Sector Chief Querran didn't look up at the knock on her door. She finished reading the report on her screen before she looked at her visitor. "I thought I told you never to come into my sector again, Lowell."
Lowell turned a chair around and straddled it. "But this time, Suella, you'll like what I have to say."
"Last time, you left chaos in your wake. It took me months to straighten things back out. Go away. Whatever you have, I don't want it."
He made no move to leave. She sighed and leaned back in her chair.
"I appreciate you bringing me another Patrol cruiser."
"They aren't here to stay," he said. "They are supposed to report back at Besht within two weeks. You can't keep them."
Her face tightened. "They're still Patrol? We aren't anymore, Lowell." She pointed at her shoulder, where the outline of a patch still showed. "Cygnus Sector is part of the Federation now."
"Yes, I'm well aware of that."
"Are they taking you into custody? I heard you had an arrest warrant out in the Empire."
"No, they aren't taking me back to Besht. Sorry to disappoint you. I hoped you'd let me stay here for a while."
"No."
"Did your grandchildren make it out of the Empire before you seceded?"
"The ones who wanted to did. Why are you here, Grant? All right, I admit it. My curiosity is tweaked."
He grinned. "I knew I'd get you eventually."
"Spit it out," she said as her com beeped urgently. "I've got a dozen crises to deal with."
"Including attacks by Patrol cruisers? Or at least ships pretending to be Patrol?"
She stopped the beeping by pressing a button. All her attention was focused on Lowell. "What do you know about it?"
"The ships are crime syndicate, which one doesn't seem to matter. They've merged. I know where their shipyards are, but I have a slight problem." He cocked his head to one side. "I want your help, Suella."
"Last time you asked, it cost me a dozen good men and most of my reputation."
"It might cost more this time, but it will help stop a shooting war with the Empire. One which you are bound to lose, no matter that you kept your Fleet intact."
"What do you want, Grant?"
"I need ships. I've got the Praetoris, but I need more ships and more men if we're going to take out the shipyards."
"We?" Querran lifted one skeptical eyebrow.
"You know, Dace is right, that is annoying, the whole eyebrow thing."
"What have you done to that poor girl this time? I've read the news vids about her. She sounds miserable."
"She's marrying the Second Speaker. She should be ecstatic."
"Then why don't you sound happy about it?"
He rubbed his forehead with finger and thumb. "It gets very complicated and I don't know most of what's going on anymore. She chose to be there, let's leave it at that."
Querran shook her head. "Marshay," she spoke into her com, "fetch some drinks and something to eat. Oh, and hold my calls. I have the feeling I'm going to be here for a while." She turned her whole attention on Lowell. "Talk to me, Grant. Tell me everything."
"Everything? I'm sworn to secrecy on a lot of it."
"And you only keep that when it suits you."
"You'd be surprised, Suella." He sighed and put his chin on the back of the chair. "I've spent my life trying to keep the Empire in one piece. Now I don't know if it was even worth it."
"We've all had to make hard decisions. I've served in the Patrol all my life, until a few months ago. Do you think I like being branded a traitor?"
"But you're a hero in Cygnus Sector. I'm a traitor again in the Empire, even though I'm not." He got up and paced restlessly. "How much do you really want to know, Suella?"
"Let's start with the shipyards," she said, noting the stress lines in his face, the shadows that hadn't been there before. "You can tell me whatever else you think I need to know."
"Then you'll help?"
"If it will stop the raids, yes, I'll help, as much as I can."
He stood over her desk. His smile was strained. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't have to. You do understand that, don't you?"
"Is that an apology? From you? I'm touched."
"I always did like you. Even way back in the Academy when you were a know-it-all snob."
She laughed. "Tell me about the shipyards. And you were the sneakiest, most irritating little jerk back then. You were so full of yourself."
"Ouch," he winced. "That hurt, even if it was true."
"I like to be honest."
Marshay, Querran's secretary, entered the office with a tray of juices and small pastries. She set them on the desk and gave Lowell an evil look.
"You may want to get the governor on the line," Querran said. "Set up a conference with her as soon as you can."
"Yes, ma'am," Marshay murmured on her way out of the office.
"That would be a good idea," Lowell said. "You may also want to get your seconds and anyone else you want in at the command level."
"Tell me what you've got first," Querran said.
"I've got Paltronis bringing down the plans," Lowell said. "We were still correlating the information when I caught a shuttle. And I had to convince your people not to confiscate my ship."
"They were doing their duty."
"I know. That's why I'm not upset about it. It did make for a bit of a rush. I convinced them not to do anything until I'd talked to you."
"I'll send orders for them to leave the Praetoris alone." She pushed buttons on her com and relayed the order to Marshay. "You've delayed long enough," she said when she finished.
"Here's what I've got. The syndicates began to merge sometime after Blackthorne was destroyed. Blackthorne had a secret shipyard turning out copies of Patrol cruisers. They even stole id chips from Patrol drydocks. Everything checks out as legitimate Patrol. Except they're pirates."
"And they've been raiding our planets," Querran said.
"They've been shooting up Patrol ships, too. Theodys blames the Federation.He's itching to shoot it out."
"I heard about Flanigan's plan to confiscate ships. We had a sudden influx of merchant ships shortly after that rumor made the rounds."
"It's true. Although nobody is happy about it, except Flanigan. Commander Wexford has been letting as many ships as he can slip away."
"And you trust him?"
"To work with us? Absolutely."
"You don't trust him not to collect the reward I'm sure is posted for your capture?"
"Not yet. He wouldn't dare. I know too many of his secrets. And I have too many allies."
"If you have allies, why don't you use them instead of coming to me?"
"Because they are merchants. Where do you think I got my information?"
She shook her head again. "How did you ever get them to cooperate with you?"
"They came to me, not the other way around. I never would have thought of using them if they hadn't suggested it. Do you have a map handy?"
She didn't bother with a rude comment. She was Sector Chief. She had the best map of Cygnus Sector and the surrounding area. She pulled it up on her desk screen. Stars floated over her desk.
"Everything points to the Prelain Nebula as their base. There's an abandoned mining facility there that would work quite well as a drydock."
"And Ylisini, Kimmel, and half a dozen other manufacturing worlds close by. Blast it into little bits, why didn't I notice? These planets are the ones being harassed the most. They've been claiming missing shipments for years now. I could never seem to catch the pirates."
"Because they were masquerading as Patrol."
"You're certain about this, Grant?"
"I don't have concrete proof, but everything is adding up. Every new bit of information points the same direction."
"What do you plan to do? Blow it up?"
"Take it over. You could use a fully operational shipyard, couldn't you?"
"One geared for Patrol cruisers? Of course. But won't the Empire want it in their territory? The nebula is still under dispute."
"The Empire has its hands full with what it still holds. No one will argue with you if you take over the shipyards. If anyone asks me, I'll tell them you can only build freighters." He scratched his ear. "What demands is the Federation going to make about this?"
She shrugged. "They haven't made any yet. They sent a group of people to study our laws and recommend changes before they ratify us. Considering we have our own Fleet, I doubt they'll argue much."
She paused. "Are you sure about this? How do you know I won't use those ships against you?"
"Because," he said, leaning closer to her, "you are secretly in love with me and you have been all these years."
"Only in your dreams, Grant." But she was smiling.
"And because I'm taking half of the ships with me."
"Your own private Patrol Fleet?"
"Why not? You did it."
"Where are you going to hide them?"
"In plain sight. I have some friends that would enjoy playing with them. They'll keep them quite safe for me. Besides that," he added, "they made me sign the deal before they agreed to help. Never make a deal with a Gypsy. You'll lose everything if you aren't careful."
"I'd like to meet this Gypsy," Querran said.
"You'll meet Everett soon enough. He's supposed to be gathering his own people at Shamustel. We've got a week to meet him there before he moves on his own."
"A bunch of merchants and Gypsies are going to take out a heavily guarded shipyard? I'm assuming it's very well guarded."
"They could," Lowell said. "From what I overheard of their plans, they have people on the ships that bring in supplies. They will own more than half the workers at the shipyard by the end of next week. All sorts of things are going to mysteriously malfunction."
"That's plain evil," Querran said.
"That's what I told him. He just smiled at me and told me to mind my own business."
"Which would be convincing me to send in the firepower?"
"To back them up, yes, that's about it."
"And it's eating you up inside that you aren't the one in charge."
He sighed. "Are we getting too old for this? You're as old as I am."
"Thank you for reminding me."
"The full information, as much as I have, should be available within a couple of hours."
"We'll schedule a meeting with the governor for then. With a full briefing of my people afterwards."
Lowell nodded. "Then you'll do it?"
"You offered me a price I can't refuse, Lowell."
"A full shipyard?"
"No, the promise that this time, you won't ever come back, because if you do, I'll have the ships to shoot you down."
He laughed. "I like you, Suella. I always have."
"Give me details."
"Promise me you'll forgive me for past transgressions."
"Oh, all right. You can come into my sector. For now."
"Thank you. I think." He pulled a sheet of mem paper out of his pocket and laid it next to the glowing map. "Details, what I have. Help yourself."
"Thank you. I think." She smiled as she pulled the mem paper in front of her.
Lowell leaned back and watched her read. Things were going well for him. He only wished they were going as well for the others involved. Especially Dace.