Free The Sentinel (The Sentinel Trilogy Book 1) by Michael Wallace

me. Before you move, think this through.”
    Anna didn’t move from the couch. “We have. Believe me, we act without pleasure. Out of absolute necessity. I respect you as my commander, for the efforts you’ve made to keep Sentinel 3 operational for eleven years. And you are my brother. But you have committed a treasonous act. You are no longer fit to lead.”
    “I will have you both arrested,” Li said. “You understand that, don’t you? This display of factionalism will explode into civil war, and you will be the ones responsible for whatever happens. That makes you guilty of treason, not me.”
    Megat put a hand on Li’s arm. “Don’t make this any harder than it has to be.”
    “Don’t touch me.” Li jerked loose. “Stand down, both of you. I’m warning you.”
    “When the threat has passed, you’ll be released,” Anna said. “Without command, but released. We will find a suitable position for you that will utilize your skills.”
    “Computer, open channel. Attention, base—”
    Li stopped as he realized that the com link wasn’t responding. He rushed to the door, but it wouldn’t open. Sensing Megat stalking behind him, Li whirled and lunged for the man’s gun. Megat blocked him with his shoulder, then shoved him back toward the center of the room. Li ducked out of the way, stepping clear of his sister, who remained on the couch. So cold, emotionless almost.
    He braced himself to grapple with Megat again. The man stayed back, wary. One hand rested on his pistol.
    “Go ahead, shoot me,” Li taunted. “You’ll have to kill me sooner or later.”
    “No,” Anna said. She came to her feet at last. “Don’t you do it, Megat.”
    “I will if I have to,” the man said in a grim tone. “He’s a traitor.”
    “Why?” Li demanded. “Because I wanted to hear what the message had to say? You call me a traitor because I didn’t delete it unlistened to? Because I had it translated?”
    “It was what you did after that’s treason,” Anna said.
    “I did nothing. I told the man who helped me to keep his mouth shut and I came directly here.”
    “After responding,” she said.
    “Responding? I haven’t done anything of the kind. If you want to know, I was going to suppress it, not that it’s any of your business.”
    “We caught your message. We haven’t decoded it yet, but we know. So don’t lie, don’t play us for fools. You sent a response.”
    There was heat in her voice, and Li wanted to glance at her, but was afraid to turn his gaze from Megat, who was still poised, ready to lunge. They wanted to take him uninjured, he knew—that was the only reason Megat hadn’t taken him down yet. They didn’t want the commander to look bloodied, to inspire the Openers to come to his aid when he was thrown into a holding cell. The whole sham would continue into a mock court martial, no doubt.
    “I don’t know what you think I did, but you’re wrong. Have you heard the incoming message? Do you know what it is?”
    “Why don’t you tell me, Jon,” Anna said.
    “You don’t, do you?” Li let out a bitter laugh. “So you’re more wrong than you know. It’s a human ship all right.”
    “So you think,” she said.
    “Will you shut up and let me finish? It’s a human ship—I’ve heard the voice, listened to the transmission, and had it translated. It’s a dialect of English, and we broke it open.”
    “What does it say?” Anna couldn’t hide the curiosity in her voice.
    “It’s a distress call, more or less. It’s some sort of warship from a human kingdom called Albion, a small collection of planets on the far side of the Hroom Empire. They promised to help the Imperium.”
    Megat seemed to relax during this, and Li took a chance to ease his own posture. He turned his attention to his sister and held her gaze.
    “You don’t know any of this,” he said, “or you’d never have suspected me of turning into an Opener.”
    “And you haven’t answered the message?”
    “Of