by Amie Kaufman
“Kal?” Scar asks quietly. “Are you okay?”
I can see the anger in his eyes as he turns on her. I can see the struggle inside him. But his voice is as empty and cold as the vacuum outside.
“A hundred of my people,” he says. “A hundred songs now silenced. A hundred lives and thousands of years, lost to the Void. Not content to let us be butchered by our own kin, now Earth joins the Unbroken in our slaughter?”
“I’m sure there’s some explanation,” Scarlett says.
“They were Waywalkers,” Kal says, stepping closer to my sister. “Sages and scholars. What explanation is there for that?”
“Ease off, legionnaire,” I warn.
“De’sai!” he hisses, looking between me and Scar. “De’sai si alamm tiir’na!”
My jaw clenches as I recognize a few words. “Did he just say what I…”
“Shame,” Scarlett translates, trembling with anger. “Shame to your father’s house.”
And that’s it. The final straw. Losing my spot in the Draft. This nowhere mission. This nowhere squad. Being lied to by Command and the look in Auri’s eyes as they led her away and now this pixieboy sucker puncher talking about my dad.
That’s the spark that starts the inferno.
He blocks my first punch—turns out he’s way faster than me. But I lock him up and hook his leg and we go down in a tumble where his speed will count for less, and Maker help me, when my second punch splits his lip, I find my own curling in a smile. All the frustration of the last couple of days boils up inside me as we wrestle and spit, as Cat shouts at me to stop, as Fin offers a small round of applause, as Zila begins typing into her uniglass as if bored to death. Kal’s fingers close around my throat, I reach for his—
Cold water hits us, crashing over the back of my head. I sputter and gasp, pulling Kal’s hands away from my neck. Looking up, I see Scarlett standing over us, emptying the upturned water cooler tank onto our heads. She shakes the last few drops onto us for emphasis before tossing the tank aside.
“Grow up,” she says. “Sir.”
My sister marches back to the bench, sits down with her legs crossed and her arms folded. Finian speaks into the quiet, one eyebrow raised.
“They teach you that in diplomacy class?”
“I improvised,” Scarlett glowers.
Cat offers me her hand and I take it, standing with a grunt. Water puddles about my feet, soaking hair hangs in my eyes. My Ace looks up at me with a wry grin, shaking her head. Kal seems to glide back upright behind me, his uniform sodden, his eyes still full of fury, purple blood on his lip. He’d probably tear me to pieces now that I don’t have the element of surprise, and I’m wondering if he’s prepping for round two when our uniglasses all ping simultaneously.
I look down at the device on my belt. A single line of text glows on the display.
INCOMING MESSAGE, SQUAD CHAT. SENDER: ZILA M, SCIENCE OFFICER.
Scar and the rest of us tap our screens to open the message.
ZILA M: I AM ASSUMING THE TDF HAS NOT YET CRACKED OUR SQUAD NETWORK’S ENCRYPTION. THEY WILL CERTAINLY BE TRYING TO NOW. WE SHOULD SPEAK QUICKLY.
Cat looks at Zila like she’s completely sideways.
“Um, something wrong with your tongue?”
Zila types some more, and moments later, my uniglass pings again.
ZILA M: THIS ROOM IS DOUBTLESS UNDER VISUAL AND AUDIO SURVEILLANCE. SPEAKING OPENLY WILL ONLY PROMPT THEM TO MURDER US SOONER. WE MUST GET OUT OF THIS CELL AND RESCUE AURORA FROM HER DETAINMENT. OR WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE.
I frown, opening my mouth to speak. But Zila shakes her head in warning, setting her big gold hoop earrings jangling, and something in her eyes makes me type instead.
TYLER J: WHAT IN THE MAKER’S NAME ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
ZILA M: I ESTIMATE WE HAVE ONLY A FEW MOMENTS BEFORE THE TDF ARRIVES TO TAKE YOU AWAY FOR “DEBRIEFING,” SIR. AT THE END OF YOUR INTERROGATION, YOU WILL BE KILLED. AND ONE BY ONE, THEY WILL THEN INTERROGATE AND KILL THE REST OF US.
Fin types quickly, eyes on Zila.
FINIAN DS: DID YOU FORGET TO TAKE YOUR HAPPY PILLS THIS MORNING?
ZILA M: NO. I AM ALWAYS LIKE THIS.
TYLER J: FIN, PUT A LID ON IT. ZILA, WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?
Zila sighs and begins typing in a flurry.
ZILA M: THE BELLEROPHON’S CREW JUST LIQUIDATED ONE HUNDRED INNOCENT SYLDRATHI REFUGEES. PRESUMABLY THEY ALSO DESTROYED THE UNBROKEN WRAITH, LEGIONNAIRE BRANNOCK?
Cat nods in reply.
ZILA M: ERGO, WE ARE THE ONLY WITNESSES LEFT ALIVE.
I type quickly, scowling in disbelief.
TYLER J: YOU’RE SAYING THEY’RE GOING TO FLATLINE US TO COVER UP THE FACT THAT THEY VIOLATED TERRAN NEUTRALITY WITH THE UNBROKEN? NOT THAT I DON’T VALUE YOUR INPUT, ZILA, BUT THAT MAKES NO SENSE. WHY SAVE US ONLY TO KILL US RIGHT AFTERWARD?
ZILA M: THEY ARE NOT COVERING UP THEIR VIOLATION OF NEUTRALITY, SIR. THEY ARE SILENCING ANYBODY WHO MAY KNOW AURORA O’MALLEY IS IN THEIR CUSTODY.
SCARLETT J: WAIT, WHAT’S AURORA GOT TO DO WITH THIS?
ZILA M: CONSIDER IT LOGICALLY. HOW IS IT THAT A TDF DESTROYER JUST HAPPENED TO BE WITHIN RANGE WHEN WE SENT OUR DISTRESS CALL?
CAT B: I TOLD YOU SHAMROCK WOULD BRING US LUCK.
FINIAN DS: DIDN’T YOU HEAR, LEGIONNAIRE MADRAN? *SPOOKY VOICE* THE GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY HAS ONE THOUSAND EYES DONCHEWKNOW.
ZILA M: THEY WERE PURSUING US. IT IS THE ONLY EXPLANATION FOR THEIR PROXIMITY. AURORA SAID SHE WAS TOLD TO STOW ABOARD OUR LONGBOW BY BATTLE LEADER DE STOY. DE STOY WANTED AURORA WITH US, AWAY FROM THE GIA.
CAT B: BOLLOCKS. O’MALLEY’S SPENT WAY TOO MUCH TIME IN THE FOLD. SHE’S GONE ALL THE WAY SIDEWAYS.
ZILA M: CONSIDER DE STOY’S WORDS TO US. “THE CARGO YOU CARRY IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN ANY OF YOU CAN KNOW.” THE SUPPLY RUN TO SAGAN WAS NOT OUR MISSION. OUR MISSION WAS TO GET AURORA O’MALLEY AWAY FROM THE ACADEMY BEFORE THE GIA ARRIVED TO TAKE HER BACK TO TERRA.
FINIAN DS: THEY’VE GOT NO FACES.
CAT B: MAKER’S BREATH, FINIAN, HAVE YOU SNAPPED, TOO?
FINIAN DS: SCREW YOU, CAT.
CAT B: I’D RATHER SCREW THE GREAT ULTRASAUR OF ABRAAXIS IV, THANKS.
TYLER J: KNOCK IT OFF. FIN, EXPLAIN.
FINIAN DS: AURORA SAID THAT TO ME RIGHT BEFORE THE GIA ARRIVED. “THEY’VE GOT NO FACES.” AND SHE MUTTERED SOMETHING ABOUT WIPING THIS CLEAN. PAINTING IT BLACK.
ZILA M: WHICH THE FACELESS GIA OPERATIVES ARE DOING RIGHT NOW. AURORA ALSO CLAIMED TO HAVE SEEN KAL IN A VISION BEFORE SHE EVER MET HIM.
CAT B: BECAUSE THE FOLD HAS MESSED WITH HER BRAINMEATS.
KALIIS G: THIS WILL SOUND LIKE MADNESS. BUT IN THE CARGO BAY, WHEN AEDRA ATTACKED ME, AURORA THREW HER INTO THE WALL WITHOUT EVER TOUCHING HER.
FINIAN DS: ARE YOU JOKING?
KALIIS G: I SWEAR IT ON THE SPIRITS OF THE VOID. HER RIGHT EYE WAS GLOWING SO BRIGHTLY IT HURT TO LOOK AT. AND AFTER THE BATTLE, IT HAD CHANGED COLOR.
Scar and I look at each other then. I can see skepticism in her bright blue stare.
But Auri’s eye did change color.
TYLER J: LISTEN, I DIDN’T MENTION THIS ON MY REPORT BECAUSE I DIDN’T REALLY WANT TO BELIEVE IT MYSELF. BUT WHEN I FIRST RESCUED AURORA ON THE HADFIELD, I THINK SHE
TYLER J: WELL, SHE MOVED ME.
SCARLETT J: MOVED YOU? LIKE IN A LOVE SONG WAY MOVED YOU?
CAT B: OH, SPARE ME.
TYLER J: LIKE I WAS ON THE VERGE OF PASSING OUT TWO HUNDRED METERS FROM MY PHANTOM. AND SUDDENLY WE WERE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE AIRLOCK.
ZILA M: TELEKINESIS. PRECOGNITION. INTERESTING.
CAT B: THIS IS TOTALLY BLOODY SIDEWAYS
SCARLETT J: I’M AFRAID I MUST CONCUR WITH MY PUNCHY BUT LEARNED COLLEAGUE.
CAT B: THANKS, ROOMIE.
SCARLETT
J: ALL GOOD, GIRL. YOU’VE STILL GOT MY EYELINER, BTW.
ZILA M: IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT PROLONGED FOLD EXPOSURE EXERTS EXTREME MENTAL DURESS ON TRAVELERS. I’D REMIND YOU THAT AURORA WAS DRIFTING IN IT FOR OVER TWO CENTURIES. NOBODY HAS EVER SURVIVED THAT KIND OF EXPOSURE BEFORE.
FINIAN DS: SO WHAT DOES THE GIA WANT WITH HER?
ZILA M: AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. BUT I THINK THE FAR MORE PRESSING CONCERN IS OUR IMMINENT AND NO DOUBT BRUTAL MURDERS AT THE HANDS OF THEIR OPERATIVES.
FINIAN DS: I ADMIT THAT PRINCESS GUY DIDN’T SEEM LIKE A BARREL OF CHUCKLES.
SCARLETT J: PRINCEPS. IT’S LATIN. MEANS “FIRST AMONG EQUALS.”
ZILA M: I DID NOT KNOW YOU SPOKE LATIN, LEGIONNAIRE JONES.
FINIAN DS: WHAT IN THE MAKER’S NAME IS LATIN?
CAT B: LOOK, THIS STILL MAKES NO BLOODY SENSE. IF THEY WANT US DEAD, WHY DIDN’T THEY JUST FLATLINE US ON THE STATION?
ZILA M: PERHAPS THEY WISH TO SPEAK TO TYLER ABOUT HOW HE FOUND AURORA? OR TO ENSURE WE HAVE NOT PASSED HER LOCATION ON TO ANYONE ELSE? WHATEVER THEIR REASONS, UNLESS WE FIND A WAY OFF THIS SHIP, WE WILL NEVER LEAVE IT ALIVE.
TYLER J: THIS IS THE TERRAN DEFENSE FORCE YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT.
ZILA M: THE GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY IS IN COMMAND HERE, SIR. THE TDF IS SIMPLY GIVING THEM A RIDE.
TYLER J: THEY’RE STILL TERRAN! MAKER’S SAKE, WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO? ATTACK OUR OWN PEOPLE?
FINIAN DS: AS OPPOSED TO BEING EXECUTED BY THEM?
A warning klaxon sounds across the destroyer’s public address system, followed by a shipwide announcement.
“ALL HANDS, PREPARE FOR FOLD ENTRY. T-MINUS FIFTEEN SECONDS.”
The thrum of the engines shifts in tone, and each of us takes a breath. There’s a slow rush of vertigo, a brief sensation of weightlessness, and the colorscape shifts as the destroyer enters the FoldGate, everything around us dropping into black and white. I see my squad looking to me for a decision.
Impossible as it sounds, Zila is making an awful kind of sense. The lives of people who depend on me are on the line here. And the consequences of not believing her—and being wrong—would be fatal.
Problem is, if the TDF really means to flatline us, the only way I can see out of this is fighting our way out, and that means fighting fellow Terrans. My dad was in the TDF before he became a senator. If the Aurora Legion didn’t exist, I’d probably be TDF myself.
I meet Scar’s stare, and she tilts her head just a fraction.
It’s a strange thing, being a twin. Dad told Scar and me that we invented our own language as little kids. Talking to each other in words nobody else could understand. Scar can tell me a story with a look. Write me a novel with a single raised eyebrow. And right now, I know exactly what she’s saying, without her ever saying a word.
Show the way, baby brother.
The door hisses open, and four TDF troopers march into the room, clad head to foot in tac armor, carrying disruptor rifles. The young lieutenant I spoke to in the Sagan Station airlock is leading them. One eyebrow raised behind her visor, she stops to survey the puddle of water on the floor, and my soaking uniform.
“All right, legionnaire,” she smiles. “If you’ll come with us, we’ll debrief you and have you and your squad back at Aurora Station in time for chow.”
I glance at Scar again, looking for her impressions. I’m not exaggerating when I say she can read people like books. It’s kinda scary sometimes. I haven’t been able to fool her since we were five years old.
She looks the lieutenant up and down.
Glances at me.
Pouts.
Lying.
I can feel the tension around me. Cat’s hands in fists. Kal’s icy fury as he stares at these soldiers who just murdered a hundred of his people but are acting like nothing’s wrong. I’m not sure how good Finian or Zila will be in a free-for-all, but there’s six of us, four of them, and if they think I’m the kind to just march to my own murder, they don’t know me too well.
I stand up with an easy smile, dimples on high beam.
“No problem, LT,” I say.
And I bury my elbow right into her throat.
Her tac armor absorbs most of the impact, but it’s enough to send her off balance. I kick her in the knee and she hits the ground, disruptor flying from her grip.
The room explodes into motion, the three other TDF troopers aiming their weapons at my chest. Kal rises up behind one and stabs with outstretched fingers behind her ear, and the trooper drops like she’s been hit with a dose of Leirium rocksmoke. Cat tackles another, fighting for control of his rifle, and Scar hurls the empty water cooler bottle at the third’s head, sending him back into Finian, whose exosuit whines as he grabs him like a vise.
I snatch up the fallen lieutenant’s disruptor rifle, bring the butt down into her face, her helmet skewing crooked as the blow lands. We fall to wrestling, the LT knocking the rifle aside. She lands a knee in my crotch and the whole world burns white with the pain. Flipping me onto my back, she manages to draw her sidearm from her belt, raising it to my head.
A hand takes hold of her jaw and three fingers stab the side of her neck. With a sigh, the LT topples off me, eyes rolling back in her head. Above me stands Kal, his eyes narrowed. Not a single silver hair is out of place on his head. He’s not even out of breath. Wincing at the ache in my groin, I look around the cell. The other three TDF troopers are scattered like broken toys.
They’re all out cold. Battered and bloodied, bones broken. Scar, Cat, and Finian are looking at our Tank, half-awed, half-terrified, all silent.
“I don’t want you to think this means I like you, Kal,” Cat finally says. “But okay. I’m officially impressed.”
“Did it just get hot in here, or is it me?” Scarlett asks.
“It’s not just you,” Finian mutters, fanning himself.
The Syldrathi offers his hand to me.
“We need to move, sir.”
I realize this is the first time Kal has offered to touch me since he slugged me back at the academy. And knowing it’s a big deal for a Syldrathi to allow themselves to be touched at all, I figure I should accept the offer. I take his hand, and he hauls me to my feet. I’m trying not to look at the bleeding soldiers around me. The bleeding human soldiers. My mind is racing, looking for a way out of this.
We’re outnumbered a hundred to one. The GIA has Auri in custody. They have our Longbow locked down. But I’ve studied Terran space vessels since I was six—I know the layout of a destroyer backward. And though this pack of losers and discipline cases and sociopaths might’ve been the last picks on anyone’s mind during the Draft, turns out none of them are bad at their jobs. If I can hold this together, get us working as a team, we might even make it out of this alive….
An alarm starts blaring, an announcement spilling over the PA.
“SECURITY TO DETENTION CELL 12A. SECURITY TO 12A IMMEDIATELY.”
“That’s for us,” Cat warns.
“Okay, listen up,” I say. “I’ve got a plan.”
* * *
• • • • •
“FIRE ALARM, LEVEL TWELVE. EMERGENCY CREW TO LEVEL TWELVE IMMEDIATELY.”
We’re marching toward the elevators with the alarms blaring when the first TDF squad finds us. They round the corner, disruptor rifles raised, laser sights cutting through the sprinkler system’s downpour. We’re still Folding, so the colorscape is still monochrome, the water spray is silver, the squad sergeant’s eyes are almost black.
“Don’t move!” he barks.
Scarlett steps forward, her lieutenant’s insignia gleaming on her collar, her fiery hair dulled to gray. My boots are too big, and I’m not bragging or anything, but the crotch in this tac armor just isn’t sitting right. Still, considering we stole these uniforms off four unconscious TDF troopers, we’re mostly pulling i
t off. Cat and Zila are skulking at the back, and Kal and Finian stand between us, mag-restraints around their wrists, looking appropriately cowed. Scarlett has more than enough swagger to fill in the gaps.
“We got two of ’em,” she barks. “The other four made it to the air vents. Get your squad up to thirteen, we’re taking these two to the brig!”
The squad sergeant frowns behind his visor. “The vents? We got t—”
“You get dropped on your head as a baby, soldier?” Scarlett snaps. “I just gave you an order! Move your asses before I flush ’em into the Fold!”
Say what you will about the military, but Maker bless, they don’t teach you to think. They teach you to follow orders. No matter what uniform they’re wearing, Legion, TDF, whatever, when a lieutenant starts yelling at the average sergeant to jump, their only question is gonna be “How high?”
Fortunately for us, this sergeant seems kinda average.
“Ma’am, yes ma’am,” he barks, turning to his squad. “Level thirteen, move!”
The squad rushes past us. Scarlett starts yelling into her collar mic, demanding to know where the fire crews are at. We reach the turbolift, and I stab at the controls as the silver rain falls all around us, the lights flashing gray.
“Okay, Finian, how long before they get their cams back online?” I ask.
He glances down to his uniglass, shakes his head. “It was a pretty basic hack I threw in there. We’ve got about another minute, maybe two.”
“Right. Every security squad is on their way up here to Level twelve. The docking bay is on five. Cat, you take Zila, Fin, and Kal down there and get the Longbow ready to launch. Quietly. If we’re not aboard in five minutes—”
“Ty, I’m not taking off without you,” Cat says.
“I was gonna say give us another five minutes, but no, you’re right, you should totally take off without me.”
“Where are you going?” Finian asks.
“Scar and I are gonna go get Aurora.”
“I am coming with you,” Kal says.
