Children of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy Page B

He’s been insufferable ever since he made colonel. Does he have any idea—” She stopped herself and turned to Lachesis. “Surely there’s something you can do about this. This is your ship and Edie is assigned to this crew.”
    “And Theron’s a colonel,” Lachesis replied. He still seemed embarrassed by the whole thing.
    “I demand that you take this to CCU. We’ve been friends a long time, Jeremy.”
    Lachesis squirmed at the emotional blackmail and gave a painful shrug. “I need to get back to the bridge.”
    Natesa closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths until Lachesis was gone. Then she turned a hard look on Edie. “The higher-ups at CCU headquarters will sort this out. Nothing comes before Project Ardra.”
    “Not even four childhoods?”
    “What? Ah, yes. Ming Yue told me you’d learned about the children. That’s why I wanted to see you.” As Edie drew breath to deliver her speech, Natesa held up a hand to silence her. “Spare me, Edie. I know what you’re thinking. But you don’t know what’s really going on. These are desperate times and we must use all available tools.”
    “The only desperation I see is you attempting to bolster your career. Is it really that important to have the best, fastest terraforming team in the Reach?”
    Natesa gave a weary sigh. “As I said, you don’t know everything. How did you find out about the children, anyway?”
    “Someone let it slip.” She didn’t want to get the boy into trouble.
    “Well, tomorrow afternoon we’ll visit the classroom and meet them. I want you to watch them work.”
    “Are they really as good as you say? Theron said Prisca was floundering.”
    “Nonsense. Teething problems. Prisca will be a glorious success, and it’s all because of my children.”

CHAPTER 9
     
    “Edie!”
    Natesa’s sharp tone from the next room sent a stab of annoyance through Edie. Finn stopped what he was saying midsentence—he’d come into the bedroom to find out if she was ever getting up—and Natesa stepped into the doorway. Her glare fell on Finn and then, inexplicably, to the rumpled bed that Edie had just vacated. Edie didn’t care what Natesa thought, and the woman had no right to barge into her quarters. They always kept the hatch locked—she must have a master crew key.
    Before Natesa could launch into whatever she’d come to say, Finn made to leave.
    “I’ll meet you in the mess,” he told Edie. He strode across the room and angled his body to slip past Natesa in the doorway without touching or looking at her.
    Natesa turned to watch him with a smirk of distaste. Edie heard the hatch snap as he left.
    “You used to be an early riser,” Natesa said. “I couldn’t find you in the mess hall.”
    “So you barge in here without permission? Please don’t do that again.”
    Natesa raised her brows, surprised by the outburst but not at all offended. “My apologies. I have some good news that I wanted to share.” Her face stretched into a smile as fake as the crimson stain on her lips.
    Edie was dubious that anything Natesa had to tell her would ever be good. She sat on the edge of the bed and waited.
    “I’ve tracked down the infojack who created the leash. He was indeed incarcerated in a labor camp in the Rutger System, for kidnapping and high treason, among many other things. I’ve received permission to transfer him here temporarily, with orders to cut the leash.”
    Edie’s immediate reaction—a sense of dread—caught her by surprise. Cutting the leash had always been her number one priority. Now the real possibility was on the table—and she was terrified. Achaiah might kill Finn in the process.
    “Does he really think he can do it?” she asked.
    “I spoke to him at length. He has a few ideas on how it might be accomplished. I think it’s worth trying.”
    “ Trying isn’t good enough. He can’t do it unless he’s absolutely certain it’s safe. You have to let me be there.”
    “I’ll see if I can arrange