Expanding Horizons Snippet 3

 Last snippet and then I'll publish the book probably this afternoon or tomorrow sometime.

 

SG7-171,Sigma sector

 

Dracoidly listened to the report on the hunt for the missing spook. They had finallyarrived in the 171 star system and found a message in the hidden buoy from theadmiral. Apparently, Golden Goose had dropped him off at this locationand then moved on.

TheONI lieutenant took his sweet time sorting it out before releasing some of theinformation. The admiral had altered his appearance shockingly. He wastraveling under the alias Harold Walter White, somewhat appropriate accordingto the lieutenant though he didn’t say why. That set them off to go to theplanet and take a look while the ship stripped the buoy of ship traffic throughthe star system between the admiral’s last message and their arrival time.

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SergeantHoly Winters stuffed her hands in her pockets as she picked up the trail whereAdmiral Michael Briggs had left off. She browsed the bar district. They had analias and face to use as a description though they were strictly forbidden tomention them to anyone.

Whichmade finding someone who didn’t want to be found all the harder she thought in annoyance.

“Thisis impossible,” she muttered.

“Maybewe should put a bounty on his head?” Ari asked.

Thesergeant turned to her with a “You aren’t serious” look on her face.

“Look,I know it is a risk, but I’m thinking we put up a paternity bounty or somethingthat fits with his profile.”

Thesergeant shook her head. “Spooks do not like any attention drawn to themselvesor a public record. They slip in and out.”

“Allright, fine, how the hell are we supposed to find him if we can’t ask or showhis picture?”

“Noidea,” she muttered.

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Dracopicked up news in a bar about two big fellas, Jacob and TJ, who paid well fortips about spacers. Usually, the spacer went missing sometime shortly after.

Therewas speculation that they were killing them. Others said they had shanghaiedthe poor sod to their ship, just one missing man among many.

Hegot a name of the ship they traveled on, a nondescript Clydesdale classfreighter called FX-9915A. He bought a round of drinks for his informantand even paid his back tab. That got others talking about the duo in hopes ofgetting a free drink. He didn’t begrudge them, even if they just confirmed whathe already knew. He didn’t care; it was all on ONI’s dime anyway.

Angieconfirmed the ship in their briefing files and then uploaded the tip to theship and the waiting ONI lieutenant.

Theygot an acknowledgment of the report as well as a request for more information.

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Onthe cruiser, Captain Howard listened to a briefing. The lieutenant confirmedthat the freighter FX-9915A was identified as a pirate. “We have norecord of them in the official database outside of this area. I amcross-referencing port of calls they might have made in the area as well as thetiming of their movements.

“Beaware they might have changed their ID codes and name in different ports,” theship’s AI warned.

Thelieutenant paused and then nodded.

“Checking,I have found four other ships that match the general description of FX-9915A,”the AI reported.

“Putit on a map with time codes. The same for the known appearances of the ship,”the captain ordered.

TheAI did so and then with his own initiative drew lines between the locationswith time codes. There was a big hole though in some of the lines.

“So,somewhere in this given area?” the captain asked as he made a circling gestureover a volume of space. It was in the search zone of the El Dorado. Dozens ofships were searching that volume of space.

“Yes,sir.”

“Well,we might have narrowed down the search zone or we might have a red herring. I’mcurious as to which this will turn out to be.”

“Sir,what happened to the admiral?”

“Damnedif I know. All I do know is that he’s now rather thoroughly on his own,” thecaptain said with a resigned shake of his head. “He’s gone where we can’tfollow.”

“Yes,sir.”

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Dracowasn’t surprised when they were recalled a week after being deployed to theplanet. He was a bit surprised that the captain wanted to move around the areaand strip the hidden spy drones and message buoys in the empty star systems inten star systems. All with an eye to picking up the Clydesdale’s trail.

Hewondered if they were going to try to catch and board the ship. Apparently,that was still up in the air after their debrief.

“Goodwork. You did well. Time to hit the hay again. We’ll wake you when we find atarget for you,” the captain said simply.

Dracoexchanged looks with his squad and then they got up and headed to the stasispod compartment.

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