She’d been reborn. She’d laid down and lost herself in her marriage to Graf. But those days were gone.
Meg and Gabe were waiting for her outside the Molten Taco.
“Where’s Lucy?” Holly asked as she approached her sister and Gabe.
“School, where do you think?” Meg asked, giving Holly a quick embrace.
Gabe laughed. “Someone doesn’t have kids.”
“I wonder who,” Holly joked back. “I forget important details like that. And I was a teacher. You’d think I’d never forget when school was in session.”
They went inside and ordered the standard Molten Taco breakfast—a large family style skillet of eggs, bacon, potatoes, ahiocot from Yaso, and cheese. There were small warm tortillas to wrap the ingredients in, and to drink there were mimosas and Frozen Pearls.
“What happened with the mole, Gabe?” Holly asked. Meg, Lucy, and Gabe had been staying in a hotel since Iain had caught their tail that morning in Analogue Alley. Though Holly had warned him, Odeon simply ignored it. He claimed that the mole had never seen him and so he had nothing to worry about.
“He’s been in a holding cell for a few days. Sweating him out. A few people that I’d suspected were part of it gave me shifty looks when I took him in. Meg has to lose her tail every time she goes home, so do I.” He shrugged and piled sauce onto the taco he was making.
“Mom isn’t happy about this. Just when she arrives back on Kota, she’s ripped from the comforts of her own home. Her words.”
“She’s already calling your condo her home. At least she still adapts quickly,” Holly observed, as she finished her taco and picked up a tortilla to make another.
“You going to tell us what happened to your face, kiddo?” Gabe asked.
Holly flinched. She’d forgotten it was there. “Got hit.”
“That’s it?” Meg asked, dropping her taco to the plate in an exaggerated gesture. “Someone hit you.”
“Spill, Holly,” Gabe prompted.
“That’s it. I’m not talking more about it. But rest assured the bastard got what he deserved back.”
“So, it was a guy?” Meg asked, her nostrils flaring, her eyes flashing between Gabe and Holly. Holly would have sworn she could see Meg’s hackles rising. She appeared to get larger in the neck. It was a trick of Holly’s mind, she knew. It was still daunting. “Who?”
“I’m glad you guys are figuring out the mole shit. Any idea how soon this stuff will be all sorted out? When will you be able to go back to your condo?” Holly asked, trying to divert their attention.
“Holly,” Gabe began, finishing his taco. His fingers were covered in sauce. He wiped them with a napkin and swallowed. “Is someone harassing you?”
“No. It’s part of the job. I’ll never see the bastard again. Let’s move on. I wanted to know what was happening with you guys. So let’s forget about my face and talk about something important: both of you. I have to leave soon for a meeting. The crew is meeting Iain.”
“So Iain is working with you?” Meg asked.
“Gabe didn’t tell you?”
“No, he didn’t.” Meg glanced at Gabe, then began making another taco.
“Not a big deal. I didn’t know it mattered to you. Sorry,” Gabe said.
* * *
Holly finished her breakfast and left Meg and Gabe early to make it back to the Bird’s Nest before Iain arrived. She wanted to introduce him and she knew that, given his military history, he wouldn’t respect a leader who couldn’t be punctual.
She rushed through the front doors of the Surge Club, waved at Torden and took the stairs two at a time to get into the Bird’s Nest. If Iain were early, he might be there already. She skidded to a stop in front of the coffee table and looked around. Charly was at her desk, flipping through ledger files on her v-screen. Darius was at his bay of computers. He spun in his chair and looked at her. No sign of Iain. She breathed a sigh of relief and then paced to catch her breath.
“You look rested, Drake.”
“So do you. That nap while we were in the Megaron must have done it,” Holly said, grinning at him.
He stammered a series of unintelligible syllables at her.
“Are you joking? Aw, Darius. D-man. Is that what you did?” Charly asked, looking up.
“How’d you know?” he finally managed.
“You were the only one not falling asleep on your feet last night when we got back.”
“Won’t happen again, Drake. I’m so sorry. Just please,” he said, making praying hands at her, “please do not tell the others. They’d destroy me. I’d never live it down.”
“Fine. Don’t worry about it. I won’t tell the others, just don’t do it again. We count on you,” she said. If he’d stayed awake, perhaps she wouldn’t have had to deal with that guard. But she wasn’t going to put more guilt onto him. He knew he’d messed up and he was sorry. That was good enough for the moment. She was disappointed, but people made mistakes.
Holly turned and went to the window overlooking the floor to wait and watch for Iain so that she could hurry down and meet him when he arrived.
She didn’t have to wait long. He strode in looking purposeful and waited at the bar for Torden to notice him. Holly rushed down the stairs and hurried to greet him.
“Iain, hey.” She paused beside him at the bar. “This is Torden. He’ll get you a drink if you want one. What would you like?”
Iain nodded at Torden, then turned to Holly. “I’ll have something after I meet your team. I’ve assembled a crew, but they won’t be here tonight. I can introduce them to your team, however. I have images of them and a small presentation prepared. Do you have a way for me to show it to your team?”
God, he was prepared. “Definitely. If you want to tell Torden what you’d drink later, he’ll have it sent up when you’re ready.”
“Whisky,” he said to Torden. “On the rocks. I have to keep my wits about me.”
“Thanks, Torden,” Holly said, nodding at the Druiviin. “Come on, this way.” She led Iain up the stairs next to the edge of the bar.
Inside the upper room, Darius and Charly both paused in what they were doing. “Some of the crew aren’t here yet. When they show up, you can start. For now, this is Darius Jackson and Charly Stout. Guys, meet Iain Grant.” They told him hello and shook his hand in a formal greeting, then went back to their desks.
Darius helped Iain set up his presentation on the v-screen. As they worked on it, Shiro came sauntering in, twirling his cane, looking as pleased as a cat with a mouse between its teeth. Holly hadn’t seen him since the night before.
“Ms. Drake,” he greeted her. He’d gone back to his formal greeting, she noted, nodding a hello to him.
“This is Iain Grant. Iain, Shiro Oahu.”
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Grant. I look forward to working with you.”
“Ah, and this is Odeon Starlight,” Holly said, as Odeon strolled in carrying his icreash, his stringed instrument of preference.
“Sorry, Holly. I just came from a midday performance,” he said, then turned to Iain. “Happy to have you on the team, Iain.”
“Thank you. Is this it? Can we begin, Holly?” Iain asked, an image appearing on the v-screen.
“Go for it,” she said.
Iain launched into a rundown of the crew members that would accompany him and manage the tanker. He told them the reason for introducing them in the first place this way was so that Holly’s crew would be able to trust them once they were manning the ship. It wasn’t necessary for the team to remember their names, though if they did, it could make everyone feel more cohesive and safe. If nothing else, just remember their titles.
“Now then, shall we discuss when the ship is set to launch?” Iain asked.
Darius looked at Holly. She shrugged. “We were thinking in a week, maybe.”
Iain bowed his head and touched his lips with his steepled fingertips. He looked up at her, dropping his hands to his side. “Holly. I thought part of
the reason you wanted me was because I could get the ship away from the base before stasis happens.”
“Stasis?” Holly repeated.
“The base goes into voluntary no-fly for a month in five days. During that time all the tankers are taken into the launch bay of the base to be serviced.”
“So,” she said, blinking. “This means we have to leave soon? We have to do it soon. We can’t wait.”
“Yes, that’s what it would mean.”
She paced, irritated. “We didn’t know that. I didn’t know it.”
“We were going to use a tanker that had just dropped it’s hydrantium cargo at Po,” Darius explained.
“That won’t work. Too far out,” Iain said.
“So we have to adapt. Shit,” Holly said.
“Take one from the base. Trip flies us in.” Odeon strummed his icreash once.
“It’ll be heavy with cargo.”
“Doesn’t matter. Not if you want to do this now,” Iain said. “And you’ll need to leave in two days.”
Shiro laughed. “Everything just became incredibly urgent, chaps. Not to worry. The plan will work. We’ve got everything figured out. One variable changed. No problem. Iain can handle it. He’s our lynchpin.”
“I suppose that’s right,” Iain said.
“We leave in two days. Noon. Trip will have her cruiser again. And I need to get the teachers here. Iain, you ready your crew. I’ll ready mine. We’ll leave Kota in two days. Can you handle that?”
“Not a problem,” he said. “Now then, how about that drink?”
26
There was no longer time for slow introductions and a casual period to break everyone in. Elan had been in the city for a night by the time Holly was able to see him again. The reunion wasn’t sweet—in fact, when she saw him again, it was when the crew officially met the entire team again out at the shipyard where Trip’s ship was being rolled out of the maintenance hangar onto the launch staging area.
“Is this everyone?” Darius asked, looking at the huddle of people. “It’s a lot to fit onto the Olavia Apollo.”
“What should I do? Book another ship really quick?” Holly asked. “This isn’t ideal. I know. Nothing we do ever manages to be ideal. It’s always on the brink of disaster. But it’s the best I can do. We can do.”
Trip strode up and interrupted Holly’s hushed conversation with Darius. “Holly Drake, this is more than I normally like to accommodate. Can you leave someone behind?”
Holly looked over the group. There was Iain, with his crew of six. Holly’s crew of three sans Darius—who would be staying behind—plus the explosives expert that Odeon and Shiro had finally settled on, Petra Bast, a human female who was currently playing with a lighter as she stood apart from any of the other groups. Iain kept eyeing her like he didn’t approve of her toy. And then Elan, Estelle, and Valentine.
“Not anyone that I know of. We need them all. I can’t determine which of Iain’s crew could be left behind. Unless you want to leave your ship in the base and man some aspect of the tanker flight?” Holly asked, giving Trip a hopeful look.
“No, that won’t work. I’m not leaving her behind for that long.”
“Can you manage all of us?”
Trip did the Centau equivalent of a human sigh by flicking her head to the side. “Sounds like I will have to. Load them up, Holly Drake. Only essential crew members on the bridge with me, ever. That means you, Odeon, Shiro, Charly, or Darius. And Iain Grant can be there as well, since he’s been a commander.”
Holly turned to Odeon who stood next to her, his Ousaba gripped before him like some kind of fabled broadsword out of a story, held point down with both hands. “Let them know they can board, please.”
Odeon nodded and walked over to the various groups, gesturing to Trip’s ship, and saying something out of earshot in the loud tarmac area.
Holly exchanged a look with Elan and then went to his side. “I’ve been neglecting you to manage this stuff, but that isn’t what I wanted. I thought you would meet the crew and then in a few days we’d leave.”
“I am at peace, Holly. I don’t mind seeing you lead your crew in this way.”
She flashed him a grateful smile, then turned to Val and Estie. “You guys ready for this adventure?”
“I’ve never been more excited in my life. For anything. Ever. I think, ok, no, I think my heart might explode, Holly,” Val said, patting herself on the chest above her heart.
Holly grinned at Val, appreciating the teacher’s excitement. “OK, look, this whole thing is more rushed than I want it to be because plans had to change last minute. Once everyone is on the ship, I’ll come see you in the quarters where you’ll be staying, and introduce you to my crew. For now, let’s go aboard and I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.”
They followed her up the gangplank and into the ship. The hatches were open in the corridors that led into the quarters and small mess area with three tables built into the wall. There were four different areas with bunks. Holly led the teachers into the one furthest from the bridge. Inside the sleeping area, there were six bunks built into the walls with privacy curtains, and one small water closet area, plus drawers for personal belongings beneath the beds.
“Here it is. Nothing special. No frills. Trip uses her ship for small transport stuff, just like what we’re doing. It used to be a military ship,” Holly told them. Over her comm she could hear her crew talking about how everyone was on board. Trip mentioned that she was powering up the ship. If anyone was going to back out, they were about to lose their chance to disembark.
“What’s happening?” Val asked as a tremor went through the ship.
“It’s just the gangplank retracting. We’re about to take off. You guys good? You’re not going to back out yet?” She almost added that the children needed them, but changed her mind.
“No way am I leaving. No, not even a chance. I’m in it. One hundred percent. Those kids need me,” Val said.
Elan shook his head and lowered his chin, looking up at her through his eyelashes. “Sorry Holly. You won’t get rid of me that easily.”
“Same here,” Estie said, giving Holly a wink, as though she understood what Elan was implying.
“Thank Ixion. I need you guys. Without you the children would quickly become a mess.” She told them to settle in and make themselves comfortable. They’d be taking off soon. “Oh, and don’t forget, you need to strap into the launch seats.” She patted one of them where it was folded up into the wall. Then she left.
Odeon and Shiro had helped the other passengers aboard, so Holly didn’t need to check on them just yet. She went to her own quarters and stowed her bag in a drawer, also leaving the Equalizer in the drawer. There would be no reason to have it on her person aboard the ship. Then she went to the bridge.
“Everyone ready?” She asked her crew. Odeon nodded as he soon joined her on the bridge. Shiro and Charly were already strapped in. Iain was also there, buckling in for take off. He glanced up at her and nodded. There was an expression of indulgence on his face. She suspected that despite his big talk about not wanting to leave Kota, he’d missed something about the exhilaration of space flight. It wasn’t exhilarating to her. It was her albatross, the bane of her existence. But Odeon would be sitting beside her, humming softly. “Whenever you’re ready, Trip.”
Trip began her countdown.
“Adieu, my crew, adieu,” Darius said over the comms from Kota-side.
“And we have go,” Trip said. “Hang tight!”
The ship trembled and rocked as it lifted into a hover. The nose angled up, and then with a roar, the lights dimmed, and they parted the atmosphere in a curved line out into the darkness.
27
It took them eight hours aboard Trip’s Olavia Apollo to get close enough to see the base. During that time, Holly slept in her bunk in agreed upon shifts so that the crew would be rested for the mission. Odeon joined her, using his calming song to help her battle her space flight
anxiety. Then he slept as she slept.
When she woke again, Shiro and Charly took a break. Holly spent time checking on the different groups and met the explosives expert, Petra. The human was a lot younger than Holly, and behaved that way. Surly and arrogant, the girl discussed the plans that Odeon and Shiro had assigned to her during the infiltration to set the stage for the extraction of the children. Shiro would accompany Petra during her stage in the maneuver, to give her cover as well as (according to Odeon, who spoke in hushed tones later) make sure the girl didn’t go traitor on them like Voss had.
During the rest of the journey to the base, Holly sat beside Trip, whose constant attention wasn’t necessary in terms of flying the ship. In moments like that where the ship’s AI did most of the work, the Centau snoozed with her head leaned back against the headrest of her seat.
Holly nudged Trip awake when the base began to materialize out of the massive surface and colors of Ixion. Up close the planet was a behemoth that could make even the most narcissistic person doubt their importance in the universe.
“You might want to be awake for this part, Trip,” Holly said.
“Thanks,” Trip said, rubbing her eyes and yawning.
“I’m going to run and make sure all the different parties know what their roles are when we get to the base.” Holly unstrapped and motioned for Odeon to go with her.
As they got closer, the cloud of ships constantly leaving and arriving became clearer. “You going to come?” She asked her friend.
He unclipped his harness and followed her to the hatch and then through the corridors to the mess area, keeping his humming low and audible for her. In her own quarters, Holly grabbed the extra headsets to give to the teachers.
They went to Elan’s area first. He was in the teacher’s quarters meditating. Val laid on her bunk reading on her v-screen. Estie wasn’t around. “Where’s Estie?” Holly asked.
The Colossus Collection : A Space Opera Adventure (Books 1-7 + Bonus Material) Page 65
