Cobra Outlaw - eARC Read Free Page B

we’re talking about law and observations. I was there. I saw it. Furthermore, what did happen was instigated by your own men.”
    “My men reacted to an overt threat that arose from the legal and proper performance of their duties,” Reivaro countered. “It’s unarguable that Cobra Broom was heavily involved in that incident. What’s less clear is his involvement in other, more covert actions.”
    “If you’re referring to the damage to my plant,” Yates said bitterly, “that one’s also roosting squarely on your porch railing. I warned your people—my techs warned your people—”
    “We’ll get to acts of sabotage later,” Reivaro cut him off. “I’m referring to the sudden departure of Cobra Broom’s daughter Jody from Aventine five days ago.” He sent a dark look at Paul. “And the fact that she has now disappeared.”
    With an effort, Paul kept his face expressionless. Jody wasn’t exactly missing—she’d simply slipped off Aventine and gone to the Hoibie homeworld in an attempt to stay out of Santores’s hands.
    Or at least that was what Santores had told Jin. Was the Dominion suddenly changing its story?
    “Cobra Broom?” Reivaro prompted.
    Paul held his gaze a moment, then let his eyes sweep across the table. Gendreves, looking hard and determined. Yates, looking impatient. Chintawa, looking tense and unhappy. Santores—
    Santores, looking at everyone except Paul. Looking very intently.
    And abruptly, Paul understood. This farce of a hearing wasn’t about him at all. Something Jody had done had stirred up the Dominion hornets’ nest, and Santores had staged this confrontation in hopes of finding out whether Chintawa and Ishikuma—and possibly Paul himself—were also involved. “Whatever Jody did, she did on her own,” he said. “Neither the governor-general or anyone else outside our family knew anything about it. Or, I dare say, knows anything about it now.”
    Santores shifted his gaze to Paul, and for a moment the two men locked eyes. Then, Santores inclined his head. “So it would seem,” he said. “In that case, I see no point in continuing.”
    “Unless you’d like to tell us what my daughter has done to annoy you,” Paul offered. “I’m sure everyone here would be interested in hearing about it.”
    “Perhaps later,” Santores said. “Governor-General Chintawa, I hereby exercise my right and duty under the Dominion of Man Statutes of Martial Law to take custody of Cobra Paul Broom.”
    “You have no such authority,” Gendreves insisted before Chintawa could respond. “No declaration of martial law has been made.”
    “You’re mistaken, Ms. Gendreves,” Santores said. “Colonel Reivaro declared that state in Archway in response to the incident.”
    “An incident he himself provoked.”
    “In the performance of his duties.”
    Gendreves took a deep breath. “Commodore Santores—”
    “Please,” Paul said. “You can see his mind is made up. Do we really want a second Archway?”
    Gendreves threw a furious glare at him. “No one asked you—”
    “Enough,” Chintawa said.
    Gendreves sputtered into silence. Chintawa eyed Paul for a moment, then looked at the Cobras standing guard at the door. His eyes flicked almost unwillingly to Ishikuma and the loyalty collar around the commandant’s neck. “Cobra Broom is correct,” he said. “None of us wants that.”
    Gendreves opened her mouth to speak. Chintawa gave her another look, and she closed it again.
    “Thank you, Governor-general.” Santores gestured to the Marines behind Paul. “Take him to my landing shuttle.”
    One of the Marines took Paul’s arm. Paul shrugged off the other’s hand and remained seated. “I’d like some assurance that you’ll tell me about my daughter on the way.”
    The Marine grabbed Paul’s arm again, this time in a much tighter grip. Santores made a small gesture, and he reluctantly released his hold. “I’ll tell you what I know,” the commodore said. “I’m