Star Wolf (Shattered Galaxy)

by David G. Johnson

  “We drop out of voidspace into what is clearly an ambush setup? Do you blame Molon for going defensive? You were obviously waiting for someone, so if it wasn’t us, who were you expecting?”

  Mark’s face grew cold and Voide began to feel her familiar loathing returning. It gave her a confidence boost, finally being back on familiar, antagonistic turf with Mark. She was determined to continue her counter questions while doing her best to avoid answering his. At least the nagging flutter in her stomach had receded.

  “Who we were expecting,” Mark said, annoyance rising in his tone, “was irrelevant once Star Wolf blasted two escort shuttles into scrap metal. You were hostiles at that point, and enemies of the Provisional Imperium.”

  “Dractauri scat! Those were as much escort shuttles as Lubanians are house pets. I think you meant to say boarding assault shuttles. Or did you forget they were stuffed full of armed and armored marines?”

  “Star Wolf shot first, Yasu.”

  “What did you expect us to do? You blocked us from entering voidspace with VDEs and launched assault shuttles and gunships at us. You can’t honestly maintain we weren’t under attack. You forced Molon’s hand.”

  “It makes no difference,” Mark said, his exasperation clearly rising. “You were behaving like pirates and you attacked Provisional Imperium ships. Starling initiated anti-terrorist protocol at that point.”

  “Anti-terrorist protocol?” Voide jumped to her feet and leaned over the table, pointing an accusing finger as she stared Russel down. “Since when does any lawful protocol include irradiated ammunition? Your troops were the ones using illegal weapons. Who are the real terrorists?”

  “You might want to calm down,” Mark said, furrowing his brow and nodding for Voide to sit back down. “I’m positive Starling is watching us. If he thinks I have lost control of this debriefing, he will send security in here weapons blazing.”

  Voide stood fuming, waiting for an answer, but it was clear Mark wasn’t saying another word until she calmed down. She retook her seat but did not relent with her piercing stare.

  “That’s better,” Mark said, with a smug grin that showed how much he relished being in control of the situation. “And yes, overkill boarding shuttles, irradiated ammunition, neural grenades, narcozine gas during decontamination in the airlocks, etc. That is all part of the new anti-terrorism protocol. A lot has changed since you left GalSec, Yasu.”

  “Apparently so,” Voide was disturbed at the new measures Zarsus had instituted, but wasn’t surprised.

  “Honestly, Simmons and I had a hard time convincing Starling to take you all alive. If he’d had his way, as soon as you destroyed those two shuttles, this cruiser’s guns would have made sure there wasn’t a big enough piece of Star Wolf left to identify with a molecular scanner.”

  Voide knew there was some truth behind this. Military types tended to throw restraint out the window when they lose soldiers. In this, at least, they were lucky Mark was in oversight command of this cruiser.

  “Listen, Mark,” she said, calming her tone and hoping to edge them back toward less antagonistic turf. “We are an independently registered mercenary vessel. Did you even bother to check out our registered transponder ID? We are a neutral ship with clearance to cross Provisional Imperium borders. We have a legal PI trade license. We are not terrorists.”

  “Really?” Mark scoffed. “Just over a week ago the Dawnstar prison colony at Ratuen was attacked and a prisoner extracted from that facility. Ratuen’s long-range monitors reported a Scimitar class frigate leaving the system via a rabbit hole shortly after the attack. A day later Hatacks long-range sensors detected a Scimitar class frigate entering the Hatacks system via a rabbit hole and leaving via the Tede jump point. We received credible intelligence that these raiders might return so we set up to intercept them at the jump point from Tede.”

  Voide’s stomach tightened. This wasn’t coincidence or a blind fishing expedition. The question was, how did they know whoever had taken John would be coming back?

  “You mentioned a report about the perpetrators returning. What was the source of that credible intelligence, Mark?”

  Mark’s smile revealed he was onto her. Mark had received the same GalSec counterintelligence training she had. Her last question was too bold, too direct. She had tipped her hand and the game was up.

  “Nice try. You know I can’t reveal that, so you can stop fishing. But I can tell you what you already know. A few days after we set up to act on this lead, Star Wolf, which happens to be a Scimitar class frigate, pops out of that jump point and starts cut and run maneuvers as soon as it spots Revenge. I want to help you, Yasu, I do, but this doesn’t look good.”

  Voide scrambled to come up with some angle to talk her way out of this. Mark hadn’t said anything about John or Elena Salzmann, so maybe he wasn’t sure who or what he was looking for yet. Perhaps they were just responding to a possible security threat. It would be hard to explain what Star Wolf was doing here without revealing more about John than she intended to.

  “So what now, Mark? You know Molon and I are not terrorists. Read us in on the situation. Whoever you are looking for, maybe we can help you.”

  Mark laughed. It wasn’t a good-natured laugh. He knew more than he was saying. Mark gave the appearance that he was in complete control of the situation.

  “Tede is a Theocracy of the Faithful colony,” Mark expounded. “Enoch and the Theocracy are known to supplement their regular forces with mercenaries. I have techs combing through Star Wolf’s travel logs right now. If you haven’t been to Ratuen recently, you and your crew will be on your way in a few hours with our sincere apologies for the misunderstanding. If you have been, then you are in real trouble, Yasu, and I am not sure even I can help you.”

  “What do you mean?” Voide asked, reflexively. She already knew the answer.

  “I mean that if you are associated with terrorist actions against Dawnstar, a protectorate and ally of the Provisional Imperium, then jurisdiction over Star Wolf and its crew revert to Senior Special Interrogator Simmons.”

  Voide swallowed hard.

  “You outrank Simmons. He is a Senior Special Interrogator, but you are a Deputy Director.”

  “I am Deputy Director of the Information Division. Simmons reports to my peer, the Deputy Director of Interrogation. If you are officially labeled terrorists, I have no authority whatsoever. Terrorism falls under the jurisdiction of the Interrogation Division.”

  Voide knew that spelled trouble. Interrogation was known for being able to break even the most stalwart of enemy agents. That was the core of their existence. Whatever happened, she had to try and keep things in Mark’s hands.

  “Simmons seems like an intelligent and reasonable man. Surely, Mark, you can make him understand we pose no threat to the Provisional Imperium.”

  A genuine look of nervousness filled Mark’s eyes. He could hide behind words, but his eyes could not lie to her. Rank notwithstanding, Mark feared Simmons.

  “Don’t let Simmons’s polite demeanor fool you, Yasu. He is a space-cold killer. He’s the most ruthless interrogator I have ever met.”

  “He’s also an SC augment,” Voide snapped, hoping to throw Mark off his game as she fished for leverage. “Did you know that? What happened to the prohibition against SCs serving in GalSec?”

  “As I said before, a lot has changed. Sub-cutes were banned from service in the Old Empire out of fear of cyberpsychosis. Apparently, being psychotic isn’t a detriment to service in the Interrogation Division.”

  Voide noted Mark’s glib remark belied the anxiety resting just below surface of his voice. She was running out of ideas how to gain Mark’s trust while diverting him from discovering anything further about John’s presence on Star Wolf or Elena’s research.

  “But Mark, we aren’t some unknown gunslingers looking to make a fast buck or dissidents promoting a cause. Molon, and most of the crew, served either with the Scouts or the Imperial Navy, and I was with GalS
ec.”

  “Molon was drummed out of the Scouts under suspicion of collaborating with pirates.”

  Voide slammed her fist on the table and started to stand again before remembering that might draw armed security into the conversation.

  “Molon was exonerated. We worked with your predecessor, Deputy Director Mertz, to bring down Razdi Chadra’s entire pirate network. The charges against him were proven false. Zarsus himself issued Molon’s pardon.”

  “A pardon is a piece of paper,” Russel said, shaking his head. “You and I both know a blot like that never goes away, especially not from the minds and records of the Interrogation Division.”

  Mark lowered his voice and leaned closer to Voide.

  “Yasu, if you have anything to tell me about where Star Wolf has been or what you have been up to the past week, now is the time. If you come clean I may be able to spin it as a misunderstanding and plead for leniency.”

  Voide stared at the unmoving projection of the Hatacks system on the wall panels. She had not wiped the logs. It had not even occurred to her, but it was not really her job. Had Molon ordered any of the other authorized officers to do it?

  Voide mentally kicked herself. She had suspected a trap before they left Tede. To not take care to clean up logs showing their visit to Ratuen was a rookie mistake. She should have taken the initiative. After all, she was in charge of security, which sometimes meant erasing footprints. Voide could only wonder if this would prove a fatal oversight for them all.

  *****

  John watched as the medical team from Revenge, with Simmons in tow, entered the brig. The doctors had anti-radiation medical kits at the ready and headed straight for the cell where most of the wounded, including Bobby Lee and Mel, were. John fought his instinct to demand one of the medical kits.

  “Simmons,” Molon called out.

  “Yes Captain?” the interrogator answered with his usual calm, monotonic voice.

  “With all due respect, PI troops caused this damage. I would feel much better if your medics would leave the med kits and anti-radiation supplies with us and let Star Wolf’s corpsmen care for our people.”

  Molon was trying to get the medical kits into John’s hands while concealing his identity. John appreciated the captain’s concern and steeled himself for whatever answer came. He owed it to Molon and the crew of Star Wolf to do his part not to blow his cover.

  “Revenge has a team of top-notch doctors, Captain,” Simmons answered. “I am sure they will give your crew the best medical care possible.”

  “Maybe, or maybe they finish what those marines with the illegal rad rounds started.”

  A thin smile crossed Simmons’s face.

  “If we wanted you dead, you would be.”

  “Still, I have Lubanians here,” Molon replied. “They don’t take well to being kicked while they are down, and having the enemy patch you up after shooting you up, that’s a hard ball of fur to swallow.”

  Simmons raised an eyebrow. John was sure he suspected something, but Molon’s gamble was worth a shot. If John couldn’t keep his mouth shut and rein in his instinct to help his crewmates, this all might wind up for nothing.

  “Very well, captain,” Simmons replied, his half-smirk showing he suspected more was at play than simply appeasing Lubanian pride. “There is nothing in the medical kits that will assist you in effecting an escape, if that is what you are thinking. But if you insist, we will do as you ask.”

  Simmons gave the order. Revenge’s medical team handed the med kits to Bob and Patch, the two corpsmen in the cell with John. Simmons gave a curt nod in the direction of Molon’s cell, then departed with the cruiser’s medical team in tow.

  As soon as they were out of sight, John grabbed one of the kits and went straight to Mel’s side.

  “You two,” he called to Bob and Patch. “Start level five anti-radiation protocols on Bobby Lee. Check for radiation exposure in any other crewmen who suffered projectile wounds during the boarding action. The boarders in the shuttle bay were using irradiated rounds, but I have no idea what went on at the airlocks.”

  John raised Mel’s head slowly and fed her a dose of potassium iodide. She opened her eyes and flashed him a weak smile. Her powder blue skin had taken on a dark and bruised look. John couldn’t be sure if this was due to the radiation or just some effect of her overall mood.

  “What is this for, John?”

  “It is potassium iodide. It’ll help fill vacancies in your system so whatever radiation is floating around in there will have fewer places to hide. If you can sit up for me, I need to give you a DTPA injection as well. It will bind to the radioactivity in your system and help your body to get rid of it faster. How are you feeling?”

  “Cold,” Mel answered as her lip quivered slightly. “Very cold.”

  “You are going to be fine. I promise.”

  John pulled the Fei comms officer close, using his own body heat to try to warm her although the ambient temperature in Revenge’s brig was quite comfortable.

  He held her hand and felt none of the out-of-control feelings that had previously given him such an aversion to her touch. He wondered if the effect was hampered due to the radiation coursing through her, or if Mel was consciously suppressing it.

  “Thank you, John,” Mel said, giving his hand a gentle squeeze as she slipped into fitful unconsciousness.

  John had no idea what the effects of these radiation rounds might be on non-human sophonts. He wished he had studied the NHS medical library more closely during their travel time. He cared deeply for Mel even though he had only known her a few days. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing her so soon after losing Elena.

  But that was the whole point of all this, wasn’t it? Had he really lost Elena? Was she still alive? Was GalSec’s command of a cruiser waiting for them along the route part of a plot to recapture him? Doubtless they would know soon enough.

  Fourteen – Who Watches the Watchmen?

  Voide stared at Mark, torn between ripping his throat out with her teeth, or continuing to try and manipulate him into releasing Star Wolf before their recent travel to Ratuen was confirmed. Conversation was ahead of violence by a hair, but the gap was quickly closing.

  “Suddenly nothing to say?” Mark Russel chided at Voide’s extended pause. “No biting quips, no witty banter? Come on, Yasu, just tell me the truth, I spin it to Simmons, and you and Molon will be spared the worst of it.”

  “The truth about what, Mark? What do you think I am hiding?”

  Russel frowned and shook his head. Reaching into his inside jacket pocket, he pulled out a datapad, scanned it, then locked eyes with Voide once again.

  “Star Wolf was responsible for the breakout at Ratuen. Do you deny it?”

  Voide stared back unblinking and unflustered. Mark was fishing. If he knew as much as he pretended to know, this would not be an interrogation. She would already be in the custody of Senior Special Interrogator Simmons. Time for classic counterintelligence; answer a question with a question.

  “Are you asking a question or making an accusation?”

  “Cut the games, Yasu,” Mark snapped, clearly losing patience with their GalSec-trained verbal sparring. “I know you were at Ratuen. In another hour or so we will have decrypted Star Wolf’s logs, which will confirm it. Witnesses say a Lubanian engineered the prisoner breakout.”

  “So, Molon is Lubanian, thus he’s fit to play your patsy for this? Is this some kind of vendetta against Molon for luring me away from GalSec? Lubanians aren’t exactly a rarity along the spinward border, Mark. They have a vast interstellar confederacy right next door, galactically speaking.”

  “Molon is not just any Lubanian. He is a Lubanian with the skills and experience to pull off this kind of prison break. He also happens to be the only Lubanian in this subsector commanding a Scimitar class frigate.”

  “Circumstantial garbage, Mark. You try and hang a case on that, the Adjudicator General will make sure your next assignment is on some wa
terless pit on the edge of the Hinterlands.”

  “Enough with the indignant denials, Yasu. As soon as we process the logs, you and Molon are nuked, so own up now and save yourself. What were you doing there? Who put you up to it? Was it Enoch? What does the Theocracy want with John Salzmann?”

  There it was! In his enthusiasm to press the question, Mark admitted to what Voide suspected all along. They were after John. On the other hand, maybe Mark dropped this revelation on purpose. While he was no hero, Mark was never careless. To assume this slip was unintentional would be a mistake. Voide knew better.

  Mark was still fishing. He had just swapped bait. He was trying to put Voide off her guard and get her to admit she knew John. Right now Mark was studying every muscle in her face, every blink of her eyes looking for some hint that he had hit a nerve. It was GalSec training at its finest. The game was on, and it was her move.

  “What in the bowels of the universe are you on about, Mark? Molon is the captain of Star Wolf, so if you want to know her destination, ask him. As for what we are we doing here, I imagine he had a line on some work.”

  “You are Star Wolf’s security chief. Do you expect me to believe you don’t know where she was headed?”

  “The captain plays things pretty close to the vest now. That probably has something to do with getting sold out to the pirates he was infiltrating.”

  There had been no proof Mark was the one who had sold them out to Chadra. Still, that was Molon’s working theory, and it was not without merit.

  As Voide sent that stinger in, she looked for any reaction. She spotted a slight twitch in Mark’s face at her insinuation, but he quickly dodged the barb.

  “Seriously?” Mark replied, furrowing his brow as he dropped his datapad unceremoniously onto the table and returned to his earlier line of questioning. “Looking for work here in Dawnstar space? That’s the best you can do?”

  “Yeah, why not?” Voide pressed. By maintaining the offensive, she deferred having to answer his pointed questions. “We are a registered, unaligned merc ship. Hatacks has direct, mapped, voidspace jumps to Tede, Hececcrir, and Corespoun. Corespoun is a PI system with a Class A starport and military supplies. If you are asking me to guess, he was planning a Corespoun resupply run and maybe looking to find us a gig out of Hatacks or Hececcrir. Dawnstar pays pretty well from what I hear.”