The Star Thief

by Jamie Grey

  Her pulse felt like a living thing inside her, clawing to get out. She needed to keep moving or the panic would take over. “I’m going to see if I can hail the Athena from that pile of rocks over there. I won’t be far.”

  He didn’t respond. After another long stare, she turned and jogged away through the sandy soil. When she’d gone far enough that she couldn’t see the facility anymore, she tried again.

  “Athena. Do you hear me?”

  Static crackled in her ear. And then a voice. “Renna! Where the hell are you?” Keva demanded.

  Renna let out a shaky laugh. “Thank gods. Keva, we’re at the outcropping. I know you can’t bring the ship that close, but you have to send the shuttle. Finn’s hurt. Badly.”

  “We’ll be there ASAP. Hang on.”

  “I’m going back to Finn. I’ll keep an eye out for you. Just get your ass moving.”

  “Got it. See you soon, Carrizal.” The woman’s voice held the hint of a smile.

  Renna hurried back to Finn and dropped to her knees beside him. He hadn’t moved at all, his head still leaning back at an awkward angle against the rock.

  “Dammit.” He was injured badly, and she needed to see what was going on. Her fingers trembled as she pushed aside his jacket and shirt. This time when she sucked in a breath, it wasn’t at the sight of his washboard abs, but at the dark bruise spreading across his ribcage. She wasn’t a doctor, but she’d bet her last credit he was bleeding internally.

  “No fair,” Finn said with a weak smile. “It was your turn to show me a scar. Or could you just not keep your hands off me?”

  She brushed a lock of hair away from his forehead. Dear gods, he was so cold. “Just sizing up the competition. I wanted to make sure my scars were more impressive than yours.”

  He chuckled, then winced and clutched his side. “How bad is it? I’m afraid to look.”

  Her lips thinned. If she were hurt, she’d want the truth. “I think ‘fist-of-steel’ may have crushed something, and you’re probably bleeding somewhere internally. We need to get you to a hospital.”

  “Probably a good idea.” He coughed, and a trickle of blood dribbled from the corner of his lips. “Where’s the Athena?”

  “Keva is on her way. We’ll get you somewhere safe and get you taken care of. Promise.”

  He nodded. “Go to Lenue. There’s a MYTH outpost there. They can help. Code word: Prometheus.” His eyes drifted shut, and she touched his shoulder.

  “Stay with me, Finn.”

  He nodded again but didn’t open his eyes. “Tell me about your scar.”

  “Only if you stay awake.” She swallowed back the burn of tears when he opened his blue eyes and nodded.

  “Deal.” He reached up and touched the scar running from her ear to her jaw, and her skin erupted in goose bumps. His hand fell heavily back to his side. “Tell me.”

  She sat back, leaning against the rock beside him. “I grew up on Old-Earth. In New York City. Never knew my dad, though Mom said he was military. After she had me and he left, she…lost herself. Lost her job first, lost our apartment next. When I was five, something changed. She came into some money. Bought a place in the East Village. Started seeing these strange men every night. But we had food on the table again, and I had clothes to wear to school.”

  “East Village? Isn’t that…?”

  Renna nodded and clenched her fists together in her lap. “Where the prostitute slums are. She’d become an escort. She was making good money, too, until one of her Johns decided he didn’t just want to screw her, he wanted to destroy her. Luckily one of the service owners was in the building and saved her, but he scarred her pretty face. After that, no one wanted to hire her. We got kicked out of our apartment, but she still had friends in the business. They hooked her up with a new pimp.”

  She stared down at her hands. She’d never talked about her childhood before. Wasn’t sure she wanted to tell anyone about it, let alone this man. He already knew she was damaged. Now he’d know how badly

  “Must have been hard for a kid your age,” he said softly. “How old were you?”

  “I was seven when we moved to the tenement. The ladies there became surrogate mothers to me. Took care of me when Mom was…busy. Showed me how to cook and clean and dress myself. They were so kind. Even some of their boyfriends looked out for me. Mom had a few regulars, too. One of them showed me how to pick locks. Another taught me how to shoot. We lived in a dangerous area. Kids had to learn to take care of themselves.”

  “Especially girls, I imagine. And pretty girls at that.”

  Her lips curved into a wobbly smile, but she shook her head. “You never would have known I was pretty, with greasy, ratty hair and my face covered in dirt. It probably saved my life, though.” She sobered, stared out at the desert, not seeing the sand, only the cramped room where her mother had tried to raise her, the tiny bed tucked into the closet that was her room. She’d hated it there. Had spent as little time in that apartment as she could. She and the other kids in the block had run roughshod over the neighborhood. They’d been her real family.

  Finn squeezed her hand and didn’t let go. “It’s okay. You don’t have to talk about it.”

  “No. It’s just a memory I thought I’d forgotten.” She swallowed before continuing. “My mom, like most of the prostitutes who worked in the East Village, was addicted to clay. All of them used it before a visit. After a visit. Whenever they felt low. Most of the women kept it to a minimum as it could affect their performance, but Mom didn’t care. And when she was on it…she wasn’t herself.”

  Tightness built in her chest until it was hard to breathe, but she made herself continue. “I walked in on her shooting up with one of her Johns, and she lost it. I don’t know if it was a bad batch or I startled her or what, but she went into a frenzy, screaming and throwing things around. The John got out of there as fast as he could, so Mom took the rest of it out on me.”

  Renna’s voice shook, and she cleared her throat. “She didn’t know what she was doing. Honestly, I believe that now. But she grabbed a knife from the kitchen. She was screaming about how she wouldn’t let me grow up to become her. That I’d be better off dead. And before I knew what she was going to do, she tried to slit my throat.”

  A gust of wind caught her words, and they drifted out into the cold air of Banos Prime like a wisp of memory. Finn’s hand was still in hers, and he stroked his thumb over the back of her hand. She was grateful he didn’t say anything.

  “One of the other ladies heard the screaming and got me away from her before she could do anything more than cut me, but we couldn’t afford to go to the hospital, so she patched me up the best she could and let me stay with her for the next few days. Mom eventually came down from the drug and tried to apologize, but I didn’t want anything to do with her. I spent the next three years learning everything I could to get the hell out of there.”

  “How old were you?”

  “I was ten when she attacked me. I hopped a ship when I was thirteen and landed on Antibes Prime. That’s where I met you and Blur. Never saw my mom again.”

  Well, not that Renna would admit. She’d looked her up once, last year, to see if the woman was alive. She was. Renna didn’t need to know anything more.

  “I’m sorry. I remember how messed up you were when Blur found you out outside the warehouse. We weren’t sure if you were entirely sane for the first few months.”

  She shrugged, still not willing to look at him. She didn’t want to see the pity on his face. Or worse, disgust. “Hey, I hear the shuttle.”

  A moment later, it came into sight, flying directly for them. She jumped to her feet in time to see the door on the facility slide open and a wave of mercenaries stream out.

  She ducked down behind the rock and pulled out her gun. “Give me yours, too. We’ve got company.”

  Finn handed it over and tried to get to his feet.

  “Stay down. You’re in no shape to hit anything but the side of a barn.”
She peered over the top of the rock, aimed, and took out the first two mercs with a clean headshot. The rest of them pulled up slightly, giving Keva enough time to land the shuttle. Two of the MYTH agents dashed out and lifted Finn between them. Renna fired a few more shots to cover them before turning to dart into the shuttle herself.

  “Get us the hell out of here, Lieutenant,” she called over the whir of the engine.

  The door slammed shut, and they were off a second later. A few dings sounded as bullets ricocheted off the side of the shuttle, but none of them penetrated the thick material.

  “What happened?” Keva demanded as she steered them toward the Athena.

  “I could ask the same thing. Where were you guys?”

  She glared. “The hole closed as soon as you went into the building. We waited as long as we could before going back to the ship. I prepped the Athena for a fast getaway, but we wanted to wait to see if you’d be able to get back out. We were getting ready to leave when your comm came through.”

  Renna nodded. “Good timing then. We got caught, and they beat up Finn pretty badly. He needs serious medical help. There’s a MYTH outpost on Lenue; that’s where we need to go.”

  Keva’s only response was to radio the ship. “Prep for launch. We’re one minute out. Set course for the Clare system.”

  TWENTY-TWO

  When the Athena touched down in the spaceport on Lenue, a team of doctors were already waiting for Finn with a hover car. Keva insisted on going with them to the hospital, but Renna hung back. Things had gotten intense with Finn back on Banos Prime, to say the least. And he’d almost died. Again.

  She needed some time to sort through her feelings. Away from his distracting presence. Already, her mind was whirling, trying to process the thousand and one different emotions he’d dredged up. Emotions she’d thought were long gone. But when he’d kissed her…

  She stepped out of the ship and inhaled, the scent of dusty earth and starfuel washing over her and clearing her mind. The babble of voices from the market filled the air, shouts and calls echoing off the squat steel and plastic buildings.

  She shifted her pack on her shoulder. It felt heavier than she remembered, as if laden with the weight of her own guilt. What she was about to do went against every bit of her code, but what had happened with Finn made it very clear that this whole situation was beyond anything she’d dealt with before. She knew better than to get involved or let her feelings get in the way, but this mission—with Myka, the facility, the mechs and the clay—was based on nothing but feelings. Running was her only option. Promises be damned.

  She’d packed the microchips she’d stolen from Aldani’s labs, as well as the destabilizer. Once she sold them, she’d be able to hire a transport and disappear. If she was smart, she’d wait to sell the goods later, on a non-MYTH planet, but she was running out of time. If she stuck around much longer, the guilt would devour her insides.

  She tried to ignore her gnawing unease and joined the crowds of humans and aliens as they wandered past the market stalls. The scent of unwashed bodies and decaying fruit hung like a fine fog over the square, coating everything it touched. Renna wrinkled her nose as she slipped between a pair of short, round aliens from the Clava system. Their six eyes turned to her, then slid away, dismissing her as nonthreatening.

  If they only knew the truth.

  She moved through the crowds like a shadow, weaving past people who never noticed her. She’d always loved the feeling of disappearing in a crowd, of becoming invisible. Gods knew she’d had plenty of practice. And it had saved her life more than once.

  “Download area map.”

  Her implant overlaid it across her vision. The market sat at the center of the spaceport, surrounded by the alien barrios. Now, she just needed to find the right contact to buy her merchandise and she’d be free.

  She rubbed a hand across her chest, as if she could ease the tension that hung on her heart like lead weights.

  MYTH trusted her. It would be hours before they suspected she’d run. When they finally came looking for her, she’d be nothing more than a ghost. She could disappear. Leave all of this behind her.

  Leave Myka behind.

  Leave Finn behind.

  Her fingers twitched, and she forced them into her pockets. The kid had been nothing but trouble since she’d found him. And Finn…he’d already left her once. Why stay and watch a repeat performance?

  She let out a growl and turned away from the market. She needed a drink before making any decisions. And she could use the time to contact the right buyer.

  The closest bar was a seedy place tucked into a dank alley. When she pushed through the doors, the smoky, dark space welcomed her like she’d come home. The scent of spilled alcohol mingled with disinfectant, and her boots squelched against the floor as she made her way to the bar.

  “New in the area?” the bartender asked. The Delfine smiled before leaning toward her to rest an elbow on the bar. “What’ll it be, gorgeous?”

  She passed over a few credits. “A shot of Jade Sour and a beer, please.”

  “Anything for you, love.” He reached under the bar and produced a small glass cylinder, snapping the top of the beer off before placing it on the counter in front of her. Then he grabbed one of the larger bottles behind him, flipping it between fingers. His spiky purple hair swayed as he tossed the amber container in the air, then poured her shot. “Anything else to go with that? My comm number perhaps?”

  Renna tried not to roll her eyes. It took more than some fast fingers and smooth moves to get in her pants. “Thanks. I’m full up on my quota of bartenders for the moment, but I’ll let you know if that changes.”

  She grabbed her drinks, then wove between tables to the empty booth she’d spotted in the corner. Renna sank into the seat, taking a position where she could keep an eye on the door. Wouldn’t do to get careless.

  She downed the shot, chasing it with a sip of beer. The familiar warmth burned through her, and the muscles in her shoulders finally relaxed. Everything was going to be fine. She’d done this a million times before. Find the fence. Sell her stuff. Buy passage on the next ship out of here. Leave all her troubles behind.

  Most of all, she needed to ignore the tickle of memories at the back of her mind. Places like this always reminded her of home, of running with the gang. Of the first time she’d met Finn and Blur and the rest of them. It had been a long time since she’d felt like that, a long time since she’d let herself trust anyone else.

  Yet here she was working with another team. With Finn again. This one just followed the rules a bit more.

  Godsdammit.

  She raked a hand through her hair, letting her head rest in her palm for a moment. Running made her a coward, but staying…staying made her stupid.

  “Call Keva,” she ordered her implant, finally looking up again.

  “What is it, Renna?”

  Keva’s voice hitched, and Renna’s stomach dropped. “How’s the captain?”

  “Still in surgery. He’s got three broken ribs, a punctured lung, and they’re trying to stop the internal bleeding.”

  Her eyes squeezed shut for a moment before she asked, “Will he be okay?”

  “They haven’t said yet. Nurse says they should know more in an hour or so.”

  Renna nodded, though she knew the lieutenant couldn’t see her. “Keep me posted, okay?”

  “I will. Thanks for getting him out of there, Renna. Finn said you saved his life.” She let out a long exhale. “I was wrong about you, Renna. I’m sorry for being such a bitch.”

  Keva’s words wrapped around her, tightening like a noose. Renna had to clear her throat before she could speak again. “Thanks. I appreciate that. And…I was just doing what Dallas brought me into do. Anyway, I’ll see you back on the ship.” She turned off her comm and drained the rest of her beer.

  What the hell was she going to do?

  Renna sighed. She had to stop saying that she was going to quit and just do
it. Once and for all. After she’d sold the Star and the items she’d taken from Aldani, she could more than afford her luxury-garden-world dream.

  Renna rummaged through her pack until her fingers closed around the strange box she’d found in the facility’s safe. What was important enough to the mercs to lock away in the middle of an impenetrable facility?

  She stared at the squat metal box on the table, then flipped the latch and opened the lid to reveal a plastic bottle full of orange pills. What the hell? Renna shook one out onto her palm and studied it. Simple gelatin coating, orange grains inside. She sniffed it, but there was no scent, no clue as to what it might be. Was this what they were making in the underground lab?

  Renna dropped the pill back into the bottle and locked the box. Maybe the fence would have a suggestion for a back alley clay lab that could run an analysis for her. There had to be one on this planet somewhere. At least it would give her something to do while she tried to find a buyer for her haul. And maybe it would squash the guilt crawling through her gut.

  Renna drained the last of her beer and got to her feet. Then ducked back down to hide behind a large Trezian when she spotted the familiar broad shoulders hunched over the bar.

  By the gods. Viktis.

  What was he doing on Lenue? Did that mean Myka was here, too?

  The alien downed a shot of something and made a joke with the bartender that had the Delfine laughing.

  Her heart kicked as all her plans shot out the window faster than a speeder car. If she stayed, she might be able to fulfill at least one promise. The most important promise. But Viktis couldn’t know she was here.

  Viktis slapped a few credits on the bar and shoved his way to the door. Several of the other patrons glared at him but gave him a wide berth when they got a full dose of his fuck-off expression.

  Renna followed at a safe distance, hanging back in the doorway of the bar for a long minute as Viktis headed down the alley away from the main street. With any luck, he was going back to his ship. And that would lead her to Myka.