shouldn’t have spared his sorry ass life.”
Shardae remained stock still, afraid to shatter the spell her usually strict commander had fallen under. The woman hadn’t ever said this much to her before and definitely nothing that didn’t follow stringent IGO guidelines. Commander Ashe’s eyes grew puzzled. Shardae saw true emotion in her face. She meant those words about killing Lee, but which “him” she meant sucker punched her, Shardae didn’t know.
“How the fuck did you let this happen?” Commander Ashe’s harsh browbeating rolled to her. Angry eyes met hers.
“You know what, Commander,” Shardae said, anger firing inside her. “I was poisoned. So excuse me for being attacked, weakened by Scarlet Burn. My body gave out, ma’am.”
Commander Ashe flinched. “Poisoned? That wasn’t in the report. Dr. Raja said you had been struck with a blunt instrument… I thought you’d been accidentally struck by one of your friends. I’m -- I’m sorry, Shardae.”
Shardae choked down the lump of restless nerves in her gut.
Outside the cell, O’Leery marched impatiently down the corridor. Pausing to glare at them, he leaned close to the force field. “How you doin’, blondie?” he cackled at Commander Ashe. “You could use some lipstick on those lips of yours. Black and blue doesn’t become you.”
Along the floor behind O’Leery, three of her security team were sprawled, victims of the Scarlet Burn courtesy of their traitorous crewmates. Shardae scowled in fury.
“You gotta get them to medical,” Shardae said, her voice as hard as ice. “They’ll die. That’s more deaths that will be on your hands. You played futbol with them! You can’t leave them to die.”
Her entire team had been ambushed and imprisoned in neighboring cells. So far, none of them had died. Although Berg had been dispatched to corral others, he hadn’t returned.
“Do what she says, O’Leery,” Commander Ashe added.
“You ain’t giving the orders now, bitch,” O’Leery snarled.
“No,” Commander Ashe said back frostily. “Not now, but later, I will.”
“I hate you. I’ve always hated you. You’re weak. Pretending to be so tough. All you had going for you was a pair of decent tits. How those helping you out now?”
O’Leery laughed. The rest of them joined in an uneasy round of chuckles, but Shardae saw Rojas’ face -- he didn’t like O’Leery. Perhaps she’d be able to turn that her way. She didn’t know. Darryl Snow’s report of the attempted mutiny on The Inquiry portrayed Rojas as a follower -- a man without any thoughts of his own. One who would shoot down a slew of innocent people and later proclaim to just be following orders.
Ashe sounded so confident. It made Shardae smile. The conspirators hadn’t intended to kill them or all of them would be dead. No, this wasn’t a mutiny per se . The craft hadn’t gone off course. It hadn’t gone anywhere. The bastards were waiting for someone or something.
Shardae got unsteadily to her feet. Without waiting for Ashe’s approval, she went directly to the force field, careful not to touch it. O’Leery had pushed on. They all stood in a loose group by the control room. Body language told her the others had relaxed, feeling all the potential dangers had been contained. Only Rojas tossed careful glances over his shoulder. Shardae could tell he didn’t believe that all had gone according to plan.
Zander. He remained at large. She knew deep into her bones. He wouldn’t leave her or abandon her. If he sat with her for three days in medical, listening to Dr. Raja’s prattle, then he wouldn’t leave her to chance or betrayal. So, where was Zander? Was he all right?
“Where is JC Henderson? JC Stankiewitz?” Shardae asked, her mind racing through the list of personnel. She had to figure out how many of the craft’s personnel had gone to Lee’s side of doing things.
“Henderson was shot and left on the command platform. Stankiewitz is
Shardae remained stock still, afraid to shatter the spell her usually strict commander had fallen under. The woman hadn’t ever said this much to her before and definitely nothing that didn’t follow stringent IGO guidelines. Commander Ashe’s eyes grew puzzled. Shardae saw true emotion in her face. She meant those words about killing Lee, but which “him” she meant sucker punched her, Shardae didn’t know.
“How the fuck did you let this happen?” Commander Ashe’s harsh browbeating rolled to her. Angry eyes met hers.
“You know what, Commander,” Shardae said, anger firing inside her. “I was poisoned. So excuse me for being attacked, weakened by Scarlet Burn. My body gave out, ma’am.”
Commander Ashe flinched. “Poisoned? That wasn’t in the report. Dr. Raja said you had been struck with a blunt instrument… I thought you’d been accidentally struck by one of your friends. I’m -- I’m sorry, Shardae.”
Shardae choked down the lump of restless nerves in her gut.
Outside the cell, O’Leery marched impatiently down the corridor. Pausing to glare at them, he leaned close to the force field. “How you doin’, blondie?” he cackled at Commander Ashe. “You could use some lipstick on those lips of yours. Black and blue doesn’t become you.”
Along the floor behind O’Leery, three of her security team were sprawled, victims of the Scarlet Burn courtesy of their traitorous crewmates. Shardae scowled in fury.
“You gotta get them to medical,” Shardae said, her voice as hard as ice. “They’ll die. That’s more deaths that will be on your hands. You played futbol with them! You can’t leave them to die.”
Her entire team had been ambushed and imprisoned in neighboring cells. So far, none of them had died. Although Berg had been dispatched to corral others, he hadn’t returned.
“Do what she says, O’Leery,” Commander Ashe added.
“You ain’t giving the orders now, bitch,” O’Leery snarled.
“No,” Commander Ashe said back frostily. “Not now, but later, I will.”
“I hate you. I’ve always hated you. You’re weak. Pretending to be so tough. All you had going for you was a pair of decent tits. How those helping you out now?”
O’Leery laughed. The rest of them joined in an uneasy round of chuckles, but Shardae saw Rojas’ face -- he didn’t like O’Leery. Perhaps she’d be able to turn that her way. She didn’t know. Darryl Snow’s report of the attempted mutiny on The Inquiry portrayed Rojas as a follower -- a man without any thoughts of his own. One who would shoot down a slew of innocent people and later proclaim to just be following orders.
Ashe sounded so confident. It made Shardae smile. The conspirators hadn’t intended to kill them or all of them would be dead. No, this wasn’t a mutiny per se . The craft hadn’t gone off course. It hadn’t gone anywhere. The bastards were waiting for someone or something.
Shardae got unsteadily to her feet. Without waiting for Ashe’s approval, she went directly to the force field, careful not to touch it. O’Leery had pushed on. They all stood in a loose group by the control room. Body language told her the others had relaxed, feeling all the potential dangers had been contained. Only Rojas tossed careful glances over his shoulder. Shardae could tell he didn’t believe that all had gone according to plan.
Zander. He remained at large. She knew deep into her bones. He wouldn’t leave her or abandon her. If he sat with her for three days in medical, listening to Dr. Raja’s prattle, then he wouldn’t leave her to chance or betrayal. So, where was Zander? Was he all right?
“Where is JC Henderson? JC Stankiewitz?” Shardae asked, her mind racing through the list of personnel. She had to figure out how many of the craft’s personnel had gone to Lee’s side of doing things.
“Henderson was shot and left on the command platform. Stankiewitz is
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