Emperor's Edge Republic by Lindsay Buroker

Author:Lindsay Buroker [Lindsay Buroker]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-04-18T14:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

The door to the intelligence office was open with the sounds of voices floating out, so Tikaya hesitated by the jamb before entering.

“...million people. Some are in hospitals, injured from the fighting this winter. Others are—”

“They don’t have to be moved overnight. The plant isn’t growing that fast, and there are plenty of army vehicles available for transport. You can figure it out.” That was Dak’s voice. “Here are the routes. Communicate with the enforcers and get their help.”

“The enforcers have been swamped dealing with the plant.”

“Tell them to leave the plant alone. They can’t be any help with it anyway. We have a big team of specialists on it. They’ll take care of it. Now, go. Let’s try to make this as orderly as possible.”

Big team of specialists. Rias and Mahliki? Maybe he was counting Sespian too...

A pair of officers walked out of the room, glancing at Tikaya curiously. She nodded to them and strode in, as if she had been in the middle of doing so all along.

Dozens of desks formed rows in the large room—it had been a gaming hall before being requisitioned for this purpose, and dartboards and tile tables had been stacked against the far wall. Several heads were bent over those desks, scribbling notes and pushing around paperwork, but Tikaya didn’t see Dak. He must be there. She had been listening to him ten seconds ago.

“Help you, my lady?” a lieutenant at the closest desk asked. Most of the men lifted their heads to regard her.

Her determination to simply announce that she would be whisking through the office on a whirlwind, grabbing papers and rummaging through files at her pleasure, faded in the face of all the young soldiers. She anticipated opposition. Best to start at the top and see if she could get permission before seeing how far her husband’s influence would get her in a room of military officers.

“Is Colonel Starcrest still here?” Tikaya asked.

The lieutenant pointed to an open door at the side of the room. “In his office, my lady.”

“Thank you.”

Tikaya peeked through the door before knocking. Lanterns burned in the windowless room, but it still had a dim, drab feel, reminding her more of a cage than an office, even though wooden filing cabinets lined the wall and towering stacks of papers perched precariously at the corners of the large desk in the center. A few safes rested against the far wall, the steel doors all shut. Dak sat in a wooden chair that didn’t look much more comfortable than a stump in the forest. His elbows were propped on the papers carpeting the center of the desk, and his hands cradled his forehead. He was either asleep or wanted to be.

“Come in, Lady Starcrest,” Dak said without lifting his head.

More stacks of papers occupied the floor, and Tikaya had to follow a meandering alley to reach the clearing in front of the desk. She sat on the edge of a seat identical to Dak’s and confirmed its lack of cushioning.

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