Omega Force: Rebellion (OF11), стр. 38
"That's all you did? Hide crew members and run for fuel?" Jason asked.
"At first," she continued after a long drink of water. Jason noticed that the air was getting cooler and dryer. Now that she was talking, Mok's people were no longer trying to make her uncomfortable. "Then the remaining Fleet Masters got themselves captured by ConFed Intelligence. I was contacted through the normal channels and told to procure a full fuel loadout for fifty-six capital ships and given the coordinates within the Cluster to have it delivered. As usual, I went along with one of the tanker ships, and when I was captured was about the time that I realized the fleet leadership had been compromised.
"The ConFed had two light cruisers there that oversaw the refuel, then destroyed all twelve tankers. I was taken in and given a choice: help recall the crews or be tortured and killed. It didn't make a lot of sense to me since they already had the ships, the ConFed was in firm control of Eshquarian space, and had the crew manifest with their locations was already in the procession of Fleet Master Doorn. I found out that in addition to helping get the crews back to the transports, I was also supposed to keep an eye out for anyone that might come snooping around for the lost fleet. I knew that last fuel procurement was too big to go unnoticed, so I set up my surveillance there. When Captain Burke and the Guardian Archon of Galvetor showed up, it wasn't difficult to figure out why they were there."
"You're becoming too recognizable, Burke," Mok said lightly. "Too much notoriety makes you useless for covert work."
"Your ship stands out quite a bit as well, Captain," Fendra added. "That DL7 is semi-famous in certain circles.
"I was also warned specifically to look for meddling from the Saabror and Cridal intel outfits and for Scout Fleet units from Earth that might come poking around. I lost track of Omega Force after you roughed up my fuel supplier, but when Kage popped up it was a simple matter of allowing myself to be captured to see how close you were to the truth. I was able to exploit a past association with Mok and then ride out with you to the fleet where, I assumed, it would have been a simple matter of alerting the security contractors once we were aboard. What tipped you off, by the way?"
"You made it too easy to find you." Jason shrugged. "I don't believe in those sorts of coincidences. We played along to see where it might lead, but we had you under constant surveillance and then I had Twingo put enough shockers in your pressure suit to knock out a battlesynth."
"It seems most intel briefs on you are a bit inaccurate. You're described more as a blunt instrument, but not a real threat to covert operations," she said. "Thanks for the shockers, by the way…you attenuated my nerves so badly that Mok's torturers would have had a hard time making any progress. The damage is likely permanent."
"You're still breathing, which is more than most can say when they double cross me," Jason said flatly. “So, you have no idea where the fleet is being taken or why they wanted the crew back aboard?"
"None," Fendra said. "The only thing I know is that ConFed intel seemed to be running an unsanctioned op and they were using contractors exclusively, and the people they hired weren't amateurs. They made sure I knew only enough to do my job."
"Fair enough," Mok said. "When did you find out about the detention cells they built into the ships?" Fendra seemed to sense she was treading on dangerous ground now and took her time before answering.
"Once we boarded the Luex," she said finally. "They didn't allow me free rein of the fleet and the only time I was ever in the Cluster, I was aboard one of their cruisers."
"I'm sure even you can figure out what they're likely for."
"It makes sense now why they wanted the crew recall rosters," she said slowly.
"But you never wondered why rogue ConFed cell would be asking for the recall information on thousands of crewmembers before that?" Mok asked, giving his fellow Eshquarian a flat, unfriendly stare. "You can relax. I will keep my word and honor the deal we've made for the information you've provided, but know that I would love nothing more than to find a loophole in the arrangement that would allow me to kill you. I may have done some unsavory things to get to where I'm at, but I never betrayed the Empire, and I never sold out my people to save my own skin." Mok stood up and glared down at her. "The detailed information you give my associates better be worth their lives."
Fendra returned the stare but wisely kept her mouth shut. Jason pushed off the wall and widened his stance, ready to intercept Mok if he lunged for her. He didn't care whether he killed her or not, but he'd prefer it be done after she'd divulged all she knew.
"Master," Similan said, opening the hatch just enough to speak. "We have a situation that requires Captain Burke." Jason followed Mok out into the passageway and waited until the hatch was shut and locked.
"What's up?"
"Lucky has made contact, Captain. Kage came over and said it was a short message stating he was safe and the precise coordinates for his pickup."
"Please inform him to have the Phoenix ready to depart as