by Jaleta Clegg
“Blind and deaf.” Jerimon shut down everything except life support, lights, and the emergency beacon.
“Anyone for cards?” Jasyn pulled a deck from her pocket.
We sat on the floor, playing a four-hand version of Comets until tempers snapped.
Jerimon threw his hand to the deck, his sixth straight losing one. “I’m sleeping. Don’t wake me up unless we get rescued.”
Tayvis stood, stretching. “Either of you want the other bunk?”
Jasyn shook her head.
I shuffled the deck.
He shut the flimsy door to the second tiny cabin.
“Want to play again?” Jasyn asked.
I rubbed my bruised shin. “Sure, if we can play at the table. This floor is just too hard.”
The air filters lasted another four days. Each day the air grew thicker, the smell of rotting fruit stronger. We still had plenty of power; the engine core could run lights and life support for a long time before dying. It had already run for over a century, waiting for the crew that never came back. But the overtaxed algae filters needed replacing.
I checked the air filters, cleaning what I could. I did it to avoid the others. I didn’t want to face my feelings about Tayvis. I didn’t want to hear him tell me that he liked Jasyn better.
We fought when we played cards. Jasyn read the book out loud, adding random bits to the story. Jerimon joined in. Before long, we all added to the further adventures of the idiot Brisa and her mysterious strangers.
Five days after the engine died, I lay in the pilot’s chair, staring at the blank screen. Silence filled the ship. I frowned. Jerimon snored in one cabin. Tayvis slapped cards on the table. Jasyn picked at her fingernails. I cocked my head, trying to pick out the missing sound. I looked at the air vent over my head. Nothing, no air moved. I swore.
“What?” Jasyn stopped picking her nails.
“The air filters aren’t running.” I stood, raising my hand to the vent. I thumped it, just to make sure it wasn’t closed. No air flow.
I checked each vent, one by one, working my way to the life support unit. No air from any vent. The unit sat silent. I thumped it. The fans screeched, grinding to a halt again in seconds. I yanked the cover loose, pulling out parts as fast as I could.
“How bad?” Jasyn waited in the doorway.
“If I had parts, maybe I could get it to work.” I dropped to the floor amid the scattered parts. “It’s useless, Jasyn. It’s dead, like the engine.”
“I saw spare parts in the storage bins. Maybe we can scrounge something. How long do we have?”
I closed my eyes, wishing I had her optimism. “Six hours, give or take.”
How had I ended here? All I’d ever wished for was freedom to go where I wanted, when I wanted.
“Dace.”
“What?” I asked, still with my eyes closed.
“How long?”
“Six hours. Maybe.” Nothing seemed worth any effort. Not even opening my eyes. Six hours of slowly choking to death as the air thickened and poisoned us. And I could do nothing.
The eerie quiet of a ship dead in space surrounded us.
“I’ve been trying to find a way to talk with you.” Tayvis. No avoiding him now. And no point trying.
“You move your mouth and words come out.” I opened my eyes.
He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “Every time I tried, I saw the Eggstone watching me through your eyes.”
“It isn’t here now.”
He picked at the tubing on the air recycler. “What do you really feel about Jerimon?”
“Why do you care? What do you feel for Jasyn?”
“Is that what’s been bothering you? I like Jasyn. She’s a much better person than her irritating brother. You made a smart choice picking her.”
“I saw you with her, that night, in the courtyard. I’m not blind, Tayvis.” I swallowed a sudden lump of hurt.
“What night?” He frowned, puzzled.
“I saw the way you watched her, the way she touched your arm. Your smile.” I picked at the cuffs of my borrowed sky-blue uniform.
He loomed over me. “Get up, Dace.”
“Why?”
He took my wrist, pulling me to my feet.
I looked away. I didn’t want him to see the tears that flooded my eyes.
He took my chin in one hand and gently pulled my face up. “You think I didn’t mean what I said on Dadilan? I’m not going to throw it away because Jasyn is in a better mood than you.”
“Just what did you mean, Tayvis?” I closed my eyes. I wasn’t sure what I wanted him to say.
His thumb stroked my chin. He wiped a tear from my cheek with his other hand.
I bit my lip, fighting tears.
He kissed me. It was everything I’d imagined in those dreams I never admitted, and more. I felt his breath on my cheek, tasted his lips. He shifted his hands, sliding them down to my shoulders. I lifted my hand hesitantly, touching his cheek. The beginnings of a beard tickled my fingers. He slid one hand to my waist, pulling me closer. I moved my hand behind his head over his short and slightly curled hair. His heart beat under my other hand.
“That’s what I meant.” He kissed me again.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him back. He pulled me closer, his arms warm around me. I forgot the broken life support system, the dead ship. I forgot everything except the feeling of being in his arms, of him kissing me, of that moment.
“These might help. Oh.” Jerimon said in the doorway. He dropped parts to the floor with a clatter. His footsteps retreated out of the engine room.
A timeless moment later, Tayvis lifted his head.
I stared at him, my eyes huge. My heart pounded so hard it shook the whole ship. The enormity of our situation hit home. Tears filled my eyes, dripping off my face. We were going to die, in a few hours, and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.
“It isn’t fair,” I whispered.
Tayvis brushed away a tear.
The whole ship rattled and lurched to the side. We slammed against the wall. Parts to the air filters rattled across the floor. The emergency hatch overhead squealed as the latch twisted to one side.
“Maybe we aren’t going to die yet.” Tayvis shifted me behind him.
I blinked away moisture, tears forgotten, though I still felt warm where his arms had held me, his hands had touched.
The hatch slowly opened, protesting every inch. Fresh air puffed into the ship. An unfortunately familiar face peered into the engine room.
“Well, well, if it ain’t Wonder Girl and her friends.” Luagin dropped through the hatch into the engine room, followed by a second man and a third. He pulled a stunner from his belt. “In the cabin. Now.” He motioned us out of the life support room.
“We’re still going to die,” I said to Tayvis as we entered the cabin. “Just more painfully.”
Luagin waved his stunner. “This ship and everything in it are claimed as salvage. Let the records show the crew was dead when the ship was found.”
The other two crewmen herded us next to the tiny table. They kept their distance, the muzzles of their guns pointed our direction. Jasyn and Jerimon backed into the cramped space behind me.
“Neural stunners,” Tayvis breathed in my ear. “Nasty and illegal. Who are these jokers?”
“Quiet, you!” Luagin pulled several wires from his pocket.
“Meet Stoak Luagin. Stoak, meet my friends. You aren’t qualified to drive an automated ore freighter, let alone a ship with hyperdrive engines. Who let you out without your keeper?”
Luagin lunged forward, backhanding me across the face. “Mind your manners, or you are gonna regret it.”
Tayvis broke Luagin’s wrist, reaching over my shoulder to snap it in his hands. One of the guns barked. Tayvis dropped to the deck, his face twisted and white with pain.
Luagin kicked him, rolling him into the wall. “Tie them up, Graf.”
Graf waved his stunner
at Jasyn. “You, over here.”
She stepped over Tayvis. Graf used the wire to tie her wrists in front of her.
Luagin leaned forward, his foul breath in my face. “You’ll pay for that, Wonder Girl. Still looking down at honest people.” He frowned, squinting at Tayvis’ black uniform. He used his foot to roll Tayvis over, nudging his collar up. Luagin spat. “Patrol Enforcer. Sector commander. No wonder you thought you were too good for me. Maybe I’ll leave him in here when we evacuate the air.” He grinned, showing brown teeth. “Maybe I’ll just let him slowly suffocate with a broken life support system. I’ll space the body long before we get home.”
“Get away from that!” the third man ordered. He aimed his gun at Jerimon.
Jerimon raised his hands, shifting away from the controls.
“What did he do?” Luagin shoved me to the floor. He held his broken hand cradled against his chest. He had to be taking drugs. He should have been screaming in pain. “Tie her up good. I’ve got plans for her.”
Graf knelt on my back, digging his knee in. He yanked my hands behind me and twisted wire around my wrists. He stood, getting in a final dig at the same time. “Get up.”
I struggled to my feet.
Luagin grinned. His piggy little eyes almost disappeared into his fat cheeks, dotted with scrubby stubble. “Tie that last one up. We’ll take the women with us.”
“Sit there,” the third man ordered, pointing at the table with his stunner.
Jasyn and I sat.
Luagin shoved Jerimon to the floor. “You die, slow or fast. I don’t care.” He kicked Jerimon. Luagin studied Jasyn. “I know a man who would pay good money for you.” He turned his attention to me. “I’m going to keep you for myself.”
I tried not to gag.
“You are going to wish you could die easy and quick before I’m done.” He smiled again.
“That wasn’t the deal, Stoak.” Graf folded his flabby arms. “We either sell them or kill them, we don’t keep them. Too risky.”
“You chicken, Graf? Afraid of the Patrol?” Luagin kicked Tayvis. Tayvis twitched, his eyes focused on me. Luagin and Graf stood nose to nose, yelling.
“We sell them, Luagin. Where are you going to keep her anyway? Ain’t room in the ship.”
“We leave you here with Patrol boy. She can have your bunk. Although she ain’t gonna be in a bunk much, not by herself.” He leered over Graf’s shoulder.
“Get ready,” Tayvis mouthed.
I caught Jasyn’s eye, tipping my head towards the third man who was watching the argument with a vapid expression. Jasyn raised her eyebrow, just like Lady Rina.
“One,” Tayvis mouthed.
“Then leave her here. You travel back with her. Space the others. You want her, Luagin, you man this ship until we get to the salvage yard.”
“Jump him on three,” I whispered.
Jasyn flicked a glance at the arguing pair, then nodded.
“Who do you think you’re dealing with, Graf? I’m in charge, not you. I decide.”
“Two,” Tayvis mouthed.
I tensed, ready to jump. With my hands tied behind me, I wasn’t sure what I could manage, but I would try anything.
“We put her in the cargo hold with the other one,” Graf said.
“We space you, Graf. Got cold feet all the sudden? Want out? Only one way out.”
“Three!”
Tayvis launched himself at Luagin’s back. I caught Graf in the back with my head. Jasyn jumped at the same time. She locked her hands around the third man’s neck, using the wires to choke him.
The gravity field shut off, leaving us in freefall. Tayvis slammed Luagin’s broken wrist against the wall. They both bounced off, spinning under the force of their struggle. Graf didn’t go down like I’d planned. He launched forward; Luagin kicked him in the head as he went past. Jerimon grabbed Graf, shoving him into the front viewscreen. The screen crunched; he floated back, globules of blood trailing him. Jasyn wrapped her legs around the third man and twisted the wires into his neck. His face flushed a weird shade of purple. I yanked the wire from my wrists.
The gravity came back, twice normal. We slammed into the deck. I landed hard, Luagin on top of me. I squirmed out from under him. Tayvis landed on him, pounding his head against the deck. Luagin growled, grabbing for anything he could reach. Jerimon groaned under Graf’s inert form. The third man stumbled backwards, slamming Jasyn against the wall. Her grip slipped. The man raised his stunner and fired.
I ducked and rolled. Jasyn yanked his arm. My whole right side went limp. Pain shot through every nerve. I dropped to the floor, curling under the table.
The third man staggered, Jasyn clamped to his back. He clawed at the wire wrapped around his throat, wheezing loudly. He tripped over Graf, falling on top of Jerimon. Jasyn jerked the wire tight. The man lay limp.
Jerimon squeezed out of the pile. “Let’s tie them up.”
“Use Dace’s dress. It’s in the rag bin.” Jasyn gave a final vindictive jerk to the wire. She retrieved the stunner, holding it on the two unconscious men.
Tayvis jerked Luagin to his feet, shoving his face against the wall. “Bring extra.”
Luagin growled incoherently and pushed back. The gravity field dropped to half normal. Luagin shoved Tayvis across the room, lunging after him. They bumped into Jasyn, and her gun went off. The shot ricocheted around the room until it hit Jerimon. He dropped like a rock. The man behind Jasyn scrambled to his feet. He jumped on her, wrapping an arm around her neck, his other hand grabbing for the stunner. It went off again.
Luagin went down this time, dragging Tayvis with him. Tayvis’ head hit the table with a solid thump. His eyes crossed and he passed out.
I launched myself at the third man. He twisted out of the way. I landed on Jasyn. The gravity quit again. I bounced off her, twisting in midair. Jasyn kicked backwards, bending to the side as the man dodged. Her elbow caught him in the crotch. He groaned and clutched himself. Jasyn grabbed the wall to steady herself, then shot him with his own gun. He went limp.
The gravity came back, briefly. Everyone fell to the floor. Jasyn knelt beside her brother.
“Stoak?” a voice came from the engine hatch. “What’s happening?” His voice cut off in a strangled grunt.
I grabbed a stunner from the floor. I pushed off towards the engine room too hard, bashing my head on the doorframe. I blinked away stars as I dove for the emergency hatch.
A man in full Patrol battle gear exited the hatch, his blaster pointed straight at me.
I dropped the highly illegal neural stunner and raised my hands.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
I backed slowly into the cabin. The Patrol trooper followed, keeping his blaster leveled at my gut.
“What now?” Jasyn asked.
The trooper twitched the blaster at the table. “Sit. Keep your hands where we can see them.”
I sat, my hands on my head. Jasyn slid into the second chair.
Three more men in full battle dress forced the airlock, then crowded into the tiny scout ship. They checked the piles of unconscious bodies and removed the other gun.
The lead one lifted his face shield. HIs dark face wrinkled in confusion. “What in blazes happened here?”
I didn’t answer. Anything I said would probably land me in deeper trouble. We faced multiple criminal charges, at the very least. Keeping my mouth shut seemed prudent.
He talked silently on his voicecoder. The conversation dragged on.
“Take them back into the ship, one at a time,” the young soldier finally said. “Closest first and keep them separated. Captain wants to interview them before they talk to each other.”
Men and women in plain Patrol silver squeezed past the troopers guarding us. They dragged the third man’s unconscious form out first. When they moved Luagin, the leader whistled when he caught sight of Tayvis’ uniform.
“Sir, we have a situation here,” he said before he remembered to activate the subvocal circ
uit.
The others carried Tayvis through the airlock.
I got an armed escort to their ship. One of the troopers stepped forward motioning me to the airlock. The guard shoved me just as I got close. I lost my balance, falling forward into the tube connecting the ships. More armed Patrol personnel caught me at the other end, marching me into the Patrol cruiser.
My escort shuffled me along corridors lined with unmarked doors, up several levels to a different deck, and along even more halls. I’d never been on a battle cruiser before, but I guessed that I was on one now.
The guard opened a door into a small mess hall. He escorted me across the room, then pushed me onto a bench in front of a table.
“Keep your hands in sight.” He stepped back one pace, gun holstered but very prominent.
I put my hands on the table. We waited. And waited. I picked at my ragged nails.
I faced the corner of the room, the door at my back. My guard shifted his feet, coming to attention. The captain stepped past him and sat down across from me.
Dark hair with just a sprinkle of gray, skin tanned by years of space travel, he exuded mild curiosity as he set a palm scanner and pocket recorder on the table. He touched the recorder.
“This session is being recorded,” he said formally. He glanced at my borrowed uniform. “I know your name can’t be Simms. You’re the wrong gender, and he’s been listed as missing for over a century. Place your hand on the scanner plate. State your name, rank, and current deployment.” I flattened my right hand on the scanner. It glowed green for a moment. I took my hand back.
“My name is Dace. I’m not Patrol. My last job was a pilot on the Swan, a private family yacht. My registered employment before that was as captain of the Twinkle, a courier licensed to Belliff, Inc.”
He picked up the scanner, handing it to the guard. The captain did not look happy. “We’ll soon see if that checks out. Explain why you’re wearing a Patrol uniform. Impersonating an officer of the Patrol is punishable by at least five years hard labor.”
“Because my evening gown ripped. This was the only thing available.”
“Evening gown?” His fingers twitched.