Say My Name: A Space Opera Adventure Legal Thriller (Judge, Jury, Executioner Book 15) by Craig Martelle & Michael Anderle

Author:Craig Martelle & Michael Anderle [Martelle, Craig]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: LMBPN Publishing
Published: 2022-04-26T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

Wyatt Earp, in Orbit, Planet Colay in the Barrier Nebula

“What’s next?” Red asked while eating an emergency ration bar. The others sat around the conference table.

“We wait,” Chaz said. “The Magistrate is sleeping. We’ll ask her after she awakens.”

“Don’t make me fight you,” Tyler said from the corridor. “She’s not returning to work until I clear her, so you might as well proceed with the investigation on the assumption that she’s not available.”

“Incoming call from Grainger. I’ll reroute it here,” Clevarious offered.

“Go ahead,” Chaz said.

Dennicron leaned in. She was up to speed. The Singularity had improved their processes for reestablishing an SI’s integration with a SCAMP body. The bad news was that they’d learned through practice because Chaz and Dennicron had had problems not foreseen in the original design.

They were the extreme. Chrysanthemum, the chief of Federation Station 11, was more of what the designers had intended for daily engagement.

Grainger’s face appeared three-dimensionally in the holographic display above the conference table.

“Where’s Rivka?” he asked.

“She is currently on mandated bed rest. Doctor’s orders,” Tyler replied.

“Looking after the mental health of the team is important for long-term success,” Grainger agreed. “Prognosis?”

“She’ll be fine after she gets enough rest.”

“We’re managing this investigation in the meantime, although we are having a hard time finding a case,” Chaz admitted. “On the face of it, prima facie, there is no case or controversy.”

Sahved snapped his eyeballs to the SI. It wasn’t what he would have told Grainger.

“Keep digging. I feel there’s something there.”

“Is our time and Rivka’s health worth sacrificing on a fishing expedition?”

“Now you sound like a lawyer!” Grainger cheered. “Welcome to the team. Federation planets need to maintain their individual right to rule their people. This incursion by Rising Sun Industries threatens to upset the world-leadership dynamic that makes the Federation stronger. We would normally send an ambassador, and we will in time. You are putting them on notice, even if you don’t find anything. For this issue, you are ambassadors for the Federation. I guess I could have made that clearer.”

Sahved threw his hands up and shook his head.

“You have an issue with that, Sahved?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Grainger. I did not mean to make my confusion on our purpose so clear. Please excuse my outburst.” Sahved bowed his head to Grainger’s image.

“Since I have you guys all pissed off, the investigator from our office will arrive at Lewbamar later today. A four-legged Yollin lawyer. He’s tenacious and will get to the truth.”

“FUCK THAT GUY!” Red bellowed.

“Who said that?” Grainger’s image looked around, but Red was in the corridor.

“I did.” Red stepped into the room. “Tenacious. This motherfucker is going to come here to tear Rivka down and second-guess everything she did from the safety of his pansy-ass office. Tenacious! That’s a word internal affairs types use for someone with a vendetta.”

“Calm down.” Grainger’s fingers twitched as if he wanted to throttle someone. Red was already giving him the finger. He hated it when people told him to calm down. “All I meant was that he’ll get to the truth.

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