The Star Thief

by Jamie Grey

  She stripped out of her clothes and climbed into the tiled space. Steaming water blossomed from the overhead spigot, and she stood beneath the spray, letting the events of the last few days wash away. Gods. It felt like years.

  And seeing Finn again…

  That was a shock she was still reeling from. And his obvious hatred. But those shoulders… She pushed away the image, the memory of the way his stubble shadowed his strong jaw. Whatever had been between them was long over. Right now she had to focus on getting in that damn building and then getting Myka back.

  She finished washing her hair, then switched the shower controls to dry. The ultraviolet light evaporated the water from her skin and dried her long hair in under a minute. And the warmth from the lamp eased some of the tension from her shoulders.

  Clean and dry, Renna pulled on a new pair of leggings and a tight-fitting black shirt before shrugging into her holsters. She slid back on her knee-length leather jacket and stared at herself in the mirror. There were dark smudges beneath her gray eyes, and her coffee-colored skin looked dull and lifeless. She was twenty-three, for fuck’s sake. If she wasn’t careful, she’d start looking old.

  She needed a vacation.

  She needed to retire.

  If only this had been a regular job—return the particle destabilizer, get her last fee, sell the sapphire, and vanish to another planet. That had been the plan, at least. But now here she was, trapped on some gods-forsaken research station, plagued by guilt over Myka’s kidnapping and trying to figure out how to stop an unknown attacker to save him.

  This was exactly why she didn’t establish relationships with her clients. It was too complicated. Too messy.

  Her code wasn’t as black and white as most people’s, but it had always kept her sane in the messy mercenary world. As soon as she started breaking it, in her mind, she’d be no better than a common criminal. As much as she wanted to flee, she had to keep her promise.

  That didn’t mean she couldn’t keep an eye out for her own opportunities. Just walking through the lab, she’d seen tech she could sell for millions of credits on the black market. Stealing a prototype or two would pad her nest egg quite nicely. That meant she needed to get back on her game. No more softie-Renna.

  Like Viktis had said, this was business, not personal.

  She turned on the holoscreen and pulled up a map of the facility. The place was larger than she expected, with three levels of labs and a storage area deep underground. The main level consisted of living quarters and Dr. Aldani’s personal lab space.

  Renna tapped a finger against her chin. Now there was a place where she could find some interesting information, but she’d glimpsed his security earlier as they’d walked to his office. His lab was probably locked down even tighter, and she didn’t have time to do her homework. She’d have to go after the less secure labs in the level below, though they’d be difficult enough to get into on their own.

  She glanced at her watch. Just a little over half an hour before she was supposed to meet the others for dinner. More than enough time to get “lost” and look around a bit. It wasn’t as much prep as she’d prefer, but she’d make it work.

  Renna retraced her steps to the elevator she’d noticed on the way to their rooms and took it down to the lower level. The doors swished open, and she stepped out into an industrial-looking hallway lined with chrome and gray tile. A quick sweep of the space showed that the bulk of the labs were located to her left. She started toward the doors.

  Most of the workers had gone for the day, but a few hardworking souls still moved about in their labs, examining vials of liquid or typing on their datapads.

  She walked along slowly, like she’d gotten lost, knowing the cameras along this corridor were recording her every movement. Stupid implant. She could use an internal map of this place right about now. It was a maze.

  There!

  A heavy glass door barricaded a room full of small medical implants, and she smiled through the glass. Bionic dimensional probes if she wasn’t mistaken. She knew the perfect fence for those—a smarmy little doctor on one of the Outer Rim worlds. The mob he worked for was notoriously hard to patch up.

  All she had to do was sneak back later and deal with security.

  “Excuse me, miss. Can I help you?”

  Renna spun around at the sound of a woman’s voice directly behind her. A tall alien with bright green hair and three eyes set in a triangle on her forehead studied her with interest. A Xestu.

  Renna pulled her lips into a smile of relief, playing the game. It felt good to slide back into something she knew. “Oh, thank the stars. Somehow I got myself lost. Can you direct me to Dr. Aldani’s dining room?”

  The alien nodded. “Of course. I still get lost myself sometimes. Let me show you back to the residential quarters.” She gestured for Renna to follow and led her back down the corridor. “You’re with Captain Finn’s team? David said you were supposed to be rescuing Myka.”

  Part of Finn’s team? Hardly. Only Dallas’s orders were keeping her out of prison now. But she nodded. “Yes. We had him, but he was captured again.” Renna paused. “Have you known Dr. Aldani and his nephew long?”

  The alien blinked her three eyes. There was a small, half-second delay between each eye blinking. “I’ve been with David for about ten years now. He recruited me from university before I even graduated. He’s wonderful to work with. Very smart. And amazingly kind. I’ve always felt like part of the family.” Her smile was soft and full of affection.

  Renna’s chest tightened. It had been a long time since she’d had anyone she could depend on. She quickly pushed that thought away. “What do you develop here? Aldani said he’s currently working on several large projects.”

  “Oh, yes,” the Xestu woman said with a bob of her head. “His pet project is his space-time continuum machine, but we also build weapons and computer tech. He developed a tiny device that lets you network with any holovid in the galaxy from your armchair using the dark matter principle. Even though it hasn’t been implemented yet, the government paid him handsomely.”

  “I bet they did.” Renna’s pulse quickened. She didn’t need the money necessarily, but the thrill of getting that kind of find to the black market was almost irresistible. And that’s where she kept getting in trouble. Every time she thought she was done, one last job came up.

  But…there were at least half a dozen buyers who’d easily meet her asking price. Besides, it was unfair to give the government such an advantage. They’d create a communications monopoly no one could break. Selling a few of the devices to one of her fences would even the playing field a little. She’d be doing it for the good of the galaxy.

  “Could I see it? It sounds amazing.”

  “Unfortunately, no. We’re still in development mode. Testing should be done this week.” She pointed to a lab as they passed. “The specialists are working around the clock to make sure the devices are manufactured by the deadline. I think they only get a few hours of sleep a night. Probably not a good thing, but we want to make sure they’re perfect.”

  Renna nodded sympathetically. “I understand.” Wouldn’t hurt to make a note of the lab number for later, though.

  “Here we are. Take this elevator up one floor, and the dining room is the third door on the right.”

  Renna smiled. “Thank you for your help. And good luck with everything.”

  The Xestu disappeared back the way they’d come. That had been more productive than she’d expected. Guilt tugged at her, but she ignored it. Stealing from Aldani wasn’t breaking her code. The man was lying to them. In her book, stealing some of his tech was merely an insurance policy for when he screwed them over later.

  But right now, she still had a game to play. Renna paused in the corridor and adjusted her jacket.

  Aldani rounded the corner, coming from somewhere else in the facility. He smiled when he spotted her. “Right on time. I like punctuality,” he said. He’d taken off his lab coat and wore a
dark suit that highlighted his athletic build and broad shoulders.

  “I aim to please,” she said with a grin.

  “That’s what I hear.” Aldani’s jibe made the smile slide from her face, and he cleared his throat. “My apologies. That didn’t come out the way I’d intended.”

  Why was she offended? The guy was only stating a fact. But she was so tired of being that person. So tired of people not being able to see past her game. Maybe she was a bit too good at her job.

  “Please, after you.” Aldani held the door open for her. The officers from the Athena had already gathered in the long, richly furnished dining room. A sleek glass table groaned with porcelain and silver, and the polycarbonite chairs were covered in thick cushions. Captain Finn sat with his legs outstretched, looking relaxed and at ease, but his navy uniform was neatly pressed and his dark hair had been tamed. The stubble that had shadowed his jaw, gone. Lieutenant Keva perched on the edge of her chair, hands moving as she talked to him.

  Corporal Bokal and two of the other officers were deep in conversation, and Sergeant Gheewala sat near the door with her eyes closed.

  “Give me a quick rundown,” Aldani said as they paused in the doorway. “Who am I dealing with?”

  “Gheewala, the one over there, is a tech empath, and the big guy is Bokal, tech chief. The two other men with him are special ops. Haven’t seen them work yet, but I’m sure they’re dangerous. Dallas said they were all the best of the best. I haven’t seen otherwise yet.”

  “And what about the captain?”

  Renna watched the man in question for a moment. Now that was a loaded question. When she was thirteen, she would have said he couldn’t get any more handsome, but age had been good to him. His dark hair and blue eyes were the same, but his strong jaw and the five o’clock shadow along his jaw were new.

  He seemed like a good captain. His crew respected him—always a sign of a good leader. But there was something else going on behind those eyes of his. Something secret that had everything to do with their past.

  She chose her words carefully. “Finn is a respectable sort of military man. Does his job, runs a good ship. I think he’s trustworthy.”

  Aldani arched an eyebrow. “You two don’t get along, I take it?”

  She grinned despite herself. “Was it that obvious?”

  “Just a little. What I don’t understand is how someone as obviously skilled as the captain and his team could have lost my nephew. It does not bode well for the rest of this mission.” Aldani sighed and, before she could answer, strode into the room, arms wide.

  “Good evening, everyone.” Gheewala let out a little shriek and jumped from her chair. Aldani ignored her and made his way to Captain Finn. “I trust you’re all comfortable in your quarters?”

  Renna paused to touch Gheewala’s arm. “He didn’t mean to startle you, Sergeant. Were you listening for something in particular?”

  Gheewala shook her head, worry lines wrinkling her forehead. “How did you know I was listening?”

  “I’ve met other empaths before. I recognize the look.”

  Gheewala’s eyes darted around the room, never landing in one place for more than a few seconds. “There’s another voice out there, just out of range. I can’t place it, but it’s been following us since we escaped Hesperia.”

  “Is it dangerous?”

  “I can’t tell. It’s unlike anything I’ve heard before.”

  “Did you tell the captain?”

  “I told the lieutenant. I’m sure she thinks I’m imagining things.” Gheewala shrugged. “Perhaps I am.”

  “Well, I believe you. Will you tell me if you hear anything else strange?” Renna held the other woman with a steady gaze, hoping it would calm her.

  Gheewala’s darting eyes finally stilled, and she nodded. “I’ll keep you posted. And thank you for believing me.” Then she scurried off to stand with the rest of her team, though she kept to the fringe of the group. Separate and apart.

  Aldani stood at the head of the table and gestured to everyone. “Why don’t you all take a seat? I’ll have my staff bring in dinner, and we can discuss our next steps.” Captain Finn and Lieutenant Keva took seats on either side of him, like guards. The rest of the officers fanned out on either side.

  How very strategic.

  Renna sat in the last open seat at the far end of the table. She preferred to stay out of the way and watch without being noticed. She always got more information that way. And it was going to be interesting to see how the rest of the team interacted. Enjoying a civilian dinner was completely different from being on a military ship.

  The two special ops guys—she vaguely remembered their names were Doyle and Santos—ignored the rest of the team and talked only to each other. Finn and Aldani chatted easily, but Keva sat stiffly, as if she were still on duty. Bokal and Gheewala sat on the other side of the table, both silent and watchful.

  She studied Finn as he and Aldani made small talk. The man made her pulse race, and not entirely in a good way. He’d yelled at her, thrown her in the brig, called her a whore, and yet despite all that, he still fascinated her. Maybe it was the contrast between the Hunter he’d been and the captain he was now. Maybe it was something else. She didn’t really care to find out.

  Keep telling yourself that, Renna.

  She let out a sigh and took a bite of the seaweed salad in front of her. Interesting that, despite Finn’s lounging pose and the slight smile he wore, something told her he was still perfectly aware of everything going on in the room.

  And that included her.

  Finn met her gaze down the length of the table as if he knew she’d been watching him. His expression held a hint of challenge.

  She smiled slowly. Intimidating her wasn’t going to work. He should know that by now. His answering smile held a thousand threats. A shiver made its way down Renna’s spine, and she glanced away.

  She pretended to be absorbed by her food, but her eyes kept drifting Finn’s way. He had such strong hands. Aldani’s fine tungsten utensils looked so delicate when Finn held them. And despite her dislike of the man, she couldn’t keep the thought of those hands drifting over her body from popping into her head.

  She took a gulp of wine, then coughed as it burned her throat. Her face reddened, and she looked away, still trying to cough away the sting of the alcohol.

  Aldani laughed from the head of the table, noticing her discomfiture. “Terribly sorry, I forgot to mention I’d asked for moonwine from Purgatory. It’s a little stronger than what you might be used to.”

  Finn smiled down at his plate. There was a sparkle in his eye that made Renna wonder if he’d guessed what she’d been thinking about.

  The wine might be powerful, but by the gods was it good stuff. Even burning in her throat, she could taste the sweet ripeness of the grapes grown especially on the desert planet. The acid in the earth there led to an exceptional vintage.

  Aldani’s staff brought out the rest of the food. She sighed lovingly at the thick, juicy steak in front of her. It was a far cry from the takeout or hastily radiated plate of noodles she usually ate.

  Renna tried to block out the conversations around her so she could concentrate on the amazing food. It worked until the blasted Lieutenant Keva brought up Myka again. Renna couldn’t stop herself from listening in. The boy’s name seemed like some sort of switch for her. By rescuing him, she’d forged some sort of strange bond with him that she really needed to get over. She wanted nothing more than to steal those prototypes and bolt to the nearest big city. She could disappear for a few months until all this blew over. But she’d promised…

  Renna chewed angrily. Damn her stupid code. Damn Myka. Her gaze wandered back to Finn.

  And damn him. Yet another reason to get out of here. The man had betrayed her. Betrayed Blur’s gang. And given the chance, he’d lock her away in a prison for her crimes. She had to stop getting involved.

  Emotions were just too deadly.

  FIFTEEN


  After Aldani’s staff took away the dessert plates, Renna wiped her lips with the soft-spun napkins. Nothing quite like classic chocolate cake to end a meal. At the end of the table, she watched Keva lean forward, smiling at Captain Finn and the doctor. The alien’s silky hair hung loose around her shoulders instead of scraped into a bun, and the silvery tresses shimmered softly in the helolights. Renna also noticed dark kohl highlighting Keva’s slanted eyes and a berry stain on her lips.

  Renna sat back a little in her chair, watching the three. She’d bet the sapphire around her neck that Keva had on slinky underwear beneath her dress uniform.

  “Captain, Dr. Aldani, we need to talk about our plans for the mission,” Keva said after a sip of wine.

  “Our mission is rescuing Myka.” Aldani’s voice went cold, his jovial expression gone. “I thought you understood that.”

  Finn shook his head, lips pressed together in a thin line before he spoke. “But sir, earlier we agreed that getting into the warehouse was our priority.”

  Aldani crossed his arms. “I changed my mind. Your mission is not mine. Myka is the only thing I care about.”

  Renna played with the stem of her wineglass, rolling it between her fingertips. Aldani had changed his tune faster than she’d expected. What had happened between their earlier meeting and now?

  Keva shook her head. “The captain’s right, Doctor. Rescuing the boy right now doesn’t make sense. With radio silence coming from MYTH headquarters, we can’t afford to split our team. And if the kidnappers come after him again, we don’t have any additional support to protect. Even Renna’s…special…skills won’t work this time.” Disdainful derision dripped from Keva’s words.

  Renna forced herself to loosen her grip on the wineglass before it shattered. Bitch. What was it with these people? She was proud of her skills; she’d worked hard to become good at her job, even though she wanted nothing more than to get out. But they wouldn’t see her as anything but a greedy mercenary.

  Aldani glanced over at Renna, then arched a mocking brow at Keva. “I suppose competency is one of those ‘special’ skills, seeing as how Renna’s the only person in this room who’s actually done her job.”