Querran leaned back in her chair as she listened to the report.
The Fleet Commander stood at stiff attention while he talked. "They blew the base," he said angrily. "They never intended us to have it."
His second in command stirred. Querran glanced over at her. "You have something to add, Commander?"
The woman shook her head, glancing uneasily at her superior.
"You should have never trusted the Patrol," the man continued. "Lowell took off halfway through the fight. The whole thing was a setup. The pirates were waiting for us in the nebula. If you ask me, Lowell betrayed us. He wanted us to fail."
"I highly doubt that," Querran answered. "Why do you say it was a setup?"
"They knew we were coming. They had ships waiting to attack us. They knew exactly where we were stationed and targeted the weakest ships first."
"If they knew all about the raid," Querran asked, "isn't it obvious that they would know about the attack on the shipyard itself? The plan was to take it if possible and blow it if not. It sounds like the Patrol were following orders."
The commander shook his head. "That Patrol woman they put in charge never intended to take it."
"She would follow her orders, even if it meant dying, Commander. No, it sounds as if the whole operation was compromised. They did their best. We no longer have to worry about pirates building ships in our Sector. How many ships did we capture?"
He didn't like her reprimand. His mouth pinched tight. She was still the commander in charge, though, and he was military enough to hide his anger.
"Five," he answered. "They are barely able to fly. Four were destroyed, as per our orders to shoot if they didn't send the right codes. Three others escaped into the nebula. As a result of their attack, three of our ships are in drydock undergoing repairs. One was completely destroyed. Four lack the parts needed for a full repair."
"Yet another reason we need to keep trade routes open with the Empire," Querran said. "We don't have the parts or the means to fix our ships ourselves. The Patrol aren't the enemy here, Commander."
"They left, in the middle of the battle. If they had stayed and provided cover support as they were supposed to, we wouldn't have lost the Outlander. Instead, they turned tail and ran. It looks highly suspicious to me, Chief Querran."
"They did send a message blurb," the second spoke for the first time. "It was garbled, almost unreadable. We translated enough to know they received a priority message."
"They have their own problems to deal with." Querran tapped a mem sheet on her desk. Recent news headlines appeared on the paper. "Lowell has his hands full dealing with the Empire's problems."
The Commander didn't want to believe her.
"I want you to find the real traitor," Querran said.
"How am I supposed to question the Patrol or the merchants?" the man objected.
"Not everyone was happy about us leaving the Empire," Querran said. "I'm not asking you to look in the Patrol or the merchant ships. Look in your own Fleet. Someone betrayed us, and I want to know who."
"There are no spies in my Fleet," the man said.
"There are spies in the High Command of the Patrol," Querran snapped, out of patience with him. "What makes you think we're immune?"
The man stiffened to attention, angry at her accusations. His second looked more than a little troubled.
"I want the spies found, Commander," Querran said. "But I do not want this turned into a witch hunt. I want proof before you give me names. Is that understood?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Dismissed."
He saluted her and marched out of her office, followed by his second. Querran sank back in her chair with a sigh.
The door behind her opened. "Do you think he'll find them?" Everett asked as he joined her.
"No," Querran said honestly. "But I think she will, if they are there to be found."
Everett stood next to her desk, frowning thoughtfully at the door. "They knew we were coming and set a trap. It wasn't very successful. They still lost the shipyard and their ships."
"They have more."
"But they need bases, repair facilities, fuel stations, a support network. Their ships won't fly long without one. We'll find them."
"Are you sure your people weren't the ones passing on information?" Querran asked. "Rumor has it that merchants can be bought."
"If the price is high enough," Everett agreed. "They know the price for selling me out, though, and I doubt the pirates would pay more. If it was one of my people, you can rest assured I will find them. And then they will wish they had never been born." His smile was cold.
Querran shivered. "For their sake, I hope you never find them."
He laughed. "If they betrayed our pact, there isn't anywhere they can hide."