Broken Glass (Glass Complex Book 1) Read Free Page B

applied first aid.
    “It’s not a deep cut, no scar this time,” the medic smiled as she applied a small dressing.
    “Thanks for your help,” Steg acknowledged.
    The major stepped closer. “A good win, Steg, although I think you’ve earned an enemy for yourself.” The major held up his hand for silence as he listened to his comunit. He acknowledged the message and addressed Steg and his companions. “It’s started already. They reacted very quickly. A formal protest has been delivered to the Castle Commandant by the Imperials, demanding your arrest for malicious assault and illegal wounding of one Marius, of the House of Aluta. No mention of a properly challenged duel. Just as well our monitor cams were running—we can deliver video in rebuttal. In the meantime, the Commandant suggests all of you take some well-deserved leave—think of it as an order rather than a suggestion. Go to your homes, even further, if you wish. I don’t want to see any of you here for the next tenday. If you remain, you will be exposed to action by the Imperials—they don’t like losing face, and accidents may happen. Don’t worry; you’ll get news of your postings, wherever you are. Now go.” He watched as the group dispersed.
    “Thomas, you’re relieved from duty here. And Steg, you have a tenday or more before you need to return to your shuttle duties. Take yourselves off for a long hike. Thomas, I suggest you both take one of the air-vs and travel along the White Cliffs. Ensure the flight path stays in radar shadow where possible. Program the autopilot to stop a number of times along the route, both outbound and return. That way, no one will know where you dropped off. Stay out for a tenday—the visitors should have departed well before then. Go—I’ll authorize transport. Thirty minutes to the pad for liftoff. Steg, leave your sword, I‘ll get it to Brioude for you.”
    ******

Chapter 2
     
    The air-v was armed and armored, a fusion-powered flying tank capable of low terrain hedgehopping, although in this instance the air-v was cliff hopping. Steg had the command seat and was part flying, part monitoring the autopilot program. The craft was skirting the White Cliffs, a geographic feature of this section of the coast that ran for hundreds of kays. The cliffs provided a substantial radar shadow that would hide them even from the advanced electronics available to their Imperial visitors. They would be detectable to Castlehome g-sats, although Steg doubted that the Imperials could penetrate their security. The air-v would return to Castlehome on autopilot alone, slowing, stopping and accelerating randomly in order to provide additional confusion to anyone who was able to monitor or trace its flight path.
    In the meantime, Steg and Thomas planned to hike away from the coastline, deeper into the forest. Steg was confident that searchers even equipped with heat seekers would not be able to identify them under the thick canopy; they would be indistinguishable from wild animals that roamed freely on Homeworld. Steg enjoyed his forays into the forest; typically they isolated him from the formal strictures of Castlehome and gave him an opportunity to test his tracking and hunting skills. This time however, he was torn between the attractions of a forest trek and growing apprehension about taking his departure from Castlehome, even if was only for a tenday.
    “I feel as though I am running away from something,” he complained.
    “Well, those Imperials were hunting blood although they showed bad judgment. Now they really will be after blood—yours, for revenge, not honor. I am not sure the Empire’s goodwill is really something we need.”
    “They are after something,” mused Steg. “I cannot think what. Recruits for some war they are planning? Perhaps they have heard stories about Homeworld?”
    Thomas snorted. “The Empire has always had suspicions about the wealth of Homeworld, even though we do not flaunt it. Also, they