by M. D. Cooper
“Funny how you were at Ceres…and then at Europa,” Alden said in a bemused tone. “Both places where attempts on my life were to occur, but were thwarted.”
Tanis let a grin slip onto her lips. “I guess we have similar tastes. Who would have thought?”
“No one, I’m sure,” Colonel Leona said with a snort.
Alden shot the colonel a quelling look and then leant forward and placed his hands on the table.
“OK, Commander, sparring with you has been fun, but I’m on a tight schedule—made tighter by the fact that I’m not even here right now. Here’s what we know. Firstly, you’re MICI. Have been ever since you knocked that Admiral Deering woman off her perch. You were following an Infiltrator Chameleon across Sol, trying to figure out what it was going to do after it had tried to kill you—”
Tanis opened her mouth to respond, but Alden held up a hand to forestall her.
“Let me finish. You see, we have a lot of eyes out there. And though you and your AIs Lovell and Darla are quite good, when the entire Jovian intelligence community takes an interest in you…well, we overturn a few stones.”
He paused, and Tanis only pursed her lips, waiting for him to carry on. It had occurred to her that much of what he was saying was only suspicion. Suspicion that she would turn into confirmed fact if she said the wrong thing.
“So, let’s see. During that short time, you were Claire, Bella, Sasha, and Silversquid—though I suppose Silversquid really was Claire. I’m not sure who it was that knocked me out and turned me over to the orcas, but I suspect more of your crew was involved in that little coup. You had a lot of fun, from what I saw, and you’re one hell of a singer, too.
“Either way, all the evidence points to you and your crew singlehandedly stopping a plot to kill me—one that would have seen you dead, as well.”
“If that were true, I suppose it’s understandable,” Tanis replied. “I’d certainly want to stop my premature death.”
“Stars, you are one obstinate woman,” Alden muttered. “Fine, you don’t have to admit to any of this, but if it weren’t for you, I’d’ve died on Ceres, and that would have made a hell of a mess.”
“I can imagine.” She nodded. “I’m glad you didn’t—though I’m sure you saw that my checkout time was always before you were scheduled to arrive.”
Alden pursed his lips, looking like he was going to say something in anger, but then he stopped himself. “I can see why Colonel Higgs has made some of the notes he has about you in your record.”
Tanis grimaced. “Colonel Higgs and I have butted heads a few times. I’ve learned that his skull is very hard.”
“Well, you’re about to get another lesson in who not to go up against.” Alden’s tone was calm and measured despite his words. “Our intelligence services, both civilian and military, have been coordinating with the Terrans on this investigation, and it’s pretty obvious that you’re operating as a covert courier for some of the intel that’s being shared—hence your little pissing match with Colonel Leona, here.”
“I can see how you’d think that,” Tanis replied with a slow nod. “Admiral Kocsis has been using us to run a few missions in OuterSol. But I think a part of that is because he’s had to take over for Deering. She was heavily involved in trans-Jovian TSF operations, and he needs people out here he can trust while he cleans house. Given how Deering was operating with impunity in the TSF, he’s being a bit cautious of late.”
Alden snorted and shook his head. “I can see why. We’re all feeling a bit nervous about the SWSF right now. I got the reports about what those parts you confiscated from the Norse Wind were for. The idea that the Disker Space Force is rebuilding their fleet out in the Oort Cloud is more than a little concerning, which brings us to the part of this where we all admit that they were the ones who tried to assassinate me.”
“I’d heard rumors,” Tanis said, widening her eyes. “I didn’t realize things were so certain.”
“Well, unless we find an SWSF officer holding a gun, nothing’s certain—even then….” Alden’s voice trailed off, and Tanis waited for him to begin speaking once more. When he did, she detected a note of sincerity in his voice that had not been present before. “I admire your dedication to your people, Commander Richards. Were you to have been involved in saving my life, I would extend you my very effusive thanks.”
“If I helped in any way, though I don’t know what that could be, I would accept your thanks very graciously. I hope you understand that since I wasn’t involved, I can’t accept any gratitude.”
Alden smiled, ducking his head in a quick nod. “Of course, Commander.”
“However,” Tanis continued. “Even if I had been involved, I’m certain that it wouldn’t earn me a personal visit and effusive gratitude such as this.”
Alden steepled his fingers and gazed over them into her eyes before glancing at Colonel Leona on his left and then the unnamed man on his right.
“No, it likely wouldn’t. It’s hard enough for me to take a vacation without someone trying to kill me these days, let alone duck out from meetings with GE’s board to chat with someone such as yourself.”
“And yet here we are, sitting in my galley, talking about things that most certainly didn’t happen.” Tanis smiled and spread her hands wide. “So what is it that I can help you with, Oligarch Alden?”
“The Jovian Combine has need of your services.”
Tanis gave a nonchalant laugh—which was the furthest from how she felt—and gestured at the galley around them.
“You might have noticed that I’m currently employed. I’m not looking to transfer to the JSF—something I think the TSF would not encourage…or allow, should I try.”
“The JSF doesn’t need another patrol boat captain,” Alden scoffed. “We need intelligence officers such as yourself. We also need them to remain just where they are.”
“I’m no traitor.” Tanis put the word out there where it sat like a weight between them. “Even if that’s not what you’re thinking, you know the TSF won’t see it any other way. I’m sorry, but whatever you’re asking for, I can’t help you.”
“Commander Richards.” Oligarch Alden said her name as though she were a great disappointment and then blew out a long sigh. “I respect that, and I expected that sort of response. A dedicated officer such as yourself is not the sort of person to turn on your own people. Of course, the Terrans aren’t your people. You’re Marsian.”
“Doesn’t matter,” she replied, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at the oligarch. “I think it’s time you got off my ship, sir.”
The expression on the oligarch’s face made it clear that she might have been the first person in decades to speak to him that way.
A deep furrow formed between Alden’s brows, and he seemed uncertain as to whether or not he should lean forward and threaten her, or laugh and do as she asked.
“You haven’t heard our offer yet.” The man to next to Alden spoke for the first time. “It’s very convincing.”
“Not interested.” Tanis began t
o rise, but Leona drew a pistol and aimed it at Tanis’s head.
“If you kill me, you’ll die on this ship.” Tanis’s voice dripped with menace. “My breach team is armored up and in the hall outside this door. Want to find out what it’s actually like to die at my hand, Oligarch? You’re about to.”
“The Temerity will blow your ship out of the black,” Colonel Leona growled.
“Not while they think the oligarch may still be alive onboard.” Rage built in Tanis’s voice. To think that she’d saved this man only to have him threaten her life. “You think you can fuck with me? I hold all the cards here.”
“Not all the cards,” Alden said quietly. “You see, despite the fact that we know you were working behind the scenes to stop my assassination, we also have a lot of evidence that points to a certain ‘Tanis Richards’ being at two locations where I was going to be killed. That evidence will certainly come out if things turn sour here. You’ll be charged and prosecuted in Jovian courts, Miss Richards, and the TSF and Marsians won’t be able to stop us.”
The oligarch placed both hands flat on the table. “So you see, you really don’t hold anything at all.”
Tanis shrugged and settled back in her seat. “Except a full-sensory recording of this conversation.”
“It’ll be your word against mine.”
While she evaluated the fastest way to disarm Leona while she called in Marion, Darla spoke quietly into her mind.
Tanis knew that was her best way out of this. Though her words hadn’t been bluster; Marion and her team stood not five meters away, in the corridor. Even so, bringing them in and attempting to arrest the Jovian oligarch would certainly not go well in the long run.
“What do you want?” She chewed out the words one by one, not bothering to hide how angry she was.
“Simple.” The oligarch was all smiles once more. “I want Admiral Mikayla.”
Due to her seething anger, Tanis blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Did she reject your advances? I’m no matchmaker.”
A look of horror crossed Colonel Leona’s face, and even the as-yet unnamed man appeared surprised.
The oligarch only snorted a laugh. “Ah, Miss Richards, you have no idea how long it’s been since someone has been real with me. It’s refreshing. Stupid, but refreshing.”
“I get punchy when I’m being blackmailed. Besides, you went to great lengths to meet with me personally; I figure I have a bit of capital to spend.”
“Are you sure this is how you want to spend it?”
“Sure. Why not. Tells me how much you want me to get you this Admiral Mikayla.”
Tanis wondered.
While Tanis and Darla had spoken, the nameless man slid a hyfilm dossier across the table. “We have reason to believe that Admiral Mikayla orchestrated the attempt on the oligarch’s life. Which means she’s the one who chose to use you as a pawn—fully intending to kill you in the process.”
Tanis touched a finger to the hyfilm, feeding breach nano into it, checking for anything untoward.
“Should have opened with that,” she muttered, turning her attention to Alden. “Still, why me? I’m sure Mister Dark and Mysterious over here runs wetwork ops all the time.”
Alden glanced at his companion. “He does. Problem is, Admiral Mikayla has proven…tricky to get to. There’s a chance that our op may be uncovered, and as you just might be beginning to understand, things are tense between the Jovian Combine and the Scattered Worlds Alliance right now.”
“I heard that they’re not too happy with what you did with Pluto,” Tanis said.
The oligarch shrugged. “That and other things. It’s all just an elaborate dance. Mikayla wanted to punch my ticket, but she failed. Now I’m going to punch hers.”
“I won’t kill her,” Tanis shook her head. “You can threaten me all you want, I won’t do that.”
“Honestly,” Alden said with what seemed like a heartfelt sigh, “I don’t want to see her die. What I want from her are answers and a public confession. You just need to get her to the table.”
“And whereabouts is this table?” Tanis asked.
“We’ll let you know when the time is right,” Nameless Man said. “First you have to get to High Terra and capture her. Once that happens, we’ll take care of the rest.”
“And I suppose you’re to be my contact?” Tanis asked the man, to which he nodded. “Then we have a problem.” She looked back at Alden. “Because I want Colonel Leona to be my contact.”
“Pardon?” the Jovian colonel sputtered.
“Your buddy boy there is so slimy that slugs steer clear.” Tanis couldn’t help but sneer at the man. “But the colonel here, despite having the worst case of resting bitch face I’ve ever seen, is at least authentic.”
Both Nameless Man and the colonel opened their mouths to speak, but Alden placed his hands on the table and nodded. “Done. You have fifty days to get Mikayla. Leona will provide you with contact protocols.”
“I’m not done.” Tanis shook her head.
“Oh?”
“If I’m going to risk throwing away my life for this, I expect to be paid.”
The oligarch glanced at Nameless Man. “Told you. Everyone has a price.”
Alden’s companion only narrowed his eyes as he reached into his pocket and placed a small datapod on the table. “Fifty million credits now. Fifty million on completion.”
Tanis shook her head. “Two hundred million now, and three hundred million when I turn her over.”
“Are you kidding me?” Colonel Leona sputtered before turning to the oligarch. “Sir, I have a team that can do this. We’ll be in and out, no problem.”
Alden shook his head. “No. Miss Richards here is the ideal operative. Since Admiral Mikayla effectively ordered her death, she has a score to settle. If she’s caught, then the story ends there, and no one looks any further.” The oligarch glanced at Leona. “If a JSF spec-ops team is caught…well, that won’t help things at all.”
Leona subsided, but Tanis could see fire raging behind her eyes.
“Do we have a deal?” Tanis asked.
The oligarch nodded, and Nameless Man reached into his jacket and drew out another datapod. He set it on the table and then retrieved the first one.
“You don’t trust us?” Alden asked with a sickly sweet smile.
Tanis tilted her head to meet Alden’s eyes. “Trust is earned.”
“I believe we have a deal, Mister Alden.”
“Olig—” Leona began to correct, but the man put a hand on her arm. “She’s earned that one. I goaded her into it.” He turned his gaze to Tanis. “Careful not to be so predictable when you grab the admiral.”
He rose and put his helmet back on, as did Leona and Nameless Man. Tanis signaled Marion and her team to fall back out of sight, and when the Jovians reached the door, the hall was empty.
“We know the way,” Alden said as they turned down the passage.
“I’m sure you do,” Tanis muttered.
CONFESSIONS
STELLAR DATE: 02.17.4085 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: TSS Kirby Jones
REGION: Ouranos nearspace, Jovian Combine, OuterSol
Tanis buried her face into her hands as Connie stared at her in disbelief.
“Seriously?” Connie asked after a full minute of silence.
“Mmmhhmmph.”
“We save his life…twice…and his repayment is blackmail?”
“Mmmhmmmph.”
“I hope you know not to touch a single one of those,” Connie cautioned.
“I was really mean to the oligarch of the Jovian Combine,” Tanis muttered into her hands. “I said things that no sane person should have said.”
“Whoa, whoa, what?” Connie exclaimed. “A gun.”
“Well, shit.” Connie pressed her hands against her temples. “That’s almost getting to be a habit for us.”
Tanis lifted her head and looked into her cup of coffee, finding it empty. “Dammit.”
“Here.” Connie held out her hand. “I’ll grab you a refill. You look like you could use another pot…or two.”
“Thanks, Connie.” Tanis passed her chief engineer the cup. “I need to talk to Harm…and probably Admiral Kocsis. Problem is, I still don’t really trust the backchannels Harm set up for us. He’s not found out who in the Division faked those orders that came to me on Mars…and you on Vesta, for that matter.”
“Right,” Connie said from the counter, where she was pouring the last of the pot into Tanis’s cup. “What mood you in?”
“Cream and sugar. Give me all the drugs. Actually…put some liquor in there, too.”
“Irish crème. Now you’re talking my language.”
“You know we’re not supposed to have that aboard,” Tanis said as she watched Connie reach into the back of the chiller and pull out a bottle labeled ‘Sriracha’.
