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Diju: “Maybe we should get a lawyer to force him to back off. Threaten a lawsuit.”
Codab: “If we do, it might come out Ilid gave us classified information. We can’t expose him to legal proceedings.”
Jadel: “We have to do something.”
Codab: “You’re quiet, my Nobek.”
There was a lengthy pause. When Gruthep spoke, he sounded angry and defensive, as if he’d been backed in a corner. “Admiral Tranis believes at least one of the Darks is on Kalquor and it’s in control of the highest office of Fleet Command. If it’s true, the empire is at risk.”
Ilid’s heart skipped a beat. The Darks were in the empire? On Kalquor itself?
A flurry of hissed voices, Diju’s the loudest: “Then let someone else find out!”
Codab: “They’re certain others can spot those creatures.”
Gruthep: “But no one has been proven yet to do so. No one but Ilid.”
Jadel: “How you could suggest our son confronts what’s damned near driven him to suicide—”
Gruthep: “He wouldn’t have to confront it. He’d simply look at vid footage from an isolated location, far from the target.”
As Jadel’s and Diju’s voices rose in argument and the other two shushed them, Ilid felt himself spiraling into a black void. He frantically fought it. If the Darks had indeed arrived, he had to escape.
To where? If they made it here, where can I run? Where can I take my parents and hide?
Chapter Fifteen
Kalquor, Rear Admiral Hobato’s office
The nanospy Tranis carried on his shoulder was tiny, no bigger than a freckle on Cassidy’s pert nose. He had an urge to dart a glance to verify it had flown off as soon as he crossed the threshold into Hobato’s office. Resolve kept him from doing so. Either Hope Nath’s device worked, or it didn’t.
At least he had a valid motive to have insisted on meeting with his superior. He accorded Hobato a respectful bow. “Thank you for seeing me, sir.”
“You were most insistent.” Hobato’s tone was as sharp and short as his bow. “Please state your business as quickly as possible, Admiral. I have important duties to attend to.”
Was there actual loathing in the man’s glare? It took Tranis’ utmost control to keep his voice level. “You countermanded my orders to have men tested for brain patterns similar to Dramok Ilid’s.”
“There’s no reason to have it done. The empire isn’t under attack.”
“How can we be sure if we can’t detect the enemy?”
“Enemy?” A slight increase in volume. “Tell me what valid proof you have there is an enemy.”
“An entire civilization erased, a destroyed spyship, the account of the only survivor to escape—”
“The Bi’isils dabbled in dangerous experimental weaponry and biological warfare. Captain Kila’s report points to a pathogen getting loose, which drove the Bi’isils insane to the point they killed each other. As for Ensign Ilid, he’s shown to be psychologically damaged, possibly from whatever happened to the Bi’isils. He admits to sabotaging his ship, and his cohort destroying it. The rest of it consists of psychotic ramblings of dark shadows at the corners of his vision.There is no emergency.”
“I disagree, sir. Most vehemently. Ilid didn’t go down to the planet, so how could he have been affected?”
Hobato’s hostility abruptly vanished. “Someone from an away team brought the infection on board. It makes sense, if you’d considered it properly. Tranis, the fact you’re panicked is the very reason I refuse to allow action on your wishes.”
“Panicked?” This time, Tranis’ volume rose.
“Your diligence is to be commended, but you need to approach this logically. I fear you can’t in your current state. When did you last take a vacation? Weren’t you talking about your clan taking a cruise to celebrate the coming baby? I believe you should do so. In fact, I insist. It’ll help clear your head of these phantoms and shadows.”
Hot words came to Tranis’ lips. He fought them down. He could have pointed out they had vid evidence of some entity dropping smaller versions of itself on Bi’is, but it seemed Hobato had come up with an explanation for everything.
No matter. He’d accomplished what he’d come for, and nothing could be gained from an outright confrontation. Not until he had the evidence Hobato chided him for lacking.
