By Any Other Means (By Any Other Name Book 2) by H. Peter Alesso

Author:H. Peter Alesso [Alesso, H. Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Video Software Lab
Published: 2024-08-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Convergence

The twin suns of the Cygni system cast long shadows across Janus's bustling spaceport. Captain Elias Thorne, his face weathered by weeks of covert operations, stepped off the unmarked shuttle. His eyes, sharp despite exhaustion, scanned the crowd for a familiar face.

I stood waiting in the far corner, partially obscured by a hulking cargo loader, but our eyes met, and a silent understanding passed between us. We fell into step without a word, moving through the crowd of travelers with practiced ease.

"Glad to see you made it back in one piece," I murmured as we entered a small, obscure café. "You had me worried for a while."

Thorne's lips quirked in a humorless smile. "It was touch and go for a bit. The Ross system is a viper's nest, and I nearly got bitten."

We moved to a secure SOS safehouse conference room. I engaged the privacy protocols as we entered, shutting out the outside world.

"What did you find?" I asked, my voice tight with anticipation.

Thorne's face darkened. "It's worse than we thought. Governor Sedrick is deep in the rebels' pockets. He's been funneling classified information, troop movements, even details about Project Titan to the Sons of Freedom."

I exhaled sharply. "Damn it. I suspected as much, but to have confirmation..."

"That's not all," Thorne continued, his voice grim. The rebels have a mole high up in the Imperium's ranks—someone with access to our most sensitive intel."

"I've uncovered something similar here," I replied, leaning forward. "Governor Derrick on Janus is also compromised. He's been diverting resources, setting up secret communications channels. The web of betrayal runs deep."

For a moment, silence reigned as we contemplated the magnitude of our discoveries.

"We need to act fast," I said, breaking the silence. "The rebels are planning something big, and we can't afford to let them get the upper hand."

Thorne leaned forward. "What's your plan?"

"Raja," I replied. "Our intelligence has located the rebel base. Jain Karlsson, the exiled troublemaker, acts as the Cygni leader. He's the one both Sedrick and Derrick have been funneling info though. And there's a meeting scheduled soon—to make a big decision."

Thorne's eyebrows shot up. "That's a hell of an opportunity."

I nodded. "They're gathering to discuss what to do about 3rd Fleet deployment and Project Titan. Our false report has them salivating. They plan to share the intel with their allies...the Krug."

"If the Krug get their hands on our deployment..." Thorne trailed off, the implications hanging heavy in the air.

"Exactly," I agreed. "We can't let that happen. I'm planning to infiltrate the meeting with an SOS team. If we can capture the leader, Karlsson, and any Krug representatives, we might be able to unravel this whole conspiracy."

Thorne studied me for a long moment. "It's a risky play. If you're caught..."

"I know," I said, my jaw set with determination. "But it's a risk we have to take."

Thorne nodded slowly. "Alright. I'll return to Antilles and support you if things go sideways on Raja."

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a encrypted data chip. "This contains everything I uncovered in the Ross system.

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