"Is this some kind--," Azra's voice crackled.
"No joke," Ajay said with urgency. "This is deadly fucking serious. Move the ship. I'll turn around and get back as quickly as this thing will allow."
Ajay found the short delay between communications agonising. "Hurry up," he muttered.
"Code one - copy," Azra's voice said.
Ajay sunk into his seat.
# # #
Natsuki: Efans Household, Insularum 5, Lunar
18/07/6,544, 15:04 (IST)
Natsuki paced as water to boiled for another pot of tea. "I'm going insane, Wynn," she said. "You know I appreciate this, but I need to get my life back. I need to get Riko back."
"Have you seen the patrols?" Wynn asked. "It's too dangerous. Luckily, I'm an Affiliate, so I'm offered some protection, but Ozu's not going to let that stop him if he wants to get to us. We need to be very careful."
Natsuki sighed, raising her hands in a helpless, frustrated gesture. "I know; I just feel so trapped in here." She poured the teas, handed Wynn a cup, then slumped onto the sofa. "I've lost Hayao. I've lost Riko. And now I feel like I'm losing my mind."
"I know," said Wynn, leaning forward on his chair. "Hopefully, Dumi will have some news on Riko soon."
"I can't stand the thought of her being looked after by anyone else." Natsuki bit her trembling lip. "I can't stand the thought of just sitting here. All I do all day is drink tea and complain. You must be sick of me - I'm sick of me."
"We can beat this," said Wynn. "You need to be strong."
"I'm done with being strong. Where has it got me? I need to start doing something. I need a plan."
Wynn shook his head. "I understand your frustration, I really do. But one false move, one wrong turn and that's it. You're no good to anyone if you're back in custody."
Natsuki sighed a deep long sigh. "So I just sit here and wait?"
"No. We come up with a plan, we get you off Lunar. We need everything to be right. Something's got to give with Ozu - he's completely out of control."
Natsuki shook her head. "I don't want to get off Lunar. I want to rebuild my life with my daughter in my own home. Is that too much to ask?"
"Realistically? Yes."
Natsuki scowled.
"I know it's hard to hear, but you're wanted for treason," Wynn said. "You, more than anyone, know only too well what that means. And not only that, you're a fugitive. You escaped from the Judiciary. If you even attempted to go near your residence, you're going to be arrested."
"But Lunar's my home," she said. "The bed I shared with Hayao is my home. The place I raised Riko is my home."
"You need to stop thinking of that building as your home, and stop thinking of Lunar as your home. There are some good orbiters - there's even Mars if you're willing to take up farming."
Natsuki grimaced. "Do you not see how hard this is for me?"
"Of course I do, but it doesn't change the facts. We need to work with what we've got." Wynn sipped his tea. "I can arrange for a Boeki ship to smuggle you away. It won't be easy, but it can be done. In the meantime, you need to sit tight and wait to hear word about Riko."
Natsuki felt tears well up in her eyes. "I'm sorry Wynn - I know you're right."
# # #
Janis, Personal Quarters, Titan Orbiter, Saturn
12/07/6,544, 22:15 (IST)
Janis frowned as Mataes crawled beside her into bed. "I know what you and Arfo have been scheming," she said through a lump in her throat. Sweat pooled on her brow and seeped from her armpits as her heart raced in the darkness.
Mataes sat up and slid his legs out of the bunk. "You're already in on the plan - you know that," he said in a low voice. "You're tired. You should try to sleep."
Janis clenched her jaw and sighed. "Just stop," she said. "Just stop the lies. I heard you talking last night."
Mataes did not respond.
"I heard you," she repeated in a firm voice. "What was it you said? That I'm thick? That I'm boring? You weren't saying that when you were inside me. How could you be so--," Janis wiped a tear, "--heartless?"
Mataes stood. Janis waited for him to speak.
"Are you going to say anything?" she snapped.
"It's not what you think," Mataes said after a long silence.
"Then explain it to me." Janis put her hands on her hips.
"I can't."
"You thought you were so clever. You and Arfo. What was your plan? Trick the stupid cleaner lady in doing your dirty work? Get into her bed and make her do your bidding?"
"Not--."
"Stop lying," she said. "I knew exactly what I was doing with those drones. I knew I was going across to kill the higher-ups. You weren't tricking me at all - it was the best thing for the workers." Her pulse thundered in her ears. "Well?"
"Well, what? I don't fucking know."
Janis saw the faint outline of Mataes in the dark as he paced back and forth, rubbing his hands on his scalp in a jerking motion.
Wrapped in her blanket, Janis sat and turned the light on. She caught Mataes's eye with glare and smirked to herself when his gaze shot to the floor.
"You're pathetic," she said. "I want you to take your stuff out of my bunk and get out of here. Do you understand?"
"Fair enough," he mumbled.
Janis rose to her feet as her blanket dropped to the floor. Standing naked before Mataes, she leaned her head close to his. "You can tell Arfo I was in the communication room today," she whispered. "You can tell him I sent a message to all open channels telling them what's happened here. It's only a matter of time before Arfo's little workers' paradise in brought down."
Mataes's eyes widened. She pointed to the door. "Now leave."
Mataes scooped up his belongings and left without another word. Janis leaned with her back against the door when his footsteps could no longer be heard and sighed.
# # #
Kurosawa grows impatient over L6 repairs
Originally published by Lunar Chronicle 12/05/6.541
Lunar Vice Secretary Hayao Kurosawa has called on Bani to make repairs to Lunar's L6 elevator.
During a United Solar Assembly meeting today, Vice Sect Kurosawa claimed that if Bani did not act soon, the platform would be beyond repair.
He said: "L6 is vital for trade and transport links to the other provinces. Either we need Bani to make the necessary repairs or put a system in place where other groups can make the repairs."
Affiliates criticised Vice Sect Kurosawa's words, claiming he was working against the best interests of the Union.
Rep Inge Tomas (Muedin) said: "The privileged position of Affiliates must be respected. How would it be if Boeki traders suddenly started farming, or Fune started dabbling in medical research?
"Licenses must be respected."
Rep Yao Chin (Yao) told the Assembly that she supported Vice Sect Kurosawa's proposals.
She said: "With licenses come grave responsibility. There is no room for Affiliates to be complacent over their duties to the Union."
Vice Sect Kurosawa's motion to allow the renegotiation of Affiliate and Monopoly licenses was blocked by 21 votes.
# # #
Chapter Fifteen
Chao-xing, Phobos Mobius, Phobos, Mars
05/06/6,544, 13:23 (IST)
Armand led the way through the subtle undulations of light that pulsated along the walls of the main corridor.
Chao-xing stopped.
"What is it?" asked Armand.
"I'm just thinking, I'm not sure how to reactivate my implants. I don't even know how to get to any useful part of the station," she said.
Armand nodded. "You're right. There was a door along here that gaped from nothing."
Chao-xing lifted her right hand to the wall and groped along its surface. She walked, following the gentle curve of the inner wall seeking something to grip, to press, to manipulate. Electricity tingled around her body.
"You okay?"
"Just nerves," she said.
All at once she pulled her hand back and stumbled as the wall dipped inwards as though it were a thick liquid. With caution, she touched the wall again as ripples moved along its surface from where her hand had made contact.
"Feel this," she said.
Armand pushed his hand to the wall. "It's completely solid," he said.
Chao-xing grinner. She reached into the wall and draw a large circle. The wall yawned open. "We're in," she whispered.
She held the wall open as Armand ducked his head and stepped through. She followed as the wall closed behind them. Power surged through her body. She fell to her knees as Yao knowledge flooded into her mind. Waves of data, images, memories and pure light grabbed hold of her.
Convulsing, she pissed herself as blue sparks fizzed over her skin.
"Chao-xing, can you hear me?" Armand's voice was faint, distant, distorted.
She grabbed at her head for a final moment before sagging unconscious to the floor.
# # #
Ajay: The Segrado, in region of Saturn
11/07/6,544, 22:43 (IST)
Ajay vomited again. He'd never pushed his ship to the levels of acceleration. Although the Segrado protected its pilot from gravity and radiation, the dizzying visuals on its console gave Ajay a severe migraine.
He lifted his head from the disposal shoot. Groaning, he reached for his communicator.
"Coraygar. Coraygar. This is the Segrado. Do you copy?" he slurred.
He listened to the static as a loud pulse raced through his head. Tapping into his console he made fresh scans of the region, but they detected no ships.
"Coraygar?" he said urgently. "This is the Segrado. Are you okay?"
"Ajay?"
He sat up and smiled: Azra's voice was unmistakable, beautiful. "What happened?"
"Nothing. The ships weren't after us. They're approaching the Titan Orbiter."
Ajay frowned. "The orbiter? Why?"
"We've no idea."
Ajay brushed his matted hair back as his brow glistened with a cold sweat. "What would the Muedin want with Titan?"
"We would have been spotted, though," Azra said. "If you hadn't warned us, I mean."
"I'm just glad you got away." A sudden rumble tugged in Ajay's stomach. He turned and vomited into his waste chute.
"Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine, just a bit of travel sickness," he said breathing heavily as wiped a string of vomit from his chin.
"Come back aboard - I'm forwarding you our new location."
"What about Taslim?"
"Taslim's fine. He doesn't think you did anything untoward. I trust him, and I want to trust you. You really helped us out there. You could have carried on and left us, but you didn't - that means a lot to all of us."
"Thanks," he mumbled. "What else was I going to do?"
# # #
Meer: Vin Ranghi household, Insularum 2, Lunar
21/07/6,544, 09:39 (IST)
"For goodness sake child, will you please stay still," Meer said as she pulled Riko's new leather tunic over her head.
"I said I don't like it," Riko said as she stomped her feet.
"I'll take you back to that ghastly orphanage. Would you like that? Because that's what I'll do."
Meer looked on in horror as Riko wriggled free and dove onto her bed. "Do you have any idea how much those covers cost? Get down from there this instant," she said.
Riko bounced on the plush bed sheets, intricately decorated with fine strips of leather and lace. Meer clenched her jaw and cursed under her breath as Riko tore off her tunic and giggled.
"I don't like it. I don't like it. I don't like it," Riko sang.
Riko's right foot caught in one of the leather strips, cringing as it tore. Meer marched over to Riko and yanked her hard by the wrist.
"I told you to stop it, you little shit," Meer said through gritted teeth. "I can't believe I wanted a child."
Riko wailed, a loud, uncontrollable squeal.
"This is completely unacceptable," Meer said. Riko flailed on the floor, her arms and legs flapping wildly. "I'll send you back. I will."
"Mummy!" Riko wailed.
"I'm your mummy now. Shut up." Meer scooped Riko up and dropped her onto the bed.
"I said I want Mummy!" Riko pushed out her bottom lip, folded her arms and kicked her legs. "I don't like you. I don't like you. I don't like you, I said."
"Well, I don't like you, child."
# # #
Janis: Cleaning Stores, Titan Orbiter, Saturn
16/07/6,544, 12:15 (IST)
Janis closed the door to the cleaning store behind her when the alarm system sounded, loud and shrill. Workers ran past her in all directions.
"What's going on?" she called to a worker heading her way. T he man ran past, ignoring her question.
Flinching at the alarm, she grabbed another man's shoulder, stopping him before he could pass. He squirmed as he stopped himself from tumbling. "What?" the man snapped, his dark eyes wild, frightened.
"What's with the alarm?" Janis shouted.
"United Solar ships have docked with us."
Janis stood motionless as the man turned and fled. She couldn't believe United Solar had arrived so fast. The thin trace of a smile made its way to her face as she pictured the reactions of Arfo and Mataes.
Covering her ears she backed her way through the door to the cleaning store, closing it behind her. The thick metal door did little to dampen the sound of the alarm. She saw a vacuum suit hanging from a peg on the wall.
Janis took off her overalls and examined the suit. She lifted it from the wall then pulled the suit up her legs, her shoulders contorting as she reached into the arms, the suit's material clinging to her like a second skin. She checked and fastened the oxygen tanks. The sound dropped as she clicked the helmet into place. She exhaled a satisfied breath.
Stepping back into the main corridor, scores of panicked workers ran past her in silence. The experience was hazy, dreamlike, surreal. Making her way to the departure platform, she saw the capsule line was at a standstill, with groups of men and women pacing around in confusion.
Although the daylight lamps were shining throughout the orbiter, Janis looked up with trepidation at the capsule tunnel fading into darkness. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out, turning the knob to release the propellant and rose past the capsules. The men and women below craned their necks and pointed.
Her body jolted upward as she ascended through the rings of steel. All was dark, all was silent. As she drifted into weightlessness, Janis adjusted the propellant as the gravity flipped. Disorientation hit. What was up became down. She did not stop at the window to gaze outside.
Her eyes adjusted as the daylight lamps came into view as she drew closer to the last steel ring.
Coming to a stop with a soft landing, Janis found the capsule platform empty. She removed her helmet and breathed. Placing the helmet next to a motionless capsule, she realised the alarms had stopped.
She stepped through a large door into a corridor. With a dour expression wrinkled across her face, Janis crept past the kitchens. The workers were on the other side of the platform during daylight hours, but this was too quiet.
Approaching the mess hall, she heard shouts coming from inside. She pressed herself against the wall at the sound of a loud bang accompanied by a chorus of screams. She held her breath and moved to one of the mess hall doors and peeped through a thin crack.
"What have I done?" she whispered. Her eyes widened as she saw two dozen men dressed in dark blue uniforms standing over some of the workers. A tear came to her eye as she spotted three bodies on the floor with bloody holes in their foreheads. She saw how the blood pooled around them. She almost called out as one of the uniformed officers lifted a sidearm and shot a worker in the head.
Scores of familiar faces lined-up with their backs against the far wall of the mess hall with their hands on their hands. She gasped as she saw Mataes. She thought about the workers on the other side. I
t would only be a matter of time.
She moved away from the door and caught her breath as another loud bang came from the other side of the door.
With trepidation, she stepped into the kitchen, passed half-prepared meals, then shouldered her way into a storage cupboard. Though not as well-stocked as her own, she found containers filled with various cleaning fluids, ten of them in metal vats that reached up to her knees. She rolled them over to the kitchen hatch, strained as she lifted them onto the sideboard. She arranged them in a line then removed each of their lids in turn, scrunching her nose as she breathed in the pungent fumes.
She pressed the button to raise the serving hatch. As the shuttered hissed open, she tipped the containers into the mess hall.
There were shouts coming from the mess hall. She reached for her throat as the fumes burnt her lungs. A thick white fog gathered all around her as the chemicals fizzled.
She lay on the floor as the coughs and chokes of those in the mess hall faded.
"Forgive me," she whispered, her consciousness fading.
# # #
Museum details Lunar's rich history
Originally published by Lunar Chronicle, 12/02/6,322
The Insularum Museum, Insularum 1, was declared open following a gala celebration attended by the Lunar elite.
The museum's collection dates back to some of the earliest days of our history.
Exhibits include: a display of archive materials donated by Bani outlining the original plans for capsule lines linking Insularum to Vaporum; a steel pole believed to be at least 5,000 years old; and ancient Martian pottery.
During the ceremony hosted by Lunar Secretary Patapeta Petamine, Yao Huizhong unveiled the museum's central exhibit: a mining drone dating from more than 2,000 years ago.
The drone, which stands ten metres in height, is said to be still in working order.
Yao Huizhong said: "This piece represents an important artefact in our shared history - this was not only the first drone I ever designed, but it also the first drone to land on Pluto."
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