Between

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Approximately 982 miles off the coast of the Neutral Islands, International Waters in the Central Ocean

"Captain, Sir. We're being hailed."

Silas Sacavage pivoted to look at his SSO who was shifting her weight just slightly from one foot to the next. It was evident she was either anxious or nervous—or maybe both. Whichever it was, it was out of character for Natalie Lennox, and he didn't take it lightly.

"By who?"

"A CCL, Sir. The Rahzette."

Silas' gut twisted. The Rahzette was the flagship of the Corzean fleet, a massive combat liner capable of long-range strikes with chilling accuracy. He'd heard tell of her strikes against Olerian vessels in the past, at least two of which she was confirmed to have sunk. More recently, though, Silas had personally witnessed the indiscriminate slaughter of nearly 1,000 Olerian civilians at the end of Rahzette's guns. Nightjar had been charged with accompanying the fierce CCL and unable to warn the Imperium of the impending attack. Even worse, he'd had to command his crew to hold fire while the Rahzette mangled one of Oleria's largest ports—and many of his crew's families along with it. But Nightjar's mission was part of the bigger picture, and it was Silas' job to make sure the ship survived to continue that mission—even if it cost lives to do so. He clenched his jaw and stiffened. There was only one reason the Rahzette would hail them in the middle of open waters.

"Open a channel."

Lennox nodded and the commswoman a few feet away flipped a switch on the backboard.

"This is Captain Sacavage of the scrub ship Nightjar. Identify yourself."

A voice crackled through on the other end of the line.

"Commander Vaspara of the CCL Rahzette. You are being ordered to cease all operations and submit to boarding inspection."

Silas glanced around the bridge, at the faces of the men and women he commanded, each of them as on-edge as he was. He frowned.

"This ship is on course for the Neutral Islands with valuable cargo," he replied, his voice loud enough that it almost echoed against the metal walls. He began to pace back and forth as he spoke. "We are operating at 75% engine efficiency and are behind schedule. I must ask you confirm that further delays will not result in retaliation against myself or my crew."

There was a slight pause, and then the voice crackled back to life.

"Very well. We will be in touch."

Silas nodded at the commswoman who flipped the same switch and the connection ended. Then he turned to Lennox.

"Get that woman to the medical bay immediately."

The SSO hesitated.

"She has a tracker!" the Captain shouted, and Lennox leapt into action at once, bolting from the bridge. Another voice questioned him now.

"Sir?" It was Craig Bower.

Silas pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Why else would we be asked to submit to a full boarding inspection?" asked the grey haired man, ignoring the sudden, stabbing headache that had materialized. "There's a reason the Imperium doesn't want us taking people from the northeastern sectors. They're too closely watched. And now we have one on board."

Craig Bower's stance changed completely then, going stiff with alarm.

"You think they know she's here." It wasn't a question.