Deuces Wild Boxed Set: Books 1-4: Beyond the Frontiers, Rampage, Labyrinth, Birthright

by Ell Leigh Clarke

  It did look like fun.

  Nickie scowled as she ate her food. Maybe this John showing up could be a break from the monotony of the routine she’d found herself in. A kick in the ass to get her back in the saddle.

  A pang of guilt hit her when she caught sight of a drawn-looking Raynard and Adelaide at the edge of the crowd. What if she went on John’s quest and something happened to the colony while she was gone? She wasn’t sure she could handle that happening a second time. She could almost admit that she liked Adelaide. The woman had hidden depths, and her perkiness wasn’t too unbearable.

  Raynard worked his way over to John and introduced himself. “I admire your dedication to your father, and to your people. What brings you all the way out to Themis?”

  John explained about the plant. “I’m hoping I can convince Nickie to help me get in and out of the volcano safely.”

  “Volcano?” Adelaide asked. “Sounds dangerous.”

  John nodded. “It is. The only way to the center is through the Labyrinth of the Dead, and they don’t call it that for nothing, I can tell you.”

  Grim leaned in. “Labyrinth of the Dead? Why the dead?”

  John’s shoulders dropped. “Because there’s no record of anyone coming back from it.”

  Nickie piped up finally. “Maybe they just decide they prefer living there and never want to leave.”

  “More likely that they’re dead,” John shot back.

  There was an uneasy silence around the table. Nickie spread her hands wide. “Wouldn’t you say that’s a pretty good indication to stay away from there?”

  John shrugged nonchalantly. “Sure, if you’re a scaredy cat.”

  Durq whimpered. Nickie patted him awkwardly on the arm and glared at John. “What did I tell you about upsetting him?”

  John held his hands up. “Sorry, didn’t mean to.”

  Keen stepped in to save John from further rebuke. “So you get this plant and take it back for your father. Then what? What is the point of all of this?”

  John sat down heavily. “So he doesn’t die. And if… If he does, the succession will be smooth since any rivals to the throne will have no grounds to lodge a claim against my own. There must be no question of my fitness to lead, no room for a power vacuum to form. That is of the utmost importance. I understand that to the rest of the Federation we’re eccentric...”

  Nickie snorted. “You aren’t even top ten of the weird shit I’ve seen. So what you’re saying is that completing these quests is how you prove yourself.”

  John nodded solemnly. “Yes.”

  “I’ll help,” Keen offered. “I’m no young man, but experience plus youth can often win the day.”

  “It does sound interesting,” Grim murmured with a pleading look at Nickie.

  Nickie sighed the sigh of the put-upon and got up with her tray.

  Grim looked up at her. “Where are you going?”

  Nickie shrugged. “To run a systems check. We don’t want to be undertaking a mission on a faulty ship.”

  John grinned, and Grim and Keen exchanged excited glances. Even Durq made a little fist pump when he thought no one was looking. Adelaide had a far-off look, and Raynard looked worried.

  He got up from the table and touched Adelaide’s arm. “Are you coming, Addie?”

  She looked up at him, still half in her daydream. “Um…no. I’m going to stick around for a while.”

  Raynard dropped his hand. “Okay. Well, I’ve got to leave for the meeting.”

  “Uh-huh…”

  Raynard sighed and left. He looked back at Adelaide when he got to the door, but she didn’t notice. Keen, however, did.

  He got up from the table and hurried over. “Hey, Raynard. Can I have a word with you? It’ll only take a minute or two.”

  Raynard could see from his mentor’s posture that it was going to take more than a couple of minutes. “I have to get over to the council meeting, but I can walk and talk.”

  Keen nodded. “It’s the council I wanted to talk to you about.”

  Rebus Quadrant, Themis Colony, Airfield

  Nickie stamped her foot impatiently while she waited for the ramp of the Penitent Granddaughter to inch its way down to where she stood with the large crate of kitchen supplies Grim had given her to take aboard. Keen drove up in a pallet truck, which distracted Grim. He took a break from ordering her around like a freaking house bot to direct Keen to the loading bay access on the other side of the ship.

  The ramp finally touched down. She was going to have to get that looked at when they got back from the mission. That and a few other things. The ship would be fine for now, but it would be good to get the kinks ironed out.

  Nickie made her way through the ship to the galley with vague thoughts of where she could start with improvements to the Granddaughter. She dodged around Lefty and Lucky in the narrow corridor, lifting the crate above their heads as she passed. She dumped the crate in the galley and made her way back outside to the airfield to take the next load Grim had organized. She passed Brandy on her way to the exit ramp, which was for some reason retracted.

  “Why is the ramp up?” she asked Brandy for lack of anyone else around. Meredith was still sulking.

  The bot swiveled to turn its screen to her. The ramp is under repair. There is a fault in the retraction mechanism. Adelaide is fixing it as we speak.

  “Adelaide? Huh.” She peered out and saw the younger woman outside the ship with a screwdriver clenched between her teeth and her hands buried in the guts of the ramp’s mechanism. Lefty pootled around near her feet, zipping back and forth to Adelaide’s toolbox between the discarded parts that littered the ground around her. “Hey, Adelaide, whatcha doing?”

  Adelaide looked up as Nickie’s shadow blocked her light. She took the screwdriver out of her mouth and used it to wave at Nickie. “Oh, hey! Meredith told me there was an issue with the ramp.” She continued to work as she spoke, slotting the various parts back in with practiced movements. “I’m about done here. Give me a minute.”

  Nickie smiled at her and leaned against the open door. Guess I owe you an apology.

  Are you talking to me? Meredith’s tone was icy.

  I suppose I deserve that. She half-shrugged. But yeah. I should have listened to you about John. He’s not so pampered. I still don’t have to like him, though.

  I accept your apology. I was getting bored, anyway, just like you were. It’s a good thing you decided to join Prince John’s mission. I would have been forced to take drastic action if you’d kept stewing for much longer.

  Are we back to the whole you ‘driving me like a meat-puppet’ thing again?

  It’s always an option, Nickie.

  Like you ever let me forget.

  “All done,” Adelaide called up.

  Nickie stepped onto the ramp as it began to descend smoothly, much to Adelaide’s pleasure. She tucked the screwdriver away in her toolbox and grinned at Nickie. “What do you think? Much smoother, hey?”

  Nickie nodded. “It is, thanks.”

  Adelaide shuffled nervously. “So, um…I’ve been thinking. Can I come with you? On the quest?”

  Nickie was thrown. “Huh?”

  “The quest,” Adelaide repeated. “I want to help. I have all these skills I’ve been developing, and the ship could definitely use some love.”

  Nickie laid a hand on the Granddaughter. “What are you saying about my ship?”

  Adelaide raised an eyebrow. “Want the full repair list, or just what’s going to need doing soon?”

  Nickie shrugged. There was no need to get defensive. She hadn’t exactly had the ship overhauled when she’d liberated it. “Fair enough. You just surprised me, that’s all.”

  Adelaide looked confused. “Why?”

  Nickie frowned at Adelaide. “You have a boyfriend, I thought you two were all loved-up together.”

  It was Adelaide’s turn to shrug. “It doesn’t look that way anymore. He’s been drifting away since the incident. I thin
k we’re over.”

  Nickie didn’t know what to say. She could definitely use the help with the ship, and she didn’t find Adelaide completely annoying. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to have you along—”

  Adelaide threw her arms around Nickie, cutting her off with a quick hug that Nickie was powerless to avoid. “You won’t regret it!” She turned and set off running for the airfield exit. She looked back with a massive grin. “I’m going to pack. I’ll be back soon. Don’t leave without me!”

  Nickie chuckled. Adelaide was enthusiastic, that was for sure.

  She headed over to Grim to pick up her next load.

  “Did I hear you agree to bring Adelaide along with us?” he asked.

  Nickie shrugged. “She’s pretty good at fixing shit around the colony. It can only be good for us to have her aboard during the mission.” She kicked at a patch of loose ground.

  Grim looked her up and down. “She didn’t have to come with us for that. She could easily work from here. Is it something to do with the disagreement she and Raynard had at breakfast?”

  “Probably? I don’t really care. She wanted to come, and she’s useful, so I said yes. End of it.” She ignored Grim’s searching look and shoved past him to grab the next crate before stalking back onto the ship without another word to him.

  Give Grim a break. I think you were unsettled that you saw something of your own need for escape in Adelaide.

  As if she were going to admit that. In Adelaide? Nope. I saw a chance to get this ship running smoothly, and I took it. If Adelaide gets something else out of it, that’s got nothing else to do with me.

  If you insist.

  I do, now less chat. We have a mission to prepare for.

  Chapter 10

  Nickie

  Nickie diverted to the bridge to monitor the progress of the systems check. She wiped her oily hand on the leg of her coverall and grimaced at the streak it left behind. The ship was fully loaded, and Nickie had heard Adelaide mumbling about “getting better acquainted with the heart of the Granddaughter” as she vanished into the ship with Lefty and Lucky carting her tools behind her.

  Grim, Durq, and the others had headed back to the mess hall after they’d completed the loading, taking John with them and leaving Nickie alone at last.

  Peace and blessed quiet at long-fucking-last.

  She flounced onto the bridge and dropped into her chair with a contented sigh. She allowed herself just one minute to enjoy it before she sat up with a slightly less contented sigh and got to work. She had barely begun the checks when there was a knock behind her.

  “Permission to enter,” Keen called from the open door.

  Nickie spun her chair one hundred and eighty degrees and motioned him in. “Let me guess, you want to come on the quest as well.” She chuckled until she saw her joke was actually spot on. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. You weren’t joking in the mess?”

  Keen shrugged bashfully. “I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t jump at the chance…if you’d have me.” He perched on the edge of Grim’s chair and leaned over his clasped hands. “I’m about done here.”

  Nickie gave him an incredulous look. “Aren’t you supposed to be the leader? You didn’t strike me as the quitting type.” She hesitated a moment before asking, “What gives?”

  Keen straightened up. “Who said anything about quitting? I’m just ready for something different. I’ve been responsible for the colony for too long. It’s time to leave it to someone with the youth and drive the people here deserve and find some adventure.”

  Nickie snorted. “You’re not that old.”

  Keen grinned. “I know, which is all the more reason to make the most of the opportunity for some action before my wrinkled ass is ready for the boneyard. I spoke to Raynard today after breakfast, and he’s ready to take over. He’s been picking up my slack these last few weeks anyway. He wants to do this.”

  Nickie turned back to the systems checks. “You’re aware this quest isn’t any less high-stakes than leading the colony, right?”

  Keen smirked. “Sure, but what are the chances I’ll get to punch anything except a clock if I don’t take the risk? No way do I want to go out on that slow spiral. I’m serious about this, Nickie. I want to come with you.”

  Nickie wanted him to not want to come with her. “Okay, and what about the colony? Are the agricultural biomes completely up and running now? No more issues with the water supply line? Do you have a replacement for your duties there, too?”

  Keen was taken aback by her sudden rush of questions. “The colony is going to be just fine without me. It’s not a dictatorship. The council has everything in hand.”

  “Thank fuck for that,” Nickie mumbled. Keen frowned in puzzlement, and she waved him off. “You were saying?”

  “I was saying that they don’t need me here. So, what do you say?”

  Nickie was torn yet again. Her first instinct was to refuse Keen’s request. She wasn’t so stubborn that she wouldn’t take another gun hand when it presented itself. She internalized her sigh. “Whatever.”

  “So that’s a yes?”

  She nodded and waved him away. “You’d better go get your shit in order. We leave first thing tomorrow, and if you’re not on the ship, we’re leaving without you.”

  “You’ve got it.” Keen grinned and jumped up from the chair. “I’ll go and let everyone know I’m leaving.”

  Nickie nodded absentmindedly, already back at work. “You do that. See you bright and early.”

  Keen hustled off the bridge with a renewed spring in his step.

  Nickie huffed and jabbed a little harder than was strictly necessary at the screen.

  What’s the problem?

  Nickie closed her eyes and let her breath out slowly. This is my ship, Meredith. My space, my sanctuary.

  Your hiding place.

  That too. So what? The point is that I had just started to feel like I had somewhere that was just mine, and now I have a ship full of unwanted guests.

  You could have turned Adelaide and Keen away. You didn’t have to accept their help.

  Didn’t I? You saw them both, right? All eagerness and puppy eyes. And don’t even get me started on His Highness. Ugh, even his name pisses me off! Nickie flopped back in her chair.

  Again, you invited him.

  Only because John doesn’t want his rivals to figure out he’s so close to finding the plant. Besides, you don’t want to share a ship with Briar Rose, do you?

  Perish the thought. That EI is the most vapid airhead I’ve ever met. I wish I knew who programmed her. All she talks about is… Well, never mind. The point is that you can still feel at home on the ship, even though you have people to share it with. Maybe even especially so.

  How do you work that out? My space has been invaded. I was just getting everything how I like it.

  By “everything,” do you mean the rock-hard slab you sleep on and the two pieces of gym equipment you’ve installed? Let me call the media! They must know immediately about your interior design prowess.

  Nickie snorted. Hey, I was thinking about getting a mattress next!

  Careful, you don’t want to push it too far. You might actually start feeling good about yourself if you keep spoiling yourself this way.

  Seriously, Mere. I was starting to settle.

  I know. And you will adjust again.

  I don’t know. I was never good at sharing, especially when it comes to my space.

  Are you sure it’s not just the thought of being responsible for them?

  Nickie wanted to deny it. Maybe.

  Rebus Quadrant, Themis Colony, Airfield

  From the bridge of the Penitent Granddaughter, Nickie watched the colonists gather on the airstrip. She left the screen and walked to her captain’s chair to begin the last minute pre-flight checks while she waited for the others to say their goodbyes and finish boarding.

  Durq was hidden safely in his quarters, away from the fuss of the big sendoff. Nickie
expected he would emerge once everyone was aboard, and no one would pay him too much attention. He was getting better at being present, but participating was still a bit much for him in these situations. Nickie kind of knew how the traumatized Skaine felt. She wanted no part of any drawn-out emotional farewells either. They would be back soon enough, anyway.

  Keen detached himself from the crowd around him and tried again to make his way up the ramp. His former council colleagues had all come to see him off, all except Raynard. Come to think of it, she didn’t know where Adelaide was either—which meant she didn’t want to know where they were. She just needed them to get their asses on the Granddaughter before the man pacing up and down in front of the viewscreen drove her completely batshit.

  John tapped his foot impatiently. “I thought we were leaving first thing?”

  For once, Nickie couldn’t argue. “Let’s see if I can light a fire under them.” She grabbed the microphone and sat back in her captain’s chair with her feet up on the console. “Attention, crew of the Penitent Granddaughter. This is your captain speaking. We lift off in T-minus twenty minutes. Anyone still on the ground will be remaining there. I suggest you hustle.”

  John chuckled as the crowd finally began to disperse. “Looks like your prickly side has its plusses.”

  “You’ll be feeling my prickly side all the way off the damn ship if you keep saying stupid things like that,” Nickie deadpanned. “Why don’t you go and make yourself useful somewhere?”

  John shrugged. “Sure. Where do you want me to go?”

  Nickie shrugged. “I dunno, just not here.” She didn’t feel bad for being a bitch. Not one bit.

  You know I can hear you lying to yourself.

  Dammit, Meredith. Stay out of my private thoughts!

  John shook his head. “Wow. Nice, Nickie. Did your mother teach you how to be that charming?”

  Nickie snickered. “My grandma, actually. My mom’s pretty tame compared to Grandma Jean.” She bent over the console and waved him off. “Shoo now, I’m busy.”