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without a name.  And this is Admiral Tiptonn s daughter. I hated it.
 That s understandable, but as a thrall you re not allowed a name either. Are you?
 It s completely different. Paul chose me because he wanted me, not Admiral
Tiptonn s daughter. It was the first time I was absolutely certain of that.
 How old were you?
 Nineteen. A dreamy smile curved her lips.
Corry fidgeted, obviously uncomfortable with the conversation she had launched.
 And you enjoy being a thrall?
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 It s a Master s responsibility to give his thrall pleasure. How many of your lovers
have put your pleasure above their own?
 You met Paul at the Pleasure Palace? Despite her discomfort, Corry couldn t seem
to stop her curiosity.
 Yes. Korbin was his mentor. Danette took a deep shuddering breath.  That s
more than you need to know. Now change the subject.
 Have you ever& been with Ashton?
Danette laughed and shook her head.  That s not much of a subject change, but I
can tell you re dying to know. Ashton came home with me after a party about a month
ago. We both intended to have sex, but after a few kisses, we realized there was no
chemistry between us. We knew we had to end the engagement. Regardless of how
badly our parents wanted the match, we couldn t go through with it. We were just
waiting for the right time to make a public announcement.
Corry accepted the information with a silent nod, but Danette didn t miss the
sudden sparkle in her eyes.
* * * * *
Coalition headquarters was only a few minutes from Ashton s apartment. Still,
anticipation twisted Korbin s stomach in knots. This had to work! It was likely their last
chance to reach the executive council before they locked the rebels up and lost the
access codes.
 We re going to have to move fast once we arrive. Ashton sat in the pilot s seat.
Korbin sat beside him.  This schooner has approach authorization but security will
expect us to land. The council chambers are already programmed in, so we should be
able to transport our guests onboard and get the hell out of here before they fire on us.
 They ll be disoriented when they materialize, Corry said.  But the sensation
doesn t last long.
 Father will be armed, Danette cautioned.  He s always armed.
Korbin took the statement as a cue and unfastened his safety restraints.  It s all set.
Just press hard right here. He showed Ashton the section of the control panel to
depress. Drawing his pulse pistol, Korbin stood to one side of the schooner. Palmer
followed his example, positioning himself on the other side.
 Ready? Corry had her weapon in hand as well.
 Let the fun begin. Ashton released his safety restraints and activated the
transporter.
A shimmering energy field converged in the middle of the cabin. Four separate
figures formed within the field. The shapes fluctuated then silhouettes solidified.
They materialized in a seated position, confusion contorting their features. Hayford
caught himself before he fell to the floor. Renata Boehme wasn t quite so agile. She
landed with a startled gasp, looking around with a mixture of anger and awe.
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The other two  guests managed to land on their feet, weapons drawn.
 Freeze! Korbin ordered.  Hands up! He glanced from Admiral Tiptonn to
Meredith, determination forcing away all emotion. None of their intel indicated
Meredith would be at the briefing this morning. So why the hell was she here?
 Now, Palmer prompted when they didn t immediately comply.
 What is the meaning of this? Hayford demanded.
 They have the transporter. Glaring all the while, Admiral Tiptonn surrendered
his pulse pistol. Korbin disarmed Meredith as well and patted them both down.
Gesturing with her handgun, Corry urged Renata into an empty seat, leaving
Hayford and the admiral to argue with Korbin.
 Are you being coerced or are you participating in this madness? Hayford s
startled gaze moved between Ashton and Elaine.
Elaine stepped toward her husband.  The rebels have our full support. This has
gone on long enough.
Korbin secured the admiral to one chair while Palmer bound Meredith to another.
Danette stood before her father, her eyes bright with conviction.  You need to listen
to them. What they did may have been unconventional, but their cause is legitimate.
He turned his face away, refusing to reply.
Hayford took a seat across from the admiral and Korbin reached for his wrist.  That
won t be necessary. He glanced at Elaine and fastened his safety restraints.
* * * * *
Hope bubbled inside Korbin as they loaded the schooner and left Chiron for
Wirtanen. It was too soon to think they d reached these stubborn bureaucrats, yet their
thoughtfulness was encouraging.
Corry s descriptions of the crowded dormitories and the backbreaking labor
expected of the inhabitants of Chiron hadn t impressed the council members. It was
only as they approached one of the harvest houses and came face-to-face with the
ragged workers that their attitudes subtly changed.
Intimidated by the unexpected visitors, most of the harvesters were reluctant to
complain. One mouthy woman had no such qualms. Her son had died the previous
winter when the overseer ignored the boy s claims of illness. One story led to another,
and soon the granary echoed with the workers discontent.
Corry couldn t have planned it better if she d organized the visit months in [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]