Page 26 of Grulen

“I concur,” said Tolvex who turned to look at Wurvez.“We’re still working to pare down our list of suspects to identify the traitor.It’s going slowly.”

“How is Nerid Mantoor?”

“Ash’n has been keeping him sedated.The traitor using an implant to brainwash Mantoor made his mind delicate.He has no recollection of attacking me.”Durek’s growl rumbled low.“We hope the mind healers on Costonia will be able to help him recover.”

“Brainwash?”Grulen asked.

“I’ll explain later,” said Wurvez.

“Anything else?”Durek said.

“No.Only that we may not check in when we’re close to Praxis, depending on how long the freighter remains there.I’m not sure what capabilities the Zuvgran have to catch transmissions near one of their worlds.”Wurvez’s eyes hardened.“We’re too close to potential answers, and I don’t want to inadvertently give away our position.”

Durek’s facial scar whitened.

“I don’t like you going dark.”

“It probably won’t be for long.”

“Report no later than three days from now, even if you have to break off from your surveillance temporarily.”

Wurvez sighed.“As you command.”

Hopefully, we’ll have something good to report soon.

“The fourth stripped world in three days.Why wouldn’t the Zuvgran have their labs on the worlds where they live?Wouldn’t it be easier to keep them safe and supplied?”Grulen listened to Wurvez grumble as they watched the Frezzian freighter skim low over the planet’s surface and drop crates.Grulen made notations in their computer for the coordinates and everything they observed.

“I don’t know.It doesn’t make sense.”

Wurvez sat back, and his tail swayed slowly.He extended his claws and lightly tapped the console.

“Secret labs.Stripped worlds.No outside contact.”His eyes widened.“I think it’s because they’re working with biologics.If the scientists make an error and a virus gets loose, an unoccupied planet is easier to contain or destroy.Zuvgran deaths would be limited to those already on the surface.”

Nodding, Grulen said, “Now that makes sense to me.”I can see why he is such a good tactical officer.

“Looks like they’re changing direction.I wish I could get into their database.”

Grulen tapped the console and entered a heading to follow the freighter.Frowning, he looked at the projected course.

“They appear to be flying toward the asteroid field near Millus.”

An angry rumble emanated from Wurvez’s chest and his jaw hardened.

“That’s much too close to Costonia.”The tails of both males flicked in hard movements.His jaw hardened.“Send an encrypted message to theInvictuswith everything we’ve discovered so far and our heading.We’ll wait until we know exactly where the next lab is before we check in.”

Grulen grunted.“There are solar flares in the Lestanus system.The message may not make it through intact or at all.”

“Crek.We’ll have to try again later.Increase speed to get closer to the freighter.I don’t want to lose them in the asteroid field.We need to know if there’s a lab close to the home world.”

“As you command.”

After maneuvering through the asteroid field the next day, Grulen and Wurvez watched as theSept Reserveconducted their low altitude run and dropped crates in the ruins of an ancient gladiator pit on Millus.Numerous Zuvgran appeared as soon as the freighter left the atmosphere.

“Scans show a Svesti speedster approaching the planet.”

“How far out is it?”Wurvez asked.

“A little over two hours at their present speed.”

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