Calculated Risk
Page 18
“What?” Omar said, defensive. “It’s been a long time since I had homemade breakfast hash. And I had to do something while I made some calls.”
Hawk and Peregrine remained silent, so either they hadn’t found anything worth telling or they just didn’t intend to tell.
Rigby remained silent but alert. Cabot wondered what she’d learned down on the planet, and how it might help her in her quest to fight her own government.
“All right.” Fallon slapped her hands down on the meeting table. “We’re off to Rescissitan, then. Hopefully, when we find the Kuponya, we’ll find Ditnya and figure out what she’s up to.”
She blew out a breath. “This ought to be interesting.”
“Any update on the Zankarti system?” Rigby asked.
“We have patrols,” Fallon answered. “We’re in talks with your government to maintain them.”
“But you’d patrol anyway, right?” Rigby guessed. “You just want them to think that you’re going out of your way for them.”
Fallon smiled faintly. “You’re learning quickly. Yes. Barony is completely out of there, and we’re going to ensure they stay out. Ideally, your government will continue to be satisfied with that. We’re beginning repairs on our communications relays in that region, too.”
Rigby nodded, satisfied.
Fallon looked around the room at all the faces, then nodded when no additional questions came. “I’ll be on the bridge.”
Hawk and Raptor left in her wake, and Peregrine left with Omar.
That left Cabot sitting with Nagali and Rigby.
“Ready to go home?” Nagali asked.
“Are you kidding? I’ve acted as a spy, become a vigilante in an unauthorized insurrection, touching off the first major conflict in a war, dealt Barony a major blow, escaped an orbital elevator about to be bombed, and barely escaped a building that exploded. Is that not enough? Now you’re asking if I want to dive right back into a whole new endeavor that’s bound to be a disaster?”
Nagali grinned. “Yes.”
“Wouldn’t you rather go back to Dauntless and rip off some traders?”
“Surprisingly, no. I think this is going to be fun.”
He grinned back at her. “I think Ditnya was right. You’re rubbing off on me. Let’s do this.”
Nagali laughed delightedly and hugged him. Then she turned to Rigby. “You’re in for a treat. You haven’t lived until you’ve had a traditional Rescan breakfast. You’re really lucky you came along with us.”
Cabot laughed. He felt pretty sure luck would have little to do with whatever came next.
Message from the author
Thank you for reading!
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Are you ready for more Mercenary Warfare? Going for Broke, the fifth and last book in the series is now available for purchase. Click or tap here to get Going for Broke and find out how it all ends!
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Zen DiPietro
About the Author
Zen DiPietro is a lifelong bookworm, dreamer, and writer. Perhaps most importantly, a Browncoat Trekkie Whovian. Also red-haired, left-handed, and a vegetarian geek. Absolutely terrible at conforming. A recovering gamer, but we won’t talk about that. Particular loves include badass heroines, British accents, and the smell of Band-Aids.
Visit Zen’s website, where you can read reviews, author interviews, and other assorted fun stuff.
Dragonfire Station Universe
Dragonfire Station Book 1: Translucid
Dragonfire Station Book 2:Fragments
Dragonfire Station Book 3:Coalescence
Intersections (Dragonfire Station Short Stories)
Selling Out
(Mercenary Warfare Book 1)
Blood Money
(Mercenary Warfare Book 2)
Hell to Pay
(Mercenary Warfare Book 3)
Calculated Risk
(Mercenary Warfare Book 4)
Going for Broke
(Mercenary Warfare Book 5)
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