It was ridiculous.

After talking to all the men involved, and watching the little footage that had been caught, he had come to an unequivocal conclusion.

Such a level of incompetence was inexcusable.

How could a lone woman just walk into an Imperial building, then walk back out with a prisoner without being seen—let alone caught?

Granted, it was not technically an Imperial building. But there had been enough soldiers there to make no difference. Except, of course, they had not been there. And why was that? Why had the cages not been under constant watch?

The testimony of the other prisoners had only angered him further. His was a simmering kind of fury, the kind that threatened to burst given the right amount of provocation.

The man that stood before him might have sensed this as he stammered, trying his hardest not to make the fuse blow.

“I don’t know, Sir... We got called away.”

Bregg did not buy that. More likely, he and his friend had gone out for a smoke. Or to look at the pretty girls that worked on the other side of the building. He’d found many of the soldiers there, gaping at the women as they walked by. Had they no sense of propriety?

He snorted. Of course not. These men were young and had never known war. All they knew were boring postings on remote planets. Could he blame them?

Yes, he could. Because they should have known better. They had been trained, had they not?

“Is this what they’ve taught you at the Academy, Private?”

The man swallowed.

“Sir?”

“If you are to leave your post, you should, at the very least, ensure that your replacements have arrived. Did you do this?”

“N-n-no, Sir. I... uhm... I’m sorry, Sir. We did not think there... there’d be much risk... with so many, uhm, so many of us...”

“Yes, soldier, you did not think. That’s the most acute statement you’ve made today. You and your friend are to report to your commanding officer immediately. You will be transferred to new postings where, perhaps, you will learn a thing or two about honor and dedication. Now, get out of my sight!”

The man did not need to be told twice. After giving the Colonel a quick salute, he turned and scurried off.

Bregg sat back in his chair and sighed.

He stared at the holofiles spread on the desk before him. There was very little information about the woman, but the man was a well-known delinquent. He’d been involved in smuggling, counterfeiting, and even larceny. It wouldn’t have surprised Bregg if the man had also dabbled in piracy.

What he did not understand was how these two were connected. Why had the woman released him? The cameras had caught a lengthy exchange between them, though no sound had been recorded.

He clenched his fists as his anger flared again at the thought of just how much time went by without anyone coming to check on the prisoners.

Well, at least he had names, now.

Names and faces.

He stared a long time at the two of them, memorizing every feature, every expression, every dimple.

This Kaine fellow had been caught red-handed as he’d tried to sell some unauthorized alcohol at the local market. The man’s ship had been seized, and a large stash of the illicit beverage found aboard. There were many outstanding warrants for his arrest, but this had been the cherry on top.

Standing, Bregg gathered all the files and stuffed them into a metallic folder that could be reduced to the size of a small stone and slid into a special compartment on his belt.

He then walked straight for the door.

Outside, a shuttle waited for him.

He glanced at the two men Thiari had sent to assist him, and a small smile crept over his lips.

Of course, he’d known she’d agree. How could she have not?

Not only was it a sound political move for her—that would gain her respect and recognition—but it was one she could not afford not to make. Not with all the dirt he had on her. The number of secrets he’d uncovered had startled her. She had quite a few, that one.

Then again, so did he.

And everyone else in the Imperium, most likely.

He stepped into the shuttle, followed by the two men who shut the door behind them.

The one on the right turned to face him.

“Did you get all the information you wanted?”

Bregg thought about that for a moment.

“No, I can’t say that I did. But it will have to do for now.”

“What next?” asked the other.

The three of them sat as the shuttle took off.

“Now we go back to my ship.” The Colonel tapped on his wristpad and stared at the displayed data with a small smile. “And we follow the trail.”

“There’s a trail?”

Bregg nodded and pointed toward the sky.

“In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s a battle raging up there. Among those ships are Imperial vessels. And even though no one noticed our target flying through, the ships caught them on camera. Technology is a wonderful thing, don’t you think?”

“Still,” said the first man, “that was hours ago. And if they jumped—”

“They did,” said Bregg. “But jumps leave a trace, if you know where to look, and what to look for.”

His gaze wandered to the window, and he watched as they rushed back to his ship.

Val could run as far as she wanted, but she could not escape.

Sooner or later, he would catch her.

Because if there was one thing Bregg did well, it was to hunt down prey.

He was relentless and he never gave up.