Barrier: Ethics vs. Duty

By Pamela Caves

44 pages - Engineer of Assault Squad 13, Sergeant Triana Kreeler, was never much for confrontation or stirring the pot, so to speak. So when she discovers that the United Alliance, the organization she works for, has targeted an innocent infant for execution, she must decide if the child is worth disobeying orders and risking everything she's worked her entire life for.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pamela Caves
• Release date: Feb 13, 2012
• ISBN: 9781465900944

Pamela Caves

Pamela is a teacher and writer living in northern Alabama.

Book preview

Barrier

Duty vs. Ethics

(Book 1)

by

Pamela Caves

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 Pamela Caves

Learn more about this author at www.PamelaCaves.com

Published by: Fiction Lake Online Publishing

www.FictionLake.com

Cover art editing and design by Pamela Gifford, Creative Services/ www.PamelaGifford.com

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I.

I pushed my chin to the retinal scanner and held my palm to the hand scanner simultaneously. They beeped to signal the scans were complete. I stood close to the speaker. Staff Sergeant Triana Kreeler. The voice print beeped and the door slid open to Control. I clutched my comp pad tight and entered the central control room for the base.

As an engineer for one of the 15 squads on Special Services Division 32 (or SSD 32 for short) , I often had to butt heads with the head of control, a gorgeous, if not terribly high strung, young woman named Sky Legend. She was a Warrant Officer, an organizational specialist, but she didn't have the best people skills.

I spotted her in the far corner leaning over the shoulder of an enlisted and pointing at his screen. I steeled myself for her verbal abuse and headed in her direction.

Officer Legend, you have a moment?

She glanced over her shoulder for a split second. I picked up a slight rise of heat in her cheeks. As part Roen, my vision can detect what most other species cannot; temperature differentials. She was annoyed by my mere presence. My office hours don't start until 1500. You can get with my 2nd and have her put you on my schedule.

This can't wait until 1500.

She stood and crossed the room, trying to ignore me. She walked absurdly fast for someone of average height. I struggled to keep up without bumping into anyone. I'm in the middle of a power grid test right now, Sergeant. Her head whipped up toward someone who'd just walked into Control. Get that drink outta here, Masters.

The young corporal looked like someone had just popped up and said, Boo! He promptly turned on his heels and left the room with his beverage.

She'd turned her attention to a read out on an unmanned display. Her sight was focused between that display and the main screen on the forward wall. The power grid test was being held in conjunction with the city's power grid test. Since we were out here in the middle of an asteroid belt alongside the city of Claymore with limited solar power, Legend often has to schedule power grid tests in accordance with city engineers.

It wasn't that I was unsympathetic. I knew her job was a difficult one but I was sick of being stuck on the back burner. If I couldn't speak up for my squad's needs, my captain would promptly have me booted.

Squad 13 has a patrol run at 1300. I need a gravity coil for my ship.

She huffed and the temperature in her cheeks rose another degree. Sergeant, you are testing my patience. I will have security escort you out if you continue to interrupt me. Sure. She'd call her husband, who happened to be the Chief of Security (and who happened to be built like a brick wall) and have him remove me. I'd love trying to explain that one not only to my captain but also the general. I think the temperature was also rising in my own face.

I shoved the compad under her nose. I requested a new gravity coil over three weeks ago. Inventory got two in today. One went to Squad 8, who had requested one around the same time I had and the other went to Squad 2 who had requested it yesterday.

Then take it up with requisitions.

I'm taking it up with you because I've already taken it up with requisitions. Apparently Officer Raims is dating the second officer of Squad 2.

The initial gruffness she had in her expression faded slightly. She took the compad from me and began to skim it. Please tell me you checked the urgency level.

"I did. Their gravity coil is listed as relatively the same condition as mine. But they don't have a patrol run for another three days. Ours is today and if my coil