The Last of the Firsts by G J Ogden

Author:G J Ogden [Ogden, G J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ogden Media Ltd
Published: 2019-03-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Muscles still burning after the frantic escape from the flight training campus, Maria and Ashley Jansen trudged down the stairs to the disused basement room of Ashley’s apartment block. There were already two other people inside, who Maria recognized as the stocky man and mousy-haired younger woman from their earlier encounter in the alley. They were standing behind a table that looked like it wasn’t part of the regular furniture, in what was otherwise a sterile, empty space.

“I believe you’ve already met and Byrne and Etta,” said Ashley, shutting the door behind Maria.

Maria nodded respectfully at Byrne, “I’m sorry about the kick to the... you know. No hard feelings?”

“Not much feeling at all yet,” Byrne replied, and Maria couldn’t tell whether it was sarcasm or just excessive honesty. “But I’m okay, thanks for asking.”

“Both are members of our little resistance group in this sector,” Ashley continued. “Neither have any connection to the Security or Flying Corps, and so they can more easily stay under the radar of the sector commanders. Both have also shown remarkable skill in rooting out information.”

“What news of Karl?” said Maria, fidgeting with the bracelet on her wrist. “Is he alive?”

Byrne stepped forward and placed a portable holo emitter on the table. He tapped the activation button and stepped back again, and a holo image of the government sector appeared in front of them.

“From what we can gather, the chatter among the blue boots is that Major Page was captured alive,” Byrne began, and Maria felt some of the knots and coils in her muscles relax. “He put up a hell of a fight, by the sounds of it.”

“Do you know where he was taken?” asked Maria.

“We’re not sure, but our contact in the government sector says there has been some unusual activity in the Teardrop. Both Governor Kuba and Major Darien were seen entering it, along with a few others.”

Ashley frowned. “The Teardrop? That place is barely used for anything these days. Surely, they would have taken him to a Security Corps compound instead?”

Maria rested her palms on the table and peered into the holo image, before reaching in and expanding the area around the Teardrop, pushing the surrounding buildings out of the image with a flick of her wrist.

“Has General Kurren’s death been made public yet?” asked Maria, directing the question to Byrne, but it was actually Etta that answered.

“No, the sector commanders are still coming down hard on any gossip,” Etta paused and glanced down at her feet. “I know, because my brother is part of a unit in sector six. The commander loyal to Kurren had him beaten and locked up overnight simply for asking why the general hasn’t been seen for so long.”

“That’s why they’re using the Teardrop,” said Maria, thumping a fist on the table, which shook the holo emitter and caused the image to shudder and distort. “They don’t want Karl to be seen, and taking him to a main security compound would create a lot of attention and gossip.

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