“There’s a company warship above it. Two hundred armed soldiers, ready to repel anyone who goes near Zell.”
What was on such an obscure world that a company sent a warship to protect it? And she really hoped Norris wasn’t listening to this, couldn’t hear the words if he was.
“They’ll fire on this ship as soon as it gets close.”
It was a brazen idea, and it might just work. The Boost was a larger ship, but they wouldn’t expect an attack. Not out here on the edge of the legal zone. Especially not when they were exiting the Funnel.
A small ship could do a lot of damage before a larger one realized it was under attack. A larger one, though, even partially disabled, could then do a lot of damage once it retaliated. It was quite ingenious, really. Both ships would come out of the fight badly.
“We have to get out of here,” Alistair said. “I have a ship ready to rescue the settlement, but I have to call them.”
He shook the bars again.
Josune really hoped Norris was too busy with the Funnel to listen.
“Calm down,” she said. “We’ve hours before anything happens. We’re in the Funnel. No one will do anything until we come out of it.”
“Funnel?” He looked at her as if he didn’t know what she was talking about.
“I thought you lived here.”
“I do, but—” He stopped. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“How often have you done this trip?”
“It was a two-year contract.”
Twice. Once in, and once out. You had to use the Funnel. Two years, and if it was a contract, the company probably hadn’t explained it to him anyway. “What were you doing down there?” So far as she knew, there was nothing on Zell.
“Mining transurides.”
“Any success?” There must have been if a company warship was perched above them.
He winced. “Enough to make our bonus, which didn’t make the company happy.”
There had to be more to it than that. “Surely they would have just killed you, then.” That was how most companies would deal with it on a way-out world like this. The Justice Department wouldn’t interfere. Although, he was with the Justice Department.
“They tried.”
But something had happened, something that had brought a warship to protect the world, to hold fifty settlers there as prisoners—if that’s what this was about. Something Laughton wasn’t telling.
“I’d like to hear the story one day,” she said. “But right now let’s keep calm. Nothing will happen until the Boost comes out of the Funnel.” That would take four hours. Josune had never been sure which was worst: the jarring, shuddering of the forces of the Funnel that made you feel as if the ship was being pulled apart, or, once you were through, creeping around the Vortex, praying you didn’t get close enough for those same forces to grab your ship and drag you in.
She checked the time. If Laughton was right, then the Boost would be attacked as soon as it came out. Four hours to plan. “I don’t suppose you collected any tools in your trips to and from the torture room?”
“Sorry.”
A pity. Josune looked around the jail. Nothing, and no inspiration. “We need a guard.” It was their only hope. They’d have to take the guard’s blaster.
The shudder would ease as the ship exited the Funnel. “When we’re nearly out, we need to call a guard.”
“How?”
“Not sure.” Her gaze fell on Effie, cowering in the corner of the next cell. Could she get Effie to help? The guards would be more likely to come for her. She was easy to taunt, and by the sound of it, Norris was less likely to worry if they played with her. Or would they kill her?
She moved over to that side of the cell. “Effie.”
Effie had her hands over her ears and didn’t hear her.
Over the next three and a half hours she tried to call Effie several times, but the other prisoner either didn’t hear her or didn’t want to hear her.
“This isn’t going to work.”
Alistair shrugged.
“We need to get the guards. Start shouting.”
“Shouting?”
“Yes.” Josune wasn’t a screamer, so she yelled insults and sang. After a few minutes, Laughton joined in. Effie screamed at them to shut up—they’d bring the guards.
Josune was fine with that. It was what they wanted.
The guards, when they came, went to Effie’s cell first.
Of course.
Effie cowered at the back of her cage.
“Stupid guards. Don’t even know when someone is in trouble,” Josune yelled. She came close to the bars. “What’s wrong with you? Buckets for brains?” Rattled the bars, which made no sound. “No brains at all.” She made an obscene gesture.
What sort of insults would rile a soldier? She couldn’t think today.
“Gutless,” Laughton yelled beside her. “You’re scared of us.” He jeered, started yelping, and got down on all fours. “Less brain than a dog.”
That annoyed one of them, at least. He took out his blaster.
“Big boy,” Laughton jeered. “Go on, fire. Then explain to Captain Norris what you did. Go on.”
He tried to stick his head through the bars.
The guard came over, stuck his blaster in Alistair’s face. “You think I won’t?”
It was enough.
Josune grabbed his arm, turned his wrist, took the blaster off him as he screamed. Shot the other guard in one smooth movement.
“Thanks,” she said to Laughton.
“Can’t say it was fun.” He wiped sweat off his face. “I thought he would fire there for a moment.”
“You two are crazy.” Effie was as far from them as she could possibly get.
“Don’t move or I’ll shoot,” Josune told the guard whose weapon she’d taken.
“You can’t get out. It takes two people. You’ve just killed the other one.”
“I know,” she said. “Turn out your pockets.”
The ship rocked. Josune was familiar with the exit from the Funnel.
Two seconds later a klaxon warning sounded.
“Under attack,” blared from the speakers in the outer room. “All staff on duty report to positions.”
Laughton’s plan was underway.
“Not you,” Josune said as the guard edged toward the door.
“But I’m on duty.”
She fired at the door. He jumped back as if she’d burned him.
“Empty your pockets onto the floor. Here. In front of me.”
He did so.
The ship rocked again, and again in quick succession.
The loudspeaker blared instructions. Patient voices counting down.
Another plasma bolt rocked the ship. This time a grinding shriek flared through the ship. Four alarms went off. Then two more. The portside engine went dead.
They’d been hit.
Josune looked at the paltry collection in front of the guard. A knife. A consumer card, and two metal buttons.
“Give Laughton the knife. Don’t try anything funny, or I’ll kill you.” She’d risk electrocuting herself trying to open the lock, but it was all they had.
The door opened. Pol ran in, a weapon in her hand. Josune’s sparker. She tripped and almost fell as the ship rocked again. A waft of hot metal and burnt plastic came in with her.
Pol raised the weapon. Josune fired. Pol went down.
The sparker rolled across the floor, came to rest against the bars of Effie’s cell.
“Grab that tube for me,” Josune ordered Effie. Would she recognize it for what it was? Most people didn’t.
Effie stared at her wide-eyed.
“Do it, or I’ll kill you.” She turned her blaster on Effie.
Effie snatched it
up.
“Hand it over.”
The guard seized his chance, ran out the door. Josune let him go. It didn’t matter.
“Now.”
Effie dropped it into their cell.
The ship tilted. Rolled. Josune dived for the sparker, snatched it as it was about to roll away. Properly armed once more, and it felt good.
“We haven’t got anyone to open the door now,” Laughton said.
But she had something that would short it out.
Josune looked at the door. “Where do you think the circuits are?” She tested each bar, as she had the day earlier. No, none of them felt warmer.
“What are you doing?” Laughton asked.
“Trying to find where the electricity runs to this door.”
“Two bars down. It comes around and goes into the wall back here.” He touched something near his shoulder. “There’s a junction here.”
She looked at him. Was he serious? Or was he making it up? “That’s interesting knowledge?” She made it a question.
“Wires are hotter,” Laughton said.
She didn’t have anywhere else to start. “You’d better be right.” If he wasn’t, she’d probably electrocute them all. “Stand back, both of you.”
Laughton stood back. Effie didn’t move.
“You, too, Effie,” Josune said. “As far back as you can go.”
Effie backed away.
Josune aimed the sparker for the bars Laughton had indicated. Voltage arced out. The current surged along the bars, heating so red even Josune could see it.
Bull’s-eye.
Thank goodness Nika hadn’t put another bio-connection into her eye, even though they’d talked about it. Nika hadn’t felt it was safe. Josune was sure, if they had, she’d be experiencing headaches right about now.
She pushed against the door. The electronics were dead. The handle was too hot to touch. “Where’s that knife the guard gave you?”
Laughton handed it over. “You’re quite something.”
She took it as a compliment, even if he hadn’t meant it that way.
She used the knife to push the handle down to open the door.
“Stand back,” she ordered Effie. No one would think of a prisoner in a cell in a battle situation. If anything happened, no one would come for Effie.
“You’re crazy,” but Effie got as far away from Josune and her sparker as she could.
“Where’s the current?” Shooting the door mechanism would just damage the door. She had to stop the current getting to the door.
Laughton showed her the bars.
She raised the sparker, fired. Voltage arced again, and the bars ran red-hot. “You really do know—”
The jail door burst open. Josune swung around.
“Don’t shoot, Josune.” Snow. And a deeper, older voice. “Medical.” A stretcher came through first.
“No one’s shooting,” said the deeper voice. “Don’t know what you were worried about, Snow.”
The speaker entered. He was an older man, as big as Laughton, with dark hair and a modder’s body. Snow followed.
“That’s what I was worried about,” Snow said, looking at the sparker. “We couldn’t get any weapons.” He handed Josune a tool bag. “But we got some tools.”
Josune clipped the bag around her waist. “For a modder, Snow, you are a great fighter.” Dressed, finally. She felt as if she could take on the ship. “Let’s get out of here.”
“We heard one of you had been tortured,” the older man said. Gramps, she presumed.
“I can run,” Laughton said. “Provided it’s not too long or too far.”
“Take this.” Gramps handed Laughton a pill. “It’s what we give our mercs when they are too injured to fight. Numbs everything. Nerveseal for the innards.”
“Let’s take the stretcher anyway,” Josune said. “It’s a good disguise.” Escape pods or shuttle? They’d need permission to use the shuttle. Pods, she decided. Anyone could use them. They were designed for emergency exits from the ship. “Where are the nearest escape pods? And does anyone have a working link?”
“I do,” Gramps said. “But Norris will hear everything you say.”
Maybe later, then. “Can you use it once you’re in an emergency pod?”
“I presume so. I’ve never had to try before.”
Gramps’s link beeped. He answered it. “Hospital.”
“Two dead on port engine. Four injured.”
“Send them down.” He looked at the stretcher. “I should—”
“Norris will kill you,” Snow said. “He said he would.”
If Snow escaped and Gramps stayed, Norris might not kill Gramps, but he’d certainly make him pay. “You’ll only ever have one chance to escape,” Josune said.
“Please,” Snow begged. “Please, Gramps.”
“I would like to see my boy fulfill his potential.”
“Where are the nearest escape pods?”
“Portside.”
Josune turned back to the cells, to Effie’s door. The lock was still hot. She kicked the door open. “Come on, Effie.”
Effie shook her head, backed as far away from them as possible. “Nobody escapes the Boost. Ever.”
“But we’re about to.” If they could get the stubborn woman to move.
Effie seemed to be trying to shake her head off. “He’ll kill me slowly and make an example of me. Everyone will come to hear me scream.”
“Isn’t it better—”
Gramps touched Josune’s shoulder. “She’s right. If Norris does catch her, he will make an example of her. And every second we delay here makes it more likely we’ll be caught. Come on.”
“But—”
“Zef will tell his boss about the escape. Norris will come and check soon. If we don’t go now, we’ll never escape.”
Josune looked back at Effie one more time, then turned away.
“Come on.” Snow gestured impatiently from the end of the corridor.
Josune started to run.
* * *
• • •
The emergency pods on the Boost were actual lifeboats, able to hold twenty people for a maximum of three days. Josune would have preferred individual pods that could carry their cargo of one person for a hundred days. She set the controls to head back toward the Funnel and prayed the crew of Another Road would find them in time.
“Belt up.” She glanced back toward the cells once more. Maybe Effie had changed her mind.
She hadn’t.
Josune closed the airlock and set for auto-exit.
The pod fell away from the ship. Just them, and space.
And one rather noisy life-support system. Whoever had done maintenance on these lifeboats should be forced to scrub the decks by hand. Or take each pod’s life support apart and put it back together again until they could do it in their sleep. She hoped it was spaceworthy.
28
NIKA RIK TERRI
Roystan had stabilized. Finally. All Nika wanted to do was fall onto a bed and sleep. But not until she was sure the stabilization was permanent and he wouldn’t regress again.
Jacques handed her a glass of water. “You need to drink more. You need to eat. If you collapse, we won’t be able to fix Roystan.”
She drank the water in two gulps and moved over to get more. “I don’t have many clients who take so much effort that I forget.”
“Yes, Roystan. He is a handful.” Jacques sounded fond and despairing at the same time.
Nika smiled down at the Giwari. The Songyan—combined with their whole supply of dellarine—had done its job. “An amazing machine, this. It’s so sensitive. The mods it can do.”
What must it be like to have been Gino Giwari, who’d taken a chance and bought the first model. No wonder he’d delved so de
eply into the DNA. Because he could. Because only the Songyan could do it and make it work.
To do it in the era of Roy Goberling as well, and to believe that transurides would soon be plentiful and relatively inexpensive. He’d dared to dream, dared to experiment, which was why his work with transurides was so groundbreaking.
“I’m so hungry, I could even eat garfungi stew.”
“Garfungi is not for you. I am not wasting it.”
“Don’t worry, Jacques. I’m not that desperate. Yet. How’s Carlos?”
Jacques spread his arms wide. “We’re all going to die, he says.”
She’d left Carlos some time ago, swearing at the Vortex, creeping down the Funnel at minimum speed. If Josune and Snow needed rescuing, it wasn’t going to be instant, for the Boost was nowhere in range.
Carlos believed the Vortex would suck them all in.
She could still hear him, only he wasn’t swearing anymore. He was praying aloud, to any and every god who would listen.
Jacques stared down at the Giwari. “I would hate for him to die without coming out of that box.”
“Me too, Jacques. Me too.” If this was true stabilization, he would be out soon, but she didn’t tell Jacques that. In case she was wrong.
“He’s so still.”
“We want him still. If he’s moving around, I’d be worried.”
Roystan’s hand twitched.
Jacques jumped.
“That’s normal.” At least he hadn’t been here earlier, when Roystan’s whole body had struggled against the repairs. The twitches were involuntary reactions, but if you weren’t used to them, they could be scary. It was a common joke that lecturers played on new modding students when they entered university. Watch the body twitch, see which students tried to rescue the person inside the machine. Nika had known about the twitch long before she’d gone to university. Snow probably had, too, since he’d spent most of his life in a mercenary-ship hospital.
They stayed in silence for a while. Nika watched the settings.
“He’ll be hungry when he comes out.” It was true: a good mod nurtured the body, but it left the stomach empty. Everyone was hungry when they came out of the genemod machine. But Nika really wanted Jacques out of the studio. Roystan needed to be alone when he came out, not surrounded by anyone except modders, and maybe Josune.
Stars Beyond Page 28
