Jessica wondered about that. Even if RHY hadn’t preserved some strain of their Retyna product, why would they hunt her down? There was no reason to believe that RHY—or anyone else, for that matter—knew that they had survived Sabrina’s destruction of the planet back in the Naga System.
Then it dawned on Jessica, and she shook her head. “Derrick.”
“So you’re not dumb as a plum after all,” Perry said with a smirk. “Yes, Derrick has placed a rather hefty bounty on your head. He even sent ahead an incentive for us to keep an eye out for you.”
“That was very thoughtful of him,” Jessica replied. “I’m surprised his message beat us.”
The Perry shrugged. “You’re not the only ones who know about this route through the nebula. We’ve traded with Derrick for some time. His message said he was almost certain you’d come this way. When Brooke saw your shiny purple ass, she knew we’d hit a nice little jackpot.”
“You run a whole system,” Trevor said. “What could Derrick offer you that would make this worth it?”
“The Perry Strait is a complex operation. The system and the nebula are constant adversaries. Every little bit helps. Derrick, however, wasn’t interested in you. He seems to want your ship. What he doesn’t know is that no ship is worth what RHY would pay to get their hands back on Retyna Girl.”
“How would you know what RHY would want?” Jessica asked. “You run a system in the ass crack of nowhere.”
“Ever heard of jump gates?” The Perry asked. “They’re a new FTL tech. RHY has some. News of their…troubles…in the Naga System traveled fast and came to us through the coreward end of the strait. Turns out you were already in their corporate reports. There was mention of the Retyna subdivision being shut down because all viable samples were lost.”
Iris said.
“That’s a real shame,” Jessica said aloud. “I bet their board was very displeased.
“Yes, they were quite upset from what I heard,” The Perry said before he leaned forward and placed his elbows on his desk, rubbing his meaty hands together. “But Derrick’s message had this interesting little tidbit in it. He noted that you’d been injected with the Retyna product, it’s what makes your skin glow.”
Awww shit, Jessica thought.
“I was, but they took it out,” Jessica replied. She doubted The Perry would buy it, she had glowed faintly the entire time they had been speaking.
“Sure, yeah, keep telling yourself that,” The Perry said. “So, anyway, I’ve already sent a message to RHY that you’re alive, and that I’m willing to discuss…oh…a planet or two in trade for you. Derrick is also coming to get his hands on your ship—though I can’t imagine why. He’s going to kick himself when he realizes what he let slip through his fingers.”
Jessica said over the team’s net.
Cargo replied.
Finaeus replied.
Jessica asked.
Misha said.
Cargo sighed.
Jessica replied.
Iris replied.
Jessica asked.
Iris said.
Finaeus said with what sounded like sincere appreciation.
she replied sourly.
Cargo said.
Jessica asked.
Jessica brought her attention back to The Perry’s office. The man had been going on about how she was a fool for docking there—which she completely agreed with. It seemed as though she and Trevor would be his guests for some time.
“So what now?” she asked.
“Now?” A menacing grin split The Perry’s face. “I suppose I should put you to use.”
CHEEKY’S OUTING
STELLAR DATE: 04.20.8940 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: Sabrina
REGION: Perry System, Stillwater Nebula, Perseus Arm
Cheeky said over the shipnet.
Nance replied with calm certainty.
Cheeky replied as she opened the ship’s lower service hatch. She recalled the last time she had used this as an emergency exit. It had been back when she and Finaeus had used it to slip past the Transcend soldiers on Gisha station.
She remembered it fondly. It was the event that had started…whatever it was she and Finaeus had going on.
Cheeky peered out along the hull and gauged the distance to the maintenance scaffolding. It was at least twenty meters past the ship’s starboard fusion engine. If she was careful, she could make it without using the jets on her EV suit.
After the events at the Grey Wolf Star, Cheeky had studiously avoided any EV. Any time she thought of going outside the ship, memories of slipping past the mining ring and accelerating toward the black holes filled her mind.
The fact that the suit she was wearing was little more than five millimeters of flexible polymer between her and the cold vacuum of space, didn’t help either.
Piya said privately.
A piece of cake. Right, Cheeky thought.
She wished she hadn’t volunteered to go across to the station, but she knew that no one else could do it. Cargo had to stay with the ship—at some point someone would expect to speak with the captain and it would be awkward if he were on the station.
Finaeus and Misha were useless for this sort of work. Well, Finaeus could do it, but he was often indelicate. No one had even asked Nance. Stealth and smooth talking were not her thing—at least they didn’t used to be, that had begun to change in recent years.
No. When it was time to send in the cavalry for a rescue—or at least intel gathering—it seemed she was the best option.
What have we come to?
Cheeky activated the maglocks in her gloves and carefully pulled herself across the hull of the ship. She moved slowly, keeping in the shadows just in case someone peered out an observation port. When she reached the engines, Cheeky very carefully clambered over its fins before coming to the furthest p oint on the ship.
Piya advised.
Cheeky asked.
Piya’s voice was calm and soothing.
Cheeky nodded.
She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath before opening them again, taking careful aim, disabling her maglock, and pushing off from Sabrina.
Twenty meters. A breeze, you could do this in your sleep.
The spar approached, and Cheeky reached out for it, only to realize at the last moment that she forgot to reenable her maglocks, and her glove slid off the spar.
She activated the magnets in her gloves, but it was too late. “Damnit,” she whispered as she began to spin, though still on course for the next spar.
Piya asked.
Piya exclaimed.
Cheeky clamped her second hand around the spar, and then worked her way toward one of the scaffold’s main struts that was anchored to the station.
A minute later her boots were maglocked onto the station’s skin and she slowly walked to the closest airlock. When she arrived, Cheeky peered through the window to see that it was empty.