The Lost Stars 01-Tarnished Knight by Jack Campbell Read Free Book Online Page B

that person was feeding Iceni information? Or because any comms now would be impossible to send to her? Even Togo didn’t know that source existed, so he couldn’t have relayed any information.
    Behind the snakes came Executive Marphissa and several other crew, their paths apparently aimed at Akiri. Iceni could easily tell how nervous a couple of those crew members were, but fortunately the attention of the snakes was centered on her and not on those behind them. Despite what had happened in other star systems in the last few months, the snakes hadn’t really absorbed the idea that open revolt could occur. They had been the feared guardians of order for so long and so successfully that a group of them didn’t worry as much as they should have about citizens at their backs.
    Marphissa and Akiri were both watching Iceni, the executive calm, the sub-CEO visibly tense, questions in their eyes.
    The senior snake stopped before Iceni, smiling slightly. Iceni realized that she was effectively under arrest, but the snakes would pretend otherwise, acting as if they were simply escorting her to a meeting to coordinate action against Drakon. Until she was inside the walls of the ISS complex the snakes would follow polite form, treating her with respect. Paying no attention to Iceni’s bodyguard, the senior snake gestured toward the access tube. “If CEO Iceni would lead the way?”
    Iceni smiled back, deciding to stall for a few more minutes.
If Drakon doesn’t do something before they order me onto that shuttle, I’ll have to act.
“The shuttle operator hasn’t been informed of our departure. I was supposed to be aboard this unit much longer than this.”
    The senior snake turned to one of his subordinates. “Call the shuttle operator.” The call and response took perhaps another minute. “The shuttle is ready to depart. Honored CEO, please lead the way.”
    Iceni nodded but did not move. “Sub-CEO Akiri, my inspection will take place at another time. Since I appear to be having communications difficulties, inform CEO Kolani of that.”
    “It will be done,” Akiri replied.
    “And, Sub-CEO Akiri, ensure that—”
    “Honored CEO,” the senior snake broke in, now openly frowning, “it is necessary to depart.”
    “CEO Hardrad did not indicate haste was necessary,” Iceni said, playing a card that might gain more time.
    “There may have been some misunderstanding, CEO Iceni. Our orders were that your safety would be imperiled if we did not get you into a secure area as soon as possible.”
    Her safety would be imperiled? There was more than one possible way to interpret that statement. Iceni looked back at the snake as if she hadn’t heard him clearly, stretching out a few more seconds, then glanced back at her bodyguard. Alone, he wouldn’t stand a chance, face-to-face against four snakes.
    * * *
    “GO to hell, Hardrad.”
    For the first time in Drakon’s experience, he saw Hardrad’s composure crack. “You will be the one who dies when I destroy this rebellious city! You and everyone with you!”
    “Then I’ll personally kick you through the gates when we both get to hell,” Drakon said with a laugh. “Since when have you made deals with people? You never bargain, you just bring the hammer down. Offering me a deal means you don’t really have those codes.”
    “I have them! I’ll use them!”
    “CEO Hardrad, if you had those codes, you’d just use them. No threats. No deals. Just take everyone else down with you because dying to you is a lot less important than making sure no one else ever wins. You gave me too much of a chance to watch you work, too many opportunities to see how you do things. But I guess you didn’t spend as much time learning how I do things.” Maybe he had made the wrong assessment about Hardrad’s being more willing to die than to lose, but Drakon knew with absolute confidence that Hardrad couldn’t be trusted to keep any deal. For Drakon and for Iceni, it was a matter of