The Phoenix Conspiracy

  ***

  The major took the news without expression. But deep inside he felt a wave of shame. He’d failed to defend the ship; now the rightful commander was a prisoner on the bridge, and the ship was in illegitimate hands. And there was nothing he could do about it.

  He had attacked engineering of course. But it had proved better defended than he’d anticipated. He’d thought he’d sent an overwhelming force, smaller numbers but superior training and equipment. His soldiers even reported initial success—they’d breached engineering. But at the most inconvenient moment, his force was caught unaware from behind, by a force Pellew—the traitor—had hidden in the corridors. The pincer movement was so successful that the major’s soldiers had been forced to withdraw. Now, with many of the men unconscious or unarmed—since Pellew had stolen or destroyed most of the weapons stockpile—the major lacked the resources to try another attack.

  The ship was lost.

  He tried to think of another way. He had even sent forces to the bridge to begin cutting the defense walls with a laser drill. But it would take hours, maybe even days, before they could break through.

  So now he waited. Quiet as usual. Wondering. Would the Andromeda’s flotilla find them? Surely Calvin couldn’t keep his hold on the ship forever …

  And yet there was something else bothering him. Seeing the unquestioning loyalty several of the crew and some of the soldiers gave Calvin, despite clear orders to the contrary, it made the major wonder—could Calvin be onto something? The major doubted it. He still believed that the crew had been deceived and that Calvin had no right to command anymore. But the major wasn’t as certain as he’d once been. And with that he decided, as bad as the situation was, there was still one benefit. Once they arrived at Abia—as they surely would—they could all see, once and for all, what was there—if anything. And then, and only then, would they know if they’d made the right decision.