Contact Imminent

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

Chapter One

"Chicago is a cold place. In every way."

Clase, Thalassan Histories, Book I

"Coppélia is a classic tale. In it, a doctor named Coppéliusbuilds a clockwork doll and tries to give her life." ColonelNiall Pierce sat with his booted feet propped on the edge ofthe portable com–array console, hands folded primly in hislap. "A young couple, Franz and Swanilda, cross his path.Franz falls in love with the doll, named Coppélia, whom hethinks is a real girl. Swanilda becomes determined to findout more about this mysterious beauty who has stolen herlover's heart, and breaks into the doctor's house to find her."He leaned back, the harsh overhead light washing out hisbronze Service burr to pale brown and casting his features insharp relief. Narrow. Angled. The wolf in repose. "And it's acomedy, I'll have you know. Nobody dies."

"Imagine my amazement." Jani Kilian tucked her handsinside the sleeves of her field coat and huddled against thecurved wall of the prefab bunker. Outside, freezing rainfell -- she could hear it patter on the domed roof. Insets in thepolyfoam wall and floor supplied the heat that made thespace bearable -- she pressed against the hard smoothness,soaking up all the warmth she could. "I thought someonehad to keel over every five minutes for an opera to qualify asa classic."

"Coppélia is a ballet, not an opera." Niall tilted his headback and spread his hands palms up, begging the ceiling forrespite. "I told you all about it at lunch last week, but it appearsto have slipped your mind." He turned to look towardthe figure who sat on the floor next to Jani. "Have you everattended a ballet, ní Tsecha? Humanish dancing?"

"No, Colonel." Ní Tsecha Egri, the Haárin dominant, shookhis head back and forth, his latest adoption of humanish gesture."I have seen plays, and holoVee programs. Historiesand such. No dancing." He pushed up the edge of his head-scarfwith one gold-skinned finger and scratched his scalp."Nìa," he leaned close to Jani, his voice falling to a whisper,"ballet is leaping about to music?"

"Pretty much, inshah."

"I saw a dancing goat once. Is that as ballet?"

"It is quite similar, yes." Jani unfolded to her feet andwalked across the shelter to join Niall at the console. Sheplaced a hand on his shoulder, felt his warmth through hisblue fatigue shirt, and tried to remember the days when shecould feel warm under conditions like this. "Any change?"

Niall glared in injury, the scar that cut his left cheek fromhis nose to the corner of his mouth deepening as he frowned."A dancing goat?" His eyes spoke to the frustrated patron ofthe arts that he was. Honey-brown and long-lashed, his onlyhandsome feature, they were currently laced with aggravationand regret over missed performances and unappreciativestudents who ignored lunchtime instruction.

Jani offered a rueful grin. "I'm sorry you couldn't attendyour ballet. I know you looked forward to it." She dragged astool from beneath the console and sat next to him, thenpointed to the display screen in the center of the flickeringcommunications array. "Doesn't look any different than itdid twenty minutes ago."

"Part of that's the fact that the pickup's malfunctioning.Our comtech should be back any minute with the replacementparts." Niall sighed. "The image straightens out everyfew minutes. From what I can see, they're still clearing snow. Marking out the cordon." He massaged the back of hisneck. "Mine clearance is one of those dichotomous activities.Nerve-wracking to perform, but boring as all hell towatch. Especially when no one seems to be doing anything."

"I heard that." A male voice laced with annoyanceemerged from the array's speaker system. "If you're bothbored in that nice, warm, dry bunker, two hundred metersfrom all the stuff that goes boom, I'd be more than happy totrade places with you."

Niall and Jani looked at one another and smiled. "Hey,Pull," Niall said with a laugh. "How's it going?"

"Saturday night at the Haárin enclave -- what a rip-roaringplace." The irritation in Lieutenant Randal Pullman's voicewas palpable.

Jani glanced back at Tsecha, who had risen and nowwalked across the bunker to join them. He stood taller thanshe by a head -- the top of his headscarf grazed the light fixtureas he passed beneath it, sending it swinging back andforth and casting his thin frame in weird shadows on thewall.

"Rip-roaring, nìa?" Tsecha stood over Jani, arms foldedand hands tucked in his sleeves, his long face skull-like."What is rip-roaring?"

No sound emerged from the speaker for a time. Thencame a throat-clearing cough. "Is that you, ní Tsecha?"

"Yes, Lieutenant Pullman -- glories of the night to you."Tsecha glanced at Jani and bared his teeth, cracked ambereyes bright with humor. "What is rip-roaring?"

"Rip-roaring? It's—it --" A long sigh rattled. "Ah, boy."

"Out with it, Pull." Niall's shoulders shook.

"Rip-roaring means ...exciting, ní Tsecha. Thrilling."

Pullman's voice grew softer with each passing syllable."Electrifying."

"So you find standing in deep snow late at night an excitement?I learn more of you each day, Lieutenant." Tsecha'sair of mischief faded. "What of the mine?"

Pullman's voice emerged more businesslike. "From what I have been able to determine thus far, ní Tsecha, the mine ismost likely a remnant from an old field exercise. The Serviceused to operate training facilities here before the landwas leased to the idomeni."

"What sort of mine -- have you yet determined such?"

"No. Ní Tsecha. That's still under investigation."

---

Excerpted from Contact Imminent by Kristine Smith
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.