The Line of the Sol Empress

Chapter 17.2

[Moon]

They found Liam Glynn in the space control center, gazing at a control panel over the shoulder of a seated technician. Normally sedate, the room now buzzed with nervous activity. With the overhead lighting turned low, most of the illumination came from the panels and view-screens, giving the round room a surreal feeling. Four seated technicians faced the translucent control panels. An overhead holographic display showed the planet and any nearby objects in space, each with associated telemetry text boxes.

Liam caught Moon's eye and pointed at objects in the holographic display. "Three Commonwealth frigates and a heavy cruiser."

The frigates were designed for speed, stealth, and close range fighting, but it was the larger cruiser that brought a lump to Moon's throat. They specialized in planet invasion, able to deploy landing craft carrying well trained marines and fire kinetic weapons in orbital bombardment. 

"Have they made contact yet?"

Liam shook his head. "No. My guess is that more ships are coming. These were meant for containment."

Celeste leaned against Moon's arm with a tight grip on his hand. She blew out a breath. It was obvious to both of them why the Commonwealth ships had come so far. For her.

A technician turned his head toward Liam. "Sir, we are being hailed."

"I spoke too soon." Liam stood up straight and adjusted his uniform. "Patch them through, tight view on me only. And mute all other sound."

A stern-faced woman appeared on the screen, her white hair pulled back tightly in a short ponytail. Four gold bars decorated the collar of her crisp blue uniform. Liam's expression matched hers. He said, "Captain, this is the Speterra Space Control Center. Identify yourself and state your purpose."

She leaned forward with narrowed her eyes. "This is Captain Jamus of the Commonwealth Cruiser Sparta. We have a warrant for the arrest of Celeste Ciel on charges of murder and terrorism."

"Captain, you are not in Commonwealth space. Even if she was here, you have no enforcement rights."

"The Commonwealth has jurisdiction anywhere we please." She leaned back and folded her hands under her chin, elbows resting on chair arms. "Let us dispense with the usual denials and legal maneuvering. We know she is there. You have one of your days to deliver her and any known associate to us. Or we will come down and take her. Believe me, you do not want that." With a wave of her hand, the transmission abruptly ended.

Liam grumbled under his breath, "Bitch."

Moon asked in a quiet voice, "How did they find out she was here?"

Celeste answered before Liam could. "That does not matter now. It was inevitable, even out here." She shook her head. "But I had thought we had more time."

A man stepped forward, one who Moon recognized as a colony councilman. He shook a fist and exclaimed, "Most of us came here to escape heavy-handed tactics like this. It is time we made a stand!"

A uniformed woman, a magistrate, followed him, her eyes wide. "They have the firepower to wipe us out! We do not have the forces to repel them." She cast a suspicious eye at Celeste. "We have no choice. If she is a terrorist--"

Liam bristled, his face reddened. "The charges against her were all fabricated! We--"

A technician turned, interrupting him. "Sir, three more Commonwealth ships are approaching the system." The ships appeared as red triangular icons at the edge of the holographic display.

Liam frowned. "I called in Confederacy warships. At least four will arrive within a day."

The woman came up into his face. "That will just provoke them! Think about the families--"