by Debra Jess
How could he choose between two horrible options?
"I'll think about it."
She nodded, accepting that he wasn't prepared to give his decision right now. "Don't think too long."
He watched her activate the compressor and leave his quarters to enter her own, with nothing but his own dark thoughts to keep him company.
Chapter Thirty-One
"I don't know. It doesn't look haunted to me."
Kelra’s lips twitched with the desire to smirk at Ezick's comment. The rest of the bridge crew snickered in agreement, except for Darvik. Like herself, he remained stone-cold serious, unaffected by the golden swirls of ionized gas that painted a pretty picture across their holo-vid projection. Ever since their fight, they hadn't spent a single moment together. Since she could sense his repressed anger, she was sure he could feel hers. And the crew…they kept their distance until they couldn't any longer. In fact, she'd bet what money she had left that Ezick's comment was preplanned, some levity to buffer the uncomfortable wall of hostility enveloping the bridge.
"Beauty hides danger." Darvik switched the angle of the holo so everyone could see the tendrils fade into nothing at the nebula's edge. Just out of reach of the nebula, a small space station rotated on its access, still functional after all these years.
His dig hit its mark in her breast. He considered her beautiful but dangerous, and maybe now, after their argument, he regretted sleeping with her. Part of her wanted to cry at the potential loss of their relationship. Of all her lovers, at least the ones she remembered, he was the only one who touched her with such care and concern that she'd fallen for him. She loved him, and she hated herself for it because if, in the end, he chose not to allow her to board the Majesty of the Stars herself, then she'd have no choice but to betray him.
Incapacitating Darvik and his pirates was a death sentence for her, but she would die knowing Darvik and the others would live.
"What do the scans say?" Darvik asked.
Rusa waved her stylus around until the station appeared above them. "The station appears to have power, but I'm not getting any life signs."
"Lights are on, but no one is home." A flick of Mirin's wrist brought the Queen's weapons online. "They must have left in a hurry. Still, I say we shift back before we get any closer."
"I agree." Darvik leaned forward in his seat, as if trying to get as far away from her as possible. "Johza, start the transition. Rusa, keep scanning for anything out of the ordinary. Ezick, see if you can get a connection to the computer system on board. They might have forgotten to power that down as well. Mirin, keep an eye on the slipstream. I don't want any surprises sneaking up behind us."
In a matter of moments, the Queen of Hearts began to push herself back into her original shape. Which left Kelra with nothing to do since the pirates not on the bridge would hunker down along with the puppets for the duration. Even after her fight with Darvik, Kelra had kept herself occupied by assisting where she could. Now, she was nothing more than bulk weight affecting the efficiency of the ship. She might as well head to her quarters before the Queen of Hearts shifted any further.
Darvik didn't stop her when she reached the compression gate, perhaps knowing where she was going. Being a foregone conclusion didn't help her emotional equilibrium, so in rebellion, instead of directing the window to her quarters, she sent it toward sick bay. Maybe Cuff would have some advice on how to proceed with Darvik, assuming they would start talking again, if he gave in to her request to board the Majesty of the Stars first.
"Welcome back." Cuff appeared from behind a screen separating the bio-beds. "I haven't seen you for a few days. Do you need more nutri-packs?"
Just mentioning the disgusting things made her retch. "No. Still have plenty, unfortunately."
"I know." Cuff's wide, genuine smile flashed. "Maybe someday a biotech will discover a better delivery system for the nutrients you need, but for now, it's all we've got. What brings you back to my domain? Are you feeling okay?"
Was she? "Yes, no…I don't know."
"You and Darvik fight?"
Her sigh had that put-upon sound she hadn't used since she was sixteen and her life hadn’t been moving fast enough to get her back into space. It almost made her wince, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to care. "Yes. Maybe you can help me convince him to let me board the Majesty of the Stars first and alone."
"Why is it so important to you?"
Given his quick response, Darvik must have confided in his best friend about the alien and her plans to kill it.. Cuff might help if he thought it important to her mental and emotional health. If not, then back to her original plan, which seemed further away than ever.
"What has Darvik told you?"
"Nothing specific, but it doesn't take a psych eval to see that you two had a go-around after you left dinner the other night."
"I'm not going to steal anything, I swear it." She chose another stool in front of Cuff so she could sit down too. "There's nothing over there except memories, and the few items I want aren't worth anything to anyone else."
"I know that. The others believe you too."
Her frustration boiled over. "So why the pushback? Darvik knows I can handle myself and anything I might run into."
"If you were at full strength, maybe. But you still need—"
"I'm strong enough now. The nutri-packs are working. I've been exercising as ordered. I am not half as tired as I was when you pulled me off Ruintalos. Didn't I prove myself on Station Seven?" She cut him off, sick to death of being told her body wasn't ready.
"That's probably the biggest reason he doesn't want you to step onto the Majesty of the Stars by yourself."
What? Cuff's response made no sense. "Because I'm good at what I do?"
"Because what you do could get you killed, and he cares too much about you to let that happen. Darvik and I…we lost everything when the Iron Heart was destroyed. We don't have a ship out there waiting for us to return. You do, but going inside alone, after twenty years…everyone needs backup, Kelra, even you, and Darvik would stand right behind you for all of it, if you'd let him."
And that there was the problem. Having Darvik at her back would mean the alien might plow through her to get to him. She couldn't allow that. She wouldn't.
"I'm so sorry." Her apology was honest at least. "I never thought that you and Darvik bringing me home might hurt the both of you more."
Cuff waved off her concern. "Darvik and I, we're fine as long as we're together. We're brothers in every way except blood. So believe me when I tell you this: I think, even now with everything that has happened, despite your argument, if he had to choose between you and me, or you and the Queen of Hearts…he would choose you."
"Why?" It was a stupid question. She knew why. It was the same reason her parents were able to make their marriage work on board a ship where her mother was the captain and her father was the second-in-command.
"Love is grand." Cuff flipped the piece of equipment into a sterilizer. "But respect…you can't have any sort of working relationship without respect. Until he saw you on the other side of the holo that first time, Darvik had never met a challenge he couldn't master. You're the one challenge he's still figuring out. The thing is—even if you spent a lifetime together, he'd never understand you completely, and vice versa. You two complement each other in ways that most couples never achieve. . Don't give up on him, Kelra. He might grant you your request, but if he doesn't…just don't give up."
They were words of wisdom she would have to ruminate on alone. "Thanks, Nazaniel. I…need to think for a while. Maybe…"
A loud clank from the ship interrupted her thoughts, making her realize she might have said too much. She needed to pull back and do exactly what she told Cuff she was going to do: retreat, reconsider, think about what she really wanted from this journey, and maybe…just maybe both she and Darvik both would get what they wanted.
"I'm going back to my quarters for the rest of all this." She
waved her hands, indicating the noise around them.
Cuff nodded, probably understanding more than she gave him credit for. "Stop by later if you still need to talk."
She nodded and opened the compression gate, this time really heading to her quarters.
Even with the noise of the Queen of Hearts shifting, her quarters sounded so quiet. It didn't have any of her own personal touches, only some artwork that Darvik either didn't want or didn't appreciate. The clothes she purchased sat out of sight in the closet, including the teddies. She might never have a chance to wear the white or the gold.
"Queen of Hearts, play music."
"Preference?"
"Something soothing."
It didn't take long for the ship to figure out what soothing meant to her. The thing knew her likes and dislikes well enough already. A simple sonata played while she wandered around, considering her options. Before long, she opened the closet and dug out the box of Z-nips.
Unlike Black Wave, which had deadly side effects, Z-nips when taken in moderation left the user in a serene stupor. Take too much, and the user would fall asleep for a couple of hours, but the serene sensation would sap the energy right out of them for several hours after that. Even when conscious, the user still couldn't move far or for long periods of time for another half day. It was a common party drug for those who didn’t want to risk the side effects or addictive qualities of Black Wave or other chemicals.
It would give her just enough time to get over the Majesty of the Stars and kill the alien…or not. If she survived, then she would return and let Darvik do whatever he wanted afterward.
It wouldn't matter once the deed was done. Would he forgive her or shove her into the black room where she belonged?
Dangerous thoughts swirled as she contemplated the Z-nips. Before her emotions could slip any further into darkness, her door chimed. Who would want to talk to her after the dinner fiasco?
"Queen of Hearts, open door."
The door dissolved, revealing Mayla standing there with a tray. Why had the puppet come here? With a food tray, no less? Kelra motioned the puppet forward, because she wouldn't do so without permission, and where to place the tray on the small end table next to the sofa.
"What's this?" Kelra pulled the top off the dish. A fancy dessert sat there, dripping in sweet orange, black, and green flavors layered with a whipped topping bursting with colorful candies. "Oh, my. Who sent it?"
Mayla tipped her head to the side. "The boy sent two slices to me, but I could only eat one. I brought it to you or else it would go to waste and anger the cook."
"Thank you, Mayla. This makes me feel so much better." Careful to lay the box on the sofa where it wouldn't fall, Kelra swirled her finger through the mess of syrup before licking it clean. Bringing her a leftover dessert showed more initiative than most puppets could generate. Maybe Ezick had sent her? While she enjoyed the sweetness, she thought of a way to make her Z-nip plan work.
"Mayla, do you always work in the kitchen?"
"Yes."
"So you deliver food to the table for all three meals during the day? You don't get a rest day?"
"Yes, I deliver food to the table three times a day. I do not have a rest day."
A puppet wouldn't know what to do with a rest day even if they had one, but Kelra had insisted that each of the puppets on the Silt had at least one rest day on a regular basis. Even if their job was not physically taxing, she didn't believe that even a puppet couldn't become mentally or emotionally fatigued doing the same job without a break. Even if they just lay in their cots and stared at the ceiling, she had to believe it had some positive effect on them.
She would have to ask Ezick about why they had the puppets working every day without a break, but right now, Mayla's unending schedule worked for her.
Placing the top back on the dessert, Kelra walked toward Mayla, not quite invading the other woman's space, but close enough to make what she was about to say sound more like she was addressing a friend and not a servant or slave.
"I want to apologize to you."
Mayla tilted her head to one side, confused.
"When I came to visit you the other day, I promised I would visit more often, and I haven't done that. I just want you to know that I intend to do better. Soon, perhaps in the next couple of days, I will come visit you in your quarters. Is that okay with you?"
"Yes, that is okay with me."
"Good. I'm glad. You may return now."
"Thank you."
Mayla left, dissolving the door herself. Kelra sat on the sofa but ignored the dessert. She needed a way to get the Z-nips into the water supply. It would be the safest and easiest way to make sure everyone was knocked out at once. All the pirates had to drink at some point, and even if they didn't drink water, most of the nonalcoholic drinks would have some water content.
Mayla would be able to add the Z-nips to the water with less of a chance of being caught. Using her that way, though…
Kelra pulled the top back off the dessert, picked up the spoon, and jammed it into the thickest part of the slice before scooping the oversize bite into her mouth. Guilty eating—the go-to remedy for making a poor decision for the right reasons. She needed Mayla if she were going to complete her mission. No reason to feel bad about it.
Right?
Chapter Thirty-Two
Without Kelra on the bridge, all banter had stopped. Even Ezick knew not to do anything that might poke him the wrong way. Just as well, because right now his raw nerves made him want to lash out and hurt someone as much as he hurt because Kelra had to be so obstinate. Those plans of hers made logical sense, but the situation had none.
I don't want you to die.
How many times had he almost died over the years? Not that many since he cared for the lives of every person on board his ship as if they were his own, which made him a demon for planning every raid down to each minuscule detail.
Some days they hated him for his tenacity, but they all lived, as did most of the people on board the ships they attacked. His law demanded no killing their victims indiscriminately, but they didn't know the depth of the promise he'd made to Naz.
Which made his argument with Kelra so maddening. She didn't want him to die, and he didn't want her to kill herself. Revenge he could understand, but why couldn't she see the danger?
"We're approaching the station."
Darvik nodded to Rusa. "How much longer until the shift is complete?"
"We're at ninety-eight percent." Mirin pulled her triggers up toward her chest. "Weapons are online."
Good, they were far enough along that he could begin the next phase of his plan. "Wait until we make a half orbit. I want the station between us and the slipstream before we start our scans, just in case someone else comes through."
Rusa nodded, her stylus weaving through the air. "Initiating stationary orbit."
Time ticked, but as much as Darvik asked himself pointed question as he examined the holo of the station, Kelra's voice continued to call to him, as if they had a telepathic connection. It wasn't her words he heard, but the emotions she evoked. She demanded his trust, but he still couldn't give it, not without more answers or at least a guarantee that he could keep her safe from herself.
"Half orbit achieved," Rusa announced.
"Cease stationary orbit," he ordered. "Begin scans."
Mirin dropped her weapons’ ready stance. "Firing engines."
The noise increased a few decibels as the engines fired, keeping the Queen of Hearts in place with a final clank ending her shift back to a normal destroyer.
"External scans show no damage." Johza’s observation was punctuated with a rough cough.
"Then let's see what's inside."
Readouts scrolled along the edge of the holo. Darvik picked out the keywords, saving him time from reading the whole scroll top to bottom. For the briefest of seconds, he started to turn his head, looking for Kelra behind him to ask what she thought, but then remembered she w
asn't there. Clamping his mouth closed at the last second, he pretended to stretch his neck, not an uncommon gesture after spending so much time sitting.
"I'm not seeing anything except what we would expect for wear and tear, but otherwise, the station looks habitable." More coughing came from Johza. At some point, Darvik would have to talk to him about his position on the bridge, but for now, he overlooked Johza's distress. The man wasn't stupid, and more than likely he would retire on his own. All he wanted as far as Darvik could see was one last raid to satisfy himself before the end claimed him.
"Can we get a lock on their computers?" he asked even as Ezick's stylus whisked across the holo faster than Darvik could track.
"Working on it." Ezick's fingers flew even faster. Systems changed a lot in twenty years, so Darvik tried to give Ezick the benefit of the doubt. The kid wanted to please his captain, but it was his mouth that got him into trouble, not his knowledge.
Ten minutes passed. Darvik stood up to pace around the bridge but avoided Ezick’s station. Ezick's stylus jerked in shorter bursts under the pressure to get into the computers.
"Ezick, relax. Worst-case scenario, we'll link up with the station and try a brute force connection from inside."
"No, no. I can do this. I just need a little…" He didn't complete the sentence, reaching up to jab the holo with his left hand. "Did it. We're in. What should I look for?"
"You? Nothing. You got us in, which is all we need. Rusa, you look at the station's logs. Johza, you get the commander's personal logs. I'm going to check out all recorded communication."
Assuming that contact with the Majesty of the Stars occurred right before the station shut down, Darvik started with the most recent messages and worked his way backward.
That was a big mistake, at least for him. The first record showed a rescue crew hauling a six-year-old Kelra out of the escape pod. After so much time inside the capsule, she could hardly walk on her own two feet once she hit the station and full gravity. One of her rescuers swooped the tiny girl into his arms and laid her down on an emergency bio-bed, which sounded alarms indicating just how fast her health had deteriorated during her journey.
