Read Online In Fire Forged: Worlds of Honor V-ARC by David Weber - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: David Weber
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requested clearance for out-system. That’s all. Space is a big place. We could search for hours and not find them, even though they don’t have a very big head start.”
“Crew?” Judith interrupted before Michael could ask for more details. “Did they see Ruth?”
Vincent shook his head. “The pair had with them several pieces of luggage. I asked a few discreet questions, and there were two trunks of a size that could have held your daughter. I’m sorry, ma’am.”
Michael slammed his fist into his palm. “Damn!”
“We’ve got clearance—finally,” Todd put in from the flight deck. “Do you want me to go ahead and dock? Or do we track Cormorant ?”
“Take us in,” Michael said. “We’re going to have to check to make sure they weren’t just cutting their losses. They could have left Ruth behind on Banshee . Or they could have traded her to someone else and she could be on station. And maybe we can get some better information as to Cormorant ’s destination.”
“Right,” Todd said.
“Vincent,” Michael said. “I want everything you can get me about Cormorant . There must be in-station cameras. Get us pictures of her crew. Bend rules. Go ahead and throw my name around with the people you’re already talking to. I also want a full list of ships that leave that station after Banshee ’s arrival, their destinations, everything, just in case there was an exchange.”
“Yes, sir.”
Michael reached over and squeezed Judith’s hand. “Let me see what I can learn about Cormorant . That’s still our most likely target.”
He took out his minicomp, logged into the Sphinx planetary data system, and started requesting information. Fortunately, he was requesting information on a civilian ship, so he did not run into any of the difficulties he might have had he been making the same requests about a military vessel.
The results came in just as Todd was bringing them into dock.
“I found out a few things,” Michael said. He felt a vicious smile twist his face. “ Cormorant arrived in dock only a few hours ago. She’s also owned by Starflight Rentals. By odd coincidence she included among its incoming passengers someone I would very much like to speak with, someone who I believe is still on station.”
“You don’t mean…” Todd said, swinging around to look at Michael.
“That’s right, Alice Ramsbottom.”
* * *
“Alice Ramsbottom,” Judith repeated. “So we have confirmation of your suspicions that one of her parents is involved in Ruth’s kidnapping. How can we use that? Kidnap her, perhaps? Arrange for an exchange?”
“Your Majesty…” Vincent Valless began, but Michael cut him off with a wave of one hand.
“Don’t worry, Vincent. We’re not going to do anything so very illegal.”
Michael reached out and took one of Judith’s hands, cradling it between his broad, brown hands.
“Judith, I can do a good many things, but I can’t do that. I’d rather go to a nightclub and dance naked on a table while making outrageous pronouncements about the stupidity of my sister’s public policy. That would only damage my reputation. Kidnapping, though, that’s nasty stuff—not only illegal, but flat out wrong.”
Despite her fear for Ruth, Judith felt herself smiling at the image of Michael dancing on a table. Instantly, she became serious again.
“Michael, I don’t want you to do anything that would hurt you or Queen Elizabeth. But I want my baby back.”
“So do I,” Michael said. “Let’s find Alice Ramsbottom. Let’s talk to her.”
“And then?” Judith asked.
“We improvise.”
* * *
They found Alice Ramsbottom over at Banshee ’s berth.
The inboard end of the ship’s boarding tube was open when they arrived, and so was the hatch at its outboard end. Vincent Valless insisted on boarding first, and Judith saw Michael’s fist open and close in a gesture of concealed frustration, but he didn’t protest.
Poor man. He
“Crew?” Judith interrupted before Michael could ask for more details. “Did they see Ruth?”
Vincent shook his head. “The pair had with them several pieces of luggage. I asked a few discreet questions, and there were two trunks of a size that could have held your daughter. I’m sorry, ma’am.”
Michael slammed his fist into his palm. “Damn!”
“We’ve got clearance—finally,” Todd put in from the flight deck. “Do you want me to go ahead and dock? Or do we track Cormorant ?”
“Take us in,” Michael said. “We’re going to have to check to make sure they weren’t just cutting their losses. They could have left Ruth behind on Banshee . Or they could have traded her to someone else and she could be on station. And maybe we can get some better information as to Cormorant ’s destination.”
“Right,” Todd said.
“Vincent,” Michael said. “I want everything you can get me about Cormorant . There must be in-station cameras. Get us pictures of her crew. Bend rules. Go ahead and throw my name around with the people you’re already talking to. I also want a full list of ships that leave that station after Banshee ’s arrival, their destinations, everything, just in case there was an exchange.”
“Yes, sir.”
Michael reached over and squeezed Judith’s hand. “Let me see what I can learn about Cormorant . That’s still our most likely target.”
He took out his minicomp, logged into the Sphinx planetary data system, and started requesting information. Fortunately, he was requesting information on a civilian ship, so he did not run into any of the difficulties he might have had he been making the same requests about a military vessel.
The results came in just as Todd was bringing them into dock.
“I found out a few things,” Michael said. He felt a vicious smile twist his face. “ Cormorant arrived in dock only a few hours ago. She’s also owned by Starflight Rentals. By odd coincidence she included among its incoming passengers someone I would very much like to speak with, someone who I believe is still on station.”
“You don’t mean…” Todd said, swinging around to look at Michael.
“That’s right, Alice Ramsbottom.”
* * *
“Alice Ramsbottom,” Judith repeated. “So we have confirmation of your suspicions that one of her parents is involved in Ruth’s kidnapping. How can we use that? Kidnap her, perhaps? Arrange for an exchange?”
“Your Majesty…” Vincent Valless began, but Michael cut him off with a wave of one hand.
“Don’t worry, Vincent. We’re not going to do anything so very illegal.”
Michael reached out and took one of Judith’s hands, cradling it between his broad, brown hands.
“Judith, I can do a good many things, but I can’t do that. I’d rather go to a nightclub and dance naked on a table while making outrageous pronouncements about the stupidity of my sister’s public policy. That would only damage my reputation. Kidnapping, though, that’s nasty stuff—not only illegal, but flat out wrong.”
Despite her fear for Ruth, Judith felt herself smiling at the image of Michael dancing on a table. Instantly, she became serious again.
“Michael, I don’t want you to do anything that would hurt you or Queen Elizabeth. But I want my baby back.”
“So do I,” Michael said. “Let’s find Alice Ramsbottom. Let’s talk to her.”
“And then?” Judith asked.
“We improvise.”
* * *
They found Alice Ramsbottom over at Banshee ’s berth.
The inboard end of the ship’s boarding tube was open when they arrived, and so was the hatch at its outboard end. Vincent Valless insisted on boarding first, and Judith saw Michael’s fist open and close in a gesture of concealed frustration, but he didn’t protest.
Poor man. He
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