systems that assisted the vipers in reaching this command center without being detected.”
“And you have some evidence that Colonel Gozen was involved in that?”
A pause. “Not yet, sir.”
“Are you aware that Colonel Gozen was with me when the attack went down and played a major role in defending me against attack when the vipers located me?”
Malin hesitated again, though his pistol didn’t waver. “General, they broke into your office immediately after killing the watch-standers. If you had been present, you would not have been able to stop a dozen vipers even with the defenses in your office.”
Drakon raised one hand and gestured to Malin to lower his weapon.
After another moment, Malin did so, returning the pistol to its holster with one smooth movement.
“I wasn’t in my office because I was talking to Colonel Gozen,” Drakon said. “If she had not asked to speak with me, I probably would have been there. Why would she have gotten me out of that office and away from the command center if she was involved in a plot to kill me? Why wouldn’t she have killed me herself during the confusion when the alarms sounded, or while the vipers were charging me?”
Malin inhaled slowly, then nodded. “It appears unlikely, sir.”
“Colonel Malin, I appreciate your concern for my welfare, but I am getting a little tired of my staff officers pointing weapons at each other. I don’t want it to happen again.”
Gozen felt herself stiffen at the tone of Drakon’s voice. Even though his words weren’t directly aimed at her, and even though she hadn’t pointed her weapon at Malin, she still had to fight down an urge to come to attention, salute, and promise never to do it again.
For his part, Malin sounded truly apologetic. “I am sorry, General.”
“You’re sure someone introduced worms from inside this building?” Drakon said, abruptly changing the subject.
“There was no external intrusion, sir. And no indications of any unauthorized person entering the headquarters complex.”
“Somebody did,” Gozen said. “Maybe that’s why my visitor showed up when he did. He or she had just finished inserting the worms. They wouldn’t have wanted to do that until just before the attack to limit any chance of the worms being spotted by our security routines. I should have realized that if they could threaten me they could have accessed the security systems in here.”
“That didn’t occur to me, either,” Drakon said. “It’s not like you wasted any time alerting me to the problem. Colonel Malin, there is a hidden access to Colonel Gozen’s quarters. Someone used it last night. That access may lead us to other hidden passages.”
Malin’s eyes narrowed. He nodded, then looked at Gozen again. “Some of the worms employed were the same as those among the snake software we captured on Ulindi. That’s why our armor systems were able to block the intrusion attempts.”
Gozen felt her face heating with anger. “You’re not still thinking that I—”
“No, Colonel Gozen,” Malin said. “Because I now recall that among your actions since we returned to Midway was your insistence on ensuring our armor software was upgraded to block everything found among the snake software on Ulindi. You have my apologies for suspecting you of involvement in this attack.”
“Accepted,” Gozen said. “In a Syndicate command, you would have shot me immediately then when proven wrong apologized for being too zealous in defending the CEO.”
“Yes, I would have,” Malin agreed.
“We need to find out who did plant those worms to open the path for the vipers,” Drakon said. “Are there any leads?”
“None, so far, General. Except for the absence of leads. Whoever did this left no trace of their actions.”
Drakon nodded, his expression darkening. “The lack of any mistakes does point in one direction. Colonel Malin, I know you’ve already been ordered to find President Iceni’s former aide Mehmet
“And you have some evidence that Colonel Gozen was involved in that?”
A pause. “Not yet, sir.”
“Are you aware that Colonel Gozen was with me when the attack went down and played a major role in defending me against attack when the vipers located me?”
Malin hesitated again, though his pistol didn’t waver. “General, they broke into your office immediately after killing the watch-standers. If you had been present, you would not have been able to stop a dozen vipers even with the defenses in your office.”
Drakon raised one hand and gestured to Malin to lower his weapon.
After another moment, Malin did so, returning the pistol to its holster with one smooth movement.
“I wasn’t in my office because I was talking to Colonel Gozen,” Drakon said. “If she had not asked to speak with me, I probably would have been there. Why would she have gotten me out of that office and away from the command center if she was involved in a plot to kill me? Why wouldn’t she have killed me herself during the confusion when the alarms sounded, or while the vipers were charging me?”
Malin inhaled slowly, then nodded. “It appears unlikely, sir.”
“Colonel Malin, I appreciate your concern for my welfare, but I am getting a little tired of my staff officers pointing weapons at each other. I don’t want it to happen again.”
Gozen felt herself stiffen at the tone of Drakon’s voice. Even though his words weren’t directly aimed at her, and even though she hadn’t pointed her weapon at Malin, she still had to fight down an urge to come to attention, salute, and promise never to do it again.
For his part, Malin sounded truly apologetic. “I am sorry, General.”
“You’re sure someone introduced worms from inside this building?” Drakon said, abruptly changing the subject.
“There was no external intrusion, sir. And no indications of any unauthorized person entering the headquarters complex.”
“Somebody did,” Gozen said. “Maybe that’s why my visitor showed up when he did. He or she had just finished inserting the worms. They wouldn’t have wanted to do that until just before the attack to limit any chance of the worms being spotted by our security routines. I should have realized that if they could threaten me they could have accessed the security systems in here.”
“That didn’t occur to me, either,” Drakon said. “It’s not like you wasted any time alerting me to the problem. Colonel Malin, there is a hidden access to Colonel Gozen’s quarters. Someone used it last night. That access may lead us to other hidden passages.”
Malin’s eyes narrowed. He nodded, then looked at Gozen again. “Some of the worms employed were the same as those among the snake software we captured on Ulindi. That’s why our armor systems were able to block the intrusion attempts.”
Gozen felt her face heating with anger. “You’re not still thinking that I—”
“No, Colonel Gozen,” Malin said. “Because I now recall that among your actions since we returned to Midway was your insistence on ensuring our armor software was upgraded to block everything found among the snake software on Ulindi. You have my apologies for suspecting you of involvement in this attack.”
“Accepted,” Gozen said. “In a Syndicate command, you would have shot me immediately then when proven wrong apologized for being too zealous in defending the CEO.”
“Yes, I would have,” Malin agreed.
“We need to find out who did plant those worms to open the path for the vipers,” Drakon said. “Are there any leads?”
“None, so far, General. Except for the absence of leads. Whoever did this left no trace of their actions.”
Drakon nodded, his expression darkening. “The lack of any mistakes does point in one direction. Colonel Malin, I know you’ve already been ordered to find President Iceni’s former aide Mehmet
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