Free The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Leviathan by Jack Campbell Page B

authorized to risk the lives of everyone on this station?” From their expressions, Geary realized that his voice had gotten a lot louder. He scaled it back. “You idiots. We barely managed to stop an attack on this station, an attack the station was blind to because of your actions. Literally
blind
obedience is not a virtue. Don’t say another word to me until I ask you to, and don’t do anything until I tell you to, or you will both regret it.”
    After only a couple of minutes, another ground forces soldier appeared. The soldier advanced with open hands held out, then popped his face shield when close to Geary. “Colonel Kochte, commander of the ground forces with primary responsibility for defense of Ambaru,” he introduced himself.
    “Are we good, Colonel?” Geary asked.
    “I’m not moving my people until we get things cleared up, Admiral. Our systems are a mess,” Kochte complained. “The problems seem to be spreading throughout Ambaru and the star system.”
    “You’ve got official software fighting official software,” Geary said. “I provided Major Problem with software patches that will fix the problems.”
    “Yes, sir, but with all due respect, since you’re not in my chain of command, and as far as we can determine the patches are not officially approved or authorized, that creates some other problems for me.”
    “Colonel, I want to ensure that no Alliance troops end up shooting at each other because of the problems with the software on this station and their battle armor.”
    “We are in agreement with that, sir.” Kochte hesitated. “Admiral, if this was some Syndic sabotage, I could act immediately.”
    Geary considered that. “I cannot rule out Syndic involvement in one way or another. I don’t know with absolute certainty who has been creating this problem.”
    Kochte smiled. “Then I can have those patches installed, based on your assurances that they are necessary to the defense of this station.”
    “They definitely are necessary, Colonel. I understand in their current configurations, your battle-armor systems are designating Alliance Marines as hostile forces.”
    “And the Marines are not. Or they shouldn’t be.” Colonel Kochte looked at Geary. “Admiral, since you got back, it has looked like you and your ships were doing some sort of fleet mime game, pretending you were fighting something that wasn’t there. But our systems spotted damage occurring to some of your ships even though there was no indication of anything firing at them. Does this have anything to do with any of the aliens?”
    “I don’t think so, Colonel.” He couldn’t rule it out, of course. Maybe the enigmas had figured out a different way to mess with humanity. But he had no evidence for that, and substantial evidence in the other direction. “I suspect this is purely human mischief, but by whom I do not yet have sufficient information.”
    The colonel’s eyes went to the two officials standing stiffly with Marine rifles held in ways that covered any movement they might make. “Who are they, sir, if I may ask?”
    “I don’t know. They thought they could give me orders.”
    Kochte looked uncertain again. “Is it happening, Admiral? They said you wouldn’t.”
    “Happening?” The meaning of the question hit Geary. “Do you mean am I moving against the government? No. I am acting lawfully, dealing with threats to my forces and to the Alliance. I am still trying to sort out who is behind this. Even if these two are legitimate, which Ithink is far from a settled question, I do not think the government really understands what has happened, that layers and layers of secrecy have kept too many people in the dark about what I suspect was actually going on, and that too many other people have used secrecy as a way of avoiding having their actions questioned. I am not moving against the government. I am still trying my best to defend the Alliance.”
    “But if those two really are from the