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Authors: Christopher Nuttall
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failed in her duty, even her duty to her Family. She was very lucky that she hadn't been captured by pirates. The last member of the Thousand Families to be captured by pirates had been bled dry and then executed when she could give them no more.
He checked the Marine datanet and smiled. All nine superdreadnaughts had been taken, although not without casualties. The mission had been a complete success.
Colin will be pleased , he thought, with wry amusement. And now the rebellion can begin .
Chapter Six
Colin knew that it was wrong of him, but he couldn't resist, even though it might have consequences further down the line. Having taken over Howell’s office for himself, he had Stacy Roosevelt dragged before him in chains. It had been ten years since he had seen her in person and he was astonished at the change in her, her natural – and inbred – arrogance warring with her fear. Her eyes went very wide when she saw him, although he wasn't sure if she recognised him from when he’d worked for Admiral Percival or if she had been briefed on him when she’d been assigned to Jackson’s Folly. The fear in her eyes was gratifying and Colin wallowed in it for longer than he should, before he straightened up and studied her thoughtfully.
The Marine Colonel had been right, Colin knew; Stacy Roosevelt was very lucky not to have been captured by pirates, or someone who had a grudge against her personally and no sense of restraint. Colin could have killed her with his bare hands, or thrown her into open space, or performed unspeakable abominations on her body – all things that had happened to others, on her command. There was a certain temptation, he had to admit, but he knew that giving into that temptation would make him no better than the Empire. Besides, he didn't even have the excuse of interrogating her, for Stacy had sung like a canary. She had unlocked all of her secret files and surrendered her credit codes and other details. Colin considered, in the privacy of his own head, that this new Stacy was far more tolerable than the old version.
And she had no friends here. Almost all of her crew – almost all of the superdreadnaught crewmen – had volunteered to join the rebellion when they had been told what was going on. The Blackshirts had been making themselves unpopular on the superdreadnaughts and even hardened Empire loyalists hadn't been quite so loyal. Colin had scattered the crews over the superdreadnaughts, and even over the former Observation Squadron, just to make it harder for any undiscovered agent, but he was fairly certain that most of the crew would be loyal. The command crews, at least, had too much experience of Stacy Roosevelt. Even her Flag Captain had volunteered to join the rebellion.
“Good morning, My Lady,” Colin said, mockingly. The years seemed to fade away and he remembered being younger, sitting in Admiral Percival’s quarters and hearing her contempt and distaste for the common-born Lieutenant. It should have warned him, yet even though his ears had burned with humiliation and determination to prove himself, he hadn't realised how reluctant Percival had been to confront her. She might have been his subordinate, but which one of them was truly the patron? “I trust that you had a pleasant sleep?”
Stacy stared at him. He had wondered if she was going to give him one of her famous tantrums, but she seemed to have more self-control than that. Or perhaps she was just stunned. Her entire universe had turned upside down.
“I could have killed you,” Colin continued. “God knows I wanted to kill you, for everything you’ve done over the years. I spared your life for one reason and one reason only. I want you to take a message back to Admiral Percival at Camelot.”
“I can’t go back,” Stacy said. Her voice was raw, as if she’d been crying. Colin had left her in the care of a pair of
He checked the Marine datanet and smiled. All nine superdreadnaughts had been taken, although not without casualties. The mission had been a complete success.
Colin will be pleased , he thought, with wry amusement. And now the rebellion can begin .
Chapter Six
Colin knew that it was wrong of him, but he couldn't resist, even though it might have consequences further down the line. Having taken over Howell’s office for himself, he had Stacy Roosevelt dragged before him in chains. It had been ten years since he had seen her in person and he was astonished at the change in her, her natural – and inbred – arrogance warring with her fear. Her eyes went very wide when she saw him, although he wasn't sure if she recognised him from when he’d worked for Admiral Percival or if she had been briefed on him when she’d been assigned to Jackson’s Folly. The fear in her eyes was gratifying and Colin wallowed in it for longer than he should, before he straightened up and studied her thoughtfully.
The Marine Colonel had been right, Colin knew; Stacy Roosevelt was very lucky not to have been captured by pirates, or someone who had a grudge against her personally and no sense of restraint. Colin could have killed her with his bare hands, or thrown her into open space, or performed unspeakable abominations on her body – all things that had happened to others, on her command. There was a certain temptation, he had to admit, but he knew that giving into that temptation would make him no better than the Empire. Besides, he didn't even have the excuse of interrogating her, for Stacy had sung like a canary. She had unlocked all of her secret files and surrendered her credit codes and other details. Colin considered, in the privacy of his own head, that this new Stacy was far more tolerable than the old version.
And she had no friends here. Almost all of her crew – almost all of the superdreadnaught crewmen – had volunteered to join the rebellion when they had been told what was going on. The Blackshirts had been making themselves unpopular on the superdreadnaughts and even hardened Empire loyalists hadn't been quite so loyal. Colin had scattered the crews over the superdreadnaughts, and even over the former Observation Squadron, just to make it harder for any undiscovered agent, but he was fairly certain that most of the crew would be loyal. The command crews, at least, had too much experience of Stacy Roosevelt. Even her Flag Captain had volunteered to join the rebellion.
“Good morning, My Lady,” Colin said, mockingly. The years seemed to fade away and he remembered being younger, sitting in Admiral Percival’s quarters and hearing her contempt and distaste for the common-born Lieutenant. It should have warned him, yet even though his ears had burned with humiliation and determination to prove himself, he hadn't realised how reluctant Percival had been to confront her. She might have been his subordinate, but which one of them was truly the patron? “I trust that you had a pleasant sleep?”
Stacy stared at him. He had wondered if she was going to give him one of her famous tantrums, but she seemed to have more self-control than that. Or perhaps she was just stunned. Her entire universe had turned upside down.
“I could have killed you,” Colin continued. “God knows I wanted to kill you, for everything you’ve done over the years. I spared your life for one reason and one reason only. I want you to take a message back to Admiral Percival at Camelot.”
“I can’t go back,” Stacy said. Her voice was raw, as if she’d been crying. Colin had left her in the care of a pair of
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