"Of course I do," Alison said scornfully. "Jack and I are buddies, remember? All you have to do is have the Foxwolf put you on their intercom system and announce you've captured me. I moan a few pitiful words about being alone and scared and tortured, and he'll fall all over himself trying to rescue me."
"Oh, please," Frost said with a snort. "Even if Morgan's stupid enough to fall for that, I hardly think the K'da will."
"Of course he won't," Alison said. "But that doesn't matter. Draycos is noble to the point of practically being a cartoon figure. He'll figure that he'll be able to rescue me no matter what the odds or the situation."
"Not a chance," Frost said flatly. "He's a soldier in a war. He's not going to give up a strong, defensible position just because the enemy asks him to."
"Then he gives it up because he doesn't have any other choice," Alison said. "Because you'll also threaten to pull the Brummgas and Valahgua off and open the Foxwolf to vacuum." She shrugged. "After all, he doesn't know I wrecked the troop carrier."
Frost looked at Neverlin. "What do you think?"
"Actually, it might just work," Neverlin said thoughtfully, his eyes steady on Alison. "It may also give us a chance to kill a second bird with the one stone."
"I hope you meant that figuratively," Alison warned. "Dad wants them alive and unharmed."
"Purely a figure of speech," Neverlin assured her with a genteel smile.
There was a beep from his intercom, and he leaned forward to touch the switch. "Yes?"
"Dumbarton, sir," Dumbarton's voice came. "Ms. Davi's ID checks out."
Alison felt a quiet flicker of relief. Ms. Davi, he'd called her. And he'd said it with the proper tone of respect. So they were indeed convinced.
And everyone in the Malison Ring knew General Aram Davi's reputation for ruthlessness. If Neverlin and Frost decided they wanted her dead, they'd now have to work over, around, or through the rest of the Malison Ring soldiers aboard to make her that way.
But if any of those thoughts were running through Neverlin's mind, they didn't show in his face. "Thank you, Sergeant," he said, and switched off the intercom.
"Well?" Alison prompted.
"We'll try it," Neverlin said. "If Morgan and the K'da take the bait, I want a proper reception ready for them. Colonel?"
"I'll make the arrangements," Frost said, starting for the door.
"One other thing first," Neverlin said, motioning for Frost to stop. "One other question."
"Yes?" Alison asked.
"What exactly did you steal from Braxton Universis?"
"Who says I stole anything?" Alison asked evenly.
Neverlin didn't reply, but merely continued to stare at her. Alison stared back a few seconds, then shrugged. "Fine," she said. "It was one of those high-tech ship tracers you used to follow the Essenay to Rho Scorvi. Dad had heard rumors, and decided he wanted one for himself."
She smiled tightly. "If we'd known you'd already made off with one of them, I wouldn't have bothered."
"They're very useful devices, aren't they?" Neverlin agreed. "At least now we know why Harper was so interested in tracking you down."
"And why I was so interested in getting away," Alison said.
"Yes," Neverlin murmured. "I gather, then, that it was you who were on Rho Scorvi with Jack Morgan." His face suddenly darkened. "You who were shooting at Colonel Frost's men."
"Colonel Frost's men were shooting at me first," Alison countered stiffly. "Besides, at that point they were technically deserters." Deliberately, she turned to Frost. "As were you, Colonel. I had a perfect right to execute any of you if the opportunity arose."
"I'm so glad we're on the same side now," Frost murmured.
"If I were you, I wouldn't be too flippant," Alison warned. "You may have heard that the commandant of the training center I was at was arrested right after I had that run at his computers. As far as Dad's concerned, you're still very much on probation."
"I'll keep that in mind," Frost said.
"Good," Alison said. "Then get busy and set up that reception we discussed."
She looked at Neverlin. "And while he attends to that," she added, "maybe we can finally get that decent meal."
CHAPTER 22
Jack had just unwrapped a ration bar when he heard a crackling sound through the deck above the crawl space where he and Draycos had taken up temporary residence. "Attention, Jack Morgan," a familiar voice called, the tone muffled by the deck. "This is Arthur Neverlin."
He's not actually there, Draycos said into Jack's mind. He's speaking through the ship's intercom.
Jack nodded. He'd already figured that one out.
"Jack, I know you can hear me," Neverlin continued. "I have something here that I believe belongs to you."
There was a short pause. "Jack?" a new voice called.
It was Alison.
Jack felt his heart seize up. Oh no.
"I'm sorry, Jack," Alison said. Even through the deck Jack could hear a slight quavering in her voice. "They—I couldn't—aah!"
Involuntarily, Jack twitched. The pain in her voice right then—
"Don't worry, Jack," Neverlin said. "She's not seriously hurt. Yet. But that could change."
Steady, Jack, Draycos cautioned. He's trying to draw us into the open.
Jack grimaced. He knew that. But knowing it didn't help his tight muscles in the slightest.
And if Alison was being tortured, what had happened to Taneem? Surely this time Neverlin and Frost couldn't possibly have missed finding the K'da riding on her skin.
"Believe it or not, though, you're in a more serious position than she is," Neverlin went on. "You see, now that the fleet has reassembled, all my ships are available to me. Including the troop carrier, with plenty of passenger space aboard. I presume you understand the full ramifications of that."
Do we? Jack asked.
Unfortunately, we do, Draycos answered grimly. He can now take all the crew and passengers off this ship, put them in the carrier, and open our ship to vacuum.
Terrific, Jack replied, glancing around the crawl space. I don't suppose you know where some vac suits are stashed?
Even if there are any still aboard, it would be a futile gesture, Draycos said. Vac suit oxygen supplies are limited to a few hours at the most, while Neverlin can leave the Brummgas in the carrier almost until the K'da/Shontine fleet is due to arrive.
Which is, what, another ten days?
Unless they're ahead of schedule, Draycos said. Call it somewhere between four and ten days. We can't possibly hold out here that long.
Aren't there any spare oxygen tanks?
Only a limited supply, Draycos said. And most of them are in five centralized locations. Neverlin could easily destroy them before the crew was evacuated.
"So it's up to you," Neverlin went on. "I'd actually prefer to have you alive, and if you come out now and surrender peacefully I give you my word you won't be harmed. But bear in mind that this is a limited-time offer." With another crackle, the intercom went silent.
Okay, Jack said, trying to think. If we can't hold out, what are our other options? Assuming we can find a vac suit, can we sneak outside and float our way to one of the other ships? Or could we even take over the Foxwolf itself and fly it somewhere?