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around, or anything. Best not to risk it. Veronica nodded her assent.
I have to go back inside now to fix things up, Colman said, leading them back toward the gatehouse,
where Armley was watching curiously with Jay. Mike, Colman said to him as they stopped by the
door. Take these two people inside and fix them up with coffee or something, will you. Jay, wait inside
with Veronica. I have to get back in with Bret, but I ll be back in a few minutes. Don t worry. It ll be
okay.
Ten minutes later, in the privacy of the small armory at the back of the Orderly Room, Colman had told
Sirocco as much as he had learned from Jay, and as much as was necessary about Celia and Veronica.
Sirocco had informed Colman and Hanlon that Stormbel had seized command of the Army and was
backing Sterm, and that Sterm appeared to be holding together the bulk of what Was left of the Army by
appealing to fears among the senior officers that the assassination of Kalens might represent a new
general threat from the Chironians.
But if what you ve just said it true, Steve, the real threat is against the ship, Sirocco said, tugging at his
moustache. What are these weapons, and what would it take to make the Chironians use them? I ve got
to have more information.
Colman could only shake his head. I don t know. Neither did Jay. That s what Fallows and whoever
this other guy is want to find out.
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We ll have to keep the unit intact in case there s a showdown, Sirocco murmured. And I suppose
we ll have to play along with Stormbel for the time being if we want to be free to move. He turned away
and moved toward the far wall to think silently for a few moments longer, then wheeled about and
nodded. Okay. Bret, you have to leave for the base right away. Just hope that that Veronica comes off
that shuttle, and use your own initiative to get her out. That s all you have to worry about so, on your
way. Hanlon nodded and disappeared back through the Orderly Room. Steve, Sirocco said. Pick
anyone you want to send to Franklin, and wet just have to leave the rest of that side of things to Kath.
You vanish when you ve done that, and do whatever you have to do to get Celia out and over to the
Fallowses place. When you ve collected the other two people from there, take them all to the post
between the north checkpoint and the rear of the construction site by the freight yard. Maddock s section
will be manning that sector from midnight to 0400. They know how to distract the SDs, and I ll make
sure they re expecting you. Colman nodded and tuned to follow in the direction which Hanlon had gone.
Oh, and Steve, Sirocco called as a new thought struck him. Colman stopped at the door and looked
back. You say you know Fallows fairly well?
For a long time, Colman said.
Don t leave them at the post, Sirocco said. Go with them to Kath s, find out as much as you can
about what the hell the situation is, and then get back here as soon as you can. That way, maybe we ll be
able to figure out what needs to be done.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
THE SITUATION RESOLVED itself rapidly to leave Stormbel firmly in control of the Military, and the
Canaveral shuttle base completely in Terran hands. Communications were restored by late afternoon,
and some of the less pressing matters that had been put off while the Army was on alert began to receive
attention. Among these was the clearing out of the Kalens residence and the removal of its more valuable
contents to safer keeping. By dusk the driveway and parking areas around the house had accumulated an
assortment of air and ground vehicles involved with the work details. Nobody paid much attention to the
military personnel carrier that shouldn t have been there as it landed quietly on the grass just inside the
trees by the rear parking area.
Inside, Stanislau shut down the flight-control systems, then walked into the passenger compartment
without turning on the cabin lights to join Colman, Maddock, Fuller, and Carson, who were sitting with a
large picture-crate propped between them, and a pile of cartons, tools, and packing materials around
their feet. Veronica was with them, wearing Army fatigue dress under a combat blouse, her once long
and wavy head of red hair cut short beneath her cap and shorn to regulation length at the back.
Maddock climbed over the litter to open the door, and then climbed out with Carson and Fuller;
Stanislau stayed inside to help in the unloading. Colman looked at Veronica s face, shadowy in the
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