The Heights of Perdition (The Divine Space Pirates Book 1)

by C. S. Johnson

  Aerie believed her but felt as though she was betraying her home to admit it. “Surely even the Ecclesia has used people for their gain before,” she said.

  “You’re right.” Emery nodded somberly. “It has happened in the past. As a group we regret that and take measures to prevent it from happening again; we don’t justify it in the name of ‘survival.’”

  “How do you know it’s not happening now?” Aerie asked.

  “How do you know the URS isn’t using you?” Emery smirked.

  “I didn’t mean any disrespect,” Aerie murmured. “I was just wondering.”

  “The long answer is complicated. The short answer is that something greater than religion has my trust.” Emery pursed her lips. “There is a difference between religion and God himself.”

  “It sounds interesting,” Aerie replied, her own curiosity piqued, even if she was reluctant to voice it.

  “Interesting enough that they are outlawed. You can imagine how the URS would feel about someone else determining what you believed to be right and wrong.”

  “The URS teaches right and wrong are relative terms,” Aerie said, “since survival is all that matters in the end.”

  “It’s the same thing as earlier,” Emery countered. “The destination is the same, but the journey is much different.”

  “I think I’m beginning to see why the URS wouldn’t allow religion.” The URS already had enough rules and requirements of its own; not to mention, they wouldn’t like a god to have the first and final say in any matter.

  “That does make it hard on us. It is hard to hide something as personal as faith.” Emery smiled. “You’ve probably seen some of the key differences here in how people live and act.”

  Aerie nodded, thinking about the how willing people were to help out—even people like Alice, who seemed unsure of her, or Sean, who had just met her.

  But that’s not exclusive to here, Aerie reminded herself. She thought about the times Brock had stayed late after school or visited her unit to help her with her training. She owed him much for his patience with her and his kindness. Aerie knew she was fooling herself if she thought lending him her father’s accounts of his battles against MENACE or inviting him to stay for dinner somehow made up for everything he had given her.

  Of course, he was more of the exception to the rule. Aerie remembered one time when Serena had laughed in her face when Aerie had asked for help on a finishing a biology assignment early. “Just do it yourself,” she’d snapped. “Or do it along with your class. There’s no need to teach you to expect help when you ask for it.”

  That is a dangerous assumption, no matter if I am here on the Perdition or not.

  “Aerie?”

  “Huh?” Aerie jolted, stepping out of the memory. “Sorry. What were you saying?”

  “I’ll need to show you how to operate the escape pod, and then we can go see the plantation section.”

  “Great.” Aerie turned and followed Emery down to the nearest set of escape pods.

  The escape pods were long and rounded at the ends, providing enough space for up to three people in each. Like the rest of the ship, they were painted dark, with red trim. There were numbers on the side labeling the small capsules. She knew enough of fighter technology to recognize a homing beacon signal attached to the different ends.

  All in all, they were very similar to some of the ones she’d seen in the education center’s simulator training sector.

  “If you step inside, I can show you how to operate it.” Emery suddenly stopped and pursed her lips. “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but I should tell you now there’s no point in trying to escape using these. The coordinates for landing are pre-programmed by the Command Bridge.”

  Aerie grinned. “I won’t try,” she promised. “Assuming I haven’t worn out my welcome.”

  Emery giggled. “You haven’t.” She opened the capsule door and stepped inside ahead of Aerie. “The door can be opened from the outside, until you lock it from the inside. This is good, too, if you end up in enemy territory and need to hold up in here until we can send a rescue crew.”

  Aerie nodded as she stepped inside. “This is pretty similar to the URS space pod models,” she said, running her hand over the control console. “I got to tour them with my brothers once.”

  Emery was silent for a moment. Then she asked, “Do you recognize anything else?”

  Her suddenly stilted tone made Aerie curious as she glanced around. The URS had extremely similar tech. The model was not quite the same, but then it had been over five years since the Perdition launched. “Plenty, actually. Did Exton have contractors from the URS build these?” she asked. “Because they seem to have—”

  Her voice trailed off as realization struck. The moment she said it, all of it came together in her mind. The ship, the pods, the uniforms, all of it …

  “Exton stole this ship, didn’t he?” Aerie asked. “He stole the ship from the URS.” More pieces fell into place. “That’s why they haven’t been able to develop their space program. This ship was their space program.”

  Emery seemed to smother a sigh. “It’s not quite as simple as that, Aerie.”

  “But it’s true, isn’t it? Tell me,” Aerie demanded. “I know these pods are straight from the URS. They’re built with standard life support and reentrance capabilities, secure harnesses and trackers, and an emergency stasis option.”

  “If you recognize all the different controls, I guess we can finish up here,” Emery remarked hesitantly.

  “That’s why the State didn’t tell us much about Exton and the crew on the Perdition,” Aerie continued. “Because they didn’t want us to know about their loss.”

  “They do have a lot more losses than most hear about,” Emery replied.

  Aerie turned to face her. “Do they know who you are? Who Exton is?”

  When she hesitated, Aerie pushed forward. “Come on, Emery. Just tell me the truth.”

  Emery sighed. “There is little doubt they know who we are.”

  Aerie felt the breath rush out of her. There goes my attempt to gather information to stay out of trouble. “So Exton did steal the ship?”

  “Ha!” Emery snorted disdainfully. “It’s impossible to steal what is rightfully yours.”

  It took a long moment for the weight of her statement to sink in; once it fell into place, there was no going back.

  Aerie felt her mind racing with questions—and doubt and fear and anger. “What do you mean it’s rightfully his?” she asked. “He had to have stolen it. I know my tech, and this is all URS tech!”

  “Who do you think designs URS tech?” Emery gestured around her. “These are all designed by engineers.”

  “This ship has an older model of tech; it’s at least three years old, and the newest NETech hasn’t been installed. Exton can’t be that old,” Aerie argued. “He told me that he didn’t even finish his time at university, even if he was studying how to be an engineer. Surely you don’t expect me to believe—”

  “Our father was the best aeronautic engineer the URS had before they killed him ten years ago.” Emery shook her head. “He was the designer of this ship, and many others, for the URS forces.”

  Aerie felt her arguments clog her throat as Emery continued. “He was killed when he found out Paradise was going to be used for battle, rather than what the URS had told him originally.”

  Long seconds of silence passed before Aerie dared to ask a question. “Paradise?” Aerie asked quietly.

  “The original name of the Perdition.”

  “What is—why that name?”

  “Part of the Ecclesial teaching is on the idea of Heaven,” she explained. “The URS, when they came to my father with their proposal, wanted a starship that could provide a means of comfortable living in space while conducting experiments. He agreed. When he found out they were planning on using a good deal of the storage for nuclear and fission bombs, and using it to engage in warfare, he objected.” Emery�
�s eyes glittered with fierce pride and harrowing sadness. “Strongly.”

  “And you’re sure of this?” Aerie asked.

  “I am.”

  “Oh.”

  Emery raised an eyebrow. “That’s all you have to say about the matter?”

  “It’s a lot to take in,” Aerie murmured apologetically. “I’m sorry.”

  Emery’s eyes narrowed in angry sadness. “I suppose it is hard for you to accept it,” she said slowly.

  “This is a pretty big claim to make,” Aerie argued. How does someone just steal a ship like this? Especially from the URS? Aerie wondered if it was possible Emery had been misinformed. Or if she was lying. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” Aerie mumbled.

  “That’s fine.” Emery straightened, masking her anger with professionalism. “Then let’s get through the procedures—”

  “I have to go,” Aerie announced. At Emery’s stricken look, Aerie added, “I’m sorry, Emery.”

  “Aerie—”

  Before she could change her mind or let Emery stop her, Aerie raced out of the hangar and down the hall, then ducked into the elevator. She almost crumbled to the floor as the she pushed the button for her floor and the doors shut.

  ♦18♦

  “Don’t look at me like that,” Emery grumbled as she glared at her brother. “I hate that expression.”

  “What expression?” Exton replied with a smirk. “The one that tells you that I told you so?”

  “Duh.” She stuck her tongue out at him. “Enjoy your triumphant arrogance while you can.”

  “I’d think you would be happy that she ran away after you told her the truth,” Exton replied. “Maybe you should even pity me. After all, if she can’t trust us, then I am a fool to like her.”

  Emery paused for a moment before she shrugged. “I don’t think giving you sympathy would work,” she replied. “In fact, I think that would just make you all the more unbearable.”

  “Maybe I wouldn’t be quite so unbearable if you hadn’t lost her after she ran out of the hangar.”

  “You need to—”

  “You guys both need to relax,” Tyler said from the far end of the Records Room. “I’m pulling the cam shots now so we can find her.”

  “Speaking of which, did you find anything else out from the satellite feeds?” Emery asked. “I know she’s assured us she is of no importance, but it’s always nice to know for sure.”

  Tyler glanced up. “I have had the team filtering through a bunch of news feeds, and I didn’t hear anything on a missing persons case that would match, or any news that we had taken an accidental hostage when we attacked.”

  “Have you heard anything about St. Cloud?” Emery asked. “Has he looked into her disappearance at all?”

  “Why would he care?” Exton rolled his eyes. “The man has no conscience, just like his boss. Osgood didn’t seem to mind attacking in full force. I doubt they would be concerned with any missing people or causalities.”

  “I was just asking,” Emery snapped. “It’s good to keep track of these things.”

  “It is strange,” Tyler said, “she doesn’t seem to have a public file.”

  “Most students don’t,” Emery said. “Not until they are placed in work assignments. That’s part of the reason Exton and I didn’t have them, either.”

  “Aerie told me she’d been assigned to the Communication Sector,” Exton offered.

  “But she never started,” Tyler reminded him. “She might have been pulled once she didn’t show up for work.”

  “You could try hacking into the school records,” Emery suggested.

  “I can definitely try,” Tyler said. “And it really shouldn’t make much difference to them. They probably know we’re able to do it already.”

  “There’s no use speculating,” Exton asked. “We all know the URS doesn’t tend to publish its reports accurately.”

  “You would have thought that they would have reported something about the Memory Tree besides its capture,” Emery said. “I mean, if nothing else, it would have made the tree’s destruction more memorable, to have a victim in there, even if it was an unidentified one.”

  “Aerie wasn’t supposed to be there, though. Maybe they disregarded it because they don’t know.”

  “It’s possible.” Exton shrugged. “Maybe I should have taken some of those calls from Osgood, if that was the case.”

  “Well, we all know you’re obviously not worried about it.” Emery crossed her arms.

  “There is nothing to worry about right now.”

  “I’m not as sure as you are on that.”

  “I can tell.” Exton sighed. He had been off-duty for only a few moments when Emery came around and ordered him into the Records Room with Tyler. “But I have a feeling since it’s your fault that she ran away, you’re more inclined to find a way to blame in on me.”

  “Hey,” Emery said. “I’m not the one who missed the fact that there was a person in the tree to begin with. And then decided against all reason to actually like her.”

  “You like her, too,” Exton argued. “You’re her friend.”

  “I’ve known her for more than a week. You liked her after less than ten minutes.”

  “Maybe my instincts are better than yours.”

  “Can you guys please calm down?” Tyler said, drawing angry glares from both parties. “Look, Em, Exton’s right for now. There’s no way the URS can attack us right now. So there’s no use worrying about it on our end. And as for her, Exton, you might want to go and talk with her.”

  “You think?” Emery sneered.

  Exton grinned. “As a matter of fact,” he said, “I had a few matters I was going to take care of. I’ll add tracking down Aerie to my list.”

  “Ha.” Emery glared at him. She put her head in her hands and slumped over beside Tyler.

  Exton knew his sister well enough to know she was genuinely concerned for Aerie. She was probably also having a hard time realizing Aerie, even though she’d been friendly, was not ready to consider staying on the Perdition.

  Such a judgment miscalculation would bother him, too.

  It must be a family legacy, Exton thought, recalling their father’s faith in friendship.

  Emery glanced up at him. “I know what you’re thinking, Exton, and it would be better to stop before I hurt you.”

  “If you can,” Exton scoffed.

  Before he could taunt her further, she put a hand on Tyler’s shoulders. “You can try searching the Medical Center records,” she said. “Aerie told me when she was younger she’d broken her arm. She went there with her mother for treatment.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Exton agreed.

  “I’ll get on it. I just found her,” Tyler said. “She’s up on Level Three, rear starboard side, near the sanctuary.”

  “Good.” Exton exited the room, grabbing a small bag hanging near the Command Bridge. “Keep me informed of her positions if you see her move.”

  ♦♦♦♦

  Emery had to be lying. She had to be.

  But as much as she might have wanted that to be true, that explanation didn’t quite fit, Aerie realized bitterly.

  “I don’t even know why it matters to me so much,” Aerie grumbled, her voice weak and pathetic to her own ears.

  That’s not true.

  “It matters,” she muttered to herself, “I don’t know what to do. I’m not sure what to believe. Something is wrong, and I want the truth.”

  It was astounding to realize that the truth mattered.

  Aerie allowed her thoughts to simmer inside her mind as she speculated. Why did it matter if Exton stole the ship or not? He’s the enemy. He’s supposed to do bad things. It shouldn’t matter at all.

  She thought about how he had gently pulled her free of the Memory Tree. How he took care of Moona for her. How he checked the gash on her head.

  Just because he’s kind to me and my cat, doesn’t mean he’s capable of being treacherous in other ar
eas.

  Aerie thought about his warning to her, and about how she had to stay away from him if she wanted to remain his enemy. She thought about the pain she’d seen in his eyes when he told her his father had been killed.

  And, she reasoned, if he had stolen the ship, he stole it for his father. Misguided honor, maybe?

  Or, Aerie realized, if he had stolen it from the URS after learning it was going to house weapons of worldly destruction, then he’d actually saved people from dying.

  Would the URS arm their starship? With weapons? To kill people?

  It’s not like the URS wouldn’t do something if they needed to survive, including executions. Or go to war.

  But should it really surprise her that they would do things in a less than savory manner to protect their laws?

  If Exton and Emery’s father had been part of a religion, and he was against the use of his ship, then wouldn’t the State’s actions, as unpleasant as they were, be fully justified?

  Could they be justified, if the State had lied to Exton and Emery’s father?

  They wouldn’t have needed to do that, Aerie thought. Surely not. If they wanted his unwilling cooperation, all they had to do was order him. Or, she admitted reluctantly, they could have threatened him.

  But …

  Her own thoughts, so long ago and far away, echoed through her mind mockingly. Would the State lie to people? If it was for their own good.

  Aerie felt the solid foundation of her life suddenly disappear. Her whole life she had listened to the URS. She knew on some level that they had lied before.

  Emery’s question came back to haunt her. “What if they took advantage of your trust?”

  Could the State have been lying about everything?

  No, Aerie thought, they wouldn’t lie about everything. Just enough to keep people believing what they wanted. For the good of the State. At the expense of the individual.

  Emery could lie as well, of course. She just admitted earlier that she likes having you around. Would it be such a stretch to believe she would lie about this to you, to get you to stay on her side? Especially if Exton does like you?

  She was surprised by the vitriolic tone she heard in her own thoughts.