Fortitude dwarfed the army transport. She was almost four times the smaller ship’s size, and Kira had made sure that every one of the carrier’s heavy guns was trained on the assault ship.
She was ninety-plus percent sure she could trust Voski and Jade Panosyan, but if there was a point in this entire mission where betrayal would be easiest and most profitable for the Cresters, this was it.
Still, she let them bring their own shuttle over to collect the prisoners. Milani and their commandos stood around Jeong and the five cabinet Ministers, weapons held in parade-ground stances but still clearly ready.
Kira had to conceal a smirk. Maral Jeong and her Ministers clearly felt that they were finally back in control of the situation. Money for their freedom was a transaction they could understand—and they’d have the power to seek vengeance later.
They thought.
The ARC shuttle touched down and the ramp descended. Four of Kira’s commandos marched over in full boarding armor, weapons ready in case something happened.
But only three people came off the shuttle. Voski led the way, still in full uniform, accompanied by two junior-looking Army of the Royal Crest officers with attaché cases.
“They’re clear,” Milani announced loudly after the troopers finished their scans.
Kira glanced over at Jeong, who was looking…concerned. Not yet worried, but she clearly hadn’t been expecting a Dinastik Pahak general.
Concealing a smirk, Kira crossed to meet Voski and gave them a crisp salute. She was in her own fanciest dress uniform, to live up to the occasion.
“Have you considered our offer, Commodore Demirci?” Voski asked quietly, clearly managing their voice so the Ministers couldn’t hear them.
“I have, and I intend to hold you to the original contract,” Kira replied. “You owe me ownership papers, General.”
“And twenty million crests,” they agreed. “Lieutenant Avakian. The red case, if you please. Lieutenant Hourig, both of your cases, please.”
The left-hand aide checked the markers on the top of the two attaché cases he was carrying. He stepped forward and handed Voski one of them, then stepped back.
Voski entered a security code and popped the secured case open, presenting it to Kira open-side first.
The contents were sparse. A small stack of physical paper and a single black datachip. The contracts and paperwork that would confirm to all the galaxy that Memorial Force were the legitimate owners of Fortitude.
“I told them,” they noted with a smile. “Congratulations on your new carrier, Commodore.”
Kira nodded and took the case. It closed easily, with a small green light on the controls telling her that it wasn’t locked.
Voski then took one case from the second aide and gestured for her to open the other one. Both cases were swiftly presented to Kira. This pair was much more heavily packed, with each of the finger-sized gray datachips representing a bearer credit for fifty thousand crests—two hundred chips per case.
Kira picked a chip at random and scanned it with her headware, confirming the contents. Then she gestured for the commandos to take the cases.
“I believe that is all but one piece of our business complete, then,” she told Voski.
“Two, really,” the General replied. “Despite everything, you must understand neither you nor Memorial Force will be welcome in the Crest Sector for quite some time. Once this exchange is complete, I must ask that you leave the Sector as expeditiously as possible.
“For their private purposes, Jade says they hope to dine with you by the lake again,” Voski added, “but the Crown Zharang must protect the Royal Crest.”
Kira wasn’t surprised in the slightest. If anything, she was actually warmed by the fact that Jade Panosyan and Voski were taking the effort to make it clear that the banishment was entirely non-personal.
“Very well,” she told Voski. “May I ask one small favor in return?”
“You may ask,” the General said carefully.
“I want to observe the exchange from here,” Kira said.
Voski clearly swallowed a chuckle.
“Very well, Commodore Demirci. She is, after all, your ship now.”
* * *
The two army lieutenants returned back into the ship, replaced by a sharp-faced group of eight middle-aged people in Crest civilian-style angular suits who could have passed for bodyguards. They spread out to form a vague receiving line in front of the shuttle.
“Milani, let them go,” Kira ordered.
The heavy suit of armor with the red dragon draped over its shoulders flashed her a thumbs-up. The commandos released Maral Jeong and her Ministers simultaneously, unlocking their manacles and pointing them across the flight bay.
Maral Jeong led the way instantly, striding across the deck like she owned the place. Her glare was reserved for Kira as she reached the shuttle.
“I am glad we reached some kind of deal in the end,” she noted. “But you will find there are consequences for all that has happened.”
“Oh, I know,” Kira agreed, then waved Jeong to the line of hard-faced bureaucrat types.
The oldest-looking of them was a woman with pure white hair tied back into a tight bun that highlighted the sharp lines of her face as she stepped forward to look down at Jeong.
“Em Maral Jeong?” she asked sharply.
“You know who I am,” Jeong snapped.
“Very well,” the official said. “Em Maral Jeong, you are under arrest for abuse of authority, receipt of illegal funds, conspiracy to conceal illegal funds, conspiracy to commit murder and treason.”
The presumably former Prime Minister of the Crest just gaped at the Crest Planetary Police officer as a pair of handcuffs emerged from a hidden pocket of the suit and snapped onto Jeong’s wrists.
The other CPP officers moved forward swiftly to sweep up the other Ministers. They were unrestrained for at most ninety seconds before the Crester police had them cuffed and were leading them onto the shuttle behind them.
And Kira stood there, watching as the most delightful schadenfreude ran through her.
Finally, only Voski remained on the flight deck, and they gave her a crisp salute.
“You have twenty-four hours to discharge static or refuel here in Guadaloop if necessary,” they told her. “But I suggest you get on your way as soon as you can.
“The situation here will be…complex for some time, and you and Fortitude will make for an aggravating factor we cannot afford.”
“I understand,” Kira said. “Good luck, General.”