Kris Longknife Stalwart Read online

  Kris Longknife Stalwart

  Kris Longknife, Volume 19

  Mike Shepherd

  Published by Mike Shepherd, 2019.

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  KRIS LONGKNIFE STALWART

  First edition. December 5, 2019.

  Copyright © 2019 Mike Shepherd.

  ISBN: 978-1642110333

  Written by Mike Shepherd.

  Kris Longknife: Stalwart

  Mike Shepherd

  Copyright Information

  Published by KL & MM Books

  December 2019

  Copyright © 2019 by Mike Moscoe

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

  This book is a work of fiction set 400 years in humanity’s future. Any similarity between present people, places or events would be spectacularly unlikely and is purely coincidental.

  This book is written and published by the author. Please don’t pirate it. I’m self-employed. The money I earn from the sales of these books allows me to produce more stories to entertain you. I’d hate to have to get a day job again. If this book comes into your hands free, please consider going to your favorite e-book provider and investing in a copy so I can continue to earn a living at this wonderful art.

  I would like to thank my wonderful cover artist, Lee Moyer. His skill created our cover illustration and design. I also am grateful for the editing skills of Lisa Müller, Edee Lemonier, David Vernon Houston, and as ever, my wife Ellen Moscoe.

  Rev 1.0

  Cover Illustration and Design © Lee Moyer

  Ebook ISBN-13: 978-1-64211-0333

  Print ISBN-13: 978-1-64211-0340

  Praise for the Kris Longknife Novels

  “A whopping good read . . . Fast-paced, exciting, nicely detailed, with some innovative touches.” - Elisabeth Moon, Nebula Award-winning author of Crown Renewal

  * * *

  “Shepherd delivers no shortage of military action, in space and on the ground. It’s cinematic, dramatic, and dynamic . . . [He also] demonstrates a knack for characterization, balancing serious moments with dry humor . . . A thoroughly enjoyable adventure featuring one of science fiction’s most interesting recurring heroines.” - Tor.com

  * * *

  “A tightly written, action-packed adventure from start to finish . . . Heart-thumping action will keep the reader engrossed and emotionally involved. It will be hard waiting for the next in the series.” - Fresh Fiction

  * * *

  “[Daring] will elate fans of the series . . . The story line is faster than the speed of light.” - Alternative Worlds

  * * *

  “[Kris Longknife] will remind readers of David Weber’s Honor Harrington with her strength and intelligence. Mike Shepherd provides an exciting military science fiction thriller.” -Genre Go Round Reviews

  * * *

  “‘I’m a woman of very few words, but lots of action’: so said Mae West, but it might just as well have been Lieutenant Kris Longknife, princess of the one hundred worlds of Wardhaven. Kris can kick, shoot, and punch her way out of any dangerous situation, and she can do it while wearing stilettos and a tight cocktail dress. She’s all business, with a Hell’s Angel handshake and a ‘get out of my face’ attitude. But her hair always looks good . . . Kris Longknife is funny and she entertains us.” - SciFi Weekly

  * * *

  “[A] fast-paced, exciting military SF series . . . Mike Shepherd has a great ear for dialogue and talent for injecting dry humor into things at just the right moment . . . The characters are engaging, and the plot is full of twists and peppered liberally with sharply described action. I always look forward to installments in the Kris Longknife series because I know I’m guaranteed a good time with plenty of adventure.” -SF Site

  * * *

  In the New York Times bestselling Kris Longknife novels, “Fans of the Honor Harrington escapades will welcome the adventures of another strong female in outer space starring in a thrill-a-page military space opera.” - Alternative Worlds

  * * *

  “Military SF fans are bound to get a kick out of the series as a whole.” - SF Site

  Contents

  Author’s Special Note to Reader

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

  Chapter 70

  Chapter 71

  Chapter 72

  Chapter 73

  Chapter 74

  Chapter 75

  Chapter 76

  Chapter 77

  Chapter 78

  Chapter 79

  Chapter 80

  Chapter 81

  Chapter 82

  About the Author

  2019 Releases

  More Books by Mike Shepherd

  Author’s Special Note to Reader

  Acknowledgement

  I'd like to thank you for waiting patiently for this book. It took off with a mind of it’s own and is chock full of action and adventure.

  I know we missed our usual November 1 deadline, but it couldn’t be helped. As you know, I’ve been searching for illustrators and finally found one! Lee Moyer is a local, Pacific Northwest artist with has many skills, the least of which is creating and designing book covers. I am so grateful for his skills and attention to detail and of making my dream of Kris in a kimono come true.

  I'd like to thank my senior editor, Lisa Müller, for all the work of getting this manuscript into the pleasant format you're reading. Edee Lemonier, David Vernon Houston, and Gwen Moscoe deserve credit for spotting my usual swarm of nits. We do try.

  Next year, 2020 will be an adventure! I’m anticipating another Kris novel, a Vicky novel, and perhaps a book involving Sandy Santiago or Grandma Rita, and or interim
novella or two. For updates, do follow my Facebook page, Mike Shepherd.

  Enjoy the read and thank you for all your kind words of encouragement!

  Happy Holidays,

  Mike

  1

  Grand Admiral Kris Longknife, first Human ambassador to the Imperial Iteeche Court stood on the observation deck of her new embassy in the Imperial Capital. A soft breeze blew through her hair. The air at this height was cool and crisp and clear of the pollution at street level. The view was incredible.

  "Nelly, Abby, you have really outdone yourselves this time."

  "I'm so glad you like it," Abby drawled, drolly. "I half-expected you to want us to do it over again."

  Abby might no longer be Kris's maid, but she hadn't lost any of the attitude she reserved for her employer.

  "What changes might you want?" the Magnificent Nelly asked from around Kris's neck. "I can have it done in five minutes. Less if I don't have to involve too many humans."

  Kris's personal computer, her sidekick from her first day at school, had often been upgraded. The last upgrade involved adding a chip from a planet that aliens had turned into one super, computer-based, adult learning center. After that, Nelly became even more sentient, and had started telling atrocious jokes and giving Kris a lot of backtalk.

  There was, however, no device in the entire galaxy to rival the lively and magnificent Nelly.

  "I think I'll just enjoy what you've done for a while," Kris said, cautiously. Sometimes she had to be very careful what she asked Nelly for. She might deliver it.

  "It's beautiful up here," Jack Montoya, Kris's husband, and father of her two children said into her ear. He stood behind her, holding her tight in a hug. "You have truly made a silk purse out of a sow's ear again."

  They stood 800 meters high above the endless city. The Imperial Palace grounds was a splotch of green in one direction. The rest of the capital sprawled out before them, stretching away to the horizon in all directions.

  That Nelly and Abby had been able to design and build this massive new embassy in less than a month was a testimony to Nelly's capability, Abby's street smarts, and the wondrous phenomenon of Smart Metal™. A month ago, the structure that was now the embassy had been part of six battlecruisers, starships capable of crossing the galaxy and fighting their way out of just about any tough spot Kris might get them into.

  Now they were all part of a vast building standing on an 800 meter-square block in the closest ring of avenues circling the Imperial Palace.

  Until a month ago, the previous owners of this large swatch of valuable real estate had been one of the five most ancient and largest clans ruling the Iteeche Empire. These same clans pulled the strings on the "all powerful" puppet of an Emperor. The Domm Clan made the mistake of starting a rebellion, grasping for more control over those strings.

  Then they made an even worse mistake. The Domm Clan tried to bury Grand Admiral, Her Royal Highness Princess Kris Longknife under six fifteen-story apartment complexes.

  That had been a bad mistake.

  By the time the sun rose the next day, that clan's palace was a smoking hole in the ground, in bad need of redevelopment. Kris had persuaded the young Emperor to grant her that hole in the ground, and now the wreckage of the Domm Clan Palace was 500 kilometers to the west awaiting the return of how ever many members of the clan survived this civil war.

  They were no longer one of the five most powerful clans and not likely to be so ever again.

  There was a lesson in that: Don't mess with Kris Longknife.

  Kris hoped she didn't have to teach too many more Iteeche that lesson, but some of the four-eyed, four-armed, four-legged aliens could be very poor students.

  The civil war was still raging out among the nearly 3,000 planets of the Iteeche Empire. Pretty soon, Kris would have to get back to that. However, for now, she could enjoy Jack's arms around her and the view from her Embassy.

  "Kris," Nelly announced, "General Konga of the Imperial Guard would like to talk with you."

  "General," Kris immediately said, "What can I do for you?"

  "I would very much like to meet with you. Are you busy?"

  "At the moment, I'm relaxing on the observation deck of the Embassy. Is this business or pleasure, General?"

  "More likely pleasure than business, but do the likes of you and I ever get to do just one or the other of those?"

  "I can't remember the last time I did," she said, squeezing Jack's hand to let him know she did, indeed, remember when it had been just pleasure for them.

  "May I join you? I imagine that you must have quite a view from up there."

  "Most assuredly. I will meet you at the elevator below."

  "You don't need to bother yourself. I imagine someone can guide me up."

  "Oh, you will definitely need an officer guide to get you up here, even as far as the elevator. However, the exit terminates into our battle station. I'd very much enjoy showing you just how we defend this embassy. Now, with your Imperial Guard quarters located so close to us, you will come under our umbrella if someone is so foolish as to make another attempt that involves slinging rockets at us."

  "I would very much like to see what you call your battle station. I have had several enlightening conversations with the admiral responsible for defense of the airspace above the Imperial capital. He was quite impressed with the defense of your previous embassy. That only involved two starships worth of your magic metal. I can only imagine what you must be capable of now that you have added six more."

  "Yes, and these came equipped with 24-inch lasers," Kris added, diffidently. Still, she doubted her light comment was lost on the general.

  "Yes. I would like to know which direction those lasers are pointed."

  "I can understand your interest, General. I will meet you at the elevator in my battle station."

  With that, Kris cut the connection. "Well folks, fun's over."

  "Back to work for us galley slaves," Abby said.

  "Nope. I'd very much like you to be at my elbow when we talk to the general. Nelly, I don't usually ask you to do this, but could you use Smart Metal to weave all three of us a set of full-dress uniforms with all the gee gaws?"

  Without even replying, Smart Metal flowed up from the deck to clothe Jack in the dress red and blues of a full general of the Royal US Marines. Abby's uniform was the dress whites of an Army brigadier with a full chest of medals. Kris's uniform was also dress whites with a ton of fruit salad that she had somehow managed to survive earning.

  Kris didn't often come a Grand Admiral with intent, but this seemed like a good day to do it.

  Nelly even put a Grand Admiral's baton in Kris's hand.

  "My, aren't you being fancy," Kris observed.

  "You're the one that asked for all the gee gaws," Nelly snapped back.

  Prepared to impress, Grand Admiral Kris Longknife went to meet the commander of the Iteeche Imperial Guard.

  2

  Kris led her tiny leadership team downstairs and out of the fresh air, through the heavy armored hatch, and into the secure battle station. The air took on the familiar scent of ozone, light machine oil, sweat, and canned air familiar to all places where people made deadly decisions or waited, expectantly, hoping today would not be that day.

  "Admiral on deck," the Marine colonel commanding the watch announced as Kris entered his domain.

  "As you were, Colonel," Kris said, glancing around the dimly lit room with all its luminous gear. Readouts displayed information across the full spectrum of the rainbow. They told Kris little, except that there was nothing hooting or blinking red. Those attending each set of instruments were highly trained to comprehend and interpret the future that all the colors augured.

  Those standing, who had gone to attention, relaxed. Those seated at their stations may have sat more attentively, but none had stood. They had a job to do.

  "Colonel, General Konga of the Imperial Guard will be arriving shortly. He's just passing through to the ob
servation deck, but he may benefit from a quick orientation on what we do here."

  "How much of an orientation?" the colonel asked.

  "Unclassified only. No Foreign Eyes."

  "Understood, Admiral. All hands, attention to orders. US eyes only, no alien eyes. Gear is to be turned to neutral. Set alarms, but no readouts. Understood?"