What Distant Deeps by David Drake

Author:David Drake [Drake, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Science Fiction - Adventure, Science Fiction - Space Opera, Fiction - Science Fiction, American Science Fiction And Fantasy, Space warfare, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Leary; Daniel (Fictitious character), Space Opera, Fiction, Science Fiction, Science Fiction - General, Adventure, Mundy; Adele (Fictitious character), General
Publisher: Baen Books
Published: 2010-09-15T04:00:00+00:00

Adele gave the prisoner her usual dispassionate appraisal. Viewing a subject the way a butcher looks at a hog had more of a softening effect on some people than growled threats did.

She behaved as she did because it was natural to her, not for some “practical” reason. Though in truth, she couldn’t imagine anything more practical than behaving the way she felt like.

“You’re making a mistake!” said Gibbs. Even with the hood off he couldn’t manage much bluster. Then he said, “What are you going to do with me?”

His wrists and ankles were strapped to a chair in the Captain’s Suite—her home and Daniel’s again now that the Browns had been delivered—with cargo tape. The chair in turn was bolted to the deck, like all furniture on a starship.

“We’re not going to torture you, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Adele said, her face probably showing the disgust she felt at the subject. “I have a few questions for you, and my colleagues—”

She glanced over her shoulder to indicate Daniel and the two servants on jumpseats against the wall behind her.

“—may have additional ones. Then we may request your help. If you’re completely helpful, we’ll turn you over to the authorities on Stahl’s World.”

“If I’m helpful?” Gibbs snarled. “They’d hang me and you know it!”

Adele shrugged. “Perhaps,” she said, “but I don’t believe that’s certain. The Republic is at peace, and in any case you were intriguing with an allied power rather than with agents of the Alliance.”

“I didn’t intrigue with anybody!” Gibbs said, trying to regain ground he’d already surrendered in his fear. “I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, but I’ve been doing my job as well as anybody can in this bloody backwater. That’s all!”

“Here’s a list of amounts paid to you by your Palmyrene handler,” Adele said, ignoring the outburst as she projected a hologram of the records where Gibbs could read them. Though she used her personal data unit as a controller, the imaging system of the suite’s console provided a crystalline display at any level of resolution she wanted. “He uses the name Bimbeck with you and claims to be a Zenobian merchant, but he’s actually named Erzolan and has the rank of Squadron Leader in the Horde.”

“How . . . ?” said Gibbs. “H-how did you . . . ?”

His face had become sallow. His limbs tensed against their bonds, but it seemed to Adele that it was a subconscious reaction to blind panic. Gibbs was smart enough to realize that he couldn’t break tape that was meant to immobilize cargo through violent landings.

“There were flaws in your system,” Adele said. “Obviously. But even if there hadn’t been, I assure you that your Palmyrene friends fall a great deal short of civilized standards of security. Whatever possessed you to trust barbarians like them?”

“Oh, gods,” Gibbs muttered. He closed his eyes and probably would have cradled his head in his hands if he could. “Oh, gods.”

In fact the security of the computer in Gibbs’ home was of a very high order.

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