by Dana Kelly
Eridani chuckled. “I really wasn’t planning on it.”
“Cool,” said Torsha, and her phone buzzed. She scanned Iona’s response and tapped an automatic reply. Shaking her head, Torsha’s nostrils flared slightly, and she wiped the tears from her eyes. “Hey,” she said with a sniff, and grief threatened to overwhelm her. “Thuraya didn’t make it.”
“No,” whispered Eridani. “No, she can’t be dead.” She began to shake, and agony twisted her face. “Thuraya…” She wept inconsolably, and Torsha surrendered to her sorrow.
Outside the shuttle, blue skies gave way to stars.
Chapter 28
The Woman Inside
Eridani and Torsha traveled within the Starwind’s luggage compartment. They discovered a large duffle bag with “Dark River” printed on its sides in large military font. Unzipping the bag, Torsha rummaged around, pulling out several sealed packs of food and water pouches. “Just MREs and water, so far.” She continued searching. “Sterile wipes… There’s a first aid kit… Yeah, that’s all I see in here. Well, these’ll be good to have on hand, in case we run out of our own food,” said Torsha.
“I hope we’re not stuck in here that long,” said Eridani.
“It could be a while,” said Torsha, and she opened Eridani’s backpack. She retrieved a meal bar, splitting in two. “Here.”
“I’m not really hungry,” said Eridani.
“I know, but you should eat,” said Torsha.
Eridani took her half of the meal bar and sat up slightly. “Just how long do you think we’ll be stuck in here?”
“I’m not sure, but one thing I’ve learned about space travel—everything takes about ten times longer than you think it will,” said Torsha. She opened a water bottle. “We should only sip for now, just enough so we don’t get parched. And we should turn off our phones unless we need them for light.”
Eridani nibbled at her food. “Okay.” Grief surged again, and she spent moments in tears before setting down her food and rolling on her side.
During the following day, they exhausted the water and meal bars Torsha had packed. On the third morning, they braved the tamer MREs—a rice and beans burrito bowl, and one marked as beef stew. They drank from Dark River’s water pouches.
Later that day, the impact of docking clamps rang throughout the shuttle. Torsha and Eridani moved quickly to re-pack the duffle bag, adding their own waste materials to its contents. Machinery droned, and the cargo ramp hissed as it settled against the deck. Eridani pulled her backpack close as Torsha zipped the duffle bag closed. Muted conversation reached them from outside the ship.
“Incinerate Dark River’s luggage,” said Bloodtusk. “All of it.”
“Aye-aye, Captain Veskatar,” said a woman’s voice.
“I’m headed up to the bridge,” said Bloodtusk. “Admiral Schurke’s been trying to reach me. Wait—you’re not on my bridge crew. Who are you again?”
“I am Eleski,” said the woman. “I am your—”
“I don’t care,” said Bloodtusk. “You two just clean things up, okay? Something stinks up in my lounge. Myeong, get Ostonk and Grostonk to meet me on the bridge. In fact, why don’t you go on ahead of me and kick everyone out, okay?”
“Aye-aye, Captain,” she said, and she hurried for the lift.
“What?” asked Bloodtusk.
“Nothing, sir,” said Eleski.
Bloodtusk snorted smugly. “Good. Nothing is exactly what I want to hear from you.” He stomped across the deck and exited through a door leading further into the starship.
Moments later, Torsha and Eridani heard footsteps approaching the luggage hatch from overhead. They quietly pressed themselves against the far bulkhead, pulling their knees tight against their chests. The hatch popped open a moment later.
“I detect the scent of waste,” said Eleski. Visible only for an instant, overhead lights glimmered against her platinum hair and alabaster skin. “The biological processing unit is in urgent need of repair, and the luggage compartment’s access panel exists once more in an unsecured state! It is entirely a matter of favorable happenstance that it even remains intact.” She reached into the hold and pulled up several suitcases.
“He cares little for the wellbeing of his own vessel,” said Katsinki from down on the deck.
Eleski sighed. “The state of his access panel supports your hypothesis.” She leaned into view again. Her gray-blue eyes twinkled, but her good cheer suddenly faded. “Someone has tampered with it.”
“I was unable to understand you due to a reduction in vocal amplitude,” said Katsinki. “What did you say?”
“I am assessing an anomaly.” Eleski retrieved a handheld flashlight and cautiously shined it around the compartment. Steeling herself against the smell, Eleski retrieved the Dark River duffle bag, straining against its weight. After setting it aside, she lingered at the hatch. “One moment, please.”
“Do you require investigative or physical assistance?” asked Katsinki.
“Neither is immediately necessary,” said Eleski.
Eridani inhaled deeply, and Torsha’s pulse raced. Now hidden only within the shadows cast by the hatch, they dared not move. Torsha extended her claws.
Eleski shined her flashlight inside the compartment. It fell directly upon Eridani’s brow. They met each other’s gazes, but Eleski only smiled demurely and tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear. With the subtlest of nods, she put away her flashlight. “There is nothing amiss. Let us proceed.”
“I must admit I experienced no small amount of growing dread on your behalf, Eleski,” said Katsinki.
She closed the hatch, but not completely. “Dearest Katsinki, I apologize for any dread I may have unduly caused. I will endeavor to express myself more effectively during moments of intense personal curiosity.”
Eridani and Torsha listened as Eleski lowered the baggage and slid down to the deck. She and Katsinki bantered cheerfully as they loaded the luggage onto a motorized cart and led it away from the Starwind. They switched off all the lights except the one directly overhead and exited the hangar.
Silence hung in the air.
“What the hell was that?” asked Torsha. “Do you know her?”
Eridani shook her head. “I don’t recognize her at all.”
“She obviously saw us,” said Torsha. “I mean, she nodded right at you.”
“I can’t explain it,” said Eridani. “Maybe we met somewhere?”
“It’s a trap,” said Torsha. “It has to be.”
“Maybe, but why leave the hatch open?” asked Eridani.
Torsha shook her head. “She’s luring us out. I bet she’s running straight to Bloodtusk.”
“You may be right about that,” said Eridani. “We’d better get out of here while we can.” She pushed against the hatch. Nervously, she peered around the hangar.
“See anywhere we can hide?” asked Torsha.
“Lots of places, actually. Can you hear anyone lurking nearby?”
Torsha closed her eyes and listened. “No, but the vents sound awfully familiar.”
Raising the hatch completely, Eridani set it quietly against the hull. “How do you mean?” She pushed herself up and out, swinging her legs over to sit.
Torsha donned Eridani’s backpack and climbed out. Stacked crates and boxes lined the bulkheads, set between crowded shelves. Transverse frames reinforced the hangar. Chutes, vents, and bundles of conduit adorned the bulkheads. Red lane lights glowed between the adjacent launch tube’s magnetic landing rails, and crimson LEDs blinked sequentially along its length. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” muttered Torsha. “I know this place. We literally took this exact same shuttle out of this exact same hangar two months ago. This is Excrucio!”
“Blacktusk’s flagship,” said Eridani. “He’s still in prison, right?”
Torsha shrugged and lowered the hatch back into place. “As far as I know.” She pushed until she heard a click. “But if Bloodtusk busted out, there’s a good ch
ance his brother did too.”
Eridani shivered. “Out of the frying pan, into the fire. What can you tell me about this ship?”
“Not much, unfortunately,” said Torsha, and she described Excrucio’s general layout. “The other teams locked down almost everything else by the time we got there. Then we all met up, took the stairs to the command room and took over.” She stretched, working out the kinks in each of her joints. “There were so many dead pirates.”
“That sounds awful,” said Eridani. “I can see why you never wanted to talk about it. Sorry for being so nosy when you first arrived.”
Torsha glanced her way. “I never felt like you were being nosy.”
Eridani nodded. “That’s good to hear.” She took a deep breath and looked down at the deck. “I guess we just slide off?”
“Sure,” said Torsha, and she leaned back as she slid along the Starwind’s exterior contours. She alighted gracefully upon the deck, repositioned the backpack, and turned to face Eridani. “Your turn!”
“Yeah, sure,” muttered Eridani. Leaning back, she scooted herself forward, but her floral long coat only bunched up at the small of her back. “Hold on,” she said. Grabbing onto the base of her coat, she pulled it straight, but she only slid forward a bit further. “What the hell?” she grumbled, and she set to doffing her long coat completely.
“I wouldn’t do that,” said Torsha.
“Why not?” asked Eridani, and she flung herself free of her sleeves. Off balance and tipping forward, her breath caught in her throat as she suddenly slid face-first down the side of the Starwind.
Torsha caught her, and Eridani’s long coat fluttered down, draped over them both. “That’s why,” said Torsha.
Eridani pushed her coat aside. “Thanks again,” she said, and she stumbled slightly as Torsha helped her stand. She put the long coat back on and glanced at the lift. “Let’s find an empty room to hide in.”
“I think we should hide in the bins, at least until we know for sure no one’s coming back to look for us,” said Torsha. She walked over to a large crate positioned near the lift.
“I don’t know,” said Eridani, and she approached the shelves next to Torsha. “There aren’t any other ships docked in here, and when they don’t find us aboard the shuttle, I think the bins will be the first place they look.”
“You’ve got a point there,” said Torsha.
“Let’s see if there’s something in here that we can use to defend ourselves,” said Eridani. Parts clattered quietly as she set them aside.
Torsha chuckled. “No offense, but I think you’d be much offer off counting on me as your best defense, and I don’t need anything else but my claws.”
Eridani grabbed a crankshaft by the long end and wielded it like a bat. “What? I’ve taken self-defense classes. I can hold my own.”
“I’m not saying you can’t, but I’ve been in a lot more fights than you have,” said Torsha. Her gaze narrowed as she noticed a lanyard on the bottom shelf. “That’s strange.”
“What is it?” asked Eridani.
Torsha retrieved the lanyard. An access card dangled from it, and she held it up high. “It’s clean. No grease stains on it at all, and it smells like Eleski.”
“Can I see it?” asked Eridani.
Torsha nodded and passed her the lanyard. “I don’t like this. There’s easy, and there’s too easy.”
“I don’t know,” said Eridani. “I’m starting to think she’s trying to help us.” She slipped the lanyard over her head and grabbed a flashlight from one of the shelves. “Let’s go find our hideout.”
“All right,” said Torsha. “I’m just saying it feels like a trap.”
“It might be, but I’m not sure what else to do.” Eridani pushed the call button. They soon boarded, and the lift doors closed behind them. Inside, they found four buttons—the one on the bottom appeared grayed out, while the one on the top blinked slowly.
“In case we didn’t know where to go,” said Torsha.
“Right,” said Eridani, and she took a deep breath. She ran her fingers across the access card and reached for the top button. “I bet Eleski’s leaving us breadcrumbs.”
“Wait,” said Torsha, and she blocked Eridani’s hand.
“It’s not a trap,” said Eridani. “I have to believe she’s trying to help us. If she’s not, we’re screwed either way.”
“I guess so,” said Torsha, and she withdrew.
Eridani pushed the button, and the lift ascended.
The doors opened, and they stepped onto the polished deck of a wide passageway. Ribbons of green light adorned the bulkheads on both sides, interrupted at regular intervals by stylishly painted doors. “All this is new,” said Torsha. “Last time I was here, everything was bare steel.” Overhead lights switched on and off in sequence, creating a sense of motion. “I think your friend wants us to follow the blinking lights.”
“Looks like it,” said Eridani.
Watchfully, they traversed the labyrinthine passageways.
Suddenly, all the lights turned on. Immediately to their left, the lamp over a compartment door flashed. Eridani held the access card near its reader, and the lock clicked. Torsha shoved the door open, and they vanished into a darkened chamber. A moment later, a pair of mercenaries exited the compartment across the way and walked past. Their voices gradually faded.
Overhead lights resumed pulsing, now with increased frequency. “We’d better move quickly,” said Eridani, and they returned to the passageway. She and Torsha hurried the rest of the way to the forward lift, and Eridani pushed the call button.
“That’s where I fell apart,” said Torsha, and she pointed down the passageway. “That’s where I saw the dead woman staring back at me.” She hugged her arms. “Right here is where that nice marine helped me calm down.”
“Are you okay?” asked Eridani.
Torsha nodded. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
A dull clank preceded the lift’s arrival, and they stepped inside.
The overhead lights abruptly stopped pulsing. Nothing within the lift blinked or flashed. “No more breadcrumbs,” said Eridani. “I hope she wasn’t discovered. Should we head back to the room?”
“I don’t know,” said Torsha, and she stopped the doors from closing. They heard voices approaching from somewhere in the passageways. “Let’s get out of here.”
Eridani and Torsha bolted around the corner, just as a large group of people stepped into view. Talking and laughing, with coffee and snack pouches in hand, the crewmembers boarded the lift. It hummed as it descended.
Eridani pushed open the door leading to the stairs, and they both rushed inside. They waited in silence and darkness, bathed in the faint green light of the nearest exit sign. “Up or down?” asked Eridani, and she passed Torsha the flashlight.
“Up leads to the command center,” said Torsha. “That’s where Bloodtusk said he was headed. I don’t know what down leads to.”
“We should go up,” said Eridani.
“What about back?” asked Torsha. “I thought you wanted to hide out.”
“I do, but Bloodtusk managed not to kidnap me or my brother. If this Admiral Schurke guy has been trying to reach him, I bet that’s who he answers to, and I bet he’s very angry,” said Eridani. “This is the perfect chance to conduct some espionage!”
Torsha switched on the flashlight and waved it up the stairs. “Okay, let’s do it.” Moving quietly, she led the way.
When they reached the bridge deck’s emergency exit, Eridani used the access card to unlock it. Torsha nudged open the door. Peering through the narrow gap, they spotted the shifting shadows of three figures huddled around a communications console.
A distinguished-sounding voice berated them. “…and stop wasting my time! I can see you’ve returned to Imperium. That can only mean one of two things—either you were somehow defeated, or you have him. Husthar, tell me you have him.”
Bloodtusk cleared his throat. “Yes, we… We’ll
have him any moment, now. Our men encountered more resistance than expected, but they’re working it out.”
“You don’t have men, I do.” Leather creaked. “What happened to my Dark River assets?”
“Admiral Schurke, that’s… that is exactly what I meant, sir. The, uh… your Dark River assets are wrapping things up, putting a pretty little bow on everything.” Bloodtusk drummed his fingers on something metallic. “I’ll check in with them right after this call.”
Schurke spoke quietly. “You have three days to complete your mission. Do not fail me.”
“Yes sir. I… I won’t let you down,” said Bloodtusk. “Orin Webb will be delivered to you precisely on time.”
The screen switched off and Bloodtusk swore profusely. “There’s nothing else I can do!” said Bloodtusk. “I’m rallying what’s left of the Buccaneers.”
“Dark River will ruin you,” grumbled a deep voice.
Bloodtusk struck the console. “Grostonk, I appreciate your concern, but what do you think Schurke will do to me?”
“We could always stop by Tiburón Dellasuerte,” said the third. He sounded nearly identical to Grostonk. “Hire a few denshies.”
“I know that guy,” whispered Torsha. “That’s Ostonk, and he’s scary loyal to Bloodtusk. He was being triaged with the rest of the injured pirates after Blacktusk got trounced at Rocksaugh’s.”
“Do you have any rapport with him?” asked Eridani.
“Definitely not,” said Torsha.
Bloodtusk snorted. “Ostonk, you need to think before you speak.”
“Don’t talk to me like I’m just one of your minions,” said Ostonk. “I killed my own friends for you!”
Bloodtusk took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I’m just a little stressed.”
“It’s all right. It happens,” said Ostonk. “What’s stressing you out so much?”
“I need to find Orin, but it looks like he’s in the wind,” said Bloodtusk. “If I can’t pressure him into resurfacing, we’re screwed. Schurke busted us out because I told him Orin and I were close.”
“For all five of the minutes that was true,” said Grostonk.
