Polaris Rising

by Jessie Mihalik

  “Anything else?”

  “Nothing specific, but I’m not opposed to buying more. Really depends on what he has.”

  The transport rolled to a stop in an alley. A single steel door broke up the expanse of wall. Yeah, this seemed like an ideal place to get murdered. If I wasn’t pretty sure we were meeting Rhys Sebastian, I would’ve bailed.

  “I’ll go first, you stick close. If anyone gives you shit, let me deal with it.”

  I paid for the transport then touched my thumb and pinky, reverting to the likely compromised identity of Irena Hasan, just in case. No reason to burn a perfectly good identity, because while scanning identity chips without notice was against the law, I doubted a black-market arms dealer much cared.

  Loch stepped out but didn’t offer me a hand. I pulled up the hood of my cloak and climbed out on my own. The transport slid away. Loch pounded on the door.

  “Wha’da’ya want?” a rough voice asked from a hidden speaker.

  “Tell Rhys that Loch is here to see him.”

  We waited in silence. Finally the door swung inward to reveal a long, dim hallway and nothing else. We stepped inside and the door slammed shut behind us. Loch didn’t even pause.

  We climbed two flights of stairs then came out in a small foyer. A beautiful brunette sat behind a gleaming, spotless desk. “Please sit,” she said, indicating the leather chairs behind us. “Mr. Sebastian will see you shortly.”

  Loch crossed his arms and didn’t move. The receptionist shrugged a delicate shoulder and turned back to her com terminal. Time ticked past in tiny, frozen increments. Standing behind Loch, I settled in for a long wait.

  Perhaps twenty minutes later, the brunette looked up from her com terminal. “Mr. Sebastian will see you now,” she said. She indicated the door to her right.

  I trailed Loch through the door into a richly appointed office. Real wood floors covered by antique Persian rugs led to a wall of windows looking down on the main avenue through Sedition.

  And between us and the windows sat Rhys Sebastian. Rhys and I had started off as friendly acquaintances and had slowly morphed into true friends.

  Rhys had acquired a few hard-to-find items for me back when I worked for House von Hasenberg. Thanks to that acquaintance and my knowledge of his skill and discretion, he was one of the first people I’d turned to when I escaped. But back then, he’d been operating from up in the two hundreds.

  Rhys had definitely done well for himself. We’d kept in touch regularly over the last two years. He had mentioned his business was doing well, but he had failed to mention how well.

  And he knew Marcus.

  I smiled under my scarf. This would be interesting.

  Rhys stood. He was as tall and nearly as broad as Loch, with the same sense of contained violence that his expensive suit did little to hide. His hair was blond and cut close to his skull. But where Loch was roughly attractive, Rhys was perfectly, classically handsome—a statue of an ancient god brought to life.

  “Loch, what brings you to my piece of the world?” Rhys asked as he came out from behind his desk. Rhys’s age had always been difficult for me to estimate, but after seeing him with Marcus, I guessed they were the same age—mid- to late- twenties.

  “My friend needs a little something for personal protection,” Loch said. “I figured you could help out.”

  Rhys flicked a dismissive glance at me, then paused and looked again. He pulled a blaster seemingly from thin air and pointed it at Loch. “Move away from the lady.”

  Loch crossed his arms and stepped closer to me, blocking Rhys from view. “No.”

  “It was not a request. Move or I will shoot you, and I won’t be aiming for a limb.”

  “You can try,” Loch said.

  I peeked around Loch’s shoulder. “Gentlemen, while this is all very amusing, perhaps we could get to the business at hand. Rhys, put the gun away unless you’re planning to shoot me, in which case, Marcus, you have my permission to shoot back.”

  Rhys nodded and the gun disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. “Lady Ada, I had to be sure you weren’t being held against your will.”

  “You two know each other,” Loch said, something strange in his voice.

  “Surprise,” I said. I stepped up beside him. “In my defense, you didn’t specify which Rhys we were going to see, and these are new digs. Very nice, by the way.”

  “It was your money that helped me get here, so you have my thanks.”

  I tilted my head. “Does that mean you won’t alert the authorities now that I have a substantial price on my head?”

  Loch cursed quietly but Rhys just grinned. “I’m rich as hell now. I don’t need your father’s money. And that would be a poor way to show my gratitude. But, in return, I insist you have dinner with me tonight.” A pointed glance at Loch. “Alone.”

  “Like hell she will!” Loch growled.

  I pushed back my own urge to accept just because Loch refused to let me make my own decisions. It was clear Rhys had added the “alone” stipulation just to yank Loch’s chain. Meeting Rhys again for dinner would be a risk, but he’d helped me before and nothing indicated he would betray me now. Plus he wouldn’t have offered if he didn’t have a reason.

  “I’d be delighted,” I said, “as long as I can bring a guest.” Loch settled slightly, correctly guessing that he would be my guest. I continued, “And as long as you understand that my wardrobe is lacking. What you see is what you get.”

  “You look lovely as always,” Rhys said, “but I would be honored to send over some dresses for you to choose from, if you desire. I still have your sizes from last time.” A world of insinuation saturated his tone.

  Loch went stone cold. Rhys noticed it as well, because he half turned into a defensive position. I hooked my hand around Loch’s bicep, just above his elbow, like he was escorting me on a walk. His arm felt like touching sun-heated granite. I wasn’t sure what I could do if he decided to attack, but for all of his needling, Rhys was a friend and I didn’t want to see him killed.

  “Thank you for the kind offer, but I must decline,” I said. “I happen to like these clothes.” I felt like I was wading through a Consortium gathering where one wrong step could mean war. The last time I’d talked to Rhys in person, he’d been at turns aloof and amusing. I narrowed my eyes at him. This new persona was annoying and unwelcome.

  Rhys watched the entire interaction with sharp eyes and a half grin. When it was clear neither of us would comment further, he sighed and smiled. “Loch, you know you’re always welcome at my table, I’m just messing with you. And it was quite . . . illuminating.”

  “I thought you’d gotten smarter over the years, Rhys,” Loch rumbled. “Don’t make me kick your ass, because I won’t hesitate to do it.”

  Dinner with both of them seemed like torture. Perhaps I could bow out and the two of them and their egos could dine?

  “Do you have a gun for the lady or are you all talk?” Loch asked, exasperated.

  “What happened to the last one?” Rhys asked me.

  “I had it until Father dropped the bounty on my head. Then I had to leave it when mercs started sniffing around. Been traveling light ever since.” I shrugged off the pain. Leaving things behind bothered me. I could live a nomadic life, but I didn’t enjoy it. I was more of a home and hearth kind of woman.

  “My offer still stands, you know,” Rhys said, almost gently.

  Loch’s arm, which had started to relax under my hand, returned to granite. It would be a miracle if these two didn’t come to blows. I squeezed Loch’s arm slightly.

  “I know,” I said. “And it means a lot, but my answer remains the same.”

  “In that case, let’s see what I have in the armory.”

  We managed to leave without bloodshed. I picked up two tiny blast pistols and Loch bought a few bigger guns, including a shotgun. He seemed to be loading for war.

  As the transport slid away from Rhys’s door, Loch asked, “What did Rhys offer y
ou?”

  “Just let it go, Marcus,” I said.

  “What. Did. He. Offer. You,” he demanded.

  I huffed out a frustrated breath. “He offered me a home,” I said. Loch’s jaw clenched. “But not what you’re thinking. He offered to make me a silent partner in his business, which he had just started to rapidly expand. He offered me a place to stay—not his house—and vowed to misdirect anyone following me. He was entirely honorable.”

  Loch grunted. If he thought he was getting off that easy, he was so, so wrong. “Care to explain what all that was about? And how do you know Rhys in the first place?”

  Loch’s expression shuttered. “We’ve known each other for years,” he said.

  I waited for him to continue and when he didn’t, I pointed a finger at him. “No. You don’t get to demand answers from me then blow off my questions.”

  He hit me with a cold stare and remained silent. It felt like an unexpected dagger between the ribs. I blinked hard and retreated into my public persona where nothing could get close enough to hurt.

  It took a lifetime, but the transport finally dropped us at the ship. I activated the correct ID chip and waved it over the reader, then I stepped out into the afternoon sunshine. Thanks to the cloak the heat was no longer stifling, so I enjoyed the sun on my partially covered face.

  The urge to get in the ship and fly off to the ass-end of nowhere rode me hard. Maybe Veronica would like to go with me. It would be a lot of work, but the two of us could manage a ship this size.

  Then the current bane of my existence stepped out of the transport and snapped me out of my dreams. I moved ahead of him up the cargo ramp. “Polaris, status report,” I said as I approached the door.

  “No one has entered or left the ship, Captain. Currently there are three souls on board,” the computer responded from the speaker near the keypad.

  “Open the cargo door,” I said.

  The door slid upward, revealing the cool, dim, empty interior. It wasn’t until then that I realized I was gripping my blaster with white knuckles, as if I thought a horde of mercs—or worse, Rockhurst soldiers—would be waiting.

  I stepped inside and Loch followed me. But when I stopped at the door control panel, he disappeared deeper into the ship. While I waited for the cargo door to close, I remotely locked the captain’s quarters. Loch could find a new place to sleep.

  We had a few hours until we needed to leave for dinner. Rhys had tried to persuade me to stay, but I needed to talk to Veronica, and I’d put it off long enough. After all, why stop now when I could make this the grand slam of terrible days?

  I found Veronica in her room frowning at a com. The door was open, so I knocked on the jamb. “Hey, you have a minute to talk?”

  “Yes, come in. Let me tell Imma that I’ll be busy for a little while.” She stepped next door and murmured to the other woman.

  I swept the room for bugs and trackers and found one. I destroyed it then sat in the guest chair and ordered my thoughts. Veronica returned and closed the door. She sat cross-legged on the bed. “Ask, and I will answer what I can.”

  “You are running from Lin’s father,” I said. She nodded warily. “Which Yamado is it?” She looked unhappy but not surprised that I’d guessed.

  House Yamado had just three heirs in my generation—two sons and a daughter. None had children of their own yet, so if Lin was the firstborn’s son, even a bastard, it would be very, very bad.

  She ran a hand down her face. “It is Hitoshi,” she said quietly.

  I half expected it, but the confirmation landed like a punch to the gut. Hitoshi was the eldest Yamado heir, and if I was honest, the one most likely to keep a woman hidden on a backwater planet.

  “Hitoshi was so sweet at first,” Veronica continued. “It was perfect. And, naturally, I was thrilled to have caught his attention. But once it became clear that I was pregnant and going to keep the baby, he went insane.”

  I sat back and tried to tamp down the tension her confession had caused. It reminded me of my own disastrous dating experience. Did anyone in the Consortium have a normal relationship?

  “How did he get you to TSD Nine?” I asked.

  “He kidnapped me from my apartment. My parents had kicked me out when they found out I was pregnant. We were well off, and I had been saving my allowance in a private account. It’s all I had. Hitoshi dumped me on TSD Nine and since House Yamado controlled it, he prohibited anyone from removing me from the planet on pain of death. When I finally contacted my parents, they didn’t care.” She spread her hands in an unconscious helpless gesture. Her parents’ decision had hurt.

  “So how did you become a fence?”

  “It took a while. Hitoshi sent me a pittance every month, but it was barely enough to feed myself. I knew once the baby was born I’d burn through my savings. So I started working. I started with legitimate goods, but with so few people and the other stores, it was hard to make money. Moving stolen items was much more profitable. I had some close calls, especially early on, but I learned as I went.”

  I knew something about learning as I went. The first few months after I left home, I’d found that theoretical knowledge didn’t always translate into practical ability. I couldn’t imagine having to learn that lesson while also pregnant.

  She continued, “After a couple years, I’d built enough of a reputation that smugglers from the dark side of the planet started using my shop to sell to the very men who hunted them. That’s when my business truly became profitable.”

  “What about Imma? Do you trust her?” If I was Hitoshi, I’d be keeping an eye on Veronica and Lin by any means possible. And a nanny would be a perfect opportunity.

  “She was my nanny growing up. We kept in touch over the years. When my parents kicked me out, she was the one who helped me find an apartment. She’s like my mother. I asked her to come to Gamamine and she did, even though I could barely pay her.”

  She took a deep breath, sighed, and looked down. “But even so, I looked into her communications, family, and finances. I’m not proud of it, but Lin’s life was on the line. She’s clean. I trust her completely.”

  I nodded. “What’s your plan now? And how can I help?”

  She leaned forward, her face wary. “I need to stay mobile for a while before we settle or Hitoshi will be able to pick up the trail. I was hoping you would allow me to book passage with you.”

  “That’s a really bad idea”—I felt obligated to point it out—“as I already have two Houses after me and this is a stolen ship. It’s not safe.”

  “No, but nowhere is safe for me right now. You know better than most the reach a High House has. Hitoshi can find me wherever I go unless I obscure the trail completely. And you have reason to stay hidden, too.”

  “I’m not saying no. But you should think about it for a while longer. I have a contact on this planet who could likely whisk you away to safety.” A brilliant idea occurred. “In fact, why don’t you come to dinner with us?”

  “I don’t—”

  “No, this is perfect. You can meet Rhys and see if he offers a safer alternative to traveling with me. I don’t want you to feel trapped into this decision.”

  Veronica raised an eyebrow with a cool look, and she was once again the capable businesswoman, leaving the scared mother behind. “This is not a decision I made lightly,” she said. “I had planned to take this route as soon as I agreed to help you.”

  “Just because you planned it doesn’t mean you won’t feel trapped,” I said gently. “I know what I’m talking about. Just come to dinner and see if Rhys can help. You don’t have to agree to anything or even tell him who you are.”

  “Very well, I will attend. What should I wear?”

  She had on dark pants and a pretty green blouse. “Your current outfit is perfect. I already told Rhys I’d be wearing this,” I said, indicating my clothes. I stood. “We leave at seven.”

  Chapter 16

  I messaged Rhys that we’d have an extra for di
nner from one of my burner accounts, then made my way to the mess hall. I almost stopped short at the door when I saw Marcus sitting inside, but then I remembered this was my ship, dammit. I gave him a shallow nod of acknowledgment then made my way to the food synth. I didn’t feel up to real cooking, even if we had the ingredients.

  The synthesizer could produce just about any food under the sun. I punched in an order for grilled cheese and french fries with a glass of sweet iced coffee—comfort food at its best. My stomach rumbled at the thought.

  A small rectangular box, the food synth ran off the ship’s power and converted energy into matter. Another, larger synthesizer should be somewhere down in the maintenance area to produce spare parts for the ship or anything else we might need. Synth technology and formulas were both strictly controlled by the Consortium.

  A happy ding announced my food was ready. I opened the door and pulled out a perfectly toasted sandwich and crispy fries. Simple foods almost always came out perfect. Complicated foods were trickier because there were a limited number of formulas available and everyone expected a slightly different taste. Many people raised on freshly prepared food thought the synth food tasted off.

  I pulled my food and drink from the synth then ran into another problem—where to sit. Loch sat at the first table facing the door. Sitting at the second table would put me behind him and out of his view, but it also reeked of cowardice.

  Before I could decide, Loch pushed out the chair next to him and tilted his head in invitation. I sat, hyperaware of him next to me. He shifted in his seat, and I snuck a glance. He stared at the table as if it held all of life’s answers.

  I ignored him and dove into the carb-laden goodness on my plate. I promised myself I’d be healthy tomorrow.

  After a few minutes, he broke the silence. “Rhys and I have known each other for nearly a decade, but it’s not my story to tell. If you want to know how, you’ll have to ask him.”