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Episode 5
"You've sent him already? We were to wait
until a more opportune moment." The Madam Diane Danez, leader
of the Danez family, regarded the younger woman with barely
concealed contempt. Janet Kay Danez functioned well enough
handling routine business but this special project had
her hopelessly confounded. Perhaps, she wondered, she had
acted hastily in naming the young woman as her heir.
The Madam could hear the other woman's fingers
drumming over the communication terminal. It dictated the pace
of her growing anxiety.
The Mistress knew lying was foolish. Her
grandmother would ferret the truth out and she feared the
consequences when she did. "You see, we're terribly
short-handed here and I couldn't meet the timetable I was given and
not send him early. I didn't think--"
"I quite agree with that." The ice in
her tone caused the Mistress to shudder. "If Crai Reed should
learn--"
"He won't find out." She blurted.
The Mistress forced her gaze down to the keyboard. She
knotted her hands together. "Steben Skub will meet her on Pani
and then she's out. Her father will never know."
"Don't forget, child. You asked for this
project."
"Yes, Grandmother."
"Contact me when Mr Skub has the boy.
This will be your only opportunity. I cannot spare you
another."
"Yes, Madam." Diane Danez's image
blinked off the screen. The Mistress slammed her fists on the
console. The pain radiated to her healing ribs. Damn!
Damn! This was no way to earn the Madam's trust.
No way for the heir to behave.
Damn!
***
The Madam stared reflectively at the darkened
screen. How could one of her children be so dense?
She twirled a data chip between her
fingertips. The chip flicked out her fingers with the
final thought and blurred across her private office. It
clacked against the wall and was lost from sight,
behind the kimbra chair.
The comm terminal flickered. "Enforcer
Admiral Donnavin," the machine intoned.
"Put him on." The Madam allowed a smile
to form. The door to her office snapped aside and Ian Kowons,
her personal assistant entered.
The
long-legged man, was pale skinned and had a shock of blonde hair. He
wore a grey jumpsuit that hung on him. He levered himself
into the kimbra chair.
The Admiral's scarred visage appeared on the
screen. Perspiration dotted his brow as he did his best to
affect boredom. "Yes. I'm very busy," the ugly man
snipped.
The Madam replied dryly, "I won't take
up much of your time. Of that, I can assure you." The
Admiral studied his fingertips. His coal eyes flickered
occasionally to her, receptive but attempting to distance himself
all the same.
She'd expected him to be more wary especially
after making a fool of him time and again. He must be reasoning
that it'd been over two decades since her last stunt and her new
position would make such action beneath her. He believed power
induced a form of maturity.
He licked his lips
nervously. "Be brief. I have no time for
pirates." His sentence ended in a whisper, robbing it of the
menace he'd hoped for.
"Very well. I'm sending you a file. It's
a DNA string. Your records will show it belongs to a James
Douglas Dobson. This name is familiar to you, yes?"
The Admiral's one great eyebrow arched up and
he faced the clan leader, slowly pivoting his body toward her.
Ian watched attentively.
"How do you know the name?"
"He was lost. I'm sure you'd like him
returned to your fold--Ah, but I forget, your busy schedule."
"But!" The Admiral caught himself, fell
silent and placed a finger on his temple.
"Send one of your assistants to our main
office. We'll discuss this in greater detail." The Madam
broke the connection and swiveled toward Ian.
"You're aware we have the AWOL enforcer from
the Academy?" A curt nod. "I've just contacted the
enforcers about the cadet. They are willing to trade.
You will meet with their representative and make this offer."
She handed a data chip to him. "They will refuse. You
will make a counter offer which they will accept."
"Yes, Madam."
"From our conversations with him, it is clear
the Hemlin enforcers brought in outside help. A Specialist.
You might think of her as a sort of bounty hunter."
"I've heard rumors of such creatures but
didn't think--"
"There are few left but not few enough.
She will undoubtedly still be looking for our prize. And it
will not take her long to trace him to us. Depend on that, Kowons. Not long at all. These Specialists see fit to throw
their weight around as they please. She and her ilk will want him
back at any price."
"Who will get him?"
"Neither."
"Madam?"
The Madam appraised him silently for several
moments. "Ian, moving into this position is a great
responsibility. My husband and I feel you are up to it."
He straightened reflexively in his chair.
"The Hemlins recently withdrew our
traveling privileges through their space. They captured
several of our ships and confiscated the treasure. It is this
you will be bargaining back."
"Will they trust you?"
"They have no choice. Get Crai Reed to help with the enforcer
exchange. His reputation will further our earnest appearance.
The enforcers trust him. It'll help keep him on the move in
case mishap befalls his daughter. Have you read the enforcer
file?"
"No, Madam."
"Do so. I expect you to have a working
knowledge of all our special projects from now on."
"Yes, Madam. Will you replace your niece on this project?"
"No. It's too soon to tell if she will
cause us difficulty. There's no sense in overreacting."
Ian remained silent for several moments,
evaluating this present problem. "What will happen?"
"I
intend to tie their tails together. You're to accompany me to
the Adelaide to brief my husband on these projects. We'll leave for
the dreadnaught in two days times."
"I'll have the reports prepared by then."
The Madam now only needed to keep the cadet on
the move and out of sight until the time of trade, an intergalactic
shell game. She had to protect her great grand daughter,
keep Crai Reed from learning what had transpired and the cadet under
her thumb.
Episode 6
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