Dixon

by Sarah J. Stone

  “Christa isn't going to know it,” Nathaniel snapped at Desmond.

  “She may not know it for this particular model, but she may have an idea, and we're about to lose power,” Desmond answered, trying to reach out as far as his bond would go for his former Tiro.

  “What in Creator name is happening?” Eliza burst into the control room, looking annoyed.

  “We're over-heating, your highness,” Nathaniel snapped at her. “Exactly what I tried to tell you would happen.”

  “Well, fix it,” Eliza answered, and Nathaniel growled at her.

  “We're trying.”

  “Hi,” Christa's voice came through the speakers loud and clear.

  “Christa, please tell me you can override an error code 543J,” Nathaniel said. “We're in a Koli u74.”

  “543J?” Christa asked in shock. She was the best pilot in the galaxy. If anyone had the skills, it was her. “Take her down and now.”

  “What?” Nathaniel demanded.

  “You can't override that.” Christa's panic was only slightly apparent “You need to get everyone on that ship into the control room, and fast. That's going to be the last area to shut down the oxygen.”

  “Sienna.” Nathaniel spun around. “Go, now!”

  Desmond reached up, hitting the ship wide PA. He failed once to get it working, and Sienna noticed before she ran that his hands were shaking. Her Maestros were nervous, and that added to her fear.

  She ran down the hall, trying to remember where she had last seen people. Her hand was soaked in blood, feeling hot and sticky underneath her palm. She had ripped the vein, and she was going to be in danger of bleeding out if she didn't fix it.

  “All personnel to the pilot's cockpit, now. Repeat, all personnel to the pilot's cockpit, now,” Desmond's voice came over the PA. He sounded calm, but inside the cockpit, a second alarm was starting to sound.

  “You should have hard warnings before this,” Christa said.

  “We did,” Nathaniel said, through gritted teeth, “I ignored them.”

  “Don't you blame this on me,” Eliza barked. “If the ship wasn't safe to fly, you should have said.”

  “Did I say that?” Nathaniel asked her.

  “Hey,” Christa's voice came back through. “I'm going to lock onto your ship and see if I can find the nearest planet. But you need to descend, Nathaniel, and now.”

  “Descend with nowhere to land?”

  “You're going to lose oxygen,” she reminded him. “You need to have the best chance of entering breathable atmosphere as soon as possible, and you'll do that by flying low.”

  “Can't I override the shutdown?” he asked. “I know that you can do it on other models.”

  “You can,” Christa said. “And it will lead to combustion, so don't even try. Creator, your engine is hot!” She had received their stats and Desmond could hear her fingers on the keys wherever she was, frantically searching. “Well, this is good. You're near Arborath.”

  “Can you key us clearance for landing?” Nathaniel asked, frantically trying to keep the ship under control as it started to tremble.

  “No need,” Christa said. “Arborath is not controlled by the Union. It's a snow planet, so you'll cool down right away, if you can get there fast enough. Stand by.”

  “It's not a Union planet?” Desmond asked. “What is it?”

  “It's…” Christa's wince could be heard in her voice. “Just be on your guard It's one of those misfit planets. But if you blow your engine, you should be able to pick up a new one around there.”

  Nathaniel glanced to Desmond, but said nothing. They had been on those planets before, and it was anything but safe.

  “Key it in,” Nathaniel said, knowing they were taking a huge risk. In addition to a fragile Tiro, they had the Queen of Jeffro aboard, and enough jewels to fund a planet for six months, it seemed. Planets like Arborath could smell money from miles away.

  Sienna felt like she couldn't catch her breath as she motioned for the bewildered guards to make their way toward the front of the ship. She could feel her hand grow slippery and her head was fuzzy. It probably didn't help that her heart rate was over accelerating as she rushed from door to door.

  “What's happening?” one of the frightened servants asked. “Are we going to die?”

  “Not if my Maestros can help it,” she replied, pointing toward the front. She was keeping count, and she was pretty sure that was it.

  Turning on her heel, she moved back to the front. The doors were open, and Eliza was frantically counting, naming names and making sure all were accounted for.

  “There's 1 more,” Eliza said. “Jonah. Where is Jonah?”

  “He was below, your highness,” said one of her other bodyguards, looking around. “Watching the view.”

  “Where?” Sienna asked, feeling woozy.

  “I'll go,” said the guard but she put her hand out toward him.

  “No,” she said. “I'll go.”

  “You're bleeding,” he said and Nathaniel's head whipped around.

  “Sienna,” he said, in alarm.

  “I—” she said, and then the alarm pierced their ears.

  “There's no time,” Nathaniel said, and the doors started closing. “Everyone, find a seat or sit on the floor and hold onto something. We're going down and we're going down now.”

  “No!” Eliza cried, but the doors slammed shut, sealing them in.

  “Sienna, come here,” Desmond put his arm out as he scooted over so that she could sit. The seats were large, and the safest place.

  “Eliza,” Nathaniel cried. These were the two most precious bodies on the ship – the Queen and the future of the Order. He took his hands off the controls because there was nothing more he could do. A million miles away, Christa had locked in a landing sequence, onto snow tufts that she hoped were soft.

  Desmond strapped the belt over both of them, and put his hand over her wound.

  “What happened?” he asked, as the engines began to fail.

  “I ripped the IV when the alarm went off,” she answered, bracing herself against him. “I had to react, there was no time to remove it.”

  He said nothing to that, bending down as the lights went off. But he realized that this was her life, how she had to react in emergencies. She couldn't just spring into action. There were such limitations. It wasn't fair to her to go through this.

  There was a shriek from somewhere behind her, and then a giant crash. They hit the snow with a crack, plummeting forward and bouncing. Sienna was thrown forward, and the belt dug into her. She choked, but it was only for a moment before she was thrown backwards, her head hitting the headrest. There was another crack as the wing hit a giant ice tower. Sienna saw stars and felt Desmond's weight against her. She kept her eyes closed, trying to remain loose and move with the impact.

  Finally, they came to a stop. There was silence in the cockpit, aside from ragged breathing.

  “Everyone all right?” Nathaniel pulled off his head set with haste, spinning around as he pulled the buckle off. Eliza sat up at once, looking dazed but alive. “Speak up.”

  The bodies on the floor were alive, although some were unconscious, shifting slowly back to life. Eliza threw herself out of the seat, moving between her people with concern. She checked pulses before moving on, her blue eyes wide and frantic.

  “Maestro, you're bleeding,” Nathaniel said, stumbling over to them. “Are you all right?”

  “As typical in battle,” Desmond said. “Not my blood. Little one?”

  “I…” Sienna's arm had clotted slightly, so now she could see the damage she had done. It was a ripped vein, but not by much. It would stop bleeding in a moment, as soon as her heart rate went down. “It's all right.”

  “Let me see.” Nathaniel reached out with his hand and then winced, turning pale.

  “Maestro?” Sienna sat up in horror as his face changed. One look at his wrist told her the story. “Desmond.”

  Desmond leaned over her, rea
ching out for his former Tiro's wrist. Like when he used to get injured as a child, Nathaniel pulled back with a hiss.

  “Have you broken it?” Desmond asked, calmly, trying to keep a level head.

  “Yes,” Nathaniel said.

  “Wonderful.” Desmond took stock of what side he was on and saw that it was Nathaniel's dominant hand. Magic was about twists of wrists, flicks of fingers, and while Nathaniel could technically do magic with the other hand, and even pull magic to other parts of his body, this was a serious impairment. He met his former Tiro's eyes. He briefly forgot that Sienna was no longer in on their bond, and conveyed a message that was meant for the three of them – keep quiet. We're dead in the water.

  I know, Nathaniel's mind responded. But we'll figure it out, we always do.

  Chapter 6

  When they unsealed the doors, Eliza jumped.

  There, on the other side, was an incredibly angry looking Jonah, his arms crossed.

  “What?” Eliza asked. “How?”

  “We entered atmosphere in time for me to breathe, your highness.” Her captain of the guards raised an eyebrow. “All is well.”

  “Well, thank Creator for that,” Eliza said. “It looks like you fared better than the rest of it.”

  “I was thinking that all the food was out here, actually,” Jonah said. “And if you couldn't get the doors unsealed, I was going to eat all of it and make you listen.”

  “You prefer your guards as comedians now?” Nathaniel asked with a smile. He had met Jonah years ago and he liked him well enough, although he did have a bit of a mouth on him. But then, Nathaniel supposed, he did, as well.

  “I prefer them alive,” Eliza said. “If nothing else.”

  “Let's take stock of the damage,” Desmond said. “If we can't repair enough to get power, it's going to get mighty cold in here eventually.”

  Nathaniel had his arm cradled to his chest, and Sienna watched him as they walked. She had stopped bleeding, and while her own arm throbbed, it was nothing compared to what he was feeling.

  “You can hold a wrench?” he asked her, trying to smile as they headed into the engine room.

  “Aye,” she replied. “But I won't be sure of what to do with it.”

  “That I can tell you,” he replied. “Or maybe we can get Christa back on the line.”

  The doors to the engine room were sealed. Nathaniel put his good hand over them, feeling for heat.

  “It's going to be hot,” he said. “But I think we'll be all right. However, the power's gone. Desmond?”

  “Honestly, making your elders do everything is not polite,” Desmond flicked his wrists. “Everyone stand back.”

  Sienna always loved to watch her Maestros do magic. They were so smooth, so practiced. It came as naturally to them as breathing – a level she always dreamed of reaching.

  Desmond moved a simple spell through his veins and then opened his palms. The doors shifted open, and steam escaped, making Sienna duck. He pushed the doors open further, and they stepped back, waiting for the air to clear. She could feel the heat, but Nathaniel was right, it wasn't unbearable.

  Inside, it smelled like burning rubber and scorched pipes. She knew enough about the inner workings of a ship to look for the damage, mark in her mind what could be bypassed, and what could be replaced from other parts of the ship. There were a few things, she noted, that were irreplaceable from their supplies on board. Some of the coils were completely destroyed, and the wires had caught fire, severing some of them.

  “This could have been a lot worse if the system didn't override when it did,” Nathaniel tried to look on the bright side. “But we're not going anywhere for a while.”

  “We have to,” Eliza said, and he turned to her.

  “My love, I would delight in saying yes. But unless we can teleport, which we can't, even at short distances, we are stuck until we get new parts.”

  “What do you need?” Desmond asked.

  “I can probably bypass a few things to get the heat and the basic power back up and running,” Nathaniel said. “Do you see, Sienna?”

  “Yes,” she replied. “But without the coils, we won't fly.”

  “It's whether they have them here that is the question,” Nathaniel answered. “They might. Planets like this have a lot of black markets and scrap yards. Ships…like us end up crashed here and they scrap them.”

  “So some of us have to go,” Desmond said.

  “I know what I'm looking for,” Nathaniel said, but Desmond shook his head.

  “No,” he replied. “You're injured, and my bet is our med bay is not on the list of things to get back up to speed. How much power does the X-ray need, let alone the connectors?”

  “I—” Nathaniel shook his head. “They aren't top of my list. We need to conserve power.”

  “Right, so until then, your hand is broken and to be bound the old fashion way,” Desmond said. “It'll be easier for you to defend a sealed ship with guards around then it will be for you to keep yourself safe out in the open.”

  “I can make you a list,” Nathaniel said. “Send you with images, so there will be no confusion.”

  “Fine,” Desmond said. “Your highness, it's our best bet. We know there is danger just staying here. You are safest here, but our first priority is to get us into the air again.”

  Eliza sighed. “I know,” she said. “Any delay is putting lives at risk, so please hurry.”

  “We will,” Desmond said. “Take your personnel back to the main area, and stay together, it will be easier for Nathaniel to defend if anything happens. Sienna, I want your wound cleaned and bound, now. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Maestro,” she said, not wanting to cause any more trouble than they were already in.

  It was only once they were alone in the engine room that Desmond spoke up, “I'm going to take her with me.”

  “What?” Nathaniel turned away from the engine console, trying to see if he could regain any function. He had assumed that it went without saying that Sienna would stay with him. Whenever they separated, that was usually the case. The land outside was unknown, but certainly dangerous. To put her in that situation at all, regardless of who was with her, was not wise.

  “It has been awhile since she and I went out on a quest alone,” Desmond said.

  “But not now,” Nathaniel said. Desmond met his eyes.

  “Nathaniel, I need to…explore a few things, with regard to our future within the magic. I need to be with my Tiro and see…if I'm right.”

  Nathaniel felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. “You're going to leave her,” he said. He just knew, from the way Desmond looked, from the thoughts he was guarding. “You can't.”

  “I didn't say that,” Desmond said, but Nathaniel's eyes widened.

  “You don't have to.”

  Desmond sighed. “I need to see, Nathaniel. I need to think. You are so close to her, it's hard to form a decision, when you take care of everything. And I have a feeling, subconsciously, that you have started to hide things from me.”

  “Like what?” Nathaniel asked. “What would I hide from you?”

  “You don't do it intentionally,” he said. “But I sometimes feel I have no idea what my Tiro is capable of, what her potential has grown to. It is good that you are close to her, Nathaniel, that you know what's happening. But I need to see myself.”

  “And with those thoughts swirling in your head, will you keep her safe?”

  Desmond's brow furrowed in anger. “How could you think otherwise? Regardless of whether or not I am going to move forward with her, I would never put anyone intentionally in danger.”

  Nathaniel sighed. “I know,” he said. “I know, I'm sorry. I just…please don't do this.”

  “I haven't made any choices yet,” Desmond said. “But I will take her with me. I am aware of the nightly routine, but perhaps you have some advice?”

  “Nights are worse than days,” Nathaniel spoke after a quiet moment. “I know it's better with b
locking her magic, but…sometimes they are sleepless.”

  “You see, you don't tell me,” Desmond said. “Neither of you. I see it in your tired eyes in the morning, I hear it through our bond. But neither of you tell me of a night, unless it's particularly harsh.”

  “Aye, well…” Nathaniel sighed. “You're right. It's cold on Arborath. Bundle up.”

  “I'm sure we can handle that,” Desmond said. Before he turned to go, he met his former Tiro's eyes. “This is not to hurt you or her. This is for the good of the Order, whatever happens.”

  “I know,” Nathaniel said. “I know that you say that. But I can't help but feel otherwise.”

  “Look inside yourself,” Desmond asked. “Reach out to the magic, and you will find the correct answer. Even if it does not feel correct at that time.”

  Nathaniel managed to give him a brief smile. “That's what you used to say to me when I took exams in class. It was particularly helpful during the multiple-choice ones.”

  “Better than circling a random answer,” Desmond replied. “We'll leave as soon as we are able. Bring me that list.”

  “Aye,” Nathaniel said, going back to the console. He wanted to tell Sienna, to console and prepare her. But he knew that he had to keep it from her, for it was not his choice to tell. He just hoped that Desmond could find a way through this difficult situation and see the light on the other side

  “Go with you?” Sienna said, equally surprised when Desmond approached her. “Are you sure?”

  “Why wouldn't I be sure, little one?” he asked.

  “And Nathaniel won't come?”

  “It'll just be you and I,” he said. “Find the warmest clothes you can.”

  “How long should I pack for? Should I bring meds?”

  “Always,” he said. “Prepare for two nights, a standard pack, and we'll…work from there. If you want to bring rations, I'll have room in my rut sack”

  “A snow-covered planet cannot grow anything,” she said. “It is likely that they eat rations, as well.”

  Desmond held her gaze.

  “Do you want to take that risk?” he asked, evenly. “Weigh your choices.”

  She paused.

  “The sacks will be lighter and easier to defend with if they do not have rations,” she said, at last. “Do you think we are in danger?”