Home Front (Star Kingdom #7) - Lindsay Buroker Page 0,98
I’m told, was a resounding no—so the Kingdom is their only other possibility.”
“How do they know our ships got that particular piece?”
“Apparently, there are unique markings on the exterior, and someone got camera footage of the gate piece being slurped up into one of your warship’s holds.”
“Huh. I wonder if Jager knows yet what he has.”
“It’s possible. The scientists know about the control pieces from their studies of the twelve original gates in situ. The Kingdom will figure it out quickly too. At which point, they’ll get smug about what they lucked into or they may consider bargaining with it. I can’t predict Jager. He doesn’t act like a rational and logical businessman.”
Casmir almost pointed out that he was better than Jorg had been, but he caught himself before he could speak ill of the dead.
“My point in telling you all this—I know you need to leave now—is that everyone’s eagerness to help you may be born of ulterior motives. Be careful what you agree to out there. They know you’re from the Kingdom, and they also believe you’re not Jager’s pawn and might be willing to act against him.”
Casmir’s stomach sank as he imagined being asked to sneak into some highly secured government warehouse on Odin to steal a gate piece. He was already going to find himself in exile, if not outright hunted, after all the news filtered back home. But he still had a vain hope of capturing Dubashi, destroying the bioweapon, and halting the blockade—all with witnesses who would testify on his behalf in the king’s court—and returning home with all forgiven.
“Acting against him would be unwise for my health.”
“For most people’s health, I should think. I just wanted to make sure you were aware that any favors that are granted to you may have strings attached.”
“Right. Thanks.” Casmir made himself smile. “And thank you for all the help. Can I leave you an extra crusher?”
“Yes,” Shayban said promptly and grinned like a boy being offered a second dessert. “Will your Kingdom Fleet commander be annoyed with you if you show up missing one?”
Probably. The person who’d ordered them made might be dead, but Romano and Ishii knew about them. The order might have originally come from Jager.
“I’m hoping nobody counts that closely.” Casmir didn’t point out that he’d already offered crushers to Rache and Moonrazor. It might make the offer seem less special.
“They do all look alike. When they’re all assembled for inventory, maybe you could have a few that have already been counted rush to the back of the line to be counted again.”
“I’ll keep that idea in mind.”
Kim walked into the ship bay in a galaxy suit, with Reuben walking behind her and carrying a trunk of her belongings—or more likely her research equipment. Her mother and Tork were with them. Kim waved to Casmir, her expression somewhat bemused. Maybe she hadn’t invited her mother or Tiamat Station’s android delegate along. The vice president was the only one from that station who wasn’t with her.
“Is the inferior android Tork-57 coming on this mission?” Zee asked.
“He may be,” Casmir said as the group approached. “Is that acceptable to you?”
“I have begun instructing the other crushers on network games that are satisfying to our kind, but Tork is a spirited opponent.”
“I am ahead in our current round of Pirates and Ore Ships,” Tork said as they arrived.
“Because I am luring you into a trap,” Zee said.
“One does not sacrifice one’s premier mining ship for bait.”
“That you believe that is precisely what makes it a good tactic.”
“Are you incapable of acknowledging when you’ve made a mistake, crusher?”
Casmir left them arguing and led Kim and Reuben up the ramp and into the ship. Her mother had already bypassed the squabbling duo to go inside.
“Vice President Phan thought it would be a good idea to send along Mother and Tork with all the project data in their android brains in case things don’t go well down here,” Kim explained.
“Is that the sentiment on the station now?” Casmir asked. “That things won’t go well?”
“As more and more ships head over to join the action, yes. When it looked like only a handful of mercenaries were coming, most of the delegates believed the sultan’s promise that they would be safe in his well-defended asteroid. Now, they’re less certain. People have also realized that there could be a lot more ships out there with slydar hulls that aren’t yet in range of the sultan’s new detector.”