So much for moments of relaxation. “What is it?”
“The most senior officers from the camp are demanding to be brought to Dauntless and kept in protective custody.” From what he could make out of the lieutenant’s expression, even she didn’t believe what she was saying.
Geary just looked at his comm pad for a moment. “They’re asking me to arrest them?”
“Yes, sir. Would you like to speak to them, sir?”
Not particularly. But he tapped the nearest large comm panel on the bulkhead and gestured to Desjani.
“Listen in on this, please.”
The panel lit up with a much bigger image. He saw two women and a man, one of the women and the man wearing fleet captain insignia on the worn civilian clothing the Syndics had provided and the other woman bearing a Marine colonel’s rank. All three of them looked elderly, leaving Geary wondering how long they’d been prisoners. “I’m Captain Geary. What can I do for you?”
They took a moment to reply, a moment spent staring at him in the way Geary had come to expect but never expected to like. Finally, the female captain spoke. “We request that we be placed in protective custody as soon as possible, Captain Geary.”
“Why? We just liberated you from one prison. Why do you want to go into cells on fleet ships?”
“We have enemies among the former prisoners,” the male captain stated. “We were in charge of the prisoners because of our rank and seniority. Some of the former prisoners disagreed with the decisions we’ve made over the last few decades.”
Geary glanced over at Desjani, who was frowning at the three officers. “I’m Captain Desjani, commanding officer of Dauntless. Which decisions generated such problems that you want to be transferred to custody on my ship?”
The prisoners looked at each other before replying, then the female colonel answered. “Command decisions. We were forced to take into account the consequences of every decision and every action by the prisoners.”
Even Geary could tell that they were avoiding giving specifics. Desjani leaned close to him. “Do as they want. Arrest them. We want these three under our control while we find out what’s going on.”
Geary nodded to her, but making the gesture seemed to be aimed at the three former prisoners. “Very well. We need to look into this, but until then I’ll grant your request.” He checked the data next to their images. “All three of you are on Leviathan? I’ll order Captain Tulev to confine you to quarters.”
“Sir, we’d be more comfortable under your direct control.”
He let his expression harden. “Captain Tulev is a reliable and trustworthy officer of the fleet. You couldn’t be in better hands.”
The three former prisoners exchanged glances. “We need guards, Captain Geary.”
Stranger and stranger. “Captain Tulev will be told to place Marine guards outside your quarters. Is there anything else you can tell me?”
The female captain hesitated. “We’re preparing a full, official report of our actions.”
“Thank you. I look forward to seeing it. Geary, out.” He broke the connection, then called Tulev.
“Captain, there’s something weird going on.”
Tulev listened, his face betraying no emotion. “I will have the sentries placed. Captain Geary, I’ve already been questioned by some of the other liberated prisoners, demanding to know where those three senior officers are located.”
“Demanding?”
“Yes. I’ve already chosen to keep those three isolated while trying to discover the reasons for the hostility I’ve seen toward them.”
Desjani broke in again. “Have any of those demanding to know where the senior former prisoners are located expressed any specific grounds for their questions?”
“No. They’re concealing their motives from me. All of them are officers, though. But I will find out what is behind all of this. Now, if you will excuse me, I must get the Marine guards in place.”
After Tulev had broken his connection, Geary looked toward Desjani. “Any ideas what might be behind this?”
Desjani made a face. “A few. They seem to be afraid for their lives, which implies something far more serious than disagreements over the wisdom of decisions.”
“Then why aren’t the other prisoners telling us what happened instead of hiding their problems with those three? They were all down in that camp together. Why wouldn’t the other prisoners have been able—”
Geary stopped and called Colonel Carabali. “Colonel, did you meet the three senior Alliance officers at that POW camp?”
Carabali, who looked drained from the recent action, her battle fatigues streaked with sweat and creased where the battle armor had pressed against them, straightened herself as she answered. “Two captains and a colonel? Yes. They came out to meet us as we landed. I think they evac’d on the first shuttle up. I don’t recall seeing them after that. Some of the other former POWs were looking for them.” Carabali paused. “I did see their quarters. Separate from the rest. It looked like a bunker. A Syndic guard post in front of it, though abandoned when we touched down. Odd. But I really didn’t have the opportunity to deal with those things on the surface, sir.”
“Understood, Colonel. Thank you.” Geary bent his head, trying to think. “How do we get answers, Tanya? Before something happens?”
She’d been concentrating, and now smiled briefly. “Perhaps you and I should have a private talk with Commander Fensin.”
“Fensin?” He remembered the look and the bearing of that officer. Eager, professional, and a tendency to speak his thoughts impulsively. “That might work if we have Rione along to help soften him up.”
“Must we? Oh, you’re probably right. She’s a lever we can use if he tries to clam up.”
“You sound like you already know what’s going on,” Geary suggested.
“No, sir. I fear I know what’s going on, and if Commander Fensin hesitates to speak, I may be able to prod him into admitting it.” She tapped her comm pad. “Bridge, locate Co-President Rione and Commander Fensin. They should be together, probably in sick bay for his medical screen. Captain Geary and I need to see them in the fleet conference room immediately.”
The watch-stander who answered spoke cautiously. “We’re supposed to order Co-President Rione to the conference room, Captain?”
Desjani gave Geary a sour look as she replied. “No. Inform her that Captain Geary urgently requests her presence there along with Commander Fensin. That should satisfy diplomatic niceties.”
COMMANDER Fensin was smiling as he took a seat in the conference room while Desjani sealed the hatch. Rione sat beside him, impassive but watching Desjani in particular very closely. Geary didn’t waste time. “Commander Fensin, what’s the story with the three senior Alliance officers among the prisoners?”
The smile vanished, and a variety of emotions rippled across Fensin’s face before he managed to control himself. “Story?”
“We know there are problems. Why would they be afraid of the other former prisoners?”
“I’m not certain I understand.”
Desjani spoke. “Perhaps this word will be easy to understand. ‘Treason’?”
Fensin stopped moving. After a moment, his eyes went to Desjani. “How’d you find out?”
“I’m the commanding officer of a battle cruiser,” she replied. “What exactly did they do?”
“I took an oath—”
“You took an earlier oath to the Alliance, Commander,” Desjani said. “As your superior officer, I want a full report.”
She’d taken control of the interrogation, Geary realized, but Desjani was getting answers, so he didn’t protest.
Rione did. “I would like an explanation for this. Commander Fensin has not even been given the opportunity to complete his medical screening yet.”