Orbital by bill zhao copyright 2017 Bill Zhao Table of Contents act one (earth)

The dead soldiers caught his eye however. They bore a different
insignia. The Northern Coalition. The dated federation between the
Russians and the Chinese, shattered and broken after a devastating ice
age. Members either surrendered to the next big superpower or
defected to the Paramilitary force USOC. Maybe they didn’t really
defect after all. Carter’s story actually meant something. And now once
again those bearing the red and white sigils turned on their parent
force. After half a century of blending with the enemy it was surprising
that they kept their ulterior motives. Either way, Derek felt more or
less content with this.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if even the stubbornest of defectors were able
to rise up the ranks of USOC and command even the biggest of ships,
fleets even.
The incoming fleet of Orbi-Sec and Northern Coalition ships closed in
while the Coalition controlled destroyer pulled Lullaby into its jaws.
22
Delivery
Symphony, Solar System
The cables tugged violently at the vessel, into the dimly lit vehicle bay
of the Symphony. The darkness gave way and revealed to the helpless
occupants of the Lullaby a bay of forklifts and warning lights. One by
one, cargo containers revealed themselves and the extent of their new
prison was shown. Catwalks crisscrossed above while even the biggest
floodlights shone naught brighter than a bottled candle in the ocean.
Derek watched the specifics of the bay loom ahead and then the heavily
armed soldiers marching to surround the landing area. The mechanism
from whence the winch came from stood in the distance, pulling them
ever so slightly towards it. And as what little lifting the bay offered
washed over the Lullaby, Derek could make out more and more