Soul of Defiance

by R. E. Vega

  “Don’t fight it,” she said, and her voice sounded like it was coming from far away.

  And then, suddenly, everything went black.

  KAYLIN

  Looking over Unnen’s handiwork—or lack thereof—Kaylin remembered that this was why she tried to always build in extra time on jobs like this. She couldn’t reasonably expect anyone but herself or her carefully chosen crewmembers to get a job done right. And this job? Let’s just say there was no way anyone was going to believe that former Vice President Barner was her first officer, let alone anyone but himself with a hack job of a makeover. Even with the A’lyph transformer, it was going to be difficult to fix.

  The problem she faced now was getting the man back to the ship without raising any suspicions. It seemed to never fail that at times like these, extra patrols would appear out of the blue or an IU security detail would decide to begin doing their random genetic verification scans. It was why they had to be so careful on this particular job.

  It was fairly common practice for Defiance to carry passengers—it was an easy way to earn a bit of extra money for no extra work. Travelers paid their fares and knew ahead of time the work that would be expected of them on board her ship.

  But Barner was no regular passenger. He had served for ten years under President Harcrow, keeping relative peace in the IU like it had never seen before. And as the loser in the recent bitterly contested election, he should have been able to come to a place like Castalia to drown his sorrows before figuring out a way to get back to work.

  Unfortunately for Barner—and the rest of the Interplanetary Union—this had been no ordinary election. For whatever reason, the people nearest Earth had a meltdown over the rights of the A’lyph. Those IU members who lived further away and worked closely with the A’lyph knew they were all on the same side, but Earth and its nearby colonies had grown more and more suspicious over the years. And people like Trousso employed fear-mongering tactics in an attempt to get people riled up enough that they’d believe him when he bellowed on about how he was going to make the IU safe again.

  All it had done was incite civil violence in the outer colonies, which only served to fuel the fear of the citizens of the near-Earth colonies. It was a vicious cycle, one that Kaylin was sure would end in disaster, which was why she needed one last job—one huge payout that would ensure that she and her crew could retire in peace. Preferably somewhere far, far away from Earth.

  But her crew could do what they wanted with their portion of the split. She might even be willing to sell the ship to Locke or Brooks if they wanted it. Though, she was pretty sure they’d all had enough of the life they’d come to know over the past few years. It had once been a nice living—trading goods and delivering them to the people who needed them. Now, her ship was nothing more than a smuggling vessel, and she and her crew had turned into criminals under the new laws.

  She’d heard through her network of sources that Barner had a plan. She wasn’t sure what it was—or if she wanted to know what it was—but when he’d reached out to her for her help, she knew she couldn’t refuse. Not with so much at stake. Not when it was more than likely she and her crew could end up on a prison colony for running Alethian ale to Gibilia or delivering much-needed medicine to one of the outer rim outposts like Oenone. She still wasn’t sure how her profession had come to be mostly criminal in the space of only a few months, other than the fact that cutting off the outer colonies from the supplies they needed would cause more violence, which would make the inner colonies continue to fear them.

  It was sad that Trousso already had a plan to stay in power when he hadn’t been in office even three months.

  Getting Barner to Oenone was going to be dangerous no matter who took him. And Kaylin wasn’t completely certain that her secret route there was going to be available to her any longer—Brax had sweet-talked a few of the patrols into looking the other way, and the two other listening stations between Castalia and Oenone were well known for taking bribes—and cheap ones, at that. She hadn’t been that way, though, since before the election, and she had no idea if Trousso had changed anything between here and the furthest outposts. And asking around would have been too dangerous—it wasn’t as though you could just call up an outpost and ask if any new people had been installed.

  Kaylin and the crew of the Defiance were just going to have to go there themselves to find out. And sometimes, things aren’t as bad as the rumors make them seem, she thought. Though, she knew full well that what she’d seen since the election had been far worse than the rumors.

  She looked Barner over again and motioned for her first officer to bring over the supplies they were going to need. It was their only hope of fooling the patrols they were sure to bump into—they needed to believe that Barner was Brooks, the second in command of the ship.

  Of course, she had no intention of allowing Barner anywhere near the bridge. For all she cared, he could hole up in his quarters for the three-month journey. The less she had to think about it, the better it would be and the easier it would be to lie about it if they were ever stopped.

  When we’re stopped.

  She couldn’t let herself think about it now. She had work to do—first, she needed to undo the shoddy work Unnen’s people had done. It was a slap job—the faux skin Unnen’s team had used to reshape Barner’s features wasn’t even the same color as the real flesh around it.

  They’d made a special run to Elyon to get the supplies—which were also now contraband—and now she was glad they had. Getting Barner to look like even remotely like Brooks wasn’t going to be easy, but it was why she had given herself the extra sixteen hours on Castalia to get the job done.

  Kaylin motioned for Barner to sit before turning to her first officer. “Get the A’lyph biotransformer ready.”

  Brooks nodded and got to work putting together the transformer. It was going to take several hours for it to be ready, and when it was, they were going to have to move quickly. The biotransformer worked like magic—like so much of the A’lyph technology did, but the shelf life was short, and once it was activated they’d only have a few minutes in which to use it.

  The new technology that the A’lyph had introduced to humans had to be part of the reason for the generalized fear of those who lived on Earth. If A’lyph were capable of “magic tricks” like temporarily transforming genetic markers to evade detection by bioscanners, the only question humans had was what else might they be capable of? Not how could this technology help the galaxy? No, it was always a knee-jerk, fearful reaction, especially from those still living on Earth.

  Kaylin walked over to Barner and set down the kit she’d been carrying, pulling out the supplies she needed to undo the poor attempt at cosmetic surgery on Barner’s forehead. She got to work, carefully peeling away the fake skin to avoid tearing the flesh underneath. Whatever glue they had used to affix the faux flesh wasn’t like the bio-glue she had in her kit, and it didn’t seem to be made to be removed, either. She didn’t want to think about the alternative, but there was a possibility she might need to do a more in-depth surgical procedure.

  It was times like these she was grateful her parents had forced her through the IU medical program. And she remembered often that it was only because of what she saw in her rotation through the outer colonies that she’d chosen this life instead of a much easier life of a physician on Earth.

  She worked at the glue for what seemed like an eternity, a waste of the precious minutes she was going to need to do the rest of the job properly. Barner, to his credit, sat completely still and didn’t complain once about the pain she knew he must have been feeling.

  After another few minutes of pulling and cajoling the plastic flesh, she shoved her instrument back into the bag and turned to Brooks. “Is the biotransformer ready? I think we’re going to have to try to get him back to the ship for the rest of the procedure.”

  She turned to Unnen, who had been hovering between her and her first officer since they’d start
ed. “If I’d known you were going to use this glue on his skin, I would have been here two days ago. Really, Unnen, you should know better—”

  Her words were cut off when the door to the hidden room burst open. Her heart began to hammer in her chest when she saw who was there—and it had nothing to do with what she’d done with the man last night or for many months of nights before that.

  Thad, her chief engineer, was breathless, as though he’d run the several kilometers from the ship. He bent over, clutching at his chest as he tried to catch his breath. After a few long seconds, he stood, motioning to the door. “You didn’t…you didn’t answer your comm.” He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter—I’ll check it when we get back to the ship. But we need to get out of here, Captain. The ship’s been raided—we took down all five men without a kill, but the IU guard… They’re about to come inspect. We need to leave Castalia. Now.”

  YUKI

  Yuki pulled her collar up higher around her ears as she wove her way through the crowds at the landing docks. Most people were too focused on their own business to notice her—a few had even bumped into her—but she wasn’t going to take any chances. She needed to get out of Castalia as soon as possible, by whatever means possible. Without anyone asking too many questions.

  Her eyes skimmed over the line of ships in front of her. It was terrifying how many bore Trousso’s seal. That only left her a few options, and she didn’t know where to begin. She didn’t know the first thing about picking one—she could only rely on her gut. It didn’t much matter where she went, only that she got away from here.

  Most non-military ships would take on passengers—some actively sought them out, as they could charge quite a bit for room and board on a journey lasting weeks or months across the galaxy. Yuki knew enough to avoid the large passenger vessels—they might offer more comfort and amenities, but they were also way out of her price range. She’d been saving for weeks, stealing small bits of coin when she knew they wouldn’t be missed, slowly hoarding while she waited for the opportunity to make her escape. When that opportunity finally came, her funds were still quite limited, but it was better than having no money at all.

  She could pay for passage, but she wanted to save a little for whenever she reached her destination. Finding herself in the middle of nowhere with no money would be just as dangerous as staying here.

  Once she’d ruled out the Trousso-friendly vessels and passenger ships, there were only a few choices left. There was a small, unobtrusive-looking ship several docks away—maybe she’d start there.

  She threw a glance over her shoulder, and once she’d made sure she wasn’t being followed, headed over to the ship.

  A couple of large, beefy men stood at the top of the gangway. They were scanning their surroundings, watching the crowd closely, and one of their gazes landed on her. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and her stomach tightened. She quickly turned away. Even though she knew he was only doing his job, he made her uneasy. She couldn’t imagine asking for transport on such a ship.

  Across the way, a brightly dressed couple stood in front of a passenger vessel. Both wore large smiles and spoke cheerfully to passersby, offering them the “best ride in the galaxy!”

  The woman caught Yuki’s eye, and her smile widened.

  “Would you like to see the galaxy, my dear?” she said, gesturing Yuki forward. “Every room has a window! And you won’t find more comfortable beds on any ship in Castalia!”

  Yuki gave a shake of her head and hurried onward.

  Her stomach sank as she continued to walk down the line of ships. She was afraid to trust any of these people. Afraid to make the wrong choice and end up back in the hands of—

  She stumbled, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up.

  They can’t have found me. Not so soon…

  She threw another glance over her shoulder, scanning the crowd behind her. She didn’t see them, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there.

  There wasn’t any time to waste. She needed to get on a ship—preferably one that was leaving very, very soon.

  Ahead of her, a couple of men were loading crates onto a vessel. They looked like they were in a hurry. At the top of the gangway stood a woman who looked not much older that Yuki’s own seventeen years. The woman looked impatient—almost nervous—but perhaps because of her age, Yuki felt like she could approach her.

  And it wasn’t like she had any other choice at this point.

  Without throwing another look behind her, Yuki hurried forward and hurried up the gangway.

  The woman turned to her immediately, impatience flashing in her eyes. “I’m sorry, miss, but you can’t—”

  “Are you offering passage? I can pay.” Yuki hated how small and desperate her voice sounded.

  Something in the woman’s face softened. She glanced across the crowd before letting her gaze fall back to Yuki.

  “We’re in a bit of a hurry,” the woman said, a little gentler this time. “I’m not sure we can take on passengers this time.”

  Yuki’s stomach twisted. She didn’t know why, but she felt like this was her last chance—her only chance—to get out of Castalia. And the back of her neck still prickled, which meant they weren’t that far behind her.

  “Please,” she said, grabbing the woman’s hand. “Please, I can pay. I just need to get out of here. Please, Captain…” Her eyes dropped to the woman’s name badge. “Please, Captain Jackson.”

  The woman gently pulled her fingers out of Yuki’s grip.

  “I’m not the captain,” she said. “Which is why I’m afraid I can’t promise you anything. What’s your name? Are you in some sort of trouble?”

  Yuki didn’t know what to say. On the one hand, it was risky to tell anyone too much. On the other, if this woman was actually an ally, then she’d be more inclined to help her if she knew the truth.

  In the end, Yuki settled on something in the middle.

  “My name’s Yuki,” she said. “I haven’t done anything illegal, if that’s what you’re asking. I swear it. I’ve done nothing wrong. I just need to leave Castalia.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out her wallet. “I can pay, I promise. It’s just that I’m…in trouble.”

  “Nice to meet you, Yuki. My name is Dayna.” She looked out at the crowd again. “And while most days we’d be happy to offer you passage out of here, today isn’t the best day. Not for our sake—but for yours. You see, we’re also in trouble.” Her gaze fell back to Yuki and she reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. “And it’s not the sort of trouble I suspect you’d like to be mixed up in. There are a lot safer vessels for you in this port, Yuki.”

  “No.” Yuki shook her head. “I don’t think there are.”

  The woman—Dayna—gave her an odd look then, but she didn’t say anything. And then her gaze seemed to settle on something over Yuki’s shoulder, and her eyes widened ever so slightly.

  “Get back,” she told Yuki, nudging her over to the side of the gangway.

  Several people were making their way up the gangway, bringing several large crates with them. At the head of the group was an impressive woman—and though she didn’t look much older than Dayna, she had an air of authority about her. She was very pretty, but her eyes were hard—like she’d rip your head off if you dared to disobey her. Yuki found herself cringing back slightly, trying to avoid the woman’s gaze.

  But the woman’s eyes caught everything.

  “Who’s this?” she demanded when she reached Yuki and Dayna.

  “A potential passenger, Captain,” Dayna said. “I know we’re in a rush, but we could use the money.”

  The woman with the hard eyes looked Yuki up and down. “I don’t believe we have space for any additional passengers on this journey.”

  “I don’t take up much space, I promise.” Yuki’s voice sounded like a squeak. “I’ll sleep anywhere.”

  “It’s not about sleeping arrangements,” the other woman said. “It’s about the safety—o
f you and of my crew.”

  “I’ll do whatever work you ask of me,” Yuki said. “I’ll clean the latrines. Or scrub the floors. Or cook. Anything.”

  “She’s got the money to pay, Captain,” Dayna said.

  The woman—the captain—closed her eyes for the briefest of moments. Yuki braced herself, preparing to be yelled at and ordered of the ship, but the woman just let out a long breath. She opened her eyes again and fixed her hard gaze right on Yuki.

  “You stay at your own risk,” she said. “My crew and I are not responsible for your safety. Stay out of our way, do your share of the work, and you can have passage for as long as you can pay. If you get underfoot, though, I’m dropping you off on the nearest planet. And if you cause us harm or danger in any way, you’ll be dealt with accordingly. Do you understand all of this?”

  Yuki nodded.

  “Find her a bunk,” the captain told Dayna. “Then I went a full briefing of everything that went on while we were gone.”

  “Understood.” Dayna nodded. “Did Thad—?”

  “Thad only gave me a brief overview. I sent him to the Andromeda to retrieve Brax. How much time do you think we have?”

  Dayna shrugged. “Could be ten minutes, could be several hours. You know how all of this bureaucratic stuff works. Our bigger concern is whether they noticed Ulan’s virtue—”

  The captain gave Dayna a sharp look, cutting her off. Dayna seemed to get the hint and took Yuki’s arm.

  “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go find you a bunk. You know that trouble I told you about? It’s probably best if you don’t ask any questions.”

  Yuki didn’t intend to. She couldn’t have cared less about what these people were up to. As long as they got her out of Castalia and away from them, that was all that mattered.

  Still, she couldn’t help but be a little curious about this crew. The ship wasn’t particularly large or fancy, and the crew didn’t look or act like pirates. To her, they looked like a normal trading vessel—what sort of trouble could they have gotten themselves into?