A Pale Light in the Black
Page 14
Because you care about him more than you want to admit.
“Your heart rate is elevated. Is it because you saw CPO Armstrong?” Doge’s comment was for her com link only and she tightened her fingers in his collar.
“Doge, I will reprogram you if you’re not careful,” she muttered, hoping that Ma didn’t hear her over the noise of the hangar. The damned AI was starting to make her nervous with how well he was articulating her feelings back to her.
Or figuring them out before even she did.
“Flux Capacitor over there.” Ma pointed to his left, apparently oblivious to the conversation. “Where the hell is that name from again?”
Jenks rolled her eyes with a chuckle. “I’m still mad they snagged such a great name. I wonder if they’ll manage to do better than dead last this year.” Flux was a hell of an Interceptor team, but their competition record was legendary for how utterly bad it was. Dead last four years running, and hadn’t won a single individual competition yet. Jenks didn’t see the point in showing if you weren’t going to win, but they got something out of it, she supposed.
“Doubt it,” Ma replied. “But they have fun. For some people that’s enough.”
“Not me. I’m in it to win it.”
Ma grunted in agreement and tapped the fist she held out. “There’s the family.” He crossed the dock and was swarmed by grandchildren before he could wrap his daughters in his arms.
Sapphi was talking rapidly with some of her siblings. Tamago’s parents had made the trip and their mother held their hand. Rosa stood off to one side, Gloria’s head resting on her shoulder and Rosa’s forehead pressed to her wife’s. Their older daughter, Isobelle, had her arms wrapped around Rosa’s waist, hugging her tightly from behind.
The sudden, sharp ache in Jenks’s chest stole her breath away. Normally she’d be talking with Nika right now, all the family she’d ever needed in these rare moments when the team split back to their component parts with the lives they’d left behind.
“Hey.”
Jenks glanced at Max. “Where’s your family?”
“They won’t come.” She shrugged. “My older brother, Scott, has competed for a few years. He’s a SEAL and the captain of a CHNN team. We didn’t go to see him compete, either. My parents think it’s gauche—um, beneath them.”
“I know what ‘gauche’ means, Lieutenant. I grew up on the streets, not out in the wilds of Siberia raised by bears.” The words were out before Jenks could stop them, and she swore when Max winced. “Sorry, that was a little much. I’m missing Nik.”
“Me too.”
This was far and away not the place for such a conversation, but once again Jenks couldn’t stop the words from leaving her mouth. “You knew him for a handful of days, how can you possibly miss him?”
Max blinked. “We’ve been emailing. He didn’t—”
“Never mind.” Jenks held up a hand. “It’s not my business.” She walked away before she said something else that would get her in trouble, Doge trailing along behind her.
Max watched Jenks walk away, mouth hanging open until she snapped it shut with an audible click. Thankfully no one else was paying attention.
The words hadn’t been hostile, but—had she crossed a line she wasn’t supposed to? How could emails be a bad thing? They were just—
“Oh god. What did I do?” Max pressed a hand to her mouth. She always messed these things up, stumbled over her own feet and her own inability to just be around people without it turning into a massive—
“Maxine!”
She jerked as her name split the air, spotting the lanky form of Lieutenant Rachel Bingham weaving through the crowd toward her. “Rachel!” Dropping her bag just in time to catch the trans woman in a hug, Max let her sudden anxiety over Nika go with it. “It’s so good to see you.”
“Hey, famous girl.” Green eyes sparkling, Rachel cupped Max’s face and rubbed noses with her. “Sorry I’m late, my transfer took forever.”
“I didn’t even know you were coming.”
“Of course! I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. We need to talk about your letter-writing skills. I know, I know, awkward Maxine and all, but we’re friends, remember? I said it was going to happen.”
Rachel Bingham was outgoing, gregarious, all the things Max wasn’t, and she had declared their friendship on the first day of the academy with the same energy that she tackled everything in her life. Max hadn’t known quite how to respond to the whirlwind beyond a polite smile, however it had worked out because Rachel also oddly understood Max’s need for quiet, for space.
And Rachel had a mean right hook she wasn’t afraid of throwing at people whose teasing had taken a cruel turn a time or two.
Max squeezed her again before letting her go. “You did. Best thing that ever happened to me.”
“Eh, second best. I don’t mind taking a back seat to this, though. It’s so exciting!” She waved a hand around the bay. The screens were lit up with notices about the prelims, and at least one was running a sports newscast. A clip of Jenks’s championship fight last year appeared briefly before the camera cut back to the commentators.
Rachel bent and picked up her bag. “What’s your schedule? Can I take you out to lunch? We’ll go put this in your room and then eat.”
Max glanced around. Rosa was still forehead to forehead with her wife, a smile on her face and her daughters chattering away in her ear.
“Sure, we’re supposed to get settled. Let me just stop and talk to Ma on our way to our quarters.”
Max navigated through to where Ma was speaking with his daughters, a cluster of children around them, and managed the introductions without too much awkwardness. Ma insisted on taking her bag and then, with a wave and a promise to check in in an hour, Max followed Rachel out of the docking bay and onto the bustling streets of London.
The headquarters of the Near-Earth Orbital Guard had been established in 2281 on the outermost edge of what had remained of the English city after the Collapse. The underwater ruins from the rising water were used as training facilities to simulate zero gravity for the academy cadets.
Max had hated every second of it. The place was a graveyard. A several-centuries-old graveyard with only the extremely rare skeleton sighting, but a graveyard, nonetheless.
“Hey, focus there.” Rachel looped her arm through Max’s. “And start telling me everything that’s been going on.”
Rosa watched Max leave with the statuesque blonde after speaking to Ma and turned her attention fully on her younger daughter. Angela’s hand was warm in hers, Gloria’s weight a comfortable pressure on her chest. Isobelle was looking around with wide brown eyes and bouncing with poorly concealed excitement.
“It’s so good to have you here,” Rosa murmured. “Thank you for coming.”
“Where else would we rather be?” Angela asked with a smile that lit up her face.
“But right here in your arms.” Rosa leaned in for a kiss that was interrupted by Gloria’s squeal.
“No smooching, Mommies!”
“Yes, smooching,” she replied, kissing her daughter until she squealed again. “I’m putting you down, my love. Do not wander off.”
“Can I go see Ma?”
“I’ll take her,” Isobelle offered, and Rosa leaned in to press a kiss to her older daughter’s cheek.
They watched the pair race across the deck to Ma and his family, who welcomed them with open arms.
“That’s better.” Rosa leaned in again, this time sinking into the kiss, pulling Angela against her. A selfish part of her wished for the ability to blow off everything—the prelims, the team, even her own daughters—just for a chance to drag her wife into a bedroom and show her how much she’d missed her.
The unwelcome sound of someone clearing their throat broke through the moment and Rosa turned with a snarl in her throat that abruptly got stuck there. As a result, her fumbled greeting was garbled and she coughed.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine, Admiral.” Rosa snapped into a salute, but the petite head of NeoG waved her off. “What can I do for you?”
“First, please reintroduce me to your wife—it’s been a while. That way she can forgive me for stealing you for a few minutes. I promise it won’t take long.”
“Angela, you remember Admiral Chen, head of the NeoG.”
“It’s very nice to see you again.” Angela shook Chen’s hand and then smiled at Rosa. “I’ll go rescue Ma from Gloria.”
Admiral Chen watched her go before turning her gaze back to Rosa. “That’s a lovely family, Rosa. Though I remember when Isobelle—isn’t it?”
“Yes, Admiral.”
“I remember when Isobelle was the size of a loaf of bread.” Chen held her hands apart with a grin. “Where has the time gone?”
“It passes as God wills, Admiral.”
“So it does.” Chen nodded, then looked around. “Walk with me for a moment,” she said, pushing her chair away from the crowd dominating the deck. Rosa followed, brain spinning as she tried to figure out just what the head of the NeoG would want from her. Her answer came with the admiral’s question.
“How’s Maxine settling in?” Chen slanted a sideways glance at Rosa, a smile pulling at her mouth. “And don’t give me the bullshit ‘fine’ answer, either. How’s she really doing?”
“She’s an excellent officer, Admiral. That’s not a formulaic response,” she continued when the frown started. “She’s got the talent for it. She’s hesitant sometimes, but that’s the newness more than anything. Max is very good at seeing things before they happen. One of these days she’ll trust that in the field and not just in the cage.”
“Good. I hate it when a gamble doesn’t work out.”
“I don’t know that I’d celebrate this as a win just yet, Admiral.”
“Ah.” Chen smiled again. “I owe you an apology for that, too, I suppose. I know I threw some carefully laid plans into disarray with this transfer. It’s a gamble for sure. But one I think is going to play out in ways none of us expect.”
“I would have gone in Nika’s place if I could have. At least then the team would have had a better chance at winning the Games.”
“Oh, horseshit.” Chen’s laughing epithet startled Rosa. “Maxine isn’t the only one who needs to trust in her abilities, Rosa.”
“Admiral?”
Chen gave her a flat look. “You are an excellent swordswoman, Commander, with far more years of experience than most of the people you’ll be fighting both here and in the Games themselves.”
“I’m—”
“Thirty-eight-plus years with a sword in your hand. There are only two people I can think of with more who still compete in the Games, and neither of them is NeoG, which is an automatic downgrade as far as I’m concerned.” She poked a finger in Rosa’s direction. “Stop thinking of this as a sport, Commander, and start thinking of it as a boarding action. That’s where your power is.”
Rosa stared at her, brain scrambling to catch up, but before she could say anything in reply, Chen reached out and squeezed her hand with a smile.
“I’ve taken enough of your time, Commander. Go see your family, and good luck; I’m counting on you.” With a final nod, Chen pushed away and headed across the deck, stopping to speak with nearly everyone she encountered on her way through.
“What was that about?” Ma’s murmured question made her jump and Rosa shook her head.
“A pep talk? I think?” She knew her laugh was slightly hysterical, but she couldn’t help herself. “I don’t really know.”
“Well, whatever it was, ruminate on it over food. If you four come with us, Julissa and Anabelle will keep Gloria occupied while you and Angela catch up.”
“That’s not fair to you—”
Ma waved off her protest. “It’s fine—you know I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t mean it. We’re family and it’s the quiet before the storm. Let’s drop our gear and get some food. I’m starving.”
Rosa knew this was one of those times she could do nothing but say “Yes, Ma.” And follow along. She shoved the conversation with Admiral Chen into a box in the corner of her brain and left it there for later.
Quiet before the storm indeed.
Preliminaries Day One, T-minus One Hour until Opening Ceremonies
Max swallowed and blew out what she hoped was a surreptitious breath as they descended into the chaos that dominated the academy’s massive gymnasium. It felt like she’d just left here—the Interceptor facility was just next door and she’d practically gone from the academy to training when you got right down to it.
“This is nothing,” Sapphi murmured as heads turned and the noise swelled to even more impossible levels. “Wait until we get to the Games themselves.”
There were eyes on her and Max could hear the whispers of “Carmichael” on the air. But she took her cues from Jenks and Rosa at the head of their little pack and kept her eyes forward.
“Commander Martín. Welcome to NeoG Academy.” The cadet skidded to a stop in front of them. “Senior Cadet Mendoza. Head of the academy sword-fighting team. I’m to show you to our changing room, Commander. It’s yours for the duration.”
“Lead the way then, Cadet,” Rosa replied with a smile.
The cadet got them settled and then excused himself. Though Max noticed the quick selfie he took with Jenks before he left.
“All right people, gather in,” Rosa said. “We’ve got an hour before openers, so use it wisely. Stretch, review our Boarding Action strategy, take a few deep breaths.” She looked at Max on that last one. “I’m going to pick up schedules, our placement, and the Big Game scenario.”
With that she left and the others slipped into their pregame rituals with ease while Max sat down on a bench in the corner with her bag between her feet and focused on breathing so she didn’t have to run to the bathroom to throw up.
You are fine and you are going to continue to be fine. You’re decent enough in a fight, Jenks said so, and if anyone knows it’s her.
She inhaled, rubbing the heel of her hand against her sternum.
You are fine and you are going to continue to be fine. The Big Game and the Boarding Action are team comps; you’re not alone in this.
“How are you doing?” Ma sat down next to her.
“I’m . . . fine.”
“Really? Because you look—” He gestured at her.
“Like I’m gonna throw up?” Max finished with a rueful smile. “I was hoping it wasn’t that obvious.”
“You’ll settle.” Ma patted her hand.
“Can I go out onto the floor?” Max asked. “Take a look around?”
“Sure, just keep an eye out for Rosa and be back here with her.”
Max nodded, smoothing a hand over her blue track pants as she stood. The green and white stripes down the sides matched the white shirt with green stripes around the sleeves. Zuma’s ID number covered the back, while the front was emblazoned with the ghost of Zuma himself.
Rosa had said the final Games would see them wearing something more representative of the NeoG as a whole, but for the prelims the teams stuck with their Interceptor logos.
Max spotted a few of those logos, recognizing them now only because she’d spent the past month familiarizing herself with all the teams. Honorable Intent, the team for HQ here on Earth, was in a corner along the far wall. They’d unsurprisingly claimed the NeoG logo for themselves. Across from them were the six cages where the forty-two hand-to-hand fights would take place over the next four days.
Next to those were the sword-fighting mats, the five larger areas dominating almost all the rest of the gymnasium. Despite Jenks’s popularity, the sword fights commanded almost as much attention from the public.
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br /> On the far side of the arena was an ominous, low-slung black structure Max guessed was for the Boarding Action, since the Big Game was a three-story permanent building on the academy property that was modified each year to fit the specs of the course.
The facility for the hacking comp was in a nearby building as well, and of course the piloting competition took place out in space.
Max knew the permanent Boarding Games facility was similar to this one, though it was located on the outer western edge of the habitable zone of the former United States and was a city unto itself.
Movement caught her eye and Max turned her head, spying a man in the stands on her left. He had sandy-brown hair and a bright yellow press pass hanging from his neck.
“Carmichael?” said a voice from behind her.
Max turned and blinked at the bright blue gaze staring at her from a mass of silver and pink curls. “Yes? Sorry, caught me thinking.”
“Commander Till, Vera Till.” The woman stuck out her hand with a grin. “Flux Capacitor.”
“Max. It’s nice to meet you, Vera.”
“Call me Till.” She grinned again and shoved the curls out of her face. “Saw you were on the roster for the fights, thought I’d come over and say hi since we’ll likely be tangling in one of those before the end of this.” She gestured at the cages. “Most everyone’s friendly around here, despite the competition, but given you’re a Carmichael I suspect folks will be hesitant to approach. Anyhow, you had that look about you.”
“Look?”
“The ‘Holy God above, what have I gotten myself into’ look.” Till poked her tongue out between her teeth. “I’ve been around for a while. Seen it plenty just before the Games start. Don’t worry about it. Once you get moving it whizzes on by you. Can hardly catch your breath.”
Max spotted Rosa striding across the gym, a tablet in her hand and a grim look on her face.
“Ah, that doesn’t look great,” Till said, and patted her on the back. “Nice to meet you, Max. I’ll see you later.” Max was halfway back to Rosa when Till called out again. “Hey, Max?”