Grim shrugged. “She’s…working through things, I think. All we can do is be there for her while she’s vulnerable.”
Durq’s eyes widened. “Don’t let her hear you call her vulnerable. I don’t think you’d survive her efforts to prove otherwise.” His stomach growled loudly, and he looked hopefully at the container Grim held.
Grim gave it to Durq. “Here, I brought you something to eat. You missed the meal.”
Durq accepted gratefully. “Thanks. So do all Yollins do that human shrugging thing now?”
Grim chuckled. “Probably? It’s the most useful gesture. How’s the planting coming?”
Durq bobbed excitedly. “Really well. As soon as the water restrictions are lifted food production is going to go through the roof.” He looked at the overhead sprinklers. “Especially now that construction on the other biomes is nearing completion.”
Just then the power cut out and the emergency lighting came on. Grim looked at Durq, expecting the little Skaine to need reassurance.
“It’s the third time the power has gone out in as many days. I’m not scared.” Durq lifted a shoulder. “Oh, it is useful. Would you look at that.”
Grim snickered at the surprised look on Durq’s features. “Humans—they surprise you every time.”
Adelaide swept into the dome like a tiny hurricane holding a toolbox. “Hey, Grim! I hoped that was you I heard. Come with me. I need your back.”
Grim and Durq exchanged puzzled glances.
Adelaide waved impatiently. “Come on!” She turned on her heel and marched out.
Grim shrugged at Durq and turned to follow her.
“When you said you needed my back, I didn’t think you meant like this.” Grim squirmed uncomfortably as Adelaide’s heel dug into his shoulder. He braced his back against the wall and did his best to keep still.
Her voice echoed slightly in the wall cavity. “Well, I couldn’t reach, and I didn’t have time to go and find a ladder.” She dropped her wrench into his outstretched hand. “These systems don’t fix themselves, you know. Pass me the soldering kit.”
Grim did as he was told, and after a few more minutes of Adelaide dancing a jig on his shoulders, she passed her tools to him and climbed down from the access panel.
“All done,” she told him brightly.
Grim massaged his shoulders. “You’ve really come to grips with all this. It hasn’t been easy, but you and the others have pulled off a miracle in the last few weeks.”
Adelaide blushed. “I don’t know about that. I always liked fixing things, and there’s no shortage of those around here. Besides, it’s a lot easier now we’re not so focused on outside threats. You and Nickie have made such a difference here.” She smiled at Grim and gathered her toolkit. “Come on, there are three more of these, and you make better conversation than any ladder I ever stood on.”
Grim chuckled and trailed behind Adelaide from one junction box to another around the colony. All in all, Grim had a pleasant time of it, being used to reach the high places notwithstanding. Adelaide was as sharp as a box of knives and twice as witty, which made for fun all around.
The end of the workday was approaching, but Adelaide showed no sign of stopping. Grim stood off to the side, shining a flashlight for her to work by. Raynard wandered into the storage area they were working in and stood watching in silence with his arms folded.
Grim spotted Raynard and waved him over. Adelaide was bent at the waist inside the junction box and was mostly oblivious to her surroundings. Her foot lifted as she reached farther inside, and a shower of sparks arced out on either side of her.
“What’s she doing?” Raynard asked Grim.
“Hell if I know,” Grim replied. “Something to get the power back on.” He held the flashlight out to Raynard. “Can you take over? I need to get to the mess hall. Dinner won’t cook itself.”
Raynard nodded. “Sure.”
Adelaide popped her head out. She smiled sweetly at Raynard and tilted her head at Grim. “Are you going, Grim? Save us some dinner, yeah? We might be a while.”
Raynard visibly deflated.
Grim chuckled. “I’ll have something sent over for you both if you’re not back by the end of the first sitting.” He waved and left.
Raynard peered into the junction box and wrinkled his nose. “How long do you think this is going to take?”
Adelaide shrugged and bent back over to continue working. “Perhaps a couple hours. Maybe a little more. Why?”
Raynard’s eyes were distant. “I have some council business to attend to this evening.”
Adelaide looked up. “But we had plans. Did you forget?”
Raynard shook his head. “I didn’t, but this has to come first. Maybe we can catch up after that?”
Adelaide held out her hand for the flashlight. “Then go, see to your business. I’ll see you later if there’s time.”
He kissed her cheek distractedly and left. Adelaide watched him go, wondering if she shouldn’t feel a bit more put out by Raynard’s apparent coolness toward her. She was a little disappointed, but that was all.
Rebus Quadrant, Themis Colony, Control Room
Keen twitched at the squeaking sound his chair made when he rolled from one side of the room to the other to switch his attention from the colony security feeds to the data coming in from the long-range sensors. The noise cut the silence like nails down a chalkboard, momentarily shattering Keen’s peace and quiet.
The sensor data showed nothing out of the ordinary. He should enjoy the time freed up by Raynard’s recent push to be someone the colony could rely on to get things done. Some would have felt slighted, but not Keen.
He was grateful the younger man had the energy, the kind of energy Keen had felt wane in himself over the last weeks. He’d begun to see things differently since the Skaines attacked the colony. His drive to keep everyone alive and get them free had gotten him through the hardest times, but losing people he knew and cared about, people he was responsible for… It had altered him irrevocably.
Satisfied with the readouts, he scooted back to the center and picked up his tablet. He cursed softly when he saw the clock and realized that the mess hall would be closed now. He rummaged around in the desk in the vain hope of discovering a stray protein bar but was out of luck. He grabbed his tablet instead and opened the e-reader to where he’d left off in his book.
More than a few asked why he stuck by his e-reader when immersive holo-entertainments were easily accessible. Although there were certain…upsides to having the scenes played directly into his mind, Keen preferred to use his imagination and make his own interpretation of the world he was stepping into.
There was no escape for him tonight, though. He read without reading, the words just sliding off his brain. His thoughts were too loud for him to enjoy the adventures of the feisty heroine he usually enjoyed so much. It seemed flat, almost contrived. He closed the screen and put the tablet down. He just couldn’t lose himself in the story tonight.
There was a soft knock at the door, and Adelaide came in with a covered tray. “Hey, Grim said you missed dinner, so I brought you some leftovers.”
Keen smiled. Adelaide was becoming like a daughter to him; she certainly played the part. “Thank you, Addie.” He took note of her slightly strained expression. “What’s up?”
Adelaide sighed. “It’s nothing much, just… I don’t even know how to begin to explain.”
Keen furrowed his bushy eyebrows. “A little bit of everything? You look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders.”
Adelaide laughed. “Pots and kettles. You’ve been hiding in here an awful lot recently.”
Keen chuckled. “I’ll have you know I’ve been taking it easy.” He waved his tablet at her for emphasis. “Raynard has done a great job of stepping up, and it’s left me time for other things. I thought I’d spend it making a difference, but it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot an old man like me can offer.”
Adelaide
slapped his shoulder lightly. “Don’t you dare say that! You make a hell of a difference, Keen. You held this place together during the worst time we’ve ever been through. We wouldn’t even be alive if it wasn’t for you. Give yourself a little credit, and admit that you’re having trouble adjusting now that we’re not fighting just to stay alive.” She folded her arms and tapped her foot.
Keen sat back and considered Adelaide’s assessment. “Maybe,” he admitted eventually. “Maybe I miss the urgency, if not the danger to everyone’s lives. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad we can rebuild and move on. But…I don’t know. I’m missing something.” He shrugged. “It’s starting to feel small here, I guess.”
Adelaide clapped and pointed at Keen. “Yes! Exactly that. The colony is running almost without issues, and every day there’s less for me to do. That’s why I was able to get the water issue solved so quickly.”
Keen looked up from his food. “Oh, yeah? It’s complete?”
Adelaide nodded. “We finished late this afternoon. Nickie and Meredith saved us a bunch of time.”
“So what’s next?”
Adelaide shrugged. “I don’t know. The defenses are built, and the agricultural biomes are pretty much complete. Now that the water is running, I haven’t got anything major to test myself against. I want to keep pushing myself, but I can’t see how to do that. It’s hard to admit, but I think we both have itchy feet.”
Keen grinned. “Something like that. I can’t deny a desire to get out there again. Open space has a siren song all her own, Addie, and she’s singing louder to me with each passing day.”
Adelaide’s eyes shone. “There’s adventure out there. It’s just waiting to be discovered. I can’t deny that I want to chase it, too. We nearly died! I had no hope, Keen. None at all. Then Nickie came along and saved us.”
Keen sighed. “That kind of event changes your perspective on things and makes you want to use the time you might not have had to its full potential.”
“I’ve been thinking about it a lot since then,” she confessed. “You want to make a difference? Well, so do I. I have more to give than this. I want a change.”
Keen hadn’t expected such an outburst from the normally collected young woman. “How has Raynard taken this? Have you two talked about it?”
Adelaide shook her head. “No, he’s buried in his work, and honestly, we’re not really talking much about anything at the moment. I can’t see him being too happy, though. He’s so focused on the day-to-day of the colony that there isn’t time for us now, or at least it seems that way.”
Keen nodded. “We all have to work through what happened. That wasn’t a walk in the park we went through, Addie. Raynard’s way of coping is to throw himself into work.”
Adelaide pressed her lips together. “I suppose I need to work out whether I want to run because it’s my reaction, or because I really want to leave Themis.”
They were interrupted by Nickie making her typical grand entrance. “Hey, what are you guys doing in here? Don’t you know there’s a party going on? Quit moping, we’re celebrating!”
Keen gaped, shocked by the change in Nickie. “Celebrating?”
Nickie grinned. “The water? Melissa and Raynard broke out the good stuff,” she paused, “if you can call it good. It’s strong, I’ll give them that.”
Adelaide laughed. This was a whole new side to Nickie, one she’d suspected existed but hadn’t expected to see. “Come on, Keen! Everyone is waiting.”
Keen shook his head. “I’m good, thanks. You ladies have fun, though.”
Adelaide hugged him. “You know we will. I’ll make sure to have a drink or three for you.”
“Make sure you do,” he told her fondly.
She linked her arm through Nickie’s and steered her back toward the door. “What are we waiting for? Lead the way.”
Chapter 6 Tabitha
K’nthel System, Traveler’s Rest, Aboard the Achronyx
Tabitha and Ryu poured over the paperwork Hirotoshi had taken from the office while Hirotoshi combed through the ledger Stacy had provided.
“I don’t get it. Why can’t I find anything that points to that damned Skaine?” Tabitha huffed in exasperation. “Are you sure you got all the files, Hirotoshi?”
Hirotoshi gave her a look that would melt stone.
“Okay, okay. This is plenty to start with.” She waved the paper at him. “There’s enough here to arrest half the officials on the station, just nothing on Brother Scroat. I know he’s involved in this somehow. Otherwise, how did the Order’s plea for help just vanish like that?”
“There are any number of reasons it could have happened,” Hirotoshi told her. He looked up from the ledger. “You are allowing your preconceptions to get in the way of the investigation.”
“Am not.” Tabitha pouted. “What is this? “What’s with this sudden denial of the way the universe works? He’s a Skaine, and we have missing people. It’s not rocket science.”
Ryu raised an eyebrow. “Are you so certain that Scroat is involved? I have to agree with Hirotoshi. All the evidence points to this station, and apart from the missing report, there’s nothing to connect any of what we’ve discovered to the Order. Unless you know something we don’t?”
“No… But I’m right.” She threw her hands up in frustration. “How can you be so sure he’s not involved?”
Hirotoshi shrugged. “I am not. However, I am not so quick to assume that Scroat is involved simply because he is a Skaine. Especially since none of the evidence so far points to him.”
Tabitha narrowed her eyes. “Yet. It doesn’t point to him yet. You’re going to eat your words when we figure this all out and he’s at the center of it. Just wait and see.”
Hirotoshi inclined his head a fraction. “And if that is the case, I will accept that I was wrong and move on, having learned a valuable lesson.”
“Yeah, we might not be moving on for a while.” Tabitha was getting grumpier by the minute. “There’s so much corruption going on here, I have to wonder how the Order was getting any funding at all.” She discarded the file and picked up the next report. “Old Harry has dirt on people’s dirt. I can almost admire him. Oh.” She stopped to read the top sheet again. “Guys, this doesn’t add up at all.”
Ryu held out a hand for the paper. “What is it?”
Tabitha tore the top sheet free and handed it over. “There’s a single massive payment here. It disappears almost the moment it hits this first account, and then it looks like it bounces from account to account until… Oh, that’s all there is. Hey, this looks like an investigation. Who is behind all these cutouts?” She flipped through the pages of the report slowly. “There’s nothing here to say who any of this belongs to, or why Harry was investigating in the first place.”
Hirotoshi looked up. “I am having better luck here. I have identified several potential suspects already. Perhaps there is some crossover between the two sets of miscreants?” He flicked to the back of the ledger. “There is rather a lot of detail in here. It appears to be more of a service guide for the wealthier patrons than anything else. Oh joy, there are photos included.” His face froze for a second. “Oh. Oh, no.”
Ryu got up to look at the photo. “But he’s human! Human bodies can’t do…that.”
Tabitha dropped the report onto her chair and came over to see what had shaken the usually unflappable duo. “Show me.”
“Are you sure? You will not be able to unsee it afterward.” Hirotoshi held the ledger up when she nodded.
Tabitha tilted her head from side to side as her brain tried to make sense of the scene in the photo. “That’s just…” She swallowed hard as a lump rose in her throat. “Wow.”
“To each their own,” Hirotoshi offered diplomatically.
Tabitha rubbed her eyes as if that could remove the image that was now burned into her retinas for at least an eternity. Maybe longer. “Yeah, but that alien seemed way too into everyone else’s.”
Ryu sat do
wn heavily, looking a bit green. “Where did all the tentacles come from?”
Hirotoshi shook his head. “The question is, where did they all go? It is not a question I would like to be answered, however.” He turned the page and grimaced. “Humanity amazes me in its capacity to reach for the extreme. This is one of the times I would rather not have witnessed it.”
Tabitha had to agree. “I’m not sure I want to brag about being the same species as that guy, that’s for sure.” She shuddered and went back to her chair to continue her investigation. “Mystery accounts aside, this is all too neat. Like, super-organized. I think Harry is running an extortion racket in addition to his skimming.”
Hirotoshi’s lip curled in distaste. “What’s a little blackmail when you are already stealing from the destitute? Men like Harry are a blight upon humanity. It was only because we have been instructed to keep a low profile that I allowed him to continue breathing. The man made my skin crawl.”
“He won’t be breathing for much longer if he doesn’t change his ways. Tabitha waited for Hirotoshi to finish scanning the last page. “Is there anything about him in the ledger?”
“No,” he replied. “This man is too sharp to allow any of his victims to gain an advantage. You can be sure that whatever his proclivities are, no one on this station will have a clue about them.”
Ryu nodded in agreement. “He’s slick, but he has grown comfortable, and is overly flashy. That makes him vulnerable, which makes him ripe for the turning.”
Tabitha grinned. “You want to go and dangle him off a building by his ankles until he squeals like the little piggy he is?”
“We are on a space station, Kemosabe,” Hirotoshi reminded her.
Tabitha rolled her eyes. “Do you have to take everything so literally? An airlock will do the same job. As long as he talks, who cares? But we’ll have to find him first. Everyone get some rest. We’ll track him down first thing tomorrow.”
They were interrupted by a proximity sensor alert.
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