she is clever, she wants out, and she is deceptive. Do not afford her a weapon or anything that can be made a weapon or do harm, nadiin, and be sure that word passes to all who stand guard here. Be courteous. But be extremely wary of this person.”
“Nandi,” was the answer.
And to his bodyguard, as they left. “Her information was interesting. I wish to do some study before I talk to Braddock. I am reconsidering transferring Braddock and his associates out of Lord Geigi’s custody.”
“She spoke of the ship,” Jago said. “And events at Reunion.”
“She did,” he said.
Did he
believe
what Williams said? He wasn’t sure. He didn’tknow the technicalities—didn’t even know what questions he should ask to judge what she said.
But letting Williams believe he did believe her . . . that seemed the safer course.
What he was going to
do
with the woman—whether he wanted her in any wise associated with her daughter—that was a heavy decision, one that affected far more than Irene and her mother.
He wasn’t sure. He knew more than he had known. But he was far from sure.
He was going to get a call—at any given moment—that the kyo had entered an approach. Or changed their transmission. Or needed a response.
God, of all things, he didn’t need this woman on his hands.
6
F irst order of business, returning home, was a call—a very troubled call. “Jase. I need to see you, urgently. Don’t ask. Please come.”
And when Jase did turn up at the apartment, Bren opted for his office, a cubbyhole of a room, but private, even from staff. Even from his bodyguard, though not because of secrets, but for just the mood he wanted. “I shall see him there, nadiin-ji. I ask you be patient. Tell staff let us be alone until I signal.”
It was Jase. It was a very close ally, in territory Jase could not exit without their leave. They still frowned, perhaps reading into the context of the business with Irene’s mother. But they bowed and went back to their own territory.
He waited.
Jase arrived from the foyer with Asicho, who quietly let him in, then left and closed the door.
“Problem?” Jase asked in ship-speak.
“Deep apologies,” Bren said. “I dropped in on Ms. Williams, on my way to talk to Braddock. She had a story. I don’t know enough to figure how much is true. But her account had some details I do need to ask.”
Jase sank into the nearest chair. “Ask.”
“Since Ramirez. Since before we went out to Reunion, and after we came back, I’ve heard one story, that present crew didn’t know any part of what went on between Ramirez and Braddock, they had no idea the station had survivors, but afterRamirez said there had been, we, on our voyage, went back moderately prepared for the possibility. We understood the purpose was to destroy the Archive, to be sure the kyo had nothing usable—and if there were still people holding out there—”
“That’s all true.”
“In the way of a person who’s not familiar with the operations of the ship, in the way of a person who, at the time, had very little concept what that might entail, I find a question I never have asked—a question which may have been too obvious for you to volunteer. I didn’t ask into the time it took
Phoenix
to approach the station when it came in, how long to talk to it, to refuel. I did ask who
was
in command, who wasn’t . . .”
“Ramirez,” Jase said. “It was Ramirez all the way.”
“I believe everything you’ve told me. I
believe
it, Jase. But Ms. Williams filled in a certain amount of detail from the other side—from the Reunion side—that possibly casts Braddock in a more favorable light.”
“That their food stores were destroyed and we couldn’t take all of the survivors on board?”
He was shocked for a moment. He
hoped
he wasn’t about to hear there were deeper secrets.
“That’s the gist of it,” he said to Jase. “Ms. Williams indicated that when the ship came in, after the attack,
“Nandi,” was the answer.
And to his bodyguard, as they left. “Her information was interesting. I wish to do some study before I talk to Braddock. I am reconsidering transferring Braddock and his associates out of Lord Geigi’s custody.”
“She spoke of the ship,” Jago said. “And events at Reunion.”
“She did,” he said.
Did he
believe
what Williams said? He wasn’t sure. He didn’tknow the technicalities—didn’t even know what questions he should ask to judge what she said.
But letting Williams believe he did believe her . . . that seemed the safer course.
What he was going to
do
with the woman—whether he wanted her in any wise associated with her daughter—that was a heavy decision, one that affected far more than Irene and her mother.
He wasn’t sure. He knew more than he had known. But he was far from sure.
He was going to get a call—at any given moment—that the kyo had entered an approach. Or changed their transmission. Or needed a response.
God, of all things, he didn’t need this woman on his hands.
6
F irst order of business, returning home, was a call—a very troubled call. “Jase. I need to see you, urgently. Don’t ask. Please come.”
And when Jase did turn up at the apartment, Bren opted for his office, a cubbyhole of a room, but private, even from staff. Even from his bodyguard, though not because of secrets, but for just the mood he wanted. “I shall see him there, nadiin-ji. I ask you be patient. Tell staff let us be alone until I signal.”
It was Jase. It was a very close ally, in territory Jase could not exit without their leave. They still frowned, perhaps reading into the context of the business with Irene’s mother. But they bowed and went back to their own territory.
He waited.
Jase arrived from the foyer with Asicho, who quietly let him in, then left and closed the door.
“Problem?” Jase asked in ship-speak.
“Deep apologies,” Bren said. “I dropped in on Ms. Williams, on my way to talk to Braddock. She had a story. I don’t know enough to figure how much is true. But her account had some details I do need to ask.”
Jase sank into the nearest chair. “Ask.”
“Since Ramirez. Since before we went out to Reunion, and after we came back, I’ve heard one story, that present crew didn’t know any part of what went on between Ramirez and Braddock, they had no idea the station had survivors, but afterRamirez said there had been, we, on our voyage, went back moderately prepared for the possibility. We understood the purpose was to destroy the Archive, to be sure the kyo had nothing usable—and if there were still people holding out there—”
“That’s all true.”
“In the way of a person who’s not familiar with the operations of the ship, in the way of a person who, at the time, had very little concept what that might entail, I find a question I never have asked—a question which may have been too obvious for you to volunteer. I didn’t ask into the time it took
Phoenix
to approach the station when it came in, how long to talk to it, to refuel. I did ask who
was
in command, who wasn’t . . .”
“Ramirez,” Jase said. “It was Ramirez all the way.”
“I believe everything you’ve told me. I
believe
it, Jase. But Ms. Williams filled in a certain amount of detail from the other side—from the Reunion side—that possibly casts Braddock in a more favorable light.”
“That their food stores were destroyed and we couldn’t take all of the survivors on board?”
He was shocked for a moment. He
hoped
he wasn’t about to hear there were deeper secrets.
“That’s the gist of it,” he said to Jase. “Ms. Williams indicated that when the ship came in, after the attack,
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