“This chip on your shoulder, it’s getting old,” said Calix.
“And this conversation we keep having is getting old,” said Gunner. “I didn’t ask you here for this.”
“No? Then why?”
“I wanted your opinion on taking her to Rama.”
Calix rocked back on his heels, considering. “Like permanently?”
“I don’t know. Until she can figure something else out. She’d be safe there. Safer than with us, anyway. What do you think?”
“I think she should stay on the ship with us,” said Calix. “I think I made that clear. But you’re the captain. So, I guess you’ll do whatever you think is best.” Calix turned to the door out of the room.
“Oh, come on, Cal. Don’t be that way. Do you think it’s a horrible idea?”
Calix palmed the panel to open the door. “Sending her to an abandoned planet to live with a crazy man? No, it sounds like a fairy tale, Gunner. Brilliant plan.”
Gunner gave him a sour look. “You don’t have to be sarcastic.”
The door slid open. Calix went out without a backward look.
* * *
Eve waited around for the captain to come and tell her what his decision had been in terms of where they were going, but he never came. Eventually, she decided to go looking for him. So, she went wandering around the ship, but she found Pippa instead.
Pippa explained that they’d been traveling for a while now to the Kal system, and that were going to the planet Rama, but she didn’t know why, because they’d never gone there before. There had been a human military base there during the war, but there were no humans living there now, at least so far as Pippa knew.
Eve hadn’t learned a lot about planets, but she did remember some of the ones that were supposed to be habitable for humans, and she remembered that Rama barely qualified. It had a thin atmosphere, which meant that spending a lot of time outside, away from oxygen supplementation, left people light-headed. The climate there was brutal—very hot. Too hot on most parts of the planet. Only near Rama’s north and south poles was the weather cool enough for humans, and even then, it was very, very hot.
This was where the captain was planning on leaving her?
Well, the only bright side was that she didn’t think the Xerkabah would find her there.
But the downside was that she would probably be dead in a week after living there.
She went looking for the captain again, but she found him with Saffron in the cargo hold. Saffron looked up and saw Eve and gave her a look of pure hate.
Eve didn’t want to deal with that, so she decided she’d wait until the captain was done talking to have her own conversation.
She understood why Saffron was angry, and even why she blamed Eve, but Eve didn’t think it was truly her fault. She had done everything she could to convince the captain not to land on Durga. Saffron should be mad at the captain, not Eve. But Eve felt guilty anyway. She had never wanted to bring sadness to anyone. No one had asked her if she wanted to be the mother of the champion. It had simply always been. This was her life. This was her fate. She couldn’t refuse that.
Still, she wished she could have stopped Breccan from being killed.
If she’d been quicker with the salt on the ship, maybe she could have stopped it sooner. She’d been afraid, she remembered, huddling in the kitchen, arms around that bag of salt, her breath coming in gasps so loud she was sure the vidya heard. She had been waiting for it to come to her, and then she was going to strike.
At the first sound of plasma fire, she hadn’t gone to help. Instead, she’d stayed put. She’d still been waiting for the vidya to come to her. Because she’d been so scared, and she felt safe hidden away with the bag of salt, her weapon. So, she hadn’t moved at first. If she’d moved right away, maybe Breccan would be alive. Maybe things would be different. But she hadn’t. So, he was dead.
She waited to talk to the captain, but she didn’t get a chance, because the ship went into landing protocol and everyone had to strap in while they docked.
When they got out of the ship, they were in a dark landscape with a dark sky overhead full of bright, bright stars. There was no sign of the system’s sun. It was night. Ahead of them was a big, massive building. It was tall, and dark, and squat, and armored. At the door stood a man. He was short with very, very broad shoulders and a bald head. Two scars wound over his head and down his face, cutting through his left eyebrow in two spots. He was wearing a military-issue jacket with the sleeves cut off and his bare arms were muscled and tattooed. He had a grey beard and a weathered face.
When he saw the captain, a grin split his face and the two hurried to each other.
First, they clasped arms, each gripping the other at the elbow, but then the weathered man pulled the captain into a hug, and the two embraced, laughing and beating each other’s backs.
When they released each other, the man hugged Calix and then Saffron.
Eve and Pippa hung back.
“Who is he?” Eve asked.
“I don’t know,” said Pippa. “I haven’t known the rest of the crew as long.”
The man looked over Saffron’s shoulder. “Where’s Breccan?”
Everyone’s faces fell.
* * *
The man’s name was Atticus Maxxe, and he had apparently served in the war with the captain and Calix. Now, he lived out here all alone in this structure up near the planet’s north pole. It had once been a scientific observatory, back in the early days of colonization, before the humans had encountered the aliens. This structure had housed scientists who performed experiments to be sure that Rama was inhabitable. After the war broke out, it had been converted into a military base. Atticus lived here alone, because people weren’t fond of him and he wasn’t fond of people. At least that was how he put it.
He was welcoming to them, however, ushering them in and showing them all to rooms that he’d prepared for them to sleep in. They were military quarters, tiny, with nothing more than a narrow cot, but Atticus had made up the beds with sheets and blankets and turned the air coolant system on so that they wouldn’t sweat to death when they slept.
Once they’d all had a chance to settle in, they all went to another room for dinner. It wasn’t the big mess hall, which was too big to keep cool, so Atticus had closed it off. It was, instead, some kind of old strategy room. There were maps of various star systems hanging on the walls and a table in the middle with chairs.
They all sat down and ate together. The meal was quite good, with lots of fresh vegetables, and Atticus revealed he had a garden he worked in behind the base. It needed a little help to grow things, especially now, when it was dark so much of the time. Since they were near the pole, part of the year it was light all the time and part of the year dark constantly. This was the time of the year when it was nearly always dark. But he had lights, and he had a special filter to put over the plants, and he was making it work just fine. For one person, he grew quite enough food. He canned a lot of the excess as well, and he was willing to trade canned goods for anything they might be able to spare. He was especially keen on some fuel. The base mostly ran on solar and wind power, but solar power was obviously not available during this time of year, so he needed some supplementation.
Gunner said they’d work something out. “But let’s not talk business at dinner. Let’s just catch up like old friends.”
Atticus chuckled. “Still not telling me what you’re doing there, then? When you got in touch, you wouldn’t say, but I thought you’d be more open once you were planetside.”
“It’s a long story is all,” said the captain. “And I’d rather talk to you alone about it later.”
“Okay,” said Atticus. “Keep me in suspense, then.” He dug his fork into a mess of squash and greens. “So, we’re catching up like old friends, then. What should we do? Tell stories about the past?”
“If you’d like,” said the captain, grinning at him.
“Well, how about the t
ime that Silvi came to see you during planetleave on Vishnu?” said Atticus. “When you both managed to get locked out of that hotel wearing nothing but bathrobes?”
Calix laughed. Atticus laughed.
The captain didn’t laugh. He looked down into his plate. “I don’t much talk about Silvi, actually.”
“Ah,” said Atticus. “Well, the only other funny story I can think of involves Breccan, and I’m guessing it’s too soon for that.”
“No,” said Saffron. “It’s not. I didn’t know Breccan when you did, Atticus. Tell the story.”
Atticus smiled at her. “Let’s see, then. Well, Breccan had it in his head that he was going to rebuild this engine on a wreck of an alien ship that had crashed near the base, and he wasn’t part of the army, so there wasn’t anyone who could rightly order him to stand down.” He pointed at Gunner. “This was after you brought that whole group of refugees back here after breaking them out of a Xerkabah prison ship.”
Gunner smiled. “Oh, I remember this. He looked like a lobster. Most painful thing I ever saw.”
“Way to rain on my parade, son,” said Atticus. “Skip right to the climax, why don’t you?”
“What?” said Saffron.
“I told him not to go out there without the proper attire,” said Atticus. “An hour in this sun without the blocking ointment is like five hours under a regular sun, you know? But does he listen to me? No. He goes out there, and is so caught up in working on that engine he doesn’t realize he’s got the sunburn from hell.”
“He couldn’t lie down, it hurt so bad,” said Calix. “I was trying to treat him, but he couldn’t sit still, because his skin was so raw, it hurt too much.” Calix turned to Atticus. “I know you all thought it was funny, but it wasn’t funny to me.”
“Nah, I felt sorry for the bastard,” said Atticus. “I know it had to hurt like hell.”
Saffron was wiping away tears quietly.
Atticus noticed. “Ah, damn, I’m sorry, Saffron. I knew I should have kept my mouth shut.”
She shook her head. “No, it’s okay. It’s good to hear about him. It hurts, but it hurts anyway. It’s like there’s this big, empty space around me all the time. Hearing about him fills it a little.” And then she started to cry harder.
Pippa got up and went to the other side of the table to hug Saffron, but Saffron gently pushed her away. So, Pippa went back and sat down.
Everyone was quiet after that.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“Who’s Silvi?” said Eve to Pippa. The two were walking down the winding hallways to their rooms. The others hadn’t come with them. Calix had gone to do some looking at the medical supplies on the base, in case Atticus had anything he could spare. Saffron had said she wanted to be alone for a bit. And the captain and Atticus had gone off to talk about the captain’s reason for coming there, which Eve was fairly sure was to leave her here.
She didn’t like that idea at all.
But her whole life she’d been subjected to the whims of fate. Rarely had anyone asked her what she wanted. It had all been decided already. That meant that she was used to taking the path already set out for her.
If she was going to be left here, that meant she only had one thing to take care of before the captain left, and she was terrified of it, but she thought she could do it. She had to do it. The fate of the galaxy was at stake.
“I think she was the captain’s wife,” said Pippa.
“The captain is married?” Eve was horrified. She couldn’t be fated to be with a man who was bound to another, could she?
“Was,” said Pippa. “She died in the war.”
“Oh,” said Eve in a different voice. “Well, that’s awful. The poor captain. How did it happen?”
“I don’t know exactly,” said Pippa. “I’ve been able to piece a few things together from overhearing conversations here and there, but the captain never came straight out and told me.”
“So, what have you pieced together?” said Eve. She stopped walking because she was right at the door to her room.
Pippa stopped too. “Look at you, being the gossip.”
“Right,” said Eve, looking down at the floor. “I guess it’s rude of me to want to know.”
Pippa laughed. “Whatever. Gossip is fun.”
Eve smiled, looking up at her. She was going to miss Pippa. She hated the fact that her life seemed to be composed of always saying goodbye. “So, then, tell me. Was she killed by the Xerkabah?”
“No, I don’t think so, at least not directly.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Well, from what I understand, she was pregnant,” said Pippa. “But she was in hiding somewhere, out with a bunch of other refugees hiding from the Xerkabah collection sweeps.”
Eve knew about this, sort of. She had been underground during the time of the war, but she understood that the Xerkabah had started rounding up all the humans to send them to the designated cities on the Ceymia planets, and that the aliens weren’t the least bit careful with those humans. They didn’t round them up with the purpose of killing them, but they didn’t have any qualms about letting them die. Anyone who could hide from the aliens did.
Pippa continued. “Anyway, she went into labor, and they all did the best that they could for her, but out there in hiding with no medical attention? Childbirth is dangerous.”
“She died?” whispered Eve.
Pippa nodded. “The baby too.”
“That’s awful,” said Eve.
“The captain blames himself,” said Pippa. “Since it happened, he’s never been the same, at least that’s what I heard Calix say once. Said that it broke him. That he used to want to fight, and now he just wants to run.”
Eve was quiet. She felt awful for the captain. There was so much pain. Pain in the present. Pain in the past. Living like this, always with the threat of the Xerkabah hanging over them, it was no way to live. There had to be a better way.
“Hey, you want to hang out in my room?” said Pippa. “I could tell you other gossip I know about people on the crew, like the time I walked in on Saffron and Breccan.” Her eyes glinted mischievously.
Eve laughed. “Thanks, but no. There’s something else I have to do tonight.”
“What?” said Pippa.
Eve took a deep breath. “Well, it’s weird to talk about. It has to do with the captain. And the future.”
“Now, you’ve got me curious,” said Pippa. “Tell me everything.”
Eve did.
* * *
“Are you insane?” Atticus looked over his shoulder at Gunner. He was pouring homemade liquor into two small rocks glasses with ice on the other side of a room he’d set up like a den, with couches and rugs he’d moved from other places in the base. It wasn’t quite homey, not with the military-issue furniture, but Gunner appreciated the effort.
“I may be insane, yes,” said Gunner. “But I’m serious about the question.”
“No, absolutely not,” said Atticus. “I’m here on my own for a reason. I like being alone. You leave someone here, I won’t be alone.”
“It wouldn’t be forever,” said Gunner. “I’ll figure something else out for her, and I’ll arrange it. For the time being, though, this is the safest place I can think of for her.”
Atticus came back over with the drinks. He handed one to Gunner and then sat down opposite him on one of the couches. “Look, you’ve had a bit of bad luck lately, but attributing it to that girl is madness. You’re not thinking clearly.”
There was a query beep from the door.
Gunner raised his eyebrows. Who was out there?
“Come in,” said Atticus.
The door opened and Saffron stepped inside.
“Saffron, what can we do for you?” said Atticus, smiling. “Would you like a drink?”
Saffron considered. “Maybe.”
Atticus got up to go and make one for her. “Coming right up.”
Saffron turned to Gunner. “Sir, I hate to s
ay it, but you completely botched the communications panel when you went out there to fix it.”
“I did?” said Gunner. “I’m sorry. I did the best I could. Damned tools kept trying to float off into space.”
“Yes, well, there’s a special harness that you’re meant to use out there,” said Saffron. “It’s hanging in the air lock.”
“Oh,” said Gunner.
“Anyway, you didn’t fix what you were trying to fix. We’ve been flying blind ever since.”
“What’s that mean?”
“That means that if there were other ships around, we couldn’t detect them, and if there were ships probing us, we wouldn’t have known that either.”
Gunner winced. “Oh. Well, hell.”
Saffron sighed. “I fixed it.”
“Great,” said Gunner.
“And I ran a scan,” she said. “I don’t see anything in the sky around his planet or even in this system. That doesn’t mean something couldn’t have landed while we weren’t looking—”
“No one comes out to this rock,” said Atticus, handing her a drink.
“No, I guess not,” she said. She downed the drink in one swallow and handed the glass back to Atticus. “Thanks.”
“Not a problem,” said Atticus. He grinned at Gunner. “She can put them away, huh?”
“That’s our Saffron,” said Gunner, giving her a sad smile. He knew that she was only drinking as hard as she was because of Breccan’s loss.
“Well, I’ll leave the two of you to work out whatever you’re working out,” said Saffron.
“Oh, stay,” said Atticus. He turned to Gunner. “Can’t she stay?”
Gunner hesitated. He’d rather talk to Atticus about this alone.
“I’m not staying,” Saffron threw over her shoulder.
“You can talk some sense into him about this Eve girl. He thinks she can see the future.”
Saffron stopped and pivoted. Her expression was fierce. “She most certainly can see the future. Not only that, she’s cursed. The Xerkabah are chasing her across the galaxy, and why is it, sir? Something about her being fated to be the mother of some champion that will wipe them out?”
Pursuit Page 15
