The Star Thief

by Jamie Grey

  “Who the hell do you think you are telling me how this is going to work? I’m the one who can stop them. Not you.” Aldani jammed a finger into Finn’s chest, but the captain held his ground. “And you haven’t completed your side of the bargain.”

  “Doctor, we did have Myka—”

  The man’s mahogany skin mottled. “And then you lost him. And instead of rescuing him, you decided to leave him with those bastards!”

  Keva moved forward. “Doctor, if you’d just listen—”

  Aldani whipped around, his eyes narrowing on her like twin laser beams. Keva swallowed and stepped back at the raw anger on his face.

  “No, you listen to me. I’m not giving you a thing until Myka is back safe and unharmed. Do you understand? I don’t care what it takes. The boy is the only thing that matters.”

  Renna moved from behind Bokal.

  Like a lion sighting its prey, Aldani’s dark gaze immediately snapped to her.

  She froze. He had Myka’s eyes.

  “Who the hell are you?” he demanded. “Wait, don’t tell me. You’re the merc who lost my nephew.”

  “I’m the woman who rescued him. Renna Carrizal. Pleased to meet you, Dr. Aldani.” She held out her hand.

  He stared at it as if was dirty. After a long, awkward moment, she finally dropped it.

  “I don’t know which of you is worse.” His gaze flicked between her and Finn. “I want you all gone from my lab within the hour. Tell Dallas to send someone else to get my nephew.”

  Finn shook his head, and he swallowed once before saying, “I’m sorry, sir. I’m afraid that’s impossible.”

  Anger blazed in Aldani’s brown eyes. “Don’t you tell me what’s impossible, boy. I’m done dealing with ineptitude.”

  She totally got the doctor’s anger, but this had gone far enough. Renna interrupted before he could take his next breath. “Hesperia is gone, Dallas is likely dead, and the MYTH facility on that planet is destroyed. I’m afraid you’re stuck with us.”

  Aldani opened his mouth, then closed it.

  “They’re all dead.” She swayed as the image of the crater in the middle of the city filled her memory, the mushroom cloud of destruction the invaders had caused. Tamping down her anger with everything in her, she took a deep breath. “Whoever is looking for Myka attacked the planet. I’m not sure if anyone survived.”

  Aldani whirled on his heels, the tails of his lab coat flapping. “Why didn’t you tell me this, Captain?”

  Finn spread his hands. “I tried, sir, but—”

  Renna nodded. “He’s a popular kid. You need to tell us exactly what’s going on and how this is related to us breaking into the facility on Banos Prime.”

  Aldani let out a low growl. “Fine. If you’re all I get, I’ll have to make do. Let’s take this inside, Captain.” He stabbed a finger at Renna. “You too, Miss Carrizal.”

  Finn nodded at Keva. “Prep the ship to be ready at a moment’s notice and finish the repairs on the sleeping quarters. Then make sure the crew gets some rest.” He gave her an encouraging smile. “I’ll call if I need you.”

  “Aye, aye, sir.” She saluted and marched back toward the ship.

  Bokal winked at Renna, then followed the lieutenant back through the doors.

  “This way.” Aldani headed in the opposite direction, down a wide, sterile hallway. White walls lined the corridor, stretching down to meet the shiny, white tile floors. Even the grout was white.

  His maid had to be spectacular.

  As they walked, they occasionally passed sliding glass doors that led to various labs, all full of shiny metal machinery and masked workers in lab coats and gloves.

  “What exactly do you do here, Dr. Aldani?” Renna asked. Based on the gamma particle destabilizer she’d retrieved, she had a pretty good idea, but it was always illuminating to see what someone said about themselves.

  He arched an eyebrow at her but didn’t break stride. “I don’t see how that is any of your business, Miss Carrizal. You were hired to bring me my nephew, and you failed. Until he’s returned, I don’t trust either you or Captain Finn with my secrets.”

  “Unfortunately, you might not have much of a choice,” Renna said with a shrug. “This is a lot bigger than just a little boy now. In case you hadn’t heard, five planets have been attacked. If you ask me, I think you know a lot more than you’re letting on.” She arched an eyebrow at the doctor. “Who knows, maybe they’ll show up here next. If they know who Myka is, I’m sure they know you’re his uncle. Maybe someone wants to clean up loose ends.”

  She felt Finn stiffen beside her as they walked, but he stayed quiet.

  Aldani gritted his teeth so loudly she thought she heard his jaw pop. “Not here, Miss Carrizal.”

  He turned down another corridor. This one felt slightly less clinical, with an occasional picture dotting the wall or a soft chair and table stashed in an alcove. Finally, they stopped in front of a rich wooden door with a brass plate bearing Aldani’s name. He pushed it open and strode to the hulking desk in the middle of the room. It was a monstrous piece of mahogany, the surface covered in papers and books. A digital picture of him and Myka sat in one corner, while a holovid blinked on the other corner of the desk. She thought she spotted detailed plans for some medical device before he turned it off.

  “Sit down,” he ordered, pointing at the two chairs in front of his desk.

  Finn folded his tall form into the chair nearest the door. Renna flashed him a look of annoyance. That was always her preference, an easy escape route if she needed it. He’d taught her that.

  Renna slid into the other seat, turning it so her back wasn’t to the door. Now that he wasn’t raving like a madman, she took a moment to study Myka’s uncle.

  She’d never have guessed they were related except for the eyes. They were the same liquid brown, full of life and sadness, but that’s where the resemblance ended. Aldani had a sharp, hawk-like nose, bushy eyebrows, and a cleft in his chin that dimpled when he spoke. He also had an air of authority around him that even Dallas hadn’t been able to command. This man obviously expected to be obeyed. She found his self-confidence appealing, even if she didn’t much like the tone of voice he’d used with her.

  Her gaze slid to Finn. The doctor was an interesting contrast to the self-contained military captain sitting beside her. Finn’s expression was relaxed, but he sat straight, feet on the floor. His posture couldn’t hide the tension she still felt rising from him. The constant vigilance was both reassuring and annoying at the same time. While some of the big things had changed, Finn’s personality was still the same: duty and honor before everything else. And gods help you if you did something he thought was dishonorable. More than one member of Blur’s gang had been kicked out for doing something not in Finn’s code.

  She was pretty sure the same thing had happened since he’d gotten his own command, too.

  “Dr. Aldani, I get the feeling there’s more to the situation than Dallas told us,” Finn said, leaning forward slightly. “What I can’t figure out is how Myka and the gamma particle destabilizer and this facility are all connected. Does it have to do with what Myka’s parents were researching on Banos Prime?”

  Aldani steepled his fingers and stared at Finn, letting out a sigh. “Dallas was the only one who knew the truth.”

  “Unfortunately, he’s now out of communication range or dead. If this mission is need-to-know, I think we need to be fully briefed now.”

  “Can’t MYTH send more help?”

  Finn shook his head. “Only a few commanders at the top know how to get in touch with the other branches. Keeps it safer that way.”

  “So what are you supposed to do now then?” Aldani sounded dubious as he watched Finn.

  The captain squared his shoulders. “Finish our mission. The universe is depending on us.”

  Aldani’s interest turned to Renna. She shifted in her chair as he studied her, his dark eyes taking in her unkempt hair, her clothes wrinkled from slee
ping in them. Finally he turned back to Finn. “And where does Miss Carrizal come in?”

  Finn’s voice was expressionless. “I leave it to you. If I had my choice, she’d be executed for treason, but she was recruited specifically for this mission because she has an exceptional skill set. She was the one who was finally able to retrieve Myka after our other teams failed.”

  Aldani’s gaze drifted back to her. His lips lifted into a smirk. “Tell me about yourself, Miss Carrizal.”

  “Call me Renna, please.” She smiled at him sweetly, ignoring Finn’s glower. “Despite what the captain thinks of me, I do have principles. I always finish a job. No matter what.” She chuckled at Aldani’s expression. “Shocking, I know.”

  “How did you get involved in this, Renna?”

  “I was hired to retrieve your gamma particle destabilizer, but I ended up rescuing Myka, too. MYTH said they needed me, and I was strongly encouraged to join the mission. Despite the disapproval of much of the crew.” She slanted a look at Captain Finn. That was as polite as she could keep it without betraying her real feelings. Aldani didn’t need to know everything.

  “You were the one to lose him to that…pirate,” Finn growled.

  She rolled her eyes. “If I hadn’t scammed Viktis, you’d still be trapped in the brig. But it’s easier to stay angry at me, I get it.”

  A muscle jumped in Aldani’s jaw. “You know the man who took Myka?”

  “Most mercenaries know each other, at least by reputation. I happened to know Viktis personally, though it’s been a few years.”

  Finn’s relaxed posture was gone as he sat stiffly in the chair. “She used her connection to the pirate to get on board his ship, but while she was gone, Viktis’s men found the kid. We escaped, assuming he was still hiding on the Athena. When we realized our mistake, it was too late. If we’d gone back for him, the pirate vessel would have destroyed our ship or at least grounded her. They had an advanced class ship-to-ship missile. We’d never have gotten close enough to rescue the boy.”

  “Myka. His name is Myka.” Aldani slapped his hands down on the desk. “And he’s the only family I have left, so your feeble excuses don’t exactly reassure me. A MYTH agent and a galaxy-renowned mercenary should have been able to rescue a small boy from a bunch of pirate scum.”

  “I tried. And got thrown in the brig for mutiny,” Renna said with a shrug. “Now we’re here, and your accusations and recriminations aren’t exactly helpful. What do you suggest, Dr. Aldani? You seem to be the man with all the answers. You might even be the man these people are after and Myka’s just bait. Did you ever think about that?”

  He stared at her. When he said nothing, she continued, pinning him with a cold glare. “Viktis was working for an organization, but it’s a front.” She pulled the heavy business card from her pocket. “Who’s Draven Navang?”

  At that, Aldani went perfectly still, his hands clutching the table in front of him. “Navang is my former business partner.”

  “Former?” she asked. “What happened between you?”

  The lines around Aldani’s eyes deepened as he frowned. “I didn’t agree with his research methods. He didn’t agree with mine. We dissolved the partnership. Now we’re competitors, though I’m sure he’d say we’re just old friends with differing opinions.”

  “You’d disagree?”

  Aldani shrugged. “We don’t have anything to do with each other. I haven’t heard from the man in years.”

  “Why would Viktis be working for him?”

  “I wish I knew,” he said softly.

  Renna’s palms started to itch. She could tell from Aldani’s expression that he was lying to them. But why? What was his end game? Why would he protect his ex-partner?

  Finn glanced at her, and she knew he was thinking the same thing. He might be military now, but a merc never lost those skills.

  “Could Navang have kidnapped Myka? To get back at you, perhaps?” he asked.

  “I doubt it. We haven’t worked on the same sort of research in years. He’s more focused on his business.”

  Renna leaned back with a frown. “All the more reason to go after Aladea Scientific Industries.”

  Aldani shook his head and glanced over at the picture of Myka at the corner of his desk. “There’s nothing that would please me more than putting an end to Navang and his…business. But I don’t think he’s involved.”

  Renna thinned her lips. Lies were a dangerous necessity in this business, but they could also get you killed. And she did not plan on dying for this man. “Then, as I see it, we have two options,” she said. “Go after Myka and try to rescue him from Viktis if we can find him. Or we can continue with our mission and investigate the facility using your technology with the hope we can figure out what’s going on before more people die. Which do you suggest, Doctor?”

  Aldani pinched the bridge of his nose. “Myka is my nephew. How can you ask me that?”

  “Because we can’t do anything without your cooperation.” Finn leaned forward, his expression earnest. “I’m worried about him, too. But we have an obligation to figure out what that facility is and how it’s connected to the attacks. Myka can’t help us with that.”

  Renna’s gaze rested on the picture of Aldani and Myka. The doctor stood with his arm slung around the little boy, while a rough, stony mountain jutted up from the plain behind them. The dun-colored sand was dotted with burgundy rocks. Banos Prime.

  She studied the picture more closely. Myka looked to be about six and had a bandage around one arm, though his happy expression said he wasn’t in any pain. Aldani himself looked younger, too, less gray at his temples and fewer lines around his eyes. She guessed at that moment nothing bad had yet happened. Myka’s parents were still alive. The attack still a few months out. But even then, Aldani had obviously cared for the boy.

  The guilt of Myka’s kidnapping made her stomach clench, but she had to put her unexpectedly maternal feelings aside. Finn was right. They had to focus on getting into that facility if there was a chance it would stop the attacks. She’d have to trust that whoever wanted the boy wouldn’t harm him. “Doctor, I know it’s a lot to ask, but our original mission still stands. Millions more may die if we don’t stop these people, and that facility is our only lead right now. Can you tell us what Myka’s parents were working on before they died?”

  Aldani sighed and stood up. He turned to look out the window onto the golden fields surrounding New Rome colony. “I can’t see that it matters now.”

  She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to speak calmly. “Because any clue you can give us might help us figure out if there’s a connection between all this. Right now it feels pretty feeble to me. We’re snatching at straws. We need more to go on than a mysterious facility, a kidnapping, and some doctor’s gut feeling.”

  Finn glared at her, but she ignored him. The doctor knew something else, something that could help them. She’d played nice so far, but maybe Aldani responded better to threats.

  He nodded once, as if he was making up his mind. “My brother and his wife were working on an experimental drug for MYTH. More than that, I don’t know.” He turned back to face them with a frown. “I do know I can’t have anyone else’s blood on my hands. Send the gamma particle destabilizer to my assistant. I’ll have my team finalize the machine. Let’s just hope the answers you’re looking for are in this place, or it might be too late for my nephew.”

  Aldani pressed a button on his datapad. “My assistant will show you and your officers to the sleeping quarters. Unless you’d like to stay on your ship?”

  Finn shook his head. “Quarters here will be fine. I’m sure Lieutenant Keva and the others will be grateful for the change of scenery.”

  A squat gray alien with a thick, fleshy neck and four large eyes spread horizontally across his face appeared at the door. “This is my assistant Syna. He’ll take you to your rooms. I’ll order dinner to be served in two hours.”

  She recognized Syna as a Conyara alie
n; they had some of the brightest scientific minds in the galaxy. She’d known several who’d made names for themselves creating the most dangerous weapons she’d ever used. Aldani must have more influence than she’d thought to have a group of them working here.

  An idea sparked, and she hung back, casting one last look around Aldani’s office. It just might get her the hell out of this mess and into hiding. All she’d have to do was forget those two little words.

  I promise.

  FOURTEEN

  Syna led them through the quiet hallways of Aldani’s complex, his short legs flashing as he trotted in front of them. The alien was silent, but then again, the Conyaras weren’t known for being talkative. Unfortunately, it meant the only sound accompanying them was Finn’s boots echoing loudly as they walked.

  Renna cringed with each noisy step. “Do you have to stomp around like a wounded buffalo?” she snapped.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Not all of us can have the grace of a thief.”

  She let her gaze slide down his muscled chest and carved thighs. “I seem to remember a time where you moved as silently as I did. But I’m sure I could still teach you a few things.”

  His face flushed unexpectedly, and he looked away. “I don’t think so.”

  She bit back a smile. Gods, she loved baiting the man. He was so easy to rile.

  Syna’s light voice interrupted. “Miss Carrizal, your room.” He pushed open the door, then gestured to Finn. “Captain, you’re down the hall.”

  The two walked away, leaving Renna staring into the luxurious space. Now this she could get used to. Imported silk rugs covered the tile floor, while lush silks draped the large bed. She let out a happy sigh. She could get lost in that bed. Even better was the holoscreen on the wall. It was bigger than her window back home.

  Too bad she wasn’t here on vacation.

  She spotted her satchel on the table in the corner. Someone had brought her things from the ship. And there was a gorgeous bathroom tucked into the corner of the room. Right now, a shower was the only thing she wanted.