The Iron Admiral: Deception (7 page)

Erascu smiled. “Yep, daring and unexpected. That’s Grand Admiral Saahren. He is amazing. Best there is.” He drank some more beer. “Intrepiddid what we did—jumped in, blew away a target and jumped out again.”

Allysha rotated her glass between her hands. No planetary bombardment. Back home on Carnessa, everyone believed the two Confederacy cruisers deliberately bombarded the planet from space. Her father had died there, collateral damage in a war that wasn’t his concern. Saahren had told her he hadn’t ordered a planetary bombardment but she didn’t believe him. Maybe Erascu was mistaken. After all he was just a trooper; he said so himself.

“We had a kind of competition going betweenProserpine andIntrepid while we were practicing. You know what I mean? Who’d get the first kill, who’d get out first? Ended up, there was nothing much in it.

ButProserpine won. The captain announced the results when we finished training.” He said the words proudly.

She chewed at her lip. “You know, the ptorix version of the story is that the planet was bombarded.”

He waved the remark away. “Didn’t happen. I don’t know how anyone could believe that. We found out later the battleshipProserpine blew away crashed into their orbital space station and they both came down on the planet. Sounds right to me.” He shrugged. “Anyway, all you have to do is look at our logs of when we exited shift space and when we went in again. No time to achieve orbit, let alone bombard anything.”

“Can you be certain?”

“About that, yes. See, when you come out of shift space and go into orbit, the ship has to slow down a lot or it’ll overshoot. Troopers get a feel for it. You go into orbit, soon you’ll be in action. She hardly slowed down at all, just like in the drills.”

“What made this maneuver so different?”

“The timing and the pin point accuracy. We transferred in very close to the target. They don’t usually do that because if you make any sort of mistake…” He lifted his shoulders. “And then the shot had to be just

so or we would’ve missed.”

She nodded. Everything Erascu said meshed with what Saahren had told her. Damn it. Always assuming that he hadn’t planned that the crippled warship would hit the space station. She supposed that was possible.

He finished his drink. “Another one?”

“Er… no. I’d better go. I’ve got work tomorrow and it’d be nice to get some uninterrupted sleep.”

He smiled in sympathy. He would have known almost as well as Allysha how many times her sleep was interrupted during the past week. “True enough. Come on, then.”

Carrying Allysha’s bag, he maneuvered his way between tables. The bar was even busier and louder as more people came in after work. Somewhere under the chatter, a popular song struggled to be heard.

As

they passed one group a fellow sergeant called out to Erascu. “Hey, Ras. Introduce us to your girl.”

Erascu smiled and shook his head. “Not now.”

“I’d like to ask you out,” he said as they walked through the park. “But I get the feeling you’re a bit beyond a mere sergeant.”

“Hey, I’m just a techo.” Allysha liked him, he was nice. Saahren’s face materialized in her mind. What would he do if she hooked up with a new boyfriend? No, not a wise move, especially with someone as vulnerable to his wrath as Erascu would be. “But actually, I’m married.” She shrugged. “Sorry.”

“Sure. I should’ve realized.” They walked on for a few moments in silence. “He’s a lucky man.”

Huh. If Sean was a lucky man he had a strange way of showing it. Whereas Saahren was always gentle, always considerate, always attentive. Then again, maybe he’d change if she married him. Into the dark, vengeful being she’d seen at Lake Sylmander. She had feared him for a moment. And then she remembered a frightened kid watching his sister being raped. There was so much she didn’t know about this man.

Erascu handed Allysha her bag at her door. “Here you are. It’s been a pleasure. If you ever need anyone to spar with.” He lifted his shoulders very slightly. “I’m not always around, but if I am…”

She smiled at him. “Thanks, I’d like that. And thanks for the drink.”

She closed the door, then crossed to the window to stare across the park to the Fleet buildings, burnished in the glow of the lowering sun, her mind whirling with questions. She’d have to get hold of the logs forProserpine andIntrepid .

Allysha arrived at her office a few minutes late again. Nightmares. This time, she relived a dream she’d had many times after Jossur. She ran through burnt-out buildings among ptorix bodies, searching for her father. Room after room, each filled with mangled metal, dust, filth. Overhead, a huge shadow blocked the sun. Smoke filled her lungs, the stench of death hung in her nostrils as she searched. “Father, father,”

she called. But the only answer was a fiendish chuckle.Chohzu the Destroyer, the great space demon who rained down death and destruction; the name the ptorix used for Saahren.

She went through to the workroom.

“Hey, Lysha,” Anna said. Her teeth gleamed white against her dark skin. “Great to see you back. Life’s been boring.”

Everyone else nodded agreement.

“I’m glad to be back, too,” she said. “Today, we’re going to look at the InfoDroids the Fleet uses to monitor the maintenance logs on ships.”

She’d brought one of the interface units into the training room and left it to hover in the corner, a featureless, dull grey sphere fitted with an imaging display outlet. The works were inside; sensors that could connect to anything.

The team had just started on their first exercise when the IS spoke. “Allysha, you have a delivery.”

Allysha straightened up beside Sirikit’s workstation. “Delivery?”

“Yes. Flowers.”

Leonov’s clerk brought them in and left. Allysha flushed. Flowers again. They were beautiful, ten tall stems with blossoms like wine flutes arranged to display their deep red throats. Their fragrance was unmistakable, delicate and delicious.

“Are they from Brad?” Anna asked, her eyes dancing.

All of the others stared at Allysha, equally curious. She felt like a fugitive under a spotlight as she read the note. ‘I hope your week went well. Brad.’

“Well? From Brad?” Anna repeated.

Please, leave it alone.But they wouldn’t. “Yes.”

“Was he there? At that course?” Anna asked.

She had to think for a moment. Oh, yes. She was supposed to have been instructing at a senior officer’s course. “No, he wasn’t.”

“Ah hah. So heis a senior officer.”

“Where did you get that from?” They were guessing; they had to be.

“The way you said it. As though no, he wasn’t there but he could have been.” Anna’s eyes sparkled with gleeful delight. “Besides, these are love lilies.”

“What?” Allysha collapsed into her chair. She didn’t need this. But shewas intrigued. “Love lilies?”

“Yep. It’s a Fleet thing. If a man gives you just one of those,” Anna jerked her head at the flowers, “it’s understood to mean he’s serious.”

Sirikit nodded, her liquid eyes sparkling.

“They’re hideously expensive,” Todd chimed in. Allysha thought he looked rather somber. They might be hideously expensive to a lieutenant, but not to the man who sent these.

“Have you given one of these to anybody, Hassan?” Allysha asked.

“Me? Not a chance. Like Anna said, those lilies make a statement. I’m not ready for that, yet.” He scratched at his cheek. “Besides, I wouldn’t want to disappoint anybody.”

Todd rolled his eyes at Hassan. “Yes, of course, you’d have to consider your harem, wouldn’t you?” In a different tone he continued, “I gave one to Cornelia and I’ll bet Tensan gave one to Jinsu.” He cocked his head at Tensan, who nodded.

“And Brad hasn’t sent one, he’s sent ten.” Anna tilted her head and stared at Allysha. “So, you might not think it’s serious, but Brad sure as shootin’ does.”

If she told them who Brad was, she was certain they wouldn’t believe her anyway. She took the flowers into her office. Maybe she could pretend they gave her hay fever and throw them away? She shook her head. That would just excite even more speculation. Best to carry on as if nothing had happened.

“Okay, excitement’s over,” she said. “Let’s get back to the exercise.”

“Are you going to the ball with Brad?” Sirikit said.

The posters were everywhere, had been since she started work with Fleet. “No.”

“He hasn’t asked you?”

He’d know not to bother. “You’re assuming he’s a Fleet officer.”

Anna tossed her head. “’Course he is.” The others sniggered, even Tensan.

“We’re all going,” Anna said.

“I know. I won’t go by myself and there’s nobody I’d want to go with.”

Hassan grinned. “What about Captain Stevenson?”

Allysha rolled her eyes. “Thank you, Lieutenant Mustafa.” Slimy Stevenson? If he asked her one more time, she’d probably use her new martial arts skills on him.

“Ooh, she’s getting all military on us,” Hassan said, chuckling. They all laughed.

“Work, people. That’s what they pay us for,” Allysha said. She didn’t mind a bit of repartee but not too much. “Let’s get back to those exercises.”

****

“Okay, that’s enough for today.” She stood and stretched as Anna, Tensan, Sirikit and Hassan collected their belongings and strolled out, chatting. Todd hovered, tongue flicking between his lips.

“What’s up, Todd? Do you want to cancel our training session?” She hoped not. The exercise was good for her and it might help her sleep.

Todd frowned. “No. Um. I just wanted to ask you something.” He looked flushed as if he was embarrassed.

“Yes?”

“Um. Cornelia can’t come to the ball. Her mother had an accident and she has to go home to look after her brothers and sisters while her mom’s in hospital. She won’t be back in time.”

“Gee. Nothing too serious, I hope?”

He shook his head. “She just needs to rest and that’s difficult with a couple of youngsters running around.”

“I expect so.”

She waited as Todd, scarlet-faced, dithered. Ah. She grinned. “Let me guess. You want me to go to the ball with you.”

He breathed out a huge, gusting sigh of relief. “Would you?”

She hesitated. She hadn’t meant to go. What if Saahren turned up? But then, why would he? He was safely away onArcturus . Besides, it was innocent enough. Todd was ten years her junior and safely engaged. And what if Saahrendid turn up? It was none of his business.

“Sure.”

All the same, she’d have a discreet word with Vlad’s wife, Irina and see if she could find out if he was likely to show up. Without letting on she’d be there herself, of course.

****

Lomas Frensberg fidgeted with his ceremonial sash. Despite his attempt to arrive comfortably late for his meeting with Azzenaar, the blasted toe rag had out-done him.Provenance drifted in orbit around the icy snowball that was the outer-most planet of the Caucassar system. Remote and unremarkable, the location was a perfect place for a meeting between himself and Lord Governor Anxhou’s representative.

He wished he’d been able to use a decent civilian cruiser. But secrecy was vital.

At last his comlink buzzed.

“The ptorix battle ship has exited shift space, Your Excellency.” The captain’s voice was measured and carefully correct.

“You have a shuttle prepared for me?” Of course he had, the question was rhetorical but routine is calming.

“The shuttle is ready. I’ve sent an escort to take you to the hangar. We will launch as soon as we receive acknowledgement from the ptorix vessel.”

His heart beating too fast Frensberg nevertheless walked down the shuttle’s ramp between his escorts at a measured pace. His ceremonial robes were hot and stiff but no matter. Appearance was important. He descended into a cavernous hangar bay, its furthest walls hardly visible in the gloom. The air was moister and warmer than on a GPR ship and his nose detected a hint of acrid spice mixed with the smell of lubricants. A phalanx of ptorix soldiers formed a corridor to where Azzenaar waited. They were the stuff of nightmare, animated blue cones as tall as a man’s shoulder with three eyes, and four arms that ended in

a bunch of waving tentacles. What blighted creator could have invented something like the ptorix was beyond his comprehension. He paced between the rank of warriors, eyes straight ahead, and yet he detected the restless movement of tentacles around their weapons as he passed. Sweat gathered on his chest.

“Welcome to the Khophirate, Lord Frensberg.” Azzenaar’s eyes glowed green-gold and his tentacles waved around in the sleeves of his ornate orange costume.

Frensberg suppressed the involuntary shudder. This meeting was vital. The last thing the GPR needed was for Anxhou’s troops to keep going after they crushed the Confederacy. “It is my great pleasure to meet with you on this auspicious occasion.” He bowed from the neck.

“If you will come this way.” Azzenaar led the way through dimly lit corridors to a conference room.

Complex patterns wove around the walls just below the ceiling. They couldn’treally be moving, surely?

A

large table stood in the center of the room. There were no chairs.

The treaty documents, printed on heavy parchment, lay on the table, one copy for each party, the capitals at the start of each paragraph illuminated in red and gold. Frensberg leaned over the table to read

through the clauses. He’d written them so the process didn’t take long. The phrases were couched in the usual cumbersome legal wording, designed to cover all eventualities but the essence was simple. The GPR would assist Lord Anxhou in his endeavors to reclaim those planets that the human Confederacy had stolen from the Khophirate, starting with the Qerran Suldanate. In return, the Khophirate would not attack the GPR, nor intervene if the GPR claimed Confederacy planets.

The translation had been certified. “This appears to be in order.”

“It does,” Azzenaar rubbed a tentacle across the lower of his two mouths; the speaking mouth.