“Don't get any ideas,” Dubois said, moving to the middle of the room. “There are guards in the corridor, and guards at the hangar deck, and any attempt to leave the restricted area will be met with deadly force.” Turning to Morgan, he added, “If I didn't need your particular skills, I'd be very tempted to take Larson's advice. For the present, I think it is for the best if you don't eat with everyone else. Come with me.”
She nodded, retrieving her tray from the table and following him down the corridor, around two turnings to a door with a guard standing outside, rifle at the ready, who looked at her with surprise as Dubois ushered her in.
“We're not to be disturbed, Corporal,” he said. “Not by anyone. Is that understood?”
“Perfectly, sir,” the guard replied with a lascivious smile. Shaking his head, Dubois sealed the door, sitting at his desk, where a half-eaten tray of food waited for him. He gestured for her to sit opposite him.
“That was a damn stupid stunt,” Dubois said, shaking his head with a mouthful of lettuce. “If someone else had beat me to the mess, you'd have been lucky to escape with your life.”
“How did someone like that make it to Chief?” she asked.
He shrugged, and said, “He's been with Knight since she made Captain. That probably has something to do with it. She did a lot of work for Counter-Intelligence, and that breeds a certain sort of crewman, in my experience.” He gestured with his fork, and said, “I presume you're getting a taste of that yourself at the moment.”
“No one on Churchill would act as like that, and if they did, Captain Conway would throw them off his ship. So would Captain Mallory, for that matter.”
“Every military organization has its malcontents, its rejects,” Dubois replied. “Usually they hide their worst tendencies. Working under these conditions has, I fear, made them start to think that they have no restraints any more. I can hardly order Larson arrested. I'm afraid what he said about the rest of the men is far too accurate.” Pointing at her food, he said, “Eat, for God's sake. You've got to keep your strength up.”
“What was all that about an ultimatum?”
“I offered Churchill a chance to withdraw from the field, and potentially get you and the rest of the prisoners off this rock in safety. Unfortunately Captain Mallory decided not to take me up on the offer. I gave her twelve hours to think about it.”
“Or?”
He shrugged, and said, “I left that vague, though I think Larson has some ideas on that subject. I have no intention of allowing him to execute them.” He paused, and added, “That was possibly an unfortunate word.”
“Possibly,” she replied. “I take it this room is monitored, just like everywhere else?”
“Naturally,” he said. “We don't trust anyone here. I suppose we don't dare. Anyone could be a double agent.” Shaking his head again, he added, “I was sorry about Spaceman Nakadai. There wasn't supposed to be any shooting. I'm afraid your assault rather forced the issue.”
“All of your men on the surface paid for it with their lives.”
“Not all,” he replied. “Not by a long shot, I assure you.” Resting his arms on the desk, he said, “I still think I can convince you that you're on the wrong side. There was a time when I would have thought as you did, that no possible ends could justify the means we are using, but at stake is the very survival of the Confederation, perhaps of the human race itself.”
“Words,” she said. “Just words. People have died.”
Nodding, he said, “And I venture they will continue to do so, but I'm talking about a threat that puts everything we have worked and fought for at stake.” He paused, narrowed his eyes, and said, “You really don't know, do you? You've started this quest of yours with no idea what you are actually looking for.”
“I know exactly what I am looking for,” Morgan replied. “Justice. Justice for my comrades, massacred by Knight and her minions on this mad crusade of yours. For more than half the crew of Abydos Base, killed for the same reason.” Gesturing around the office, she added, “Not to mention those who have died here. If there is some great, all-powerful secret, you've demonstrated that you could never be trusted with it.”
“Nevertheless, at least you need to know that there is a reason that we are here.” Glancing at the door, he added, “And that I'm the best friend you've got. They still obey my orders, at least after a fashion, though if you try anything like that again I can't guarantee how long that will last. Larson would shoot you in cold blood if he got half a chance. I think it might be better if you take your meals down in the city with Petrov for the present.” He paused, and asked, “How are you getting on down there?”
“We don't have the equipment, we don't have the resources, and we don't know what we're looking for. Based on all of that, you can't realistically expect rapid progress.”
“Come on, Ensign, you know full well what you are looking for. A starfield that shows the location of the Stygian homeworld, or at least a portion large enough that we can use to narrow down our search patten. I know you won't admit it if you do find it, but I assure you that even down there, your every move is being monitored. All of the data you collect is sent right here to my office, and while I'm not much of an archaeologist, I know enough to recognize a starfield when I see it.”
“Then I'm not sure why you need me in the first place.”
“Because Petrov is an unqualified idiot who writes conspiracy theories for a fast credit, and while he was enough when he was all I had, now that I actually have a trained professional on hand, I'm going to make full use of her.” Shaking his head, he added, “Once again, I've got to warn you that I don't know how long I can hold back the rest of the crew.”
“Is that a threat, Lieutenant?”
“You can consider it more of a warning than a threat.” Rubbing his head, he said, “I'll confess now that they never covered any of this at the Academy. When Admiral Knight first approached me, I almost turned her down. There are times I wish I had, even if that meant being stuck on some outpost in the middle of nowhere.”
“Then you are here for your own benefit,” she replied, shaking her head.
“No, I'm here to serve the Confederation as best I can, even under these impossible circumstances. Don't get the idea that I'm enjoying this, that I like holding a planet hostage, giving orders to attack ships crewed by people wearing the same uniform as I do.”
“You made a choice,” she said. “You could have said no, and you could have reported everything that she was planning. Instead...”
“That was never an option, and you know it,” he replied. Before she could say anything, a siren echoed in the corridor, followed by the unmistakable sound of a gunshot. Dubois was instantly to his feet, racing for the door, Morgan a heartbeat behind him, sprinting for the mess just in time to watch Klein shoot Long in the chest, blood spilling down his front, while Larson looked on, his arms folded.
“He tried to escape,” Larson said, shaking his head. “Maybe now they'll have other thoughts than getting away.” Turning to Klein, he added, “Throw his corpse out of an airlock. And make sure everyone gets a good look at what happens to him on the monitor. Maybe we can salvage something out of this yet.”
“No,” Medina said, racing towards him. “He's not dead yet. We've got all the equipment we need. I might be able to save him.”
“Don't waste your time, Doctor, and don't spare him any tears.”
Stepping forward, his hand on his pistol, Dubois said, “Klein, take Long to the medical bay. Doctor, do what you can for him.”
Shaking his head, Larson said, “No. He tried to escape and he got what he deserved.”
“Klein, I am the commanding officer of this base,” Dubois added, “and you will obey my orders or suffer the consequences.”
“And what consequences are those?” Larson replied. “There's no Station Security out her
e to put us under arrest, no court-martial board to sentence us to imprisonment. We've already killed enough people out here, Lieutenant, so what's the harm in adding another to the list?”
“Please,” Medina said, crouched over Long. “Every moment counts. Why not let me save him?”
“I will tell you this one more time,” Dubois said, “and I remind you that I speak with the authority of Counter-Admiral Knight herself. Klein, you will take Long to the medical bay, and you will assist Doctor Medina as she attempts to save his life. I accept that you did what you had to do, but no one here needs to die today.”
Larson shook his head, looked at Morgan, and said, “She wouldn't give a damn about a worthless piece of filth like him, and you know it.” He smiled, and said, “Go back to your office, Lieutenant, and we'll...”
Dubois drew his pistol with astounding speed, the bullet slamming into Klein, sending the guard toppling onto his victim. Larson, his eyes aflame, replied in kind, his gun barking three shots, two of them skimming past Morgan as she turned to run down the corridor, Dubois returning fire with the remainder of his clip as he raced after her, charging for the only place of safety she could think of, the alien city.
More shots rang out from the rear, cries of pain that tugged at Morgan, memories of the massacre at Karnak Station still fresh in her mind, but without a weapon there was nothing she could do for them, not yet. Behind them, Larson and another man chased them, guns flashing as they fired on the run, laughter on their lips as they hunted them through the corridors.
There was still a guard standing over the shaft, but Morgan dived into him, sending him sprawling away before he could react, and she dove down the hole towards the safety of the darkness below. Dubois turned to fire his last shot, only to be caught by a wild shot from Larson, catching him in the chest and sending him toppling down.
The two guards, up above, pointed their weapons into the shaft and emptied the remainder of their clips into the descending bodies. Morgan screamed, trying to make it sound as real as she could, as the bullets either harmlessly bounced off the sides of the shaft or thudded into the body of Dubois, the renegade officer giving his life to save them.
At the bottom of the shaft, Petrov looked up, his face pale in the darkness, enough presence of mind left to pull out a medical kit, but as the two of them collapsed onto the ground, it was obvious that it was too late for Dubois. Morgan looked down at him, shaking her head, and looked up at the shaft to watch for pursuit.
“Tried,” Dubois whispered. “Tried my best. Was working for,” he coughed, blood splattering from his mouth, “Koslov. Double-agent. Couldn't warn you.” He looked up into her eyes, and said, “Transuranic.”
“What?”
“Transuranic,” he repeated, a smile crossing his face. “Tell them I did my best. Tell them...” His voice trailed away as the light in his eyes faded, his head rolling to the side.
“My God,” Petrov said. “What are we going to do?”
“Run for it,” she replied. “Into the shadows, as fast as we can. There are tunnels here we can get lost in, at least until Churchill sends a rescue party.” Rising to stand over Dubois' corpse, she shook her head, and said, “He gave his life for us. We're not going to waste that sacrifice. Grab any rations you've got, and come with me.”
“You don't know where you're going,” he said.
“That's fine. If I don't, nor will Larson.”
Chapter 13
“I demand that the two prisoners, as well as all the information you have collected, are immediately turned over to the appropriate authorities at once!” Moran yelled, waving her finger at Conway. “You are interfering with the internal civilian administration of a colonial government, in direct violation...”
“Fine,” he replied, glancing with an amused smile at Angel, standing next to him.
“Excuse me?”
“Fine. You want the prisoners, you can have them.”
“Well, that's...”
“Of course, you'll have to come up and get them, and given that you no longer seem to want the assistance of the Triplanetary Fleet, I'll make my own arrangements to retrieve my captured crewman, and leave the system forthwith. I'd imagine that the pirates would happily trade her for my immediate withdrawal from the system.”
“You have a duty...”
Shaking his head, he interrupted her, saying, “No, Madam Mayor, it doesn't work that way. You aren't in my chain of command. You don't get to tell me what to do. You can request my assistance, and you can withdraw that request, and those are your only two options. If you wish me to leave, then we will gladly do so, and you can handle this situation yourself.” Turning to the door, he added, “Given how well you were doing before we arrived, I imagine you are confident in your ability to defeat the pirates by yourself. Good day.”
“Wait a minute,” she replied. “You can't just walk out on us like that.”
“I thought that's what you wanted me to do? Technically, as I made clear to Sheriff McCormack,” he nodded at the red-faced man standing behind the Mayor, “I am well within my rights to declare martial law. I have refrained from doing that because I am short-handed for officers, but if that's what it takes to clear this mess up, I will.”
She smiled, and said, “You wouldn't dare.”
“Try me.”
“Fine.” Turning to McCormack, she added, “I happen to know that Captain Conway is wanted on charges of murder, piracy and treason, and I think that the time has come to place him under arrest. Take him.”
McCormack looked at her, shook his head, and said, “Don't be crazy.”
“You are in my chain of command, Sheriff, and you may consider that an order.”
“I wouldn't,” Angel said, reaching down for her pistol, ostentatiously at her belt. She was still wounded from the previous battle, her arm in a sling, but she'd insisted on acting as Conway's bodyguard, making it clear that refusal wasn't an option.
Shaking his head, McCormack said, “I think I'd beat you to the draw.”
“Want to find out?”
“Not particularly.” Turning to Moran, he said, “These people saved the life of my daughter, Madam Mayor, and you can damn well find someone else to arrest this man, because I won't do it. Nor will anyone else on my staff.”
“Sheriff, you're fired.”
“Wrong again,” he replied. “You can't do that without a majority vote from the Board of Directors, and I don't see any of them here. Naturally, you are well within your rights to demand a board meeting, but until that time, I'm still in charge of law and order around here.”
“I will have your job,” Moran said, her face flush with rage. “I will have your pension, and I will make sure you are charged as an accomplice to Captain Conway's crimes.” Her face growing smug, she added, “You can...”
“No,” he said. “Now if you don't mind, I actually have a job to do. Turns out that arresting one of the few people around here the majority of the population trusts causes problems. Who would have thought.” Nodding at Conway, he added, “Call me if you need me, Captain.”
“Thank you, Sheriff,” he replied, as McCormack left the room.
“That man has thrown away an excellent job for you, Captain, and will likely spend several years in prison. I hope that you think it was worth it. Or are you planning to take him with you when you leave?”
“If there isn't any other choice. I'm actually familiar with the concept of loyalty.” Taking a deep breath, he asked, “What is it that you want, Madam Mayor? Handing over the prisoners won't change a thing.”
Looking around her office, she replied, “We need this situation to end, Captain, and as soon as possible. It goes well beyond simple piracy now. The stability of this colony is under threat, as is the future of the operating company. I'm responsible for both of them, and you're putting them at risk.” Shaking her head, she ask
ed, “Tell me. Have you gained any useful information from them?”
“Not as yet,” he replied. “They're still helping us with our inquiries.”
In a sense, that was perfectly true. At this moment, Zharkova was busily interrogating the operational computer of the abandoned freighter, attempting to convince it to operate the cargo airlocks on demand. He didn't imagine that the news that she'd been given a temporary commission in the Fleet would go down well, though.
“Then you merely prove my argument. We've got better facilities down here.”
Frowning, he replied, “And why is that? I was under the impression that the crime rate was extremely low. Certainly the statistics you've submitted suggest that.”
“That's true for the moment, but we are increasingly concerned about the possibility of corporate espionage, and I am already working on the establishment of a counter-intelligence service.”
“And meanwhile,” Angel said, “the only hospital on the planet is always full beyond capacity. Do you think you have your priorities right?”
“I don't have to take this from you,” she replied. “Either of you.” Shaking her head, she added, “I know that appealing to your superiors, whoever they are, is unlikely to do any good, so I will make it clear right now that you will receive no further cooperation from my administration in the resolution of this affair, and if we can find a way of resolving the crisis without you, we will, regardless of the effect on your mission. This meeting is over.”
“Not before time,” Angel muttered as they walked out of her office, shaking her head. Conway kept the smile on his face until they reached the street, before bursting out in laughter, Angel's expression darkening by the second.
“What's so damned funny?” she asked.
“All of this, everything that's going on down here and up in orbit, and she still thinks that it's the right time to play some sort of stupid political game, and she thinks that she's going to debate her way out of the mess she's got her planet into.” He glanced across at Angel, and added, “Are you ready to finish what you started last time?”
Interceptor (Strike Commander Book 2) Page 12