Iron Hand (Battlegroup Z Book 5) by Daniel Gibbs

Author:Daniel Gibbs [Gibbs, Daniel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-09-13T16:00:00+00:00

“Conn, Communications. Captain Spencer has given the okay to launch the Marines, ma’am.”

Tehrani stretched her neck, glad to hear the report. Much like Justin, she’d spent the morning performing her routine. The Greengold had gone to battle stations over an hour before, and Tehrani worked methodically with Wright to ensure everything was ready. At the last moment, he’d tried to talk her out of the attack or least to inform their superiors, but she overruled him. We cannot allow brazen attacks on the CDF to stand. The pirates must pay the price. She would ask for forgiveness later.

Pausing, Tehrani bowed her head and whispered in Arabic, “Allah, watch over Your warriors. Give them strength and wisdom to carry the day and gain a victory.” She raised her head. “XO, get the Marines moving.”

“Aye, aye, ma’am.”

New clusters of blue icons appeared on the tactical plot—the Greengold’s entire complement of Marine assault shuttles. They turned toward the asteroid and accelerated away from the carrier.

“Conn, Communications. Incoming emergency transmission from the habitat, directed to commander, CDF force.”

“I’d want to talk too.” Tehrani cast a sidelong grin at Wright. “Bluster or surrender?”

Wright snickered. “I know better than to make a wager on the bridge.”

“Good man. Put them on, Lieutenant. My viewer.”

“Aye, aye, ma’am.”

A nondescript human male appeared on the monitor above Tehrani’s head. He wore a black jacket with a logo that she couldn’t make out. His face had a gaunt appearance coupled with dark circles under his eyes. He appeared to be in a small office, behind an ornate wooden desk. “This is Stephen Fairchild, the administrator of this station. I demand to know the meaning of this unprovoked aggression!”

So we’re going with bluster. “Administrator Fairchild,” Tehrani began, deliberately using his title in an attempt to placate the man. “I am Colonel Banu Tehrani, commanding the CSV Zvika Greengold. We’re here to arrest or neutralize pirates associated with Richard Logan.” Grant had given her the target's name earlier after repeated demands.

Fairchild’s jaw dropped. “There is no one by that name here, Colonel. So you must’ve gotten incorrect information.”

“Not very convincing,” Wright whispered.

“I highly doubt that. We’ll be coming aboard to determine Mr. Logan’s whereabouts ourselves.”

“We can’t permit that.” Fairchild gulped. “This is a neutral outpost, not within the confines of the Terran Coalition. You have no authority here, Colonel.”

Tehrani narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth. “I have two destroyers, two frigates, and a stealth raider with enough firepower on them to reduce your asteroid to its constituent atoms, not to mention thirty-six combat spacecraft and two hundred power-armored Marines headed toward your primary hangar, Mr. Fairchild. That is all the authority I need. Stand aside or be swept aside. I don’t care which.”

All color drained from the administrator's face as her words sank in. “I, ah…”

“Is Richard Logan aboard?”

Fairchild licked his lips. “Yes. He recently leased additional space and controls a section of the habitat with its own docking berths.”

“Which one?”

“It’s labeled as bay twenty-seven.”

“Suppress your alarms so that my Marines can take him into custody while ensuring station security doesn’t interfere.

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