Excerpt Thursday: SILENT ORDER: IRON HAND
It’s Excerpt Thursday! This is an excerpt from my science fiction novel SILENT ORDER: IRON HAND, the first book in the SILENT ORDER series (the sixth book will come out next week):
“Captain Jack March,” said a familiar male voice, dry and cool with the accents of the Calaskaran nobility. “I trust you are well?”
“Well enough, sir,” said March.
“Good,” said the man known as Censor, the head of the Silent Order, the leader of the Calaskaran intelligence services, and possibly the most dangerous man in the Kingdom of Calaskar. “We have a great deal of work to do, Captain.”
Censor had recruited March into the Silent Order, and ever since then, Censor had been his handler and had given him assignments. March had never met the man, had never even seen his face. For all that March knew, Censor might not even be a man – software voice masking had been available for thousands of years. Given that the head of the Silent Order was a prime target for Machinist cells, it made sense for Censor to hide his identity.
“I’m ready, sir,” said March.
“Excellent,” said Censor. “Are you familiar with a place called Rustbelt Station?”
“I am, sir,” said March. “It’s in an unnamed system – NB8876X, I think. The Kingdom claims it, but there are no habitable planets and no colonies. The station used to be an asteroid mine, but the mine played out. Now it’s a place off the beaten track that caters to people who do not want to be found – smugglers, pirates, criminals, exiles.”
“And privateers,” said Censor.
“And privateers, sir,” said March. “I have been there three times. Twice since I joined the service, and once from my time…before.”
His right hand held his phone, but his left arm of metal ached a little at the memory.
“Very good,” said Censor. “You’re familiar with the station, which is why we have chosen you for this task. Another question. Are you familiar with the names Roanna Vindex and Thomas Vindex?”
“No,” said March. He thought for a moment, staring at his food. His stomach rumbled, but there was no way he would eat while on a call with Censor. “The name sounds familiar, though. A noble house of Calaskar?”
“Correct, Captain,” said Censor. “One of the oldest and most powerful of the Kingdom. In the aftermath of the collapse of the Fifth Terran Empire two thousand years ago, the Vindex family was one of the first families to settle upon Calaskar, and they have played critical roles in the history of our Kingdom ever since.”
“Yes, sir,” said March, connecting the dots. “I assume there is a reason that two members of a noble family would find themselves in a place like Rustbelt Station?”
“Yes,” said Censor. “Nor is it a good one. I fear they have been dabbling with a cell of Machinists sympathizers.”
March felt something in him grow cold. “Then this is a termination assignment, sir?”
“Not necessarily,” said Censor.
That wasn’t the same as saying no.
Read the rest of SILENT ORDER: IRON HAND here:
-JM