Lost Planet 02 - The Stolen Moon

by Searles, Rachel

  Chase turned to Parker. “You’re sure this is really her? Not a copy?”

  “I don’t think she has the energy to travel right now. But I checked her hiding spot, and it was empty.”

  They walked down the silent halls of the ship, passing nobody. Chase looked around at the walls, seeing the ship from a new distance. It was the captain who had made him feel like they had a home on the Kuyddestor. Now he felt like a visitor.

  Forquera was waiting for them in a debriefing room near the flight deck, sitting on the edge of a table and frowning at the floor. His dark face was set in hard, determined lines. The Kuyddestor was his ship now, along with the risks of filling Captain Lennard’s shoes. Chase realized he had no idea if the admiral had tried to come back or contact the ship again.

  “What happened with Shaw?” he croaked. “Did he come back?”

  Forquera shook his head. “The Atreus left almost immediately after the attack on the captain.”

  “Why didn’t they try again?” His voice rose, spiraling quickly. “He wanted me and Lilli. He said he was just going to demote the captain. Why did he do this? What was the point?”

  Forquera shrugged angrily. “It was a move. A power play. We escaped destruction by the Destrier, but they still showed us who’s in control.”

  The door opened, and Maurus walked in, carrying a large duffel bag. He dropped it on the floor and turned to the group, face flat and expressionless, shoulders slumped.

  “What’s the bag for?” said Parker in alarm.

  “You haven’t told them yet?” asked Maurus.

  Forquera took a breath and looked them over. “You can’t stay on the ship.” He paused to allow for any outbursts, and then he continued. “It’s not safe here for you. It’s not safe for anyone, to be honest, but for you children and for Lieutenant Maurus, staying on the Kuyddestor will mean your deaths, particularly once we’re in stationary repair orbit by Earth.”

  “But you’ll still be in danger, won’t you?” asked Chase. “Everyone will be.”

  “I’ll be okay. I know my way around a lion’s den. There are only a few of us onboard who know the full truth—some of the bridge team, Dr. Bishallany, Lieutenant Vidal, and myself. We’ll be careful. We’ll protect the rest of the crew.”

  “What about us?” asked Chase. “Where will we go?”

  “I’ve given Lieutenant Maurus a plan. He’s taking you somewhere where you can blend in and hide. I have an old friend who will be able to help you. He has unusual methods, but he’s effective. I’ll tell him to meet you there once it’s safe to contact him.”

  Chase hung his head. This was happening, and Forquera was right—it was the only choice for them. They couldn’t stay on the Kuyddestor. And he didn’t really want to anymore. Nothing was the same—any safety or sense of home he’d finally found on the Kuyddestor had been ripped away. “Okay. I have to go pack some stuff, I guess. And I want to say goodbye to Analora.”

  “Your things have been packed. Your rooms are already bare. And Miss Bishallany left a day ago.”

  “She left?” He couldn’t stop his voice from cracking on this. She hadn’t even come by to say goodbye.

  “Her father sent her away as soon as he could. I’m sorry.” Forquera stood. “Your ship is ready, Lieutenant. I’ve cleared the flight deck.”

  “We’re leaving now?” This was happening too quickly. He needed to say goodbye. To what? a voice in his mind asked.

  “The report I file with High Command will say that Lieutenant Maurus went AWOL shortly after the captain’s death. I won’t mention the rest of you, since you were never officially on the ship.”

  “And the Fleet will no doubt find a way to spin the story and implicate me for murdering the captain,” said Maurus, not trying to hide his anger. He snatched up his duffel bag and swung it on his back. “Let’s go then.”

  The flight deck was empty as they crossed it, all the flight crew sleeping in their quarters or sent away. Except for one person.

  Vidal stopped in front of each of them, caressing Lilli’s cheek sadly, giving Parker a hug. Chase she gave a sealed envelope and a smile. Then she hugged him, too, and he had to stop breathing for a moment to hold back the sob in his throat.

  She stopped in front of Maurus, glanced at Forquera, and threw her arms around his neck anyway. Chase was right beside them, and he heard the words she whispered in his ear.

  “Just ask, and I’ll come with you.”

  Maurus pushed her hair out of her face with a sad smile and shook his head. “Take care, Rusandra. I hope we meet again.”

  “Lieutenant Vidal, the spaceway?” asked Forquera.

  Her face bright red, she hurried over to an elevated command console at the back of the chamber.

  “Is that our ship?” asked Parker. He was looking at a strange blue vessel parked at the end of a row of transport vehicles. “That looks Storrian.”

  Forquera nodded. “It is. We salvaged it after the firefight and got it running again. I still want you to stop and trade vessels at least twice before you approach your destination.”

  Maurus nodded. “I know.”

  The gigantic doors of the spaceway began to roll open, and one by one they climbed up into the Storrian ship. It was snug inside, but comfortable. Mina placed Lilli on a seat between Chase and Parker, where she stared blankly out the window.

  “What’s in the envelope?” asked Parker.

  Chase ripped it open and found a note.

  Chase-

  I’m so sorry about everything that happened. You’re still in sickbay and my dad won’t let me stay to say goodbye to you, so I’m giving this note to Vidal. He’s sending me back to my mother, where I will be safer. If you ever find yourself near Jypras, please come visit me.

  Your friend,

  Analora

  P.S. Don’t worry, I’ll keep your secret.

  He looked up, somehow sadder after reading the note than he’d been thinking she’d just left. He folded it up and stuck it in a pocket.

  Maurus powered up the vehicle, and slowly they drifted toward the spaceway. They were all silent as they entered the colored tunnel, and the doors behind them drew shut.

  “Spaceway doors open for departure,” came Vidal’s voice from the console. “Be safe, Maurus.”

  He hit the power, and they shot out of the tunnel and into space. Rhima loomed before them, big and green and terrible—though not as terrible as the monstrous starship that orbited above it, far away in the distance.

  “Is that the Destrier?” asked Chase.

  “Yes,” said Maurus in a clipped tone. “They’re clearing out all the settlements on Rhima. How many of the Werikosa will actually make it back to their homeworld is anyone’s guess.”

  For a brief moment Chase envisioned Bawran standing bare-chested and defiant before a tribunal of wrathful Storrians. What would his punishment be? He wondered if the settlement they’d been at was already empty, all the Werikosa children on a one-way trip back to their toxic homeworld, along with all the other Werikosa who had tried to call Rhima home while the Federation manipulated their desperation. He wondered briefly again who was in the right in all this, and the thought made him tired.

  Then they folded into deep space, and everything was gone.

  * * *

  Somewhere far from the Galifax star system, Maurus sat at the controls, holding the yoke with one hand as he plotted out a course. His hair hung limp in his face. Mina sat beside him in the copilot seat.

  “Where are we going?” asked Parker.

  “To the Segrond system,” Maurus replied.

  “You’re talking about Ko Aiob, aren’t you?” asked Parker.

  Maurus nodded slowly. “It’s one of the best places in the galaxy to hide.”

  “What is it?” asked Chase.

  “A planet full of slums,” said Parker. “Every species that can’t find a home somewhere ends up there.”

  “Like Qesaris?”

  Parker gave a little
snort. “Qesaris is a paradise compared to this place. So I hear.”

  “The Ganthas colony planets are regulated,” said Maurus. “Ko Aiob isn’t affiliated with the Federation.”

  “Why not go to Lyolia?” asked Chase.

  “My homeworld is on the brink of a global civil war, Chase. None of us would be safe there. My people are dying in the streets, and rebel attacks have forced our leader to go underground.”

  Chase listened, absorbing the information on a superficial level while beneath that, the horrific scene in the captain’s quarters replayed itself in his head, over and over again. How easily he had escaped and left the captain to his death. Those few moments that he could never repeat and never take back had shattered his hard-won life, thrusting him yet again into a new reality.

  “Are we ever going to see any of them again?” he asked abruptly.

  Maurus gave a bitter laugh. “Who knows? Probably not. My Fleet days are over. Cursed Hesta, my days as a respectable citizen are over. I knew there were some seriously bad things starting to happen, but I had no idea our enemies were this vicious, this … reckless.”

  These are the people who orchestrated the destruction of an entire planet—murder is nothing to them, thought Chase. They should have been more cautious. He vowed never to make that mistake again.

  “Alright, I’ve got a course planned out,” said Maurus. “We’ll make for the Orag-13 system first, and try to swap ships there on one of the Ambessitari colonies. If we keep our heads down and move fast, we should be able to stay one step ahead of the Fleet.”

  “I don’t want to be on the run my whole life,” said Chase. He thought of Asa and his paranoia, his life hiding among the underbelly of society, of Nika and the precarious line she danced along. He wouldn’t be like them. But he had learned one important lesson from Asa: that giving his trust was a dangerous thing. Captain Lennard had trusted his crew, his long relationship with Admiral Shaw. And now he was dead.

  He looked at Lilli, who huddled between him and Parker, a stream of tears running down her cheeks. They’d taken the last piece of her former life, the only person left who really knew her. He couldn’t stand the idea of her living on the run as well.

  Something fierce was starting to grow in him, a terrible thirst. Was it for justice or for revenge? Was there a difference?

  As Maurus announced the fold, Chase wrapped his arm around his sister’s shoulder. He held her tightly as they shot into space and started building his plan for how to set them both free.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  If writing a first book in four years is an achievement, finishing a second one in less than a year feels like a bit of a miracle, and for that, I have the following people to thank profusely:

  My fantastically talented agent, Joanna Volpe, as well as Jaida Temperly, Danielle Barthel, Kathleen Ortiz, Pouya Shahbazian, and the rest of the incredible New Leaf team.

  My lovely editor, Liz Szabla, as well as my publisher, Jean Feiwel, for their guidance and support.

  The delightful team at Macmillan, especially Anna Roberto, Mary Van Akin, the brilliant art department, and the indomitable publicity team.

  My indisputably awesome writing group: Liz Briggs, Jessica Love, Kathryn Rose, Dana Elmendorf, and Amaris Glass, for their encouragement and cheerleading.

  My fellow 2014 debut authors of the OneFour KidLit group, as well as the wonderful and welcoming community of kidlit authors in Los Angeles.

  A special thanks to Kristen Kittscher, for her time and help in prepping this newbie for what turned out to be some pretty awesome school visits.

  All my irreplaceable L.A. friends who came out in enthusiastic support of The Lost Planet.

  All the former classmates, teachers, and others from my hometown, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, whose sincere excitement over my getting published has made my day multiple times over.

  All the fantastic readers of The Lost Planet, who are honestly the biggest reward in this whole endeavor.

  Mom and Dad, because I will always owe everything to you for providing me with a most excellent childhood.

  And finally a huge heaping thank you to my dear Bülent. Here’s to all the adventures that still lie ahead of us.

  A Feiwel and Friends Book

  An Imprint of Macmillan

  THE STOLEN MOON. Copyright © 2015 by Rachel Searles. All rights reserved. For information, address Feiwel and Friends, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

  eBooks may be purchased for business or promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department by writing to MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Available

  ISBN: 978-1-250-03880-7 (hardcover) / 978-1-250-06654-1 (ebook)

  Feiwel and Friends logo designed by Filomena Tuosto

  First Edition: 2015

  mackids.com

  eISBN: 9781250066541

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