The Fringe Wars

5.13

Cold Vengeance

Tulan Port, Playa

Reyne rocked in his desk chair as the call went through. His office still smelled of burnt metals, but it was at least functional once again. The air vent had a rilon grate over it, but he'd pushed a chair against it as well.

When the call picked up, Seda Faulk's face appeared on the screen.

"Reyne, you've got perfect timing. I was going to call you shortly."

"Do you know what happened to Max Laciam after the war?" Reyne asked bluntly.

Seda seemed taken aback, then regrouped. "Laciam? The Myrad who was Corps General?"

"That one," Reyne said.

Seda rubbed his chin. "I believe he was quietly discharged after punching Corps General Anders. Why do you ask?"

"Because he's here on Playa, and I think he's trying to kill me," Reyne answered.

Seda blew out a breath. "Well, I could see him blaming you for his fall."

"It wasn't my fault," Reyne said, exasperated that he'd told Sixx nearly the same thing. "Why does everyone think I'm to blame?"

"Because you didn't surrender when he asked you to, which caused him to make a very poor decision that nearly got you and everyone else at Sol Base killed. If he's come to Playa for you, be careful. Relations between the Alliance and Collective are still too bumpy. We can't afford a citizen as well-known as Maximus Laciam getting killed on Alliance soil right now."

"I know, but he may not give me any other choice."

"Find another choice."

"Trust me, I'll do what I can, but if I have to choose between his life and mine, you know what I'll do." Reyne sighed. "Why did you say you were going to call me?"

"Oh. There are some big things happening in the Collective. I'm calling a meeting, and I need all the stationmasters there."

"When?"

"In three days' time at Nova Colony."

Reyne frowned. "You need us to meet in person?"

"It's important enough that I believe it warrants a face-to-face discussion."

"Okay. I'll head out right after I have a word with Laciam."

Seda's gaze narrowed. "Exercise caution."

"I always do."

Reyne disconnected the call and Seda's retort. He leaned back in his seat, considering Seda's words. What did Seda have to talk about that warranted bringing all the stationmasters together? They already spoke weekly as it was, and there'd been nothing unusual on the last group call. With no ideas, he turned back to his screen. No new messages from Throttle. His heart ached. While he knew the transmission delays would grow wider, a part of him feared something tragic had happened.

He shook off the stress. He had enough to focus on, and three days to reach Nova Colony was tight. He didn't have time to dally. He tapped out a simple message to his crew: We go to Laciam at 0930. Meet at my office.

Affirmative responses came back swiftly. First Sixx, then Bree, followed by Boden.

He understood Seda's concern about relations, but Seda wasn't dealing with assassination attempts. Reyne thought long and hard about calling the local security forces, but they would be constrained by Alliance law in how they handled Laciam. And Reyne had no clear evidence that Laciam—assuming Mark Leonard was in fact Max Laciam—had tried to kill him.