Time Bomb

by R. M. Olson

  “Masha,” said Lev patiently. “This wasn’t Jez’s fault. She was back in the parts shop when all this happened.”

  “And what did they want?” Masha asked, with no noticeable thawing in her tone. Lev hesitated.

  “They—wanted to know if I knew Jez,” he said at last.

  Jez shrugged. “Not my fault people are looking for me. I mean, Ysbel here can’t seem to keep her hands off me, and she’s married.” She smirked at the others. Lev put his face in his hands, Ysbel sighed heavily, and Tae shook his head.

  Masha eyed the pilot speculatively. “We unfortunately can’t change whatever it is you did before you came here—”

  “You know damn well what I did before I came here, you bastard,” said Jez, still grinning. “If you didn’t want a smuggler in your crew, you shouldn’t have recruited a damn smuggler into your crew.”

  “I have no problem with having a smuggler in my crew,” said Masha, in that pleasant voice. “However, having someone in my crew who is irresponsible and reckless enough that she puts every other member of my crew at risk—that’s where I begin to draw a line.”

  “Listen, you dirty—”

  Masha held up a hand. “For once, Jez, I believe that your actions today didn’t directly cause this. But you could have called for the rest of us to come help, and I believe we could have extracted Lev with much less notice.”

  “Someone was going to hit him in the face with their damn pistol butt when I came in,” Jez said through gritted teeth, and Tae raised an eyebrow. Jez wasn’t usually that upset when someone was going to get hit in the face.

  Perhaps Lev’s crush wasn’t entirely one-sided.

  “I understand that. However, now there’s an entire zestava who knows who we are. I can’t imagine there are many ships like the Ungovernable in the system. It won’t take people long to start putting things together. If it was just Vitali after us, that would be bad enough. But now that we’ve broken two thousand people out of prison? The four of you are very talented, true, but the fact remains that there are only four of you.” She paused and looked around at them, and Tae could see the slight strain-lines behind her mild expression.

  He frowned.

  It took a lot to worry Masha. But she was clearly worried.

  “There was someone in the prison looking for you, Jez. They managed to tag your prison file, which should have been impossible. I’ve spent the last four days going back through every piece of information we have to figure out who it was and what they wanted.”

  She sighed, and took a seat in one of the padded chairs. “I was hoping to have this discussion this afternoon, when we’d finished picking up supplies. But I suppose now is as good a time as any.” She pulled a small chip out of her pocket and tossed it to Tae. He caught it, frowning.

  “Open it,” she said. He slipped it into his com and brought up his holoscreen, glancing quickly through the lines of code.

  Something cold stirred in his chest. He glanced up at Masha, and she nodded slightly.

  “What is it?” asked Lev.

  “Smuggler tech,” he said quietly. “Someone managed to install some sort of smuggler tech on this ship. They’ve been tracking us.”

  “Yes,” said Masha quietly in the silence. “Since we left the prison planet, I believe. I doubt the ships that attacked us yesterday were random. And someone must have guessed we’d land on this zestava for supplies. They have a tag on each of us, not just Jez. If they knew Jez was alive, it wouldn’t have been difficult to figure out who the rest of the crew might have been. But, as Tae noted, there was a date on Jez’s file, what appeared to be an internal note that wasn’t completely scrubbed. There were dates next to each of your names as well. I was not able to ascertain what the dates might refer to, and there’s a range on them of over thirty years. I’ve sent them to your coms. Let me know if you think of anything important. I don’t know if it will be helpful, but I’d always prefer to go into a situation with as much information as possible.”

  Tae looked up, stomach tight with worry. “That’s not all,” he said grimly. “Here Lev, let me send this to your com. You should take a look at it.”

  Maybe he was wrong. Maybe Lev would take a look and tell him he was wrong.

  He glanced over at Jez, leaned up against the wall. Her bruised face was tight with pain, even though she was clearly trying to hide it, but there was something sharp and reckless in her expression.

  Masha had mentioned the tag on Jez’s prison file to him, and he’d spent the last four days trying to figure out how whoever it was had tagged her. It wasn’t impossible—he could have done it himself in thirty seconds. But you wouldn’t be able to tag someone like that unless you knew they were there, and there was no reason anyone should have known Jez was there.

  But … that alleyway, what felt like at least a lifetime ago, back on Parasvishoni. He was pretty certain he knew now who the people who’d jumped Jez were. He hadn’t even bothered to ask at the time—for someone like Jez, there were probably half a hundred people who would have wanted to jump her in an alley. But looking at the long list of code on the chip Masha had given him had brought a name back to his mind.

  Lev looked up. His face was grave.

  “Lena,” he said.

  Tae closed his eyes for a moment.

  He’d really, really been hoping he was wrong.

  Why was he never wrong when he wanted to be?

  He took a deep breath, and nodded. “I checked the specs. As far as I know, her smuggling crew is the only one who fits. I’m no smuggler, but when you’re on the streets, you hear things. Her crew’s call-signs are pretty unique.”

  Lev raised an eyebrow wryly. “I’m something of an expert on Lena’s crew, for reasons much too long to get into. I’m certain it’s her.”

  Tae glanced back at Jez. Her eyes were narrowed, and there was the beginnings of a grin on her face that probably meant really bad news.

  “Well,” she said in a thoughtful voice, leaning back against the wall. “Lena. Been a long time since I saw her.”

  “Jez,” said Lev, his voice serious, “why is she after you?”

  Jez sat up slightly, shrugged, winced, and swore. “Let’s see. I mouthed off to her a few times. Alright, a lot of times. And then I pulled a job for her that she’d tried to turn into a setup, and I got out. And then I stole her ship. It was a really nice ship. And I also stole some of the cargo she took.” She grinned, a look of faint nostalgia on her face. “And, I put wall spikes through the thrusters on every single one of the rest of her ships.” She paused. “And, she might not have been too happy that the last time she sent Antoni to kill me, you and Tae got the jump on him with a heat pistol and Ysbel threatened to blow him up. Probably a bit of a sore spot, if I’m being honest.”

  Tae stared at her with a mixture of horror and disbelief. Lev’s face echoed his.

  “Jez,” said Lev carefully. “You’re exaggerating, right? You didn’t actually do all that to Lena?”

  She grinned at him jauntily. “Yep, sure did. Probably a few other things that I forgot, too.”

  “You—how did she not kill you? This is Lena we’re talking about!”

  Jez shrugged. “Hard to kill someone when you can’t catch them.”

  Tae and Lev exchanged glances. Lev seemed to have been struck speechless for once, and Tae couldn’t blame him.

  Lena had a reputation. Her crew had a reputation. And the reputation was, you get on Lena’s bad side, you might as well start planning your funeral. He knew Jez had flown for Lena once, but he’d assumed they’d mutually agreed to part, mostly because he couldn’t imagine Jez following anyone’s orders for more than about three days, and he also couldn’t imagine someone like Lena putting up with Jez’s mouth for more than about three days.

  He glanced back at the pilot, and shook his head ruefully.

  He’d spent the last several weeks with Jez. He should have known it would never have been that simple.

  Still �
��

  This wasn’t good news.

  Behind him, Ysbel was trying to hide a chuckle. Lev glared at her.

  “You think this is funny?”

  Ysbel shrugged, clearly trying to keep a straight face. “No. Not really. But I think Lena probably had no idea what she was getting into when she decided to go up against our pilot.”

  “I think that’s true of everyone who meets Jez,” Tae muttered, and this time Ysbel did crack up. Jez gave the room a smug look.

  “Can’t say I’m not good at what I do.”

  “Jez, this is not something to be proud of!” said Lev in a strangled tone. “I have no idea how Lena tracked you down, but this is not a good thing!”

  She shrugged again. “Took her four years to catch up to me last time. I figure with this sweet, sweet angel I’m flying, it’ll take her longer this time.”

  At last Masha stood. There was something in her posture that made Tae look up quickly, and then there was something in her expression that made his stomach drop.

  Masha walked slowly over to where Jez sat against the wall. She studied her for a moment, something calculating in her expression, then she crouched down in front of the pilot.

  “Jez. Lena is a problem we can’t afford right now. That means the only way we stay alive is by staying off the radar. And I’ve come to the reluctant conclusion that that is something that you are currently incapable of. And so, Jez, you are confined to the ship for the foreseeable future. You will pilot the ship as I direct, and you will do absolutely nothing to attract attention.”

  For a moment, no one spoke. Tae held his breath, tensed to jump forward and grab Jez’s fist when she inevitably went for Masha.

  But Jez just leaned her head back against the wall, eyes half-closed, a small smile on her face.

  He frowned, and something chilled inside him.

  Whatever came out of Jez’s mouth next, there’d be no taking it back.

  “Well, Masha,” said Jez at last, not opening her eyes. “I figured this was coming, one way or another. I could swear at you, you dirty bastard, but you already know what I’m going to say. So. We’ll do a nice long hyperdrive jump, find a safe planet. And you and whoever wants to stay with you can get off. I’ll keep the Ungovernable, you can have the credits. You’re the one who stole them, and there’s plenty there for you to get a decent ship.” She paused, and there was total silence across the deck.

  Tae couldn’t breathe.

  Jez shifted, sitting up slightly. “See, you don’t actually give a damn. We’re just a sharp set of tools for you to use. You wanted someone to fly your ship and take your damn orders—well, I’ve never been too good at taking orders. So you take whoever wants to come with you. I’ll drop Ysbel and Tanya and the kids off on their planet if they want. And then—” she gave a sharp grin. “I’m going to raise absolute hell, all through the system, for as long as I can until someone shoots me down. And every time they try, I’m going to give you the finger, Masha. Because of all the bastards I’ve worked with, and I’ve worked with a few, you’re the biggest damn piece of work I’ve ever met.”

  For a long moment, no one spoke. Tae felt like someone had punched him in the stomach, and he was still trying to catch his breath.

  He couldn’t look at Jez.

  He couldn’t blame her, really. Maybe if he was in her place, he’d have done the same thing. But …

  But for just a few weeks, he’d thought he could trust them. He’d thought they might actually go back. That they might actually be able to help the street kids—his friends—he’d left behind. That it might be as important to them as it was to him.

  He should have plaguing well known better. He’d thought he’d learned his lesson when he got thrown in jail, back on Prasvishoni, when he’d turned himself in because not turning himself in would mean the police burning out the street-kid gangs until they found him, who cared how many they left dead.

  It was just like it always was. Like it always had been. You start with a dream, but then you find out that it costs a hell of a lot more than anyone is willing to pay. And then you’re back to fighting for your next meal and trying to keep away from the police, or whoever it is that wants to kill you. Just keeping alive, that’s all it ever was.

  He shook his head, with a small, bitter smile. The anger was a sick knot in his stomach.

  Then again, he’d always been stupid.

  Masha was watching Jez. She didn’t look as surprised as he’d expected. But of course she wasn’t surprised. It was always going to end like this, because Jez was never going to follow orders, and Masha was never going to stop giving them. She probably knew it from the moment she met Jez, and she probably already had a contingency plan in place.

  “I see,” Masha said, after a moment. Her voice had returned to its usual pleasant, businesslike tone. “I suppose that’s that. You will not be keeping the Ungovernable, Jez, but you will get exactly what you contracted with me for—credits, and a ship of your own. You can pick the one you want, I’m certain we have enough credits to pay for it.” She stood and glanced around. “As for the rest of you, if you stay with me, I will have plenty to keep you busy. Including you, Ysbel, if you choose. Although if any of you would like to ‘raise absolute hell until someone shoots you down,’” she turned a cutting glance at Jez, “you are, of course, more than welcome to go with our pilot.” She paused. “I will tell you, though—there is more behind what we are doing than just staying one step ahead of our bad debts.” She looked down at Jez with a thoughtful expression. “Jez. I suggest we plan on docking tomorrow morning.”

  Jez nodded, without speaking. Tae watched her. Even through the despair and anger thickening in his chest, he could see the stricken look behind her carefree expression.

  She’d been the one to pull the trigger. But Masha had handed her the gun.

  He glanced around the room quickly. Ysbel still wore her usual stoic expression, but there was something in her eyes—pain? Hope? He couldn’t tell.

  Lev looked slightly sick.

  Tae stood restlessly.

  He had no idea what he was going to do. And it didn’t matter. Jez, Masha, Lev, Ysbel—they might have grand dreams, but in the end, they were just like him—a bunch of starving outcasts, trying to grasp at the fringes of something, scrabbling to get by. No time for causes, or dreams, or friendship, or loyalty, or anything else.

  He turned quickly and left the room. He was choking back a lump in his throat, and no one on the damn ship needed to see that.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “So, my heart,” said Tanya quietly, once they were back in their cabin. “We’re going home.”

  Ysbel nodded. She still didn’t trust herself to speak.

  This was what she’d wanted, of course. This was everything she’d ever wanted—Tanya, Olya, Misko. They could go back home. And one day, she’d stop feeling sick when she looked at her wife and remembered everything that had happened to her. One day she’d look at Olya and Misko and feel only happiness, not happiness mixed with a stabbing pain. One day …

  “Are you alright, Ysi?”

  “Yes. I’m fine.” The words almost choked her on the way out. Tanya drew back and studied her.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing,” she said, forcing her voice to remain level. “Nothing is wrong. This is what I wanted. What we both wanted.”

  Tanya was still studying her, that familiar face more lined than Ysbel remembered it, each line tracking a joy or pain or grief that Ysbel would never know.

  “You are going to miss them, aren’t you?” Tanya asked quietly. Ysbel tried to smile.

  “I’ve been trying to get rid of that pilot since I met her.”

  Tanya smiled in return, that wistful smile of hers. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry. Please,” said Ysbel. “This is what I wanted, and I would give up everything in this world for you and the children.”

  “I know,” Tanya whispered. “I wish you did
n’t have to.”

  “It’s better this way,” said Ysbel. “We need to be on our own again, I think. We need to be a family again.”

  Tanya nodded, her head against Ysbel’s shoulder, and Ysbel blinked back tears.

  Damn everything. Damn Masha’s stubbornness, and Jez’s attitude, and the whole system.

  “Ysbel?” Lev’s voice came through her earpiece, and she jumped. Tanya pulled back again, looking at her questioningly.

  “My com,” she said apologetically, and tapped her wrist. “What do you need?”

  “Ysbel.” Lev paused. There was something strange in his voice. “I … there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while now. I thought I’d better do it now, while I have the chance.”

  She frowned. “Alright.”

  He paused again. “Would you mind coming somewhere where we can talk?”

  “Of course,” she said. “I will meet you on the main deck. It should be empty now.”

  “Yes,” he said quietly. “I believe it is.”

  Tanya was still watching her. She tapped off her com. “It’s Lev. He wants to talk to me.”

  “About what?” asked Tanya. Ysbel shrugged.

  “I have no idea. I never know what that boy is thinking.” She paused. “But he’s a good man. If it hadn’t been for him—” she had to stop speaking for a moment. Tanya smiled fondly.

  “I know,” she said. “I won’t ever forget him either.”

  “I don’t think it will take long. Is everything mostly packed?”

  Tanya shot her a wry look. “Yes, considering that the only things any of us own at the moment are what we’re wearing, we are packed.”

  “We do have plenty of weapons, though.”

  Tanya gave a soft laugh. “Yes. We do. I don’t think I would recognize you if you weren’t surrounded by explosives, my heart.”

  Ysbel kissed her wife on the forehead and slipped out the door. Once outside, she paused for a moment, leaning against the wall.

  This was maybe the stupidest thing she’d ever experienced.