Authors: Cheryl Angst

The Firestorm Conspiracy (31 page)

“No,” she cried. “
Bene’s
way too expensive.”

“Nonsense,” he replied. “Besides, you’re going to more than earn the cost of a meal.” He grinned.

“What do you mean?”

“Tonight we celebrate. Tomorrow we put your incredible research skills to work. I’ve been given carte blanche with regards to filling out our crew roster, and I intend to use it.” He smiled down at her. “I expect you to search the UESF database and find the best and brightest candidates for each post.

“Oh, and we have to have everyone in place in less than nine weeks when spacedock is ready to ship the
Firestorm
out again. Plus, as XO you will be in charge of overseeing a large portion of the repairs, crew training and familiarization, and tackling all our resupply issues.”

He’d done it again, made his plans based on predicting her response. Somehow this man seemed to know her better than she thought she knew herself.

“Will there be anything else, sir?”

“I think that will do to start,” John replied dryly as they approached the entrance to
Mangia Bene
. “Think you can handle it?”

She pretended to mull it over. “That depends. Do you think you can put up with my detailed reports?”

John laughed and looked her over appraisingly. The intensity of his gaze made her shiver. Smiling, he said, “I think I can handle
anything
you throw my way.”

* * * *

Mangia Bene
boasted the best food, best wines, and best music on the east coast. Low, yet warm, lighting created the illusion of privacy between the luxurious tables. A band played in the corner, their music loud enough to be enjoyed by the couples moving around the small dance floor, but not so loud as to interfere with the quiet conversations taking place throughout the dining side of the room.

John studied his dinner companion, only half-listening as she outlined her ideas for maximizing her search for suitable crew replacements. He thought it might be the wine, or perhaps the satisfaction of public vindication, but whatever the cause, he smiled and basked in an ocean of contentment.

He gazed into Rebeccah’s beguiling green eyes and wondered if more than just his desire to serve had been rekindled. He sipped his wine, content to let the next weeks, months, and years play out as they would. He planned to enjoy every minute to the fullest.

“Commander,” he grinned, “would you care to dance?”

About Cheryl Angst

http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=authors&authors_id=171

From her earliest stories, penned at age six, Cheryl populated her tales with aliens, monsters, fairies, and all sorts of science and magic. A diehard fan of the complexity of the human condition, she believes the fantastical is the perfect backdrop for showcasing the best and worst of humanity’s foibles. Cheryl believes we are never more human than when we’re placed in foreign situations--and space is about as foreign as we can get these days.

Like her favorite sci-fi television show from the late 80’s and early 90’s,
The Firestorm Conspiracy
is populated with an ensemble cast. Now that the stage has been set, future works will focus on fewer characters at a time but delve more deeply into each character’s psyche.

The Firestorm Conspiracy
only hints at a possible romance between John and Rebeccah, but rest assured, Cheryl is a hopeless romantic and things won’t stay that way for long. The captain and his XO will get their happily ever after--but not before they’ve been through the wringer a few times.

To stay abreast of developments related to future works, be sure to check out Cheryl’s website at www.cherylangst.com.

Cheryl’s Website:

www.cherylangst.com

Reader eMail:

[email protected]

More from Lyrical Press