A Stellar Affair by Laurel Richards Read Free Book Online

couldn’t count on any leeway after that without knowing when the backup carriers would reach Algoron. Although fifteen weeks sounded like a good chunk of time, he knew it would be a challenge to deal with four carriers during that span.
    “Let me know when they get here and give me someone to help with research,” he told Walter. “We’ll have to dig up some background information on these people.”
    His superintendent scowled. Jack knew Walter hated that he wasn’t more deferential, but the man also appreciated his skills.
    “You’ll have all the resources I can spare,” Walter assured him. “Just get us that intel.”
    Less than an hour passed before the man followed through. Falk Ebilson, one of the compound’s security guards, tapped on Jack’s door.
    “The carriers are here,” Falk announced after Jack let him in. The guard pulled a list from his pocket. “We’ve got two males and one female. There’s an old man calling himself Mr. Slade, a teenage soldier who is Private Tarrin Thales, serial number blah, blah, blah, and a young woman who says her name is Miss Rosemary Warner. No confirmation on their identities yet.”
    “Three passengers, not four,” Jack said. “And two of them are civilians?”
    The guard shrugged. “Looks like it. They’re not in uniform, and they weren’t on a military transport.”
    “Damn.”
    The Tetch used legal military carriers to transfer information regarding everything from weapons inventory to attack plans. But there were civilians in this mix, and that smacked of the black-market trade. Illegal dealers employed hackers or bribed officials to access sensitive information and then sold it to the highest bidder. They didn’t care who their carriers were, much less if the people were willing.
    “It could be a cover,” Jack said, though he didn’t really hold out hope. “Just because they’re in plain clothes doesn’t mean they’re not military.”
    Falk shrugged. “That’s for you to figure out. Slade looks too old to me, though, and the woman doesn’t give off that vibe. If it’s a cover, it’s a good one. Superintendent Rigel told me to ask you what to do with them. You want them all in a holding cell together or what?”
    “No. Keep them apart. They probably don’t know each other very well anyway, and I don’t want them sharing information. It’ll be easier to work with them separately.”
    The guard nodded. “Which one do you want first?”
    Jack scratched his chin. He really wanted to get to all of them today, but there wasn’t enough time. At best, he might be able to squeeze in an introductory session with two of them and then pick up the third late the next morning.
    “Bring me Private Thales first,” he said. “The military has probably prepared him for all sorts of horrifying scenarios. I’d like to dispense with those as soon as possible. When I’m done with him, give me Mr. Slade. I’ll get to Miss Warner tomorrow. She’s going to have an awful night, but I’m hoping she’ll see that no one is going to molest her. Make sure you tell her she won’t be coming here until tomorrow. She might see it as a stay of execution.”
    Falk left to do as he was told.
    It was time for the interrogations to begin.

Chapter Four
    Jack’s initial meeting with the captives proved exhausting. Although the young soldier was easy to put under, it was hard to direct Tarrin’s mind where Jack wanted it to go. He had to lead the boy through a smooth progression of thoughts. He couldn’t just jump to the memories he wanted.
    Mr. Slade was almost as difficult. He didn’t offer much resistance, but it was hard to feel for memory tampering in a man of his advanced years. The old fellow became agitated very easily, and Jack was afraid the strain might be too much for him. He would have to work carefully.
    Today, he was preparing to meet Rosemary Warner. He was curious to see what she looked like—the only female in this motley assortment of Tetch