by S. J. Bryant
"They say you were one of the last people to talk to Alec," Eta said.
Kari's stomach tightened. If she'd known that Alec was in danger, she would have warned him, would have walked with him to wherever he was going. If only she'd known. "He was a good man."
"The best," Eta said. "Why are you back? It's dangerous for you to be here."
"I know," Kari said. Inside, she was asking the same question. She should have refused Piper's request. She would have got over it eventually, stubborn or not. Instead, Kari had given in and put them all in danger.
"So?" Eta said. "Why are you here?"
"We need help."
"The last time one of ours helped you, he ended up dead."
Kari's shoulders tensed. It couldn't be her fault that Alec died… could it? But if he had died right after talking to her… what if the Imperium had overheard his plan? They wouldn't have hesitated in killing him…
"Help with what?" Eta said. "As I'm sure you can imagine, with Alec gone there is a lot of work to do and it's a risk for me to be seen with you."
"You've heard of the facility?" Kari said.
"Of course I have. Everyone in the undercity knows about your facility by now. I'll admit that at first I didn't believe the rumors, but the enforcers have been as jumpy as an NRG addict ever since, so you obviously did something."
"It's true," Kari said. "All of it. And they've got hundreds of people there, prisoners."
"So?"
"We're going back."
Eta raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a death wish?"
Kari couldn't argue with that, their plan was suicide. "We're going to rescue the people."
Eta let out a sharp bark of laughter. "You won't get within a thousand miles of that asteroid."
"We have to try."
"And you think my people will go with you?"
"They might," Kari said. "But really we need a ship. The Imperium have tagged mine. We can't even bring it back to Zenith."
"You want a ship?"
"And weapons, and anything else you can spare."
"And how will you be paying for all this?"
Kari's throat went dry. She didn't even have enough tokens to get back to the trading moon, let alone buy a ship from the rebellion.
"We're not a charity," Eta said.
"I know, but I thought maybe, if you knew what we were doing…"
Eta's eyes narrowed. "There are a lot of rumors about you."
Heat crept across Kari's cheeks. Her whole life she'd tried to keep a low profile, to stay under the radar. Clearly, she'd failed.
"You're really going to try?" Eta said.
Kari shrugged. "Yes."
Eta's eyes bore into her, judging. The woman had an intensity that Alec had never had. He'd led the rebellion with a smile, this woman led with cold logic.
"I can give you a transporter," Eta said. "But… you have to bring it back."
"Of course," Kari said.
"We can probably spare you a few weapons as well. But I won't promise any of my people to you. You can ask them if you want, but it's up to them whether they go or not. I won't send them to their deaths."
"It's that bad?" Kari said. In her heart she'd hoped that it would be the same as last time. After all, they'd managed to get Piper and Ray out okay.
"Honestly?" Eta said. "I don't expect you to come back. I don't expect to see my transporter again either, so forgive me for giving you one sorely in need of repair. That whole sector has been swarming with Imperium ships ever since you got back. You may as well walk into a firing squad."
Kari's stomach churned. It sounded like a failed mission before they'd even started.
"At least people can't say I didn't help," Eta said. "A lot of them have a soft spot for you, for revealing the facility. A lot of my people have had friends and family disappear and it's given them some hope."
"Thank you," Kari said.
Eta waved her hand. "I'll put out a call to volunteers. Be at the Farside Shipping Yard at sunset. If anyone is joining you, they'll be there." Eta slid out of her chair and stalked out of the room. Her four companions drifted away from the bar and fell into step beside her.
Kari watched them go before dropping her head to the table.
"Sounds promising," Wren said.
CHAPTER 24
Kari would have liked to have another half a dozen brandies with Trav but she doubted he'd give her any more on the house and she couldn't afford to pay for them. They also couldn't spend too much more time out in the open. They had to find somewhere to lie low for the day until sunset. Ideally somewhere they could sleep because Kari felt like she hadn't had a good rest in years and she doubted she'd get many chances in the coming days.
She stood, ignoring the aching muscles in her legs, and trudged across the bar to where Atticus stood talking with some tall men that Kari didn't recognize. As she drew closer, she overheard him.
"You haven't heard any rumors about an EMP? We're in a bit of trouble, as you can imagine, and so any help you can—"
Kari covered the distance between them in two rapid steps, snatched hold of the back of Atticus' shirt and hauled him away from the group. Their eyes widened but she barely noticed as she shoved Atticus up against the nearest wall.
The people at nearby tables lifted their drinks to avoid them getting knocked over, but otherwise no one reacted. Bar brawls were an hourly occurrence in the Broken Bottle, and Trav would deal with any problems if they got too out of hand.
"What the hell are you doing?" Kari hissed.
She could see Wren a few feet away, facing out on the rest of the bar with a hand near her knife.
As much as Kari didn't agree with Wren's choice of profession, it was handy to have a trained assassin on her side.
Atticus strained against Kari's grip but couldn't break free. "Let go of me."
"Not until you tell me what you were doing."
"Asking for help, what did it look like?"
"Do you have any idea how much danger you just put us in?" Kari's heart pounded against her ribs like the wings of a bird.
"I was just asking if they'd heard anything."
"Yes, and giving them every reason to report you to the Imperium."
"You can't assume they'd snitch."
"Of course I can! You can't trust anyone."
"That might be how you work, but I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt."
"Are you kidding me?" Kari said. Rage bubbled inside her and it took all her self-control not to strangle Atticus right there. It was only fear of someone overhearing them that allowed her to keep from yelling. "You're a naive idiot if that's your policy. How the hell have you lived this long?"
"By having friends! Maybe you should try it some time." The tinker's face turned red and fury flashed in his eyes. "I choose to see the best in people. If I didn't then I would never have joined a ship with a captain like you!"
Atticus finally managed to wrench free of Kari's grip. He stumbled back a few paces, breathing hard.
Kari blinked. What did he mean, a captain like her? And how the hell had this suddenly become about her anyway? This was about him running his mouth off to anyone within earshot.
"You're not in charge of me," Atticus said. "And if you ever grab me like that again, I'm leaving."
Kari wanted to tell him that he could leave right now for all she cared, but then she thought back to the EMP. She—and Piper—would probably be dead if it hadn't been for his quick thinking. What if she needed him again?
"You can see the best in people all you like," she said between gritted teeth. "Provided it's only your own life you're risking."
Atticus rubbed his throat where Kari's tight grip had made his shirt pinch against his flesh. "Fine."
"Fine."
Kari spun and stormed out of the bar.
Seeing the best in people? What an idiot.
CHAPTER 25
Kari tried to get some sleep while Wren kept watch but the safe-house mattress itched
and fleas and other insects crawled over her arms and legs. The whole place smelled of sweat and fear and other than two mattresses, was bare.
How many people had huddled here, in hiding from the enforcers? Probably hundreds. How many of them were still alive? A handful, maybe. Kari had little hope of surviving the coming days, and a part of her still considered taking the transporter, grabbing Piper, and running. Surely it was better to trick Piper, than to put them all at risk?
She rolled over on the hard mattress and glared at the wall. All she'd wanted was to have Piper back, and now things were more complicated than ever. This was why she'd spent her whole adult life not caring about anyone—it complicated things.
"Sunset," Wren said.
Kari sat, hurling the tattered sheet away. Atticus grumbled and sat on the edge of his mattress, rubbing his eyes. At least one of them had managed to get some sleep.
Wren emerged from the shadows by the door with one hand on her knife.
"It's not far from here," Kari said. She grabbed her worn coat from the floor and tugged it over her shoulders. It reeked of sweat and filth from their journey in the shuttle. One thing she was looking forward to was a long, hot shower. Although she doubted if she'd ever feel clean again.
They hurried through the lesser-known tunnels, careful to avoid other people and remain inconspicuous. Ten minutes later, they emerged into a huge shipping area with shuttles and ships of all different sizes spaced evenly across the floor. A retractable glass shield protected the area from radiation during the day, but as soon as the sun set, it would open, allowing travel in and out.
"There," Wren said, pointing to the left.
Kari squinted and could just make out a figure that might have been female. She had no idea how Wren could see such fine details in the dark—unnatural.
As they drew closer, the figure resolved into Eta, leaning against the side of a bulky transporter, an Albatross from the looks of it.
"Evening."
"Evening," Kari said.
The tall ship had a massive cargo hold, enough to carry a hundred people, probably two hundred. The outer hull sported a few dents and spots of rust, but otherwise looked in good condition.
"Remember, I want this back," Eta said. "It's a good asset and it brings us some legitimate money."
"You use it?" Kari said.
"Of course we use it. Transporting katium geodes."
"Oh."
"And it wasn't cheap, so—"
"We'll bring it back," Kari said.
"I'll meet you on Paena," Eta said. "If you make it."
"Aren't you worried that the Imperium will trace it back to you, if we're caught?" Atticus said.
"Ha!" Eta said. "You act like I don't know how to scrub a ship."
"Untraceable?" Kari said.
"Of course."
Kari nodded. She would have done the same. "Where are all the rebels?"
"What rebels?" Eta said.
"The volunteers to help us."
Eta let out another short, sharp bark. "I warned you that no one would want to come on this suicide mission."
Kari's heart sank. "No one? Not even one person?"
Eta shrugged. "You can wait around here for a few more minutes, but I don't think anyone is coming."
They fell silent, leaving Kari alone with her thoughts. Not a single rebel had volunteered to help them. But didn't some have people in the facility? Didn't they all know someone who had been taken? Wasn't that worth the risk? Apparently not. And if even the toughest of rebels wouldn't risk it, then what the hell was Kari thinking?
They waited for five agonizing minutes, but no one came.
"Right," Eta said. "I think we can agree that you're on your own."
Kari nodded.
"You know how to fly one of these things?"
"Yeah."
"Good. I'll see you on Paena… or not at all." Eta turned and stalked out of the shipping bay.
Soon the whole place would be full of ships and people, but in these few minutes before the last of the radiation fled and the glass shield opened, it was quiet.
"Come on," Kari said.
She led the way through the entry hatch in the transporter's side. It opened into the massive cargo hold and a strong metal tang filled the air.
Atticus drew a deep breath, opening his mouth as if tasting the air.
The smell made Kari sick. It reminded her too much of her time spent refining crystals, and before that, of her parents coming back from a mining expedition.
Rocks and dirt covered the storage bay, leftovers from the last haul. Kari strode toward the door on the far side, footsteps echoing through the massive ship, ringing in her ears.
Near the door to the engine room hung two crystal hunter suits.
Kari gripped the nearest one, massaging the fabric between her thumb and forefinger. Next-generation shielding, woven into the very fabric of the suit.
"If they'd had this twenty years ago…" she said, not meaning to speak aloud but the words were out before she could stop them.
"Ionized katium polymers," Atticus said, coming to a stop beside her. "I was always proud of that."
Kari frowned at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Atticus' eyes widened and he took a step back. "Oh, nothing. Nothing."
Kari rounded on him. "No, what did you mean?"
Atticus stared at the ground as he fiddled with the bottom of his torn shirt. "I designed it."
Kari gaped at him, her mind trying to process what he'd said. He'd designed it? What did that even mean? "You can't expect me to believe that you…"
Atticus shrugged and moved past her into the engine room. "Believe what you like."
Kari watched his back as he ambled into the next room. He couldn't be serious? Whoever had invented shielding like that would have made a fortune, he wouldn't be hiring lifts from people like her. But then… she frowned as a dim memory came back to her. She'd been in a bar, drinking to try to dull the pain of hearing about Piper's death, when someone had mentioned a new shielding technology. According to the barman, the idiot had given the plans away so they could build shielding over the food stocks on Zenith. It would mean the people of Zenith could actually grow some of their own food, but it also meant the designer wouldn't see a single token for their work.
At the time Kari had said they were an idiot. Only someone with half a brain would sacrifice that kind of profit for people they didn't know.
Wasn't Atticus just that kind of idiot?
"You think he's telling the truth?" Wren said.
Kari jumped. She hadn't heard Wren approaching and now the woman stood right by her shoulder. "I don't know. You?"
"He believes it," Wren said. "No elevated heartbeat, no iris contraction."
Wren followed Atticus deeper into the ship, leaving Kari staring after them with her mouth open.
It couldn't be, could it?
Kari shook her head and pushed the thoughts aside, right now she had bigger worries than whether or not Atticus had invented next-generation shielding. She stomped through the engine room and into the control pod.
"You said you know how to fly one of these?" Atticus said.
"How hard could it be?"
Kari dropped into the worn pilot's chair. Bits of stuffing exploded out of the torn fabric like the innards of some monster. The metal support dug into her legs through the thin cushion and it squealed when she tried to turn.
She ran her gaze over the controls. One ship wasn't so different from another—they just put the ignition in different places. The Albatross didn't have many weapons, so she didn't have to worry about that.
She leaned forward and looked up toward the roof of the shipping bay which was open to the night sky. The sun must have set and the shielding drawn back while they were talking. Now ships streamed through the opening.
"I'd recommend you strap in," Kari said.
"There aren't exactly seats," Atticus said.
Kari shrugged. "The
n hold on tight."
She pressed the ignition and the engines roared to life beneath them. They rattled and hummed like a giant creature in a cage, making everything inside the ship vibrate.
The engine had a throbbing, rhythmic sound which made Kari frown. It obviously needed some work, but she couldn't stop on Zenith for a few days while she—and maybe Atticus—worked out what was wrong. They had to get moving, even if it meant risking the engine cutting out.
She pushed the engine harder, preparing for escape velocity. "Hold on!"
She shoved the controls forward and the roaring squeal of the engines grated Kari's ears. The ship rumbled, shook, and then like a giant, unwieldy beast, it lifted off the floor. Smaller, more agile ships darted around them, zipping in and out of the opening like tiny fish around a whale.
The controls shook under Kari's grip and she had to use both hands to keep the throttle up. The ship strained against Zenith's gravity, the rockets threatening to give out, plummeting them back to the surface at any moment.
Kari gritted her teeth and held tighter. Eta had said they used the ship for everyday transport so there was no reason to think it would fail them now.
They finally rose above the roof of the shipping bay, then climbed higher.
The shaking of the engine made Kari's bones rattle and her head ache. The sooner they got off this ship, the better.
Sweat trickled down her face and her arms ached from forcing the controls, but finally they breached upper atmosphere and broke away from Zenith's gravity.
The controls stopped the worst of their shaking and Kari released her death grip. She let out a long breath, wiping sweat from her forehead.
She set their coordinates for the empty region of space where she'd agreed to meet Ryker and sat back. That was supposed to be the easy part of their journey, and yet she felt ready to collapse from exhaustion.
What the hell were they doing?
CHAPTER 26
"You've been busy," Kari said, running her hand along Ghost's door.
"Rusty helped," Ryker said. "It took a lot of cursing and a blow torch, but at least it will seal now."
Ryker had managed to detach the Imperium stealth ship from Ghost without damaging either of the airlocks.
