The Privilege of Peace by Tanya Huff

Author:Tanya Huff
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: DAW
Published: 2018-06-18T16:00:00+00:00

SEVEN

WERST SCOWLED at the image rotating over the conference room table, the yellow light tinting the gray walls of the room faintly green. “They’re back because of the message sent by the data sheet.”

“You don’t know that,” Ressk sighed in a way that suggested the argument had been ongoing for a while.

“I know it in my stomach.” Nostril ridges half closed, Werst drew his lips back off his teeth. “Fukking plastic. I should’ve eaten more of it.”

At the center of one of the table’s long sides, Commander Ng cleared his throat. “There will be a military response heading out to Big Yellow . . .”

“No shit,” Werst grunted.

Commander Ng ignored him. Torin shot him a look that snapped his teeth together.

“. . . and we’ve received a message they want Wardens Kerr, Ryder, and Werst to be a part of that response given their previous experience on the ship in question.”

“It’s not exactly a ship,” Craig noted. He sounded calm, but Torin could feel the tension radiating off him.

“It’s not,” the commander agreed. “But we’re going to keep calling it that.”

Torin zoomed in on the image, searching for an airlock and not finding one, even though the cruiser had managed full-spherical satellite coverage. “Are they bringing in everyone who survived that last visit?”

“I’ve only been officially informed about the three of you.”

“Just us three?” Werst’s foot closed on the edge of the table, grip so tight his toes went white. Ressk wrapped a hand around his ankle.

“This won’t be a scientific mission or a political meet and greet,” Torin told him, voice level, working to control the rising emotions in the room. “The moment the plastic admitted to starting and maintaining the war, they became a military matter. Craig and I had the plastic in our heads, I’ve spoken to it twice, and you ate a piece. That’s why they want us. Not to mention the fact that we’re government employees, they know exactly where we are, and don’t have to waste time looking for us.”

“Knew that would bite us on the ass someday,” Werst muttered, but he relaxed his grip and his nostril ridges began to slowly open.

Craig shifted in his seat. “And because we’re government employees, the bastards assume they can make it an order.”

“The military is an arm of the government, as is the Justice Department. They can do no more than request our cooperation.” The commander’s expression of bland certainty shut down further protest, potential arguments sliding off it before they started.

“All right.” Hands gripping the inert edge of the table, Craig leaned toward the commander. “Are we cooperating?”

“The Minister of Justice requests that we do. I pointed out that half a team was no good to me here, so it’s been agreed all six of you will go.”

Torin flicked the image of Big Yellow back to the center of the table. “General Morris is on his way to Berbar, isn’t he?”

“Yes, he is.” Commander Ng glanced at Alamber. “If Warden di’Cikeys is tapping the communications .

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.