Free Hellhole Inferno by Brian Herbert Page A

Turlo and Sunitha Urvancik, were due to arrive at the Ankor spaceport. Former Constellation linerunners, the husband-and-wife team had infiltrated the Crown Jewels numerous times since the General declared Deep Zone independence.
    The Urvanciks had just returned from a run to the DZ planet Hossetea, and Adolphus met them in the Ankor admin building as soon as they disembarked. He sat across from Turlo and Sunitha in a private conference chamber, where a filtered window provided a view of the landing field. Shuttles departed and arrived, accompanied by a flurry of landing downboxes.
    Turlo had wide shoulders and a broad face, with pleasant features but not strikingly handsome. He was of medium height, with brown hair and dark eyes, and a natural tan. His pretty, olive-skinned wife, Sunitha, had an exotic look to her, with thick black hair and almond eyes.
    Both of them had a sense of determination that made them completely reliable. Their only son, Kerris, had been killed during the General’s first rebellion, serving in the Army of the Constellation, but the Urvanciks had turned against the Diadem when they learned that the reported cause of his death was a lie. Once they defected, they were utterly loyal to General Adolphus.
    Now, Turlo carried two packs, slinging them onto the floor while Sunitha took a seat. Both of them looked troubled. Without any preamble, Sunitha said, “We’re glad to find you here in person, sir. There’s a lot to report, and something you need to know.”
    â€œUnrest brewing on Hossetea,” said Turlo, without his characteristic good cheer. “Demonstrations against the planetary administrator, Sylvan Greer—and even more anger directed toward you, sir. They burned you in effigy in the largest city, along with a crude image of a Xayan.”
    â€œHe doesn’t need to know those details,” Sunitha interrupted.
    â€œYes, I do.” Adolphus was surprised and dismayed by the report. “I have heard no grievances. What is causing the trouble?”
    â€œWe kept our distance, sir,” Turlo said. “But we picked up enough. The people are saying that Hossetea never wanted a war against the Constellation, that you forced this whole problem on them.”
    Sunitha added, “And they don’t want to be allied with aliens against their own people.”
    Furrowing his brow, Adolphus said, “I’d better send in a larger surveillance team, along with more security personnel. You’d think Hossetea would be glad not to pay a backbreaking tribute to the Diadem. Don’t they want to be free?”
    â€œI think they don’t want to do the work it takes to be free, sir,” said Turlo.
    â€œShould we turn around and head back there with a message, General?” Sunitha asked.
    Adolphus shook his head. “No, I have a different mission for you, a difficult one. How would you like to sneak into Sonjeera?”
    Turlo smiled. “That’s always fun.”
    â€œIt won’t be fun,” Adolphus said, “but the Xayans insist it’s important.”
    *   *   *
    Knowing that Tanja Hu and Ian Walfor were due to arrive in an hour with their firsthand observations of devastated Candela, Adolphus kept the conference room as a temporary office. He sent for a plate of curry and garlic fish fillets on fry-pasta from one of the concessionaires in the terminal building, and ate while reviewing the disturbing information about Hossetea. He was just finishing his meal when the two travelers entered.
    With his weathered skin and ruddy good looks, Ian Walfor carried himself with confidence. Though he was the planetary administrator of the remote DZ world of Buktu—now empty and abandoned—he was also the best space pilot Adolphus had ever seen. Close behind him, Tanja Hu was a tall woman with high cheekbones, large eyes, and inky black hair.
    Adolphus pushed his meal aside while Tanja swung herself into a