A Dark and Dirty War by Eric Thomson

Author:Eric Thomson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: canadian science fiction author, female protagonist, starfleet, space fleet, galactic empire, space pirates, science fiction mercenary
Publisher: Sanddiver Books Inc.
Published: 2021-07-10T00:00:00+00:00

— Twenty-Four —

Captain Roy LeDain was practically falling over himself, thanking Dunmoore for rescuing them. His crew was complete, minus the five last-minute replacements planted aboard Athena by the hijackers, and ready to retake control of their ship.

He provided them with a manifest, and after doing a headcount, the boarding party could identify the thirty-six missing passengers. They subsequently debriefed him and his people for the investigation, a task that took most of the day. Then, Dunmoore turned Athena back to LeDain with the caveat that he obeys navigation instructions from the flag CIC in Salamanca until they arrive at Starbase 30. Otherwise, she would put a prize crew aboard and temporarily press his ship into the Navy as an auxiliary. Or course, LeDain did not know she couldn’t do that in peacetime, but he promised he would faithfully follow her instructions.

Her last task before heading back into Commonwealth space was sending a report via the Colonial Office’s subspace relay network. After preparing a draft for discussion, Dunmoore sat down with Pushkin and Guthren to review it.

“Looks good, Skipper,” Puskin said once he read it.

“Should I or shouldn’t I include my suspicions this Commodore might be Lena Corto?”

“Shame we don’t have her image in the database, but how many retired post captains, the sort separated from the Service after the war as surplus to requirements, fit the description Lauzier gave you? If it is Corto, she prepared her escape the moment Drex arrived at Galadiman’s hyperlimit and raised the alarm, knowing you would heavily outmatch her squadron. What I don’t understand, however, is why not take Athena along? Why simply take her own people off and run?”

Dunmoore nodded. “That question has been bothering me as well, along with the matter of those thirty-six passengers taken away at regular intervals. What did maybe-Corto do with them, and why those when they held someone like Sara Lauzier in their grasp?”

“How about you put those questions in your report, Skipper,” Guthren suggested. “See what the brains at Fleet HQ come up with. There has to be a lot more going on than we can see right now.”

“Good idea. I’ll do so. In the meantime, Gregor, if you could see the task force on its way to the hyperlimit, I’d be grateful.”

“Will do.” He chuckled as he stood. “You know, the more I think about it, the more convinced I am it really is Lena. Who the hell other than a bitter failure like our dear former flag captain would insist on calling herself the Commodore and wear a star on a mercenary’s uniform? I’ve never heard of mercs doing so, especially not when her command is a handful of sloops, something which rates four rings at the most, if not three.”

Guthren nodded. “He’s right, sir. That fits with the Lena Corto we remember so fondly.”

**

“Siobhan found Athena and is on her way back. But thirty-six passengers were taken off by the hijackers and are now listed as missing, as are the five crewmembers who infiltrated the ship on their behalf.

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