E-Book Overview
A human-idomeni hybrid with a very bad reputation, former Captain Jani Kilian is out of hiding and officially a civilian. But peace is not an option. Suddenly an important player in the Commonwealth's delicate dealings with the alien idomeni, Jani has inadvertently incurred the wrath of top powers in politics, finance, diplomacy, and crime. Her war is not yet over, just moving to a higher plane. There's no truth to the timeworn adage that old soldiers never die; they do...and sometimes badly. Jani Kilian's come back to a new world that's not brave but definitely in peril. And "kill or be killed" is her only real choice...because now only one law remains.
E-Book Content
KRISTINE SMITH
Contents Chapter 1 “Come look at these.”
1
Chapter 2 “Let’s walk out to the lake, where we can talk… 9 Chapter 3 The lift deposited Jani on the sixth floor. She walked…
21
Chapter 4 Derringer’s steel-blue double-length hugged the curb in front of the…
35
Chapter 5 “And with this bite of ground, of soil, I—” Tsecha…
48
Chapter 6 Tsecha stalked the halls, alert for the sounds of argument…
60
Chapter 7 Jani trudged up the access road that ran along the…
70
Chapter 8 Jani awoke with a start to find she had worked… 85
Chapter 9 Jani remained standing in the center of the room for…
95
Chapter 10 Jani wandered the mall to kill time, and surprised herself…
106
Chapter 11 Tsecha walked the embassy grounds, in the hope that exercise…
121
Chapter 12 Jani passed the tables of an award-winning holoVee actor, the…
133
Chapter 13 “NìRau? NìRau?”
145
Chapter 14 “Look at the light, Jani.”
155
Chapter 15 Jani picked up her duffel in Triage, and refused the…
167
Chapter 16 “And the plan fer the day is what, then?” Steve… 177 Chapter 17 Tsecha leafed through the latest Council reports transmitted from Shèrá,…
189
Chapter 18 Jani returned to her flat to find a great deal…
202
Chapter 19 As Jani negotiated the final turn leading to Lucien’s hospital…
211
Chapter 20 “Nervous?”
223
Chapter 21 Pullman proved his worth and wit by obtaining a skimmer…
235
Chapter 22 “Angevin, what’s going on? Angevin?” Jani hurried down the hall…
247
Chapter 23 Dathim left quietly, a reluctant Steve at his back. Angevin,…
257
Chapter 24 They adjourned to another laboratory in a different part of…
267
Chapter 25 Tsecha sat on the veranda of Dathim Naré’s house and…
277
Chapter 26 Tsecha walked back to the embassy the same way he…
285
Chapter 27 She stood in a hallway, or an alley. Dim light…
296
Chapter 28 When Jani emerged from the bathroom, she found Lucien standing…
304
Chapter 29 A harried-looking Neoclona staffer answered Jani’s call. No, Dr. Shroud…
316
Chapter 30 A cluster of couples entered the garage as Jani crossed…
328
Chapter 31 “And the worry, Janila. When we could not speak with…
341
Chapter 32 The ride down to the lobby proceeded without incident, if…
352
Chapter 33 Tsecha followed ná Feyó back into the meeting room. He…
368
Chapter 34 “Do you know who’s going to be at this thing,… 380 Acknowledgments
393
About the Author Praise Other Books by Kristine Smith Cover Copyright About the Publisher
CHAPTER 1
“Come look at these.” Jani Kilian maneuvered through the morning workday crowd and joined Lucien Pascal at the shop window. The display proved typical for an establishment bordering Cabinet Row, qui