by T. M. Catron
“The rules stay, Harper.”
Harper shook her head. “I’m not talking about the rules. I’m talking about you.”
With that, Harper turned toward her quarters, picking up Henry on her way. Rance leaned against the counter a while longer, contemplating her friend’s words. Is that what the crew thought? That Rance was stodgy, unbending?
But then, a captain had to be a leader. A leader had to show strength. No one ever faulted Solaris for being stoic although he was the most ardent rule-follower Rance had ever known.
Then, what in all of Triton was Harper talking about?
Chapter Four
Six hours later, the Streaker landed on Iliea 4, one of the busiest civilian spaceports in the Empire. All around them, ships took off and landed. Engines and the crowds buzzed like bees at a beehive. Inside the station, the happy smells of metal and grease filled Rance with comfort. A tall, vaulted ceiling allowed smaller ships to pull inside so travelers could board their transports without having to walk outside in the weather.
A blast of hot, humid air shot through the platform, bringing with it the scents of flowers mixed with the burning smell of thrusters. Iliea 4 was a planet of rivers, rainforests, and sparkling cities. It was a jewel of the Empire Triton. Not a Core World, but one of the most beautiful of the Outer Colonies.
If its citizens didn’t mind enormous, biting, flying insects. Rance swatted a long mosquito-looking thing that landed on her arm.
James walked beside her. “We are looking for a woman named Eva Cross,” he said. “She should be waiting for us with her bags just inside the port office.”
The task was easier said than done. People swarmed all over the port, jostling anyone in their way. Since Rance was a head taller than just about everybody, she peered over hair and hats, looking at the seats near the office. Civilians, noblemen, and peasants sat there waiting to board their transports. A special section marked with a purple banner reserved the grander areas for the noblemen, who enjoyed plush seats, servers, and entertainment. Their own servants had to sit in a different section, separated like the second-class citizens that they were.
Rance turned away in disgust. Her family lived like that. Rance’s father Davos always traveled with an entourage. Her mother did too. Rance was happy to be removed from all of that pomp and circumstance, and from the elitist attitude that caused nobles to turn up their noses at regular folk. Rance belonged to ships and travelers and cargo and adventure. She was about to make a comment to James when a woman sitting in the peasants’ section caught her eye.
She was dressed plainly in a simple white tunic, brown leggings, and muddy leather boots. A hood covered part of her head, but chestnut brown waves peeked out the side. The woman had a beautiful face with high cheekbones, strong but feminine jawline, and a perfectly shaped nose. Her expression was stoic and grand as if she had been carved out of stone rather than made of living flesh. Rance gaped.
“Captain?” James asked.
“That’s my mother.”
Rance couldn’t believe it—her mother was dressed as a peasant, looking as if she were waiting for a common transport. Rance had never seen Jane wear anything but the most elegant clothing and elaborate hairstyles.
As an independent woman who liked parties, Jane had never enjoyed living on Xanthes, an Outer Colony full of dust and sand and smugglers. She spent all her time away from home traveling, partying, and mixing with high society.
But there she was, sitting calmly and serenely amongst mere mortals, watching something on a handset. Without all her makeup and beautiful clothes, Jane almost looked approachable. At the same time, she looked like a queen in disguise.
“Your mother?” James said as he scanned the noblemen’s section.
Rance shook her head and pointed to her mother sitting over on a hard bench.
James whistled. “She’s beautiful.”
“Shut up, James. That’s my mother.”
James shrugged. “Just stating the obvious.”
Rance dithered on the spot, torn between running away and pretending not to see Jane and stopping to say hello. Ten months ago, the same day Rance hired Solaris, she had tried to visit her mother on Xanthes. But Jane had been off-world.
Although Rance hadn’t seen her mother in two years, rushing up to her for a hug never crossed Rance’s mind. The two women had never been close, but since Jane had sort of taken up for Rance when Davos tried to marry her off to Harrison McConnell, Rance had a soft spot for her mother. She sighed, deciding it was best to speak to her mother in case Jane noticed her first.
With a sense of foreboding, Rance walked over. James followed. At first, Jane didn’t look up from her handset, but when she saw the boots stop in front of her, her eyes traveled up the navy flight suit to Rance’s face. A flicker of surprise flashed in her eyes and then was quickly suppressed. Jane’s manners kicked in, and she quickly adjusted her face into a smile. Without a word, she rose and pulled Rance into an awkward hug.
“Devri, you look good,” Jane said, turning her eyes to James. “And who is this handsome young man with you?”
“Mother, this is James Fletcher, my pilot.”
“Nice to meet you, James.”
James nodded his head in deference. “And you, Lady Jane.”
Jane’s looked around nervously. “Call me Jane, please.”
“Why are you here, Mother?”
Jane pulled her hood farther down over her head and tucked her hair into it. “I’m traveling.”
“By yourself? I thought you always traveled around with… people.”
“It’s easier to travel without a big entourage. See all these peasants staring at the nobles’ section? They are jealous. I get tired of them staring. But if I try to sit with them, they stare at me there, as well. So, I dress simply and leave my assistants to find their own way to wherever we’re going.”
“Not that I care what father thinks,” Rance said, “but he wouldn’t be happy if he found out you were traveling alone and unprotected.”
“You travel unprotected,” Jane said sternly. She glanced at James. “No offense, James.”
James’ face turned red. He opened his mouth to say something, but Rance silenced him with a look. She didn’t want an argument in the middle of the busy thoroughfare.
“Mother,” she said, trying to be calm. “I do not travel alone. I seem to have a lot more protection than you do.”
Jane smiled, and her eyes twinkled. She looked like she was about to laugh. “You have caught me! Your father knows how I travel, but he has no say in it. He lost that privilege years ago. You can’t blame me for being concerned for you, though—traveling like a commoner without any of the benefits of being able to call for help when you need it.”
Rance’s face burned. “I—”
James interjected, glaring at Jane. “My Lady, I’m sure you mean no offense. But if you are so worried about the captain, you should try to keep in touch a little more.”
Jane smiled sweetly, ignoring the tension rolling off James’ shoulders. “We have misunderstood each other. Let’s start over—my name is Jane. I’m married to Davos. Devri is my daughter. And it is my place to worry about her even if I know that she is carving out her own corner of the universe. And,” she added as an afterthought, “how can I keep in touch with Devri when she doesn’t tell me where she is?”
“It’s good to see you too, Mother.” Rance sighed. She was irritated, but they were on a tight schedule and didn’t have time to begin a family squabble.
Jane seemed to get the hint. She sighed too. “Yes, it is good to see you. I was just startled.”
“How is Davos?”
“He is your father, and you could call him such. Davos is the same as always. He worries about you, Devri.”
Rance laughed. “He doesn’t worry about me except to be angry with the way I have embarrassed him.”
Jane frowned. “You might be surprised. But yes, he is embarrassed. And I don’t think y
ou should run home anytime soon unless you have a sudden urge to marry McConnell.”
“How is Harrison?” Rance asked sarcastically.
“He left Xanthes a few months ago. No one knows why. Your father seems to be in touch with him from time to time. But what do I know? He shares little with me.”
Rance shifted uneasily at the bitterness in her mother’s voice. A glance at James told the captain that he was uncomfortable too.
“Harrison McConnell would still marry you if you’d have him,” Jane said, her face unreadable.
Rance opened her mouth to tell her mother about the deep trouble that Harrison had gotten himself into, about how he had gambled away his father’s title. The minute Harrison’s father passed over the reins, Harrison had to pass them over to a stranger. But Rance had promised Harrison she wouldn’t tell anybody, and so far, Harrison had kept his word about telling anyone how to find Rance. So, she closed her mouth again and prepared to say goodbye.
The hint of a smirk crossed Jane’s face. “A wise choice,” she said. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think Harrison has cleaned up his act. I’m glad he won’t be my son-in-law.”
Rance smiled. “No worries about that, Mother.”
An image of Solaris rose unbidden in Rance’s mind. She wondered what Jane would say about him. Suddenly, Rance regretted bringing James instead of Solaris to the station. It was a selfish thought—Solaris wasn’t hers to parade around.
“Well,” Jane said as if in preparation for saying goodbye. She turned and picked up a tattered bag to sling over her shoulder. “It’s good to see you, Daughter.” Then she nodded at James. “And it is nice to meet you, James.”
Rance was torn between giving her mother another hug and signing a rude gesture. She sighed and settled for the hug. After all, she had no idea when she would see Jane again.
After they parted, Rance and James headed over to the station office to see where their contact had run off to.
“That was awkward,” James said. “Is your mother always so proper?”
“Yes.”
“That makes sense,” he muttered.
Rance shot her friend a quelling look, and he grinned.
A man sat behind an enclosed counter, watching a screen on the wall and chewing on something that looked like a stick. Rance cleared her throat several times before he glanced in their direction. He regarded them a moment while scratching his enormous belly.
“Excuse me,” Rance said, her patience running thin. “I’m looking for someone who was supposed to meet us here.”
The man grunted. “Okay.”
“A woman named Eva Cross. Has she checked in or not?”
The man looked at Rance, then at James, then at the screen on the wall as if he couldn’t be bothered to do his job.
Irritated, Rance placed both hands on the counter and leaned over it. Running into Jane had set the captain off balance, and she was in no mood to deal with a difficult person. “Either help us out and do your job or come on out here and we’ll settle this the right way.”
James elbowed Rance, and she cringed. She had lost her temper rather quickly.
The man laughed so hard that his belly shook. When he was finished, he leaned forward, his voice still shaking with mirth. “Alright, alright. What’s that name again? That’s the funniest thing to happen all day.”
Rance’s pride didn’t want to let go. But she realized they may not get another opportunity to get help from this man, so she said, “Eva Cross. She was supposed to be here today.”
The man pulled out his handset. He flipped through it, looking at a list of names. Finally, he held it up for Rance to see. A woman’s face appeared, a woman with high cheekbones and chestnut hair arranged into a simple but elegant bun at the nape of her neck…
“No—” Rance began, dumbstruck.
The woman they were meeting was her mother.
Eva Cross was her mother.
Rance was supposed to meet her own mother.
“No, no no no.” She turned to James in desperation.
James snorted, which did nothing for Rance’s mood. She turned and stormed away from the office.
It must have been some kind of joke. Or a trap. With a chill, Rance wondered if Jane had finally decided to help Davos catch her. The captain scanned the crowd, looking for Unity soldiers or even perhaps her own father. Nothing unusual drew her attention.
Why was her mother pretending to need a courier? Rance stomped over to Jane, who had settled back onto her bench. When Jane saw Rance approach, she looked up, startled. “Is something the matter?” She glanced around as if she, too, were expecting someone unsavory to appear.
“It’s a dirty trick, Mother!”
“What is?”
“Who are you meeting?”
“I have a private escort coming for me. It’s not typical, but I have a package I want to deliver, so it seems like the best route. Public transportation can be so… messy.”
Rance’s blood ran cold. “Are you Eva Cross?”
Jane’s eyes grew wide, and she rose to face Rance. “Why are you here?”
“We were going to deliver a package to the Five Sisters.”
Jane straightened her shoulders even more. “Yes, I am Eva Cross. And you must swear on the Founders not to tell anyone.”
Chapter Five
Rance couldn’t believe what she was hearing. A bitter taste rose in Rance’s mouth. It unsettled her, stupefied her. Had Jane abandoned her daughter on Xanthes because of another life? Tightness rose in Rance’s chest, and anger surged through her. Had her whole childhood been a lie? “Mother, what’s going on?”
For the first time, Jane looked worried. “I can’t discuss it here. Can we go to your ship?”
“I don’t know if I want you on my ship.” Rance knew she was being petty and tried to rein in her anger. “Mother,” she added to soften her tone.
Jane stood resolutely before Rance’s anger. “I don’t want to explain to you right here where anyone can hear us. It is imperative that I get to Persephone and the Five Sisters. If you’re my transport, I need you to take me. I don’t have time to find someone else. I promise I’ll explain everything once we are in private.”
Surprised at her mother’s vehemence, Rance leaned in. “Are you in some kind of trouble?”
Jane shook her head. “Yes and no. I can’t explain it here.”
“Okay then. Follow me.”
They walked through the crowds. Rance elbowed more people than necessary to get through.
By the time they got to the Star Streaker, Rance’s curiosity had overcome her initial shock. She tried to push it down, but it boiled over until all of her questions popped out as soon as they arrived at the ship. Abel stood waiting on the ramp. He gave them a puzzled look as Rance led Jane inside.
Before introducing them, Rance rounded on her mother. “Explain.”
“My errand is very urgent. I need to go to the museum on Persephone and pick up an item. It’s an artifact, one that could have great significance to our history and possibly to the galaxy.” Jane looked around approvingly at the cargo hold.
“Since when do you worry about artifacts?”
Solaris descended the stairs, drawn down by the sounds of their arrival. He paused mid-step, his eyes going from Jane to Rance and then back to Jane. Solaris was intelligent, and not much got past him. He registered the similarities between Rance and her mother. Rance’s hair was darker, and she was taller, but she carried herself much like Jane. Seeing his confusion, Rance finally delayed her questions long enough to make introductions.
“Roote, meet Eva Cross, otherwise known as Jane, my mother.”
Solaris recovered quickly from his surprise. When he reached Jane, he took her hand and kissed it, bowing as he would for any noblewoman. Rance bristled, irked at the preferential treatment.
“Happy to meet you, your Ladyship,” Solaris said. “But I’m sorry, I’m confused about your name.”
“My mo
ther has been using an alias,” Rance said. “Isn’t that ironic? I would really like her to explain herself. Apparently, we are supposed to transport her to Persephone and the Five Sisters, not a package.”
“I apologize for the deception, and we are picking up a package on Persephone,” Jane said. “I had no idea when I asked my contact for a private transport that he would contact you.”
“Does he know who I am?” Panic hit Rance in the gut as if she had been punched. “If he made the connection, he may have decided to capitalize on the information and inform Davos.”
“He would have no reason, Devri. He doesn’t know who I really am. I only contact him via video calling, and I’ve never given him my real identity. As for your earlier question, there’s much I kept from you while you were growing up. It was out of a desire to please Davos. He never wanted you to know what I really do.”
“Davos knows?” Rance leaned in. “Wait, what do you do?” Images of assassins and smugglers and pirates all popped into Rance’s head.
The conversation drew the rest of the crew. Harper and Tally appeared from engineering. Jane’s eyes shone when she saw Tally, but she looked back at Rance. “I’d rather discuss this with you privately.”
“I don’t have any secrets from my crew,” Rance said. “They are my family.”
Jane blinked, stung. “I don’t blame you for being angry. But your father didn’t want you to know what I do because he thought it was beneath a woman of my station. And because I wanted harmony in our family, I chose to follow his wishes. I’d hoped that you would grow up to be happy on Xanthes, or at least in society. But I know now that I was wrong about that.”
It was the closest thing to an apology Rance had ever received from her mother. And yet it wasn’t quite enough.
“Devri—”
“Everyone here knows my real name,” Rance said. “But call me Rance. If you call me Devri, there can be confusion or a slip up when we aren’t in private.”
