Authors: Gun Brooke
“Listen up, people. There's been a new development.” Without giving away too many details about the status of the kidnapping victim, Emeron described their situation. “We are to proceed to the crash site, which means I have to delegate two of you to escort Ms. Izontro out of the forest.”
“Absolutely not.” Dwyn stood up and her eyes flashed angrily. “I've come too far to turn back now. Besides, you can't afford to reduce your unit by two heads, Commander. And I think I've proved myself under fire.”
“You don't understand. This is a top-secret mission. We cannot have civilians present.”
Dwyn stepped closer and Emeron realized she wouldn't give up easily. “Are you sure that two of your people will be enough if we run into one of those hostile bots? We've traveled four days to come this far into the forest, and it'll take us even longer to get back since we can't very well travel along known paths.”
Grudgingly, she had to concede that Dwyn had a point. Still, it worried her that it would be twice as hard to keep Dwyn safe during this new mission. She had no idea how many criminals were aboard the crashed ship or how many of them had survived and were still able to fight. She saw that Dwyn planned to say something more and held up her hand to forestall her. “All right. You're coming with us, but only because you're right. It
is
too dangerous for you to turn back with only two junior officers to protect you. But I want you to stay even closer to me unless I tell you differently. No heroics on your own, all right?”
Dwyn brightened. “Got it. I'll carry out my own assignment as inconspicuously as possible.”
She obviously hadn't grasped the seriousness of the incident. Emeron resigned herself to the fact and turned to Oches instead. “Has the intel downloaded yet?”
“All set, ma'am.” Oches handed over a small handheld device.
Reading through the information, Emeron knew the situation was even worse than she first thought. No matter how she looked at it, the outcome would be disastrous whether the kidnappers managed to break Dahlia Jacelon or not. The list of criminals aboard the downed ship included mercenaries that any thug with money could hire.
The thug in this case apparently was the infamous Ambassador M'Ekar. Everyone within SC space knew who he was. Many people on Corma blamed him for the escalation of the conflict with the Onotharian Empire. Emeron realized there was more behind the impending war with Onotharat, but if Ambassador M'Ekar had been on board the crashed spaceship, she fully intended to apprehend him before he could cause any more trouble. She closed the intelligence document and tucked the device into her own back-strap carrier. She suspected she would receive several more reports soon.
“Listen up.” She waited a few seconds until she had everyone's attention. “We'll head due north, and Ensign Oches and I will take the lead. Mogghy, you bring up the rear.” She nodded at Dwyn. “Stay near, all right?”
“All right.” Dwyn shrugged.
“You have your weapon?” Emeron spoke pointedly. She recognized the stubborn look on Dwyn's face.
As Dwyn hoisted her carrier onto her back, she patted a pocket on the side of her pants. “Yes, I'm all set.”
“Keep a low profile and take your cue from me. From now on, we can expect the bots to attack and will have to engage the enemy when we locate the space vessel.”
Dwyn buckled her carrier and it conformed to her slight frame with a buzz. “I understand.” She produced a long-bladed laser knife and stuck it into her right boot. “I'm ready.”
“I hope so. I can't promise that I'll be able to babysit youâ”
“Don't even try to start that old tune again.” Dwyn stepped up to her. “Remember who rescued whom yesterday.”
She shrugged. “Keep close to me,” she said, pretending she didn't hear Dwyn snarl. She did hear Dwyn sigh as she stepped in behind her and they began to make their way through the undergrowth. Emeron knew this mission would be dangerous, but part of her was excited. After all, law enforcement was her job.
*
The mission room seemed unusually quiet as the four individuals stood at the main screen. Kellen studied the other three. Rae was exasperated, and rightfully so, as she tried to communicate with the infuriating Cormanian official. Ewan Jacelon appeared stricken, and though he could still be forceful, he seemed content to let Rae take the lead. Alex de Vies stood next to Rae and seemed every bit as annoyed with the man on the screen as Rae did.
Kellen clasped her hands behind her back, a familiar gesture that instilled calmness in her when she was furious and craved revenge. This was not the time for that, not yet. Instead, they needed to execute a flawless plan to rescue Dahlia and capture M'Ekar.
“This is absurd.” Rae's voice, a low-register growl, filled the entire mission room, making it clear to Kellen and everyone else present exactly what she meant. “I won't let any puny little bureaucrat keep me from going after M'Ekar.”
“That may be, Admiral Jacelon,” the Cormanian civil servant on the view screen said, his condescending tone obviously infuriating Rae further. “The Cormanian law holds the Thousand Year Pact in high regard, and nothing, I repeat, nothing, can be considered an exception.”
“You fail to understand that this is a matter of Supreme Constellations security,” Ewan Jacelon said, briefly touching his daughter's arm.
“I thought this was a personal request regarding your spouse, Admiral?” The Cormanian official looked disdainful.
“Have you even read the intel we sent with the request for backup?” Rae spat. “For the love of the stars, we're dealing with two of the most wanted people within the SC.”
“As it happens, yes, I have. I forwarded your request to the Cormanian Law-Enforcement Service, and they have a unit present in the forest right now.”
“How large is this unit? How well equipped?” Rae leaned forward, her body language familiar to anyone who had ever seen her consumed with fury.
“I don't have that particular information here, butâ”
“Then I suggest you get it, fast. I also need to be able to communicate with this unit. They have no idea what or who they're up against.”
“Strict regulations also govern communications in the Disi-Disi forest.”
Rae slammed her hand into the computer console. “Damn it, is
anything
not strict or difficult on this planet?”
Kellen hurried to Rae's side and touched her stealthily. They couldn't afford to alienate the irritating man completely. She sought Ewan's gaze and he appeared to understand the wordless communication.
“I'm sure you'll do your best to have us talking with the commander of the unit in the forest within an hour,” he said firmly. “In the meantime, we will use our own intel and equipment to assess the situation further.”
“I'm sure the situation will be resolved to everybody's satisfaction.” The Cormanian looked relieved not to talk directly to Rae anymore.
“I hope so,” Ewan said, his voice an octave deeper. “If not, I'll contact my very good friend, Council Leader Thorosac, and several other high-ranking SC officials. If we're still no closer to a solution, they're not going to like it and they'll give me a mandate to act as I see fit.”
A few shades paler, the Cormanian official nodded briskly. “I'm sure we'll have resolved matters before that point, Admiral.”
“Good. Jacelon out.” Ewan closed the view screen and faced the others. His face didn't betray his emotions, but the lines around his mouth and nose had deepened.
“So they have a team there already, for whatever reason.” Rae spoke slowly. “I want this information instantly. Alex, get in touch with the Cormanian part of our forces. Find out if any of them have responded to this situation yet.” She glanced at her wife. “Kellen, I need our best people on this. Contact Owena Grey and Leanne D'Artansis. If I'm not mistaken, they're planet-side.”
“Right away.” Kellen moved to the closest computer console and began to punch in commands. She knew very well that Owena and Leanne, two of their best friends, were on Corma, Leanne's home planet. She wondered if Rae had forgotten
why
they were on shore leave. After all, they had attended the couple's wedding only three weeks ago.
She thought of Armeo and Ayahliss, now resting comfortably at one of the luxury hotels on the SC base. Available only to SC dignitaries and their families, the hotel boasted a top-level security force. They had arranged for Ayahliss to get acute medical attention at the hotel, since Kellen knew that private commercial stations such as Keliera didn't have the best medical personnel on staff, certainly nobody with specific knowledge of Gantharian physiology.
She was surprised how Rae had taken time to personally ensure Ayahliss was taken care of. She had been prepared for Rae to leave that to her, since she had never quite accepted Kellen's determination to bring Ayahliss with them to Earth. The young woman herself had seemed even more stupefied at Rae's obvious concern. When Rae held Ayahliss's cheek and promised her she would be fine, she had blinked several times, clearly fending off tears.
“How are you doing over there?” Rae asked.
Kellen jerked back to present time and tapped the screen before her with quick fingertips. “I've ordered Lt. Commanders Grey and D'Artansis to check in with headquarters.”
“We better hope they check their messages during their honeymoon.” Rae smiled wryly. “No, I hadn't forgotten, Kellen.”
“I don't think Owena is far from her computer,” Kellen said. “Her sense of duty surpasses most people's.”
“She's even more a stickler for protocol and regulations than I am, isn't she?” Rae patted Kellen's hand. “Let me know as soon as you hear from them.” She glanced at Alex. “Anything from the team in the forest?”
“Not yet, ma'am. I'm waiting for a cadet to find a Captain Zeger for me. I think I scared that poor kid.”
“If that's what it takes.” Rae returned her attention to Kellen. “We need to deploy a small, covert unit to the forest. Start making arrangements and, for now, keep it confidential. The Cormanians could have all sorts of reasons not to want us to enter the forest. The longer they think we're playing by their rules, the better.”
“Understood.” Kellen began her task, but found it unusually hard to focus. Now that she no longer feared for Armeo's immediate safety, she thought about Dahlia. Rae's mother possessed a laser-blade sharp intellect and was as resourceful as her daughter, but she was in the hands of one of the most unscrupulous people Kellen had ever known. Only her old archenemy Trax M'Aldovar outranked M'Ekar as the most hated person in her life.
She drew a deep breath, then slowly exhaled between clenched teeth. If she had one more opportunity to apprehend M'Ekar, she wouldn't fail. He would meet the same destiny as Trax M'Aldovar. Death.
Dwyn walked behind Emeron, grateful that she pressed the low branches aside carefully. They stayed off the trail and she suspected Emeron had a specific goal in mind.
“With the risk of sounding like a child, are we there yet?” She raised her voice.
“What do you mean, there?” Emeron glanced at her.
“Wherever we're going. It's been four days and now you've scanned the area at least ten times in as many minutes. If you scowl anymore at the poor, innocent instrument, it'll self-ignite.”
Emeron smiled and shook her head. “I wasn't aware I was scowling.”
“Perhaps obvious only to me. I don't have anything else to do but keep walking and study what's in sight.” Her cheeks warmed. “Ahem, well. You're the nearest thing. And Lt. Mogghy went to reconnoiter and hasn't returned. Makes me think we're approaching something, or someone.”
“You're right. We're getting close.” Emeron frowned. “And I confess that my scans concerned me. A Disian village is coming up. Actually, it's more than a village. It's their equivalent of a capital. So, large village.”
“And? For stars and skies, you don't think these people are there? Wouldn't they hide in the forest?”
“We'll see.”
“How much farther?” Dwyn hoisted her carrier up and lengthened her stride to be able to walk next to Emeron. “I think I smell smoke.”
Emeron stopped and scanned again. “The village is near.” She waved at Oches, who immediately neared. “We have to be prepared. Who's carrying the med kits?”
“Noor. I'll have her distribute them among us.”
“Good.”
Mogghy joined them. “I managed to get a good view of the village without being spotted, ma'am.” His face looked like it was carved from stone. “It's bad. A whole neighborhood is on fire.”
“Good sense of smell there, Dwyn.” Emeron's face was just as devoid of feelings, but her black eyes reminded Dwyn of half-burned-out ashes.
Noor approached, and Dwyn accepted a set of bandages and a derma fuser. It was larger than the one she was used to and was also a bone knitter. The fact that she was in charge of it made her stomach churn with nervousness. She hoped she hid it well. Tipping her head back, she could see drifts of smoke between the trees.