"So this is your office?" I ask skeptically. Zayn told me Alix was some sort of expert in computers and ship engineering. This seems inconsistent with the quiet guy before me whose office is in the middle of a forest.
I hear a whir and several clicks as Zayn pulls me backward. I tentatively reach forward and find the smooth cover of a computer that has risen out of the floor.
"Nice," I say. "I was wondering where your computer was in this small space."
"You can't see all the cool stuff this computer can do, but I can assure you that from here we can design and research the whole retrofit process of the Resurrection." I hear Alix already tapping away at the screen.
I straighten my spine, remembering what had been bothering me since I arrived. "None of the plans I can access have any drawings for Zeg. It doesn't even show any connections between Zeg and the rest of the ship. But there must be links. Computer, water, electrical. We'll need that information for the retrofit."
"Right. I've had to take security measures to protect Zeg. There are a few people who knew about Zeg in the early days, when we were just starting to get the animals reproducing. Although we made a deal back then to secrecy, I can't afford to trust them."
"That's understandable." I think about all that Alix and Zayn have told me about this place and its history.
"And it's not only about the animals and how important they are to our future," Zayn interjects. "Those people that Alix and my dad dealt with all those years ago are from the same habitat that supports Captain Kae."
"Captain Dru." My stomach twists. "What would Kae want with animals?"
"Commander Dru and his followers all believed in a pure society. That's why they wanted Zeg back then, because we have pure non-genetically engineered animals and plants. The Council protected us back then, but we're afraid Captain Kae will take Zeg away from us still." Alix's tone is dark.
"But she's just a crazy, evil, old woman. One that will hopefully end up behind bars," I blurt out.
"Yes." Alix sighs. "But she has a lot of support around the Migration. And since she controls half of the fuel routes, she possesses influence that could change the balance of power."
Dread flows through my veins like ice. Zayn helps me to a chair and I sink into it, my head in my hands. How are there so many people that are still under her spell? Can't they see how mean and manipulative she is?
CHAPTER 4
Captain Kae
I don't feel like seeing the rest of the ship after our talk with Alix. I have Zayn show me to our quarters. All I remember is that my room is right across from his. After a few minutes of numbly listening to him assuring me it’ll all work out, I fall heavily into bed. All of the secrets swirl around in my head as I lie there listening to the background hum of the ship.
I still believe I did the right thing when I sent those vids out to Migration about New Earth. They deserve to know, and they deserve now to be part of the effort to find another planet, another solution.
And it did force the Council to think outside the box and accept another plan, my three-phase plan. And it's going to work. Now that the secret is out, I have engineers from every habitat helping to make sure the projects succeed. We already have the Midpoint Station renovations drawn up. The Council has approved the funds for boosting and adding the essential long-range sensors to Midpoint’s arrays, and security measures to protect the station from future asteroid damage.
The second group is already working with Zayn's father to retrofit the Blue Ridge. Most of the Migration is still hopeful we'll find another planet in that direction. They’re excited for the new materials we’ll be mining.
Then there's my project here on the prison ship. Now I’ve got to figure out how to incorporate the Biolab into my initial retrofit plans. Especially since the Resurrection will not only be another scout habitat, but one that somehow carries its own bio star fuel manufacturing plant.
But what I do about the Biolab Zeg secret? Does the Migration need to know about Zeg?
A loud beep bolts me upright. I tap my comm. "This is Talia."
"Commander Saj here. I need you up to the bridge, miss."
"Something wrong, Commander?" My limbs are stiff as I put my shoes back on.
"I have a secure transmission for you."
"On my way."
I shuffle to the doorway and realize I was so out of it when Zayn brought me here I didn't pay attention to how to get back. I lean my forehead against the cool door and scream inwardly at my mistake.
I slap the door open button and take the few steps to Zayn's room. I press the comm and prepare to do it again when his door opens. I take a step backward.
"S-sorry," I stutter. "I thought you'd be sleeping."
"No, my mind wouldn't quiet down."
"I know the feeling." I nod. "But I have a secure transmission up at the bridge." I cringe. "And I didn't pay attention when you brought me here. Could you show me back to the bridge?" I feel about two years old.
Zayn grabs my hand. "Absolutely. You never ask for help. This has got to be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me." He pulls me close and kisses me thoroughly.
"Oh, my goodness. As if I didn't feel stupid enough, you have to rub it in?" I try to sound upset, but I have a hard time being upset with him no matter how much he tries to irritate me. I kiss him again.
"Yep. I've got to enjoy it while I can."
We hurry up to the bridge, and I make sure to pay attention this time. It seems there are a lot more people on duty than should be normal for this time of night.
I follow the sound of orders being given to the helmsman. "Commander?"
"Talia. Yes, come this way into my private office."
With Zayn's hand on my lower back we follow the Commander.
"Sir, why are we changing course?" Zayn asks once we're sitting down.
"What?” I turn to him.
"On the view screen just now the Resurrection is facing outward. Only stars are visible. The last time I was up here we were facing the lead Migration ships," Zayn explains.
Commander Saj sighs. "I'm sorry, I’m just following orders. Captain Reyes wants to explain it to you." He opens up the comm channel.
"Captain Reyes?" I look toward where the vid screen should be above the console.
"Talia. Sorry to have to disturb you so late. I thought you might want to know that Kae has dropped her schedule. None of her gas cats have left Aurora since yesterday."
I frown. "That's terrible, but there's more to it, isn’t there?" I feel sick to my stomach. In all the years away from Earth, we've never stopped the fueling schedule. It would cost us precious time that humanity doesn't have.
"Two things. First, I hate to ask this of you, but I really need you to work on a new schedule for us. You and your computer could untangle this mess faster than we could." His voice is apologetic and quiet. "I've already sent your apprentice over there to set up your computer."
I nod. I've always been able to count on Reyes to be efficient. "And second?"
A pause. I hear Commander Saj's swift intake of breath and more background noise behind Reyes than there should be this time of night. It seems both ships are on high alert. I squeeze the arms of the chair.
"Captain? Both ships seem to have extra crew working this time of night. What’s going on?"
I imagine Reyes running his hand down his face as he does when he's thinking. I used to watch him through my modified space suit as I manufactured problems outside the ship just to see his reaction.
"It's Kae. She's making threats and accusations against you. She's supposed to testify before the Council tomorrow, and she's trying to sway public opinion by tarnishing your reputation."
I shrug my shoulders. "I'm not worried about my reputation. I think my work in the past and present speaks for itself. But you said threats?" The little hairs at the back of my neck prickle.
"Yes. Not directly of course, but she's been overheard ranting about killing you. And since she doesn't
know which ship you're on, we're taking precautions with the Gryphon, the Resurrection, Midpoint, and the Blue Ridge."
"Exactly what do you mean by precautions, sir?" Zayn leans forward at the mention of his home habitat.
"For the habitats, including the prison ship, we're sending them farther from the Migration in different directions. Midpoint is getting a few extra jump ships guarding it."
A deep, dark anger starts in the pit of my stomach. I clench my fists tighter.
"Talia?" Captain Reyes knows my silence is not a good thing.
"She's getting away with it again and again. When will the Council finally stop her?" It comes out louder than I intend. "If they had just put her to trial right after she took Zayn and me hostage, we wouldn't have to be taking these kind of precautions."
Zayn reaches down and unclenches one of my hands and wraps it in both of his strong ones.
"I realize that, Talia. And I'm sorry." Reyes sounds tired. I feel bad hearing the exhaustion in his voice. And I know he's truly sorry I'm going through this again, because he's been there for me since before my parents died. And when I was alone and afraid and hurting in the burn ward, he visited me every day and eventually took me onto his ship. His caring and training gave me the skills and confidence I have today.
"Captain, I'm sorry I got so emotional. I understand you and the other captains and commanders are doing all you can in this situation. Thank you for sending crew to assemble my computer. I'll feel more useful once I get online. Go ahead and send the Aurora's gas cat schedules and I'll get them working again."
I pause as a thought pops into my head. "Sir, why did she stop her fueling schedule, and do you think her crew will actually work for us?"
Zayn stirs next to me. Most pilots are loyal to their employer. These gas cats are owned by Captain Kae and get their fuel from her bio star fuel manufacturing ship, the Aurora.
"I'm assuming she's still on the Aurora?" I ask when he doesn't answer me right away.
"I'm not sure yet why she stopped, but I'll find out tonight. I think her crews will work for us since she's not paying them. And yes, we've had confirmation that she's aboard the Aurora, which as you know is a big problem because it’s the other bio star fuel plant. Not only do we need it to keep the Migration moving forward, it could be used as a weapon."
"You don't think this woman would actually blow us up, do you Captain?" Commander Saj asks.
"Well, Commander, she's mentally unstable, and if she feels threatened she's not above hurting others. That's how we lost Talia's parents."
The room goes silent.
"Understood. Part of the upgrade to my ship is enhanced sensors, so we'll just make that item the first project to work on." Commander Saj's easy acceptance of the situation shows his years of experience as a leader and working with criminals and mentally ill people.
"I'll head down to make sure my computer is set up correctly and be in touch with you as soon as I receive your data." I move to stand up.
"One other thing, Talia."
I freeze.
"I know this is a lot to throw at you right now, but once you've got the gas cat schedules figured out and help Commander Saj start on the sensor project there, I need you and Zayn to go to the Blue Ridge. Destry and his crew will need to start their project sooner than expected. I need you to help his engineers get started."
"You sir? You're sending us?" I'm confused because I’ve always gotten my orders from the Council.
"Yes, the Council has promoted me to oversee your work on these projects," he laughs harshly.
"Huh. Although I'm more than happy to still be working with you Captain, I wonder, does this mean the Council doesn't want to have to deal with me? Have I done something wrong?" There's pressure in my chest as I wonder what I've done to upset the Council.
"No, Talia, it's not that. They just feel that since we work well together, things might go smoother if you report to me. That also frees them up to concentrate on the politics and fallout from the secrets they've withheld from the Migration. And to deal with Kae."
I let that sink in. It sounds good, but something still bugs me about the situation. Although most of me is overjoyed to be working with Reyes, I'm worried that there's something else the Council isn't telling us.
"All right. It shouldn't take long to get the gas cats on track and the Resurrection crew going on the project here. Zayn and I’ll be ready."
"That's my girl. We'll get through this like we've gotten through every other obstacle."
"Thank you, sir. I appreciate your support. Talk to you soon."
And with that, the darkness spreading in my gut is gone and my mind is focused on what I need to do.
Zayn and I leave the bridge and take the lift down to the comm level in silence. I'm sure he's worried about the threats to his family and friends aboard the Blue Ridge. It was smart of Reyes to send us there next. Zayn will be assured they’re safe, and we can get his dad and crew going on their project. I'm not crazy about leaving the prison ship, since this is the project that will need the most work.
The lift doors open and we're greeted with the sounds of crew hard at work in the large room.
"They've made a lot of progress, Talia. And looks like they not only have your computer set up, but several other consoles."
I smile. "Excellent. Let's get started." All feelings of exhaustion are gone as we work through the night. As I get the gas cats back on schedule, Zayn gathers the information we'll need for the Blue Ridge retrofit. I'm impressed with how comfortable Zayn is getting with his engineering knowledge. His mentor, Doc Jones, must be proud of his progress.
Just before heading down to get a few hours of sleep, I link my soft touch cube to my computer and upload all the data we've worked on. Now I can still work when we travel to the Blue Ridge. Just as my modified computer turns data into electrical signals under my fingertips, this cube has the same modifications. I smile to myself as think how Zayn designed and had this cube made especially for me. It's made it possible to access all my engineering and ship data without being tied down to my computer console.
I place an alert for the Aurora so I’ll know if it moves. We ride the lift down in silence, our brains on overload. I lean against Zayn, enjoying his warmth.
"Goodnight, Talia." Zayn sounds as tired as I feel.
"Goodnight." I lean toward him so our foreheads are touching. "Are you all right with this change of plans?"
"It's temporary. Then we'll be back here to finish this project." He runs his hands up and down my arms, giving me shivers despite my exhaustion.
"It's just that you'll be going back as an actual engineer instead of just an apprentice or as a scout pilot." My stomach flutters as realize I'll be finally meeting his friends. "Will that be weird for you?"
"No, I think my dad has finally accepted my choice. It’ll be fine." He pulls me into a hug. "Now get some sleep and I'll see you in the morning."
I stumble into my small room and plug the cube in. I fall into bed, exhausted. Dread about meeting Zayn’s family and friends on the Blue Ridge ribbons through my dreams, giving me an uneasy few hours of sleep.
CHAPTER 5
Zayn’s Past
When my alarm goes off a few short hours later, I wake in a panic thinking it's the sensor alarm for the Aurora. I get out of bed so quickly I get lightheaded and have to sit back down.
It takes a few minutes before my heart rate gets back to normal and I can move again.
I silently thank the engineers of the Resurrection as I take an actual hot water shower. I've taken sani-showers for so long I had almost forgotten what real water, even recycled water, felt like.
I hurry to get dressed, put my cube in my pack, and rush out the door.
And run right into Zayn.
"Whoa, we still have time before the jump ship gets here." He chuckles as he catches me.
I sigh. "Sorry. I guess I thought I was running late." Then I grin. "They have actual hot water showers here
."
Pressed up against him, I feel him silently laughing.
"What? Sorry if I like to enjoy the small luxuries in life whenever I can." I try to sound indignant, but it comes off sounding more like my feelings have been stomped on.
"No, it's not that. Well, kind of. I'm just laughing because I did the same thing. I stayed under the hot water until the computer turned the shower off." He laughs out loud this time.
I push away from him, grinning. "I didn't know they had a cap on the time. I guess I could've stayed in there longer."
We walk hand in hand down the corridor and to the lift.
"So, do we need to check in with Commander Raj first?" Zayn asks before we get on the lift.
"No, I checked in with him already. But I do want to go grab a few supplies to take with us." I press the button for the comm level.
"I'm sure the Blue Ridge has any kind of tool you might need."
"Yes, but not my special space suit."
"Ah. Yes. I'm still not sure why they made modifications to your space suit instead of something you could wear anytime," he says quietly.
I don't answer him. We've had this conversation before. I don’t disagree, but it took me several years to get used to being blind after the fire. Once I did I found that I relied on my other senses, and it worked for me. Except for times when I was dealing with dangerous situation such as working with the bio star fuel tanks or any kind of spacewalk. Captain Reyes matched my savings to pay for the research and engineering of the special space suit that interfaces with the implant at the base of my skull. When interfaced, I have sight. But it would've cost much more and taken longer for the research to design something smaller.
I'm not sure a sighted person could understand the feelings I have when my other senses are enhanced. I can hear and feel things that other people can't. My sensitive fingers can detect vibrations from an off-kilter engine part or find leaks in vacuum systems without a detector. I can tell when a bio star fuel plant is getting too hot before it registers on the computer sensors.
Talia's Planet (Recycling Humanity Book 5) Page 3
