Free Star Force 12 Demon Star by B. V. Larson, David VanDyke Page A

you’re completely mistaken. I am innocent of all crimes. Consider the source, Riggs. If there is evidence, it has been falsified or manufactured.”
    I blinked at him thoughtfully. “Why would Marvin lie?”
    “Why does the robot do anything? He has his own purposes. Perhaps he is mistaken. In any case, as I said, you’re free to examine all my records and correspondences in detail.”
    “Of course I’m free to do that. I don’t need your permission,” I growled.
    Despite my anger, Hoon’s steadfast denials were starting to cool me off. He was right about due process, too. If I turned into a tyrant in this instance, I’d end up paying for it later. A captain didn’t have the luxury of being a hypocrite in front of his crew. They might start to ask themselves what would keep me from chucking the regs if one of them became a suspect, and why they should follow the rules when I didn’t bother to do the same.
    “I stand ready to assist in any way I can,” Hoon said. “I will provide all codes for my encrypted files, but I insist that Warrant Officer Cornelius be assigned to monitor the investigation.”
    Hoon’s request made me wonder if the hooch-swilling chief of the gun deck, whom I’d recently promoted from senior noncom to warrant officer, was somehow part of the conspiracy. Then it occurred to me that Hoon would want to keep any co-conspirators as far from himself as possible. Maybe he thought that Cornelius’ alcoholic tendencies would make her ineffective.
    Then I decided to quit wondering and ask him. “Cornelius? Why her?”
    “Because she debunked the false mating videos. To me, that proves she is either impartial or on your side. You will not suspect her of shielding me. And because I have nothing to hide, she will make an excellent witness in my defense when the time comes for the formal hearing.”
    He had me there. I couldn’t see any reason to deny his request, unless I was missing something. But I wasn’t about to be out-foxed by a lobster, or by anyone else for that matter. “Fine. Cornelius it is. Valiant, lock down all of the computer systems Hoon has access to and don’t let him make any alterations. Hoon, provide the AI with your access codes right now so she can make complete copies of your files.”
    “Of course, Captain Riggs. I will do so immediately.”
    Fear seemed to have made him compliant, which was a sensible response for any highly intelligent species, but now that I was calming down, I wondered what it was going to cost me later.
    “I’ll leave you to it, then. Come on, Kwon.” I stomped out of Hoon’s watery quarters, dissatisfied. I’d hoped to find something out by confronting the lobster in his lair, so to speak, but he hadn’t fallen apart. Did that mean he was telling the truth, or simply that he had long prepared for this day?
    My gut had begun to doubt Hoon was guilty—at least, guilty of trying to kill me. Maybe whatever Marvin had found was evidence of some lesser meddling, or maybe it really had been faked the way the lobster claimed.
    Once the water had drained away and left me in a dripping battlesuit, I opened my faceplate to rub my eyes. I wished that for once things would become clear.
    With a flash of insight, I realized that this was why I often felt eager for battle. It was the clarity and simplicity of combat that I was drawn to. Distances, speeds, weaponry, tactics, winning and losing. None of this murkiness, the guessing of motivations, looking for traitors among my crew.
    I imagined my sentiment went double for Kwon.
    Military service wasn’t supposed to be like this, dammit. I’d gobbled up life at the Academy like a ravenous tiger, digesting everything I’d been taught in order to turn myself into the model officer. I thought I’d done a decent job until now, especially thrust into the role as captain so soon, but sometimes I felt as if I was drowning in a situation that simply didn’t fit the way things ought to.
    My usual response to