Harkkat forced himself to remain calm. “General, I have looked into our enemy’s eyes and saw only the desire to destroy. The Queen might stalk my nightmares, but the alternative to following her is certain death. What these cultists don’t understand is that if the Ookens get into the Federation, it’s over for everyone.”
Lance’s cold stare defrosted a touch. “This is your chance to prove that. What have you found?”
Harkat shared the contents of the holofile with a swipe. “On the surface, Shoken Carriers has little to no contact with the crews they contract. When I dug a little deeper, I was shunted to a public relations manager, and she was keen to make sure I understood that not only do they deny any involvement with the ‘anti-empire movement—'”
“Anti-empire movement, my ass,” Lance interjected. “She called it that?”
Harkkat nodded. “She also impressed that the freelance nature of the business made it impossible to keep track of everyone who worked with them.”
“I take it that isn’t the case,” Lance stated.
Harkkat chuckled. “Of course not. I was able to get an asset inside company headquarters. They gained access to the records office and found a ledger containing records of unauthorized runs by three of the captains who contract with the company on a regular basis.”
“How do you know they’re not just smuggling?” Lance asked. “Backroom deals don’t necessarily mean they have a cult connection.”
“I’d like to have seen such a lax attitude toward my crimes,” Harkkat retorted sourly. “I didn’t stop with the company. I matched the payments with the consignments the three captains had on those dates.”
“You know what I meant,” Lance told him. “Focus. Where did the money trail lead?”
Harkkat let his grumbles go. “Every one of them delivered to the same planet, and the physical location of the planet had been wiped from the company records.”
Lance straightened in his seat. “Interesting. ”
“You don’t say,” Harkkat agreed. “But I’m not done yet. I have the location. The planet is one of the independents. They claim to be farmers and cattle ranchers, pacifists who shun off-world connections in favor of an ‘authentic human experience.’”
Lance watched him a moment. “You don’t believe that?”
“Not for a minute after the trouble my asset had getting the location,” Harkkat replied. “I also have a hard time believing in the pacifism of people who surround their home with big guns.”
“The best defense is a good offense.” Lance shrugged. “Plenty of colonies who aren’t smart enough to protect themselves fail. What about your asset?”
“I had her get a place on the crew of the Pleiades and wait for the next unauthorized run,” Harkkat told him.
Lance’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s the ship my grandchildren traced back from the cult cell they brought in.”
“That’s why I chose it as the target and instructed my asset to report as soon as she was given an opportunity,” Harkkat confirmed. He chose not to pass along the information that his asset had killed the Pleiades’ navigator to gain said place. “The monastery is a cover. She discovered that the secret consignments are made up of weapons and recruits. They’re building an army.”
Lance rubbed his eyes and sighed. “It never rains, but it pours. Is your asset still embedded in the crew?”
Harkkat nodded. “She is. What are your instructions, General? One way or the other, this cult is going down. I don’t believe they can hurt Bethany Anne personally, but they can’t be allowed to stand in her way.”
Lance folded his hands on the table. “That’s not going to happen. You can pull your asset out. I’ll take it from here.”
“What are you going to do?” Harkkat asked, imagining Bethany Anne’s method of dealing with the cult to be explosive, to say the least.
“That remains to be seen,” Lance told him with a smile. “I’ll be in touch if I need anything else.”
Harkkat sniffed at the abrupt end to the call. “Is there any human who knows how to say goodbye with a modicum of manners?” he muttered, his mind caught up in picturing what kind of Hell Bethany Anne’s children would rain down on the cult.
The General popped back on. “Goodbye, Harkkat.”
Harkkat was pretty sure the deaf animals on the continent to the south heard him scream.
Ranger Base One, Lower Level, Hangar
Nickie and Sabine met the incoming QBS ship with the antigrav pallets they’d brought to transfer the cleanup supplies into the base flocking at a safe distance from their ankles.
“TIM!” Sabine squealed when the ramp dropped and she caught sight of Tim emerging from the ship. She ran to him and jumped into his arms, kissing him soundly.
Tim ignored the catcalls from his crew and returned her embrace with enthusiasm. “That’s a welcome worth traveling for,” he murmured when she let go.
Sabine chucked him under the chin with her finger. “Silly man. I missed you.”
“Maybe a few galaxies’ distance isn’t such a bad thing if you’re going to miss me this much,” Tim teased, slipping his hands around her waist.
“Will you two get a room?” Nickie complained, walking by. “Some of us just ate.”
“Some of us are just jealous their man didn’t come to visit,” Sabine snarked.
Nickie took the cargo manifest from the housebot who trundled over with it held tightly in its pincer grip. “You lovebirds go tell Akio the equipment is here. I’ll take care of getting it inventoried.”
“How are you able to be here?” Sabine asked Tim as they made their way to the ops center.
“Peter is taking care of the station,” he replied. “Tabitha got involved when Harkkat put in the request for the nanos. She insisted they had an escort, and here I am.” He paused in his tracks. “Hey, Nickie. Tabitha said to call her before you get started.”
Nickie waved to indicate she’d heard and tuned out the activity in the hangar to focus on making sure the unloading went smoothly.
Once the shipping containers were laid out in a line on the hangar floor, she put off the task of going through the contents of each to ensure Harkkat hadn’t missed anything and had Meredith open a mental link to Tabitha.
Hey, Trouble. Your shipment arrive okay? Tabitha asked.
Nickie’s mouth twitched at the nickname. Yeah. Tim said you wanted me to call you about it?
Mmhmm, Tabitha replied. You nearly got Harkkat shot.
What? Nickie scoffed. How?
I did tell you he’s on probation, Tabitha reminded her. When he started asking around about nanocytes, I thought he was being sneaky.
Oops? Nickie sucked in a breath. I figured he’d know what we needed and go straight to Eve. Tell me you didn’t burst into his office and hold him at gunpoint until he explained.
I wish I had, Tabitha admitted with regret. He was in his quarters when I found him. In the bathroom.
Nickie felt for the Leath. She’d found him to be hardworking and skilled at navigating the bureaucratic crap she was fond of avoiding in the weeks he’d been reporting to her in her capacity as Ranger Two. You could give him a break. He’s a pompous blowhard, but he’s never going to cross the line again now that he’s had the fear of Bethany Anne scared into him.
People don’t change overnight, Tabitha stated, her tone making it clear the subject was closed. Besides, unless someone invents brain bleach so I can get the sight of him flailing in the tub out of my mind, I want to have as little contact as possible with him.
Nickie snickered. Serves you right for busting his ass. Did you want to tell me something about the nanobots?
Just that I programmed them myself, Tabitha told her. Make sure you follow the instructions I sent exactly, okay?
We will, Nickie assured her. I’d better go.
They said their goodbyes and Nickie got to work. Akio joined her while she was finishing up with the second container.
He wove his way thro
ugh the bots transferring the crates from the first container to the Penitent Granddaughter, Achronyx, and Cambridge, coming to a stop by the container doors.
Akio cleared his throat when Nickie didn’t register his presence.
Nickie turned with a momentary look of surprise and left her inventory to walk over to Akio. “Oh, hey. Sabine found you?”
Akio nodded. “CEREBRO could have done this.”
Nickie leaned on the container door she’d left open for the bots and folded her arms. “I’m good. I needed some alone time.”
Akio scrutinized her, seeing the telltale signs that she hadn’t been sleeping. “You look tired. Perhaps you should sit this one out and get some rest.”
Nickie snorted. “Yeah, right. I’ll just clear the five hundred other things I have to do this week and take myself to a spa.”
“You could take eight hours to sleep,” Akio told her. “It would be a start.”
“I’m fine.” She rolled her eyes at Akio’s pointed look. “Fuck my life, if I’d known coming home meant I’d be getting bossed around by dusty old vampires for eternity, I’d have stayed in exile.”
Akio nodded and changed the subject, wondering if he should be prepared for Nickie moving on again. He realized he would miss the chaos she brought to his life if she did. “Perhaps some quiet company would suit you?”
Nickie’s pensive smile blossomed into a bright grin. “I’m good, thanks. You should be getting ready for the cleanup operation. I’ll have us loaded in under an hour.” Her smile faded a touch when Akio didn’t respond. “You’re not happy. Why are you not happy? This is an honest-to-God fucking mystery. Aren’t you even curious as to what’s so special about that planet that the Seven hid it?”
Akio raised an eyebrow. “I’m curious. I’m also aware that our presence might draw Kurtherian attention.”
Nickie’s eyes lit up. “Well, yeah! I’m counting on it.” She sighed at the almost imperceptible expression Akio wore. “How do you do that? Look disappointed even though your face isn’t doing anything? Okay, fine. We’ll be boring and do everything to make sure the Kurtherians don’t notice we’re there stealing their planet out from under their noses.”
Akio’s mouth twitched. “Very good, Ranger Two.”
Nickie scowled at him and slapped the datapad she’d been working from into his hands. “You’re an ass, Akio. Aunt Tabitha sent instructions. Read through and meet me in the ops center. We have a cleanup to organize.”
As she turned to go, the smallest part of his lip raised just a little.
Chapter Nineteen
QSD Baba Yaga, Bridge
Bethany Anne waved the twins into her ready room. “Come in. Sit down.” She raised an eyebrow at Alexis. “And quit trying to read my mind. You’ll hear what I have to say in a minute.”
Alexis grinned as she slid onto the chair next to Gabriel’s. “Dad said you had to be ready for mental attacks. I’m just helping.”
Gabriel snorted.
“Traitor,” Alexis mumbled.
She nodded. “I heard back from your grandfather. Your lead was good.”
Gabriel punched the air. “About damn time!” He leaned toward Bethany Anne. “When do we leave for Leath space?”
Alexis punched him in the arm. “Wait and hear what Mom has to tell us first.” She turned her attention to Bethany Anne. “What did Grandpa get from Harkkat?”
“Enough for me to sanction another undercover assignment for your team,” Bethany Anne replied. She looked at her children in turn. “Harkkat’s investigation into the company uncovered a potential cult base in the Daolagen system.”
“What the?” Alexis gasped. “That system is on the tour schedule. A direct confrontation with the cult would bring all the wrong attention.”
“Exactly,” Bethany Anne agreed. “Apparently, the cult is thinking along the same lines. Shoken has been covertly shipping weapons and people to a planet inside the system. I need you there yesterday to make certain I don’t arrive in two months in the middle of a full-on rebellion.”
“We’re sticking to the plan to expose the leadership, right?” Alexis asked.
Bethany Anne nodded. “Yes, we stick with the plan unless it becomes obvious there’s a better one. You had a good point about making martyrs. You will need Christina and Kai, so ask your father to release them from the upgrade team. I want you working to get to the core of the cult and doing what you can to prevent more riots from breaking out.”
“They’ve been monitoring the military channels on their downtime,” Gabriel informed her. “K’aia and Trey have been covering the newsfeeds. If there’s anything going on in the Daolagen system, we’ll know about it before we get there.”
“Is there anything else we need to know going in?” Alexis asked.
Bethany Anne nodded. “Harkkat had an asset in place as the navigation officer of the Pleiades. If she is still undercover you may need to provide an extraction.”
“Good to know,” Gabriel told her. “We have the crew of that ship marked for the penal colony, along with the six we brought in already.”
Bethany Anne lifted her head when Michael walked in.
“I wouldn’t bother to incarcerate them,” he told the twins. “They don’t deserve mercy.”
“Who said it was mercy?” Alexis retorted. “They’re going to spend the rest of their short and miserable lives scraping to survive while fending off people who have no issues with getting blood on their hands. That’s Justice.”
Michael placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “Do not make the mistake of allowing justice to become vengeance.”
Gabriel clenched his hands. “After spending time with Paul Jacobsen’s family, they can count themselves lucky I didn’t cut the lying tongues out of their mouths before we dumped them there.” He let out a long breath through his nose at the concerned expressions from his parents. “But then I wouldn’t have a clear conscience, and there’s no way some stain on existence is taking my peace of mind.”
“That’s the attitude you need,” Alexis told him. “Work through your anger before you act, and you won’t have regrets to lose sleep over.”
Bethany Anne nodded, then got to her feet and walked around her desk to wrap Gabriel and Alexis in a tight embrace. “I’m so damned proud of you both.” She waved Michael in. “Don’t think you’re getting away with standing there looking stoic while we’re having an emotional moment. Get over here and be all emo with us in the circle.”
Michael chuckled as the twins opened their arms to admit him. “I was admiring our work as parents,” he told Bethany Anne, touching his lips to Alexis’ forehead, then Gabriel’s. “Your mother is correct. You are a son and daughter to be proud of. Whatever we face, we face it together.”
Cosnar System, QBS Achronyx, Cargo Bay
Achronyx brought the ship into position a few thousand kilometers from the edge of the crystal cloud. “Ready on your orders,” he informed Akio. “Although I don’t recommend you remain in the bay.”
“I had no such intention,” Akio replied. He made one final check of the drones before returning to the bridge. “Are Sabine and Nickie in position?”
Achronyx checked the signals being relayed around the cloud by the extra beacons they’d laid to compensate for the interference it caused. “Comm is still patchy, but it appears so.”
Akio nodded. “Keep the comm as stable as you can. Rangers, do you copy?”
“Ten-four, Ranger One,” Sabine replied cheerfully.
“Did someone stay up late to get the Ranger manual implanted in their HUD?” Nickie teased, her reply breaking up as the signal fluctuated.
“We’ve lost our comm,” Achronyx announced. “Wait, I have audio.”
“Some of us want to be the best Ranger we can be,” Sabine replied lightly, unaware Akio was cut off. “That means following protocol.”
“I’ve been practicing for this role since I took my first steps,” Nickie shot back. “Follow my lead, not some
stuffy manual Barnabas put together instead of getting a life.”
“Really?” Sabine gasped. “You mean I could piss off Bethany Anne and end up living in a stolen ship, too? My goodness, it’s very tempting.”
“Get that comm back,” Akio stated. “I don’t know why I agreed to them being on the same team.”
“I’m trying,” Achronyx snapped. “What do you want me to do, pull it out of my non-existent ass? Oh, wait. Got it.”
Akio covered his eyes with a hand. “Ladies,” he intervened before he lost the ability to communicate again, either from lack of signal or a lack of the will to rein the young women in. “If you would care to focus and deploy your delivery drones, I’d like to be ready to return to base when Hirotoshi’s team arrives to relieve us.”
Nickie and Sabine dropped the comedy double-act and got to work while Akio monitored the progress of the first batch of delivery drones on the viewscreen. After reading Tabitha’s instructions, he and Nickie had planned the operation to ensure they didn’t end up in a sorcerer’s apprentice situation.
The nanobots being carried by the drones were programmed first to consume the crystal particles in order to replicate, then to dispose of themselves in the nearest star after they’d fulfilled that function.
“Keep your scanners searching for Gate signatures,” Akio told Sabine and Nickie as the first swarm descended on the cloud. He had faith in his deduction that anyone monitoring the system would see the slow and steady degradation of the cloud as a malfunction of whatever technology they were using to keep the crystal cloud in place, meaning they’d send someone to fix it before they called for the big guns.
None of them picked up anything out of the ordinary in the hours before Hirotoshi, Ryu, and Mark arrived. Neither did anyone else over the next few weeks as the cleanup progressed. Life for the Rangers fell into a blur of taking shifts at the cloud, fighting off the Ookens in the other three systems in the quadrant, and being on downtime at the base while waiting for one of the two to come up.
Return Of The Queen: The Kurtherian Endgame™ Book Eight Page 20
