Charlotte Boyett-Compo- WIND VERSE- Hunger's Harmattan by Unknown (best management books of all time TXT) 📗

that brooked no disobedience. Both Jostand Felix practically ran to the chairs across the room and sat down—Jostnearly tumbling from his, the chair tipping precariously before he managed toright it.

A faint smile hovered over Strom’s face ashe leaned back in the chair. “Would you like to sit down, Colonel?” he asked.

Shanee replied that she’d stand. She couldsense her husband near though she could not see him.

“Please, Ailyn…” Jost began.

“It is Commander Harmattan,” the Reapersaid, and appeared. He was standing beside Shanee with his arms crossed, hisstony glare directed at Jost. “You will never again address me by my given name.Is that understood?”

“Aye, Commander,” the vice-counselor wasquick to agree.

Felix was staring at his brother withseveral emotions seemly crossing his young face. There was fear mixed with awein his dark eyes but his mouth was mulishly set, his cheeks dotted with color.“And what is it I am to call you?” he asked Ailyn.

Ailyn shifted his stare to the young man.“You were but an infant in swaddling when last I saw you,” he said, his voicelosing some of its animosity.

Felix’s chin came up. “I’m a man now.”

A hint of a smile tugged at Ailyn’s mouth.“Well, you’re on your way to becoming one at any rate.”

“Mother is dying,” Felix said. “She wantsto see you before she…” He faltered. “You know.”

“She wants one of my fledglings so she canlive,” Ailyn stated.

“By the gods, she doesn’t!” Felix said witha gasp. “You are…you’re a…”

“Reaper,” Ailyn finished for him. “And aye,Felix, all she wants is what I can give her.”

“How can you say that?” Felix questioned.“You are her son, her firstborn. She…”

“Hated me from the moment I was born andthe only reason she’s willing to see me now is to gain a parasite to cure her,”Ailyn said.

Jost timidly raised his hand to gain theReaper’s notice. When those amber eyes flicked to him, the vice-counselorblanched for there was cruelty and vengeance in that penetrating stare. “Willyou…” He swallowed before he could continue you. “Will you give her a parasite,Commander?”

“You will be delighted to know that Iwon’t.”

“Ailyn!” Felix shouted, jumping to hisfeet. He did not hear his stepfather’s sigh of apparent relief. “You have to.If you don’t, she’ll die!”

“Do you think she cared about me while Iwas interned at R-9, little brother?” Ailyn asked. “She didn’t give a damn whatthey were doing to me.”

“She didn’t know,” Felix denied.

“Oh but she did,” Ailyn insisted. “It’s alla matter of record.”

Shanee exchanged a glance with Strom. Therehad been no mention in the files either of them had read on Ailyn thatindicated Elspeth Harmattan knew her son had survived the crash of his father’sship the Abroholos.

“I don’t believe you,” Felix said.

“Vid-com on,” Ailyn snapped and the screenpowered up. He didn’t bother looking toward the screen. “Access file EFB-ID2648759515, password stinger.”

A copy of an ID card flashed onto thescreen. In the center of the card was the picture of a young woman identifiedas Elspeth Briza. The document bore the seal of the Aduaidh Alliance.

“Our mother worked for the Burgon beforeRyden Bakari,” Ailyn said. “I believe the correct term for what she was engagedin was called a honey pot.”

“That’s a forgery,” Jost said. “It has tobe. A honey pot was an antiquated euphemism for spying.”

“Actually it was sexualentrapment to gain information,” Strom corrected him.

“She married our father to gain access toinformation needed by the Alliance. According to the official Alliance records,it was her knowledge of the movements and mission of the Abroholos thatgave her handlers what they needed to destroy the ship and everyone on boardit,” Ailyn said. “Access file #KGH-6197975652-A_05-14-2320.”

Documentation of the information—signed byElspeth Briza—given to the Alliance regarding Duke Harmattan’s ship flashedacross the screen which was split into two sections. The left section containeda vid-sequence of a flyover showing the destruction of the Abroholos.

“This can’t be happening,” Jost said, hisface even paler than before. He buried his face in his hands. “This can’t behappening. She can’t be a spy for the Alliance.”

Felix walked over to the vid-com screen andread what was written there, his face washed out by the silvery glow of thescreen. When he was finished he turned to look at Ailyn. “Even if this is true,she couldn’t have known what would happen to the Abroholos,” he said. “Awoman doesn’t send her husband and her child to their deaths.”

“Ours did,” Ailyn said. “Access fileALH-6891234658-A_05-20-2320.”

The final document also came up on a dualscreen. On the right side was a vid-sequence of Ailyn having a parasite droppedonto his back. On the left side was a signed authorization giving the Alliancescientist Perse Cean permission to use Ailyn LeVey Harmattan in theirexperiments. The document bore the initials EBH—Elspeth Briza Harmattan.

“Since she was a valued member of theAlliance, they had to get her permission before they could torture me,” Ailynsaid in a flat voice. “She knew what was going on at R-9 but she gave thatpermission anyway.”

Felix was staring wide-eyed at thevid-sequence as Ailyn began to Transition. He finally tore his attention fromthe horror taking place on the vid-com screen and staggered to his chair. Hesat down, staring straight ahead of him, his lips parted.

“She knew where I was, Felix,” Ailyn said,“but she didn’t care. She also knew where I was taken when I left R-9. I can’tprove it but I’d be willing to bet it was her finagling that got you assignedto the Revenge so you could discover me among the Reapers. Do you blameme now for not wanting to help her?”

“But she’s your mother,” Felix said, tearsglistening in his eyes. He looked up at Ailyn. “She gave you life.”

The sound that came from the Reaper mighthave passed for a laugh had not those in the room not been looking at his face.“She gave me life, all right, and she tried to take it. When that didn’t work,she sentenced me to a hell you cannot even begin to imagine, little brother. Ishould let her have one of the hellions just so she’ll know the agony I wentthrough because of her.”

“She’s been a good mother to me,” Felixsaid, but Ailyn could sense the lie his younger brother was