Talon’s eyes roamed over her face. Animation had sprung up onto every one of her features, and he knew that that was due to her interest being piqued by the words that they had spoken. The only person aboard that ship who hated the Federation more than him was Jessica.
Jessica said, “Did I ever tell you that when I was a Capo, a very young Capo, that one of my first duties was in a hall of knowledge? Not just any hall of knowledge either; this one had the old books in it. The ones made of real paper. They had pages and pages and pages within their covers, and they lined the shelves, miles and miles and miles of shelves.
“The Federation owns all of Old Earth’s halls of knowledge, of course. The populace isn’t allowed in; only the highest ranking of the Federation members and their families were ever allowed to enter the halls.
“I found this to be such a shame. But I also wondered why they didn’t want the population to have access to something so wonderful.”
Talon snorted. “For the same reason the Federation doesn’t with a population of any system or planet in the entire universe to have access to the things that they hold dear. The Federation is greedy.”
Jessica leaned against a small pillar, “I can’t argue that one with you at all because it’s true. But it’s more than that. You see, those books held all the history of the world that the ones who collected it could find. It seems strange to me that people who lived many centuries before I was even born had spent most of their lives trying to dig up the stories and histories of people who had died thousands of years before the ones who were collecting their histories had lived, but I think I understand it more now.”
Talon had no idea what she was getting at. “I see. Are you going to tell me what it is that you understand?”
Jessica said, “I can understand wanting to know where we came from and how we got where we are. Everyone wants to know that I suppose. But that’s not my point. My point was in those books they listed the ways that the people who lived on Old Earth got food before there was even credits or anything like it in the world.”
Talon’s toes were tapped into the flooring. “Jessica, you’re going to have to spell this out for me. You are just confusing me. We went from talking about taking a Federation ship to books in the halls of knowledge and how people dead for millennia used to acquire food.”
Her white and square teeth flashed as she smiled. “They used to cut the weakest from a herd. They’d follow behind the herd, staying out of sight while they watched until they picked out which one was the weakest. Then they did something to make that weakest one fall back even further. You know, to be separated from the larger group. Then they’d kill it.”
Talon’s mouth fell open. “That’s genius!”
Jessica said, “Well, it may have worked for them, but they weren’t hunting Federation ships, now were they?”
Talon said, “No, they were not. However, if we used our cloaking device and stayed very far behind until we could pick out a straggler ship and then cut it off from the others.”
Her eyes met his squarely. “Maybe.”
He said, “I am willing to try it.”
Her head tilted to one side. Her eyes danced with an almost unholy light. His heart gave a painful throb in his chest. When he had been very small, he had asked his father how it was that he and his wife, Talon’s mother, had managed to stay together for so long when so many couples tended to eventually leave their mate and find another. The reply his father had given him had been simple. He had told Talon that if Talon were to be a warrior, then he needed a female who was soft and yielding.
Talon’s mother had been a healer. She would only pick up arms if her own life or the life of her children and her husband were in danger.
There was nothing soft or yielding about Jessica. She was as hard and sharp as a moon dust gem, and three times as deadly.
Her lips curved upward even further. A radiant light lit her face from within. “I don’t think I’d mind dishing out a little punishment to the Federation. If they are carrying fresh food and water, then that makes it all even better.”
Talon said, “I don’t care what they carry, to be honest, although I would like to see some weapons. We could use some new technology in our weaponry, and if anyone has that, it is the Federation. Also, don’t think you talked me into this.”
Jessica said, “I know very well that you are the most stubborn being who’s ever been born in this universe. I would never try to talk you into anything.”
She thought he was stubborn? Well, she was right.
He turned to the bridge and strode to the control panels were Caleb still stood, flying confidently along toward the destination Talon had given him a few minutes before.
Talon said, “I have decided that we need to wreck a ship.”
Cheers broke out along the bridge, but then someone asked, “Which ship?”
Talon took a deep breath. Was he really going to do this? Yes, yes, he was.
“We’re going to take one of the Federation ships from the fleet.”
