Suddenly the surface of the hull split open, dilating back to create a circular gap. A rush of musty, earthy air washed over him. The space beyond was dark, lit only by the small lanterns from Daring’s own gangway. Liam stepped through, carefully finding purchase on the curved deck. The entire passageway was circular, he realized, with no flat surface to stand on. It was more like a tube than a corridor, wide enough in diameter for two Humans to stand head to foot. Sliding down the curve that dropped away from the airlock, he fumbled in the near darkness, finally securing himself by spreading his legs and planting his feet on opposite sides of the curve beneath him.
As he breathed deeply, he felt a rush of invigoration. The atmosphere on the Sectoid home world had a much higher oxygen content than Humans were used to. For short exposures it caused no harm, but after less than an hour it would start to have intoxicating effects. Liam hoped this meeting would take much less time than that—it was surreal enough without getting drunk on the air itself.
Amelia bumbled in behind him. The sounds of her movements echoed down the passageway and Liam felt the subtle vibrations through his own feet. Sky stayed on the gangway, her flat deck level with Liam’s chest. Beyond the dim pool of light from the gangway, the passageway—or tunnel, really—extended in both directions in utter darkness and silence.
The Sectoids didn’t need light, he knew, and hearing was one of their secondary senses. His feet felt another, rumbling tremor. The bugs’ primary form of communication was touch. With their fumbled steps, he and Amelia had just done the equivalent of shouting at the top of their lungs. The rumbling of the deck continued, now accompanied by a skittering that was growing louder.
“Stand your ground,” he said to Amelia, recalling Riverton’s instructions. “Let them come to you.”
He felt her body bump up against his, back-to-back. She took a deep, shaky breath.
Then, at the edge of the darkness, a form appeared. It was on the ceiling—although direction had no meaning in this alien world—a dark mass of body and limbs that twitched and jittered. Another shape emerged on the side of the passageway, paused, then skittered down to face Liam at his level.
The Sectoid was almost as tall as he was, head perched on an upright torso that pivoted from the abdomen. Four narrow legs held it up, bulbous thorax extending backward. Two massive arms were currently held close to its torso, dozens of fingers twiddling down each length to the elbows. The head nodded left and right, pincers clacking as it lowered its antennas to softly pat Liam’s head and shoulders. The feathery touch passed in barely a second, and Liam fought down a shiver. He could hear another Sectoid examining Amelia behind him, and she pressed back against him.
The bug in front of Liam tapped its feet and snapped its pincers. He heard what must be a response from the creature facing Amelia. Then his Sectoid moved one of its long arms down, several of the fingers manipulating what Liam suddenly recognized as a translator. The bug tapped and clacked again, and Human words sounded from the mechanical speaker.
“You are not Sophia Riverton.”
“Sophia Riverton is in our ship,” Liam replied carefully, keeping his sentences as simple as possible. “I will take your speaker to her.”
“You will take us into your ship.”
The bluntness of the statement surprised him. Then he realized it might actually be a question. Keep things simple, he reminded himself. Sectoids don’t do nuances.
“Yes. Your speaker and two guards.”
The bug switched off its translator and snapped its pincers anew, feet dancing out an intricate rhythm. Liam heard a response behind him, and then another from the darkness in front of him. Another Sectoid appeared, moving along the side of the tunnel toward Liam. It was marginally smaller than the others, its skin distinctly brown instead of the usual black.
“I am the speaker of vessel Two-Seven-One,” it said through the translator. “I will follow you.”
“Yes,” Liam replied simply. He pulled himself back up to the airlock, then helped Amelia scramble off the curved tunnel. They withdrew into the gangway and waited.
The Sectoid who had greeted Liam leaped up to the airlock with frightening speed. It stepped forward gingerly, antennas tapping at the air. In the full light Liam could now make out the natural armor of its carapace over torso, abdomen, and thorax. Beneath its antennas there were two small eyes mounted on the sides of the head. Its pincers extended from the sides of its mouth, which opened and closed as it tasted the new air.
Sky backed carefully along the gangway, her hands resting near her pistols and her eyes never leaving the alien. Liam sent Virtue first, then motioned to the Sectoid to follow him, in what he hoped was a friendly gesture. The brown bug hopped up into the gangway, followed by another black guard.
Moving through the ship, Liam saw the expressions of fear and disgust on his sailors’ faces, and he motioned to each one of them to stay calm. The tapping of Sectoid feet behind him was enough to send chills down his spine, but he forced himself to walk at a leisurely pace, ascend the ladder, and step clear. The hatch was too small for the Sectoids to simply jump through, and Liam heard gasps behind him on the bridge as first the long arms appeared, fingers pressing down on the deck, then the antennas, the head, and the rest of the body. Liam knew there were plenty of weapons ready to unleash if anything went wrong and he turned his attention away from the spectacle, moving forward to the command chair.
Riverton sat rigidly in her chair, body straight but head resting back. She was wearing her dress uniform, long blue coat with gold trim wrapped tightly around her. A pillow was wedged in the seat next to her, not so much for support as to hide the bloodstains that hadn’t yet been cleaned. Her dark complexion had regained some of its color, but her eyes were still glassy. She blinked several times and focused her gaze on the emerging Sectoids, taking long, deep breaths.
Templegrey stood next to the command chair. Liam moved to her side.
“How’s she doing?”
“Stabilized, but a patient should be sleeping after surgery—not conducting interstellar diplomacy.”
“If we’d stalled any longer, it apparently would have been suspicious.”
“This better not take long, then.”
Liam cast a glance up at his captain, who was forcing a smile across her taut features as she faced their guests.
The three Sectoids were on the bridge, the smaller brown flanked by the blacks. Sky, Swift, and four other armed sailors had climbed up behind them. The Humans all kept a respectful distance, but there was no hiding the fact that the three aliens were surrounded.
“Welcome, Speaker,” Riverton said loudly. Her translator converted the words into snaps and clicks. “It is good to see you again.”
The brown Sectoid stepped forward, head turning left and right as it approached the command chair. Riverton gripped her armrests and gently lowered her face toward the antennas that reached up. She accepted the light touches serenely, then straightened back against her seat again. A wince flashed across her face, accompanied by a soft, quick grunt of pain.
“It is good to feel you, Sophia Riverton,” the brown replied through the translator. “It has been a long time.”
“I hope the Queen is healthy.”
“She is. I hope the Emperor is healthy.”
“He is.”
“Thank you for your messages. Your species does not often communicate with ours in this region.”
“There are many uncertainties.”
“Many dangers.”
“Have you been in a ship for a long time?”
“No. Almost a Human year. Since the first pirate attack on our kind.”
Liam glanced at Templegrey in surprise. From everything they knew about this alien race, it was impossible for a Sectoid to lie. They simply didn’t know how.
“I am sorry,” Riverton said. “The pirates do not represent the Human species.”
“We know. They are anarchists.”
That was a
supreme insult from a Sectoid, Liam guessed.
“Are there Sectoids among the pirates?”
“No.” The pincers vibrated for a moment, then sounded again. “There may be prisoners.”
“The pirates have used Sectoid acid against us.”
Both black aliens tapped their feet at this. The brown stomped its own feet and the blacks stilled.
“The pirates are extracting our venom,” the brown said. “That is very bad.”
“Extracting the venom from prisoners?”
“My species cannot survive the extraction of venom.”
Riverton nodded, her cheeks paling. She slumped for just a moment, then straightened.
“My ship is trying to stop the pirates,” she said with new determination.
“We guessed that this is so. We would do it but we cannot find their base.”
“We know where their base is.”
Both black bugs started tapping their legs at the same time. The brown tapped back.
“We want to know this,” it said finally.
“I will tell you, but I need something from you in return. Oxygen and water.”
“We can provide this.”
Liam watched the range of expressions flash across his crew: surprise, relief, distrust.
“The pirates have many ships,” Riverton said. “It will be difficult to get past them to attack the base.”
“We are prepared for many losses,” the brown replied, “if it will end this threat.”
“My ship is going to attack the pirate base,” Riverton declared.
The brown paused, head shifting from side to side.
“But how can a ship this small do such a mission?”
Riverton stole a look down to Liam. He nodded.
“I think, Speaker, that we can do it together,” she said.
There was a rustle around the bridge as sailors reacted to the incredible suggestion. Liam took a single step forward, glaring in each direction for silence.
The brown Sectoid turned its head left and right, antennas testing the air.
“Because it is you speaking, Sophia Riverton,” it said finally, “I will listen.”
Liam leaned against the door of the stores office, unable to keep a smile off his face as Amelia regaled him with her visit into the Sectoid ship. Long past any fear, she had obviously been fascinated by the alien-ness of everything on board, and her face was alive with excitement as she spoke.
“And their water tanks! They hang down from the deckhead in these great bulbs that swing with the motion of the ship. The purity sensors are up at the very top, where the pipes punch through into the deckhead, and I had to ride one of our hosts up to check them.”
Liam couldn’t contain a revolted shiver at the thought. “You rode one of them? Were you drunk?”
“On that air, probably. They use these cargo harnesses to carry stuff around inside the ship, so I just tied myself into one and rode along.”
“Right up the wall?”
“Up the wall, onto the ceiling.”
“You were upside down?”
“Twenty paces above the deck. I don’t know how they can grip like that, especially with my weight strapped on.”
Liam smirked, and glanced around to ensure no one was nearby. He stepped in and placed his hands affectionately on her waist.
“You’re light as a feather. I’m sure your host didn’t even notice.”
“You’re a wonderful liar.” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before stepping away and sitting down. “But before you dazzle me with your wit and charm, I have a neat idea.”
“Tell me.”
“Sails and I were examining the Sectoid boats, but they’re too big to attach to Daring for our assault.”
“Yes, Swift already briefed me on that. It’s a shame—I still don’t know how we’re going to get to the surface of the comet.”
“I realized,” she said, spinning in her chair with excitement, “that we already have large, detachable, self-contained vessels connected to Daring.”
He thought for a moment. “The external cargo containers?” he offered uncertainly.
“Yes!” Her face lit up triumphantly. “They’re airtight, they have their own power, their own airlocks, and they even have their own maneuvering thrusters. I wouldn’t trust those thrusters to get me down to a planet . . . but to a comet with tiny gravity they might just do.”
He crossed his arms. “Are you suggesting we land our assault team on the pirate world in a cargo container?”
“Call it an attack barge,” she suggested. “We have spare boat sensors in stores which could be bolted on to give the pilot some degree of control.”
“And you think that would be safe?”
“All it has to do is get us down from Daring to the surface.” She shrugged. “Hey, I’ll be in it too, so I’ll make sure it’s safe.”
It was a crazy idea, he knew, but . . . not without merit. And this entire mission had already dived deep into the realm of absurd.
“Talk to Swift and Sky,” he said. “And tell them you have my full support.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“And, Amelia, when we get home I’m taking you to a grand ball.”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “That’s very kind, sir, but you know I can’t dance.”
“Can’t, or just never learned how?”
“It wasn’t a skill I needed much growing up.”
“Well then”—he leaned closer to her—“I’ll just have to teach you in private before we go.”
“Now that sounds like fun,” she said, and something in her gaze made his breath catch.
As he stepped back into the main passageway he felt a spring in his step, and he couldn’t contain his grin. Those sailors he passed clearly noticed, and as they knuckled their foreheads he even saw a few smiles in return.
He climbed the ladders to the bridge, where Templegrey had the watch. She strolled back and forth along her console, fingers running along the screens. At his approach she glanced up long enough to meet his eye, but quickly looked down again.
“Good afternoon, Dr. Templegrey,” he said, forcing himself to climb into the captain’s chair.
It was a very comfortable seat, but never once did he enjoy sitting in it. It was still Riverton’s chair, even if she had passed acting command to him.
“Good afternoon, sir,” she responded. “Water replenishment is nearly complete—we’re on the final tank and it’s at fifty-three percent full.”
Movement caught his peripheral, out beyond the canopy. He instinctively reached for a telescope and peered outward. His view of the stars was suddenly filled with a dark mass of limbs, very close. He snapped down the telescope, spotting the black form of a Sectoid scuttling across the top of the hull. It was encased in a dark space suit that left its legs exposed. Its long arms were sheathed, but multiple fingers pushed through a flexible membrane to grip tools.
“And hull repairs?” he asked.
“Proceeding well,” she said, determinedly not looking up. “I hope they’ve finished their work before my next watch.”
The ability of the bugs to move easily in both zero-gravity and a vacuum was astonishing, but it also meant that serious work to repair Daring’s many cracks could be done here in deep space. The site of Sectoids crawling over his ship still made Liam tense, but these past five days had shown nothing but honesty and goodwill from the alien race. Daring was restocked with air and water, and her hull was being prepped for battle. The Sectoids had also offered food supplies, but even Amelia hadn’t been tempted to bring aboard such revolting fare.
“How was the captain, when last you checked on her?”
“Resting, thankfully, and getting stronger because of it.” She gave Liam an appraising smile. “Knowing that you’re in charge has certainly helped her let go of her responsibilities.”
“It’s just for a few more days,” he said quickly. “The captain will be back in this chair in no time.”
“I think I’ll be the judge of that,” Templegrey said with a raised eyebrow. “We need her healthy, and that requires rest.”
“We need her here,” Liam said, pointing at his seat. “We need the crew to see her, and to know that she’s in control of this crazy alliance with the Sectoids.”
“There are mutterings,” she admitted. “I haven’t heard much support for your stated reason of why the captain destroyed Bluebird.”
“To put any Sectoid prisoners on board out of their misery? I think it was a necessary decision, now that I understand it.”
She shrugged. “Prejudice runs deep, I guess.”
“I guess so.”
Templegrey moved closer, glancing forward to ensure the bridge crew was out of earshot.
“I’m embarrassed about young Highcastle,” she whispered. “His despicable actions bring dishonor to the Navy, and to his family.”
“I quite agree.” He watched Templegrey for a moment, knowing there was more she wanted to say.
“What’s going to happen to him?” she finally asked.
“That’s for the Navy to decide.” If it was Liam’s decision, the blaggard would hang, but he knew enough about the politics of the great houses to guess that a less permanent punishment would be meted out.
“I had nothing to do with it,” she said suddenly. “He never told me anything about his plans.”
Her admission surprised Liam—there was no evidence to suggest any involvement by her. Even Amelia and the two sailors had really just been dragged along unwittingly. So why did Templegrey feel the need to say that?
“Not to worry, Dr. Templegrey,” he said. “You’re not under suspicion. The young fool acted rashly and alone.”
Relief flashed across her features. She nodded her thanks and returned to her station.
Liam cycled through the various reports available on the command displays, bringing himself up-to-date on all aspects of ship operations. Suitably informed, he climbed down from the command chair and headed aft.
Winds of Marque Page 28
