by Dan Oakley
Bayliss gave a low whistle, but Draylan didn’t react.
“I could do that,” Draylan said. “In fact, I’m not admitting anything. But hypothetically speaking, I could have already gone through his papers and tried to access his computer files without any luck. Why do you think you’ll do any better?”
“Because I want to try to hack into the system and bypass his password protection.”
Draylan’s eyes widened a fraction. “So you’re a hacker now? Is there no end to your talents, mage?”
I was well aware of the trace of sarcasm in his voice.
“I’d been trying to learn how to do it and had a little success in the past.” That was definitely overstating the case. I’d failed on every attempt to hack anything so far, but I wasn’t going to admit that to Draylan.
“What do you think the Kingdoms would do to me if they discovered I’d smuggled a hacker on board?”
I licked my lips nervously. This wasn’t going well. “I’m not sure. I can’t imagine they’d be pleased.”
“That’s the understatement of the century,” Draylan said coldly, pushing back his sandy coloured hair.
We were silent for a moment as the waitress brought over plates of food. Draylan sipped his coffee as Bayliss and I picked up our cutlery.
I speared one of the Marrachi pops with my fork. It was hot and spicy and went surprisingly well with the mashed corn.
“You know,” Bayliss said, “maybe you should give the mage a chance. It could be our only opportunity.”
Draylan rounded on him, his hands gripping the coffee cup tightly. “But you wouldn’t be risking anything. I would be the one risking losing my job or imprisonment or worse…”
“Only because I’ve already lost my job over this.” Bayliss’s voice was a low, rumbling growl.
Draylan winced as though Bayliss had hit him. His gaze flickered to me. “So what exactly do you want me to do?”
“Get me aboard when the captain is not there… And maybe keep watch?”
I knew the last request was pushing it.
“Oh, so not only do you want me to risk my livelihood by getting you on the ship, you also want me to stand around and wait until we get caught.”
“If we time it right, we shouldn’t get caught.”
Draylan shook his head wearily and put a hand to his forehead. “You’re making my headache worse.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so I bided my time by taking a sip of my hot coffee and eating some more of my meal.
After we’d been silent for a little while, Draylan gave a dramatic sigh. “All right already. You win. I’ll do it.”
I lifted my eyes from my plate. “You will?” I almost choked on some mashed corn in my surprise and quickly took a gulp of coffee to wash it down.
Draylan lifted his head and looked at the ceiling, giving a sigh of resignation. “I’ll never hear the end of it from Bayliss if I don’t.”
I grinned at them both. “Great. When should we do it?”
Draylan looked horrified at my eagerness. “I’ll let you know. I’ll send a message to your comms system when the commander will be away from his quarters. I should think we’ll need at least an hour. When I get back to the Morellic, I’ll try to access his schedule.”
“Thanks, Draylan. I really appreciate it.”
Draylan scowled. “Don’t look so pleased with yourself. We haven’t gotten away with it yet.”
I left shortly after finishing my lunch. I didn’t want to risk saying anything to Draylan that might annoy him and make him change his mind about helping me aboard the KSS Morellic.
On my way back to the boardinghouse, Kira sent me a message using her new wrist device. She was letting me know she was visiting Finn and his family.
I smiled as I tapped out a quick reply. I’d been worrying about her. She’d spent the last decade with only mutant lizards for company for the most part. The crowds here on the space station must have been intimidating for her, but she dealt with her new surroundings in her usual determined way, not letting the strangeness of the situation get the better of her.
Knowing Kira would be safe with Finn and his family, I took the opportunity to browse some of the shops in the marketplace. I visited the shop with the copper tiles and was horrified when the shopkeeper gave me his price for just one of the rune marked tiles. I didn’t stay in that establishment very long.
The next shop I visited wasn’t a mage shop, but sold stationery. I selected some writing paper, a graphite pencil and a fountain pen with purple ink. At least I could afford that.
I spent some time perusing another mage bookshop, but the leather bound volumes were expensive, so I decided I should read the one I’d already purchased before buying more.
After I’d finished shopping, I strolled back towards the boardinghouse and checked my wrist device again. Trella still hadn’t replied to my message, and I didn’t know what to make of that.
Was she simply busy and hadn’t got round to tapping out a reply yet, or was she giving me the silent treatment in the hope I would take the hint and leave her alone? An even worse fear taunted me. Perhaps something terrible had happened to Trella or her sister?
There wasn’t anything I could do about it. Trella had made it clear she didn’t need or want my help.
Back at the boardinghouse, I carried my stationary purchases upstairs. Removing the bowl and jug of water from the nightstand, I decided to use that as a makeshift desk.
It wasn’t ideal but it would do.
I pulled the rune book out of the leather satchel and set it down on the wooden top. Starting at the beginning, I began to read.
I just about managed to grasp the basics in the introduction.
Runes worked by concentrating power into a workable form. They could work on various materials, but some were more effective than others. The best materials were those which were good heat or electrical current conductors. Metal was an excellent material to use for rune magic, and crystals worked well due to their rigid lattice structure, which provided the perfect path for a mage’s energy.
So far, so good, I thought as I turned the page.
The following sheet contained rune diagrams as examples. I grabbed some paper and my pencil, determined to get some practice in drawing runes. Of course, paper was a bad conductor and wasn’t the ideal material to use for a fully functioning rune, but for now, it would do.
The first rune on the list looked like an upside-down fish to me. Beneath the illustration was a description that said the rune produced destructive power. I didn’t see how an upside down fish represented destructive power. I frowned. Maybe one day I’d see the connection.
I copied the rune carefully onto my blank sheet of paper. Then read the description again. It was possible to amplify the power of the rune by using more than one of the same design. It was also possible to design a complex system of various different runes leading into one another, but that was an advanced technique not detailed in this book.
I put down my pencil and ran my hands through my hair. I looked at the upside down fish critically. Could it really do anything? I could understand that the rune with the wavy lines representing water was a cleansing rune. That made sense. But an upside down fish representing destruction? That was certainly a leap.
I placed my fingers on top of the rune, not really expecting anything to happen. I already knew that paper was not an ideal material. When I was sitting beside the fountain, I’d flipped through the book and read a section detailing how advanced mages could channel energy through runes even if they weren’t touching the material or the rune itself.
Apparently, it was all about focus. Something I wasn’t very good at yet.
Determined to try my best, I pressed down on the rune, feeling the faint grooves my pencil had made on the paper. I concentrated my energy. But nothing happened.
At least, that’s what I thought at first. The smell of smoke soon alerted me to the fact something had happened.<
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I yanked my scorched fingers away and looked down in amazement at the grey charcoal remains of the paper.
I waved away the wisps of smoke. Well, fire was certainly one type of destruction I supposed.
A knock-on my door made me jump.
I got up and guiltily tried to hide the evidence.
“Mr Tomas…” It was Madam Loren’s voice. “I do hope you’re not smoking in your room, Mr Tomas. It’s expressly forbidden. No real fire is allowed on the space station. Only tech cigarettes are permitted. No pipes!”
I opened the door. “Sorry, I’m not smoking. It was just an accident.”
She blinked at me. “Well, I can tell you weren’t born on the space station and might not realise what a threat fire is to our well-being here.”
“I can imagine. I’m sorry. I was just practising some magic and didn’t intend to start a fire. It wasn’t a proper fire. Just a little burned paper.” I tried to give her a charming smile, but she still looked at me mistrustfully.
“Very well,” she said stiffly. “Dinner is at eight.”
“Great, thank you,” I said as my wrist device gave a beep, indicating an incoming message.
After I shut the door on Madam Loren, I read the message.
It was from Draylan.
“If you still want to go through with this madness, meet me at bay 22. We need to do it now. We’ll never get a better chance.”
Chapter 24
I wanted to leave as soon as I’d received Draylan’s message, but forced myself to slow down. If my hacking into the commander’s personal files was to be successful, I needed to be sharp.
I grabbed the paper bag of powdered tea I’d bought from the bookshop and darted out of my room.
Madam Loren was at the foot of the stairs.
“Could I trouble you for some hot water?” I asked, rushing down the stairs. “I need to make some tea.” I held up the paper packet.
“Yes, in fact, I can make the tea for you, just as long as you promise never to smoke in your room again.”
“But I wasn’t…” I trailed off. I didn’t have time to argue. “I promise. Thank you. I really need the tea. I’m in a bit of a rush.”
Her gaze flickered up and down, regarding me with suspicion as she plucked the paper bag of tea from my hand. A crease formed between her eyebrows. As far as she was concerned, I was acting very strangely.
After she left to prepare the focus tea, I paced the small dining room, re-reading Draylan’s message, looking for any hidden meanings. But of course there was nothing.
The KSS Morellic was docked on ring one, which was one of the more heavily patrolled docking stations. The thought of what I was about to do… Or at least try to do made my stomach flutter with nerves.
When Madam Loren returned with the focus tea, I startled her by grabbing the pot, and filling a tea cup before swallowing it down. It was too hot, burning my tongue, but I ignored the pain and filled a second cup.
Her eyes widened, but she said nothing. When I’d finished, I thanked her and left the boardinghouse. I took nothing with me except my wrist device and some international credits.
If I were caught, Kira knew where I stashed the remaining credits. I doubted I would need them in the Kingdoms’ jail, but Kira would if she had to survive here without me.
I headed straight for the atrium and took the huge elevator up to ring one. The elevator was busy. I tapped my foot impatiently as the journey took longer than expected. The elevator stopped at every ring on the way to ring one.
I chewed my nails as I looked at the time on my wrist device. If I took too long, would Draylan call the whole thing off? I hoped not.
When the elevator doors finally opened, I pushed my way through the people ahead of me, earning some sharp comments and what I guessed were Marrachian curse words.
We exited the elevator, stepping out onto the edge of the atrium on ring one. According to Finn, there were two atriums on this and every other ring on the space station, which linked the rings to the main levels.
Maybe I would investigate further another day, but today I wasn’t interested in exploring. I scanned my surroundings looking for a sign to the docks. The atrium on this level was incredibly busy.
I headed away from the atrium and the crowds, further into the ring, looking for the docks. I followed the signs, walking along the tube and then hopping onto the moving walkway. Most of the other people in the tube were walking in the opposite direction, towards the atrium and away from the docks.
I used my ID card to get through the turnstiles and made my way through the security gate without any issues.
I was already sweating. Was that because I’d been walking quickly to meet Draylan, or was it due to nerves?
It took me a good ten minutes to walk to the main docking area. Now I needed to look for Bay 22. I was tempted to ask one of the Marrachi security agents for help. That would probably be asking for trouble.
Though the name I was now using wouldn’t be in the system, they must have had some security footage from the day we had left the Payma Blue pirate ship. If anyone recognised me, I would have some serious explaining to do.
When I finally reached Bay 22, at least half an hour had passed since Draylan contacted me. The docking area was vast. From where I stood next to the Bay, I couldn’t see the KSS Morellic. The only thing visible was a single doorway, which I imagined led to another tubed walkway, which would connect to the ship.
I stood there, looking around for Draylan, feeling very conspicuous as two Marrachi security agents walked past, armed with plasma weapons. I’d heard the plasma weapons they used here on the space station would target biological material only. The idea being, that prevented any possible damage to the space station itself. I was sure there were smuggling rings that brought in normal weapons, but they were tightly controlled through legal channels.
Another minute passed, and I still hadn’t found Draylan. I was starting to give up hope when I felt a hand grab my shoulder.
“Finally,” Draylan said, looking annoyed.
“I’m here now,” I said. “Let’s get on with it.” I’d been intending to apologise again, but I was getting sick of saying sorry all the time and figured my constant apologies weren’t earning me any respect from Draylan.
He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “All right then, follow me.”
He angled his head towards the retinal scanner beside the door on Bay 22.
The door slid open, showing my guess had been correct. There was another tubed walkway leading to the ship.
I kept my head down as we passed two Kingdoms Ensigns.
“Just act normally,” Draylan said after they had passed.
That was easier said than done. What if I passed somebody who recognised me?
It felt like an age before we actually arrived at the loading bay. I froze when I saw Kingdoms officers on guard duty.
Draylan gave me a gentle shove from behind. Forcing myself to walk forward, I kept my gaze on the ground. Draylan whistled cheerfully beside me.
“No need to sign us in, lads. I’ll do it.” He swiped his ID card through the machine beside the entrance and held out his hand to me.
Though he didn’t say so, I guessed he was asking for my ID card. I handed it to him, well aware my hand was shaking. I could feel the eyes of the Kingdoms security officers on my back.
With a sleight of hand only I could see because I was so close, Draylan swiped his own ID card again twice, instead of mine. That meant he had swiped his card three times in total. He’d swiped in, then out and then back in. If anyone checked the logs, he could say it was simply a mistake.
Draylan was canny.
“Any news on when the refit will be finished?” Draylan asked the nearest guard with a relaxed smile.
I don’t know how he did it. Adrenaline was pumping through my system, and I was ready to make a run for it at any moment.
“Looks like it will take at least another few days,” the
guard said and then added with a leer, “Still, it gives us a little more time to spend with the Marrachi ladies, so that isn’t a bad thing really, is it?”
Draylan chuckled as he headed across the loading deck. I followed, watching my step. A small mechanical lift was being operated by an android, who was moving containers around the deck.
Draylan walked swiftly towards a door at the rear of the loading bay. He paused briefly to use the retinal scanner and then led the way into the ship proper.
It felt strange to be back aboard the KSS Morellic. The sleek, interior design that had so impressed me when I’d first seen it, didn’t look quite so impressive to my jaded eyes. The familiar hum wrapped around me as we walked along the corridor, heading towards the commander’s quarters near the bridge.
As we approached, I saw that the desk outside the commander’s quarters was empty. At one time, that desk had been the workstation of Ensign Borrack. Memories hit me. Most of them unpleasant. Ensign Borrack had been part of the mission to planet Tor. He’d met a decidedly bloody end at the hands and teeth of mutant lizards.
“Ready?” Draylan asked in a low voice.
I snapped back to the present and nodded.
Just as I was wondering how we would get in without setting off an alarm, I noticed the door to the commander’s quarters had been left ajar. Frowning, I followed Draylan inside.
He caught my eye and smirked. “Let’s just say someone owed me a favour. Now, we’d better be quick. We don’t have long.”
Draylan headed straight to the desk and sighed when he tried the drawers and found that they were locked.
“I guess it’s only to be expected,” I said, kneeling and inspecting the lock.
I’d expected something technologically advanced. Fingerprint locks at the very least, but they were old-fashioned locks that opened with keys.
“I could use magic,” I suggested, thinking of the upside-down fish runes I’d used just an hour earlier. “But that would cause a mess and there would be no hiding the fact we’d been here.”
“No need for magic,” Draylan said.
