Priestess of the Eggstone

by Jaleta Clegg

  “Then call Victory, tell them to undock the minute I get back,” Tayvis called over his shoulder as he hurried from the office.

  The young ensign outside the door jumped to attention.

  “Get me back to my ship,” Tayvis said. “As fast as possible.”

  The ensign took him at his word. They practically ran the whole way back.

  The captain undocked the ship almost before Tayvis had the airlock closed. They were underway by the time he reached the bridge.

  “What course heading, sir?” the captain asked.

  “Find the Swan, chase her down.” Tayvis stood behind the sensors officer, staring at the screen, willing it to show Dace’s position.

  “Shoot to kill?” Sarcasm laced the captain’s voice.

  Tayvis ignored him. “Send them a message,” he ordered the com tech. “Tell them to turn about and wait to be boarded.”

  The com tech pushed buttons, waited a long second, then shook her head. “They aren’t responding, sir. They’re broadcasting a standby message. They must be having trouble with their equipment.”

  “Keep trying,” Tayvis ordered, although he doubted the Swan would answer. He also doubted there was anything wrong with the com on the yacht.

  The cruiser powered up, building speed. Tayvis stood behind the sensors officer, watching blips race across the screen. They weren’t going to make it. The Swan reached the jump point and blinked out as he watched. He swore.

  “Your orders, sir?” The captain eyed him resentfully.

  “Find out what her flight plans were and return to dock.” The ship powered down, slowing and turning. Tayvis ran a hand through his hair. Almost, he thought to himself. He was getting closer each time, but the mess she was in grew more tangled with each jump.

  “No flight plans were filed, sir,” the com tech said.

  Tayvis sat in the captain’s chair, propping his feet on the railing. “Call the station. See if anyone knows what they were after. Maybe that will give us a clue where they went. And Captain,” he waited until the other man turned to face him, “the sooner we catch that ship, the sooner you’ll be rid of me.”

  * * *

  “Where are we going?” Jasyn asked as we undocked from the station.

  Jerimon and I had brought a shipment to the Swan, including the box with the files. We stowed the boxes then came up to the lounge to find Caid maneuvering the ship out of dock. I took my seat and started the sublight engines. He used thrusters to push us away from the station. I took over, turning the ship and sending her to the closest jump point. Caid and Jerimon switched places.

  “Set a course for these coordinates.” Lady Rina handed Jasyn a slip of paper.

  Jasyn typed them into her computer. “There’s nothing there.”

  “Set a course,” Lady Rina insisted.

  “Do you know what happens if I set a course and there isn’t a gravity well at the end of it?” Jasyn swiveled her chair all the way around.

  “I was flying ships before you were born,” Lady Rina said sharply. “I am fully aware of the danger. Set the course.”

  Jasyn locked stares with Lady Rina.

  “Trust me, child.” Lady Rina flicked a finger signal.

  Jasyn nodded, then turned to her controls to plot the course.

  Lady Rina rested her hand on Jasyn’s shoulder. “Haven’t you heard of waystars? Small dwarf stars, just large enough to give a gravity reading for the ship to lock onto. The Family has quite a few plotted. Very secret, of course. Non-Family do not use them or know of them.” I caught her stare and unspoken threat.

  “Give me a heading, Jasyn,” Jerimon said. “There’s a lot of activity at the Patrol station. One of their big cruisers undocked in a hurry.”

  “They’re calling,” Jasyn announced. “Shall I answer?”

  “Send the standard message for equipment malfunction.” Lady Rina’s smile grew teeth. My respect for her deviousness went up another notch.

  “Course plotted.” Jasyn’s computer beeped before accepting it.

  “The cruiser is on our vector, putting on speed,” Jerimon said. “They must really want to catch us.”

  Lady Rina calmly took her seat. “Your trouble was none of their concern. The Patrol should not have gotten involved.”

  “They were before we met you,” I said.

  “Why did you ever agree to work for Belliff anyway?” Caid sprawled on a couch on the far side of the lounge. “Bunch of criminals that just haven’t been locked up yet.”

  That would have described us at that time. I quit counting how many rules and regulations we’d broken.

  “Jump point,” I said, evading his question. I engaged the hyperdrive. There was the usual moment of stomach twisting vertigo before we settled into hyperspace.

  “You haven’t answered me,” Caid said.

  “They were the only ones who would hire me. I was broke and couldn’t be too choosy. No one else wanted a pilot or an engineer. Or much of anything. Belliff offered a chance to own my own ship. I was stupid enough to believe them.”

  “That explains why the Patrol wants your blood, working for a known crime syndicate.” Caid yawned and stretched. “And I already heard Jerimon trying to justify himself about the Sessimoniss. I think you two deserve each other.”

  I slowly counted to ten, my latest attempt at self-calming meditation. It didn’t work. I could feel Jerimon watching me with that scary new intensity. I preferred his cocky grin.

  His hand slid close to mine across the controls.

  My stomach twisted. I shut off the sublights in record time. I needed to be alone, to figure out what I felt, why he scared me so badly. I hid in my cabin, lying on the bunk, staring at the ceiling.

  I hadn’t heard from Tayvis in months. I thought I loved him when I was with him on Dadilan. Now I wasn’t sure. Jerimon was too close, his blue eyes too sincere. My stomach fluttered at his touch. What I read in his eyes frightened me worse than his kiss. I rolled over and punched my pillow out of shape.

  Lady Rina and Caid were both playing matchmaker. Even Jerimon believed love was our destiny. If I didn’t find distance from him soon, he might even convince me we were meant to be together.

  I had to find that stupid Eggstone and untangle things before they got worse. I slid off the bunk and went to shower. Hot steam helped clear my head although it didn’t help clear my thinking.

  Jasyn was sitting on her bunk, buffing her perfect nails, when I came out. “What’s wrong, Dace?”

  “I’m fine,” I said, a little too loudly.

  “You haven’t been acting it. What did Jerimon do this time? I thought you’d worked things out with him.”

  “I thought I had, too.” I dragged a comb through my hair. I still hadn’t gotten it cut. I vowed to shave my head at the first chance.

  “And?” Jasyn prodded.

  “He believes he’s in love with me for real.” I dropped the comb in a drawer, then slammed it shut. “What am I going to do? He’s nice enough, but, Jasyn, I don’t want him in love with me.”

  “Lady Rina read his cards. She is convinced you two are destined to be together. She actually approves of you.” She rubbed the file over one nail.

  “Why? All I’ve done is get her mixed up with the Patrol and the Sessimoniss.”

  “She chose to come. You didn’t force her into anything.”

  I leaned against the wall wanting to believe what Jasyn implied. I liked her, a lot. I wasn’t sure our partnership would work out if Jerimon were included in the package. “I’m sorry you got dragged in.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Now you sound like Jerimon. Spare me, please. He spends most of his time apologizing.”

  “I prefer his apologies to his other comments.” I crossed my arms.

  “Like what?” Her lavender eyes, so like his, watched me curiously. “What did he say on Besht?”

  “Nothing. He never got a chance.”

  She laughed. “You’re absolutely petrified that Jerimon mi
ght actually love you. Or is it that you’re afraid you might love him back?”

  Her statement held truer than she suspected. I was scared to death of letting anyone close. I didn’t know what to do, how to act. I didn’t know anything about love. I looked at the floor, unwilling to let her know.

  “Didn’t you ever have a crush on someone?”

  I shook my head. “I’m an orphan. I have no family. Crushes were not allowed in the orphanage. Very little was allowed, especially for me.”

  “Dace,” Jasyn said softly. “You have a family now. You have me.”

  I looked up from the floor. There was no pity in her eyes, only compassion and empathy. I blinked back tears. “Are you sure about that?” I tried to joke. My voice broke.

  “As sure as I’ve ever been about anything.” She reached across the small cabin to squeeze my hand. “And you can tell my brother to stuff it in his socks and it won’t change how I feel.” She let go of my hand.

  “I thought Jerimon was part of our deal.” Part of me wanted to believe her, wanted it badly. The rest of me had a hard time accepting it.

  “Not if he makes a pest of himself.” She blew on her nails.

  “You really mean it,” I said, still not quite able to accept.

  “I mean it more than I did when I first offered.” She smiled. “You can be the sister I always wanted. Just don’t borrow my clothes without asking first.”

  “Is that what sisters do?”

  She shrugged. “It’s what I’ve heard they do.”

  “Thanks, Jasyn. For everything.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  I watched her buff her nails. I bit my lip. She’d just offered to be my sister. I’d resigned myself to being alone. I wasn’t sure how to let someone else into my life, how to accept her. “Jasyn?”

  She glanced up from her nails. “Do you want me to talk to Lady Rina?”

  I shrugged. “Maybe.”

  “Don’t worry about Jerimon. I’ll deal with him. And no, he isn’t part of our deal, not unless you want him to be.”

  I slid down the wall to sit on the floor, still overwhelmed by her offer. “Thanks, Jasyn.”

  “I’m not sure I like this pink.” She blew on her nails. “What do you think? It might be more your color.”

  “Engine grease and hydroponic fluid is closer to my nail color.” My voice shook and the joke fell flat, but Jasyn laughed anyway.

  It took us fifteen hours to reach the waystar. The reentry alarms woke me out of a sound sleep. I scrambled from my bunk, rubbing bleary eyes.

  I yawned as I belted myself into the pilot’s chair. Jerimon was already there, on watch. He radiated cool professionalism, which put me on my guard. I matched his professionalism, keeping as much distance from him as I could in the small cockpit area. We made the shift to normal space, the Swan hanging on the edge of hyperspace seconds longer than normal. Caid headed for the engines the instant the ship cleared turbulence.

  I dumped speed while Jerimon scanned the area. The Swan bowed gracefully, handling easily. She really was a joy to fly.

  “One brown dwarf,” Jerimon said after a moment. “A dozen or so planetoids, and lots of minor debris.”

  A chunk screeched along the hull.

  “Shield up.” I polarized the hull. The viewscreen lit with flashes as small bits of dust vaporized in the field.

  “Shift to vector seven-two-eight,” Jasyn said. “There’s a stable eddy that should be a bit clearer.”

  I steered the ship onto the new course. The sparkles became fewer. Jerimon matched speed with the bigger chunks. I locked us into orbit with the largest.

  “Now what?” Jerimon asked.

  “We wait,” Lady Rina announced from her heavy chair. “Jerimon, you said you had files. We should search those. Perhaps they contain the information we need.”

  “And if they don’t, we have to go back,” I said.

  “Not necessarily.” Lady Rina steepled her hands under her chin. “We have two days. Tobias promised to send a courier with the information by then. If we already have it, we leave a message for him. But we won’t know if we have it unless we look.”

  Jerimon muttered something about senile great-aunts under his breath. I agreed with his sentiments. He left me on watch and went to fetch the stack of files we’d stolen.

  “What are we looking for?” Jasyn asked, moving to the table where Jerimon dumped the files.

  “Some kind of invoice describing the Eggstone. It’s about the size of a fist, glossy black.” He frowned at the top paper. “Jennis said they sold it, that’s all I got from her.”

  “Besides an eyeful of dimples and a very tight dress,” I added.

  “I believe I detect jealousy.” Lady Rina smiled in approval.

  I hunched my back and kept my red face turned away, watching the scan screen.

  The invoice wasn’t in the pile. Three hours of sorting passed with no results. We had to wait for the messenger.

  Standing watch was necessary. It took constant adjustments to keep us clear of the larger junk in the system. Caid had to reroute power to the shield generator; the constant hail of dust drained the reserves.

  Jerimon and I were the only ones who could stand watch. He didn’t have a chance to catch me alone anywhere on the ship.

  The constant bombardment grated on everyone’s nerves. Particles sang and screeched over the shields. Lady Rina retired to her cabin, complaining of a headache. Estelle followed, only appearing long enough to heat food for Lady Rina. Jasyn draped herself across a chair and worked on her nails for hours on end. Caid played with his engines.

  Halfway through a watch shift, I caught the tell tale shimmer of hyperspace reentry in the viewscreen. I hit the scan button. A small ship popped out uncomfortably close to us. The clutter of debris and stray radiation made it hard to identify. I leaned across the controls, adjusting the frequency.

  “The Dolphin just downshifted.”

  “I’ll let Lady Rina know.” Jasyn tucked her nail file in her pocket, then climbed the stairs to Lady Rina’s cabin.

  The Dolphin slowed. Her scans should have picked us up. I hadn’t turned our beacon off; Lady Rina insisted that only Family knew of this waystar. The Dolphin began to curve towards us. The message light blinked on the com. I slipped the headset on.

  “Swan, this is Dolphin,” a voice crackled in my ear. The static was horrible, the signal distorted by the dust and the shields. I found the reply button and waited. They kept calling, repeating every few seconds.

  I finally decided that if they knew our name and location, they had to be the courier Lady Rina waited for.

  “Dolphin, this is the Swan,” I answered.

  “Good, we found you. You have no idea how much of a mess you left behind.”

  “I can guess,” I said.

  Jasyn hurried back from Lady Rina’s cabin. “They’re the ones,” she whispered.

  The static crackled as the Dolphin talked. “There are some very high ranking Patrol officers looking for two of your crew.”

  “How high?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking.

  “Sector Commander in the Enforcers. He was extremely interested in a crewmember named Dace.”

  My throat closed. A sector commander? I pulled off the headset and handed it to Jasyn. My ears buzzed.

  I didn’t hear a word she said. Was Belliff really that important? Lowell would never have let me go if it were that crucial. But what rank was he? I’d never actually seen the insignia on his uniform when I met him on Tebros. The way he pushed people around, he just might be a sector commander. I propped my elbows on the edge of the control panel and hid my face in my hands.

  “We’re headed to Landruss,” Jasyn said as she hung up. She started plotting a course. “The Patrol and the Sessimoniss are both headed there. We’d better get there first.”

  I rubbed my face, then dropped my hands back to the control board in front of me. The Dolphin was already accelerating away, headed for a j
ump point.

  “How did they know?” I powered up the engines.

  “The Sessimoniss showed at Besht, long enough to cause major disruption.” Her fingers never paused as she keyed in the course. “We’re facing serious charges when the Patrol does catch up with us.”

  “We’ll get out of it somehow.” I hoped it was true. Lowell had dismissed charges for me after Dadilan, he could do it again. It would probably cost me my freedom, but if joining the Patrol would get Jasyn off, it would be worth it. Jerimon could fend for himself.

  I pushed the engines, curving us away from the plane of the system. I stretched and ran Jerimon’s controls as well as my own.

  “Where is Landruss?” I asked.

  “One of the Inner Worlds. If we’re very lucky, we’ll have about six hours before everyone else shows up.”

  “Did Tobias find who bought the Eggstone?” I pushed the engines harder, pouring on the speed. Debris from the system sparked in our shield.

  “A very eccentric collector by the name of Den Douvay.” Her computer beeped. “Course accepted.”

  “Then let’s go.” I engaged the hyperdrive. The Swan shifted into hyperspace, barely protesting my hasty piloting. Jerimon stumbled into the lounge, yawning and grumbling, as I shut down the sublights.

  “What’s your hurry?” He dropped into the pilot’s chair.

  “We know where we’re going,” Jasyn answered. “But it’s a race to see if we can get to the Eggstone before the Sessimoniss or the Patrol do.”

  “Why are we racing them? Let them fetch it.” He scratched his head, messing his hair. I hated to admit that he was even more attractive disheveled than he was cleaned up.

  “If we get it first,” I said, “then we have something to bargain with. And we are going to need all the leverage we can find.”

  He looked at the board and frowned.

  “You made jump all by yourself?”

  “What of it?” I answered as I locked the settings.

  “This ship is designed to be flown by two people, especially in a mess like that system we just left.” He looked at me with new respect. “I couldn’t have flown it myself.”

  “You do what you have to.” My ears burned. I kept my eyes on my controls. I didn’t want him looking at me that way, it was almost as bad as the other way. “I’ve got watch for another six hours.” I hoped he would take the hint and go away.