As she lay there trying to tell herself that it wasn’t a big deal, she wondered if the habitats in the outer colonies would present a similar situation, whether they would contain some small and yet annoying trait that was both ever-present and inescapable.
They better not. I’ll go insane.
She pushed herself up from her modest cot and swung her legs over the edge, allowing her toes to touch the cool floor. The quarters in which she and van Asch had taken up residence were small and somewhat cramped, but still far better than the squalor that had enveloped her during her life down on Earth. Annoying noises or not, she really had nothing to complain about here. It was paradise compared to what she had endured in the past.
She stood and took a few steps along the grey vinyl floor to where a large oval window looked out upon the stars. Sometimes she could see the moon outside, but not right now. For the moment there was nothing to be seen but stars, a seemingly infinite number of them, glimmering with a brilliance that was completely foreign to someone who had lived her life on the Earth’s surface under the veil of toxic skies. To Ursie it seemed like someone had taken a new set of eyes and plugged them into her head, allowing her to see clearly for the first time. The clarity of the stars and galaxies that spun around Habitat Thirty-One was breathtaking.
This was easily her favourite place in the habitat that she had found so far. She had literally stood before the window for hours on end, staring out into space and dreaming of what might be out in the depths of space. Dreaming of her future.
Which one of those is Jupiter? she thought, not for the first time. If I had a telescope, would I be able to see Callisto? Would I be able to see my new home?
As she watched, one of the stars began to shimmer with greater intensity, and she immediately recognised it as another cruiser heading inward toward the habitat as it prepared to dock. These craft came and went all day, delivering people and goods and who knew what else, growing larger and larger as they glided inward toward the habitat in arcing trajectories until they gently kissed the docking bays nearby. Ursie enjoyed watching the tiny bursts of their thrusters glimmering in the darkness as they aligned themselves perfectly with the rotation of the habitat. It was like a kind of intricate ballet, a dance that required the utmost precision. After a time they would leave again, presumably loaded with new passengers, heading off to destinations unknown out in the system.
Soon it would be her turn to leave. Callisto was waiting.
Maybe, she thought glumly. Or maybe not.
She recalled van Asch’s words after he had met with the Consortium staff back on the concourse, and it sent a shiver down her spine.
Well, he’d said. I have some bad news.
A lot of possibilities had run through her mind at that moment. The company doesn’t want you after all. They came to their senses, figured you were useless. You’re going back down the Wire.
The words bad news really had encompassed an uncomfortable gamut of possibilities for her at that moment.
It had seemed like an age before van Asch had spoken again.
“It’s a temporary problem,” van Asch had eventually said. “Nothing to be too concerned about.”
Ursie had watched him, wide-eyed. It had taken all of her willpower not to go digging inside his head to figure out what he was thinking. But he’d been quite specific in requesting that she not use her abilities inside the habitat, so she clamped down on her thoughts and restrained herself.
It had not been easy.
“What is it?” she’d said.
“We hired a cruiser captain for this job, one who doesn’t always follow the rules.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Because we needed someone at short notice,” van Asch had said. “Someone who was willing to forgo many of the formalities that a more disciplined captain would not. It was all in the interests of getting to you at the right time, Ursie. Collecting you from the Reach was the culmination of a long journey, and parts of that journey were rushed to ensure everything was done on time.”
“Okay. I understand.”
“So,” van Asch had gone on, “our captain was supposed to stay docked here at Habitat Thirty-One and wait for us to return. After that, we would ship out to our final destination. However, he didn’t wait.”
“What? Where the hell is he?”
“He took a job delivering cargo to one of the moon habitats. After that, he’s assured us that he will return here.”
“So for now we’re stranded?”
“Yes. For the time being.”
Ursie had been furious. “Is he even allowed to do that?”
“Technically no, but his unpredictability and disregard for the rules, the same qualities that landed him the job in the first place, have now resulted in this delay. It would be hypocritical to complain.”
“So how long do we have to wait?”
“Forty-eight, perhaps seventy-two hours.”
“And what do we do until then?”
Van Asch had smiled thinly. “We wait.”
After that he had led her to these stuffy little quarters located in a remote corner of the habitat, and here she had remained. She felt somewhat trapped and claustrophobic in these cramped confines, surrounded by the beautiful yet cold and inhospitable depths of space, but she was also concerned about what would happen should she wander about the habitat and inadvertently reach out with her abilities to the wrong person, alerting an outsider to her presence. Van Asch would be displeased if that were to happen, perhaps enough to sever ties with her completely and send her back down the Wire.
She glanced across the room to where van Asch was seated at the little round kitchen table. Ursie had begun to wonder if the guy ever slept. He was never in his cot by the side of the room, preferring to rest at the table instead. He would sit there for hours on end, his head dipped forward, his aviator sunglasses still in place, as if he had fallen asleep while playing a game of solitaire.
All in all, Jodocus van Asch had been nice to her, she supposed, but he was still a bit of an odd fish. His mannerisms were stiff and he projected an air of restraint, of control. Perhaps it was a cultural thing, a type of behaviour that was common out in the colonies, but it was not something she was accustomed to down on Earth.
“Are you well rested?” he said suddenly, raising his head. He did not turn to look at her, but instead continued to stare straight ahead.
“Oh!” she said, startled. She lifted a hand to her breast. “Yes. Thank you.”
“Good. That is at least one positive we can take away from this postponement, yes?”
“I guess so. How much longer, do you think?”
“Perhaps twenty-four hours.”
“Okay.” She moved away from the window. “I’m sure I can make it that long.”
“Are you hungry?”
Ursie sat at the table across from him and he finally shifted his face in her direction.
“What am I going to be doing for you?” she said, ignoring the question. “What am I doing for the company?”
The question had been burning inside her for some time now, long before she had stepped on the railcar at the bottom of the Wire, and to this point van Asch had given away little about what her future held. She decided that now was as good a time as any to start asking these kinds of questions.
He paused as he considered. “How much do you know about the Outworlds?” he said.
“Outworlds?” she said. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“The habitats that lie on the moons and planets throughout the solar system.”
“Oh. Not much.”
“Well. There is a complex network of communities within the Outworlds, and they all have different strengths and weaknesses. My own Callisto, for example, is a hub for technological innovation. Many of the great advances in science of recent years originated there. Titan, on the other hand, has great mineral deposits and abundant livestock. Enceladus is a great cultural hub. They expo
rt some truly exquisite red wines.”
“Yeah, so what does this have to do with me?”
“The Outworlds each have their own political systems, their own ideals. They’re all run very differently. However, there is a desire amongst them to conduct trade, to buy and sell those various commodities that are specialised in each community. In turn, all of this activity requires diplomats to wade through certain… disagreements that may arise during negotiations. This is where our company has made its name.”
“You use psychers to bend people to your will.”
“That is a very crass way of stating our process, Ursie.” Van Asch steepled his fingers before him as he considered. “I would describe the company’s role more as that of a mediator who assists opposing parties in finding a common ground.”
“But if the psycher involved in the negotiation is skilful enough, these ‘opposing parties’ wouldn’t even know they’ve been persuaded–”
“There are ethics involved in our work, Ursie,” van Asch said. “All of this will be covered in your training. The company’s goal is to spread understanding, not to manipulate every situation for our own ends. You will come to understand that eventually.”
“So I’ll be some sort of diplomat?” Ursie said. “It sounds so prestigious.”
“It is a great honour. You are fortunate to have been chosen.”
Ursie shook her head. “All of those years living on the street, I never thought I’d have a future like this.” She couldn’t help but smile. “I just figured I’d just go through life stealing what I could and hoping I wouldn’t get caught.”
Van Asch gave her a sympathetic grin. “You never had any friends, did you, Ursie?” he said suddenly.
Ursie’s smile vanished. “What? Uh–”
“You always found it difficult to make friends.” He was very still now, intent. Behind those impenetrable sunglasses, she pictured him staring at her with uncomfortable directness.
“I had one or two,” she said uncertainly. She wasn’t sure if this was some kind of test, whether he wanted to see how well she could deal with interrogation or questions about her past, so she decided it would be best to answer truthfully.
“You never had any real friends,” van Asch went on, “and you know exactly why, don’t you?”
His voice was hard like granite, unsympathetic. It made her feel very small and insignificant.
“Yes,” she said in a tiny voice.
“Tell me.”
She glanced away from him, over at the oval window. Right at this moment she wouldn’t have cared if it had popped open and sucked her out into space. Van Asch had backed her into a corner in which she was incredibly uncomfortable, vulnerable. Unsure. She didn’t want to answer his question. She just wanted to disappear into a hole.
There were tears welling up behind her eyes. She looked back at him, saw her own reflection in his sunglasses.
“Because I see too much.”
“You see everything, don’t you?” van Asch said evenly. “You see every single corner of their minds. Those people you meet.”
“Yes,” she said, biting her lip.
“You’re like an unwanted intruder who breaks into their houses, rifles through their closets, their underwear drawers. You look through their family photos and through their garbage. You even rummage through their fears and their dreams and their hopes, their most private places. Don’t you.” It was not a question.
Her voice was little more than a whisper. “Yes.”
“You look through everything that is theirs because once you open that door, you can’t help yourself. It just happens.” He leaned forward. “And how does that make you feel?”
“Ashamed.” A tear trickled down her cheek.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t belong there. I’ve already violated them before they’ve even opened their mouths to say hello.”
“But you can’t stop. You can’t stop because it’s in your nature. It’s part of who you are.”
“Yes.”
“And once you’ve violated them in this way you can barely look them in the face, let alone try to build any sort of relationship with them.”
“Please stop,” Ursie said quietly, wiping the tear away with the palm of her hand. “Why are you punishing me like this?”
“I’m not punishing you, Ursie. I’m telling you that I understand what you’ve been through. In the place that we’re going to, there are many, many people who will understand you. And with understanding comes help.”
She stopped. “What do you mean?”
“We’re going to teach you how to control your power, Ursie. You don’t have to be a victim of your own abilities.”
Her breath caught in her throat and she felt a twinge of exhilaration poking through the despair.
“How is that possible?”
Van Asch leaned back and smiled. “That’s not a discussion for now. It’s all ahead of you at the end of our journey.”
“But I–”
“You’ve been cooped up in here too long,” van Asch said, his voice altering to a somewhat more cheery tone. “Why don’t you go and stretch your legs? The walk will do you good.”
Ursie glanced at the door. “I’m allowed to go?”
Van Asch shrugged. “Of course. You’re not a prisoner here. You may come and go as you please.”
Ursie got up hesitantly. “Uh, sure. Okay.”
“Just remember what I told you and keep your abilities to yourself. I know it must be difficult for you to do that, but it’s in your best interests.”
“Yeah, I’ve been trying hard.”
Van Asch slid a holophone across the table and began to play with it.
“Especially the Redmen,” he said distractedly, dragging his finger across the phone. “They’re trained to detect psychers. Best to stay away from them.”
“Okay.” Ursie clasped the door handle and prepared to go outside, then turned back. “Mr. van Asch?”
“Yes?” he said, looking up at her.
“Thank you for this opportunity. I won’t let you down.”
He nodded and turned back to the phone. “I know.”
Ursie took a deep breath to calm herself, then went outside.
24
Knile led Talia and Roman along the street as they closed in on the coordinates that he had memorised from the Skybreach tattoo. There were plenty of folk shuffling along through the thoroughfare, a great throng of them providing the three companions with camouflage of sorts. Knile kept his head low and tried to blend in as best he could, and the other two did the same, hoping to avoid any unwanted attention. They made good time and, more importantly, did not spy Capper or any of his men in the vicinity.
“Are we there?” Roman said for possibly the tenth time in an hour.
“No.” Knile said. “But it’s not far away now.”
“How far?”
Knile stopped and pulled both of them close, forming a huddle as the crowd moved around them.
“Listen, we have to talk about something,” he said.
“What is it?” Talia said.
“I want to set some ground rules about this whole Skybreach thing,” he said. “I’m not just going to blunder into this place like a blind man walking over the edge of a cliff.”
“What do you suggest?” Roman said.
Knile held up one palm and began to tick items off on his fingers.
“First, I’m not going to wander into any abandoned warehouses. I don’t want to end up in some secluded place that we can’t escape from if things go bad.”
“But they’re a secret organisation,” Roman said. “I think there’s a good chance they’re going to be hiding somewhere.”
“Too bad. If it looks dodgy, we walk away, and I don’t care how much you want this, Roman. This isn’t our last shot. We have other options if this doesn’t work out, so there’s no reason to put all of our eggs in one basket.”
“I agree,” Talia said. “
One hundred percent.”
Roman sighed. “All right.”
“So,” Knile went on, “no underground passages. No dead ends. I’m going to need to talk to these people in a public place first. If that doesn’t happen, we’re going to try our luck elsewhere.”
“Yeah. Got it,” Roman said.
“Second, I want to have the final say on what we do. If at any point I decide things aren’t working out, or if things feel wrong, I’m going to leave. I don’t want to have a committee meeting when that happens. You two follow, no questions asked. Got it?”
They both nodded.
“Is that it?” Roman said.
“For now. If anything else comes up I’ll let you know. Now keep close.” He glanced at the coordinates on his holophone. “We’ve almost reached the place.”
They continued on for another few minutes up the street. The neighbourhood was somewhat typical of Link, cluttered with dilapidated apartments that had seen many years without maintenance. Traders were out on the streets peddling their wares from the back of their carts, and above, children peered out from behind closed windows as they watched the street below.
Talia felt exposed out here. She wanted to be out of the public eye, away from the stares of desperate men and women who would be only too happy to point her pursuers in the right direction for a handful of creds. So far there had been no sign of Capper or Crumb, but several times during the day she had imagined their faces peering down from the windows above with gleeful intent. She had braced herself for them to appear at any moment, swooping down in superior numbers and taking the three of them by force. She must have been clenching her jaw this whole time, because now the muscles in her neck ached with a persistent throb that made it hard to concentrate.
She clamped a hand onto the back of her neck and rubbed, squeezing her eyes shut and grimacing at the pain as her fingers dug into the muscles under her pony tail.
Suddenly she ran into something.
It was Knile. She’d been keeping close behind him, near enough to almost brush against his back, and now she had blundered into him as he had come to a stop.
Landfall (The Reach, Book 2) Page 17
