Free Annals of the Keepers: War 267 (Book 1 in the Gashnee Saga) by Christiaan Hile, Benjamin Halkett Page A

down.
    The Kryth picked them up three days after their escape from Dalyth Point. They took the problematic Fossari first for interrogation. The Cuukzen get no such respect; never being questioned first, and always tortured last for some unknown reason. Mistuuk could never put his finger on why though.
    He did know his situation to be quite serious, considering the cell in which he sat.
    The Yantek Lore military installation deep behind Kryth lines was legendary. He chuckled to himself, imagining Kryth investigators trying to link the Fossari dissidents to the devastating attack on Dalyth Point. Chasing any lead, no matter how improbable, was all that the Kryth could do now.
    During his first session with the investigators, Mistuuk sensed that the Kryth were just as confused as everyone else was. They were jumping at shadows, for he knew it wasn’t the Fossari’s misfits but something unknown to both.
    Two armored guards approached. “Come.”
    Now we are talking, Mistuuk thought. Finally some respect around here.
    Armed guards waited to escort this bounty hunter to an interrogation room. He knew he had nothing to hide; well, maybe for a price he did. Odd, he thought as the last questioning didn’t have soldiers in full battle gear, like these two, almost as if they awaited an attack from some unknown quarter.
    After a series of twisting corridors, two lift rides, and a flight of stairs, a door opened as they led Mistuuk in.
    The guards took the restraining bolts off his wrists. “Wait here,” the soldiers said as they left.
    The door slid shut behind them with a lock.
    Mistuuk looked around the room.
    No cuffs. How interesting. No doubt the guards would wait a short distance outside the door. No matter, he thought, as he was free to move around and, by all accounts, it was much better than a cell.
    The room was white, with insignificant furnishings except the crystal desk that sat in front of a long oval window, which ran the entire length of the room. Two chairs sat, one behind and one in front of the desk, surely for the interrogator and the interrogatee. No torture tables or hungry Aythra’s to instill fear here.
    He paused as he double-checked behind the desk. Check, no Aythra’s present.
    Mistuuk approached the window to take note where he was. The seal of the glass was at his height. With a sigh and a hand-hold on the edge, he raised up on his toes to have a peek out while he waited for his stupid Kryth masters to arrive.
    ∞∞∞
    “Your spies have given me nothing since our conversation onboard the Selken’s Drift , Voskal Lat.” The comment punctuated by Lintorth as he spun on the balls of his feet to avoid the dler staff coming his way.
    Voskal Lat missed his mark, he repositioned himself. “I have all my agents scouring all sectors. It has only been several circles since last the request was made,” He finished with a series of attacks, all blocked by Lintorth. “You must give me more time,” he implored to Lintorth.
    Lintorth placed his staff upright as to halt the spar.
    “Our time is running out, my friend. The Si Generals want an all-out attack on Sol.” The disdain marked Lintorth’s face. He continued, “An attack on who? On what? The generals do not know who or what they are going after, and they want to attack? For all we know, this could be a scouting party who attacked Dalyth Point and these batwons want to charge in blindly not knowing what lies in the dark,” Lintorth ranted as he threw down his staff.
    Leaving his staff on the combat chamber floor, Lintorth limped over to a weapons rake and took his cape from the podium.
    Swinging his cape around his back, he turned his attention back towards Voskal.
    “In ten circles, Xoma Si will hold a meeting with the generals and render a decision on invading the Sol system. My friend,” placing his hands on Voskal’s shoulders, “if I have ever asked for anything so much, it is now. We must, at all costs, gain some detail into this riddle