The Colossus Collection : A Space Opera Adventure (Books 1-7 + Bonus Material)

by Nicole Grotepas

  Holly scrubbed her eyes and unlatched the harness. She twisted in the seat. Everyone else was gone.

  “I let you sleep longer, Drake. It makes no sense to make you more nervous. Now everyone is waiting. Go, and I will head back to Kota.” Trip stood up and waited for Holly.

  She was still disoriented as she rose and followed Trip through the cramped area of the bridge and the narrow corridor to the hatch. Distant clanking sounds reverberated through the Olavia Apollo from the tanker as a skeleton crew serviced the cruiser.

  Trip clattered down the open hatch gangway and waited for Holly on the flight deck of the tanker. Odeon now stood beside her.

  “I thought you were with the rest of the crew,” Holly said to him, her voice thick with sleep.

  “For a moment I was, but I came back for you.”

  “Thank you, but being on the tanker is less anxiety-inducing, Odeon.”

  “This exposure therapy is also helping, isn’t it?” He put an arm around her shoulder. Holly paused and looked back at Trip, who waited by her ship. One of Grant’s crew was speaking with the Centau pilot. Another crew member was back at the fueler disconnecting the fueling lines.

  “You heading back now?” Holly asked once Trip was done and the crew member walked off.

  Trip nodded. “Your little jaunts only keep me slightly above water,” Trip said using an Earth idiom. “Did I use that one correctly? Someone else chartered my vessel. Just came through. Otherwise I would stay here for a bit. Have a party with you.”

  “It’s always a party with us, Trip. You miss this one, there’ll be another.” Holly laughed.

  They said goodbye and Trip disappeared back up the gangway into the Olavia Apollo. One of the crew members from Grant’s team emerged from behind the ship and followed Holly and Odeon toward the narrow hatch that led into the corridors of the tanker. The shipment of hydrantium was stored in large compartments beneath their feet.

  “You’ve been getting better, Holly,” Odeon said, removing his arm. They walked single file through the corridors, and soon they heard voices ahead.

  “Could be. I’m not sure, still.”

  “If that’s because inside, you feel nervous, that’s OK. The Yasoan teacher, Raswai Se, spoke of the tenderness inside the bones. That is where everything is softest.”

  Holly furrowed her brow. “But that’s not even true.”

  “It is in one way. Marrow. Blood. One of the most important parts of physiology.”

  She nearly scoffed, but could see that her friend was serious, and they had arrived in the bridge of the tanker, so it wasn’t a good time to continue the philosophical conversation. Grant had taken a post at a center console where a holographic, interactive display hung in the air above it. Around the bridge there were screen displays lit with the solar system outside the tanker. Grant stood, back straight, his arms crossed behind him in the small of his back, his face serious like a military commander. For a moment the strength in his demeanor struck her and she felt drawn to him, and then it passed as Grant began delivering orders to his crew.

  Shiro and Xadrian were relaxing on benches built into the perimeter bulkhead of the bridge. As Holly and Odeon approached them, their feet clanking against the metal flooring, Xadrian began to rub his hands together as though he were nervous.

  One of the crew members spoke, informing Grant that Trip had left their proximity and they could begin their own course toward Po. Grant asked his pilot if he had their course plotted. The pilot delivered an affirmative, mentioning travel times, and then Grant gave him the go-ahead to engage the ship’s aether drive engines.

  Moving on the large tanker felt nothing like flying on a zeppelin, or like the Olavia Apollo. It felt more like being on the base around Ixion—so large, it hardly seemed like a ship.

  But her mind knew. And a lick of anxiety fluttered up from her guts.

  Shiro exchanged a look with Odeon and Holly as they approached. Xadrian muttered something and Holly cocked her head to hear it, but only caught cussing. Shiro appeared annoyed as he nodded a curt greeting at Odeon.

  “I see you’ve awakened, Ms. Drake,” Shiro said, pressing his lips together. “I’m glad Odeon was there to escort you to the bridge.”

  She smiled. “I don’t need escorts, Shiro. But I didn’t mind the company.”

  This appeared to bother Shiro even more. “He’s not bad company.”

  Odeon caught Holly’s eye. “He’s annoyed. I insisted he escort this one to the bridge to make sure he didn’t get into trouble.” One end of the Ousaba touched Xadrian’s shoulder.

  “Excuse me. I don’t appreciate the liberties you’re taking with my personal space.” Xadrian pushed the Ousaba club away with one finger. “Thank you.”

  “No sense of humor,” Odeon said shaking his head.

  “Says a Druiviin,” Xadrian said, distracted, watching Grant deliver commands. “The most humorless race in the Yol system.”

  “I think that title belongs to Constellations,” Shiro pointed out.

  “Or Centau,” Odeon agreed, noting that his crew-mate was taking his side.

  “Or them, yes,” Shiro agreed.

  “What’s happening?” Xadrian whispered, urgently.

  Holly turned her attention to Grant immediately, expecting to see him calm and standing beside the holographic display. He was still beside it, but his shoulders were tense and he gripped the edge of the console, bent in a posture of worry.

  3

  Someone squeezed her arm. Holly jerked awake.

  She tried to leap out of her seat, but the harness held her in.

  “Transfer time,” Trip was saying, a look of laughter in her normally serious eyes. She ran a hand across the stubble of her skull. “We’re there. You’re going with Grant now.”

  Holly scrubbed her eyes and unlatched the harness. She twisted in the seat. Everyone else was gone.

  “I let you sleep longer, Drake. It makes no sense to make you more nervous. Now everyone is waiting. Go, and I will head back to Kota.” Trip stood up and waited for Holly.

  She was still disoriented as she rose and followed Trip through the cramped area of the bridge and the narrow corridor to the hatch. Distant clanking sounds reverberated through the Olavia Apollo from the tanker as a skeleton crew serviced the cruiser.

  Trip clattered down the open hatch gangway and waited for Holly on the flight deck of the tanker. Odeon now stood beside her.

  “I thought you were with the rest of the crew,” Holly said to him, her voice thick with sleep.

  “For a moment I was, but I came back for you.”

  “Thank you, but being on the tanker is less anxiety-inducing, Odeon.”

  “This exposure therapy is also helping, isn’t it?” He put an arm around her shoulder. Holly paused and looked back at Trip, who waited by her ship. One of Grant’s crew was speaking with the Centau pilot. Another crew member was back at the fueler disconnecting the fueling lines.

  “You heading back now?” Holly asked once Trip was done and the crew member walked off.

  Trip nodded. “Your little jaunts only keep me slightly above water,” Trip said using an Earth idiom. “Did I use that one correctly? Someone else chartered my vessel. Just came through. Otherwise I would stay here for a bit. Have a party with you.”

  “It’s always a party with us, Trip. You miss this one, there’ll be another.” Holly laughed.

  They said goodbye and Trip disappeared back up the gangway into the Olavia Apollo. One of the crew members from Grant’s team emerged from behind the ship and followed Holly and Odeon toward the narrow hatch that led into the corridors of the tanker. The shipment of hydrantium was stored in large compartments beneath their feet.

  “You’ve been getting better, Holly,” Odeon said, removing his arm. They walked single file through the corridors, and soon they heard voices ahead.

  “Could be. I’m not sure, still.”

  “If that’s because inside, you feel nervous, that’s OK. The Y
asoan teacher, Raswai Se, spoke of the tenderness inside the bones. That is where everything is softest.”

  Holly furrowed her brow. “But that’s not even true.”

  “It is in one way. Marrow. Blood. One of the most important parts of physiology.”

  She nearly scoffed, but could see that her friend was serious, and they had arrived in the bridge of the tanker, so it wasn’t a good time to continue the philosophical conversation. Grant had taken a post at a center console where a holographic, interactive display hung in the air above it. Around the bridge there were screen displays lit with the solar system outside the tanker. Grant stood, back straight, his arms crossed behind him in the small of his back, his face serious like a military commander. For a moment the strength in his demeanor struck her and she felt drawn to him, and then it passed as Grant began delivering orders to his crew.

  Shiro and Xadrian were relaxing on benches built into the perimeter bulkhead of the bridge. As Holly and Odeon approached them, their feet clanking against the metal flooring, Xadrian began to rub his hands together as though he were nervous.

  One of the crew members spoke, informing Grant that Trip had left their proximity and they could begin their own course toward Po. Grant asked his pilot if he had their course plotted. The pilot delivered an affirmative, mentioning travel times, and then Grant gave him the go-ahead to engage the ship’s aether drive engines.

  Moving on the large tanker felt nothing like flying on a zeppelin, or like the Olavia Apollo. It felt more like being on the base around Ixion—so large, it hardly seemed like a ship.

  But her mind knew. And a lick of anxiety fluttered up from her guts.

  Shiro exchanged a look with Odeon and Holly as they approached. Xadrian muttered something and Holly cocked her head to hear it, but only caught cussing. Shiro appeared annoyed as he nodded a curt greeting at Odeon.

  “I see you’ve awakened, Ms. Drake,” Shiro said, pressing his lips together. “I’m glad Odeon was there to escort you to the bridge.”

  She smiled. “I don’t need escorts, Shiro. But I didn’t mind the company.”

  This appeared to bother Shiro even more. “He’s not bad company.”

  Odeon caught Holly’s eye. “He’s annoyed. I insisted he escort this one to the bridge to make sure he didn’t get into trouble.” One end of the Ousaba touched Xadrian’s shoulder.

  “Excuse me. I don’t appreciate the liberties you’re taking with my personal space.” Xadrian pushed the Ousaba club away with one finger. “Thank you.”

  “No sense of humor,” Odeon said shaking his head.

  “Says a Druiviin,” Xadrian said, distracted, watching Grant deliver commands. “The most humorless race in the Yol system.”

  “I think that title belongs to Constellations,” Shiro pointed out.

  “Or Centau,” Odeon agreed, noting that his crew-mate was taking his side.

  “Or them, yes,” Shiro agreed.

  “What’s happening?” Xadrian whispered, urgently.

  Holly turned her attention to Grant immediately, expecting to see him calm and standing beside the holographic display. He was still beside it, but his shoulders were tense and he gripped the edge of the console, bent in a posture of worry.

  4

  “This is precisely what I needed, Ms. Drake. A sunny vacation in an opulent resort. With the best Yasoan entertainment, courtesy of Odeon’s talented parents.”

  Odeon scoffed. “They’re not so talented.”

  “They’re the best, Odeon.”

  “That is their belief.” Odeon frowned, his face somber as he stared at the nearest wing of the Opal Resort, where they had retreated to while Trip saw to her ship on the Itzcap space platform. Several balconies faced the pool. People drank early afternoon cocktails and leaned over the bannisters of their decks, watching what was happening out on the beach and immediately below them, where Holly was seated. Beyond a barrier of green foliage behind them, there was the distant sound of waves crashing against the beach.

  “I’ve heard them. Their egos match their skill.” Shiro leaned back in his chair and stretched. The sunlight hit the soft brown of his cheeks. He loosened his bowtie, then, as though realizing he could remove it, he did just that. He also removed his bowler and set it on the table and scrubbed his fingers through his thick black hair. Beside them, guests splashed in the luxurious swimming pool. Trees with broad flat leaves arched across a narrow isthmus in the pool where a footbridge crossed it. An amorous couple leaned against the railing of the bridge, their heads close together as they conversed.

  Holly sipped a cocktail that Shiro had brought back from the poolside bar. It was sweet. Too sweet. But, she thought, when in Rome…

  Her thoughts drifted to the source of yet another vague expression, then danced away again. There was no time for idle thoughts. What the hell was going on with the Shadow Coalition? Trying to uphold her end of the bargain with Xadrian had been a massive disaster. The tanker was now gone. Xadrian was somewhere in the resort, seething still, as though it were Holly’s intention to get his pay-off stolen. Trip was back out on the platform, her ship being serviced and Holly knew she had no choice but to pay for the damage to the Centau’s ship, and on top of that, pay her extra to make up the difference she had lost in turning down whoever had chartered the Olavia Apollo. Money didn’t matter so much, but well, a girl had to eat. And pay for her living arrangements. Sure, she’d gotten a condo outside the expensive jade districts back on Kota, but it still cost her. And it wasn’t as though “Dave” had any new jobs for her, now that they’d gotten the child-slaves off the hydrantium mining station orbiting Ixion.

  So what next?

  She needed a large influx of money. And she had no prospects.

  “How’s your drink?” Shiro asked her.

  “What?” Holly asked, returning to the present. “Oh, it’s fine. Thanks. Delicious.”

  “You hate it, my dear, it’s written all over your face. But,” he said, raising a finger. His other hand was positioned on the shaft of the lionhead cane, which rested across their table, “you would never know unless you tried it. I’m doing you the favor of introducing you to the delights of mixed drinks. Beer and wine are not all there is, you know.”

  “It’s very sweet. You’re right. But it wouldn’t be my first choice.”

  “When did you last order something new? Something you didn’t know the taste of already?”

  The sun was hot on her legs. Her black trousers weren’t ideal for lazing in the sun. The nearby pool absorbed her attention—it would cool her off to jump in. She shrugged. “When was the last time you took a dip? Go ahead, Shiro, jump in.” She wished she could.

  “Alright Drake,” Darius said, suddenly, in her ear. “The Copper Nebula, a class B zeppelin will be leaving tomorrow, Itzcap Global Time at fifteen hundred hours. So,” he paused, figuring it out as Holly tried to calculate it as well, “you have a night there. You’ll need to be on the orbital platform at two in the afternoon.”

  He was quicker than Holly at mathematical and time calculations.

  “Book it. Though,” she groaned, “that’s so long to just wait.”

  “Forced vacation. We need it,” Shiro said. “You never take a vacation, Ms. Drake, except for that time you vanished to the north and nearly got yourself killed.”

  Holly gave him a look. “That was business.”

  “Booking it now,” Darius said. “How many? Trip’s not going. She’ll come back when her ship is fixed. Grant. His crew. You lot, my crew. That it, then?”

  Shiro sighed. “Don’t forget the flamboyant Xadrian. The cause of all our current grief.”

  “Got it.” There was a pause, and then Darius said, “You’re all in. Best not miss it. There’s not another for three more days.”

  “I think I’ll go see my grandmother now that we’re trapped here,” Odeon said. “I prefer not to see Socrates and Athena.”

  “Your parents?” Holly asked, squinting against the sun th
at had crested the ring of trees lining the pool.

  “Yes,” he admitted.

  “That’s up to you, Odeon, of course.”

  “We have hours here, then.” Shiro rose. “I’m going to buy swimming trunks. Anyone else?”

  Though it sounded tempting Holly turned it down. “Not for me, Shiro, thanks.”

  “Hey girl!” Charly’s voice said, startling Holly, who jumped in her seat and cursed.

  “Charly,” Odeon said, smiling. It was the first time he’d smiled since arriving on Itzcap. Shiro excused himself. Holly sipped her drink again. It was sweet, but it was also cold. “You are a voice for worn ears.”

  “Thanks Ode,” Charly said. “Happy to hear your voice too. What a day, right?”

  “We’re OK. That’s all that matters.”

  “Look guys, we’re gonna need some money. I’m laying here in my bed, beginning to fall asleep, thinking about this job I heard about.”

  Holly sat forward. “From who?”

  “Doesn’t matter who,” Charly said.

  “Of course it does,” Holly said.

  “Well, fine, then. A Centau. But that’s all you need to know.”

  “Centau always work in government. Except Trip. And maybe a few others. So, I’m immediately suspicious, Charly,” Holly said, sitting back and grabbing her cocktail for another long drink.

  “I’m sick of the jobs we’ve been doing. We need this. Something to spice it up. Real money, bitches,” Charly said.

  “I’m in, whatever it is, if there’s money,” Darius said over the earpiece.

  Holly exchanged a look with Odeon. His smile had faded and he seemed worried.

  “I think I can safely say, chaps, that I am also in. You know how my morals work.”

  Holly resisted the urge to say something negative. She couldn’t really fault any of them for looking out for number one, but—still not knowing what the job was—she did know that she wouldn’t just barge into a position that violated her own code.