Free The Naked Truth by Lily Cain Page B

deaths, but it was a very close call.”
    “Where did the attackers come from? Who are they?”
    “That’s what we’d all like to know, Examiner.” The captain’s face sagged under the weight of his concern. “We’re not even certain that the same ones were involved in the other two attacks, or if they are related to the initial terrorist attack.”
    Asler rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. More questions. They needed the answers, soon. “Understood. Has any of this information been passed on to the Earth Consulate? Are they aware of the attacks or how little we know? Is the Treaty in jeopardy?”
    “At this point, the command decision stands. We keep knowledge of the new attacks to ourselves. The Earth Consulate still believe the first attack belongs entirely to the terrorist group Terran Purity. We’ve passed on nothing to the contrary, and the Treaty discussions are continuing. Examiner Salis Fiiten is attending. As usual the lawyers are pulling everything apart and rewriting the Treaty.” A hint of the captain’s strong character seeped back into his voice, tinting his tone with mild sarcastic humor.
    “Good. We will continue to investigate, and leave the defense to you. I expect, and I believe you do too, that these attacks will continue—the timing, the locations, are all tied to the Treaty talks.”
    “Except for this last attack, I would have to agree. Why attack us here? The Treaty discussions and even the dignitaries and lawyers involved are housed either at the Earth Starforce Base or at the Confederacy Jupiter Moon Base. Nothing is going on here.”
    “Nothing except Captain Branscombe.”
    The two men stared grimly at each other. “Right. Tel sahiir denay.” The captain signed off, wishing him good hunting.
    Now both his commander and his captain were personally relying on him to find some sort of answer through Susan’s memories. The Treaty would depend on it. Asler glanced over at Susan again, only to find her dark blue eyes avoiding his gaze. Her meal sat unfinished in her lap, a bite balanced on her utensil. She needed to be ready for this, but he couldn’t put it off much longer.
     
     
    Sue slowly took one last bite of the noodles, delaying the time when she would have to look up at Asler and tell him she was ready to explore her memories. She could feel his eyes upon her after he’d said his goodbyes to the captain of the ship. It had to be done, but fear took away even the spicy taste of the foreign dish. She didn’t want to remember. As it was, she’d almost run when the smell of smoke had hit her in the dining room. The burning scent was too close to the way her flesh had reeked as it burned under her torturer’s hand.
    Had it only been a week ago that she’d experienced that indescribable pain? And now, if she understood what Asler wanted from her, she would feel it again.
    In the face of danger, she’d kept her calm, helped put out the flames in the dining room, despite the wave of fear-drenched memory. But could she do this? Re-experience every moment of torture, so that they might find some questionable piece of evidence she didn’t even know she possessed? She was innocent of collaboration; that was easy to prove. But he wanted to search every memory for something that might be there. Or might not.
    “Susan…” His voice caught at her. She knew it was time, knew he wanted her to work with him now, to move through the past. She didn’t want to disappoint him, she realized. She didn’t want him to know she was a coward, that the thought of doing this terrified her. When had she come to care what this man thought?
    “Susan, I know you are afraid.” Asler stepped closer to her, lifted her chin to look into her eyes. “I’ll tell you again—there will be no pain.”
    “No pain, but the memory of it.”
    “I’ll be with you.”
    She pulled away from him. “I can’t do it!”
    He took a seat near her, careful not to touch her. “Your people don’t know