Theirs Not to Reason Why 4: Hardship by Jean Johnson

Author:Jean Johnson [Johnson, Jean]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780425256497
Amazon: 0425256499
Barnesnoble: 0425256499
Publisher: Ace
Published: 2014-07-28T17:00:00+00:00

PETRAN COMPANY CAMPUS

“Gotta love M-class colonyworlds,” Sunrise murmured, letting the hoverbike drift to a stop a hundred meters from the force-field fence separating the Petran Company from the rest of the planet. “Fresh air to breathe, livable gravity, and all the space you could want for sprawling out. One hundred square kilometers of homesteading territory picked from land and sea for each registered firstworlder, to be divided and inherited tax-free . . . or not divided, in the case of this company, as owned by the Petran family.”

“Yes, and all you have to do to get it is put up with the native wildlife, survive untested pathogens, endure a dearth of modern amenities for the first couple of decades, and on heavyworlds, tread carefully around the fact that tripping and falling can literally break bones and crack open skulls,” Ia agreed. “The Quentin side of the family initially snagged a big patch of coastline, before they discovered just how dangerous sea-based life is on Sanctuary. They successfully refiled their claims for the eastern side of the mountains, as did everyone else who thought to claim a chunk of the seaboard. The Jones side grabbed a solid chunk of the midplains south of the capital. But that’s on Sanctuary, this is Dabin, and we’re nowhere near any large bodies of water.”

“So how do we get in, Captain?” Mara asked, lifting her chin at the fence. “If we try to fly over that, those stunner towers will smack us silly. Or rather, they’ll smack me silly since I’m the one flying this thing and you’re the one with the antistunner whatsit ability.”

“And how do you know about that?” Ia asked, amused.

“Captain Helstead showed me your full personnel file. At least, the amount she has clearance for . . . which does beg the question of who has the other Ultra Class A clearance,” the ex-Knifeman mused out loud. “Or the Class Cs, for that matter.”

“The Class C clearances are for our trio of shiptechs who worked on the original Harasser-Class project,” Ia explained. “Their clearance is limited to ship functions only; the rest is the same as most of the crew. The two Class Bs are Harper and Helstead, and the other Class A is Lieutenant Rico.”

“Why Rico? I’d understand if it was Helstead, given what she used to do in the Corpse. Even I as a former Staff Sergeant had a higher clearance than anyone else in the Company, back when I was still a Knifeman,” Mara said, confusion lacing her tone. She even craned her neck, frowning back at Ia. “But Lieutenant First Class Oslo Rico? Why is his clearance higher than your first officer’s?”

“Rico’s the chief spy for the Admiral-General in the Company,” Ia reminded her.

“Oh, right,” Mara murmured. “I’d forgotten that. Sorry, sir, it won’t happen again.”

“Don’t worry about it. He has that clearance simply because if you’re going to spy on a woman with Ultra Class A clearance, you need someone who also has that level of trust, in case he overhears anything that would otherwise be above his pay grade.

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