no matter how secure they thought the message. Didn’t they know Peters didn’t want any contact until after the mission was complete?
He didn’t relish the wait on Seid II. His crew had docked yesterday, and he’d given them shore leave. Seth had to play his cards right, or he’d be the dead one. What would happen when Earth exploded? Fritz had no idea the Royalists already had the weapon. Seth almost wished he would be around to see it. The laser waited for the push of a button, resting comfortably in a hidden cave on the planet. He’d put it there himself weeks ago.
The com beeped, but he ignored it again. There wasn’t anyone he wanted to talk to right now. He had plans to make. If he couldn’t capture the men alive, he would blow the Retribution right out of the universe. He would have his justice before retiring. The beeping sounded again followed by the computer.
“Commander, you have an urgent message.”
“Store the message. I’ll contact them later.”
“Message stored.”
The computer turned off, leaving Seth to his thoughts until a ring sounded at his door.
What now?
“Enter.”
“I’m sorry to bother you, sir, but the planet guard wished to have a word with you.”
“I thought you were on shore leave, Ensign.”
“The guard cornered me in a local bar, or I’d still be there.”
“Carry on. I’ll take care of the guard.”
He watched the Ensign leave and asked the computer to relay the message.
“Message to follow—Seth, contact home base immediately or your ship will be called off mission. You are not following orders, and I will not have it. Message finished, signed General Commander Fritz.”
He couldn’t contact Fritz. Too much needed to happen first.
“Computer, send a message to General Commander Fritz letting him know I am out of range.”
“Message confirmed.”
Now, he had to deal with the incompetence of the planet guard. They were all alike, barely trained with a gun. He stormed off the ship to deal with this new problem. The only thing he wanted to do was sleep until the Retribution docked and he had Rave and Kain right where he wanted them.
* * * *
Kain couldn’t believe what the computer showed him. Seth Davidson had gone through cadet training with him and Rave. No wonder the name rang a bell. He still didn’t remember the guy. Maybe Rave would know him.
The man looked like a decorated officer, but that didn’t explain why he’d jumped the gun on the warrant. Fritz didn’t have any answers, either. Kain wondered if he should contact the office again. He should talk to Rave first. He wanted everything in the open between them.
He looked over his shoulder when the door to Rave’s room swooshed open.
“You have anything?”
Rave never wasted time. That hadn’t changed.
“I found Seth Davidson. He graduated with us. Computer, display photo of Seth Davidson.”
Seconds later, the photo appeared. Rave got close and studied it, but Kain didn’t see a spark of recognition. Maybe Rave didn’t remember the guy, either.
“I remember him now.”
“You do?” Maybe he couldn’t read his lover the way he used to. Kain planned on fixing that.
“Yeah, there was a big to-do about him. Don’t you remember?”
“No, refresh my memory.”
“Seth asked me out a few times during training, and I turned him down. I was only interested in one man, and that was you. I don’t know if I told you about Seth or not. I probably didn’t. I was too full of myself and you. Hell, I couldn’t even remember his name, but I recognise his face. The blow-up happened months after. The three of us were assigned to the same ship. Seth lost control of a pod, causing millions in damages. The Alliance sent him back to training because it also took out communications on a small planet.”
“Now I remember. It was this guy?”
“The one and only. Do you think that’s why he jumped the warrant?”
“After all these years? I wouldn’t think so, but who
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