Page 33 of Zirkov

Zirkov pounded on the desk, sending a glass of water jumping into the air. “I’m acutely aware of everything involving her! Maggie has no reason to help the og’dals. No human does.”

“Except the Brotherhood.”

Zirkov’s anger waned. “Yes, they do, don’t they? Just because the Coalition is gone, doesn’t mean the Brotherhood isn’t thriving and looking for ways to increase their power base. Og’dals have access to advanced technology that would give the Brotherhood an advantage. Blasters instead of guns, for one.”

“Comms for instant communication,” Konnitch added. “Drugs and poisons the humans don’t have or know how to combat. There’s a long list of ways the og’dals could help the Brotherhood.”

“And the Brotherhood can help the og’dals. Sounds like you have work to keep our new marshal busy after all.”

“I’ll grab Stenikov and visit a few Brotherhood strongholds.”

“Check in with me when you find something. But don’t take long. Earth Intelligence suspects a mole. Once they realize Magdalena’s involved, they’ll arrest her.”

“Then get in her bed while you can,” Konnitch said lifting both brows. “Then you’ll be justified taking her off Earth if it comes to that.”

“Stop inferring Maggie’s my female.”

“Stop fighting the truth.”

Zirkov’s eyes hardened. “I’ll never know the truth. The damage is permanent.”

“Physiology isn’t everything. I resisted the signs with Kaci until I lost her. Sometimes the woman we think is wrong turns out to be what we need, but we can’t see it because we let our pasts get in the way.”

“We are not discussing my personal life. If we’re going to help Magdalena—”

“It’s Maggie,” Konnitch corrected him.

“You’re trying to aggravate me. Why?”

“Because the more steam you blow off with me, the better focused you’ll be to handle this situation with Maggie.”

“And why do you get to call her Magdalena without her getting upset? I’ve seen her ignore you every time, but with me, she gets angry and insists I call her Maggie or Marshal.”

Konnitch grinned. “I’m handsome, well-liked, and taken.”

“Then let Kaci take you… far from me. Leave.”

Konnitch snapped his hand to his forehead and mocked Zirkov with what the humans called a salute.

“Leave. Now. Bring me back something useful for once.”

As soon as Konnitch left, Zirkov kicked the garbage can across the room. If he couldn’t convince his closest friend that Maggie was innocent, then how would he prove her innocence to the humans?

“Whatever it is that has you upset is no reason to abuse the poor wastebasket,” Maggie said from the doorway.

Zirkov spun toward her. “What did you hear?”

“Hello to you, too, Z. Nice weather we’re having.”

“Magdalena…” She strolled into his office, carrying a leather-bound book and sporting a confident smile.

“It’s Maggie, Commander. Or weren’t you listening to Konnitch?” Even in the dim office lighting, her hair, thick and soft, shone as if it reflected Earth’s sun. He tried to peer beneath her blazer to see if she was armed, but he never made it past her lovely breasts.

“Something on me?” she asked, looking down at her plain, white shirt.

“How long have you been spying outside my door?”

“Should I have barged in here during your meeting?”

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