Captain Eversyn
winced at the shout, then nodded at Baranin; the young lieutenant was so eager
he seemed to be vibrating. Eversyn cast a critical eye over the squad of ten
that blocked the corridor, all seasoned Connies looking calm, uninterested and
assured, then nodded again. He hoped Baranin wouldn't burst in excitement, but
it made Eversyn uncomfortable to see how tightly the boy's hand was wrapped
around his blaster.
No one on this
damned Rock was supposed to be armed, except, of course, for the
Consolidated Guard, though that concept had proved more than a farce in the
past.
"Good. Inside,
triple time. Secure the exits, locate the quarry, surround and stand to until
further orders."
"Sir!"
The squad entered
the elegance that was the Starview Lounge and followed orders, as always.
Eversyn watched them from a strategic position near the main entrance. Quick,
smooth, efficient, just as the Guard did everything.
Even Baranin managed
to contain his excitement and manage not to shoot anyone.
But it was totally
useless, since it was obvious that their quarry wasn't there.
Warnings had reached
the wrong ears. Not surprising. He'd expected it. It was well nigh impossible
to keep anything secret on Omega Station—aka The Rock—with its endless warrens
and tunnels and labyrinths curving over and under and back on each other. The
high beryllion content of the planetoid itself prevented most scanners from
working more than a few meters below the surface, so it had never been
efficiently mapped. That's why he'd decided to take the bovine by the antlers
and simply show up at the Starview Lounge with a heavily armed squad, hoping
Malik Blayne would be there, as per information received.
No luck.
Still, Eversyn never
expected to be invited to stay for dinner.
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