Empire & Ecolitan by L. E. Modesitt Jr

Author:L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 2001-09-21T16:00:00+00:00

III

“TRANSMISSION FROM THE observation station off Timor II, sir.”

“Timor II? And…?”

“The remotes indicate that Dauntless two—that’s the D’Armetier…the courier taken from New Kansaw—has locked in there.”

The Admiral straightened in his chair. “How good is the data?”

“Good enough that Special Ops analysis insists it’s a real courier.”

Frowning, the senior officer sat back in the padded chair. “That’s a class four planet, isn’t it?”

“Yes, sir. Marginally habitable.”

“Do Service catalogs show the station as unmanned?”

“Yes, sir. But with limited repair capability.”

“…makes sense…Wright could gut the station with his abilities…refuel and be off…before we get there…”

“Sir…?”

“Send a corvette. Just one.”

“Just one, sir?”

“One way or another, he’ll be gone before the ship gets there, if he was even there to begin with.”

“You think it’s a setup?”

“Given Major Wright? I doubt it. That man works for no one but Major Wright. There’s no sense in taking chances. Warn the corvette crew. It could be an ambush, probably set up inside the station. Have them take their time. I’d like to see if there’s any indication whether anyone else is involved.”

“You really don’t think so, do you?”

“No. But he’s outguessed us all so far.”

“What do you really expect?”

“I don’t know. The time delay bothers me. He’s been somewhere, and that’s the real question. I doubt we’ll find out that.”

“But we have to try?”

The Admiral shrugged. “Have any better ideas?”

“No, sir.”

“Send the corvette.”

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