audience. Upon each visit, the woman sniffed for signs of impending death in her grandmother. Her evident frustration pleased Chastain.
The Empress looked for joy wherever she might find it. In recent decades, the song never seemed to change. However, this latest controversy about other universes and possible new territory to conquer provided a pleasant change of pace.
“What sorts of things interest you, Ahmet?”
“Me, Empress? I put everything aside for your service.”
“What? That’s not a life, you stupid man.”
“I do read Scripture before bed.”
Chastain rolled her eyes.
“That old thing? I’m sure you can find a few thousand books far more interesting.”
“It provides me comfort.”
“You need a woman in your bed.”
Ahmet stopped his work. His clean-shaven scalp glistened under the ceiling light. He turned away when the double doors to the chamber opened. Chastain heard approaching feet and prepared to launch into a tirade. She had standing orders: No one interrupted her massage, even if the ship were on fire.
“Who are you?” Ahmet asked.
A laser blast ended the evening’s pleasure. It emerged through his spine as a dark, steaming exit wound. Ahmet stumbled backward into the cheese tray and dropped like a stump.
Chastain sat up.
A creature in golden armor aimed its weapon between her eyes.
She didn’t shout for her personal guard, especially when she saw two other golden creatures enter. Chastain doubted she still had a personal guard.
Was God entertaining himself at her expense?
“You looked taller in the mirrors,” the creature said.
“What is your fucking business?”
The creature holstered its weapon inside the armor, which phase-shifted. It swiped a hand over its face and unwrapped the helmet. Then it reached inside the armor and pulled out a translucent cube that glowed in the center.
“The Empress of the whole damn universe,” the man said. “Shit. I have definitely gone bigtime. Let’s talk. I got some hero work to do, and you need to put on some clothes.”
So, was this how her long reign ended? At least she wouldn’t die slowly in bed surrounded by sycophants and bloviating priests. How forgettable.
Chastain reached for a towel and crinkled her lips into a smile.
“You painted a wolf on your head. Interesting.”
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What is Royal’s plan? Does it have any chance of success? Does the Swarm’s “tether” work? If not, will Bonju and Moon survive? And what of Pinchon? What will happen when Amayas returns to Aeterna, the place from which his journey began? What has been happening to the Aeternans and their guests from the warship Scylla? Find those answers in Book 6: The Bitter Fruit, which debuts July 3.
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Frank Kennedy, The Genesis Defense (Beyond the Impossible Book 5)
