One government wanted
Larik’s help after the terrorist threat was dealt with, it didn’t sound like an
arrest for breaching code and violating security rules might be in his future.
“Larik thinks he found out why the station is unreliable, sir.”
“I know. So Kartel told me.” The governor furrowed his brow in a fierce
frown. “This issue is volatile. I need you to help me find out if mantonium is
truly being heisted during the failures and more importantly, where it is
going. If someone is stealing it that means it must still be on Rapt One
because it is so unstable our sensors would go on full alert if someone tried
to transport it through any of our air locks. They are highly sensitive to
unusual radioactivity.”
Trey said with solid conviction, “Armada could probably circumvent
them. What makes you think no one else could?”
“I’m hoping he’s unique.” Halden looked dryly censorious. “I’m
assured by Kartel it’s pretty much the case. Either way, we’ve managed to
track all the outgoing transports from Rapt One in the past weeks and
nothing is at all suspicious. Whatever is going on it’s happening here in my
opinion.”
Aspen felt another frisson of apprehension. “Mantonium was considered
for making bombardment weaponry because of its lightweight and high
density explosive properties, correct? I remember my father talking about it
a few years ago. The program was discarded.”
The governor nodded. “Yes, Lieutenant, that’s right. The substance is
too unstable. I can’t give details of something that’s considered confidential
at the highest level, but there were accidents.”
Larik shook his head, a lock of blond hair falling over his brow. “In
other words, people died. So, what we have is someone—an organization
hostile to the current S-species government—who thinks they can do better.
70
Annabel Wolfe
Any guess as to who it might be? This keeps sounding worse and worse to
me. Who would have a better capability than our own scientists and military
in harnessing a substance like mantonium?”
“I can’t say.” Halden looked at each of them in turn. “The Universal
Council has a few ideas and I doubt if even I am privy to all of them. What
we need from you is Ravenot cut and dried. Prove he’s in and his arrest
could start the avalanche to bring the enemy to his knees. I’m not convinced
of his guilt in any way, but Kartel says you insist it must be so.”
Aspen spoke up. “Either he’s a very poor choice for chief engineer, or
he must be involved.”
“Your conviction is moving, Lieutenant, but please obtain some real
evidence besides the extra circuit I’m told exists.”
“Oh, it exists.” Larik leaned forward suddenly, his handsome face
intent. “Tell me one thing, sir, have you ever heard of The Covenant?”
A slight flicker of something showed in the older man’s eyes. “I’m not
here to answer questions, Armada. If there’s something I need to know on
the other hand, I didn’t walk into a quarantine area lightly. Talk to me.”
Broad shoulders shrugged, and because Aspen had gotten to know Larik
well in the past weeks—not just in a sexual way—she recognized the
irreverent twitch to his lips. Whatever the governor wanted, at a guess, Larik
either already knew it or was sure he could get it.
He said with nonchalance, “When you did his background check, sir,
did you discover Ravenot was from Acadien?”
Silence. Then Halden said between his teeth, “No. And how you…oh,
well, forget it, I’m not even going ask you how you found that out, Armada.
Isn’t he too young? The colony was dissolved years ago.”
“Not too young at all, sir. He was there until he was seven. That’s long
enough.”
Trey glanced at Aspen, his expression a mirror of her own puzzlement,
then back at the governor. “If you’ll excuse me, what the hell is Acadien?”
The Covenant: The Starlight Chronicles 2
71
The
Larik’s help after the terrorist threat was dealt with, it didn’t sound like an
arrest for breaching code and violating security rules might be in his future.
“Larik thinks he found out why the station is unreliable, sir.”
“I know. So Kartel told me.” The governor furrowed his brow in a fierce
frown. “This issue is volatile. I need you to help me find out if mantonium is
truly being heisted during the failures and more importantly, where it is
going. If someone is stealing it that means it must still be on Rapt One
because it is so unstable our sensors would go on full alert if someone tried
to transport it through any of our air locks. They are highly sensitive to
unusual radioactivity.”
Trey said with solid conviction, “Armada could probably circumvent
them. What makes you think no one else could?”
“I’m hoping he’s unique.” Halden looked dryly censorious. “I’m
assured by Kartel it’s pretty much the case. Either way, we’ve managed to
track all the outgoing transports from Rapt One in the past weeks and
nothing is at all suspicious. Whatever is going on it’s happening here in my
opinion.”
Aspen felt another frisson of apprehension. “Mantonium was considered
for making bombardment weaponry because of its lightweight and high
density explosive properties, correct? I remember my father talking about it
a few years ago. The program was discarded.”
The governor nodded. “Yes, Lieutenant, that’s right. The substance is
too unstable. I can’t give details of something that’s considered confidential
at the highest level, but there were accidents.”
Larik shook his head, a lock of blond hair falling over his brow. “In
other words, people died. So, what we have is someone—an organization
hostile to the current S-species government—who thinks they can do better.
70
Annabel Wolfe
Any guess as to who it might be? This keeps sounding worse and worse to
me. Who would have a better capability than our own scientists and military
in harnessing a substance like mantonium?”
“I can’t say.” Halden looked at each of them in turn. “The Universal
Council has a few ideas and I doubt if even I am privy to all of them. What
we need from you is Ravenot cut and dried. Prove he’s in and his arrest
could start the avalanche to bring the enemy to his knees. I’m not convinced
of his guilt in any way, but Kartel says you insist it must be so.”
Aspen spoke up. “Either he’s a very poor choice for chief engineer, or
he must be involved.”
“Your conviction is moving, Lieutenant, but please obtain some real
evidence besides the extra circuit I’m told exists.”
“Oh, it exists.” Larik leaned forward suddenly, his handsome face
intent. “Tell me one thing, sir, have you ever heard of The Covenant?”
A slight flicker of something showed in the older man’s eyes. “I’m not
here to answer questions, Armada. If there’s something I need to know on
the other hand, I didn’t walk into a quarantine area lightly. Talk to me.”
Broad shoulders shrugged, and because Aspen had gotten to know Larik
well in the past weeks—not just in a sexual way—she recognized the
irreverent twitch to his lips. Whatever the governor wanted, at a guess, Larik
either already knew it or was sure he could get it.
He said with nonchalance, “When you did his background check, sir,
did you discover Ravenot was from Acadien?”
Silence. Then Halden said between his teeth, “No. And how you…oh,
well, forget it, I’m not even going ask you how you found that out, Armada.
Isn’t he too young? The colony was dissolved years ago.”
“Not too young at all, sir. He was there until he was seven. That’s long
enough.”
Trey glanced at Aspen, his expression a mirror of her own puzzlement,
then back at the governor. “If you’ll excuse me, what the hell is Acadien?”
The Covenant: The Starlight Chronicles 2
71
The
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