Faring Soul - Science Fiction Romance by Tracy Cooper-Posey Page B

prompted, behind
him. “Perhaps it might be prudent to return to the Board chambers.
You have emphasized the priority of finding a solution to the
Shahrazad problem for well over a year. It looks odd that you are
not guiding the strategies now.”
    “As if a single woman from the fringes
is such a threat,” Kare muttered.
    “You have represented her to be such a
threat,” Jarek reminded him. “And in truth, she sows discontent and
anarchy wherever she goes.”
    “She has been minding her own business
for the three years since she emerged from therapy. There has not
been a single riot.”
    “If she were to reveal who she really
is, the riots would follow,” Jarek replied. “You have made
convincing arguments that she must be contained before that
happens.”
    “You believed me?”
    “I believed the facts,” Jarek said.
“They speak at volume, without your championship.”
    “Then you believe she is a threat,
too?”
    “You’re troubled by her presence in the
Federation. I have not seen you so distracted before.”
    Kare swallowed. “Truth, Jarek? If she
were to disrupt this peace of ours, I would welcome it.”
    Jarek didn’t look shocked. Instead, he
merely nodded. “If that is the case, then may I point out that
given everything I have read about her, I believe that the harder
you pursue her, the more certain it will be that she will strike
back.”
    Kare considered Jarek’s countenance.
Was his most excellent Chief of Staff saying only what he wanted to
hear, in such a way that kept Kare neatly within the bounds of his
office and happily productive? That was part of Jarek’s function,
after all.
    He sighed. “Very well. I’ll return in a
moment or two.”
    Jarek bowed again. “Your Honor.” He
slipped out of the room, leaving Kare to himself. He considered
bringing up the images again then paused, his finger over the
pad.
    To see her in person… !
    That would be worth any number of Board
meetings and pointless politics.
    Kare adjusted the cumbersome formal
jacket, tugging it down at the front. He squared his shoulders.
With renewed energy, he prepared to return to the chamber and herd
a particularly large and wayward group to where he wanted them.

Chapter Twelve
    Mid-jump, Keogard-Sunita Gates. FY
10.070
    Catherine tiredly pushed her hair off
her forehead and out of her eyes. “The Feds have been trying to
catch up with me ever since we broke into core space. You’ve known
this all along, Lilly. I can’t see why it’s now a problem.”
    Lilly was sitting on the serving table,
her legs swinging, but she leaned forward to answer earnestly.
“Because they really are after us!”
    Bedivere stood at the door of the
relaxation-dining area, one shoulder against it and his arms
crossed. He was trying not to laugh, but Catherine didn’t know if
the laughter was directed at her or at Lilita’s indignation.
    Brant was sitting on the opposite side
of the table to Catherine and eating an orange. He was using a
knife to peel it. He had pulled the knife out of his jacket. He was
concentrating on prying bits of peel away and the sharp, tart smell
of the fruit was distracting.
    Lilly clearly didn’t like Catherine’s
reaction, or anyone else’s. She scowled. “I don’t like the
Federation any more than you do. They’ve been a monopoly for
generations and they use that power indiscriminately. Taxes are
horrendous and economies are depressed everywhere because they’ve
got their hand in every pocket, squeezing for all they’re
worth.”
    Bedivere smothered a laugh and turned
it into a cough.
    Brant separated a segment of orange,
holding it on the side of the knife with his broad thumb. “You
sound like a college pamphlet.”
    Lilita’s face grew red. “Yes, so I
listened to the Aneesh when they talked about it. Doesn’t make it
not true.”
    “Except you need to back up a step in
your supposition,” Bedivere told her. “No one is forcing these
worlds to spend their last yen buying their way