War Criminals by Gavin Smith (ereader for textbooks .TXT) 📕

‘UN?’ she asked the grey-faced women. Miska was guessing that she was the UN’s conflict inspector. The woman nodded, a profound look of distaste on her face. ‘Catch.’

Miska tossed her Resnick’s head. The woman caught it instinctively, realised what she’d done and flung it from her. Miska watched it roll around on the already-soiled carpet.

‘Miss Corbin.’ Anger warred with disgust in her voice, but there was no fear there. ‘You have been accused—’

‘That’s evidence,’ Miska said pointing at the head. ‘Major Resnick, head of Triple S elite in the Ephesus system, is a Spartan. Martian special forces, you’ll find traces of all sort of illegal Martian nanotech in that head.’

‘How much longer are we going to have to—’ Duellona started. Miska shot her once, dead centre forehead. All sorts of automated security systems unfolded from discreet places and armed humans and drones appeared as if by magic. Miska held her hands up and allowed them to take her Glock. Corenbloom seemed relieved to be disarmed right up until he was wrestled to the carpet.

‘Look!’ Miska shouted as they tried to wrestle her to the carpet as well. Salik held a hand up to forestall them. Duellona was staring at Miska, the bullet hole in the centre of her forehead slowly closing.

‘You’re a Small God!’ the UN conflict inspector gasped.

‘Which I think is a breach of the articles of conflict, not to mention Interstellar Law and numerous treaties,’ Miska said, much more brightly than she felt.

‘Let her go,’ Salik told his security people, and they released Miska.

‘And now I have to kill everyone in the room,’ Duellona told them. ‘And there’s not a single thing you can do about it.’

Miska whistled for Duellona’s attention. The Small God turned to look at her. Miska held up the hypodermic dagger that Resnick had been armed with. Gunhir had given it to her. It turned out that Artemis’s handmaid had simply discarded it. Apparently it was of no interest to drone and master.

‘Maybe, maybe not,’ Miska said. Duellona stared at her. Miska could almost see the calculations. Odds were that Miska, particularly in this state, wouldn’t be able to do much against an actual Small God, but there was always that slightest chance, and you couldn’t play the games the Small Gods play when you were dead. Miska barely saw Colonel Duellona move. One minute she was there, the next gone. Her ears caught up with the sound of broken glass. There was a roughly Duellona-shaped hole in one of the drawing room’s windows. Miska moved quickly to the window. She could see Duellona sprinting down the main concourse. The curve was such, and she was moving so quickly, that it looked like she was running up hill.

‘Boss?’ Kaneda subvocalised over the comms. She knew he was asking if she wanted him to take a shot.

‘Leave her, you’ve got nothing that’ll touch her,’ Miska subvocalised back. More’s the pity, she thought. Then she turned to Salik and pointed at the broken window. ‘Not armoured?’

‘This is the original building …’ he started and then changed tack. ‘There’s no point. They’d just shoot through the brickwork.’

‘Okay, obviously New Sun—’ Campbell started.

‘Shut up,’ Miska told him. The executive did as he was told. ‘I think you’ll find that New Sun no longer exists. Mars will already be shutting that company down to hide any links between this failed operation and themselves.’

‘Look, I don’t have to listen to this conspiracy theory nonsense from a proven war criminal.’ Campbell tried to stand up. Miska pushed him back down into the antique sofa. Campbell turned towards Salik. ‘I need some assurances for my safety here!’ he insisted.

Salik opened his hands questioningly and looked up at Miska.

‘You tell the truth and I promise you can leave this room alive, but then I suggest you start running,’ Miska told him.

‘Are you threatening me?’ Campbell demanded. He turned to Salik. ‘Do something!’

‘She’s not threatening you,’ Salik explained. ‘If New Sun is a Martian front, then I suspect you’re about to get your contract cancelled.’

Miska gestured towards Torricone with her thumb.

‘The head of my so-called “punishment squad”. He has been sequestered. That shouldn’t be difficult to prove. Again, New Sun and Triple S using highly illegal tech. As well as what’s in his head I’ve got eye witnesses, including one independent journalist—’ she pointed at Raff, who waved ‘—who can vouch for Torricone and the other members of his squad attacking me. And this is all your problem now,’ she told the room. She saw the grey-faced lady from the UN, Salik and Councillor Omiata exchange looks. Campbell was looking more and more frightened.

‘And this latest round of atrocities?’ the woman from the UN asked.

‘The same,’ Miska said. ‘False flag operations conducted by sequestered ex-legionnaires tricked into defecting by New Sun’s lies.’

‘That’s not true!’ Campbell protested.

Miska turned to him, smiling. More and more she was sure that it was Vido who’d had Hinton killed, the PR agency fire-bombed and the ‘journalists’’ tongues cut out. There was, however, only so much Campbell could say about this without incriminating New Sun for the things they had actually done.

‘Something to add?’ she asked. Campbell’s face was covered in sweat. His eyes were darting around as though looking for an escape route.

‘Why are we even talking about this?’ Campbell demanded. ‘She’s a slaver!’

‘Never denied it,’ Miska said. ‘Makes you wonder why I’d lie about other things, doesn’t it?’ This time Campbell chose, wisely, to remain quiet. ‘Have you got the facilities to check for sequestration on the station?’ she asked Salik. He nodded. Miska pointed at the UN conflict inspector. ‘Check the results, see if it looks like Martian tech to you.’ The grey-faced woman nodded. She still looked a little stunned. Catching Mars in the act was as bad, if not worse, than them getting away with it, diplomatically speaking. Nobody wanted a confrontation with Mars.

‘Then what do you want me to do with him?’ Salik asked over a private comms