As We Rise: Rogue (As We Rise Saga Book 1)

by Donnielle Tyner

  “Raiden’s reaction to her presence on the Kismet would indicate that they would be happy to know she is safe,” Sky mused.

  “But what if they take her and use her in their schemes,” Haedus whispered harshly. “Besides, we don’t know if she would want to go with them.”

  “You’re right, Haedus. We shouldn’t be discussing Rana’s fate without her opinion.” Jo sighed and rubbed the base of her neck. Her father never trained her to navigate the nuances of political revolutions. She’d have to wing it. “Sky, talk to Rana and send me a private comm with her thoughts. I’ll keep you appraised on the discussions tonight, and together we will make an informed decision.”

  Sky nodded and walked back to the ship without looking back. Deviant watched Sky’s retreat with curiosity but didn’t question it. Raiden gave Jo a knowing look, which she returned with a small smile. He hadn’t exposed Rana. Jo swelled with joy at Raiden’s confidence, and another chunk of the wall around her heart fell. An aching part of her still refused to rush into trusting him.

  She needed time. Time to think and unravel everything that she discovered this cycle before she committed to anything. Time she didn’t have. Her natural reaction was to rush into danger without thinking, but this was bigger than her. Bigger than the Kismet because she knew if she embraced Raiden into her life, she would be accepting the CCI along with him. It didn’t matter what he said about leaving, the insurgence had been his life’s mission, and she couldn’t ask him to give it up for her. It would be like him asking her to leave the Kismet. She couldn’t imagine it.

  Jo sent a comm to Elek informing him of Deviant’s offer and asking the crew to remain silent on their passenger. Deviant must have requested silence from his crew as well. His contingent of soldiers had dispersed, and it was only the four of them, quiet and small in the massive hangar bay. Jo sauntered over to Deviant. As she grew closer, she had to tilt her head to look him in eye. Jo should have felt intimated, but she didn’t. His aura was too serene and projected comfort.

  “So, what’s for dinner?”

  Twenty-Five

  Jo found herself smiling throughout the meal. She enjoyed Deviant and his company. They were a rowdy bunch, much like her own crew. As the meal progressed, every member of the Kismet gradually relaxed, finding camaraderie with Deviant’s crew of civilian soldiers. Even Siaren found his own little clique among the Deliverance engineering department. She enjoyed watching him talk animatedly with them, probably about reactors and wires or whatever it is engineers prattle on about with each other.

  “Captain, how was your food?” Deviant leaned across the table so Jo could hear him over the cacophony of many conversations happening at once.

  “It was delicious, especially this dessert. I’ve never tasted anything like it.”

  Deviant beamed. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s called koukum. We make it by grinding the beans of a kouku tree into a powder and mixing it with grain, milk, and honey before baking. For our people, to offer it to a guest is the ultimate welcome. It seemed fitting for this occasion.”

  “You honor us then, Deviant,” Jo smiled as she licked the spoon coated with the residue of her koukum dish.

  “It is you who have honored me.” Deviant’s smile faltered as he glanced at Raiden, who was shoveling dessert into his mouth and not paying attention to the conversation. “May I speak freely with you Captain?”

  “Yes, and you may call me Jo,” she offered, trying to not let the suspicion tinge her voice. Jo had noticed over the evening that Deviant, although seemingly authentic, was a master at putting the people around him at ease and speaking diplomatically. The artful way he communicated kept Jo from completely lowering her shields.

  “Raiden informed me that you recently ascended to the captain’s chair after the passing of your father.”

  Jo nodded stiffly. She did not want to engage in conversation about her father with this man, no matter how hospitable he and his crew had been.

  “I’m sorry for your loss. You and I are siblings in our sorrow.” He sighed. Silence stretched between them as Jo’s thoughts wandered to memories of her father. At the sight of his far-off expression, she assumed Deviant was doing the same. She wondered how Apollo would have handled the situation if he were still alive. Her subconscious couldn’t provide her answers because he likely wouldn’t have been desperate enough to accept a contract with Eltanin, especially since it involved the military corporation. Deviant cleared his throat, jerking Jo’s attention back to the present. “Raiden also tells me you have struggled to find your place without your father.”

  “Raiden tells you many things he shouldn’t.” Jo turned her glare to the man sitting beside her. Raiden smiled softly, his eyes apologetic.

  “He’s my closest friend. I never told him a thing he couldn’t discover on the CyNet.”

  “Don’t be upset with Rai, we are not used to keeping secrets from each other. It’s difficult for the both of us, but I cannot fault him for wanting to keep you in his confidence.”

  “Mmmm.” Jo didn’t know what to say about this revelation. She had never had a person in her life with whom she shared everything. She was open with her father, but only with details regarding her work and most day to day affairs. As her father, there were certain ordeals, mainly details about her love life, he didn’t need to know about. The thought saddened her. Maybe she should have opened up more.

  “My point, Jo, is that I would like to discuss the possibility for a lucrative contract between the Kismet and myself. A few corporations have secretly invested in the insurgence, and we predict more will join. Not all members of parliament are happy with the recent changes. They have become paranoid, especially with the recent disappearances of many corporate employees and the chancellor’s daughter.” He paused to take a sip from his cup, and Jo tried not to act as if she knew the fate of all the missing people. How did one pretend they didn’t know about containers of corpses jettisoned into a sun?

  “As I was saying, with the corporations’ sponsorship, we have the means to send food, clothing, and medical supplies to the settlements that need it the most, but as you saw in my hangar, we only carry strikers. We need cargo vessels capable of transferring those much-needed supplies. The only risk to you is that on your return trips, there will be the occasional supply of weapons, and I request that you be open to bringing anyone who wants to join the insurgence. If you agree to work with us, I will draw up an official contract between the Kismet and my charity foundation Simple Mercies. It will be filed through official channels, so you won’t have issues at port. You will have regular deposits into your accounts in the amount we agree upon at signing, and I am willing to offer repairs if you happen to run into trouble with the syndicates again or, stars forbid, the GCM.”

  Jo sat back and crossed her arms. “That’s a generous offer for a newly appointed young captain.”

  “I too am young and newly appointed.”

  “And will this offer become void if I tell Raiden to take a spacewalk without an envirosuit?”

  Deviant barked out a laugh, so loud it quieted the immediate conversations around them. Jo glanced at Raiden, who smiled affectionately at his friend before turning to her.

  “No, we need trustworthy ships, but having him on your crew manifest wouldn’t be a bad thing. Right, Rai?”

  “I’m practically crew already.”

  “You are, huh?” Jo smirked.

  “All I need is an official job.” Raiden returned her smile, placed his hand on her thigh, and squeezed it tenderly.

  Jo’s UAB chimed softly from under the table. She waited until Raiden and Deviant were deep in discussion about matters on their home world before she dared to look at the message.

  Rana has decided to inform Deviant of her presence. She expresses the desire to stay about the Kismet when we depart. What are your orders?

  Shock stilled Jo from typing a response right away. Jo had been certain Rana would be against speaking with the CCI due
to her Elitian upbringing. But Jo really didn’t know the woman, and her people did attempt to murder her. She typed a quick response to Sky to bring Rana out to meet Deviant. Then she sent another to her crew to be on guard. Jo wished she could expound upon her orders, but she didn’t want to risk drawing Deviant’s attention and exposing Rana before she was ready. She watched as her crew read her message, each giving her a subtle nod.

  It happened slowly. Conversations dwindled as Sky led Rana into the dining hall. When Sky stepped aside and Rana strode forward, hands clasped demurely in front of her but her head held high, the entire hall filled with silence. Deviant was the last to notice the new arrival, but when he recognized the woman who captured the attention of his crew, he stood abruptly.

  At his sudden movement, the crew from the Kismet jumped from their positions and formed a makeshift circle around Rana. Deviant’s crew stood, their hands hovering over their sidearms as they eyed Jo’s people. Jo calmly stood and stepped into Deviant’s line of sight. He veered his gaze from her to Raiden, who had joined Jo.

  “You have the chancellor’s daughter. How?” Deviant’s jovial face showed no emotion, and Jo was unnerved by the abrupt change in his attitude. She ventured a glance to Raiden, who nodded at her encouragingly.

  “Do you want the long or short story?”

  “Short for now. You can tell me the long version when the tension has settled.”

  “We signed a contract with Advisor Eltanin to destroy some military waste and discovered Rana inside one of the crates, among the corpses of those missing corporation employees. We’ve been hiding her ever since.” Jo deemed it prudent to keep her hesitation in waking Rana a secret.

  “I see. Why have you waited until now to bring her out?”

  “It wasn’t my decision to reveal her. In my opinion, the fewer people who know her whereabouts, the better, but she made the choice.” Jo motioned for her crew to stand down. They returned to their seats, followed by Deviant’s people. Rana approached Deviant, stopping when she drew up next to Jo. She bent at the waist, sinking into a low bow that Elitian women reserved for powerful men in society. Jo curled her lip in disgust, but didn’t stop Rana. If the woman wanted to cling to the misogynist customs of her people, who was Jo to judge?

  “Please don’t. Not here. Not with me,” Deviant begged, looking rather uncomfortable with Rana’s display.

  “I am sorry for disturbing you, sir, but it is dictated that all Elitian women must show the proper respect to men in authority.” Rana’s voice was smooth and low, much different from how she spoke to those on the Kismet.

  “Well you’re not on Leonis anymore. Please feel free to be comfortable around me and my people.”

  “Thank you.” Rana smiled, her cybernetic eyes rotating as she looked over crowd. A few of Deviant’s men shifted uncomfortably at her intrusive stare, but to their credit, none looked disgusted by her cybernetic parts.

  “Please sit.” Deviant motioned to the empty place next to where Jo had been sitting. Rana floated into her chair, all the grace of her Elitian propriety on full display for those in the room. Jo, on the other hand, plopped into her seat with all the inelegance of a space-born captain. Rana giggled at Jo, earning a playful glare in return. Raiden grinned at the camaraderie before brushing a gentle kiss on Jo’s temple.

  At least someone appreciated her gruffness.

  Deviant watched the two of them with a smile. “We are thrilled to see that you are well and have escaped that terrible fate. Please tell me, Rana, why did you decide to expose yourself to us?”

  Jo guffawed. Rana lowered her eyes as her milky flesh stained red. Deviant studied the floor, avoiding Jo’s amused stare, but didn’t retract his statement.

  “The nefarious plot against me has forced me to consider all aspects of truth. This is my voyage of discovery. I exposed myself to ease any tensions caused from the CyNet bulletin. Raiden’s reaction on the ship when he discovered my presence led me to believe you would appreciate knowing that I am well and safe.”

  “We are all relieved that you are safe. You have become a minor celebrity among the edge worlds.” Deviant paused at Rana’s shocked expression. “Due to your past charitable contributions, and you have been quoted on various topics that implied you to be sympathetic to their plight. I’m sure many people spread throughout the systems are distressed by your disappearance.”

  Rana’s brow crinkled slightly. “I had no idea.”

  “I wouldn’t expect so,” Deviant said. “The Consulate wouldn’t want a woman to know her actions were bringing hope and inciting an uprising. You are an icon to those of us who hope for a new era.”

  “An icon? I don’t feel my actions have warranted such a response.”

  “They have. That is why I implore you to discover the answers you seek and return to us. You could be the bridge that unites the edge worlds and the Elitians.”

  “You’re not going to ask me to stay?” Rana’s fists clenched in her lap, and Jo wondered what was making her nervous. Was she overwhelmed by his statements about her popularity? Jo could understand if that were the case, but Rana was used to the attention as the most notorious Elitian woman.

  “No, you need the chance to decide your own fate. But if your choice aligns with the insurgence, we would welcome you aboard the Deliverance.”

  Rana’s face lit up and she beamed at Deviant. Jo realized that it was probably the first time in her life a man advocated independence for her, and the thought saddened Jo. She couldn’t imagine being brought up in Rana’s world. There was a quiet strength in Rana, and Jo admired her for it.

  Conversations renewed around them as fresh platters of food appeared in front of Sky and Rana, both with heaping scoops of koukum. Jo settled into casual conversation, enjoying herself and loosening up for the first time since before her father died.

  “Captain.” A young man rushed from the other side of the dining hall. His UAB’s holodisplay was filled with tiny scrolling words. Jo tried to read as he slowed to a stop, but couldn’t focus on the minuscule letters. “There’s been a development on the GCM subnet.”

  “Can it wait?” Deviant replied, his smile faltering.

  “No, it involves our guests.”

  “Yeah?” Jo asked, leaning forward. The boy gulped, his throat bobbing dramatically. “Spill it, kid.”

  “Tell her, Marcus.”

  “It’s your ship, the Kismet. It’s been flagged by the military corporation. You must submit your ship for inspection.”

  Twenty-Six

  Jo flinched at the message and turned to Raiden. “What does that mean?”

  “It means they have warrant to search your ship again,” Raiden answered, his brow creased in worry. “Someone must have reported Rana boarding the Kismet on Lycus.”

  “Great. Just fan-fricking-tastic,” Jo grumbled. They were close to a military outpost when they boarded the Deliverance. Jo couldn’t fathom any way to avoid GCM ships, and even if by some miracle they were able to put considerable distance between the Kismet and Hera Station sensors, there was no way Jo could avoid the GCM forever.

  Rana was no longer safe on the Kismet.

  “What are you thinking?” Sky reached across Rana and shook Jo’s arm. Jo hadn’t realized that she had zoned out.

  “I’m thinking that Rana is no longer safe with us.”

  “I’m not staying with the CCI. There has to be another way.” Rana lifted her chin in defiance, her cybernetic eyes twisted into narrow slits. It was a little disconcerting how her mechanical parts could portray annoyance as well as organic ones.

  “Rana. We are too close to Hera Station. Their sensors will lock on to us the moment we leave the Deliverance’s hatch,” Raiden spoke, mirroring Jo’s thoughts. He turned to Deviant, who had remained silent through their exchange. “How far have you moved from Eris?”

  “As soon as you were safe inside the hangar, we adjusted our course to move further away from the core planets. We’re out of range of Hera St
ation, but still close enough to the planetary cluster that you will run a higher risk of discovery.” Deviant’s eyes shifted to Rana, full of worry.

  “I’m not staying,” Rana announced, her voiced edged in steel. Jo raised an eyebrow at her tone. Color her impressed.

  “Well, it looks like we’re taking Rana with us.”

  “Captain, we can’t keep her with us for long. We will have to report to the GCM eventually. It will look suspicious if we run and don’t submit for inspection,” Haedus added. “They won’t be patient for long.”

  “I suspect not,” Jo murmured. She stretched her brain, trying to think of a viable solution, but came up blank. She would honor Rana’s choice to avoid the political atmosphere while she discovered herself, and if any woman in the galaxy deserved protection, it was Rana. “Ideas? Anyone?”

  Jo scanned the waning crowd. The majority of Deviant’s men had dispersed after the announcement, but there were a few scattered about the dining hall. They, along with her crew, shook their heads as Jo made eye contact with each of them. The worry twisting her gut grew stronger as each person admitted their frustration until it was down to those sitting at Jo’s table. Deviant hadn’t removed his gaze from Rana, anxiousness marring his handsome features. Raiden and Haedus wore matching scowls as they stared at the table as if answers hid among the scuffs in the metal. Only Sky looked at Jo with a composed expression.

  “Do you have an idea, Sky?”

  “Yes, but I don’t want to discuss it here.” She pointedly looked at Deviant and his crew. “I do not feel comfortable sharing certain private matters in front of strangers.”

  “I hear you.” Jo nodded as she stood. “Will your plan work?”

  “As long as the Deliverance is truly moving away from the core planets.”

  Jo turned to look at Deviant, who nodded at her unspoken question. Her crew was already standing, ready to leave without Jo giving the order. Jo smiled like a proud mother. Deviant approached the group, his face unreadable except the way his eyes tilted downward in worry.