Both Marina and Allison had left for the day after Gustav shooed them out, seeking the silence which now prevailed. Under normal circumstances he’d consider them efficient, but Marina’s perpetual bad mood—especially since his comments in front of Kera of needing the report finished earlier in the day—seemed worse. Of course, his assistant didn’t cope well with other women, a fact he learned early on in their association. Her ability to work with Allison seemed to be based on the fact Allison’s lover was also female. Therefore, Marina didn’t consider her colleague competition.
Marina had worked out quickly that Kera held a special place in his heart and now expressed her deep anger with him. For years he had rebuffed the woman’s advances, not that he ever encouraged them. She made it clear in more ways than one she would welcome an interlude; the way she spoke to him, handled matters, and those secret smiles she sometimes bestowed. He huffed with frustration.
Now her barely concealed animosity any time Kera’s name was raised built to a level he couldn’t ignore. Allison also confirmed, quietly, Marina’s refusal to talk to Kera. “Perhaps I should consider adding Marina’s name to the list of possible transfers.” Gustav made a mental note and continued packing away for the evening.
He grabbed his palm unit and the micro-files to take them back to his suite. He needed to work on reviewing the ships’ allocations. He was tossing around the idea of not calling the security office to arrange for an escort when a loud bang on the outer door alerted him to something odd going on. He grabbed for his laser pistol only to remember that he had left it in his suite. “You damned fool, why didn’t you listen to her?”
This time the bang was louder, and he knew something had been smashed to the floor. A surge of adrenaline raced through his system. He lunged for his door control, sweat trickling down his shirt as the door slid shut, creating another obstacle. But he knew the barrier in here was weak—being more for show than security.
Gustav depressed the communicator and called Kera. Her voice sounded tinny through the small device. “What’s up, Admiral?” Before he spoke, a third and even louder bang filled the air. “Gustav? Are you okay? Where are you?” Her voice turned urgent.
“Office. I’m fine for now.” He kept his gaze on the door, knowing it would only hold for so much longer. He hoped she had reinforcements with her and would arrive soon. The walls shuddered slightly under the impact of whatever they were doing on the other side.
“On my way.” The sounds of scraping and then exertion echoed through the communicator. Her breath coming in measured puffs told him she was running as she spoke.
He moved around the desk. If they got to him, he refused to be taken cowering like some half-witted, local yokel. I’m an admiral. One who wears the uniform with pride, and if they do gain entry through the door, then I’ll look every inch an admiral. Gustav straightened his jacket, tugging on the cuffs as he sat down.
He waited for what seemed an age, though he was sure only a few minutes passed. Another bang resounded, and a crash, louder this time, followed by...silence.
His communicator blared again. “Admiral? Gustav?” Her voice came through the device breathless and strained.
“Where are you, Kera?”
“At your door. Open up now and be prepared to move fast.”
The sound of voices rose in the background as he grabbed his micro-files, shoved them into a pocket, and slapped the door lock button.
She stood there, chest heaving and face glowering. “We need to get you out of here now.” She grabbed his hand tightly and his fascination with her kicked in again. This was a side of Kera he’d never experienced before, not in this sort of situation.
A breather mask was shoved into his other hand, and he grabbed onto the plastic, checking she also gripped one.
“What’s going on?” he asked. Now she had him jogging down the plush corridor.
“Not now,” Kera answered tersely before pushing him into the arms of his security detail. “Get him stowed in my office and don’t let him wander.” She pulled the hidden blast door shut as she disappeared back inside the office area.
“What’s going on?” he asked again.
Anger mounted as the officers ignored his demand, propelling him toward the security suite and into Kera’s small, dingy office. Two burly guards assumed a sideways position at the front of the door, arms crossed over their broad chests, and he glanced at the large laser pistols at their hips.
“I demand to know exactly what is going on.” He didn’t yell, but they still winced at the tone of command before sharing a glance. One of the men left the room.
“Admiral, my partner has gone to check clearance on what we can tell you at this point. Commander Aarens gave us very specific instructions pertaining to your safety.”
Gustav didn’t much like those words, but he understood exactly why Kera made the decision. Keeping a lid on the situation meant a calm base. He didn’t like the idea that she was in the thick of it though, and him not knowing if she was safe had him climbing the walls.
The second guard returned with a grim smile on his face. “We are authorized to explain what happened. Commander Aarens responded to your call for assistance. While she made her way to you, she sent out an urgent request for assistance. On arrival, she noticed gas-based explosive canisters had been deployed. As we were accessing your office, another call came in alerting us to a range of chemical explosions occurring in another part of the compound. Commander Aarens felt that you should be brought here, as it is a safe haven, until such time as an all-clear is given.” The monologue now delivered, the guard stepped back, taking his previous position in front of the door.
A chemical attack? On a base like Aenna, that could mean certain death for a large proportion of those living here. The Admiralty had discarded the idea of building more defenses at the heart of the Empire. Now Gustav knew the Admiralty had become complacent. Rage surfaced, white-hot inside his chest. He wanted to find the perpetrators and knew Kera would ensure just that. He hoped it would be soon enough to save everyone.
Once this incident was dealt with, he would arrange a full overhaul of the security systems. The other admirals wouldn’t like it, but too many lives were jeopardized. He glowered at the desk screen ahead of him, not liking the conclusions he drew.
* * * *
How many more distractions were they planning to throw at them? Kera made her way to the office with slow footsteps. Weariness washing over her, a tide pulling at her senses. Her head pounded and muscles ached. She reached the entry and swiped her hand over the palm reader.
The two guards stood ready, pistols in hand until assured of her identity, and she nearly laughed as a bubble of hysteria bloomed in her chest. She controlled herself, knowing it was a byproduct of the adrenaline which kept her going. The panic she’d experienced earlier knowing he was under attack had nearly swamped her. Even now, her stomach roiled and her heart thudded wildly at the memory of racing to his office. She had barely contained her anger that someone—a person on the base—had dared to threaten him. The thoughts were distractions she couldn’t afford.
She dismissed the guards with a nod and then a jerk of her head to indicate the door. They left without a sound, making sure the door closed behind them.
“Well, Gustav, I think the problem is deeper than we imagined. The canisters contained a cyanide-based compound. Thankfully, the ones we’ve located were faulty and didn’t explode. If they had, the projected loss would have included the hangars and all the staff contained within, and to be clear, we are talking hundreds, not to mention the catastrophic media nightmare that would have ensued. Officers are being deployed, combing the entire base right now, for other canisters.” She sat down, letting her body slowly relax, and placed her feet on the chair opposite. Closing her eyes, she listened to him rise and move around the desk toward her.
“You could have been killed in there tonight.” His words were gruff, but she let them flow away as she worked to release the tension in her body. Focusing inward and with slow breaths she worked on relaxing tense muscles. The techs’ work on teaching her relaxation techniques had paid off.
“Yeah, but so could you. Let’s be clear, this was totally opportunistic. What does concern me though is the lack of planning. This means they’re likely scared and we’re running them into the ground. A scared operative can be among the most dangerous when cornered.” She kept her eyes closed. The headache she fought without success grew more aggressive behind her eyelids as she worked at soothing her body. Hoping for an extended period of quiet. “Can you pass me a couple of the pain-tabs in my top drawer?”
She listened to the rasp of the drawer opening then closing again. He dropped the small tablets into her palm. “Drink this. The water will help wash them down.” Gustav pressed the flask into her hands, and she gratefully swallowed the pills.
“Thanks. Now, where was your security detail, and why, after our discussion, were you on your own? Again?” She knew she really didn’t want to hear the answer, but it had to be asked.
Her stomach roiled, and the throb of blood pulsing in her veins beat loud. She was sure he would detect the sound in the small office. Kera never wanted to experience such fear again; of not being sure of his safety. But she’d be damned before she told him that.
“Marina isn’t happy with me at the moment.”
She cracked open one eye. “Marina? She isn’t happy with you?” The words dripped with sarcasm. Because of Marina she’d had to drop everything and rush to his office? Because of Marina, he’d been on his own? She didn’t like his receptionist, not one bit. Her petty jealousy put the entire base at risk. But why, in all heaven, had this issue been allowed to arise? “And what does Marina being unhappy have to do with the situation?” Kera waited for an answer while her ire rose.
“Marina has issues with understanding we don’t have a relationship. Since you turned up here again, she’s barely speaking to me and certainly isn’t attending to the details of her role...effectively.” He sounded almost defeated, and Kera sat up straight in the chair.
“So she left you without your security detail? Didn’t contact them to inform my people that you were alone? Stupid woman. From now on, they will be stationed in your office, full time. We are running a sweep-through now, and then I’ll arrange a team whose sole role is to ensure the safety of your office. Another team will remain with you around the clock. Until this issue is resolved, you need a personal protection unit at all times. I placed a requisition to headquarters on Earth for more sweeps and officers to reinforce our current deployment. Once aware of the situation, they put up no argument.”
She dropped her feet down as her communicator squawked again.
Her sigh betrayed her lethargy, but she answered the hail. “Aarens.”
Kera kept her answer short, but she didn’t have the energy to waste on diplomacy. She yearned for the end of the day—not that it would end for some considerable number of hours, she realized. She still had to ensure every area was safe from the poison-filled canisters and get her crew back for debriefing. Then she’d need to make sure the admiral had full-time protection.
“Commander, we have information you’re going to want to view. Immediately, I’m thinking.”
She knew exactly what the hail from El Jarad meant. Elation swept through her. “You cracked it?”
“Yes. Can you meet us in the conference room?”
“The admiral and I are on our way.” Kera turned toward Gustav. He might be disheveled, his uniform slightly askew and his hair mussed, but he still looked delectable. She focused carefully on her work. No time for sexual thoughts, she told herself. “Come on. They’ve cracked the communiqué.”
Kera didn’t look back to check whether he followed, although she remained aware of how near to her he was. She always found his nearness energizing. In fact, right now the zing of his proximity was immensely welcomed. She wanted to inhale the scent of him; the way it made her pulse leap and her senses to move into overdrive was more than welcome. Now that he was safe again, she yearned to stop and throw herself at him, but there wasn’t time. And she certainly wouldn’t do that in front of her team. So she continued marching down the hallway and into the small conference room. The team she had working on the data was present but subdued.
“So, we’re here. Tell me what you found in the communiqué.”
Lieutenant Daviston, a small, wiry woman in her late fifties, shut the door. “I don’t think you’re going to want anyone outside this room to have access to this information.” Daviston’s blue eyes, shaded by heavy black brows, scowled at Kera. Disquiet rose together with mushrooming panic.
“Why?”
“Because it’s about you and the admiral.” Her voice was both gruff and apologetic.
Kera stepped forward, pulling a seat out, and sat down alongside Gustav. Her head pounded harder, and she lifted a shaking hand to rub over her sore, dry eyes. “Go on then.”
“Okay, so we’re aware they used a hybrid form of their regular encoding. What we did is work backward to find the actual code devices used so we could then apply that to the communication.”
Kera nodded, understanding the concept. “Yeah, I got that part.” She just wanted them to spit the information out.
“Well, we’re all aware that you were held prisoner, and we gathered Crick Sur Banden is more than a little upset that you were...retrieved by the crew of the Elector. The information shows he is looking for a way to get you back and to get even with the admiral here by doing so.”
Her stomach threatened to heave up its contents at the information, and she pressed an unsteady hand to her belly.
“Commander Aarens—”
Kera cut off Daviston as she turned to Gustav. “He isn’t going to succeed this time. I won’t be taken again.” She turned away from him but accepted the reassurance of his touch on her hand, which she gripped. Hard.
“They have been instructed to arrange a distraction, at which time their operative would make an attempt to take control of either one of you. They named the operative in the communiqué as Pamilla Trillo.”
Kera reached for her palm screen. “Who is Pamilla Trillo, and what position does she hold?”
“Pamilla Trillo, Lieutenant. Currently the most senior officer attached to the reception unit.” The information rolled across the screen on the wall, and Kera looked at the image.
“I’ve met the bitch before. I want this operation to be watertight. I don’t want to see so much as a bead of sweat escape on this mission. Now, someone get me a list of known associates, her hours of duty, and known haunts. Let’s make this quick. I want this one, and I want it soon and clean.”