Onboard the CES Retribution

Flagship of the First Intergalactic Admiral of the Celestial Expanse Fleet

They brought him to her in handcuffs, though no formal charges had yet been made.

“Captain Nye-Tang.” The words seemed to marinate in her mouth before oozing out one by one.

He couldn’t salute, but he inclined his head. “First Admiral.”

She regarded him steadily, her frost-blue eyes like icicles, delicate and sharp. “You realize the official warrant for your arrest was only issued today,” she commented after a moment, “and now here you are, barely three hours later, walking through my door of your own accord. How curious.”

“Perhaps,” Nye-Tang allowed, “or perhaps the reason you put out a warrant for my arrest is the very same reason I walked through your door.”

“What would you know of my reasons?”

“Nothing, I’m sure. What would a mere captain understand of a First Admiral’s motives? But when I got wind of certain discreet inquiries being made about a certain someone very high up, I knew it was only a matter of time before we must meet.”

“So here you are.”

“Here I am,” Nye-Tang agreed.

The Admiral regarded him coldly for a long moment before shrugging a single shoulder. “I’m afraid you’re mistaken, Captain. Whatever you may have heard, my goal is, and has always been, the efficient operation of the CE Navy. My interest in you relates only to that. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

She waved a hand, and the guards silently moved to take him away.

“No doubt you’ve already been apprised that the planetary net around Iolanthe is failing.”

At Nye-Tang’s words, she stopped the guards with a raised palm. “What would you know about that?”

Nye-Tang shrugged. “Only that the net configuration that was originally approved for Iolanthe is not the configuration that was laid. The net was sabotaged, and I think we both know by whom—and why.”

Now he had her attention. She eyed him expressionlessly for a long moment, then with a quick thrust of her chin, nodded the guards out the door. Only when they were gone did the Admiral dare ask, “So it is true. I’d suspected as much, but I had no proof. How long have you known?”

“Since the invasion of Iolanthe.” Nye-Tang hesitated, and for the first time since his arrival, his confident veneer slipped. “I suspected for some time before, of course—he hadn’t left his home in months—but when the Specs invaded Iolanthe and he ordered me to abandon those poor kids in the jungle just to pick up his . . . shipment, I knew then.”

“And yet you said nothing.”

“Who would have believed me? Even if I had managed to successfully expose him, the resulting chaos would have been monumental. In light of that, I thought it best to wait—to gather evidence and then choose my place and time to act.”

“Why now?”

“Because time is running out, and I fear that once it’s gone, all hope for us will die with it.”

Silence met his explanation, closing around him tighter and tighter until Nye-Tang was almost visibly squirming.

“You realize I could have you brought up on charges.” The Admiral rested her hands at the small of her back, tone conversational as she paced two steps away and then two steps back. “Dereliction of duty, subverting the chain of command, failure to report an enemy agent. It’s a time of war. I could have you shot right here and now, and not a single person would say a word.”

“I know.”

“Then give me one good reason why I shouldn’t put you in front of a firing squad right now.”

The captain didn’t so much as hesitate. “We both know you’re looking for the Chairman,” he said, his lips pressing into a hard line, “and as it just so happens, I know where he is.”