Omega Force: Rebellion (OF11), стр. 62
"You suspect someone on this ship?"
"Or in Mok's organization," Scleesz said. "Captain Burke's crew is the least likely to have talked given their personal connection to the Machine, but I also have no idea who he entrusted this information with after I gave it to him. The timing makes it likely that when I divulged Seeladas Dalton's duplicity, the Machine found out about it."
"This is worrying on a few levels," Kellea said, pacing. "If this Machine, as you call it, has expanded its influence that it can order a raid on a sitting Councilmember without raising an alarm, that means it is far more integrated into the government than previously thought. The other concern is that the Defiant hasn't been acknowledged since we've arrived, and I'm assuming they know you're aboard."
"I have some experience in how this thing thinks," Scleesz said. "Your ship is in no danger. It has no idea that I've been warned, and it will have a trap waiting for me. Once I return to the surface and either go home or to my office, the Machine's synths will grab me and take me before it. I'll be forced to beg for my life and divulge everything I know about the people working against it before I'm executed anyway."
"It has synths working for it?" Kellea frowned.
"Is that important?"
"It could be. Never mind that for now. What do we do about this? If you try to claim asylum within the Cooperative, it's more than likely that Seeladas will just have you turned over if what you've told me is true."
"I can manage my own affairs, Admiral," Scleesz said. "I've had a few escape plans in place for many years once I realized what Miressa Prime was really like. My only concern right now is the—"
"Admiral, apologies for interrupting," Captain Essel's voice broke in over the intercom. "The incoming ships have assembled into a loose phalanx formation aimed at the capital world, and they've just fired up their transponders. All forty-two are Eshquarian warships. Their registries match ships that were reported missing after the invasion."
"It's a retaliatory strike," Kellea whispered. "On a civilian target."
"No, it's something else," Scleesz said. "We need to see what's happening, Admiral."
"They're broadcasting a message, Admiral," Essel said when she walked back onto the bridge.
"Put it on from the beginning."
"This is a message to the ConFed from the remaining free people of the Eshquarian Empire. We do not accept your authority over us. With these, our last ships of war, we strike at your heart. The Empire may be gone, but so shall you die with us."
"Admiral, the Miressa Home Defense Force is breaking orbit from around Taus and moving for what looks like a midpoint intercept," Essel said. "Correction, they're going for a blocking move."
"The HDF ships are mostly ceremonial," Kellea said. "They're no match for two full Eshquarian battlegroups."
"It appears we're about to find out if that's true, Admiral," Scleesz said. "I think it's safe to say that whatever happens next, this is what you were brought to Miressa to witness and report back to your leadership about."
21
"There they go. All Imperial ships are accelerating down into the system, committing to the attack."
"And the HDF ships are moving to block, right on cue," Jason said. "Send word to the crew of the Sarafin that we're ready to depart. We need to get down there so we're in position when the first volley is fired."
"The captain says he's under orders not to let us out until both fleets are fully committed," Kage said.
"Under whose orders?" Jason fumed. "Never mind…I already know. Tell the good captain that we're powering up weapons and drives. He can either open the forward hatch to let us out, or we can do it ourselves."
"What's Mok's game?" Crusher asked.
"He's trying to control things too tightly," Jason said. "He's afraid the Phoenix will be recognized or that we might tip off the ConFed we're onto them."
"You're not worried about any of that?" Twingo asked. In front of the ship, a crack formed in the hull of the freighter, and the massive doors swung open enough for the Phoenix to fit through.
"I think that at this point we're all locked onto our individual courses," Jason said, nodding to Kage to shut down the mooring beams and nudging them towards the doors on maneuvering thrusters. "It's too late for any of us to call this off, including the Machine. If anybody is having second thoughts and wants dropped off somewhere, now is the time to speak up."
"I want off," Kage said.
"Tough shit. You're staying."
Jason's adrenaline spiked once his ship cleared the cargo hauler, and he was able to engage the main drive. He'd be a mess of nerves and butterflies until the shooting started. Once the first shot was fired in anger, he'd calm down and get into a rhythm. Kage had given him three courses that would allow him to skirt around where they assumed the main engagement would be without making it obvious he was heading directly for the area.
"Since we'll have appeared to be coming out of a larger ship on their sensors that's flying cargo ship transponder codes, we're currently squawking a clean set of codes that identifies us as an industrial heavy lift shuttle," Kage said.
"Good thinking," Jason said. "The longer we stay hidden, the better our chances. Any word from Mok?"
"He'll be in a com blackout right now," Doc said. "The Sarafin has instructions not to reach out to him, and he won't risk transmitting to us."
"That message the incoming fleet is broadcasting is a little dramatic, isn't it?" Crusher asked. "No Eshquarian Fleet Master would transmit some silly shit like that, they'd just come in and start wrecking the place."
"The Machine doesn't trust that the correct conclusion will be reached by people unless it leads them by the nose,"