by Erica Rue
“They’re at the center of the island, and they may not venture far from that area,” Dione said. “I don’t see any other areas that are as open and burned down as that one. He came by boat, right? Maybe we’re going about this the wrong way.”
“Meaning?”
“If we can figure out the patterns of the currents, we’ll have a better idea of where his boat landed. Maybe Sam can access the old researchers’ data about—” Dione broke off mid sentence. A warning light was flashing among the controls. “The engine is overheating. There’s a fire.”
“How is that possible?” Brian asked. “They couldn’t have ignited the accelerant from the ground.”
“Hang on, I’m putting it out.” Dione pressed a few flashing buttons, grateful that emergency symbols were universal. The temperature dropped sharply.
“Something’s still wrong,” Brian said. “The temperature is rising again.”
She could see it on the display, indicator creeping back toward red.
“Another fire? I don’t see any warning of that.”
“No, it must be something else,” he said.
“Like what?” Dione’s heart was pounding.
“It doesn’t matter. We need to land now! How about the beach there?”
Dione began to sweat. She thought the cabin temperature was rising, too, but it could have been her nerves. She directed the Flyer to the beach, landing close to the trees where the ground was a firm mixture of sand and dirt. There was no evidence the tide ever made it up this far.
“What now?” she asked.
“I don’t know.” Brian threw up his hands. “I’d never been in a Flyer until a few days ago.”
She ran some diagnostics, but turned up nothing that would explain the problem.
Crap, she thought. I need Lithia’s help. She swallowed her pride and gave her best friend a call.
Lithia answered, launching immediately into a tirade. “So now you’re ready to talk? Or did you just happen to notice the bajillion missed calls—”
“Lithia, shut up. We’ve landed on the beach. The Flyer’s engine overheated, and there was an internal fire. We put out the fire, and the temperature dropped at first, but then it started rising again. We can’t figure out what’s wrong. The engine and power cells are fine.”
“Maybe it was the dragons,” Brian said. “They did spit accelerant on us.”
“Seriously?! Did you miss the part where we warned you to stay away from them?” Lithia exclaimed.
“Brian was flying. Got us a little too close.”
“That’s why the girl should always drive on a date. Overheating engine, you say? What about the cooling system?”
“Huh?”
“It’s like when a dog is panting, or lying on a cool surface. The heat has to go somewhere. The dog needs to cool down.”
“There’s nothing on the display to indicate a problem.”
“The display doesn’t know anything. Did you check the shuttle? You can actually see the cooling vents. They’re near the back on the sides and underneath,” Lithia said.
Brian was already opening the back of the Flyer. Dione grabbed the stun rifle just to be safe. They ventured cautiously onto the sand and inspected the shuttle.
“Is it supposed to look like this?” Brian asked, pointing to the starboard cooling vents.
Dione examined them. They were clogged with something. Dione checked the other cooling vents, but they looked normal. She sent Lithia a picture of the damage.
“That’s weird,” Lithia said. “Hang on. The diagnostics turned up nothing? Not even minor errors?”
“Well, there were some, but none of them would have caused overheating. They were little things, like parts that were getting worn and should be replaced soon. None of them were important parts.”
“Everything is an important part! You think I flew us down here in Nate without checking everything first?” Dione rolled her eyes. She’d forgotten that particular shuttle’s designation, N8, which Lithia had turned into a nickname.
“Didn’t stop you from crashing it,” she replied.
“You want my help or not?”
Dione sighed. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m an idiot about these things, which is why I need your help.”
“Uh-huh. Send me the diagnostic results,” Lithia said.
After a short wait, Lithia gave her the rundown. “Looks like there was an external crack.”
“Why didn’t the computer catch this?” Dione asked.
“It’s a computer, not a god. Did you do a visual check before you took off?”
“No, we were a little busy stealing it,” Dione replied.
“Hmm,” Lithia replied, “I guess you were.” She paused. “If it’s a small enough crack, the computer doesn’t always register it. These are old shuttles, Di. Your dad’s car is higher tech than these. Anyway, that crack is how the accelerant got into places it shouldn’t have been.”
“How bad is that?” Dione said.
“It can muck things up. The real problem is that there’s some old wiring in there. I’m betting it sparked and caught the accelerant on fire. That fire then melted something, and that something is now clogging the cooling vents,” Lithia said. “Without serious repairs, you’re not going anywhere.”
Dione rubbed her temples. “Awesome.”
“You’ve got terrible timing. The Calypso is grounded, too, but maybe we can borrow a Flyer. Cross your fingers Victoria’s feeling generous.”
“I won’t waste my energy,” Dione replied. She didn’t think Victoria was capable of feeling generous. They were screwed.
Lithia ended the call, and Dione turned to stare out at the ocean. The midday sun reflected off the white sand, blinding her. They hadn’t found even a trace of Brian’s father and had ruined their shuttle almost immediately. It was so hot and humid, Dione found that even deep breaths were unpleasant. She returned to the shuttle and lay down, spread-eagle on the floor.
She was trapped on nightmare island in the sweltering heat with Brian.
“Damn.”
4. LITHIA
Lithia sat on top of a crate in front of the hull breach, watching people scurrying to and from shuttles and the Mountain Base. She’d counted at least a dozen opportunities to slip inside an empty Flyer with no one the wiser. The temptation was so great, she almost forgot what was holding her back.
Oberon was asking Victoria, the Ficaran leader, to use a Flyer, but Lithia already knew that wouldn’t work out. Victoria was stubborn and arrogant, but one hell of a marksman, as Lithia had learned during the Ven attacks. If she was being honest with herself, if she hadn’t hated Victoria’s guts, she might have admired her. When Lithia saw Oberon storming out of the Mountain Base, she knew what the woman’s answer had been.
Her normally kind and thoughtful professor entered through the cargo bay doors, even though the gash in the hull was closer, and ripped a crate from a nearby stack. Its contents, dozens of packages containing lab supplies, scattered across the floor.
Lithia flinched. She had never seen Professor Oberon lose control before, but Victoria’s refusal to lend him a shuttle, combined with the damage to the Calypso, had sent him over the edge.
“What can I do to help, professor?” She winced. She had been too polite. Too like Dione, and that was the last thing Oberon needed right now.
He didn’t make eye contact. Instead, he began setting up the nanotech to make repairs. “Zane’s going to help me with the nanotech,” he said, “but I think the damage is too extensive. She won’t be properly space-worthy again, not without undergoing real repairs.”
Lithia already knew that. She’d watched the wreck, and there was no coming back from that. “I could… borrow another shuttle.” Normally, Oberon wouldn’t go for the underhanded route, but he seemed desperate.
“No, I’m sure she’s on guard for that. We can’t cross Victoria. We’ve finally built up some good will, even with Dione’s part in taking that shuttle. Victoria blames Brian
more, thankfully.” He shook his head. “Push her too far, and I don’t know how safe we’ll be here. For now, she likes us enough to let us stay and do our own thing.”
Lithia couldn’t argue with his assessment. As Oberon worked, still avoiding her eye contact, she examined his face. He had to be close to fifty, but he didn’t normally show it. Now she saw the bags under his eyes, the frown lines spanning his forehead.
Suddenly, inspiration struck. “What if we got more shuttles from the station?” Lithia asked. She had forgotten about the rather full shuttle bay on the space station that orbited Kepos.
He shook his head. “I already suggested it, but even the lure of supplies and shuttles didn’t sway her. Things are too chaotic right now, and Sam told her the autopilot program she’s been running for the shuttles wouldn’t work in space.”
“You and I could do it, though,” Lithia replied. Oberon gave her a sad smile, and she understood at once. “And that’s the problem. Even with Colm’s supervision, she wouldn’t let us?”
“No, though I’m hoping she changes her mind once she has a chance to think about how nice it would be to have even more Flyers. It’s our best bet.”
Lithia sighed. She hated this kind of red tape. It reminded her of being back home. Arbitrary rules, one size fits all. No exceptions, no matter how much sense they made.
“There’s one other option,” she said.
“I already told you, we’re not stealing one.” He stepped away from the screen where he had been programming the nanotech and looked her straight in the eye. “Lithia Min, promise me you won’t steal a shuttle.”
“I promise,” she replied, not breaking his eye contact. “I want to ask Cora if I can borrow her shuttle.”
“It’s not hers. It’s the Aratians’ shuttle.”
“But she’s kind of in charge, right? It can’t hurt.”
When Lithia had first met Cora, she’d been surprised to see how alike they looked. Lithia’s grandmother, Miranda Min, had abandoned her grandfather. Miranda had come to Kepos and started a new family once she settled in. Cora was her unexpected cousin, as she liked to think of it. Though Cora had rightfully grown to hate her, she seemed to be coming around. Before the battle against the Vens at the Vale Temple, Cora had asked for answers. Maybe she could exchange those answers for some time with their Flyer.
“How are you going to get over there?” Oberon was already thinking. “Victoria might lend us an ATV…”
“I have a better idea.”
Lithia grinned. She had a feeling this would work.
***
Lithia was helping the volunteer nurses change bandages and check the nonfatal injuries when Victoria found her. She finished helping her current patient before excusing herself.
Lithia smiled and asked, “Is there something I can do for you?” Again, too polite. She didn’t want Victoria to be suspicious.
“I’ve just heard from Moira, and she’s requested your help. Says you have some more recent information on phytoremediation that could help her speed up the process.” Lithia had met Moira when she’d first been kidnapped by the Aratians, and the scientist had agreed to help fix the Ficarans’ poisoned farmland using a weird plant technique called phytoremediation. Lithia had contacted Moira, offering to bring her, in person, all the data her little group had about the technique.
Lithia nodded at Victoria. “I do have some knowledge about the techniques, as well as information in our database that would probably help.” That first part was technically true, but that second part, the newer data, was the real reason Moira had agreed to help Lithia get over to the Vale Temple.
“And it really works?” Victoria said. “A few plants can remove the poison from the ground?”
“It’s a bit more complicated than that, but yes,” Lithia replied. “The plants suck the contaminants out of the ground, and then you dispose of the plants, contaminants and all.” She didn’t blame Victoria for being skeptical. It sounded ridiculous, like something out of a fantasy holo. Magic plants. But there was a lot more to this process than Lithia truly understood. That’s why Bel was preparing everything the Calypso had on phytoremediation for her to give to Moira.
“Fine. We’re opening up trade again. Slowly. The first exchange is happening this evening. This place,” Victoria gestured to the base around her, “is full of Artifacts and spare parts. I’ll let you join them, but the earliest you’ll be able to return is tomorrow evening.”
“No problem. I understand. I‘ll get ready,” Lithia said. Did she sound too eager?
Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Don’t try anything stupid,” she said. “I know that will be hard for you.”
Lithia took a breath, preparing to launch into a tirade about how she had saved a lot of Ficaran lives with her so-called stupidity. Victoria put a hand on her hip, as if waiting for it, so Lithia simply exhaled. It felt like an act of defiance.
What is this woman’s problem? she wondered. Hadn’t Lithia done enough to earn some good will by this point? Or was Victoria just doubling down on being an abrasive dictator since that was all she’d ever known? Maybe this was her way of being nice.
“Thanks for letting me know,” Lithia said.
“Be outside and ready in an hour. No weapons.”
Lithia nodded, and Victoria left. Time to check in with Bel.
***
Lithia found her on the Calypso, compiling the phytoremediation data and adding in notes where appropriate.
“It’s been a while since I looked at this stuff,” Bel said, “but there’s really a lot that’s been done with phytoremediation in recent years. I think this information could help Moira speed up the process. I know you offered it as an excuse to get to the Vale Temple, but it’s actually a good idea.”
“I have those from time to time,” Lithia said, folding her arms across her chest. God, does everyone think I’m an idiot?
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Bel backpedaled.
Apologetic Bel reminded her of Dione in that moment, and she felt a pang for her missing friend. “I know. The biology stuff isn’t my forte. Thanks for organizing it all.”
“No problem,” Bel said.
Oberon and Zane joined them then. Lithia held up her wrist, displaying her manumed. “Freshly loaded with all the data Moira could want.”
Oberon smiled, and even though it was a tired smile, Lithia was glad for it.
“I’m happy it worked,” he said, “but be careful over there. We don’t know when the Vens will attack again. With small numbers, they might rely on biting as many as they can to create Berserkers.”
Lithia understood his point. With a bite, Vens could turn regular people into adrenaline-fueled Berserkers who couldn’t recognize friend from foe. They had done so at the Field Temple when they attacked the Ficarans.
“This also isn’t the most stable time to be among the Aratians,” Oberon continued. “It sounds like there might be some anger and tension within the settlement itself. I heard Victoria complaining about some guns that went missing after the battle.”
“I’ll be careful,” Lithia said, rolling her eyes.
Her stomach did a flip. This was just the first step. Getting to the Aratian settlement was only half the battle. Convincing Cora to lend her the shuttle? That would be tough. Cora had been in bad shape emotionally the last time she had seen her. Losing her father and the guy she wanted to marry in the same day? Lithia couldn’t imagine her pain. She didn’t want to imagine it. She could still see the look on Roy’s face when she left him to die during the invasion of the Ficaran settlement. He had only been a kid, and the Vens had killed him because she hadn’t been able to save him. She pushed the thought away. It was too painful to dwell on loss. She had to focus on something she could fix.
She was going to rescue Dione.
5. DIONE
Brian sat next to Dione, who leaned back against the bulkhead inside the shuttle. It kept them out of the scorching sun, at least. She waited for
him to speak, but he didn’t say anything. She was fine with that.
The last time Brian had suggested they land at the beach felt like a lifetime ago, even though it had only been a week. She had even kissed him then, though at the time she’d thought it was more of a kiss goodbye than anything. She still felt a connection to Brian, but the feeling grated on her because she wasn’t in control of it. She didn’t want to feel that connection. She’d thought Brian really liked her, then he’d gone and kissed Lithia. He hadn’t technically done anything wrong. He hadn’t cheated since they weren’t together, but it made her feel small.
Her manumed buzzed with an update from Lithia. Apparently, Victoria had refused to help, but Lithia was going to ask Cora to borrow the Aratian Flyer. Dione sighed. They might be here a while.
She got up and looked through the contents of the supply crates. They’d taken the Flyer before it was fully loaded, but there were still several crates in the back. She was getting hungry, and depending on how long they were stuck here, they’d need food and water.
“There’s some water here, and I think this is juice,” she said, holding up a bottle of pinkish liquid. After refilling her water bottle, she opened the next few crates and called out their contents to Brian. “Some canned vegetables, and a good amount of grains, nuts, and dried fruit. We should be fine to stay here while Lithia finds a way to get us.” Dione grabbed a handful of nuts and dried fruit, along with a bottle of juice and sat back down.
When she’d been focused on taking inventory, she’d been able to ignore the fact that she was alone with him. Now that she was stuck waiting for rescue, no other objective to occupy her mind, her idle thoughts turned toward Brian. His presence felt like an intrusion.
At last he spoke. “I want to go looking for my dad.”
“Blocked cooling vents aren’t something we can fix,” Dione said.
“We could go on foot,” he suggested.
She removed her manumed and tossed it to him. “Look through what’s on this island. Do you want to get strangled by death vines, torched by dragons, or poisoned by murder bugs?”
