Athena's Ashes

by Jamie Grey

  “Let’s not worry about that now, okay? We’ve got time, and if you think this man can help you, we still have hope.” Aldani squeezed her shoulder. “I wish I could go with you, but I know you’re right. I’ve met Dr. Samil; I am familiar with her work. She’s cunning and if she gets her hands on Myka again, she’ll be unstoppable. You’re our only hope now.”

  Renna nodded. “I know. Myka’s still okay, right?”

  “He’s perfect and dying to see you. Hopefully you’ll be up for it later.”

  He let himself out of her room, leaving Renna to stare at the ceiling. Cold dread made her limbs heavy. Was he right? Could all of the weird things she’d experienced lately mean she was changing into something else? What had Samil done to her back in that warehouse?

  There was only one way to find out. She took a shaky breath and closed her eyes, forcing away the fear and focusing on the Athena, the feelings she had for Finn, the crew, the ship itself. She pictured the smooth walls and metal floors, the spacious bridge. The dull ache started again as she slid deeper into her imagination.

  And then she felt the tremble of the ship around her, the slight shudder that told her she was there. Part of the ship. Watching. Waiting.

  This time, if she focused hard enough, she could feel it. The brush of air against the hull, the feel of the engineers working on her core. Even the whispers of the two crew members as they sneaked a kiss in a secluded corner.

  Renna stretched out the tendrils of her connection and focused on the nav computer in the CIC. Viktis leaned against the railing, talking to Lieutenant Blake about a poker game he’d won on Forever Station. Lieutenant Keva sat at her station, listening, a knowing smile on her face.

  Finn had taken up his usual military stance off to the side. He pretended not to listen, but he couldn’t resist interrupting Viktis to fill in parts of the story.

  Viktis described the station, and Renna recognized some spots from the old days. The last time she’d seen it, she was with him. They’d finished their last job together there. Little did she know then, the next job Viktis took would be killing her.

  A strange sadness pinged through her. What if things had been different? What if she’d let herself fall in love with Viktis instead of dropping him for the next handsome merc who’d come along because she’d been scared of her feelings? Would he have turned down the job? Would they have had something special?

  A small part of her would always wonder with regret what might have happened between them. But while she loved Viktis as a brother now, she was pretty sure she was in love with Finn. And that scared the hell out of her. Renna sighed and felt the ship shudder around her.

  Wonder surged through her. She’d made it do that. But how? Controlling ships was not part of what was supposed to happen here, but if she could use her implant for that, what else could she do if she learned to control it?

  Slowly she pulled back out of the Athena, risking one more look at the three men on the bridge. Finn laughed at something Viktis said, his worry lightening for a moment, while Blake chuckled and clapped his friend on the shoulder.

  And then she was gone, back in her bed on the Eris. Alone.

  Renna blinked at the ceiling as she settled back into her own body. It felt strangely tight, claustrophobic even. Maybe if worse came to worse, she could lose herself in the Athena. At least she’d be able to watch over Finn and his crew.

  Stop that, she scolded. You’re being creepy.

  Right. She was going to beat this and have her happily ever after. MYTH owed her a retirement on a garden planet and a fat stack of credits.

  Steeling herself, Renna swung her legs over the side of the bed. Time to get moving. She had a mercenary to convince to help her. And knowing the type, any sign of weakness would have him circling like a shark.

  EIGHTEEN

  “Well, look who’s up.” Viktis grinned at Renna as she sank into a seat at the table in the comm room. He leaned back and crossed his arms. “Nothing like scaring the old man half to death,” he said, jerking his head toward Finn. “I thought he was going to…”

  “Enough, pirate,” Finn interrupted as he entered the room. Pink tinged his cheeks, and he didn’t meet Renna’s gaze as he slipped into the seat beside her. “I’m glad to see you’re feeling better.”

  “Me too.” She smiled. It didn’t hurt that being around him again made everything feel better. Gods, when had she turned into such a sap?

  Commander Jayla tapped a fingernail against the table. A bruise darkened the skin beneath her left eye, and a cut sliced across her cheekbone, courtesy of Samil’s men.

  “Let’s get started,” she said, pulling up a holo of the bunker where they’d faced Samil. “MYTH bombed the place not long after the Eris escaped. I wasn’t able to radio HQ in time. Any evidence Dr. Samil might have left behind has been destroyed. We’re running blind here.”

  Lieutenant Blake nodded from the other side of the table. “We tried to track her ship’s signature, but Samil and Major Larson were able to block it. They disappeared without a trace.”

  “Major Larson, a traitor. I still can’t believe it,” Finn said. “He had everyone fooled. And the doctor…” His voice trailed off as she shook his head

  Jayla grimaced. “He even fooled the admiral. Larson was part of her advisory group. The things he knows about MYTH could destroy us. I don’t even want to talk about Dr. Samil. How could we have missed something so huge?”

  Finn gazed around the table as if to dare anyone to disagree with what he was about to say. “Well, whatever we think about Larson and Samil, the first thing we need to do is get Renna healthy.”

  Jayla opened her mouth to protest, but Renna held up a hand. “Before this turns into a discussion no one can win, I have my own suggestion.”

  Viktis groaned. “The last time you had a plan, I had to go on the run with our esteemed captain here. If this means I’m stuck alone with him for another two weeks, I quit. The guy can’t handle his liquor or his women.” He rolled his eyes but shot Finn an impish grin.

  “Keep it up, pirate,” Finn warned good-naturedly.

  “Boys, behave.” Renna fought the urge to stick out her tongue at them, but that would only lead to more childish behavior. “Viktis, you’ll be relieved to know this plan has nothing to do with leaving you in Finn’s clutches. I need your help with Wall. He’s the only one left who has a sample of the medication Navang developed.”

  The unsaid words were there, heavy in the air around them. The only thing that might be able to keep her from turning into a cyborg.

  The pirate nodded. “Makes sense. I should have thought of that right away. I’ll put out some feelers. Last I heard, Wall and his crew had left Lenue after the attack.”

  Aldani steepled his fingers. “In the meantime, I’ll continue my own research. There may be other alternatives we can use to keep Renna’s implant stable.”

  “I appreciate the help.” A warm glow curled through her. How had she gotten so lucky to have these people on her side? “I don’t know what tricks Samil has up her sleeve, but I’m worried. I’d like to get moving on this as quickly as possible. Viktis, can you get a hold of Wall as fast as you can? Doc, if there are any genetic stabilizers you can think of, I’d be willing to give them a try until we get a real cure.”

  She glanced around the table at the people she’d come to care about. Blake lounged in his chair, looking unconcerned, but his fingers drummed a nervous tattoo against the table. Jayla had her commander expression back on—calm and composed, though Renna was sure she was anything but. Even Viktis, usually the most laidback man she’d ever met, sat on the edge of his chair.

  Gods. Sometime in the last few weeks these people had become her family. How had that happened? She’d spent so long keeping to herself so she didn’t get hurt, yet here she was, terrified for all of them.

  Renna took a deep breath, trying to focus on the task at hand instead of her feelings. “Listen. Despite what’s happening to me, Samil is
still out there. And she’s still gunning for MYTH. We need to figure out what her plans are before she can strike again. Whether or not we find a way to stop my implant from taking over.”

  Finn opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. “Hear me out. I think our number one priority is getting the doctor and Myka to a safe house and away from anything MYTH-related. Samil can’t use him if she can’t find him.”

  “Consider it done,” Viktis said.

  “We’ll use the Athena to take them to the safe house. We know the ship is still off MYTH radar and is safe for now. Once they’re settled, the two ships can rendezvous on Lenue and figure out our next steps.”

  Finn scowled at her. “You’re not sending me away on some errand, Renna.”

  “I wasn’t planning on it. I want Keva to lead that mission. I need you and Viktis as back up when we visit Wall.”

  Finn opened his mouth to argue, then realized what she’d said. “Oh. Right. Works for me.”

  “What about me?” Blake asked. “You can’t leave me behind. I saved your life.”

  Renna grinned at him. “You’re my hero.” Beside her, Finn frowned at them. “But I need you and Commander Jayla to stay behind on the Eris and watch our backs.”

  Blake grimaced. “Left on the sidelines again. Seems to be my lot in life.”

  “Buck up, soldier, at least you won’t ruin that pretty face of yours in a firefight.” Renna smirked. “I mean, it’s not like you have much else going for you.”

  “Hey…” Blake protested, but his eyes sparkled. “I thought we were friends.”

  “Are you two quite finished?” Finn asked coldly.

  Renna glanced at him in surprise. Was he actually jealous? “I think so. Are we all clear on the plan?” Everyone around the table nodded. “Good, then I’m going to head to the mess before I pass out. I’m starving.”

  Finn got to his feet with her. “I’ll come with you.”

  Together, they left the comm room. Finn matched his long stride to hers, and Renna was glad. Her head still felt swimmy, like the whole ship could tilt at any moment. Keeping herself together in that room had taken more out of her than she’d expected. His odd behavior hadn’t helped either.

  She let her fingers trail along the cool metal of the walls as they walked, sneaking glances at Finn from the corner of her eye. It had only been two weeks since she’d seen him last, but it felt like everything had changed. She didn’t even know where they stood anymore. Or what her own feelings for him were.

  Lies.

  She knew exactly what her feelings were. She cared about him. She wanted the time to get to know him again, to see if anything more could happen between them. She wanted him. But not like this. Not with this alien tech in her brain turning her into a machine. Not with Samil chasing them.

  Renna sighed.

  “What’s wrong?” Finn placed a hand on her lower back, and she shivered at the warmth of his touch.

  “Everything is so strange now.” She was too much of a coward to meet his gaze and studied the white tiles on the floor instead. “I hate feeling so awkward around you.”

  Finn stopped in the middle of the passageway and tugged at her hand, turning her to face him. “There’s nothing to feel awkward about.” He smiled down at her, unusually earnest. “I worried about you every minute we were gone.”

  Renna forced herself to look up at him, her insides heating at his concerned expression. “Why? I was perfectly safe.” Until she’d walked into Samil’s trap. She’d been too damn cocky for her own good.

  “Anything could have happened. MYTH could have locked you away. There was no guarantee they’d believe you.”

  Renna’s eyes widened as she remembered. “Finn!” Her hand clutched his. “Dallas is alive. He made it off Hesperia before it was destroyed.”

  Finn’s grin split his face. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day. I hate that he thinks I’m a traitor, but at least he’s alive.”

  Renna shook her head. “He doesn’t. He knows you better than that. I wanted to tell him everything, but I didn’t know if I could trust him or if he was working with Pallas.”

  “Never. And he might be the only one who can help us now.”

  Renna chewed her lip. “Maybe we can find a secure channel once we’re at Wall’s. I don’t want to use the MYTH frequencies in case one of Samil’s spies is listening in.”

  Finn’s gaze swept the narrow corridor. “But what if there’s already a traitor on board? What if someone on the Eris is working for her?”

  “Then I guess we’re already too late.” Dread curled through her, heavy and thick. “I don’t know what to do anymore, Finn. I don’t know which way is up or who to trust. I don’t even know what to do next. I always have a plan.” She hated that her voice cracked on the last word.

  Finn pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair. She rested her head on his chest and took a deep breath, inhaling his scent.

  “It’s going to be all right, love,” he said. “You’re not alone, Renna. We have a team of people behind us. And we’re going to make Samil pay for everything she’s destroyed.”

  “But I don’t know where to go next. She could be anywhere.” The thump of Finn’s heart was strong and steady in her ear. His arms tightened around her, and she felt safe for the first time in days.

  “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” he said, his voice vibrating low and sexy. “Samil will find us, long before we’re ready. But that’s okay. Maybe we can use that to our advantage.”

  “We set our own trap?”

  She felt him nod. “But before anything else, we have to get your implant stable.” He tilted her chin up so he could look at her. “I need you at your best, Star Thief.”

  She chuckled. “I don’t feel much like stealing anything right now.”

  “Except my heart,” he deadpanned.

  Renna moaned and pushed away from him. “I can’t believe you actually said that.”

  “But at least I got you to smile.” He brushed away a strand of hair from her face. “Let’s go get you some food, and then you’re going to rest some more. Aldani will have something for you soon, I’m sure of it.”

  Hopefully he was right. She had too much to do to give up now.

  NINETEEN

  The mess was empty except for the matronly woman stirring something in a pot on the stove, and the little boy who sat at one of the nearby tables chatting with her.

  As she entered, the boy looked up, pausing from kicking his feet against the chair legs. A grin split his face and he launched himself at her. “Renna!”

  She braced herself for impact as he threw his arms around her, rocking her back on her heels. “Hey there, kid. How’ve you been?” She smiled down at Myka’s dark, curly hair and hugged him back. An unexpected warmth spread through her.

  He pulled away, grinning up at her. “Better now that you’re here.”

  “Well, of course. I make everything better.” She winked at him and sat down at the table, smiling over at Miss Mary, the cook, before she turned back to Myka. “So tell me all about your adventures since I’ve been gone. Did you keep that pirate Viktis in line?”

  He sat down across from her. “He’s not that bad, I guess. And he showed me how to play Costa Five Poker. I won twenty credits from Uncle David.” He preened, and Renna tried not to laugh.

  “I’m going to have to keep an eye on you, aren’t I? You may give me a run for my money some day.”

  “Nah, I’ll go easy on you. I owe you.” He stuffed a handful of crackers into his mouth, talking around them. “Uncle David said you were sick. They wouldn’t let me see you. What happened?”

  Renna glanced at Finn over the boy’s head. How much had they told him? Finn nodded, and she let out a breath. “Well, back at Navang’s, he injected me with that drug to see if my implant would integrate with my nervous system. Looks like it’s trying, but the rest of my body is fighting it. I’ve been pretty tired.”

  Myka
nodded. “Yeah, I remember feeling like that, too. But it gets better. And then we’ll be the same.” His eyes lit up hopefully. “It’ll be cool to have someone else like me around.”

  A pang of sadness shot through Renna. It must be tough for the kid, knowing he was different. But if he could deal with it, so could she. And even better, Myka hadn’t changed too much. Maybe there was hope for her yet, despite the drug cocktail Samil had given her to change the way her implant worked.

  She ruffled the kid’s hair. “Right? I mean the rest of these people don’t get how cool it is to be part-machine. I can’t wait until some of those super powers you were talking about kick in. Running extra-fast or being extra-strong could sure come in handy in my line of work.” Hell, she’d just take being able to turn the damn implant on and off when she wanted.

  Myka frowned. “Well, yeah, it’s cool. But I thought the captain said you weren’t going to do that stuff anymore. He and Viktis got in a fight about it last week.”

  Renna glanced up at Finn and raised an eyebrow, but he looked away. “Guess I’ll have to see what else there is out there for a washed-up thief, then,” she said with a smile. “Don’t worry about me, kid. We’ll figure it out. Now, I’m starving. What do you recommend?”

  “Miss Mary made up a big pot of stew. It’s the best.”

  “Then I’ll have that. Why don’t you go ask her for a bowl?” She needed to have a little chat with Captain Finn about her future.

  Myka darted away to the kitchen.

  Renna leaned back in her chair and tilted her head to study Finn. He glanced away and tugged at his collar as he leaned against the table.

  “Care to tell me what that was all about?” she asked.

  “It was just a discussion Viktis and I had. I didn’t know Myka overheard us.”

  “And what did you two gentlemen—” she emphasized the word slightly, “—decide about my future?”

  Finn cleared his throat. “Nothing, really. I assured Viktis you were done with mercenary work and wouldn’t be interested in any other contracts. That you had given up that sort of thing. That MYTH could trust you.”