The Queen's Gambit

by Jessie Mihalik

  “Would you have?”

  “Maybe,” I said honestly. “I thought that part of my life was behind me, but that many credits would have fed my people for years.”

  Some people would argue I had no soul, that I’d forfeited it the first day I accepted a kill contract. But while my soul might be warped or missing, I still had a personal code of honor and a set of morals that, while not entirely lawful, were mine nonetheless.

  It had been a very long time since I’d killed someone under contract that I later regretted. That stain would never wash away, but it had forced me to do my research meticulously and to ensure each target would get exactly what I thought they deserved. If I had doubts, I walked away. Just because Valentin thought his advisors needed to be killed wouldn’t be a good enough reason on its own.

  “Why didn’t you shoot me when you found me on your bridge?” he asked.

  “Surprise, mostly,” I said. “I was trying to figure out how stupid you were for forgetting to lock the door. Then you were just sitting there.” I shrugged. “If you had so much as twitched, I would’ve shot you. But you didn’t.”

  The conversation drifted into silence, and I let it go. I let myself slip into a half doze. Invictia would alert me if anything needed my attention, and I had long ago learned to wake from this state at the softest sound, so I didn’t need to worry about Valentin sneaking up on me.

  The time passed quietly. My mind wandered to Valentin. He wasn’t at all what I had expected. He was far smarter and more cunning than I had believed—far more handsome, too.

  Instead of putting me off, the little glimpses of craftiness only made him more interesting because I found the lion far more compelling than the lamb. I might admire a handsome man, but if he didn’t have a brain to back up his beauty, the attraction quickly faded.

  That was not going to be a problem with Valentin, for better or worse.

  Invictia chimed to let me know that the stardrive was ready. I reluctantly pulled my thoughts back to the task at hand, then stood and stretched. My thigh ached with a deep, stabbing pain, and I still had to go all the way back down to the maintenance area to turn on the communication array again.

  Valentin had been leaned back in the navigator’s chair, but he sat up and blinked sleepily at me when I started moving.

  “I’m going down to maintenance to turn on the antennas,” I said. My first step hurt, but I absolutely refused to let anything show on my face.

  He snapped up straight. “Let me do it,” he said, standing. “You don’t want to leave me alone on the bridge, do you?”

  I raised an eyebrow at him. I knew exactly what he was doing, but I was going to let him get away with it because it felt like a hot poker was lodged in my right thigh. “Okay,” I agreed. “I’ll turn on the intercom, so I can walk you through it.”

  9

  After Valentin turned on the communication array, we sent the ransom message to the advisors he specified. I also sent the message I’d written to my advisors.

  Because we were within communication range of CP57, Valentin was able to instantly transfer the first half of my payment into my account. I stared at the number in disbelief, still halfway sure that it would disappear like smoke if I looked away.

  “I can’t believe you actually followed through,” I said at last.

  “I keep my promises,” he said.

  “Then we have that in common,” I said. My respect for him rose a notch. “Strap in. We’re going to tunnel close to Trigon Three, so we’ll be landing soon.”

  He pulled the navigator’s harness over his shoulders and I did the same in the captain’s chair. I pulled up the navigation control and entered our tunnel endpoint.

  The transit was smooth and uneventful. We came out the other side under full power. Invictia had been bruised but not broken. I loved this little ship.

  Less than a minute after the transit, an inbound communication request came through on the Rogue Coalition’s encrypted channel. I accepted on my terminal and Ari’s irate face appeared on screen.

  A statuesque blond in her early thirties, Ari was stunning even in anger. I joked that I wanted to be just like her when I grew up, even though she was only two years older than me. She always told me I had about twenty centimeters to go.

  “Where have you been for the last week?” she demanded. “And why aren’t you answering neural links? Have you turned traitor?” My head of security was not one to mince words. She was also one of my closest friends.

  “Hello, Ari,” I drawled just to watch her scowl deepen. “Did you get my message?”

  She frowned. “No.”

  The Rogue Coalition’s com system was not exactly top-of-the-line. It didn’t surprise me that I’d arrived before the message. It was another reason I’d decided to stop at a communication hub to send the ransom request.

  “I’ve rescued the Kos Emperor and we’re working together for the next week. The Quint mercs I stole him from did not appreciate my interference, so it’s liable to get a little hot here. Make sure everyone knows the evacuation plan and what to do in case of attack.”

  We had too many people in Arx and not enough places for them to go for a full-scale evacuation, but maybe a few could get clear. “Anyone who can shelter with friends or family at another settlement for a few days should leave now.”

  Ari didn’t even blink, she just started typing commands on her terminal. “Anything else?” she asked.

  “I have reason to believe an unflagged Quint destroyer called the Deroga might make an appearance soon. We need to make it feel unwelcome. Also, some Kos ships may show up. Don’t attack unless they start it.” I wasn’t sure if Valentin had sent any other messages, but I felt it best to cover all of our bases.

  “Anything else?” she asked again, eyebrows raised.

  “I’m not a traitor.”

  That brought back the scowl. “Anything else, like how you got that shiner? Or maybe an apology for leaving your head of security behind while you went off to do something incredibly stupid and dangerous?”

  “Stupid, dangerous, and successful. That last one makes all the difference,” I said. She would eventually get the story from me, but for now I wasn’t going to volunteer just how close it had been. “I needed someone to keep an eye on things while I was gone.”

  “You have half a dozen advisors who would jump at the chance.”

  “Yes, but I trust you the most.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Hurry up and get on the ground so I can kick your ass.” She paused as she seemed to remember the rest of what I’d said. “You’re working with Emperor Kos? How is the advisory council going to feel about that?”

  “I have seven point five million reasons why they’ll be thrilled,” I said, “but keep that number to yourself for now.”

  Her eyes widened. It took a lot to surprise Ari but I’d just managed it. I hid my grin.

  “Call an advisory council meeting for tomorrow. We’ll make a list of priority purchases.” I paused. “Actually, don’t mention that. Just call the meeting.”

  Ari inclined her head. “I’ll get your orders sent out and then meet you at your hangar. Don’t leave the ship until I’m there.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” I said with a mock salute. “See you soon.”

  She nodded and cut the link.

  With all of the ship’s systems back online, Invictia didn’t need my input to land. I stayed in the captain’s seat anyway because there was always the possibility of an anomaly.

  From a distance, Trigon Three was a gray rock half covered in gray oceans. Up close, it wasn’t much better. Centuries ago, it had been terraformed just enough that humans could survive on its barren surface, but a lush utopia it was not. Most of the settlements were underground to escape the howling wind and bitter cold.

  Invictia dropped roughly through the atmosphere, aiming for the spaceport at Arx, the Rogue Coalition’s headquarters and the main city on Trigon Three. There were a few other settlements on the pla
net, but their locations were more closely guarded.

  The Rogue Coalition had slowly been absorbing planets in this sector but Trigon Three was our public face. I did my best to draw all eyes here so our other settlements were safer.

  At a particularly vicious bump, Valentin grunted. “You weren’t kidding about strapping in. Is it always this rough?”

  “No, it seems the compensators were damaged in our little firefight. Hang tight, we’ll be down in a few.”

  As if to contradict me, the ship lurched sideways. My harness dug into my shoulders and my thigh banged against the side of my chair. I cursed the air blue. It was either that or pass out. When I paused for breath, I found Valentin grinning at me. “Very creative,” he said with approval.

  The spaceport was a cluster of low, gray buildings on the vid screens. A few ships were parked on landing pads, but most were in the underground hangar.

  Arx itself used to be a military base, so it was built for utility rather than beauty. The few surface buildings were low-slung plascrete monoliths with minimal windows. The underground levels weren’t much better, all straight lines and white walls. One of the first things I’d done as queen was install daylight simulators and ceiling panels that mimicked clear blue skies in the common areas.

  One privilege of queendom was a private underground hangar that was connected via underground hallway to the main base areas and my residence. As Invictia approached, the hangar doors slid open. We slowly dropped down to the landing pad below.

  Invictia settled on the ground and the engines cut out. The vid screens showed Ari waiting at the entrance with a quartet of soldiers. I lowered the cargo ramp and she headed our way. I unbuckled my harness and stood gingerly. My leg throbbed like a bitch.

  “Stay quiet and don’t do anything stupid,” I told Valentin. “Ari doesn’t play around with strangers.”

  He nodded. I turned toward the door and waited for the inquisition to hit.

  “Samara!” Ari called.

  “On the bridge,” I called back. I still hadn’t enabled my neural links, mostly because I still wasn’t sure using them with Valentin around was a good idea, but not being able to link was a pain.

  “Where is the Emperor?” Ari asked as she entered the room. She had on her work clothes—black utility pants and a tank top. Today’s tank was bright blue.

  Despite the fact that even the underground rooms in Arx tended toward chilly, Ari rarely wore long sleeves. She was from a frozen planet that made Trigon Three look like a tropical paradise. After three years, her internal thermometer still hadn’t adjusted.

  Valentin’s eyes widened at the sight of her. She had that effect on people. Tall, slender, and gorgeous, you’d never know from looking that a hard-ass lurked under her pretty blonde exterior.

  Said hard-ass looked me over. “You’re lucky that you’re injured,” she said at last, “or I really would kick your ass.”

  “I appreciate your restraint,” I deadpanned. I half-turned to Valentin. “Ari, meet Emperor Valentin Kos. Valentin, meet Arietta Mueller, my head of security.”

  “It’s a pleasure, Ms. Mueller,” Valentin said with a charming grin and a short bow.

  Ari scowled at him. “Save it. If you must address me, call me Ari. Keep your hands where I can see them and don’t wander off without an escort. We clear?”

  This time, Valentin’s smile was genuine. “We’re clear,” he said.

  I decided to take Valentin along while I checked in with my people. My trust in him was far more solid when he was in sight. And taking him along would give him a first-hand view of the consequences of his empire’s stupid war.

  “Anything in particular need my attention?” I asked Ari.

  “Nothing urgent,” she said.

  “Then I’m heading to the market,” I said. “I’ve been gone too long. I need to see everyone. I’ll take Valentin with me.” I didn’t expect anarchy, but I always made it a point to stop by the market after an absence. It gave people a chance to see me and let me know about any concerns that had arisen while I was gone.

  Ari tensed as Valentin stepped close to my side. He touched my arm. When I turned to him, his gray eyes were solemn and his warm scent wrapped around me. I stood rooted and wary as he ghosted his fingers over my bruised cheek. It would be so, so easy to fall under his spell. “You need to visit medical.”

  “I will when I have time,” I said. My voice came out huskier than I would’ve liked. I cleared my throat and forged on. “I’ll be okay for now.”

  Ari raised her eyebrows at me. She didn’t say anything, but I did not like the speculative gleam in her eye.

  “First, we’re going to need to disguise Valentin,” I said with a glance at him. He’d washed the dried blood off his face, but the bruises remained. The stubble shadowing his jaw helped, but he still looked too much like himself. “I’d rather not have to fight off a mob to keep him safe.”

  “You give yourself too little credit,” Ari said. “The people may hate the Emperor, but they respect you. They wouldn’t mob you.”

  “I’d rather not put it to the test,” I said. “We’ll head to my place first, followed by the market.”

  I led, Valentin followed, and Ari brought up the rear. The four soldiers she’d brought waited for us on the cargo ramp. Lieutenant Peters saluted as I approached. I’d told him time and again that it wasn’t necessary, but he just smiled, nodded, and carried on doing exactly as he pleased. The three soldiers behind him copied his behavior.

  “Welcome home, your majesty,” he said gravely. He usually only busted out the title for formal occasions. Either Ari had briefed him or he recognized Emperor Kos.

  “I see you’re in fine form today, Lieutenant,” I said with the wave that was as close as I got to a salute. His formal facade cracked, and he grinned at me. I clutched dramatically at my chest. “Watch where you aim that thing, soldier. You’ll give a lady ideas.”

  Malcolm Peters was fifty if he was a day, but he could still stop traffic with a smile. Add in beautiful ebony skin, a few interesting scars, and distinguished, close-cropped gray hair, and women, young and old, fell over themselves to knock on his door to see if he needed anything—anything at all.

  It was a source of great amusement for the rest of us, and Malcolm put up with our gentle ribbing with aplomb, pretending ignorance while he played along.

  Unfortunately, today my traditional opening line bordered on a lie. Soldiers were given larger rations to make up for their extra physical effort, but even so, Malcolm had lost weight.

  I couldn’t even keep the men and women who’d volunteered to put themselves between us and danger fit and healthy. Never again, I silently vowed.

  10

  When I became Queen, I took over the former base commander’s house. It had one floor above ground as well as two below ground. The lowest underground floor was on the same level as the rest of the base, so it became a public space. People who needed to talk to me or just wanted to hang out could come and go as they pleased.

  I’d had my bedroom above ground until the rationing started and I could no longer justify heating the whole floor just so I could have a window. When I’d moved my personal rooms to the middle floor, most of the stuff that had been stored there had moved to other storage locations. But because someone always needed something, I had a supply closet of spare clothes.

  We took the private stairs up to my rooms, bypassing the public area entirely. I stopped on the landing for the middle floor with Ari, Valentin, and Malcolm. Ari had dismissed the three extra soldiers, but she’d asked Malcolm to stay for Valentin’s “security detail.”

  She wasn’t fooling any of us, but we all played along.

  While I didn’t mind if Valentin saw the public parts of Arx, I’d prefer it if he didn’t have a detailed mental map of my personal space, temporary truce or not. I turned to him. His expression was distant, indicating he was focusing on a neural link. “Wait here,” I said. He barely acknowledged me.
<
br />   I glanced at Ari. She nodded and leaned against the stairwell wall. Standing straight, she was as tall as Valentin, and they would make a striking couple. Luckily for me, Ari’s wife would have something to say about that, and Stella Mueller was not a woman to cross lightly.

  I let myself into my rooms the old-fashioned way, with a handprint and face scan. Usually I’d connect through the net, but I was still offline. I wasn’t sure if a net connection was safe from Valentin, but I would have to connect sooner rather than later because I expected a reply from the Kos Empire. Once they replied, I could get Valentin to hand over the rest of the credits he owed me and then send him on his way.

  Digging through the supply closet, I found a few items that looked big enough to fit Valentin. It wasn’t unusual for newcomers to wear a coat, hat, and scarf until they got used to the chill, so he wouldn’t stand out.

  While I had access to my closet, I took the time to put on a base layer under my shirt. The cold didn’t usually bother me, but thanks to the blood loss, I’d felt it more on the walk from the ship. I needed to rehydrate as soon as possible, but until then, there was no reason to be miserable.

  I gathered up the extra clothes and returned to the stairwell. No one had moved. A faint frown marred Valentin’s brow, but his still unfocused expression meant that it was likely from a neural link or net connection.

  “Put these on,” I said. I held out the clothes I’d found.

  He flashed me a grin and reached to take the clothes and put them on. With the old coat on, hat pulled low, and scarf wrapped around his neck, he was less Emperor Kos and more homeless refugee. Good enough.

  We started down the stairs. Ari caught me up on the public news that I’d missed while I’d been gone. The private news would have to wait until we didn’t have Valentin in the audience.

  Ari said we were burning through our food even faster than expected. The advisory council had approved stricter rationing, effective immediately. We had crews out looking for supplies, but none of them had solid targets yet.