Blink: Interdiction (Book 4)

12

Their return to the Karpa Luna military base was a triumphant one, again.

They'd handed over their quarry to the detachment of Merlynn's dragoons that had been lurking not far from Gartole to transfer the prisoner the rest of the way. Hammerhead Squad took a small breather before Blinking back to the base, a matter of minutes behind the radio transmission that confirmed their success.

They arrived in the specially assigned staging area for the Blink operatives – a large hexagonal room, completely empty and featureless save for a functional Nav-Rod and a doorway leading out into the rest of the military command post. When all his operatives safely completed the transport Darien let out a deep sigh, releasing the tension from his body. Going back to Gartole had been an unwelcome trip back into his past running the lava canals, but every single member of his squad had performed admirably. Another successful mission would do wonders for the standing of Blink in the eyes of their military counterparts.

Unclipping his carbine from his combat vest, Darien nodded to the others. "Nice work everyone – really nice work." He beckoned for them to gather round and saw five tired, but friendly faces. A couple of successful operations had helped take the edge of their tense reunion and something deep in his gut warmed with a sense of belonging. It might not have been the mission he'd have chosen to rejoin the fray, but being back in command, doing what he did best, it reaffirmed his place in the universe.

"It's going to take the dragoons a few hours to transfer the prisoner – I'm going to report in to Merlynn and check in with the other teams. You all take a couple hours off. Just make sure I get your mission reports by 2200 tonight."

"Tonight?" Idas groaned.

"I don't make the rules around here," Darien chuckled wryly. "The Lieutenant Colonel runs a tight ship, and I'm not going to be the one to rock it, alright? Just get me the reports. Then you're all off the clock."

They nodded, a good-natured rumble of mock complaints rolling around the group as they filed out of the room and into the adjoining barrack block. The building itself house several squads of Beltock Dragoons – but the soldiers kept to themselves, uninterested in making acquaintances with a bunch of kids. That didn't bother Darien unduly – the odds of them fighting side by side with the soldiers in a pitched battle were extremely slim.

Apparently predicting the frosty relationship that would exist, Merlynn had billeted them in a small chamber just outside the Blink staging area, one that would normally have been assigned for specialist engineering and demolition teams. It suited the operatives perfectly.

A dozen reinforced lockers ringed the walls, giving plenty of space for all the gear they'd brought with them from Blink Station Alpha, as well as a series of military issue bunks. The only downside was the lack of private billets. Blink operatives weren't expected to live as soldiers, and all of them enjoyed a degree of privacy on board the station. Here, things were very different.

"Everybody unload and get some rest," he ordered, before looking to his second in command. "Niamh, you're with me. Time to make our report to Colonel Merlynn."

"Yes, sir," she grumbled, rolling her eye. He smirked, moving across the room and punching in the code to his locker.

After stowing their combat gear, Darien and Niamh set off across the base to Adaya Merlynn's command station. The guards at the gate scanned their passes, despite the fact he'd been in and out of the building several times. On an installation like this there would be no shortcuts when it came to security, particularly given the depths of the rebel network into Ravine's government channels.

The pair stepped into the hurricane of activity, caught in the rapid flow of military logistics personnel as they streamed back and forth, the air thick with chattering voices and the humming of consoles.