by J. J. Green
Darius accepted his exclusion pragmatically.
Parthenia touched the security panel and the door opened.
“You activated the room security?” asked Carina.
“I did after I saw what had happened while we were gone.”
Parthenia had taken Nahla under her wing since they’d boarded the Zenobia. Their room was similar to Ferne and Oriana’s but much tidier. Here, it wouldn’t be hard to tell if something was out of place.
The only messy area in the room was one of the beds. The covers hung off of it, as if the occupant’s sleep had been restless.
Something was bothering Nahla. She’d buried her face in her hands.
“It’s okay,” said Parthenia. “No one believes it was you.”
Her words didn’t have their intended effect as the little girl began to cry.
“What’s wrong?” Carina asked.
Parthenia walked to the messy bed and silently gestured at the under sheet. A wet patch sat in the center, the edges drying to a faint yellow stain.
“I didn’t do it!” Nahla wailed.
“Did you make the beds this morning?” Carina asked Parthenia.
“Only mine. Nahla made her own. But I’m sure I would have noticed if…”
“But when you came back this bed had been unmade?”
“That’s right. And Nahla was with me the whole time we were away. She couldn’t have snuck back, and if she had, why wouldn’t she just use the bathroom?”
Carina squatted down in order to give Nahla a hug. “It’s okay, sweetie. Don’t be sad. I believe you.” She actually hadn’t quite made up her mind about it but she didn’t want the girl to feel bad. Kids sometimes did weird things, especially when they were upset or worried.
Nahla’s sobs eased, and Carina left her to tell Oriana and Ferne to go to the dining room, where she would meet them in a few minutes for lunch.
The twins tried to peer around her into the bedroom when she opened the door, but she blocked their view. When they’d left, she said to Parthenia, “Help me put this dirty laundry in the chute. Then I want you and Nahla to pick another room. We’ll move your things over before we join Ferne and Oriana.”
As they worked, Carina tried to imagine the reason behind the strange occurrences in the children’s rooms. The obvious answer pushed its way to the forefront of her mind but she tried to ignore it, attempting to believe the more prosaic solutions: Ferne was mistaken about where he’d left his backpack and Nahla had wet the bed and then tried to cover it up.
If only.
The events that preceded the departure of the Zenobia led her to a different conclusion. She resolved to speak to Bryce about it privately before saying anything to the kids.
***
Ferne and Oriana’s discovery of a printer in the ship’s galley had driven all their earlier excitement about the possible stowaway from their minds.
When Carina entered the dining room, Oriana ran to grab her hand and tug her to the galley. She guessed what her sister wanted to show her. She’d spotted the device during her search of the ship while the others slept.
“We didn’t even have one of these on Ithiya,” said Ferne, gaping at the machine. “I’ve seen pictures but I’ve never seen one in real life. And we have it all to ourselves!”
“I guess it is pretty cool,” Carina said, finding his delight infectious despite her nagging worries about the Zenobia’s smuggler owner and the hidden unwanted passenger. “Do you know how to work it?”
“No,” answered Ferne. “Do you?”
“We used to have one aboard the Duchess,” Carina replied. “It belonged to the owner, and the cook wasn’t supposed to use it for anyone else. He did, though. You just put some gloopy stuff in and tell it what you want.” The cook had been taking a risk feeding the soldiers from the owner’s precious printer, but he hated the woman as much as everyone else.
Carina opened a cupboard above the machine. The rows of packets inside appeared similar to the ones she remembered from her days as a merc.
“Was the Duchess another ship you were on?” Parthenia asked as Carina retrieved a few packets of gloop.
Carina paused, unsure how much to say right then. The girl was old enough to hear the entire story of Carina’s life before she was taken captive by Stefan Sherrerr, but the other kids were a little young yet.
In the end she said simply, “It was the ship I took Darius to after I rescued him. Do you remember it?” she asked her brother.
“I remember seeing you in a hospital,” he replied.
“Yes,” said Carina. “We talked in the sick bay.” It had been there that Darius had proudly told her he’d seen her Cast, and put her in fear for both of them.
“I wish we had all your friends with us,” Darius said. “Then we wouldn’t have to run away all the time. They would protect us.”
“My friends?”
“The other fighters, like you,” explained Darius.
“Oh.” Carina wondered what Darius had made of her fellow mercs. When he’d first seen her he’d been terrified—understandably considering what the Dirksens had put him through—but it appeared he’d lost his fear of her and the other soldiers. Probably not wise; even she had found them scary.
“We would have to pay them a lot of money if we wanted them to protect us.” Then she changed the subject. “So, you put the base ingredient in here,” she said, lifting the lid on a reservoir. “Do you all know what you want yet?”
“I want custard,” Ferne announced.
“For lunch?” Carina asked.
“Yep.”
“Okay,” she said. “Just this once. That should be easy. But if you want it a certain way you’ll have to tell the machine.”
“I would love an apple,” Parthenia said. “I haven’t eaten an apple in ages.”
“You might be disappointed,” said Carina. “It’ll make something that looks like an apple but you’ll probably find the structure isn’t quite the same.”
She left the kids to play with the meal printer and walked out into the empty dining room to comm Bryce.
“I was just about to tell you I’ll be down to join you for lunch,” said Bryce when he answered.
“Can you wait a while? I don’t think it’s a good idea for the bridge to be left unattended.”
“You mean because of our stowaway? You think the kids are right?”
“I think something’s going on, and it’s more than likely it isn’t one of the kids who’s doing it. Which only leaves one conclusion.” Carina couldn’t deny the facts any longer. There could only be one person who would be interested in the contents of Ferne’s backpack, and who would pee on Nahla’s bed.
“No kidding,” Bryce said.
“Yeah, and I think I know who it is.”
“Huh? How? Have you been reading the ship’s data files?”
“I don’t need to. This person doesn’t have anything to do with the Zenobia. It’s Castiel.”
Chapter Seven
When Carina arrived on the bridge, Bryce had a holo of the ship’s interior up and running.
The Zenobia’s decks and rooms were clearly outlined in glowing green, with fixtures contrasted in red.
“Cool,” said Carina. “That’ll help us find him.”
Before she could say any more, however, Bryce strode over to her and took her in his arms.
It was a pleasurable while before his lips parted from hers. They hadn’t kissed since that unfortunate time at the Matching when Carina had sought to numb her emotional pain with an intimate encounter. Bryce had quite rightly refused her but she was over the embarrassment now.
“I’ve wanted to do that for ages,” said Bryce, still holding her.
“Mmm, me too,” Carina said. “We never seem to get a moment to ourselves, do we?”
“It isn’t easy with the kids around all the time, and there’s always something more important to do.”
“Like find our stowaway,” said Carina.
> Bryce released her and, hand in hand, they walked over to the holo. “What makes you think it’s Castiel?”
Carina explained about how Ferne’s backpack—containing the soil needed to make elixir—had been moved. Then she explained about the urine in Nahla’s bed.
“I have to admit,” Bryce said, “we could explain away Ferne’s backpack by saying he’s mistaken, but pissing in Nahla’s bed sounds exactly like something Castiel would do. He probably hates her most out of all of them because she went over to their side. But how did he know the bed was hers?”
“I guess he saw her old clothes on it.” All the children had quickly availed themselves of the luxurious adult garments stored in their rooms, coming up with imaginative outfits for their smaller bodies.
“What an asshole,” said Bryce.
“He’s more than that,” said Carina. “He’s dangerous. We’re lucky the kids have gotten into the habit of always carrying their canisters of elixir with them, or he would have been able to steal it from their rooms. At least he has to make his own, though now he has the soil he needs.”
“And water and metal are easy to come by.” Bryce said. “You were saying you found real wood on the ship…”
“So he only needs fire, and if he understands how to short an electrical circuit that won’t be difficult.”
“And then we’re screwed.”
“Exactly.” Carina studied the holo of the ship. “I take it this isn’t an internal scan?” She couldn’t see any figures or objects or the contents of the hold.
“No,” Bryce replied. “I guess the ship must have one but this is all I could bring up for now. It’s only a blueprint.”
“It’s still useful. I’m confident we’ve searched every area of the ship. I can’t figure out how I missed him last night…Or maybe I can.” Carina added. “I didn’t know about the closets in the cabins. He could have hidden inside one of them.”
“But why is he even here?” asked Bryce. “I thought he hated you guys. Why isn’t he staying with his new friends, the Dirksens?”
“It isn’t really that strange,” Carina replied. “Remember how he was handcuffed to Reyes when they surprised us at that old woman’s house? He even said he couldn’t command the soldiers. It’s pretty clear to me he hadn’t achieved the status among the Dirksens he imagined he would and they were treating him like a servant, or even a slave. And remember what he said when he Transported after the fight to take the ship? He said Darius had given him his freedom.”
“But he had elixir then,” said Bryce, “or he wouldn’t have been able to Cast. Why does he need to make more?”
“I guess the Dirksens only let him have a little at a time. Maybe he Transported off the ship and then back onto it again after he realized he was better off leaving Pirine with us, so he’s used most of—Damn!” Carina had just recalled her revelation about the Zenobia’s hidden purpose.
In response to Bryce’s questioning look, she said, “I forgot to tell you, we’re in deeper trouble than only having a Dark Mage aboard. I think we stole a smuggler’s ship.”
“Ah,” said Bryce. “All those weird packages in the hold. What did you find?”
“A lot of stuff, mostly illegal from what I could tell. The Zenobia is masquerading as private interstellar transportation so it won’t be subjected to the usual cargo inspections of commercial craft. The owner must be greasing the palms of customs officials to avoid spot checks too.”
“The good news just keeps coming today,” Bryce said.
“No kidding. When I was a merc I didn’t have much to do with smugglers,” continued Carina, “but they were in the same shady line of business as merc bands. One thing I learned was that you never mess with them. The money stakes they deal in are high and if you cost them a trade—by accident or otherwise—they’ll soon tell you about it. And they really don’t take it well if someone steals their stuff. This ship is sure to be fitted with a high-powered tracker.”
“Won’t Darius’s Cloak block the signal?” Bryce asked.
“Your guess is as good as mine on that,” replied Carina. “One thing’s for sure: that Cast doesn’t last forever. In between Darius’s Cloaks that tracker is going to be yelling at the top of its lungs all the way back to Pirine and for hundreds of light years all around. I’m taking the long way back to Ostillon, with plenty of course deviations, but the owner of this vessel is going to find it eventually.”
“With any luck we’ll be long gone by then.”
“I hope so, but to be on the safe side we’d better leave the cargo intact. Then, if the Zenobia’s owner discovers our identities, he or she will understand we were never trying to steal their stuff. Whether that’ll make them deal with us more leniently, I don’t know. Smugglers are an unpredictable bunch. Some are worse than the most psychotic mercs I’ve ever known.”
Bryce puffed up his cheeks and exhaled. “All right. One thing at a time. Let’s find your evil shit of a brother. Then we can worry about a smuggler’s vengeance.”
“Yeah,” Carina agreed. “We should divide up the ship into sections. When the kids have eaten, they can…Wait. Where’s the elixir they made?”
“Over there.” Bryce pointed to two twenty-liter containers on the floor near the pilot’s seat.
“Good,” said Carina. “I was worried they’d left it unattended. Castiel won’t dare approach them to steal theirs while they’re together. He wouldn’t be a match for them as a group, and especially not as long as they have Darius with them. What was I saying? Oh, yes. When the kids have eaten we’ll split into two search parties and secure the bridge so Castiel can’t access any of the ship’s controls or that elixir. Then, we find him.”
“And then what?” Bryce asked. “What do we do with him?”
“I haven’t decided yet. The wisest option would be to space him, but even if I could do that to my own blood, knowing how Ma loved him in spite of what he is, I couldn’t do it in front of his brothers and sisters. What would that do to them?”
“What’ll he do to us if we don’t?”
“This ship must have a brig or something similar. If we lock him up, without elixir, he should be powerless for the rest of the voyage.”
“And then?” asked Bryce. “What happens when we land at Ostillon?”
“Like you said, one thing at a time.”
Carina studied the holo of the ship closely. The passenger areas were already familiar to her but Castiel was unlikely to be hanging around them during the active period aboard ship. He was probably in the crew section, or he might even have gone down to the hold.
“Does the ship’s operations data show when the elevators are in use in real time?” Carina asked.
“I’m not sure.” Bryce turned to the interface on the arm of the captain’s seat.
Carina watched him as he checked for the function. Bryce’s physique had matured since they’d first met. His body had thrown off the effects of the Ithiyan plague and he’d gained bulk, but not in an unpleasing way.
Despite the threatening situation they were in, Carina couldn’t resist taking hold of his arm and pulling him toward her, going in for another kiss while they had some rare, precious time alone.
The bridge door opened. “Yuuuuuck!” exclaimed Ferne as he burst onto the bridge. “They’re smooching,” he said in a disgusted tone to his siblings behind him.
The five children crowded in the open doorway.
“I think it’s romantic,” said Oriana.
“It’s private,” Parthenia said. “Sorry we busted in. We’ll leave you alone and come back later.”
“No, it’s fine,” said Carina. “I need to explain a few things to you anyway. We have an important job to do, and I’m not sure how you’ll feel about it.”
The children came all the way into the room.
Carina went on, “I think we—”
A piercing whistle interrupted her. She winced and put her hands over her ears. “What’s—”
“F
ire alarm,” yelled Bryce, his gaze on the captain’s interface. “Crew’s galley.” He lifted his eyes to make contact with Carina’s. “We’ve found him.”
Chapter Eight
Carina sprinted from the bridge to the nearest service ladder access point, shouting to Bryce, “Take the elevator!”
Castiel would be leaving the galley in the crew’s section, two levels below, now that his attempt to start a fire had triggered the alarm. Carina couldn’t guess what direction he would take, but if Bryce approached from another angle they doubled their chance of catching him.
She tore open the door and jumped into the tunnel, grabbing the side rails of the ladder. Dropping several rungs at a time in her haste to reach the crew’s quarters, the rails slid through her hands as she descended. Level four flew past and level three soon approached. Carina unhitched the door and leapt out.
But which way was the galley? She paused as she recalled the ship’s holo then ran left. Another sound was rising above the alarm, a hissing sound. Carina saw clouds of powder in the passageway ahead. She arrived at the galley, but the air inside was thick with white powder, puffing out from overhead fire extinguishers.
She coughed, choking on the dry dust. She pulled her tunic up over her nose, swung her weapon forward and, squinting, entered the room. Metal worktops and cupboard doors loomed from the translucent atmosphere. The powder was settling on everything, dulling the shiny surfaces.
Had she arrived in time to catch Castiel? Probably not, but he might still be hiding somewhere in there. If Carina were in his situation, she might have remained in the galley, out of sight, guessing that her pursuers would think she’d left.
She coughed again, deeply. The white powder was also stinging her eyes and making them weep. She would have to leave for a moment.
As Carina stepped back through the doorway, she met Bryce. The children were running up.
“Sorry it took us a while,” Bryce said. “I had to make sure the bridge was secure before we left.”
“No problem,” said Carina. “Good thinking.”
“Any sign of him?” he asked.
