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  Strolling through the corridor and onto the bridge, Eddie noticed a stranger beside Julianna. The man stood with his feet shoulder-width apart and hands clasped behind his back, his eyes intently focused on Eddie as he approached.

  “Captain Edward Teach, I’ve heard so much about you,” said the stranger, offering his hand to Eddie. “I’m Jack Renfro, and I’ll be taking over for General Reynolds as your intelligence liaison.”

  Eddie eyed the hand for a moment, trying to assimilate this new information. He’d heard of Jack. Hell, most of the Federation had. He just didn’t know why the usually private special operations chief would be here. Finally, he shook the man’s hand, his chin to the side. “What’s happened to the general?”

  “He’s been pulled away on other business. Lance asked if I would oversee missions for Ghost Squadron in his absence.”

  Eddie nodded at once, understanding that the most powerful man in the Federation was in high demand. “Pleased to meet you.”

  Jack seemed to study Eddie for a moment before nodding appreciatively. “I’ve heard that Ghost Squadron has already had its share of success. It appears you’re living up to your reputation, Captain.”

  “Thank you, sir. I’ll do damn near anything to protect our colonies. Scratch that. I’ll do everything.”

  “That’s why you and Julianna make good partners,” said Jack, giving them a slight smile. “Speaking of which, our first order of business is your team. Lance tells me it’s severely understaffed.”

  “Yes, sir,” said Eddie. “That’s a chief priority of ours. We’re currently focusing on hiring pilots, soldiers, and essential personnel.”

  Jack paused, appearing distracted, his gaze on Julianna. “What is it, Commander Fregin?”

  Her eyes dug into the floor as her jaw worked back and forth. “It’s that damn Trid we brought in. He knows something and he won’t speak up. Vas has him intimidated.”

  “He might not be of any use to us,” said Eddie.

  “Or he might know something that gives us an actual lead. What’s the point in having a team if we’re just going to sit around here and stare at the walls?” fumed Julianna.

  Jack took a moment, like he was thinking it over. “You’re right,” he said after a moment. He sped off in the opposite direction. “I’ll be right back.”

  Eddie watched curiously as Jack left. When he had disappeared, Eddie turned to Julianna. “What do you know about this guy?”

  “I know he can be trusted,” she answered.

  “Anyone who the general put in his place can be trusted,” Eddie agreed. “That goes without saying. I was just looking for something a bit more concrete, like who he is and where he came from. You know, details.”

  “He understands more about what’s going on in the Federation than anyone I know, the general being the only exception,” she said.

  “You’re still not telling me anything new,” said Eddie.

  “If you want to know if he’s a Virgo and likes long walks on the beach, then you’ll have to ask him yourself.” Julianna nodded in Jack’s direction as he strode back toward them.

  “What’s a Virgo?” asked Eddie, genuinely curious.

  “Forget it. Doesn’t matter right now,” she answered.

  “Don’t pretend like you don’t know,” muttered Eddie.

  Jack cleared his throat when he halted in front of the pair. “I think Doka will be more agreeable to disclosing information to you.”

  “You spoke with him? Already?” asked Julianna.

  “Yes, and I believe you’ll have better results this time. Please, meet me in my office when you’re done with the interrogation,” he said.

  Eddie stifled a laugh. How could he have already gotten that alien to talk? “What did you say to make him open up?” he asked.

  “I think you’ll find that I have my ways.” Jack turned and walked away, leaving the two staring at his backside.

  “A man of mystery. I like it,” muttered Eddie, elbowing Julianna in the side. “Definitely seems like your kind of guy.”

  “I don’t know what you mean,” she answered. “I’m very personable.”

  Interrogation Room, QBS ArchAngel, Axiom System.

  A funny expression sat on Doka’s face when Julianna and Eddie entered the room. He didn’t look in pain but did appear mildly uncomfortable. From what Julianna could tell, there wasn’t a mark on the Trid, which meant whatever Jack had done to him didn’t involve a physical altercation.

  “Okay, we’re going to try this again. Do you have an account number to share with us, Doka?” Julianna asked, standing over him.

  He shook his large head. “No, I told you I don’t remember.”

  “Why don’t you tell me what you do remember about Vas before your brains are smashed against the fucking wall?”

  Doka gulped. “I don’t know where Vas is right now.”

  Eddie sat down against the table in front of the Trid, his hands folded casually in his lap. “When you say right now, does that mean you know where to find him in the future?”

  “I, uh, have a meeting with him in two weeks.” Doka sounded breathless.

  “Where?” asked Julianna, pinning her hands on the table and leaning across it.

  “The Harbor District, where I met you but on the south side,” said the alien.

  “Good, sharky,” said Eddie, grinning.

  “And what exactly are you giving Vas? What kind of weapons?” asked Julianna.

  “I don’t have it yet.” Doka’s eyes twitched. He was shaking.

  “It? Are you saying that you’re delivering a single weapon to Vas?” asked Eddie, his eyebrow arching with curiosity.

  Doka nodded furiously. “Right, but I don’t have it, and the meeting isn’t confirmed until I send word to Vas that it’s in my possession.”

  “What is it that you’re supposed to be delivering?” asked Eddie.

  Doka’s eyes fell to the table, vibrating with fear. “He told me he’d kill me if I leaked any of this information.”

  A loud sigh tumbled from Julianna’s mouth. “Problem is that we’ll kill you if you don’t tell us. I’m already planning out the most painful death for you as we speak.”

  Doka shook his head. “You might be tough, but you aren’t cruel like Vas.”

  “Try us.” Julianna leaned down low, her knuckles white on the table.

  Eddie let out a long and loud yawn. “Look fish-brain, I’m hungry, wishing I was drunk and, right now, I can’t help but think of all that food down in the mess hall. Why don’t you tell us what this weapon is you’re getting for Vas? We can protect you, put you in witness protection. It doesn’t have to be that bad for you.”

  Doka lifted his chained hands to his gills, which were shivering with…was it fear? Concern? “The truth is, I don’t know. I was just told to pick up the weapon and deliver it to Vas.”

  “Who are you getting this weapon from?” asked Julianna, her tone sharp. “Tell me before you find your head shoved up your ass.”

  A pained sort of smile formed on the Trid’s ugly face. “Ray De’ft. That’s the one who—”

  “When and where are you meeting?” Julianna’s face hovered just in front of the alien’s, her eyes burning with intensity.

  Doka choked on a breath, his face turning white. He shook his head as he sputtered on a rattled cough.

  “Damn it! Tell us what you know about this Ray De’ft. Otherwise, I’m jamming my fist down your throat,” threatened Julianna.

  “That would be kinder than what’ll happen to me if I say any more,” answered the Trid.

  “Well, torture has a way of making you talk,” she said.

  “Y-You’re correct, which is why I’ve gone to great lengths to…to avoid that.”

  Julianna arched her brow at the statement, then shot a glance at Eddie. He shrugged, saying nothing. What could this Trid be talking about? What lengths would he have gone through? He was locked in a cell with only the two of them, so aside from stay
ing quiet, there was nothing he could do.

  She moved her foot back, stopping when she felt something on the floor. She glanced down to see an object…one she quickly recognized. It was the device the Trid had been wearing on his hip. The one that ensured he could breathe and didn’t dry out in this environment. The device that kept him alive outside of the water. Without this attached to him, he’d be dead in a few minutes.

  Julianna lurched for the object, trying to get to it before the worst could happen. As she moved, there came a loud thud. Doka had fallen forward onto the table, his gills no longer fluttering with movement, no longer wet.

  The alien was dead and motionless, suffocated from exposure to the air.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Jack Renfro’s Office, QBS ArchAngel, Axiom System

  Eddie scratched his chin, his facial hair making it itch. More concerning than his unkempt stubble was the growling in his stomach.

  “I don’t have any reports on a Ray De’ft,” said Jack, scrolling through a pad in his hand.

  “Pip also wasn’t able to connect this Trid with anyone else,” said Julianna.

  “Which means we’re going to have to do a bit more digging.” Jack set the pad on his desk and stared at the two across from him. “This actually leads into one of the first objectives I had for you. I discussed recruitment earlier, you’ll recall. What we’re going to need now and going forward is someone who can break through different defense networks.”

  “With all due respect, sir, Pip is equipped to handle such tasks.” Julianna was perched on the edge of her seat, her back straight.

  He nodded. “He can if he’s given the proper proximity to an access point. However, Pip can’t do long range infiltrations, and neither can Hatch. What we need is someone proficient at breaking through defense networks. Someone who knows how to hack a conference call or a high-security mainframe. You never know where you’ll find the one piece of information you need to connect the other dots. Sometimes, we learn things that are most valuable when taken from the smallest bits of random information.”

  Eddie leaned forward, his head to the side and a sneaky grin on his face. “Let me guess, you’ve got someone in mind for that job already.”

  Jack picked up a folder from the side of his desk and tossed it at the pair. “I do. This civilian has been off the grid for quite some time and wasn’t even an option until recently. However, I think we now have the right resources to locate and bring him in.”

  “What resources would that be?” asked Julianna, eyeing Eddie as he flipped open the folder.

  “Doctor A’Din Hatcherik,” said Jack. “The squid you both have come to know so well.”

  “Why is he the key? How can he help us?” asked Julianna.

  “He has a history with hacking under his alias, Brody Chambers. That name has garnered some respect among hackers on the Dark Web. Before recently, Hatch wasn’t with the Federation and, therefore, not in the position to assist us with identifying our target and locating him. However, now that he has joined your squad, he should be more than willing to help you.”

  “Chester Wilkerson,” Eddie read from the file. “Independent contractor responsible for hacking into several terrorist defense networks. He definitely sounds like our kind of guy. Why can’t you get ahold of him?”

  “His work with the Federation led to problems, both directly and indirectly. According to the report, he was compromised when his work led to threats against his life from a certain terrorist organization. He’s now living on Kemp in the Behemoth system, avoiding detection as best he can. He trusts no one, not even the Federation.”

  “Ugh, that’s way the fuck out there, the same place where we picked up Hatch. What’s up with these guys relocating out to these shitty planets?” asked Eddie.

  “If you don’t want to be found, go to a place where no one wants to visit,” said Julianna, tugging the folder out of Eddie’s hands.

  “The report doesn’t tell us what city he’s in, or even what continent.” Eddie threw a thumb in the direction of the folder. “All it says is he’s suspected to be on that planet.”

  “That’s because we don’t know. Honestly, we’re guessing on Kemp. What little information we have was grabbed from brief online interactions. What we need is someone to get in contact with Chester and trace his location remotely.”

  Eddie smiled. “That’s why you need Hatch.”

  “Exactly right.”

  “But why can’t Hatch just do the hacking for us?” asked Eddie.

  Jack shook his head. “Hatch is impressive, but we need someone with specialized knowledge of the Trid network. I believe Hatch has the skills to pull this guy out of hiding, but he can’t do what he does.”

  Julianna slapped the file on the desk, her face serious. “Let’s suppose that Hatch can locate Chester in a chat group and trace his location. How do you know if we go after him that he’ll agree to work for us? He’s in hiding for a reason.”

  Jack tapped his fingers rhythmically on the desk while he thought. “That’s a good question. Chester used to be an independent contractor, working for the Federation out of his apartment. One day, a group of terrorists got wind of his location and stormed in after him. He got away, but only barely, as I understand it. He’s probably been running ever since. I’m guessing he’s going to prefer a job where he’s actually protected on the ArchAngel rather than whatever one has him skipping locations on rundown planets. Give him that offer, and maybe he’ll take it. Hell, maybe you can offer to help him clean up this mess he’s gotten himself into.”

  “However…” Eddie said, sensing the word about to come.

  Jack nodded, his expression apprehensive. “However, getting to Chester is going to be the challenge. We tried to bring him in at first, but he was so fearful of terrorists he started running until he was off the radar. He’s paranoid, and with good reason. There are those out there who still want to punish him for leaking their data. Furthermore, there’s others who would love to get their hands on a hacker like Chester just to use him. This isn’t just a damn good hacker, but one of the very best in the entire Federation. Whoever has him on their side is in a prime position to win over their enemy. Information is power, and Chester knows how to siphon that from just about any organization.”

  “Sounds like we need this guy on our team. Let’s get Hatch to work on it immediately,” said Eddie, getting to his feet. “Time to put this plan of yours into motion.

  Dining Hall 03, QBS ArchAngel, Axiom System

  Eddie took three bites of his salami sandwich before chewing. His cheeks were full, the food nearly spilling out of his mouth. He washed it down with a few sips of beer, wiping his chin with his sleeve.

  “Only for the Federation would I willfully starve myself,” said Eddie, looking across the table at Lars.

  The alien eyed the sandwich in Eddie’s hands like it was disgusting garbage. “I didn’t know you were ordered to starve yourself, sir.”

  Eddie laughed, taking another sip of beer. “I wasn’t. Just been too damn busy to eat sorting through files of potential recruits. How’s flight training going?”

  “It’s good. I’m enjoying it. Flying feels much more natural than I thought it would.”

  Eddie smiled, remembering when he first started flying. Before that, his life was dull and meaningless. Then, like a breath of fresh air, he had found purpose, fulfillment. He’d found himself, there in the depths of space, flying among the stars. He would never forget that feeling.

  The feeling of being truly free.

  It was hard to believe that before Julianna and Lance had recruited him that he had settled for a life without his wings. “The thrills you get while flying…they can’t be matched by anything,” Eddie finally said. “Well, almost, if you know what I mean.”

  He grinned.

  “Hatch says he’s working on building a new Q-Ship, since the other one was destroyed,” Lars said, apparently not getting Eddie’s joke.

  “Y
eah, the poor guy isn’t dealing well with the loss of his ship.” A burp ripped out of Eddie’s lips before he took another bite of the sandwich.

  Lars eyed the food, then shook his head. “That stuff covering the meat, what is it?”

  “Bread,” supplied Eddie. “It’s the delivery device for the goodness inside the sandwich.”

  “Why don’t you just eat the meat? That…bread…doesn’t look very tasty.”

  “Says someone who can’t process anything but meat.” Eddie shook his head, showing Lars his sandwich. “My friend, everything tastes better on bread. Sandwiches have to be the best invention ever. If humanity were better, we would build statues to the person responsible for its deliciousness.”

  “If you say so.” Lars stared down at the untouched roasted chicken on his plate.

  “Hey, what’s up? Is it flight training? You nervous about it?” Eddie wasn’t necessarily a sensitive person, but he was observant enough to tell when his teammate was uneasy.

  “No, flight training is fine. It’s a distraction. It’s exactly what I need.”

  “Is it…your family?” guessed Eddie.

  “I do think of them often. I worry for them, but that hasn’t really changed since the Brotherhood took me. Those living on Kezza have been in danger for a long time.”

  “I told you I’d help you get back there. I wasn’t blowing smoke. If you want to leave then—”

  “I don’t want to leave. If I return to Kezza, then I won’t be in a better position to help my family. The place for me to do that is here, working for you. That’s the decision I’ve made.”

  Eddie nodded, polishing off the last of his sandwich. “We’re going to get you home one of these days, when it makes sense.”

  “I know you will. I’ve never doubted that. I thought about returning. Really thought about it. I was ready to do it. Then we learned more about the Brotherhood, and I couldn’t just run back home.”