The Blackstar Gambit
Page 17
“Tell me some good news please,” he said still facing away from them. He did not dare show them the emotion he was feeling and was certain was displayed for all to see on his face.
Kurt started off his de-brief with Matt and Zara filling in areas they knew of until they were done and the story had been told.
During their recounting of events Sinclair remained staring away from them, his head held erect as he listened intently to every detail.
After a few minutes, when it was done his shoulders sagged and his head drooped slightly as he said, “Finally some good news,” in a voice that was barely above a whisper.
Slowly he turned to look at them, his face ashen, tortured by the grief of losing so many lives whilst on his watch.
“President Takagi has relocated Confederation Headquarters to Geneva,” he said. “That’s where the central government will be located from now on. He wants to see me before he leaves. He arrives in,” he looked at the wall-mounted chronometer, “ten minutes. I have no doubt he’ll ask for my resignation and I can’t blame him. All those lives lost are my fault,” he said and he reached out to steady himself on the large table. The past few days had taken a far worse toll on him than any of them had ever thought possible. Here was a man who to all intents and purposes they thought was built of stone. They had never seen him falter, thought at times he was devoid of anything resembling emotion. Now to see him like this, as close to a broken man he could ever be was shattering.
“Sir, it wasn’t your fault. Visjic caused all those deaths in an attempt to disrupt the running of the Confederation. He almost succeeded too, but for that crime he’s paid the ultimate price,” Kurt said stepping forward to console his chief.
“You’re right Kurt, but at the end of the day, I’m responsible because I couldn’t stop him. I’m responsible because I was in charge. For that I will have to be held accountable. Justice has to be done but it also has to be seen to be done.”
“What will you do, sir?” Matt asked concern etched across his brow.
“I have...” The rest of the sentence trailed off as the door opened and President Takagi strode into the room flanked by a security detail. They took their place by the door as Takagi strode towards Sinclair.
Sinclair stood up straightening himself to meet the most powerful man in the Confederation.
“General Sinclair, I’m so glad to see you, but I must admit you do not look well my friend,” Takagi said as he went to shake Sinclair’s hand.
“Recent events have taken their toll on me Mister President,” Sinclair replied.
Takagi looked at the three others in the room and said, “You three had better stay, what I have to say concerns all of you too.”
Kurt, Zara and Matt exchanged worried glances which Takagi noticed.
“Oh don’t worry, this isn’t what you think,” he said. As he turned to Sinclair, the general started to speak.
“Mister President, I would like to tender my resignation, effective immediately.”
“Accepted.”
Sinclair and the three others were slightly shocked, firstly at the abruptness of Sinclair’s action and secondly how fast the President accepted it. It was almost like he expected it.
“Right, now that we have that out of the way, we can move on to more important business,” Takagi said with a wry smile.
“I don’t understand, I thought you might at least have given me a speech about the recent events, about my good work over the last twenty-odd years,” Sinclair said stepping back, his hands on his hips as he stared at the shorter man.
“Look, your career has been exemplary and it’s a matter of record but we both know you couldn’t remain in this post, not after what’s happened. Someone had to be held accountable and that someone was you. We can labour the point if you want but the outcome will be the same and we all know it. Now let’s move on because I want to offer you a new post.”
Sinclair shook his head in disbelief, “Excuse me?” he said as if he hadn’t heard.
“I want you to head up a new unit, officially it will be a new unit in Col Sec, unfortunately because of recent events there are several people clamouring for your head so I’m afraid you can no longer have any dealings with your old unit or matters concerning security. In that regard I must remove you from that environment, but what I have in mind will be something you can readily apply your many talents to. I’m afraid though that your existing personnel must all remain at their present posts.”
Sinclair stared at him. He turned away then looked back at the smiling President.
“This has nothing to do with security though, sir?” he asked sensing something else, something deeper.
Takagi shook his head slowly, the smile firmly in place still.
“What do you have in mind, sir?” Sinclair asked now intrigued, more of the old Sinclair showing through as he leaned forward to listen.
“I am reinstating the OSI, the Office for Scientific Investigation. There are things that you in your capacity as head of Col Sec have unearthed that need investigating. Now seems the right time.”
Sinclair stood up straight a smile threatening to lighten up his face.
“Who will take over as head of Col Sec?” he asked.
“Colonel Gemmell, he is your second in command, is he not and the most qualified to take over the reins.”
“Extremely good choice, sir.”
Sinclair looked from Takagi to Kurt and Zara.
“They are good people too, I’ve seen them in action. I believe Captain Stryder here was one of those who rescued the Defence Council and myself recently in Washington. Matt must also stay with the Initiative. No, I’m afraid they remain behind; we don’t want their careers marred by this unfortunate incident. I’m sure you’ll have others suitable already in place in the OSI.”
Sinclair smiled, “I’m sure I will, sir,” he said.
Epilogue
Kasim came awake with a start.
He looked around him suddenly alert to any danger that could be lurking nearby.
A quick check of his surroundings revealed he was still in the pilot’s seat of the shuttle.
He checked the instruments to learn of his location and was surprised to find they were hundreds of light years away from Osiris floating, dead in space.
The explosion must have impacted on the hyperspace window they were attempting to enter and they were thrown off course.
A quick reading of the sensor logs told him his shuttle was the only craft in this region of space, wherever this was.
The good thing was he had survived along with the crew of the shuttle, he could hear the rest of them stirring behind him. What he had to do now was locate where he was and find the rest of his Clan.
If he had survived then there was a very good chance others had survived too. He would find them, no matter how long it took. Even if it took him the rest of his life he would find his Clan and then the Confederation would suffer.
They would bring death and destruction to the Confederation like they had never seen and when he had them at his feet, weak and defeated, he would exact his revenge on those who had killed his son, Zara Hardy and Kurt Stryder.
Fin.
Kurt and the rest of Col Sec will return soon.
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About the Author
I was born in Staffordshire to a typical working class family.
At school I discovered the joys of reading. I would read almost anything I could get my hands on. My mother took me to join the local library as soon as I could read and from that day on, if it had words on it, I’d read it.
Along with sci fi I’ve always been a fan of action movies and because there were no books that I could find that co
mbined the two, I decided to write the book I wanted to read. After several abortive attempts, around a decade or more ago, the Col Sec series was born. It’s a thrilling action adventure series set in the twenty fifth century that features the exploits of the men and women who look after the security of the Colonial Confederation.
The series began with Ronin and to date is eight books strong with the latest book, War Dogs was released in December 2017.
At the moment I’m working on the next book in the series.