Read Online Deep Space Dead by Edward Chilvers - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Edward Chilvers
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half the rangers and that’s going to seriously set us back let me tell you.”
“Hardly the time to get delusional,” said Arianna. “Just as well she’s retiring soon.”
“I’m not sure that’s such a good thing,” replied Jak. “It means there’s going to be an election and I’ll bet you anything you like Sol will put himself forward.”
“Sol is damaged in the eyes of the Council,” said Arianna with a shrug of her shoulders. “Once the Admiral is gone he’ll be blamed for encouraging her to send out Wal.”
“You’re assuming they’ve met with some disaster,” said Jak. “It may be they’ve just got lost. They might radio in at any time.”
“Somehow I doubt that very much,” replied Arianna darkly. “We’re going out there to look for bodies, Jak, and the whole Council knows it even if nobody is prepared to admit it out loud.”
“She ran off again,” said Jen Henna, when she arrived to drop Ambra off after a day of babysitting. The librarian did not sound at all annoyed and ruffled Ambra’s hair affectionately as she spoke. “I told her she mustn’t leave the arboretum but when I looked she was gone. It was fifteen minutes before I found her again.”
“Playing in the grass down by the river I don’t doubt,” said Arianna.
“She’s quite the explorer that one,” laughed Jen. “She’s going to be a ranger, just like her dad.”
Arianna and Jak looked at once another in embarrassment.
After Jen had left Arianna went straight to Ambra’s bedroom and marched her out into the living room. “And just what is this I hear about you running off again?” She demanded with real anger. “Don’t you think we’ve got enough to worry about without you risking your life by that river day in, day out?”
“I wasn’t going to the river to play,” said Ambra defiantly. “I went there because the Moon Man told me to.”
Arianna rolled her eyes whilst Jak was unable to suppress a smile. “I’m not having this, do you hear me?” Snapped Arianna crossly. “I won’t have you using nonsense as an excuse to do whatever you like.”
“But he did call me over!” Exclaimed Ambra, her voice pained. “He told me that Mr Wal was dead and that we shouldn’t go over to those caves. He said we should leave everything alone and that we shouldn’t have come here at all.”
Arianna felt a chill run straight down her spine. Jak came forwards and bent down next to Ambra so he was looking into her eyes. He was not smiling now. “What do you mean, darling?” He said gently. “Who said Mr Wal was dead?”
“I told you,” said Ambra emphatically. “It was the Moon Man.”
“No,” said Jak, trying to hide his frustration. “We need to know the truth Ambra.”
“It is the truth!”
“It isn’t the truth,” snapped Arianna, and she was really angry now. The strain of the loss of the rangers was now coupled with the information seemingly having leaked out. She reached down and took her daughter by the shoulders. “Who told you this, Ambra?” She demanded. “Who was it? This is really important.”
“It is the truth!” Cried Ambra, bursting into tears. “He told me not to tell anyone but I did and now you don’t believe me!” And with that she shook herself free of her mother’s grip and ran back into her bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her.
“I’ll speak to Sol,” muttered Arianna. “He’s her father so maybe he’ll be able to get something out of her.”
“Sol might have been the one to tell her,” said Jak guardedly.
“He hasn’t seen her all day,” replied Arianna. “And he wouldn’t do that, not with Ambra. He might be malicious towards the two of us but he’s got the highest moral standards as far as his daughter is concerned.”
“Well whatever happens she mustn’t go about telling people that Wal is dead, not when we don’t know.”
“I don’t like this whole moon man business anyway,” said Arianna. “It gives me
“Hardly the time to get delusional,” said Arianna. “Just as well she’s retiring soon.”
“I’m not sure that’s such a good thing,” replied Jak. “It means there’s going to be an election and I’ll bet you anything you like Sol will put himself forward.”
“Sol is damaged in the eyes of the Council,” said Arianna with a shrug of her shoulders. “Once the Admiral is gone he’ll be blamed for encouraging her to send out Wal.”
“You’re assuming they’ve met with some disaster,” said Jak. “It may be they’ve just got lost. They might radio in at any time.”
“Somehow I doubt that very much,” replied Arianna darkly. “We’re going out there to look for bodies, Jak, and the whole Council knows it even if nobody is prepared to admit it out loud.”
“She ran off again,” said Jen Henna, when she arrived to drop Ambra off after a day of babysitting. The librarian did not sound at all annoyed and ruffled Ambra’s hair affectionately as she spoke. “I told her she mustn’t leave the arboretum but when I looked she was gone. It was fifteen minutes before I found her again.”
“Playing in the grass down by the river I don’t doubt,” said Arianna.
“She’s quite the explorer that one,” laughed Jen. “She’s going to be a ranger, just like her dad.”
Arianna and Jak looked at once another in embarrassment.
After Jen had left Arianna went straight to Ambra’s bedroom and marched her out into the living room. “And just what is this I hear about you running off again?” She demanded with real anger. “Don’t you think we’ve got enough to worry about without you risking your life by that river day in, day out?”
“I wasn’t going to the river to play,” said Ambra defiantly. “I went there because the Moon Man told me to.”
Arianna rolled her eyes whilst Jak was unable to suppress a smile. “I’m not having this, do you hear me?” Snapped Arianna crossly. “I won’t have you using nonsense as an excuse to do whatever you like.”
“But he did call me over!” Exclaimed Ambra, her voice pained. “He told me that Mr Wal was dead and that we shouldn’t go over to those caves. He said we should leave everything alone and that we shouldn’t have come here at all.”
Arianna felt a chill run straight down her spine. Jak came forwards and bent down next to Ambra so he was looking into her eyes. He was not smiling now. “What do you mean, darling?” He said gently. “Who said Mr Wal was dead?”
“I told you,” said Ambra emphatically. “It was the Moon Man.”
“No,” said Jak, trying to hide his frustration. “We need to know the truth Ambra.”
“It is the truth!”
“It isn’t the truth,” snapped Arianna, and she was really angry now. The strain of the loss of the rangers was now coupled with the information seemingly having leaked out. She reached down and took her daughter by the shoulders. “Who told you this, Ambra?” She demanded. “Who was it? This is really important.”
“It is the truth!” Cried Ambra, bursting into tears. “He told me not to tell anyone but I did and now you don’t believe me!” And with that she shook herself free of her mother’s grip and ran back into her bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her.
“I’ll speak to Sol,” muttered Arianna. “He’s her father so maybe he’ll be able to get something out of her.”
“Sol might have been the one to tell her,” said Jak guardedly.
“He hasn’t seen her all day,” replied Arianna. “And he wouldn’t do that, not with Ambra. He might be malicious towards the two of us but he’s got the highest moral standards as far as his daughter is concerned.”
“Well whatever happens she mustn’t go about telling people that Wal is dead, not when we don’t know.”
“I don’t like this whole moon man business anyway,” said Arianna. “It gives me
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