“It's just surveillance, there won't be any action,” his CO had said to the administrators who had quibbled about endangering others not in the know. “And besides, they're all soldiers, aren't they? They're not exactly helpless.”
No, they weren't helpless, Ben thought as he saw them coming toward him on an open hover, a second hover following behind them with the supplies. But they thought this was a safe place to be, a place for personal challenges, not outside danger.
And if he and his team were right, that wasn't an accurate assessment of the situation at all.
Chapter 5
Ben had asked for the files of everyone who'd be on the trail with him, and while he knew Lenny Fraouk and Soo Willis were both from Bodivas and knew each other from previous assignments, they hadn't worked together recently. Frangi Torvil and Tally Riva had never met each other or the others, but you wouldn't think that, looking at them.
It must have been a friendly trip out from Situ, because they behaved like a unit when they arrived, jumping down and helping each other with bags and joking amongst themselves.
Ben's lips quirked up. If he'd been a genuine Trailer, why, his feelings would have been hurt at how left out he felt.
Irwin waded into the camaraderie, trying to assert his leadership with the subtlety of a wrecking ball, and failing.
Ben felt eyes on him, turned his head, and found Tally Riva watching him. Her face was tight, the humor and teasing he'd seen from her only minutes before gone.
There was something fragile about her, and yet, he knew she must be incredibly resilient and tough. She'd survived on her own, with almost no food or water, alone on a dark ghost ship, and had somehow managed to work out how to shear off part of it to save herself from the Caruso. He'd seen the full file, and he had read between the lines that her commanding officer was both impressed and worried about what she'd managed to do.
There was a footnote from a Dr. Vetna which mentioned hallucinations, and Ben guessed being in the pitch dark for two weeks on an unknown ship with the body of your teammate nearby might send anyone a little mad.
Her involvement was the only thing that had given him pause. He'd looked up at his CO after reading her file, and Reskit had grunted, his lips twisted in acknowledgment.
“Can't be helped. She was fast-tracked, because the sooner she's more herself, the sooner they'll get more out of her. And it doesn't hurt to have her out of reach for two weeks. Her CO doesn't want her talking to anyone if he can help it.”
“The Trail isn't some magic solution, though. There's no guarantee she'll recover.” Ben couldn't understand the reasoning behind it at all.
Reskit had shrugged. “It's the best way to bring her out of herself, the experts say. Give her something to do that isn't life or death, and give her more control over her environment than she had before.”
He was just here for reconnaissance, there should be no life or death about it, Ben reminded himself as he looked into her blue eyes, almost too big in her face. They were in sharp contrast to the warm brown of her skin, and her golden brown hair, which was pulled back into a knot at her nape.
Nevertheless, guilt and a surge of protectiveness at what they'd dropped her into washed over him as he took in her almost too-sharp cheekbones and the slenderness of her body.
He moved toward her, hand outstretched for the standard Arkhoran greeting, and then stopped in surprise as she stepped toward him, her own hand outstretched, and grabbed his hand before he could hook his thumb around hers and curl his fingers around the back of her hand, and instead gave his hand a firm shake.
They both paused awkwardly, and he realized she was as surprised as he was at what she'd done.
“My apologies,” he said, as he watched her cheeks flush. “I'm so used to the Arkhoran greeting, I didn't think.”
“No, I'm sorry.” She looked stricken. “I wasn't paying attention, myself.”
What was left unsaid was the handshake she'd given him was not the Raxian greeting, either. He didn't know where it came from.
It looked like she didn't either.
“I'm Ben Guthrie.”
“Tally Riva.” She curled her left fingers over her right in the standard Raxian greeting this time. “We didn't know if you'd already be here.”
“I was dropped off last night,” he said, then turned as Lenny shouted to Tally to come help with the supplies.
He walked with her, letting her introduce him to the others, and he began helping unload while Irwin spoke to the hover pilot who'd brought them and the supplies over from the hoverpad.
Ben kept the two men in his peripheral vision, feeling a faint tingle of suspicion at the way they huddled together, but then Irwin clapped the pilot on the back and stepped away, and Ben saw the flicker of annoyance on the pilot's face, and the tingle dissipated. It was just Irwin being Irwin.
“Have you all worked together before?” Ben asked Lenny as he and the big Bodivan carried a heavy box to the front of the supply station. He knew they hadn't, but it was a reasonable question for someone who hadn't seen their files to ask.
Lenny shook his head. “You could say we had a bonding moment on the way over, when we spoke about why we were sent on the Trail.”
“I'm sorry I missed it.” He didn't know if that sentence was a lie or not. It was better if he didn't get too close to his fellow Trailers. He wasn't being honest with them, after all, but it wouldn't hurt to be part of a good team, especially if things went sideways.
“We'll give you your chance to bare your soul.” Lenny's mouth twitched.
They set the box down, and turned to see the three women carrying the last of the supplies, and the hover disappearing into the falling dark.
“That's the last contact we'll have with the runner until we reach the exit point at Rainerville.” Irwin grinned at them and rubbed his hands together. “We're on our own.”
“Well, not really,” Soo said, setting down her box. “I'm in charge of comms, and we can actually contact them any time we want to.”
Irwin frowned at her. “It's true that we can, but we don't. Not unless there's trouble.”
“Sure,” Soo agreed easily, and Ben thought she was very carefully not looking at Tally. “But we can if we want to. For any reason.”
“There's never been a reason. Not on my trips.” Irwin strode through them and into the station. “Let's get this stuff moved inside and sort it into piles.”
“Where's the supply hover that'll be coming with us?” Frangi called after him.
Irwin didn't answer her.
She waited a moment and then made a face.
“I saw it around the side. I'll get it.” Ben started walking that way, and Lenny fell into step with him.
“That guy always an asshole?” he asked as they unhooked the supply hover and began towing it around.
“So far.” Ben sent him a quick grin. “But I've only been here a day. Maybe he improves.”
“Pity we got him. I know someone who's done the Trail, they liked their guide.”
Ben shrugged. “It seems to be luck of the draw.”
He knew that for a fact. His CO had tried to see if they could influence who led the trip, find the most experienced guide, but there was a roster, and all kinds of questions would be asked if they tried to mess with it. In the end, it hadn't been worth raising any suspicions.
And Irwin might not be the most experienced, but he was experienced enough. This would be his third year working the Trail.
As long as the guide didn't get in his way, he'd put up with him.
Probably.
Chapter 6
Tally was awake when the sun rose, gently lighting the semi-opaque domed roof over the room she, Frangi and Soo had commandeered for themselves.
She'd jerked awake over and over again in the night, the sound of leaves and small twigs falling from the overhanging trees above to skitter and slide over the roof was too close to the strange sounds her imagination had conjured up on the gh
ost ship.
They had unpacked the supplies last night, each taking charge of their assigned part, and stacked the supply hover that would follow behind them on the trail.
She'd packed a feast for their last night, and then worked backwards, smiling at what she'd managed to requisition.
It seemed no one was going to tell her 'no' when it came to food on this trip, and she'd pushed it as far as she thought she could go.
She grinned as she imagined the faces of everyone starting at lunch today, when they got to their first stop.
Irwin was responsible for breakfast this morning, but after that, she would take charge.
Her thoughts jumped from the surly, overbearing Irwin to the quiet, dangerous Ben, and her grin faded.
Her newly heightened senses had shot into overdrive when she'd met him yesterday.
While she fought the prickle of reaction that swept through her when she first saw him, she acknowledged she'd have known, even before her little helpers took up residence, what he was.
A warrior.
Her cheeks flushed again at the memory of him extending his hand. She'd been so busy fighting herself, so busy trying to feel normal again, she'd reacted automatically--taken his hand without thinking. And her little helpers had run things for a second or two.
Whatever that greeting had been, it was nothing she was familiar with.
She shivered and tried to push the thought away. She was tired.
Tired of fighting herself, of being fearful of what was inside her.
And yet, she wasn't willing to give up. Or speak more frankly with Dr. Vetna or anyone else to see if they could find out what it was.
She knew she was being illogical, and wondered if her reluctance to speak was her own doing, or something that was coming from whatever had gotten inside her. It was in its best interests to stay hidden, after all.
She sighed, and sat up as Frangi stirred.
Soo groaned, lifted the covers over her blue black hair, and tried to burrow deeper into her pillow.
“Is the comms equipment unpacked?” Frangi stood and walked over to Soo's bed. There was a jerky, almost nervous energy about her.
Soo made what sounded like a grunt of confirmation.
“Could I use it?”
Soo pulled the covers down a little, so one hazel eye was showing. “You could. Why would you?”
“Because a special . . . friend gave me his call signature for written comms and I want to let him know I'm here safely and that I'll be in touch in two weeks.”
There it was again, that slightly nervous edge to Frangi's voice.
“What's the call signature?” Soo pushed up on her elbows.
Frangi squirmed. “I'm not sure I'm allowed to say. Or that he was allowed to give it to me.”
Soo rolled her eyes. “Okay, go ahead. But depending where he is, it'll most likely be on relay. He might get it after we've finished the Trail.”
“That's better than nothing.” Frangi lifted her shoulders.
“You serious about him?” Tally asked her.
Frangi sent her a sudden, blinding smile, but there was a hint of vulnerability there, as well.
“Yes. Yes, I am.”
“And he's Kalastoni?” Soo asked.
“He is.” She edged toward the door. “He's in comms, like you, so he'll be watching for the message.”
“Where's he stationed?” Soo was obviously trying to work out the call signature.
“He's on a deep space repair job. I'm not sure of the ship's name.” She was at the door now, clearly eager to be off.
“You'll need the start-up code,” Soo said, voice still a little croaky, and called out a list of numbers.
Frangi mouthed them silently, gave a nod and disappeared.
“You also have a lover somewhere?” Soo asked.
Tally shook her head. “You?”
“Sort of. We were getting there, until a spider bit me on the backside.”
“Bodivan?” Tally asked on a laugh.
“No.” Soo grinned, wriggled her eyebrows. “She's Arkhoran.” She paused, and seemed to go inward, her expression pensive.
Tally knew Soo wasn't just here because she'd been bitten in the line of duty. There was more to the story, and she was using the fact the bite had been on her behind to avoid talking about it.
She must have been involved in some official action on Garmen. They wouldn't have given her a coveted place on the Trail for anything less.
A chime sounded from somewhere inside the building, and Tally scooped up some clothes to head to the bathroom. “Looks like we're about to start the Trail.”
Soo gave another groan and pulled the blanket over her head.
* * *
The sweat and heat felt good.
Tally had run on indoor trainers since she'd left Dr. Vetna's med bay, staying shipside until she landed on Veltos last night.
Pushing through the thick, green foliage of Veltos was a pleasure in comparison.
She knew high-level maneuverings must have happened to have gotten her on the Veltos Trail so quickly after her recovery, jumping her ahead in the queue, and she had resented it at the time.
This was just a path through a forest.
She understood the significance of it, how the very heroism of what happened on this trail helped keep spirits up during the Faldine War, but she hadn't bought into the legend--impressive though it was. The journey undertaken by a small group of soldiers from a variety of Verdant String planets, who'd been shot down on Veltos during the war and had walked for weeks to the enemy base deep in the forest, and then had singlehandedly destroyed it, preventing a sneak attack that might have changed the course of the war.
They were heroes, and within the ranks of the Verdant String Coalition military it had become a privilege to walk in their footsteps, earned by being injured while on duty. Slowly, over time, it had morphed from merely an honor to a rite of passage, a way to help heal the mental scars of trauma.
The Faldine War had only been over for a few years, and already, this trail was immortalized.
But now she was actually here, Tally felt the prickle of portent, could understand the sense those who'd gone before her had felt of being part of something bigger.
The trail snaked through the trees, easier now than it would have been when Commander Rainer had first come through with her team of survivors from the wreck of the VSCS Dortmond. The way was not officially maintained, but Irwin explained that each group that walked the trail was expected to pull up growth on the path when they saw it, and cut back branches that had started to grow across and block the path.
He carried the tools to do so in his own pack, either doing it himself or handing it to one of them to take care of, keeping the pace easy.
They had settled into an order, Irwin at the front, just behind the supply hover, with Lenny right behind him, then Soo, Frangi, herself, and finally Ben at the back.
They were strung out, not right on top of each other, and she liked it that way. It almost gave a sense of walking on her own, although she could see Frangi's tight, compact build just up ahead of her, and could hear Ben's easy, unhurried steps behind her.
She frowned at that.
The sound of the birds and animals, the rustle of the branches, had made hearing him difficult earlier, but she could hear him clearly now.
A ripple ran through her, the tingle and prickle of adrenalin that seemed to be ever present since she'd picked up that metal bead on the ghost ship.
She turned to look over her shoulder at Ben as she fought the sensation, when suddenly the quiet was broken by a rumble. It started faintly, as if from far away, and then the ground beneath her feet bucked and rippled. She was thrown to the ground, her eyes trying to make sense of what they were seeing, and then Ben was beside her, his gaze up at the sky, rather than on the ground.
She was just wondering why when, with a crack, one of the trees up ahead fell slowly, twisting as it went down.
&n
bsp; “You all right?” Ben raised his voice over the rumble that was still going on and on, and she nodded. She pushed herself to her feet, finding her balance as the ground continued to shake.
The rest of the group was crouched down in the middle of the path. They'd backed away when the tree had come down, and were in a tight circle around the supply hover, all looking up as other trees came down in the forest around them, some catching on other trees, and balancing at precarious angles.
The rumble suddenly cut off. The vibrations coming from the ground persisted for a moment longer, and then everything was still except for the groaning of broken trees leaning against their neighbors, and the snap of their branches as gravity pulled them toward the ground.
“Careful,” Ben called out as the others started to straighten up. “There could be aftershocks.”
As he spoke, the ground shuddered again, and then stilled. Then shuddered one more time.
Almost straight after it faded, the birds started calling each other again, and Tally could hear the rustle of tiny bodies running across dried leaves.
The aftershocks had shaken more than one fallen tree loose from its position, and the crash and snap of wood sounded from around them.
“I didn't realize there was any seismic activity predicted on Veltos while we were here.” Tally looked around her, saw at least twenty trees were down on both sides of the path. There may be more blocking the way up ahead, but it looked like only one had fallen across their route in the immediate area.
“I didn't either.” Ben was looking at a small screen strapped to his wrist, his expression grim. “That was a major tectonic shift, by the standard measure.” He seemed a little agitated. “Veltos is known to get them regularly, but a big one like this wasn't predicted for another two months.”
“There isn't anyone else on Veltos, though, except the small contingent at Rainerville, is there?” She hoped not. While the damage had been significant here, at least there were no buildings, no large population of people.
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