Lady Luck

by K. C. Cross

  And let me tell you… it’s a really long combination.

  We get inside the vault quickly because that’s just eight numbers in the correct order. But once we’re inside and I’ve closed the door behind us, it takes me a while to start up the initiation sequence.

  This whole time Nyleena is patient, and calm, and still, and silent. Just watching me. Fascinated, I think. Because this is really fascinating stuff.

  Dangerous as fuck, but no less interesting just because it could kill us and everyone else on this station if someone besides me was spinning this thing up.

  Finally a point of light appears in the center of the room.

  It’s literally a point of light.

  One photon.

  You can’t see it with eyeballs, so Nyleena is oblivious to its presence until I tell her, “Look at the center of the room,” as I increase it to two photons.

  I can see it because I have this special vision implant in my optical nerve that gives me this one special superpower. It’s not vision, actually. It’s called luminography.

  “Hmm,” Nyleena says.

  “What?” I ask, still fucking with the controls on the console. Adding another photon to the collective I’m building.

  “There’s this weird light in the center of the room. Are you doing that?”

  I turn around and stare at her.

  “What?” she asks. Shielding her eyes from the near blackness, but not quite total blackness, in the center of the room.

  “You can see that?”

  She narrows her eyes at me. “What do you mean? It’s so bright it blinds me when I look at it.”

  I glance at the center of the room, see the three photons of light that are very clearly not blinding, then turn back to her. “What?”

  “My God, can you just turn it off for a second? I can’t fucking think straight with that spotlight blaring in my face.”

  “It’s three photons, Nyleena.”

  “It’s a sun-fucked sun is what it is! Turn it off!”

  I whirl around, dial the photons down to one, then turn back to her.

  “That’s a little better,” she says. “At least I can look at it now.”

  “What are you talking about?” I say, thoroughly confused.

  “The baby sun in the center of the fucking room,” she spits. “For fuck’s sake. I don’t know what you’re up to, but that hurts my eyes.”

  I turn back to the console. There’s a long shelf with cubby holes and inside the cubby holes are different sets of goggles. One set is used to look at the photons once you build up the node to a hundred total points of light. Then another set for the second hundred. Then another, and another and finally, the last set of goggles so you can look directly at the spin node.

  I take out a pair of those and hand them to her. “Put these on. That should help.”

  She takes them. Looks at them dubiously, then slides the elastic band over her head and adjusts the eye pieces.

  I turn back to the console and say, “OK, this is two photons. What do you see?”

  “A white hole,” she says.

  “What?” I turn back around to look at the room. “It’s two photons, Nyleena.”

  “I don’t care how many photons it is. You asked me what I see and I see a white hole. Which is stupid because white holes are just theoretical opposites of black holes.”

  “Huh?” I say.

  She turns back to me, slips her goggles down, eyes squinting because it’s pretty clear that the light still bothers her, even though she’s not looking at it. “You know what a black hole is? Swallows light?”

  “Sure,” I say.

  “Well, a white hole is the theoretical other side. Where all the light goes. But it’s not real.”

  I point to the center of the room. “Then what’s that?”

  She slips her goggles back on, turns to look at the center of the room, which to my eyes is still pretty fucking dark. Then turns back to me, slides her goggles down again, squints, and says, “It appears to be a white hole.”

  “OK,” I say, reaching for another pair of node goggles and slipping them over my head. “Then what’s this?”

  I turn that fucker all the way up. One thousand photons.

  “Holy mother of suns!” Nyleena says.

  When I turn back I see a spin node. Gates, upon gates, upon gates, upon gates that go on for infinity.

  So I say, “Do you see a spin node?”

  And she whispers, “No, Luck. I see…”

  “What?” I ask, searching the center of the room for whatever it is I’m missing and she’s not. “What do you see?”

  “I see… wow. It’s so pretty.”

  “What do you see?”

  “I see a galaxy. A spinning spiral galaxy.”

  And then she reaches for me. And she takes my hand.

  And the moment we make contact I see it too.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT - NYLEENA

  “I’ve been there,” Luck says.

  I’m reluctant to turn away from the amazing silver spiral in front of me, but I do. Because I want to look at him.

  “Luck,” I say.

  “What?” And there’s a pause. Like he wants to look at me, but not look away either.

  “Luck,” I say again.

  He turns to face me. “What?”

  “You’re…”

  “I’m what?”

  “You’re glowing.”

  A laugh bursts out. Almost too loud for this reverent moment. “What?”

  “You’re glowing, Luck.” I turn my back to the center of the room, slip my goggles down real fast, then slip them back on. “But just in this galactic spin-node light.”

  He looks down at himself. “I don’t see it. What’s it look like?”

  “Purple.” I laugh. “You’re purple.”

  “Like an ugly, gaudy purple? Or a pretty purple?”

  I smile at him. Everything that happened this morning just melts away.

  “Like… Am I Xyla lavender? Or Akeelian eyeball violet?”

  “Does it matter?” I chuckle.

  “Yeah. I wanna be a cool purple.”

  “Eyeball violet,” I say. “And it’s a very cool purple.”

  We both turn back to the galaxy and he says, “I’ve been through this thing and it wasn’t this. It was just a spin node. What is this?”

  “I have no idea. I’ve never seen anything like this. When did you go through it? And where did you go? Where is this place?”

  “I was young. Maybe sixteen? Long before we ever left.”

  “So this was here when you arrived?”

  “Yeah. Must’ve been. ALCOR came to me one day and said this was one of my jobs. But no one could know about it, not even Valor. And then he showed me how to spin the node up and he told me to walk through.”

  “Walk? Through a spin node?”

  “Yeah. And I did it. I kinda knew it was crazy. I mean I was there when Crux shot Corla through the spin node when we all escaped from Wayward Station. But he and Jimmy took care of all the details. I didn’t really understand it. So I wasn’t afraid. It was ALCOR, you know.” He turns away from the spin-node galaxy to look at me through his goggles. “I trusted him.”

  “And what happened? Where did you go?”

  “I went to a planet.”

  “Which planet?”

  “We called it Sol 7. But…” He pauses, still looking at me. “But I think Sol 7 is Earth.”

  We both look back at the center of the room, quiet for a few moments.

  “Do you want to walk through?” he asks.

  “It’s not a planet,” I say. “It’s a galaxy. I don’t think we should.”

  “Yeah,” he says, once again facing the anomaly in the room. “Maybe it’s different now. Or maybe it always looked like this, I just couldn’t see it.”

  “Did you ever go through again?” I ask.

  “Once. The day we had the memorial for Draden.”

  “But that was just la
st year.”

  “I know.”

  “And was it fine?”

  He shrugs. “I guess.”

  “What did you do there?”

  “I didn’t do anything. I just… walked through and came back.”

  “What? Why?”

  “I think it has something to do with time. I think… there’s no time in there. Or… it, like, goes backwards or something.”

  “It’s like a reset?” I ask.

  He stops laughing. “Yeah.”

  And then at the same time we both say, “Draden.”

  “Shit,” he says. “So when Draden was thirteen he had this accident and everyone thought he was fine. But Serpint came to me when I got back from saving Jimmy at the Lair, and he told me that Crux told him that Draden died that day. That ALCOR let him fall and then… fixed him.”

  “Leveled him up,” I say.

  “Yes,” Luck says.

  “And the last time was when? When did that memorial ceremony happen?”

  “A few days after he died, I guess it was. Serpint came straight home, and then we all came straight home. And then as soon as I got to the station ALCOR took me aside and told me to meet him in here. And he made me walk through and come back.”

  “Holy fuck,” I say. “It’s a time machine.”

  “No,” Luck says. “No. I don’t think that’s what this is. I think it’s some kind of stop gate. Yeah. A stop gate. Because when I came back that last time I walked out into the concourse and I felt like I was from the future, but in the past. I can’t explain it. I think it stops things and then rewinds them.”

  I’m silent as he’s saying this. Because…

  “Hey, isn’t that kinda what you told me yesterday? That time rolls backwards when you… you know. Come.”

  I nod. “Yup,” I say. “That’s what I do. Part of it, anyway.”

  “How many times have the Cygnians… you know, actually used you?”

  “Me personally?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Never.” Then I reconsider. “At least, I don’t think so.” And then I’m sorry I said that because there’s a secret lurking just below the surface and we continue down this path of questioning it will try to come out. “But they have used other princesses. I know they ran some practice runs before they sent me out with Lyra.”

  “Practice runs,” Luck says. “With people who explode.”

  “It’s all pretty fucked up.” I sigh.

  “But… OK. Hold on. Let me regroup my thoughts. Because this wasn’t even why I brought you here.”

  “Why did you bring me here?”

  “Because I wanted to convince you my job isn’t boring. I do cool shit, Nyleena. Looking through ancient civilizations. I was just gonna impress you with the spin node first and then show you all the cool shit I’ve found over the years. Show you some vid of me kicking alien ass on dark stations. But I’ve been thinking about that too. And you know what?”

  I smile up at him. Because he’s right. He’s not boring. He’s pretty fucking amazing, actually. “What?”

  “If you want a ship, I’ll go with you. We can take your ship. I’ll be your partner. And we’ll take Ladybug and Cha-Cha.”

  “What about Lady Luck?” I say. “Won’t she feel left out?”

  “Valor can take care of her for a while. She’s just as much his as she is mine. I’m with you now. So if you need your own ship…” He shrugs. “Fuck it. I’ll go where you go.”

  He doesn’t say a single thing about Lyra. Not one word about me being a prisoner here on Harem Station.

  We stand there in silence for a few moments. I don’t know what Luck is thinking but I know what I’m thinking.

  This little puzzle hunt I’m on to get Crux that information to get me that ship… fuck that.

  I’m gonna hunt down all these answers people have been asking for, but not so I can get a ship.

  I’m gonna figure out what the hell ALCOR was up to. And what Tray and Valor are doing in that Pleasure Prison.

  Because I think all this stuff is related.

  Me.

  Corla.

  The virtual.

  Time.

  This spin-node galaxy.

  And now… the Succubus.

  She was nasty when she caught me. Simply nasty. Growling, and pacing, and circling me with her swishing dangerous tail. She gave me the creeps. And then she had us arrested by a whole crew of borgs who were not gentle. One of them even smacked Flicka and she bounced off a wall.

  I was pissed.

  But helpless, because they already had me cuffed.

  And that Succubus bitch just smirked at me. She’s evil, I decide.

  And Luck felt it too.

  She’s here for something and it’s got nothing to do with coaxing Asshole ALCOR into taking on more responsibility and helping out the Baby.

  I am a lot of things.

  I am mean. I am wild. I am savage.

  I am silver, I am dangerous, I am Luck’s.

  But above all else… I am a problem-solver.

  I admit defeat in my other problem.

  I’m in love with this crazy violet man. There’s no hope of breaking this soulmate bond and I’m probably stuck here on this station forever.

  But all the other questions… all the other assignments these people have asked me to figure out like this is some kind of crazy scavenger-hunt game…

  Well, they’re gonna regret that.

  Because now I just want answers and I will tear this whole station apart to get them.

  And I know just where to start.

  With Lyra.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE - LUCK

  Nyleena stands still and quiet just a little too long and it begins to make me nervous. A quiet Nyleena is a scheming Nyleena.

  “What are you thinking about?” I ask.

  She waits just long enough before she answers to let me know whatever she’s going to say isn’t really what she’s thinking about.

  “Do you think it’s programmed to go somewhere specific?” she asks. “Or did ALCOR program it each time and now it just goes there? To some random spot in that beautiful galaxy?”

  “I’m not sure. And I know it’s not safe to try, but I have this sudden overwhelming urge to walk into that thing.”

  “Don’t do it,” she says, squeezing my hand. “Please. Not until we know what it is.”

  “How will we ever know?”

  “We could ask Asshole ALCOR,” she says.

  “Like he’d tell us, even if he knew. And that’s risky too. Because he’s been inside the Pleasure Prison for decades. It’s possible he doesn’t even know about this. Fuck. I wish Real ALCOR was still alive.”

  “He is. In so many places.”

  “It’s not the same. I need that instance of ALCOR. Not the security instances. Not the Asshole. Not the Baby. Him. And he’s fucking gone.”

  “Maybe Tray knows something?” she offers.

  “Maybe,” I say. “But he can’t be trusted either. Whatever he and Valor are doing inside the Pleasure Prison, they’re guarding that secret closely. I don’t know what to make of that.”

  “But you’re guarding this secret closely too.”

  I look at Nyleena. Because she’s suddenly turned into the voice of reason. “Yeah.”

  “So maybe their secret is like this secret? And hey,” she says, perking up a little. “What if… what if ALCOR gave each of you secrets to keep separately until such a time that all the secrets are revealed to make one gorgeous scheming plan?”

  “Hmm,” I hum. “If that’s true, then why did Tray tell Valor?”

  “I dunno.” She shrugs. Then she’s quiet again. Clearly planning something. Finally she says, “If Crux had a secret he was supposed to keep, what would it be?”

  I think about this for a few moments. “Probably everything to do with Corla.”

  “OK. And if Serpint had a secret? What would that look like?”

  This one isn’t so easy. “I du
nno, Nyleena. He’s just a princess hunter. He’s not a very complicated guy, ya know?”

  “Maybe not. But he’s soulmated to a pretty kick-ass pink princess. There has to be a reason they made them mates. Don’t you think?”

  “If there is, I can’t imagine what it was.”

  “They have to complement each other.”

  “Why do they have to?”

  “Because that’s just how it works.”

  “Is it?” I chuckle. “Then how do we complement each other?”

  She holds up my hand, looks me in the eyes. And then drops it.

  The galaxy disappears and the spin node returns.

  “What do you think?” she asks.

  “Point made,” I say. Then grab her hand again because I feel like the spin node is calling me forward and I don’t want to accidentally walk in there.

  At least… not without her.

  “So there has to be something Serpint and Lyra do as a team. What about Jimmy? How are he and Delphi connected?”

  “They’re not, remember? He’s not her one. That kid who came back with us is.”

  “Oh, yeah,” she says. “I totally forgot about that.” She’s silent for a few moments, brain wheels spinning. “Well, that’s not good.”

  “Why not? They love each other. Should be OK.”

  “No. It’s not OK. Because if Delphi is connected to that kid, whatever his name is—”

  “Leonis,” I say.

  “Yeah, him. If she’s really connected to him then they have a purpose. And that means Jimmy’s connected to… gross.”

  “I know,” I say. “He’s connected to Veila. What could their purpose be?”

  “Take over the universe?”

  I laugh, then say, “That’s not even funny.”

  “No, it’s really not. But there has to be a connection.”

  “You don’t really know that, Nyleena. Just because we have this,” I say, raising our hands, “doesn’t mean anything.”

  “But it could.”

  “It could also just be your over-active scheme gene.”

  She huffs. But it’s a good-natured one. I can tell the difference now.

  “Who could Tray be connected to?” she asks.

  “I can’t even begin to imagine,” I say. Then I turn to her. “Do you know where any other princesses are? Or know their names and shit?”