Dr. Rhodes stopped staring at her pouch and gave me a quick glance, a shade of pink across her cheeks and ears. Still, she didn't pull her hand away. Her heartbeat was hard enough for me to hear—maybe not for other humans, but I was a different story. I kissed the bridge of her fingers, and her heartbeat doubled. It excited her, and the reaction exhilarated me.
Damn. I loved flirting. Too bad Sawyer didn't want me. Nothing topped the rush of a first time.
Dr. Rhodes gave me an odd look, half confused. “You don't look like the romantic type.”
I couldn't help myself. I shook my head. “I'm some enforcer on a random starship, devoid of etiquette. If I impress you with my wiles, your intelligent buddy has the personality of a hammer.”
She laughed loud enough to break the quiet of the lounge, this time genuinely. It got me laughing, too, if only because we were bashing some asshole I had never even met.
But what I'd said was true. Dr. Rhodes had everything one could hope for in this quadrant of strife and suffering—a fancy life, a career that wasn't maintenance work, no genetic defects, and an inheritance of wealth. Someone risked their relationship with her to go suck metaphorical cock at a lab somewhere? He deserved a good mocking.
“I think you've made the choice easy for me,” Dr. Rhodes said once her laughter died down. “I was going to give him another chance, but waiting for him has always been an embarrassment. And talking with you has given me a new perspective.”
While she returned to staring at her rum pouch, I looked around the room. Although the other patrons were on the opposite side of the lounge, most stole glances in our direction. They pointed and muttered, and I wondered what they were so excited about.
“I take it you're going to cut ties with your friend?” I asked.
“It's overdue.” When she returned her attention to me, all her depression seemed to have melted away. “How long will you be on Midway Station?”
“I'm not sure. Why?”
“I'd like to see you again. Perhaps away from prying eyes. I like that… you have no stake in all the old family drama. And I appreciate your practical advice.”
I wasn't entirely sure what Endellion wanted me to do now. She'd sounded as though she wanted something big—like convincing Dr. Rhodes to go back to the Star Marque with me—but I got the feeling Dr. Rhodes just wanted time with someone who would treat her right. There wasn't really anything to keep her from leaving the Star Marque, once she'd had her fill.
Or perhaps Endellion had something else in mind.
“Sounds good,” I said. “Maybe we can talk about your work in the garden, and I'll actually show up on time.”
Her laughter made the conversation easy-going.
The other patrons in the lounge flocked to the lift. Dr. Rhodes slid off her stool, and while still holding my hand, she pulled me playfully close. I leaned forward, and she hesitated, like she didn't want to be the one to finish the motion, her warm breath on my chin. I wrapped my free hand around the back of her neck and guided her to me.
This was why I had missed being with women. Her lips were soft when I pressed mine against hers, and the gentle lap of her tongue excited me. I had been with enough men to know most liked it hard and rough—at least, the men on Capital Station had. Different than Dr. Rhodes. Pleasantly different.
When I broke away from her, I savored the taste of her lips. She had some sort of flavoring, something with a sugary aftertaste. That shit was addictive.
“Thank you for the company,” she said as she headed for the lift.
I could already hear the murmurs from the peanut gallery. The crowd left together, however, resulting in a deserted lounge. Endellion and one other were the last patrons, and the soft music substituted for liveliness.
Endellion walked to my side. I leaned back against the bar and stretched.
“I like Dr. Rhodes,” I said.
“And you did a good job. I would say your performance was nearly perfect.”
“That's all you wanted? I think even Lysander could have pulled this off, and he's trying his damnedest to imitate a pile of rocks. Dr. Rhodes was craving company, I just happened to be the lucky guy sitting next to her.” I was surprised one of the fancy jackasses hadn't tried. Then again, she was technically seeing someone. Perhaps I was the lout for hitting on her.
Endellion flipped her braid back. “Trust me when I say that Lysander wouldn't be suited for this line of work.”
“Well, I'm glad I helped out. Not that this was strenuous. You can ask me to do this any time of the day.”
“For now, I want you to stay close. When we get down to Vectin-14, you'll act as my personal bodyguard.”
“Sure. That's what people think I am, anyway.”
As long as I got to the planet's surface, I didn't care what I was doing.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
VECTIN-14
I had never ridden a space elevator.
I stood at the window made of transparent, aluminum alloy and watched the descent with rapt attention. According to Sawyer—who I just assumed knew something about everything—the ring-shaped elevator had four compartments. Three were for cargo, and one was for passengers. It cut the energy cost of life support and allowed the other three compartments to carry a total of 100,000 tons of material.
It still took three hours for the trip, but I wasn't complaining. I absorbed every second into my memory, like I would be tested on the event later.
The elevator shook as it entered Vectin-14's atmosphere. I didn't bother sitting, despite being told to before the trip. Instead, I kept my gaze glued to the view, my hand gripped to the safety rails. Once the shaking stopped and the elevator entered a thick layer of cloud cover, a robotic voice sounded over the speakers.
“Welcome to Vectin-14,” it said. “Vectin-14 is the capital planet for the Vectin Quadrant, one-fourth of the Cygnus Sector, and the first colony location for the mass transports over three centuries ago. The diligent workers of the mass transports spread from the Vectin System to the Galvis System, and then, finally, to the Romoni System, acquiring a total of 102 planets for the Vectin Quadrant, 11 of which sit in the garden zone around their respective stars.
“Vectin-14 was chosen to become the capital planet, thanks to the speed of its rotation, and the composition of its atmosphere, which allows for some cloned Earth vegetation to flourish. Because of this, research for the entire quadrant was conducted in the laboratories of Vectin-14, making it an important central point of progress. New technologies continue to flow from Vectin-14 to all Federation planets.
“Please enjoy your stay on Vectin-14,” the computer concluded.
Well, now I felt like a tourist.
“What're you going to do with your piece of property once Endellion becomes governor?” Lee stood next to me, his gaze set on the clouds. I hadn't heard him approach, but I attributed that to the distractions.
I shrugged. “I don't know. At this point, it still feels like a dream.”
“I know what I'm going to do.”
“Oh?”
“Quinn and I are going to make the cutest damn babies you've ever seen. Tons of them.”
I snorted back a laugh. “You're going to unleash a plague of children upon the land, is that it?”
“Once I'm dead, they're the system's problem.” Lee leaned back and gave me a smile. “C'mon. You've got to have a goal. We're so close! I know you haven't been with us for as long as some of the others, but every day it seems like we're getting within spitting distance of living planetside. Nothing will stop Endellion. Mark my words.”
I had a goal. I wanted to be like Endellion. Get a ship. Get a title. Have things I had never experienced. Ambitions beyond myself. I was about to set foot on a planet for the first time, and then my bucket list would be completely checked off. So I needed a new and better list.
Noah got up from his seat and walked over to me. Like Lee, he stared out into the clouds, transfixed. “What're you guys talking about?”
“Have you ever been planetside?” Lee asked.
“Never.”
“Yeah, me neither. What're you going to do with your piece of land, huh?”
“I don't know. Probably live on it. See what it's like.” Noah placed his hands on the railing and let out a long exhale.
I glanced around and counted about 100 of Endellion's crew among the passenger seats. They were easy to spot, considering their black enviro-suits. The other passengers wore jumpsuits or planetside clothes I still didn't consider to be real outfits.
Endellion, Yuan, and Quinn spoke in hushed voices by another window, their backs to the passengers. I stared for an unhealthy amount of time, no doubt looking like a creeper, but I couldn't help but wonder. Endellion always had something going on.
“Hey,” I said, keeping my attention on Endellion. “Why didn't the whole crew join us on this little trip?”
“Most of the crew has admitted to high anxiety at the thought of open spaces,” Sawyer answered, pulling me from my musing.
I turned around to see her and Lysander standing with me, Lee, and Noah. Since when had they gotten there? I needed to pay more attention.
“Anxiety about open spaces?” I asked.
“Yes. It's called agoraphobia. It's common among individuals born and raised in space stations and starships. Most have thoughts and nightmares about falling upwards, into the sky, especially given that they're accustomed to gravity malfunctions. That'll never happen on a planet, but the hallucinations can be so lifelike that it causes psychosis in a decent number of people.”
“Is that why Advik didn't join us?” I asked with a huff.
“Yes.”
“Tsk. I've had unsettling dreams about being planetside, but I stoned up.”
“We'll see.”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
Lysander crossed his arms and frowned. “You can't strong-arm a mental holdup. If you experience stress or unmanageable levels of anxiety, make sure to report it.”
“You can strong-arm a mental holdup,” Lee said with a laugh. “It's called ‘alcohol.’ Trust me. You'll break that mental holdup's will to live.”
Lysander sneered. “You're proud of that answer?”
Lee slapped Lysander on the arm. “Alcohol bends reality over its knee and busts out the belt, let me tell you! I know you don't drink, but you should. Everyone would love to see you in the mess hall from time to time.”
The elevator cleared the cloud layer, and I whipped my attention to the view. We were 4,000 meters above the ground, and the sight took my breath away—green plains, red foliage from the trees, purple fields, blue rivers, and an indigo sky beyond the clusters of clouds. Vectin-14 was a goddamn rainbow of life, and I placed my hand on the window to get some perspective.
And the Vectin star… it shone from on-high, casting pillars of light through the holes in the clouds. It was fucking beautiful.
Sawyer stood next to me and stared at the view with an indifferent expression written across her face.
“You ever been planetside?” I asked, breathless.
“I was born on Vectin-10 and lived there until I was in my teens.”
“Is Vectin-10 anything like Vectin-14?”
“No. Vectin-10 is a lot hotter. They mine gases there, and it's… grittier than most places I've been.”
I hit her shoulder with the back of my hand. “Not grittier than Capital Station.”
Sawyer chuckled. “If Capital Station is a sweaty, diseased armpit, then Vectin-10 is an unwashed grundle. Both are places no man should go.”
We shared a genuine laugh as the elevator got closer and closer to the ground. The speed decreased, allowing us a sparkling view of a controlled-irrigation river. The mass agriculture fields added a bit of order to the landscape with long, straight lines of food, a complete contrast to the chaotic nature of the forest in the distance. Metal grating against metal screeched in the distance—odd, considering I had grown accustomed to the silence of space—but I knew the atmosphere allowed sound to travel. It was a new experience.
When the elevator connected with the ground, the industry of the area came into view. Warehouses. Roads. Shuttles. Mag-lev trains. Thousands of workers packing and unpacking goods to be shipped or loaded onto the elevator. Automated cranes and lifts made the work fast, but it was clear there was so much business that they didn't have a second's rest.
And they were dealing in all sorts of goods—food, weapons, medical supplies, and crates labeled with chemical warnings. Planets dealt in all sorts of resources, and it didn't surprise me to see so much trade.
The elevator shook. I grabbed the railings and waited until it locked into place. The passengers got up and headed for the decontamination room. Each passenger passed through it, getting scanned and sprayed with a cleansing gas. Anyone who failed the scan set by the Vectin-14 customs regulations was denied entry onto the planet.
I got in line and entered the decontamination room with Noah, Lysander, and Sawyer. Noah and Lysander gave each other nervous looks as the scan completed, and the gases washed over us. Vectin-14 didn't deny genetic defects, so both brothers were allowed planetside. Sawyer didn't seem surprised—if anything, she stood closer to me than before—and she was quiet. Well, quieter than usual.
When the door opened, the warmth of the sun washed over us. Sawyer cringed away, but I stepped into it, ready to experience raw light. I didn't even look at the workers as I walked straight from the elevator unloading zone to the grass beyond the gates.
I unfastened my enviro-suit and pulled at the collar until I got my arms out. I'd peeled the suit down to my waist by the time I reached the field. The sun—the wind!—against my skin delivered a shiver of excitement straight to my spine.
Goddamn.
I hit my knees and dragged my hands across the grass. The green blades scratched and tickled, but they were soft at the same time, and I loved the confusion of sensations. When I'd had my fill of the grass, I dug my fingers into the dirt and scooped up the brown-and-black soil. It had a distinct odor, and I inhaled deep to savor it.
This was what I'd wanted. I had it. It was all around me. Planetside beauty beyond even my wildest imaginings.
Quinn's distinct laughter rang out behind me. “Are you going to kiss it, too?”
“I was thinking about rolling in it,” I said. “Or should I buy it dinner first?”
“You've already gotten to second base. Why stop now?”
I glanced up at the indigo sky spotted with clouds. For a second, I got dizzy. The sky spanned forever. Forever. It was like looking out into the depths of space. I was so small. Then I turned my attention to the horizon. There were shades of mountains in the distance—tops coated in snow—and hills that rolled until they disappeared.
It was insane how much something changed when I got close to it. The planet was amazing from space, wondrous on the elevator, and now that I was on the surface, I was certain no one person could ever experience it all. It was that vast. It was that amazing.
Mara bounded up to me and Quinn, a smile plastered across her face. “Look at you! I didn't believe Yuan when she said you ran out to the grass, but you actually did!”
“Stay together,” Lysander called out from the road. “We've yet to reach our destination.”
Endellion's ground enforcers marched in squad formation toward the mag-lev trains. I could catch up to them in a heartbeat, if I wanted to. Instead of rushing, I took another deep breath.
Quinn tapped my arm. “C'mon. We're going to be here for a while. You'll get your fill, I swear.”
“I don't know if I'll ever have my fill,” I muttered.
“Good news—once Endellion becomes governor, you'll get to test that theory. But she's not going to get Minister Ontwenty's favor if you're worshipping the dirt.”
* * *
Minister Ontwenty had us watching a laboratory, but I had never seen anything like it before.
The lab sat in the center
of an “enclosed” area. It wasn't like a starship or a space station, in terms of enclosure—it was protected by a fence, with the sky wide open above us. The lab workers, researchers, and scientists all lived and worked within the designated area. The company town had stores and food shops, all owned by Minister Ontwenty. The entire research crew was separated from everyone and everything. Something about corporate espionage or some shit, but I didn't understand it. All I knew was that Ontwenty wanted her research to remain hidden, and she went to great lengths to keep it that way.
I ran with the other ground enforcers as Lysander took us through some drills. First physical training, then formations, then gunmanship, and finally, maintenance. It was almost the same routine the starfighters went through, but there was a lot of attention paid to field practicality. If a starfighter went down, there was no survival situation—the pilot was dead. But Lysander took us through drills as though the ground enforcers might be on their own and needed to be able to think on their feet.
I didn't mind. Running didn't bother me. I could have done circles around every schmoe on the force. But I did enjoy taking in the air.
According to my enviro-suit, the air was 23% oxygen and 76% nitrogen. My suit thought that was on the high end of the oxygen ratio, but it also said it was technically breathable, so I kept my helmet down.
The buildings around the artificial company town were works of art. The walls stood tall, sleek, and curved, made of black solar-panel metal, flexi-glass, bioplastics, and redwood. Everything had a feather-light feel to it. Clean. Effortless. The labs sat underground, in facilities reminiscent of space stations, but with controlled environments and posh workrooms. Only the perimeter wall looked like something designed without comfort in mind. The damn thing hummed with high-voltage electricity, and guards armed with plasma rifles lined the top of it. And all the buildings had a detection system built onto the roofs to capture any surveillance activity. It caught drones, digital signals, radio signals, and even managed to detect people who weren't authorized to be on the premises.
Star Marque Rising Page 20
