Scattered Suns - Kevin J. Anderson [219]
Conrad scowled. “I commend your restraint, madam. But if it was up to me—”
She cut him off. “You have a point, Lieutenant Commander Brindle. But the Hansa has issued a proclamation that all Roamer hideouts and illicit facilities are to be placed under military jurisdiction, all valuable resources confiscated and delivered to the war effort, and all clan members detained for debriefing. Imagine how much intelligence information we can gather by vigorously questioning them.”
The captain dispatched squadrons of Remoras from the flight deck. The fast fighters swooped into the chaos of the Osquivel shipyards where grappler pods, shuttles, and cargo haulers moved on frenzied random paths.
Maureen transmitted again on Kellum’s frequency. “The Earth Defense Forces will accept your immediate and unconditional surrender. All Roamers stand down and allow yourselves to be taken aboard.”
When the response came, she heard explosions in the background, shouts and screams, small-weapons fire. “Don’t be an ass! We’re too busy for that kind of nonsense! The Soldier compies are absolutely nuts.”
“If any harm comes to those EDF captives,” Maureen warned, “we will carry out the strictest reprisals.”
“Then come and get your people, ma’am. We’re losing ground here step-by-step. There isn’t going to be anything left for you to capture.”
The lead Remora squadron scattered as a compy-flown delivery ship shifted orbit and accelerated into their paths. Two fully loaded ore-haulers—also driven by reckless compies—picked up speed, lumbering ahead until they slammed into one of the spacedock construction yards.
“I don’t think they’re lying,” Natalie Brindle said.
The comm system crackled, and an impatient Kellum spoke to Maureen again. “Here’s somebody you’ll want to talk to. I’ve given him access to a communicator so you can straighten things out between yourselves—but stop twiddling your thumbs already!”
Another voice came on the line. “Madam Chairman? My name is Kiro Yamane, civilian consultant to the Earth Defense Forces.”
From the crowded families on the Manta’s bridge, one older man let out a cry of joy.
Yamane continued. “I and thirty other survivors of the battle of Osquivel have been held here in the Roamer shipyards. We have been treated well, but right now the Soldier compies have been reprogrammed into a destructive force. Mr. Kellum is telling the truth. We could use EDF assistance and rescue right now.”
Maureen nodded to the Manta captain. “Our priority is to get those POWs released.” She turned back to the image on the screen. “Mr. Yamane, round up your people. In exchange for our assistance, we expect an unconditional surrender. Otherwise the Roamers will forfeit their rescue.”
Another storage asteroid exploded in a plume of escaping vapor tanks and expanding jets of fuel. Aboard Maureen’s cruiser, the gathered EDF families chattered with sudden hope. Yamane’s father wept with joy upon learning his son was still alive, while the others restlessly begged for the names of the other captives. Maureen gestured them to silence. “We’ll find out soon enough.”
She didn’t allow herself to hope that her grandson Patrick might have survived. Yamane had said only thirty-one prisoners remained—a vanishingly small percentage of the number assumed dead after the hydrogue battle.
Roamer grappler pods and shuttles launched away from the shipyards, evacuating as the Soldier compies continued their rampage. Maureen could see that the clans would have no choice but to agree to her terms. She warned her captain, “Don’t accept any resistance. Don’t allow any complaints. Take the Roamers aboard our ships and disarm them. We’ve got them by the balls. They don’t have any choice.”
One of the scan technicians on the Manta’s bridge called out, “There’s a new ship approaching fast, Captain. Inbound from the outer solar system.”
“Is it a warglobe?” one of the parents cried. “Are the hydrogues back?”
“Probably a Roacher ship.