Free Cobra Outlaw - eARC by Timothy Zahn Page A

them.”
    “Maybe he doesn’t have to,” Jody said slowly, staring at the curve of the corridor. If Rashida and Smitty were in the corridor, and Omnathi was at the far side listening to the Marine’s pitch… “Where’s Ifrit Ghushtre? Is he with Shahni Omnathi?”
    “Yes.” Nisti did a sudden double-take. “Son of a snake .”
    “Exactly,” Jody said, her stomach tightening. “There’s no one in CoNCH who knows what any of the controls and readouts mean.”
    “But how does that gain him anything?” Kemp asked, sounding bewildered. “We’re watching CoNCH. Neither Marine can get in.”
    “Maybe they don’t have to,” Jody said, pulling up a mental image of the Squire ’s layout. “Did anyone ever find an auxiliary control room? A mini-CoNCH, or something like that?”
    “No,” Kemp said. “Maybe a ship this small doesn’t have one.”
    “Or maybe those backups are in the gunbays,” Jody said.
    “The gunbays ?” Kemp’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding.”
    “Why not?” Jody said. “They’re secure and well-armored, and they’re far enough from the main CoNCH that a hit on one of them might leave the other one intact.”
    “Yes, but—” Kemp waved a helpless hand. “People shoot at gunbays. Don’t they?”
    “Probably,” Jody said. “But the only way this makes any sense is if the other Marine is doing something in his bay while this one is holding our attention here.”
    “I agree with you, Cobra Kemp, that the notion borders on the ridiculous,” Nisti said grimly. “I also agree with Jody Moreau that the possibility cannot be ignored.”
    Kemp glared at the corridor wall. “So what do we do?”
    Jody tuned back into the Marine’s monologue. He’d left the subject of treaties and was speaking about the wonders of the Dominion of Man and the privileges of being part of it. “We need to end this,” she said. “I’m guessing Smitty and Rashida have worked out a plan to take him down and are waiting for an opening.”
    “Only they don’t know we’re running a time limit,” Kemp said.
    “They must be alerted,” Nisti agreed. “Is there a code you can use to signal them?”
    “Nothing that wouldn’t be ambiguous and confusing,” Kemp said, his forehead wrinkling. “We’d do better for one of us to circle around to where Shahni Omnathi and Ghushtre are and tell one of them to head back to CoNCH and find out what’s going on.”
    “They will not leave,” Kaza said grimly. “Shahni Omnathi, because his sudden departure from the conversation would alert the soldier that we were aware of his deception. Ifrit Ghushtre, because his task is to protect His Excellency. He will not leave without him.”
    “Even for something like this?” Kemp pressed. “Even if we can guarantee the Shahni’s safety?”
    “He will not leave,” Kazi repeated.
    “Wait a second,” Jody said as a new thought suddenly struck her. “We don’t need either of them to leave if we can get Rashida out of there.”
    Kemp shook his head. “The Marine isn’t going to give up his hostage.”
    “No,” Jody agreed. “Not unless he can trade up to something better.”
    Kemp’s eyes widened. “Out of the question.”
    “We have no choice,” Jody said flatly. “I’m practically the only person aboard who he wouldn’t see as a threat. Especially since I’m a woman and we’ve seen that the Dominion doesn’t think much of women. If I pitch it as one emotional female trying to protect an even more emotional female, he may go for it.”
    “No,” Kemp insisted. “Aside from anything else, your mother will kill me if she ever finds out I let you do it.”
    “If you don’t let me go she may never have the chance,” Jody shot back. “The other Marine could be setting a self destruct right now. Or overloading the drive, or who knows what.”
    “She’s right,” Nisti said. His voice was tight, but there was an edge of respect mixed into his tone. “Do not fear, Kemp. She is a Moreau.