Free Rumors of Glory (The System States Rebellion Book 1) by Dietmar Wehr Page A

the FED mission. It was for his benefit. However limited
it might be, he could now claim credit for getting something useful out of her
that might make it easier for him to visit her again.
     
    “Yes, his ship got away. The other two didn’t.” When it
was clear that she wasn’t going to say more, he knocked on the door and the
guard outside let him out
     
    The Security Commander looked disgusted when Drake
re-entered his office. “That’s it? You talked with her for two seconds and you
got nothing out of her!”
     
    “Not true. She revealed the name of the FED officer in
command of the mission. Stacker. Commodore Stacker last I heard.”
     
    “So you got one lousy name. I knew this would be a waste
of time.”
     
    Drake put his hands on his hips and gave the Commander a
stern look. “Just how much secret intel do you think she knows? She’s only a
lieutenant for God’s sakes! Do you think they’d pump her full of sensitive
information and then send her on a mission where she’s sure to be captured? Use
your head.”
     
    The security commander’s expression showed that he didn’t
like being spoken to like that, but he and Drake were the same rank, and there
was nothing he could do about it.
     
    “You two have a history together. Maybe you still feel
something for her. If you care about what happens to her here, you might want
to be more careful about what you say to me, Commander.”
     
    Drake kept his face blank while he evaluated what kind of
response he should make. The security commander struck him as having a nasty
streak that far too many guards develop with regards to their prisoners. Giving
in to his threat wouldn’t guarantee that he wouldn’t mistreat Lor anyway. If
the security commander wanted to play rough, then Drake could play rough too.
He slowly walked over to the desk, put his hands on the desk and learned over
it as far as he could.
     
    “Listen to this carefully, Commander. I’m one of two
officers commanding a missile boat. I speak with Chief of Space Operations
Admiral Janicot just about every day. If I even suspect that you or your people
are mistreating Lieutenant Remington, or any other FED prisoner, the CSO’s
going to hear about it. How often do you talk with Admiral Janicot, Commander?”
The security officer’s face lost all its color. Drake could see fear in his
eyes.
     
    “I’m just trying to do my job,” he said in a low voice.
     
    Drake decided to throw him a bone. “I know you are, and I
know you won’t do anything to bring discredit to that uniform. I think we have
an understanding then, right?”
     
    “Right.”
     
    “Good. I’ll be back every now and then to visit with
Lieutenant Remington. I’ll see you then, Commander.” Without waiting for a
reply, Drake turned and walked out.
     
                                                 * * *
     
    Belloc grimaced with pain as he slowly sat down in the
padded chair at the head of the conference table. The broken arm he suffered
when the shuttle blast overturned his limo with him bouncing around inside was
not the cause of the pain. That was caused by the wounds on his back from the
shrapnel that flew through the open door before the vehicle tipped over.
     
    “I’ve called this meeting of the SSU Cabinet to discuss
one and only one topic. Now that the FEDs have thrown down the gauntlet,
there’s no reason why we shouldn’t strike back. How and when is what we’re here
to discuss.”
     
    Belloc’s voice had a harder edge to it than usual,
thought Sorensen. Whether from anger or stress caused by the pain she had no
idea. When Belloc turned to look at her, she knew it was going to be her turn
at bat first.
     
    “Okay, Mandy. What can you tell me?”
     
    “I’m sorry to say that our options at this point are
limited. While it’s true that four FED cruisers have been captured, they’re
still scattered over several hundred light years, and it’ll take