Chasing the Stars

by Malorie Blackman

  ‘I don’t understand,’ said Mum to no one in particular as Vee left. ‘That override code should’ve worked.’

  ‘After the rest of our crew died of the mystery virus, Vee extensively modified this ship, including the computer,’ said Aidan. ‘She put new protocols in place to make sure that no one but her and me could ever run this ship. It was a precaution to stop others – coming from any direction – from trying to take our ship or from turning it against us.’

  ‘Aidan, you don’t understand. We need to get to Mendela Prime, regroup and warn others about the Mazon threat,’ said Mum.

  ‘Then maybe you should’ve led with that, Mum,’ I said, still furious with her. ‘Instead of trying to take Vee’s ship away from her when you’ve only been on board for a few minutes. Apart from anything else, that was plain rude. Why didn’t you just tell her the truth? The whole truth?’

  ‘As Commander of this colony, I have to do everything in my power, no matter how distasteful, to ensure our survival,’ Mum tried to defend the indefensible. ‘The Mazon threat—’

  ‘As far as my sister is concerned, you and your friends pose the bigger threat at the moment,’ Aidan interrupted. ‘So accept the fact that you’re going to be dropped off asap. Now if you’d all like to line up, I will scan you and assign you to your quarters on the mid deck.’

  ‘And if we refuse to be scanned?’ asked Mum.

  ‘Then you won’t be able to use any of the ship’s facilities,’ said Aidan. ‘And that includes obtaining food and clothes from the utility dispensers. You won’t be able to enter the medical bay or the hydroponics bay which are both on the mid deck. You won’t have access to the science or astrophysics labs on this deck. You won’t get sleeping quarters assigned so you’ll all end up sleeping in the corridors or the cargo hold. You will not be able to—’

  ‘All right! We get it,’ Mum said tersely.

  ‘Ready?’ Aidan asked evenly. And as far as he was concerned, that was the end of the discussion.

  As for me, I wanted to run after Vee and apologize until my voice was hoarse. Mum should’ve just told her and her brother the truth. I headed over to Aidan to be first in the queue as no one else was showing any inclination to move.

  ‘I know you have no reason to believe this, but we’re not your enemy,’ I told him.

  ‘Didn’t your commander state that actions speak louder than words?’ said Aidan. ‘Look at the panel over there face on.’ He indicated the screen to his right. ‘Then turn to give a left and right profile please.’

  I did as directed, saying, ‘Yes, Mum did say that, about proving to the Mazon that we weren’t a threat. So?’

  ‘Could you place both hands on this panel now?’

  I placed my hands on the panel before him. A light shone beneath my hands followed by a sudden, almost painful warmth. My fingerprints, a palm print and a DNA sample had been taken.

  I moved aside for Mum who was next in the queue behind me. Slowly others got into line behind her.

  ‘What about what Mum said?’ I prompted.

  ‘From where I’m sitting, you are all far more dangerous than the Mazon ever could be,’ said Aidan.

  ‘How so?’ I frowned.

  ‘The Mazon are an external threat. You people are on board,’ said Aidan. He turned to my mum. ‘What’s your next move if Vee won’t give up our ship? Are you going to bundle my sister and me out of an airlock, or do you intend to slit our throats whilst we’re asleep?’

  ‘We would never do anything like that.’ Mum was outraged, but what the hell did she expect?

  ‘No?’ Aidan challenged my mum. ‘Well, you’ll forgive me if my sister and I don’t turn our backs on any of you. And, Commander, you in particular don’t strike me as someone who gives up in a hurry. You’ve already proved you can’t be trusted.’ Aidan turned to me. ‘Like mother like son?’

  I glared at him, bitterly resenting his words. Aidan might think he knew Darren and my mum and the rest of the settlers.

  But he certainly didn’t know me. Nor did his sister.

  Right about now she was probably wishing she had ignored our distress beacon and continued on her way. Worse than that, she thought each of us was a real threat. As far as I was concerned, nothing could be further from the truth. I was going to make it my mission to convince Vee of that. I didn’t want her to think badly of me . . . I mean, us. I wanted to get to know her, to see her smile at me again – and often. There and then, I made a vow. If Darren or any of the others wanted to harm either Vee or her brother, they’d have to go through me first.

  The thought startled me, not just because I’d thought it but because I meant it. Every word. And that worried me.

  Why did I feel so protective of someone I’d only just met?

  Not good.

  13

  Sigh. I sat cross-legged on the metal bench amongst the tomtato plants at the far end of the hydroponics bay. Another few days and I’d be able to harvest tomatoes from the top of the plant but it’d be at least another couple of Sol weeks before the potatoes at the bottom of the plant were ready to gather. Not that my tomtato plants were the highest priority at this moment. Shoulders slumped, I sat with a bowl of chilli con carne, my favourite meal, in my hands. Normally, the smell alone was enough to cheer me up but for once it failed to weave its usual magic. I put a spoonful in my mouth and chewed slowly. The fiery taste wasn’t doing much for me either.

  Earlier, after I’d stripped out of the protection suit in my quarters and put on my work clothes, I’d stopped off at the medical bay to treat my burns, only to find the doctor, Liana Sheen, already making herself at home. She was attending to a number of people who’d been injured back on Barros 5, but the moment I entered the medi bay, she was at my side.

  ‘How can I help?’ she asked, dredging up a tentative smile.

  ‘You can’t. I have some burns but I’ll tend to them myself, thank you.’

  ‘Let me do that for you,’ insisted the doctor. ‘It’s the least I can do.’

  ‘I can manage,’ I said icily.

  The doc sighed as I applied the skin regenerator for myself.

  No doubt I came across as churlish but I was still smarting from all that had happened since she and her friends had come on board. Injuries taken care of, I left without saying another word. Incredibly rude, I know, especially when she’d spoken up for me back on the bridge, but quite frankly by that point I’d had enough of all the refugees, colonists, settlers, whatever it was they called themselves. And though my body was almost back to normal, my mind wasn’t. My thoughts were racing. The corridors of my ship were full of strangers who moved to one side as I passed and looked at me like I was a hydra with offensive body odour as well as nine heads. God knows I wasn’t expecting to be lifted up onto any shoulders and hailed as a conquering heroine, but what had I done to deserve such angry suspicion?

  And I still couldn’t believe it. That . . . that woman, Commander Catherine Linedecker, had tried to take my ship away from me.

  My ship.

  She’s lucky I didn’t lock up her and the rest of her friends in the detention cells on the lower deck for attempted piracy. From my quarters, I’d DNA locked all the weapons on board so that they wouldn’t work for anyone but me and Aidan. Too little, but at least not too late. But now, for the rest of the journey back to Earth, I’d have to listen to my brother singing ‘I told you so’ at me in every available octave.

  Oh joy!

  The door to the hydroponics bay hissed open.

  ‘Aidan, I’m not in the mood for company. And don’t leave the bridge unattended,’ I snapped, long before he came into view. ‘I don’t want that lot wreaking havoc on my ship.’

  My visitors stepped out from behind the hybrid plupple trees close to the main entrance. Nathan I recognized. He stood before two girls, one of whom was Erica, and another guy, all around the same age as Nathan and me.

  ‘Nihao, Vee,’ said Nathan. A slight, hesitant smile was trying – and
failing – to land on his lips.

  ‘Hello,’ I replied more formally. Friendly didn’t work with these people. What were they all doing here? What did they want?

  ‘D’you mind if we join you?’

  ‘We?’ I said pointedly.

  Nathan frowned but then his expression cleared. ‘Ah! OK. Let me introduce my friends.’ He pointed at the tall, stocky guy who looked like he was of Chinese heritage. ‘This is Mike. He’s a plant freak. Anything that grows and he’s there ready to give it a hug. He also works with Doctor Liana when needed. He’s a trained medic. The surly bastard to my left is Erica. There hasn’t been a weapon invented that she can’t handle. She also loves animals and is going to have her own farm one day.’

  Erica scowled at him with a look that could halt an incoming missile at two metres. Nathan was introducing his friends like they were contestants in one of those matchmaker reality shows I sometimes watched as a child back on Earth. I pressed my lips firmly together to stop myself from smiling at Erica’s expression. I’d hate to be on her bad side.

  ‘Nathan, I’m sure Vee couldn’t care less about my feelings towards animals,’ said Erica.

  I turned back to Nathan, wondering what was the point of all this?

  ‘And this is Anjuli,’ said Nathan, indicating the girl on his right. Her long, jet-black hair was streaked with burgundy and tied back in a ponytail. She had a tattoo of what looked like a moth inked on the brown skin of her neck. ‘Anjuli is a genius with all things cybertronic – second only to me of course.’

  ‘Is there anyone in the universe who adores you as much as you love yourself?’ asked Anjuli seriously.

  ‘You?’ asked Nathan.

  Anjuli snorted. ‘You wish!’

  I pressed my lips together even more firmly to suppress a laugh at the unimpressed look Anjuli gave Nathan. These were his friends?

  ‘So now that you know who we all are, may we join you?’ asked Nathan.

  A moment’s pause then I shrugged. ‘Help yourself.’

  I uncrossed my legs and shuffled further along the bench to sit at one end of it, giving them plenty of room to sit where they liked. Nathan moved with impressive speed and to my surprise sat down next to me. And I mean right next to me, with his thigh touching mine. I could feel the heat radiating from his body.

  Anjuli sat next to him whilst Mike and Erica sat on the floor in front of us. I was suddenly inexplicably aware of my heart thumping in my chest. Now what? I had no clue what I was supposed to say or do next. I was out of practice when it came to being with people. Beads of nervous sweat were beginning to prickle my skin. I inhaled, trying to get it together. Hhmm! I caught Nathan’s scent, faint yet distinct as it was. He smelt of fresh perspiration and newly turned soil, a lovely earthy smell. Outdoorsy. I surreptitiously inhaled slightly deeper.

  ‘Smells good.’

  Busted!

  Stricken, I stared at him. Had I made it that obvious that I liked the way he smelled?

  ‘The chilli.’ Nathan pointed to the bowl in my hand. ‘That smells really good.’

  ‘Oh! OK.’ Phew! ‘Would you like some?’ I asked, my voice full of a reticence I barely recognized.

  ‘Yes please. I’m starving,’ said Nathan.

  ‘There’s a utility dispenser in the wall over there,’ I pointed. ‘Just press the food button and order chilli, hot or mild, or anything else you might like.’

  ‘What kind are you having?’ asked Nathan.

  ‘It’s in a category of its own. My own recipe. The dispenser knows it as “Vee’s chilli”.’ I smiled. ‘No one appreciates this one except me.’

  ‘Why?’ said Mike.

  ‘It’s not for beginners,’ I replied.

  ‘Fair enough,’ said Mike. He appeared not to require any further explanation.

  ‘Not for beginners, eh? Is that right?’ said Nathan.

  What was that gleam in his green eyes? Had he taken my words as a challenge? I suspected Nathan was a guy who liked a challenge. The others stood up and headed over to the dispenser, all except for Nathan. He waited until they were all out of earshot.

  ‘Vee, I’m sorry about what happened earlier.’ Nathan spoke softly. ‘What my mum did was wrong.’

  ‘You don’t have to apologize . . .’ I began.

  ‘Yes I do,’ said Nathan. ‘I know it’s not worth much, but it’s all I’ve got.’

  I studied him, trying my hardest to figure him out. Why would he feel the need to apologize for his mum? He met my gaze without flinching or looking away.

  ‘Apology accepted,’ I said at last.

  He smiled, his eyes never leaving mine. God, he really was stunning when he smiled. Actually he was kinda striking, even when he didn’t smile. And those eyes . . . Just looking at him was doing peculiar things to my insides. Or was that the chilli?

  ‘Don’t you want some food? I can show you how to use the dispenser to get anything you want.’ I went to stand up but Nathan’s hand on my arm made me sit back down again hastily. The touch of his hand had sent an electric shock racing over my skin. He withdrew his hand and I suppressed a shiver. It almost hurt to be touched after all this time. My skin was still ultra-sensitive.

  ‘Can I try some of yours, just to see what it’s like?’ said Nathan.

  What? Really? Why would he want some of mine when he could get a bowl of his own? My eyes narrowed. If he thought that by being super-friendly, I’d be so dazzled and dazed, I’d hand over my ship to his mother, then he had another thought or five coming.

  Come on, Vee, don’t be so paranoid!

  Why was I this jittery? I glanced down for a moment so he wouldn’t see the confusion on my face. Schooling my features, I looked at him and said, ‘Are you sure you want to share? I warn you, my chilli is a bit on the spicy side.’

  ‘The spicier the better,’ said Nathan.

  We’d see about that.

  ‘OK,’ I replied.

  On his own head be it!

  The others made their way back to us and vied for free space on the bench. Anjuli won. Mike and Erica ended up on the floor again. I’d need to put more chairs in here. Mike and Erica had chilli. Anjuli had chosen what looked like pea soup. Nathan took my bowl from me and, with a smile, shovelled my spoon into the chilli until it contained a serious heap.

  ‘Nathan, don’t you think you should get your own bowl of food?’ said Erica after a quick glance at me. ‘I mean, this ship did contain a mystery virus—’

  It took a moment to catch Erica’s drift. But only a moment.

  Dahell! ‘I’m not Mary Mallon, you know,’ I fumed.

  ‘Who?’ frowned Erica.

  ‘Typhoid Mary. She’s supposed to have infected over fifty people with a disease called typhoid in twentieth-century America, back on Earth, but she didn’t suffer from the disease herself,’ I said. ‘Don’t think I missed the way you tried to imply that Nathan might catch something if he uses my spoon.’

  Erica’s cheeks flamed red, though I’ll say one thing for her, she didn’t try to deny it. Nathan glared at Erica before lifting the full to overflowing spoon to his lips and shoving it into his mouth – and he kept it in his mouth for longer than necessary. It was all very well his making a point to Erica, but that was my spoon which I’d want back at some point. Erica lowered her gaze, suddenly fascinated by her own food. A slightly uncomfortable silence reigned.

  ‘Vee, I don’t know if anyone has said this yet, but thank you for rescuing us,’ said Mike. His smile was warm and genuine. The second person today to smile at me.

  ‘You’re welcome.’

  ‘I bet that’s not what you were thinking up on the bridge a short while ago,’ he said drily.

  I grinned. ‘I wasn’t wearing my poker face then?’

  ‘D’you even have one?’ asked Mike.

  I shook my head. ‘One of the things I forgot to bring on board with me.’

  ‘Couldn’t use a utility dispenser to manufacture one?’ said Mike.

  ‘Nev
er had the need to before now. Should I revise that?’

  ‘Not on my account.’

  We exchanged a smile. I liked him. I sensed Mike was a man of few words but nothing much would get past him. He had an easy manner but shrewd, watchful eyes. I turned back to Nathan, ready to reclaim my food. For some reason Nathan was contemplating Mike, his emerald-green eyes stone cold, but the moment he realized I was watching him, his expression cleared and he began to chew the food in his mouth.

  Surprised, I regarded him.

  Why was he glaring at Mike? What was that about?

  14

  Damn it! Vee had caught me glaring at Mike and Mike was smirking at me because he knew precisely why. I looked away from both of them and took another mouthful of Vee’s chilli.

  ‘Hey, this is good stuff!’

  And I wasn’t just saying that. It actually was really good. I don’t know why I was surprised but after experiencing the so-called food on the mining colony, the dried-out pack rations on the transport ship and the limited home-grown vegetables back on Barros 5, I suppose I’d been expecting more of the bland same.

  ‘Like I said, it’s my own recipe,’ Vee said, watching me avidly for some reason. ‘It doesn’t really make its presence felt until after the second or third mouthful.’ Huh? Hang on.

  What the . . .?

  My smile slowly faded. Ow! My eyes began to mist up. My entire mouth was suddenly on fire. I chewed quickly and swallowed what was left with a gulp. Mistake. If I hadn’t been trying to make a good impression, I would’ve spat it straight out. Vee’s chilli had crept up on me and was now kicking my butt.

  Son-of-a—

  Panting like an overheated dog, I let my tongue hang out of my mouth, desperately trying to cool it.

  ‘Ow! Dafuq?’ I gasped.

  ‘I did warn you that it was spicy.’ Vee stood up and headed for the utility dispenser. She ordered a glass of ice-cold cow’s milk and brought it back to me, by which time my eyes were no longer merely misted over, but tearing up.