far easier to reach.”
“An assassination?” Three sounded intrigued. “Yes, that may be possible. Even more so if we create a diversion, a way to draw him into an exposed location.” His face slowly contorted into a twisted smile. “And I have just the plan…”
Chapter 5
Starship Eagle One
In Orbit Around Lysandria, Delta Sigma III
Earthdate: 2318 AD (33 Years After the Fall)
“How did the Lysandrians manage to hire the Gold Spears?” Darius Cain sat at the small table, staring across at Erik Teller. “Tomlinson did a full financial analysis. There is no way Lysandria could have put together the Spears’ price…even assuming the most extreme range of contingencies. We’d allowed a 10% probability they would be able to retain one of the lesser companies, but none at all that they could afford another Great Company.”
Teller was staring across the table at his friend. Darius was usually as cool as they came, but he could see the leader of the Eagles was agitated. Teller understood—he felt it too. The Eagles had faced the Spears before, three times, in fact. Each contest had been a victory for Cain’s soldiers, as every battle the undefeated Eagles had fought had been. Most companies were quick to surrender to the Eagles. Battles to the bitter end were unprofitable, and a company that fought to utter destruction was out of business. But the Spears wanted the Eagles’ perch; they wanted to stand atop the heap as the undisputed best of the Companies. And they knew that could never happen, not when their hated rivals were still in the way.
The rivalry had grown over time until it had become extremely bitter. When the two forces had last met, Cain warned the Spears—the next time they faced each other there would be no surrender, no quarter. The fight would be to the death. If the Black Eagles found the Gold Spears once again arrayed against them on the battlefield, Cain had sworn it would be the last time. Erik Teller knew his commander and oldest comrade never made a threat he wasn’t willing to carry out. He wondered if the senior officers of the Spears understood that.
“I don’t know, Darius. It doesn’t make sense to me either. The Lysandrian government was almost bankrupt even without the prospect of war. I can’t conceive of any way they could have raised such a sum. Unless they had help.”
“Help?” Cain replied. “You mean another planet? Maybe someone with designs on the Albemarlians?” His face twisted into a frustrated grimace. “No, that doesn’t make sense either. It really doesn’t matter to the Albemarlians if we get banged up in the fight. They paid us to subjugate the defenders. The only way they come out behind is if we lose outright.” Teller knew Cain tried to avoid arrogance at all costs, but he found it difficult to imagine the Eagles actually losing the upcoming fight, and he suspected Cain felt the same way.
“Could it be someone targeting us? Trying to interfere with our contracts? Or to wear us down?” Teller had just been thinking out loud, but now he paused and looked right at Cain. “That has to be it. Somebody is after us, Darius. They want to inflict heavy losses, wear us down. There’s nothing else that makes sense.”
“But who?” Cain was nodding. “I agree with your thinking, but I can’t come up with a guess at who. I wouldn’t put it past that piece of shit Ling to convince himself his Spears could take us, especially with someone encouraging him, but I don’t see anybody else buying into that. We might get shot up pretty badly down there, but we will win…and by the time we leave, no one will even be sure the Gold Spears ever existed.” There was venom in Cain’s voice. Any doubts Teller might have had about Darius following through on his earlier threats evaporated instantly.
“I suggest we
“An assassination?” Three sounded intrigued. “Yes, that may be possible. Even more so if we create a diversion, a way to draw him into an exposed location.” His face slowly contorted into a twisted smile. “And I have just the plan…”
Chapter 5
Starship Eagle One
In Orbit Around Lysandria, Delta Sigma III
Earthdate: 2318 AD (33 Years After the Fall)
“How did the Lysandrians manage to hire the Gold Spears?” Darius Cain sat at the small table, staring across at Erik Teller. “Tomlinson did a full financial analysis. There is no way Lysandria could have put together the Spears’ price…even assuming the most extreme range of contingencies. We’d allowed a 10% probability they would be able to retain one of the lesser companies, but none at all that they could afford another Great Company.”
Teller was staring across the table at his friend. Darius was usually as cool as they came, but he could see the leader of the Eagles was agitated. Teller understood—he felt it too. The Eagles had faced the Spears before, three times, in fact. Each contest had been a victory for Cain’s soldiers, as every battle the undefeated Eagles had fought had been. Most companies were quick to surrender to the Eagles. Battles to the bitter end were unprofitable, and a company that fought to utter destruction was out of business. But the Spears wanted the Eagles’ perch; they wanted to stand atop the heap as the undisputed best of the Companies. And they knew that could never happen, not when their hated rivals were still in the way.
The rivalry had grown over time until it had become extremely bitter. When the two forces had last met, Cain warned the Spears—the next time they faced each other there would be no surrender, no quarter. The fight would be to the death. If the Black Eagles found the Gold Spears once again arrayed against them on the battlefield, Cain had sworn it would be the last time. Erik Teller knew his commander and oldest comrade never made a threat he wasn’t willing to carry out. He wondered if the senior officers of the Spears understood that.
“I don’t know, Darius. It doesn’t make sense to me either. The Lysandrian government was almost bankrupt even without the prospect of war. I can’t conceive of any way they could have raised such a sum. Unless they had help.”
“Help?” Cain replied. “You mean another planet? Maybe someone with designs on the Albemarlians?” His face twisted into a frustrated grimace. “No, that doesn’t make sense either. It really doesn’t matter to the Albemarlians if we get banged up in the fight. They paid us to subjugate the defenders. The only way they come out behind is if we lose outright.” Teller knew Cain tried to avoid arrogance at all costs, but he found it difficult to imagine the Eagles actually losing the upcoming fight, and he suspected Cain felt the same way.
“Could it be someone targeting us? Trying to interfere with our contracts? Or to wear us down?” Teller had just been thinking out loud, but now he paused and looked right at Cain. “That has to be it. Somebody is after us, Darius. They want to inflict heavy losses, wear us down. There’s nothing else that makes sense.”
“But who?” Cain was nodding. “I agree with your thinking, but I can’t come up with a guess at who. I wouldn’t put it past that piece of shit Ling to convince himself his Spears could take us, especially with someone encouraging him, but I don’t see anybody else buying into that. We might get shot up pretty badly down there, but we will win…and by the time we leave, no one will even be sure the Gold Spears ever existed.” There was venom in Cain’s voice. Any doubts Teller might have had about Darius following through on his earlier threats evaporated instantly.
“I suggest we
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