The Phoenix Crisis Read Free Page A

collect
intelligence on his organization and to not interfere with his
actions.”
    “ A direct violation of your
orders from Intel Wing and the Fleet.”
    “ Exactly,” said Calvin. “And
there’s more. She kept her presence on Tau Station secret from the
station’s personnel. She was in disguise—almost looked like she was
in hiding—and she told me specifically to keep quiet about the fact
that we met.”
    “ And have you met
since?”
    “ No,” said Calvin. “I’ve
barely heard a word from her. But now she wants to meet with me
again, and she claims it’s urgent. She asked me to divert the ship
to rendezvous with her as soon as possible.”
    “ I see,” said Summers, “and
did she give any details as to what this is about?”
    “ Only that it’s urgent and
the window of opportunity is closing,” said Calvin.
    Summers folded her arms. “So what’s the
problem?”
    “ Raidan asked me to
rendezvous with him. And, like Kalila, he claims that it’s urgent I
meet with him, that he has something critical to tell me that he
won’t trust to kataspace.”
    “ And I take it you can’t do
both?”
    “ Raidan wants to meet at
Lyra Minor and Kalila gave me a set of coordinates that lead the
other way, the timeframe I have is now about twenty-two hours for
each of them. It was never possible to meet with them
both.”
    “ At least, not possible
for you to.”
    “ What do you
mean?”
    “ I mean you could send
someone on your behalf to meet with one and then you could meet
with the other. The Arcane Storm could go to Raidan and the
Nighthawk could go to Kalila.”
    “ That’s one option,” said
Calvin. In truth he hadn’t decided whether or not it would be wise
to let the Arcane Storm out of his sight. He’d promised to deliver
it to Raidan, but a part of him had hoped to be there when the ship
was torn apart from bow to stern to uncover all of its many
mysteries. Another complication that Summers seemed to be
downplaying was that, given his past conversations with Kalila and
Raidan, Calvin doubted either would accept him sending one of his
inferiors to meet on his behalf. “I’d have to go to Kalila, she’s
under the impression that I haven’t told anyone about our meeting.
And, until a few seconds ago, I hadn’t.”
    “ I could go to Raidan,” a
fire showed in her eyes when she said the name. Clearly she still
had strong feelings for him—mostly negative. “Vargas can remain
here and I can take command of the Arcane Storm. Whatever Raidan
has to say to you he can say to me.”
    Calvin saw some logic in that plan, but he
didn’t want Raidan and Summers’ history to become an issue. Calvin
also didn’t want Summers to leave the Nighthawk. It was a strange
feeling—more gut intuition than anything else—but he knew he’d be
more comfortable if Summers remained. “Actually I think I’ll
continue with the crew assignments as they’ve been given. Vargas
will go aboard the Arcane Storm and meet with Raidan; you’ll remain
here on the Nighthawk.”
    Summers looked hurt. She masked it well but
Calvin was starting to get to know her. The last thing he needed
was for her to again doubt that Calvin trusted her. “And, the
minute I’ve finished my meeting with Kalila I’d like to have you
around to discuss the new information.”
    Summers nodded, accepting this
reasoning.
    “ Just… tell me one thing,”
said Calvin. “Am I making the right choice? Choosing Kalila over
Raidan?”
    “ Raidan cannot be trusted,”
said Summers with a flat simplicity to her voice as if her
statement was one of the axioms that defined the
universe.
    “ But can Kalila?” asked
Calvin. He wanted to trust the princess, she was remarkable, and
had this… profound effect on him. Her words stirred him and every
moment in her presence was more pleasant than he would like to
admit. She affected his objectivity, and he knew it. He didn’t want
his feelings for Kalila—as weak or strong as they were—to