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The Darks' endgame is heating up. No one can be trusted now...including longtime allies.
* * * *
Kalquor
Had Tranis not been so on edge, he might have been amused at the naturalness of Borey Nath’s bow when the admiral and Lidon entered the human’s office. The stocky black-haired man had picked up a number of Kalquorian habits and gestures since his arrival five years prior.
His office was in the underground secret prison Fleet Headquarters maintained on a seemingly uninhabited island in the middle of the ocean. It was stark, all business. No personal mementos decorated the space.
It was an indication of Nath’s formidable nature as a one-time top general and foe to the Kalquorian Empire. The former chief of old Earth’s forces during the Earth-Kalquorian war wasn’t a man to take lightly. While commanding his world’s forces, he’d also been hard at work behind the scenes to unseat Browning Copeland, a mission he’d continued when the Holy Leader had escaped to continue fighting the empire at the side of the Basma, Kalquor’s infamous traitor.
Borey Nath was a brilliant tactician and bold warrior, but he was also a man of honor and conscience. Tranis was grateful they’d ended up on the same side.
“Admiral Tranis. And Agent Lidon, I believe?” The corners of Nath’s angular eyes, so similar to his daughter Hope’s, crinkled pleasantly as he acknowledged their return bows.
Lidon grinned. “It’s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, sir. I studied your tactics against our destroyers during the war and was greatly impressed.”
“You flatter me. I have no doubt the clanmate and former weapons commander of Admiral Tranis was nothing short of a tactical master himself.” He beamed at both men and waved his hand at the hover chairs in front of his desk. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?”
“No pleasure, I’m afraid,” Tranis said as he took a seat. Lidon, behaving like a typical Nobek, remained standing.
Borey paled. “My daughter—?”
“Matara Hope is well,” Tranis hurried to assure him. “In fact, she’s on Kalquor and eager to see you. Can you join us for dinner in my home this evening?”
“Absolutely.” A smile flashed on his tanned face before he sobered. He sat on the edge of his desk. “But you said this isn’t a meeting of a happy nature.”
“Someone leaked Copeland’s presence here to a reporter by way of vid footage.”
Nath stilled. No, he froze. Tranis was relieved at the reaction, though he’d never for a second suspected the man’s integrity.
“How? Who? You know yourself the guards here have impeccable credentials.” In the wake of shock came fury, seldom witnessed from a man recognized for his equanimity.
“Those are the questions we need to answer. Let me show you.”
Nath’s lips were nearly white from the pressure he exerted pressing them together as he viewed the footage. When it was over, he snapped, “Timestamp?”
Tranis gave it to him. He leaned close, as did Lidon, while Nath brought up security records on his computer. They viewed the vid he played.
“You can see the guard recording Copeland,” Lidon said.
“Nobek Semnar. He’s among the best of our security. I couldn’t ask for a more discreet, reliable guard. Why would he do such a thing?” Nath stared at the bearded Nobek on the vid, his confused anger obvious.
Tranis glanced at Lidon. The Nobek’s nod was uncharacteristically hesitant. It meant he thought he saw the shadow of a Dark on the guard but wasn’t certain. His ability to spot them wasn’t as dependable as others.
“I have a suspicion about the why,” Tranis said. “Send me a copy, General.”
Nath did so, and Tranis forwarded it on an emergency secure channel to Piras’ Imdiko Lokmi. Seconds later, the engineering genius responded.
“Admiral, the man has a Dark riding him. I take it that’s what you wanted confirmed?”
“Affirmative. Thank you, Chief.”
“What’s going on, Admiral?” Nath wasn’t demanding an answer, but it was close.
“Before I answer you, when was the last time you spoke to Nobek Semnar?”
“This morning, as I came on shift. He was leaving.”
“Did he sound strange?”
“No.” Nath hesitated. “No, he sounded fine.”
“You heard no auditory oddness? Like his voice doubling?”
“Nothing of the sort.”
“It’s just the women, as we thought,” Lidon murmured.
“But you noted something was unusual,” Tranis pressed Nath, having caught a note of uncertainty in his tone. “He sounded fine, but he was…off. A sort of distance to his demeanor, but nothing you could quite put your finger on?”
Nath gazed at him in surprise. “How did you know? For about a week, he’s been…well, not to sound crazy, but being around Semnar makes my skin crawl. He says the right things, acts the same, but…”
“It feels as if he hates you,” Lidon finished.
Nath looked from Dramok to Nobek and back. “What’s this about, Admiral?”
Tranis told him.
* * * *
Blythe Nelson is certain Clan Deram is keeping something from her. The clan of spies finds it difficult to stay a step ahead of the wily reporter who’s winning their hearts. What they don’t know is Blythe has a secret of her own. New love can’t survive without trust, and neither side is ready when the truth comes out.
Dramok Ospar, determined to return to the political stage, strikes up a deal with Royal Councilman Oiteil. Unaware he’s dealing with a Dark entity controlling Oiteil, he finds himself fighting for his honor, his relationship with his clan…and his life.
The Kalquorian Empire, already struggling against the Darks infiltrating its highest offices, suffers a new blow when it’s revealed it’s keeping a prisoner from the war against the first Earth: Holy Leader Browning Copeland. The schism between Kalquor and its allies grows deeper, setting the empire against the rest of the galaxy.
As chaos descends on rioting Earther colonies, the Galactic Council of Planets, and Kalquor, a desperate group of humans and Kalquorians race to stop the force behind the turmoil: the Darks. Can they loosen the grip on their worlds the enemy seeks to tighten, or is all lost?
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