Home Front (Star Kingdom #7) - Lindsay Buroker Page 0,133
to send the mercenaries off on a random mission, but how about trying to hire them for a specific one? I am willing to send the tracking information to all of the mercenaries if they’re willing to go after Dubashi—it will allow them to find him without a slydar detector.”
“If he already hired these people…” Nalini started.
“We don’t believe he did. They know he’s broke. They may not even be aware that he was the one to spread the information that the talks were taking place on the station and they might all profit.” Casmir spread his open palm. “I understand that you don’t want to let it be known that people who attack you can be given money to leave you alone—precedents, you mentioned—but would you consider an exception in this case? If I had money, I’d do it myself, but I haven’t gotten a paycheck for several months now.”
Her lips thinned. Casmir couldn’t tell if she was considering it or if she was annoyed that he kept asking her for money. He worried it wouldn’t take Dubashi long to figure out that he’d been tagged—and figure out how to get rid of it. They couldn’t wait for the Kingdom reinforcements to arrive.
Even so, while he waited for her to decide, Casmir sent the tracking information to Rache and Ishii. He doubted Rache was still in the system or would do anything with it, but on the off chance he was wrong, why not try? Ishii would act on it. If only he were closer.
“There’s always Tristan’s land to bargain with,” Casmir offered to Nalini’s silence.
“The land I don’t have,” Tristan said.
“If you ever decide to press a lawsuit regarding it, I’ll send some crushers in with you to the Senate floor to lend the intimidation factor.”
“I’m sure that will work.”
Nalini lifted a hand to stop their conversation. “I’ll give it a shot. Does anyone know how much mercenaries expect to be paid? We’re outside my realm of expertise.”
“Well, they wouldn’t have to expend any fuel,” Casmir said. “Dubashi is right behind their butts.”
“So I should just offer them an exorbitant hourly wage?”
“Maybe throw in one of those short-term rental condos you’re developing on Oceanus,” Tristan said. “Pasty pale space mercenaries probably enjoy vacations in the tropics.”
“Just what I want. Grubby mercenaries on the furniture.” Nalini tapped the comm panel on her command chair.
Casmir closed his eyes as she initiated contact, hoping she would have luck enticing them.
While they waited to see if her hail would be answered, Casmir checked on Sultan Shayban. More of the asteroid’s weapons platforms had been taken out, and he worried the mercenary ships would believe it safe to head inside and force their way onto the station.
We’ve apprehended the men who sabotaged the shield generator, Shayban responded. They are from our own station. Dubashi paid them off. I want that son of a bitch dead.
Your daughter is currently trying to bribe the mercenaries to turn on him. Maybe you could add some funds to increase the reward. Casmir snapped his fingers. “Wait. Don’t just offer to pay them. Make it a reward. A bounty. He’s been putting bounties on my head for months. He deserves some turnabout. And then you only have to pay whoever brings him in.”
“That’s… not a bad idea.” Nalini nodded and glanced at the comm panel. “Someone’s answering now. But maybe I should broadcast my offer to everybody in the area.”
Casmir almost suggested that they send it to everybody in the system, but then Dubashi would find out he’d been tagged. “Do pinpoint messages to select ships. Encrypted. Dubashi will figure out a way to nullify our tracker as soon as he realizes it exists.”
“Right.” She bent over the comm and spoke to whoever she had on the line.
Is he out there? Shayban asked.
Oh, yes. He’s probably just outside the range of your slydar detector. He’s got twelve ships guarding him.
I will speak to Nalini and add my funds to this reward offer.
Good. And get that shield generator back up, please. Even if we’re lucky and this works, I’m sure he won’t go down without a fight.
So am I, Casmir. So am I.
Bonita would have paced the Stellar Dragon’s small navigation cabin if there had been gravity to do so. But she’d slowed to a stop and was watching from a distance as Dya’s yacht sped off in another direction and one of the two looming Drucker warships held Jemadari’s Star Mirage in its clutches.