"Kohl has a head start on us, but we should be able to make up time with our speed advantage," Jackson said. "You want me to leave Trapp on Arelius for your people to pick up?"

"CIS isn't aware of that base being anything other than a deep-storage vault. It'd probably be prudent to keep it that way for now. Your brig will have to suffice."

"Very good," Jackson said. Before he could sign off, there was a flurry of other people disconnecting, leaving him alone with Jillian on the other end. He could only smile at how transparent that had been.

For the next hour, he took the opportunity to talk to her, fifteen minutes of that being taken up by his kids once they realized he was live on the screen, and went back to his rack contented with the universe for one short, beautiful moment.

26

"Back so soon, Admiral?"

"We'll be dropping off our cargo from Exeter base at a new secure location before the taskforce goes into battle," Jackson said, sitting down in the chair Barton had brought in for him. "That will include any non-crew personnel."

"And I'm no longer crew," Trapp said. "Forgive me, Admiral, but that's hardly—"

"You're too dangerous to be left aboard, but the facility we're en route to has flat out refused to take you. They're not equipped for prisoners with your level of training."

"You going to toss me out the airlock when we drop back into real-space?"

"I'm considering it," Jackson said. "Under the circumstances, it would be the quick and easy way to deal with a problem nobody wants. CIS is busy, Fleet Intel doesn't give a shit, and CENTCOM has no idea we even exist."

"Admiral," Trapp said wearily. "You should know these threats won't sway me."

"I don't need them to. We already figured out how you were exploiting Bluebird against us. Quite clever to take advantage of existing infrastructure, but your people were sloppy. Makov and Kohl in particular gabbed over the messages like two old gossips on a park bench," Jackson said. "The level of operational detail they discussed was such we almost assumed it was a clumsy counterintelligence op."

"That sounds about right." Trapp rolled her eyes. "Makov is unbelievably arrogant, and Kohl is a fucking idiot."

"Kohl's on his way to Xinjia right now with orders to attack," Jackson said, pretending not to notice her reaction. "That wasn't the original plan, of course, but the strike group that was going to hit the Alliance capital was wiped out when they tried to take on the Jericho. Twenty-eight ships…gone. So, Makov diverted Kohl's taskforce."

"You seem to think I care about the overall plot." She shrugged, her control back in place. "I was an operative with an assignment. To be honest, for people like me, it doesn't even really matter who I'm working for. Ask your buddy Pike about that. The job is its own reward. So, when do we get down to you threatening my life again?"