Federal Battalion headquarters, Velmar base
“Every one?”
“I’m afraid so, admiral,” General Vaas said. “All the Juggernaut prisoners were shot yesterday by two DocSec battalions: the 154th and 352nd.”
“What animal would do such a thing?” Jaruzelska whispered, her face twisted into a mask of pain. Vaas thought the woman had aged ten years in as many seconds.
“Jeremiah Polk.”
“Why didn’t we know?”
“I can’t answer that, but I will find out. And we will find out the names of the DocSec troopers involved, and when we do, we will hunt them down, every last one.”
“I hope so. And thanks for telling me.”
“As the ranking Fed officer on Commitment, I thought you should know first.”
“Me, the ranking Fed officer on Commitment?” Jaruzelska said with a twisted smile of pain and loss. “Not anymore, General. I’m just a trooper now.”
“Ah, yes, you’re right.” Vaas thought for a moment. “Perhaps I should put a comm through to Colonel Helfort.”
“No, let me talk to her. She should brief the battalion. If you could sit on this until then, that’d be good.”
“We will.”