Tyrant's Test by Michael P. Kube-Mcdowell
Author:Michael P. Kube-Mcdowell [Kube-McDowell, Michael P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-79631-8
Publisher: Random House Worlds
Published: 2011-05-04T00:00:00+00:00
The inbound vessel had remained silent until it was nearly on top of Penga Rift. Then the first signal had come over the emergency comm channel, lighting up several warning bars on the panels at Manazarâs elbow.
âPenga Rift, this is a priority alert. You are operating in a restricted area, and your vessel is at risk. Please verify your transponder identification profile.â
Startled out of inattentiveness, Manazar nearly sent the confirming data without questioning the request. Only at the last moment did he recover his poise and respond, âUnknown vessel, this is Penga Rift. Please identify yourselfâthis ship is not equipped with an interrogator module.â
âI say again, Penga Rift, this is a priority alert. You are operating in a restricted area, and your vessel is at risk. Please verify your transponder identification profile.â As though to underline the seriousness of the request, a concealed weapons bay had opened on the underside of the new arrivalâs hull. The retractable laser cannon that emerged cycled through its full range of motion, then locked on Penga Rift.
That was the point at which Manazar called for the captain and the expedition leader. Then he quickly checked to see if the transponder had already been interrogated, and sent the requested information when he saw that it had.
âI thought since they already have the information and we have nothing to hide, there was no harm in complying,â Manazar explained. âBut the very next thing, they wanted to talk to the master of the vessel, with full holocomm. Iâve been putting them off until you got here, but I donât think they like being put off.â
Barjas nodded. âYou did fine, Mazz. Iâll take it from here.â
âNo,â said Eckels. âOn the starlanes, this ship is yours, Captain, but here in orbit, the expedition leader is in command. I will deal with this.â
He crossed the bridge to Penga Riftâs small holocomm booth and settled himself inside it. âMonitor to station one. Record to personal log Eckels. Begin transmission.â After a momentâs pause, he said, âThis is Dr. Joto Eckels of the Obroan Institute, expedition leader. Whom am I addressing?â
When the answering holo formed before him, Eckels felt his body trying to retreat deeper into the seat. The face was not only intensely alien, but both inhumanly large and close enough to violate Eckelsâs psychological boundaries. It could have been no more than that the other was leaning forward toward his holo lens, but it made Eckels feel cornered in the booth.
âI am Colonel Ejagga Pakkpekatt of New Republic Intelligence,â said the other, showing teeth that were distinctively those of a carnivore. âMy mission in this sector is under the direct authority of the director of operations, and with the knowledge and consent of the Senate Intelligence Council. What is your business here?â
âWe are conducting a contract survey and excavation of Maltha Obex.â
âAnd what is the purpose of your survey and excavation?â
âThis is an archaeological research vessel,â said Eckels, recovering some measure of his equilibrium. âNot surprisingly, weâre here to do
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