“Then it’s probably better if someone else did the electrical work.” She stood, tidying the last of her supplies. Leo was watching her. “Is something wrong?”
“No.” He continued to examine her. “Just watching you work. You like to tinker?”
“You have to be part tinker to be a tugger. Bao’s always trying to get me to update, use droids instead of my tools, go handless on controls and posts... But I don’t like putting my fate in someone or something else’s hands.” She stopped talking. She never talked that much.
Leo grinned.
“You any good with shield panels?” the other man asked. He was tall and blond, with one arm.
“Sensor shields or standard shields?”
“What’s the difference?” The blond man shrugged.
“Sensor shields are activated by remote. Or they can be motion activated, too.” She put the last of her tools into her belt. “Standard shields are on or off.”
“Standard,” Iggy volunteered.
She nodded. “Sure.”
Leo cocked an eyebrow. “Can’t do sensor shields?”
“I can. But they take different tools.”
Iggy laughed. “You’re good.”
“She is,” Leo added, his jaw tightening.
She felt heat rush through her and turned back to the sensor panel. She knew the cover was on securely, but she wasn’t about to blush in front of Leo...the other men. She hated that his words, the look on his face, made her body throb to life.
“You need me to do that now?” she asked.
“Now would be better than later,” Iggy confirmed.
“It’s only going to get colder,” the blond answered, nodding. “And visibility’s going to disappear pretty quick, too.”
She shrugged. “I don’t mind cold if something needs to be done.”
“You’re gorgeous, hot and handy. I don’t think I’ve ever been as turned on as I am right now.” The blond smiled. “I’m Rex and you, Riley, are my kind of woman.”
She laughed. “Nice to meet you... I think.”
“Why don’t you go see if you can round up some deep-cold gear for Riley?” Iggy asked Rex, sighing heavily. “I’ll round up some charged plasmas.”
Riley froze. “Plasma rifles? Why do we need plasma rifles?”
“The cryptids.” Rex looked at Leo then back at her. “Leo didn’t mention the cryptids? Mean sons of bitches will finish you up in one bite.”
Chapter Three: Cryptids
“What are you talking about?” Something else she’d never heard of. “What’s a cryptid?”
“The reason we need those shields fixed, hon.” Rex shrugged. “They don’t hear the shield pulse, they come looking for Galilean settler snacks. They hear the shield, they stay away.”
Riley turned to look at Leo. “You didn’t think I might want to know we could get eaten while we were trekking across the ice yesterday?”
Leo shrugged. “I didn’t think we were going to make it period. I didn’t see the point in worrying you over them.”
“I’ve been hauling ice from Galileo, Jynx, Farley and Callisto. I’ve never heard of cryptids, not once.” But she was beginning to realize she had a lot to learn.
“Galileo’s the only place lucky enough to have them,” Iggy explained.
“Surprisingly, no one’s wanted to ship some of the suckers off moon.” Rex smiled. “Not worth the effort to try, I guess. Big, white, angry and full of teeth—if their teeth don’t get you, their tail might...”
Galileo was a nightmare. Why the hell would anyone choose to live here?
She crossed her arms over her chest. She didn’t like feeling this...vulnerable, this alone. She peeked at Leo...
She stopped short.
Was she looking at him for reassurance?
She dropped her arms, shaking them and standing straight and tall. She didn’t need reassuring. This was no big deal. Nothing she couldn’t handle.
“You were safe tugging, Riley.” Leo spoke softly. “You mine and cut ice over the pack, never over land. Cryptids don’t swim and never venture out onto the ice. They hunt on land...”
“Why do you think Iggy’s been hooking things up wrong? We used to have a mechanic, could wire anything. But they got to him before we...” Rex’s less-than-comforting explanation was cut short when Iggy punched him in the shoulder.
“Just get her some cold gear. I’ll get the rifles.” Iggy looked at Riley apologetically. “If your offer still stands, that is.”
“How long have they been down?” She wasn’t so sure she wanted to touch their shields now.
“About an hour ago,” Rex answered as he left the kitchen.
“I don’t think this is a good idea.” Leo was looking at her.
Iggy nodded. “Probably not. They’ll be coming quick, if they’re not looking for a way in already.” Iggy’s face was grim. “We’ll set off some charges to chase them off for now.”
“They’ll try to get in?” She blinked. Images of the children, smiling Lylie and the others, sprang up. They’d be terrified. They’d be in danger. She took a deep breath. “Mines are fine for short term, but will they come back? If the shield’s not up and vibrating, I mean?” She looked at Leo, noting the angry line of his jaw.
“Eventually.” Iggy nodded.
Riley continued. “You’d still have to post some sort of watch and Rex just said visibility was getting worse...” She made up her mind. “Let’s do this and get it over with it.”
She started toward the kitchen door, but Leo grabbed her arm.
Iggy’s eyebrows ascended to his forehead before he walked quickly from the kitchen.
“Give me a link-up. I can do this—if you walk me through it.” His hands rested on her shoulders as he spoke.
She liked the way his thumbs stroked her, the way his breath caressed her short hair as he spoke. She glanced up at his mouth. She wanted him to kiss her.
This was not the time.
She swallowed, stepping out of his hold. “I’m fast, Leo. Something tells me you’re good with a gun. You want to help, make sure nothing eats me.”
He stared at her, his brown gaze sweeping her face. He nodded then followed her from the kitchen.
Several layers of clothes later, Riley closed her eyes and stepped into the chute. She reached the bottom, fighting the urge to throw up.
Leo opened the hatch, smiling.
She scowled at him and pushed past. Her fingers traced over the pockets and holsters of her belt, reassuring her that she had everything she needed. She’d never had to work under the threat of attack. Being eaten tended to add a sense of urgency she didn’t like.
“It’s all you, Riley. Faster you’re done, faster we’re back inside.” Iggy slapped her on the shoulder and opened the outer door.
The wind buffeted them back from the entrance, tossing thick snowflakes and tiny shards of ice into the chute tunnel with blinding force.
She drew in a deep, bracing breath and stretched her fingers. She could do this. It was no different than deicing the fuel lines in the silence of the black.
“Oh, yea, this is going to be fun.” Leo laughed softly.
His words caught her off guard and she giggled. “Fun? You’ve got a weird sense of humor, you know that?”
“I’ve heard that a few times.” He paused. “I won’t let anything near you, I promise. Okay?” He followed Iggy out.
She heard the click and whir of their rifles, charging instantly from the pump of the handle. When she stepped out, it took a few seconds for her eyes to focus. The lights illuminating the chute tunnel entrance were orange; green and yellow glowed from the rifle nozzles. She reached up and clicked on the headlamp, pulling the door shut behind her.
They moved together. Iggy led, Riley followed and Leo brought up the rear. Rex was on scout, hanging from one of the large metal anchor chains that affixed the station to Galileo’s surface.
“All clear.” Rex spoke through the link-up. “You hurry, Riley, and I’ll be glad to get you real warm and happy tonight.” Apparently he didn’t care if everyone heard his offer.
She could have sworn she heard Leo snort, but when she looked back he was staring off into the snow.
“If you’d focus I’d really appreciate it, Rex. Let’s take it one step at a time. Step one for me: repairs. Step one for you: scouting. Okay?” She said the words forcefully.
“You got it, pretty lady,” Rex responded. She could tell he was smiling.
“There.” Iggy flipped a switch on the anchor chain and a small pool of light surrounded her. In front of her was a rectangular box with several long gouges across the box face. She traced the grooves, considering the four evenly spaced indentions on the metal box—and what might have made them. She shivered.
Her hands trembled slightly as she punched the key code into lock. Red lights flickered across the panel cover and the seal released. She took a deep breath and pulled the door open. The metal screeched sharply as it slid open. The sound broke through the silence of the snow, carrying loudly on the wind.
“Damn,” Rex muttered.
“What?” Leo asked.
“Nothing,” Iggy sounded calm.
“You just rang the dinner bell.” Rex laughed softly.
Riley adjusted her headlamp, assessing the situation. There were six panels inside, each three feet tall and less than a half an inch thick. She knelt, pulling the first panel out. A grid of chips, wire runners, peg ties, and rubber spindles formed a map of electric energy. She sighed, rocking back on her heels. It wouldn’t be too bad if she could take out each panel and scavenge them in under a microscope. But she had to find the glitch here, in the snow, with barely any light...
“Movement,” Rex hissed in her earpiece.
“I see him.” Leo’s tone was soothing. “Don’t worry, Riley.”
She didn’t turn. Seeing it was worse than not seeing it...she was pretty sure. “I trust you Leo... All of you. I need time.” She took a deep breath and forced herself to ignore everything else.
She held the panel up, scanning it as closely as she could. A light dusting of snow was powdering the grid; she tipped it and continued to look.
“First panel’s good,” she murmured into her link-up.
“You’ve got all the time in the world,” Leo said without hesitation.
She slid the first panel in and tugged the second out. There was a slight build of corrosion between two spindles. She doubted that would cause a disconnect, but she didn’t want to take any chances. She pulled a fine-tip spindle brush from her belt and scrubbed the spindles, tipping the panel to shake the dust free.
She slid it in place and pulled the third panel. Nothing.
She blinked, ignoring the strange whistling that pierced the wind. It was high pitched, lasting long enough to make her ears hurt. The noise changed, ending with a deep, throaty growl.
“We’re good, Riley. We’ve got this covered,” Leo assured softly.
“Okay, Leo.” She pulled out the fourth panel and smiled. “Blown fuse, simple fix.”
She pulled the large, blackened fuse from its plug. She slipped the dud into her pocket and pulled a sack of fuses from one of the pouches snapped to her belt. She poured a handful of the fuses into her hand, sorting through them with quick fingers. She found the right size, snapped it into place and dumped the rest back into the pouch.
“What are you waiting for, Leo?” Rex bit out.
“The big one,” Leo answered.
“In the back?” Only the slightest hint of concern was audible in Iggy’s tone. “Any reason you’re waiting?”
She slid the panel back in place and pulled out the next. Nothing, no corrosion, no breaks—she slid it back and pulled the last panel out.
“Shit,” she groaned. “Found the real problem.” A streak of black lined the middle of the panel. An entire section of spindles and LED runners were dark. She wiggled the chord, sighing when the lights flickered. “Panel’s fried.”
“Can you fix it?” Iggy asked no longer calm.
“I can. But I don’t have my plasma welder. It’s gone—with my ship.”
“We have one in the shop,” Rex offered.
“Inside?” she asked.
“Watch it, Leo!” Iggy sounded terrified. “That one’s getting too close.”
“Just getting a sniff,” Leo assured him. “He’s just trying to make friends.”
Iggy snorted loudly.
“How long will it take you to fix it?” Leo asked.
Her eyes flew over the panel. “Twenty minutes...maybe more.”
“Let’s get back inside then.” Iggy’s voice was trembling.
“Can you manage the panel, Riley? We’re kind of tied up at the moment,” Leo teased.
She sighed. He was going to joke, even now? She could just imagine the smile on his face. Somehow the image eased some of the tension from her. “I can manage.” She shoved the breaker box door shut, locked it and lifted the panel with care.
She turned, and froze.
She’d never seen anything like it. In the swirling snow and ice, it waited. Its white fur was tipped with silver. She could see claws, the eight-inch nails tapping on the ground with surprising force. Six legs, six claws—the back legs were bigger, higher, making the animal appear ready to pounce.
It swung its tail, the air snapping from the whiplike force. She tried to look up, to see its face. But it was too tall.
“Move slowly, Riley,” Leo whispered. “Back toward the door, slowly. We’re with you.”
She took a careful step back, panic pressing in on her. Each step stoked the fear in her chest, but she was deliberate—careful. She wouldn’t run, no matter how much she wanted too.
She watched the massive legs turn, watched it follow them closer and closer.
“It’s right on top of you,” Rex murmured.
“Wait.” She stopped. “Rex?”
“Aw, that’s sweet, honey. Don’t worry, I’m safe up here. Besides, I’ll get pulled up as soon as you get your pretty little ass back inside.” His words were edged with warning.
She moved again, inching to the door with the panel pressed to her chest. She pulled the chute tunnels door open, jumping as the wind slammed it into the tunnel wall with a deafening bang.
Leo shoved her inside, a flash of movement. As she fell to the tunnel floor, gunfire began. The sound echoed, bouncing off the metal walls. She curled into a ball and covered her ears, willing the sound to stop.
She pushed herself across the floor and leaned against the wall, staring out the open door. Snow swirled, the flashing light of the rifle fire flickered, but she couldn’t see anything.
They were out there with that thing.
Iggy. Rex was swinging from the roof...
And Leo... She shook her head.
Leo would be okay. Her heart hurt, her lungs emptied... He had to be.
The gunfire stopped. A rush of snow flooded inside the chute tunnel and the door slammed shut.
She blinked, wiping the snow from her eyes.
Iggy was shaking snow off his hat, cursing loudly.
Leo pushed his mask back, his brown gaze warm upon her. He smiled.
She didn’t mean to run to him. She didn’t mean to throw her arms around him. She certainly hadn’t expected him to catch her and kiss her. But she didn’t mind. He was warm and solid and safe, and his lips were too delicious to resist.
The chute roared behind them. The suction pulled at their coats, snapping her back to real
ity.
As she stared up at him, warmth and pleasure surged within her. She stepped back, out of his arms, and tore her eyes from his.
Iggy was shaking his head, a broad smile on his face. “My turn next?”
She swallowed nervously, feeling the need to escape. With a firm hold on the panel, she ran into the chute. She didn’t wait for the others, but barreled into the common room to find Walt waiting for her.
“This way.” He led her down a hall, turned sharply, then down another hall and a steep set of stairs.
They stopped before an old metal hatch door. Walt placed his palm against the thermal scanner and the door opened with a loud grind and a hiss of industrial smelling air. “Rex said you needed the plasma welder? Anything else?”
“Lights. A magnifier?” Her fingers ran over the pouches of her belt. “Rex inside?”
“He is.” Walt laughed, turning on lamps and searching through the worktable drawers to find what she needed. “And telling everyone you’re having dinner with him.”
She smiled, taking the magnifier Walt offered to her.
“She is not eating with him,” Leo barked as he entered the shop.
Riley and Walt stared at him then returned to searching.
“We don’t have a stand for the magnifier,” Walt explained. “It was broken, and Vy never had the chance to repair it.”
She nodded and sat, placing the panel on the table. She scanned the room for some makeshift stand, but she didn’t have time to put something together. “Can you hold it steady?” she asked Leo, offering him the large magnifier.
Leo came forward, taking it in both hands.
She dumped two of her pouches into trays, pushing the bolts, washers and nail-bits around until she found electrical thread, some metal tack and three new fuses. She twisted the welder open, wincing when the blue flame sparked to life.
Leo placed a pair of polarized lenses on her nose. “It’s not good for your eyes.” He spoke softly.
“Trying to hurry,” she answered without bite.
She set to work, pressing the metal tack along the weakened bend in the plate. She watched the blue flames thin out the tack, reinforcing the plate’s middle. Once it was even, she found a few spindles and the electric thread. She pulled the remaining LED runners off, letting them fall to the floor without a glance. Her thin fingers flew, rethreading the circuit with quick precision.
A Galactic Holiday Page 15