The crow kept watching her.
She sighed. “Look, I’m not going back to sleep. I want to know what’s going on and I’m tired of acting like an invalid. I promise not to strain myself, okay?”
The Flitzbe’s sending transformed into a muted wash of silver and the sound and smell of rain. She took that for resigned agreement and petted his wiggling neural fur. “Thanks. If that busybody Eldritch comes around tell him where I am, okay?”
More wiggling. A picture of Hirianthial rose in her mind, surprisingly clear: as far as Reese knew the Flitzbe didn’t see the same way she did, so this was either Reese’s image of the Eldritch or Hirianthial’s. Since she couldn’t possibly imagine that she thought of him in such bright and pleasant colors and with squiggles of gold and deep scarlet around him like a brocade halo, it must be his.
“Right, him,” Reese said. The image of the Eldritch began to glower comically. “Yeah, I know he won’t be happy. But he’s got to learn he doesn’t run things around here. So just tell him where I am, okay? I have things to do.”
Before the Flitzbe could reply, Reese swung herself out of the hammock and headed for the bridge. Halfway there she detoured to the galley and picked up food for the girls. They probably hadn’t stopped to eat. There was nothing appetizing in the larder, but she grabbed a couple of yogurt-coated protein bars and a jug of water and brought them with her.
Kis’eh’t and Irine were still sitting where she’d left them, though both of them had unstrapped their safety harnesses and were relaxed in their chairs. Reese squeezed past the crates of spare parts and said, “Lunch is here. Dinner. Whatever.”
Irine’s ears perked. “Did someone say food?”
“Not great food, but yeah,” Reese said, handing over a bar. She gave the second to Kis’eh’t and found a place between them to sit. “How’s it going?”
“We’re in good shape coasting with the rocks,” Irine said. “Getting in here was a bit of an adventure, but we made it.” She pointed through the small windows at the asteroids in the distance. “We should be fine here until the repairs are done. Bryer tells me our in-systems are ready... that was the easy part. They’re working on the Well Drive now.”
Reese looked at Kis’eh’t. “Sensors say anything?”
“Can’t see anything past the rock noise,” Kis’eh’t said. “We’re hoping if we can’t see anything, they can’t either. It’s not like pirates have Fleet-grade sensor arrays.”
“Hopefully,” Reese said. “Thanks, guys. You did great.”
“Thank us when we get to Starbase Kappa in one piece,” Irine said, but she purred between bites of the bar.
“Did you have a nice nap?” Kis’eh’t asked.
“Surprisingly,” Reese said. “Though now that I’m awake again I wish I was still in bed. I have no idea what we’re going to do now. I spent almost everything I had on the rooderberries.”
“I guess we’ll just hang out and hope for another assignment, then,” Irine said. “That’s worked before, once or twice.”
“And in the meantime, protein bars,” Kis’eh’t said, eyeing hers with distaste.
“Hey, pass it over if you don’t want it,” Irine said. “I’m hungry.”
The Glaseahn grumbled and unpeeled the wrapper.
“What about you?” Irine asked. “Hungry?”
“Nah. I’m not allowed to eat until Lord High-and-Mighty says I can.”
“—or?” Irine asked.
“Or he’ll cut open my stomach with sandpaper and a boot knife.”
“What boot knife?” the tigraine asked. “He doesn’t have any weapons on him thanks to his keepers.”
“I’m sure he’ll improvise with something,” Reese said. “A nail clipper. A butter knife.”
“We haven’t had any butter in ages,” Kis’eh’t said.
“We’ll have butter again,” Reese said and sighed. “I really meant to take better care of you all.”
“It’s not your fault we can’t seem to keep out of disaster’s way long enough to turn a fin,” Irine said. “We’ll get out of this one, boss, and then you’ll write a book: “Rooderberry Torpedoes and Other Strategies for Outrunning Slavers.” And then you’ll get rich and we’ll all retire.”
Reese laughed. “A nice story—” and the ship shivered. She sat up. “What was that?”
Kis’eh’t frowned. “Not sure. A stray asteroidlet from the outer bands? We shouldn’t be getting those right now.” Her fingers drummed the board as Reese watched, and then they stopped and that unsavory gray color returned to the skin around her eyes. “Aksivaht’h! They’ve followed us in!”
“The pirates?” Reese said, rising to her knees and propping herself on the board to look for herself. Two hazy red blips were showing up in the muted gray and black dapple that represented the asteroid belt. “Two of them?”
Irine strapped herself back in. “Were they shooting at us, Kis’eh’t, or just trying their luck? If they’re guessing I don’t want to light up their arrays by firing the thrusters.”
“I can’t tell,” Kis’eh’t said. “They’re not gunning for us, though. They seem to be drifting through the outer bands.”
“Don’t these people give up?” Reese asked. “What could they want so badly to send two ships into an asteroid belt? That’s crazy!”
“It’s not that crazy,” Irine said. “We’re in here, after all. And we’ve got their pet Eldritch. Angels know how much an Eldritch is worth on the slave market.”
“If they even want to keep him,” Kis’eh’t said. “If he was spying, they might just want to kill him.”
The thought of Hirianthial’s body robbed of its grace, sprawled on the floor at odd angles with all that white hair tangled and bloody, bothered Reese more than she wanted to admit. “The guy’s annoying, but not annoying enough to let someone else kill him,” she said. “Let’s see if these two get any closer or if they’re just hoping for a lucky shot. And finish eating, Kis’eh’t. It might be a while before you have the chance again.”
The Glaseahn went back to chewing on the bar. When Reese passed her the water jug, the other woman said, “You’re taking this well.”
“No, I’m not,” Reese said. “I’m just hiding it better.” She grinned, but privately wondered. Kis’eh’t was right... she was calmer about this than she expected. Maybe she was just tired of worrying about everything herself? Or maybe the Eldritch had drugged her on the way out after all—
—no, that was unfair. He hadn’t done anything to her except make her admit she needed the rest.
The lift opened then for Sascha. “Did someone call for me?”
“I’m always calling for you,” Irine said, purring.
“Is the Well Drive ready?” Reese asked, hoping.
Sascha shook his head. “No, but only one of us can get at it at this point and Bryer’s the better mechanic. He sent me away before I dropped another crate on my other leg.”
“Your leg!” Irine exclaimed. “What happened?”
“I’m fine. The doctor patched me up and I should be good as new in a couple of days. Though I’m famished. Anyone got any food?”
“Here, take mine,” Kis’eh’t said, offering her half-eaten bar.
While crunching it, Sascha sat next to the pilot’s chair. “So what’s cooking?”
“Two ships followed us into the belt and are looking for us,” Reese said.
“Can you drive?” Irine asked.
“As long as my arms are fine I can fly,” Sascha said. “Want me to take over?”
“Please,” Reese and Irine said in unison. The latter blushed. “I’m really good, but not as good.”
“No problem,” Sascha said, sliding into the vacant chair. “We drifting until we have evidence they’ve actually seen us?”
“Yeah,” Reese said.
“Good plan. I can finish eating.”
Which he did. In the ensuing silence, Reese looked over the twins and Kis’eh’t. She wondered if this would
be the last run they flew together. What would pirates do with her ship? Convert it into a slaver? She couldn’t imagine it decorated with poorly-mounted weapon additions and used as a pirate ship. The notion of her battered old freighter threatening much larger vessels made her want to laugh out loud. She didn’t, though.
“I could seriously use a vacation,” Sascha said after a while.
“Mmm,” Irine said.
“Someplace warm,” Kis’eh’t offered. When Reese eyed her, the Glaseahn shrugged her wing arms. “You do keep it cold around here, Reese. Even for me.”
“Home is warm,” Irine said.
“Home is hot,” Sascha amended.
“But there are wonderful open houses with stone tiles warm beneath your feet,” Irine said. “And with fluttering scarves to filter the hardest sunlight and turn it colors. And there’s always fruit, the juiciest melons, all cool and crisp and fit to put streams down your chin.”
“Sounds good to me,” Kis’eh’t said.
“And water,” Irine said. Reese handed her the jug, which the tigraine looked at, puzzled, then drank from. “Water splashing in fountains, really soft. And birds at the fountains, bright birds with curious eyes that will eat berries from your fingers.”
“Sounds like a nice place,” Reese said.
“You wouldn’t like it, boss,” Sascha said, grinning. “It’s full of Harat-Shar.”
Reese laughed. “Oh, maybe you two have grown on me.” She sobered. “A vacation sounds nice. We’d just have to win the most improbable gambling streak to be able to afford one. Besides, as nice as your warm paradise sounds, Irine, I think I’d prefer something cooler. Snow, maybe.”
“Snow!” Irine said and shuddered.
“Not the entire year,” Reese said. “Just for a month or two. Enough so you could appreciate a fireplace and hot coffee and bread fresh from the oven. And a blanket.”
“Reese, I think they’re heading for us.”
She looked over Kis’eh’t’s arm. “At least, they’re heading deeper into the belt.”
“Doesn’t change that at that angle of approach they’re going to have to be blind to miss that we’re in their sensor cone. We’re in trouble.”
“Irine, man our laser please.”
The tigraine scampered to the corner of the bridge. The laser that had come with the Earthrise had been intended to clear debris, not to provide much by way of protection from pirates. Reese doubted it would prove at all useful but one never knew. “Sascha, can you outfly these people?”
“Normally? No, I don’t think so,” Sascha said, tail flicking. “These two are beefier than the last pirate they sent after us. But in here, gambling with rocks the size of small moons? Yeah, I think we’re crazier than they are. Just say the word.”
Reese watched the blip of the first pirate, strangely distanced from it. She couldn’t quite believe it was in here. She had never carried cargo valuable enough to warrant interest from pirates. The idea that she was dodging two of them in an asteroid belt like some kind of 3deo action star was ludicrous and simply couldn’t be happening.
“Do it.”
Sascha fired the engines and the Earthrise lurched to one side.
“Are you heading for that asteroid?” Reese asked.
“Boss if you can’t handle the view, get off the obdeck.”
“Right,” Reese said, and clutched at side of the station. Now she was getting worried.
“They’ve seen us!” Kis’eh’t said. “They’re both changing course to follow.”
“Let them,” Sascha said. “We’re heading for the mid-belt, where the asteroids are small enough to cluster and big enough to kill us.”
“Joy,” Reese muttered. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“As long as I know just a little more than they do we’re in business.”
“Just try to keep our repair bill manageable,” Reese said, clenching her teeth as a rock flew past, narrowly missing.
The intercom chimed and Kis’eh’t flicked it on.
“Lowerdeck. Am not getting much done with you sending me shooting across the deck on feathers.”
“Sorry about that,” Kis’eh’t said. “We’re trying to out-fly two raiders they’ve sent for us. I recommend strapping down.”
“Thanks for the not-warning. Will get back to work.” The comm shut down.
“At least he doesn’t have the screaming shakes,” Reese said.
“Kis’eh’t, find me the densest bit of this band.”
“Head further sunward. There’s a pack of asteroids ahead.”
“Thanks.”
Irine sidled over until her side was pressed against Reese’s. For once, Reese didn’t care; usually she discouraged the twins from coming near since their hugs tended to turn into cuddling. It seemed like a crime to die without having a good cuddle though, at least with someone who wasn’t practically a plant, like Allacazam.
“Are we going to die?” Irine whispered.
“Don’t think things like that,” Reese said.
“Seriously,” Irine said. “Because I think I’d rather live as someone’s pleasure slave than die free.”
Reese glanced at her, was just a little surprised to discover the tigraine was serious. Homeworld-bred Harat-Shar could be very strange. From experience, Reese knew better than to try to explain that she and Kis’eh’t and Bryer and certainly Hirianthial would probably have a much more difficult time spending their lives in captivity, so instead she said, “What if you don’t wind up a pleasure slave? What if they put you to work mining ore or something?”
“No one forces slaves to do manual labor,” Irine whispered. “Machines are faster and last longer.”
“What if they send you to the Chatcaavan Empire? I hear they torture their slaves.”
“A little pain is a good thing,” Irine said. Added, “Sometimes a lot of pain.”
Which was more than Reese wanted to know. She winced as an asteroid whacked the side of the ship, sending a quiver through the deck plates. Finally she said, “What if they don’t want another Harat-Shar slave? What if they kill you and use your pelt as a throw rug?”
That paled the skin inside Irine’s ears. “Do you really believe there’s a sapient fur trade?”
“I didn’t believe there was a slave trade either,” Reese said.
Irine wrapped her arms around Reese’s waist and shuddered. “I don’t want to be someone’s rug!”
“And I don’t want to be someone’s harem girl, so let’s just hope your brother knows what he’s doing.”
The ship shivered again. “You’ll want to avoid the rocks, Sascha.”
“That wasn’t a rock,” Kis’eh’t said. “They’re firing at us. Ranging shots, looks like.”
“Let them try to keep a bead on us,” Sascha growled. “Hang on, ariisen.”
The Earthrise banked so sharply to the side an alarm went off. Reese slapped a hand against one ear and crawled to the other side of the bridge to find the source. One of her panels had gone red and was flashing ‘Structural Stress Overload’ and ‘Gantry Separation Imminent.’ “Blood and Freedom, Sascha, there are things threatening to separate from this ship I didn’t even know were on it!”
“Not now, boss,” Sascha said tightly.
Reese chanced a look out the rear windows and froze. She’d spent an appreciable amount of her adulthood in space and was accustomed to the distances—”near” in spacer terms wasn’t eyeshot, which meant she should not, under any circumstances, be able to see that pirate there that was flying around the asteroid that Sascha must have been swerving to miss. Now was not the time to vomit, but her stomach flexed in her middle anyway.
The second raider appeared on the first one’s heels and the Earthrise bucked so violently Reese lost her hold on the board and smacked sideways into a crate.
“They missed us!” Kis’eh’t cried.
“That was a miss?” Irine asked.
“Rocks separated from the asteroid they nicked
instead,” Kis’eh’t said. “Hurt us but just cosmetically.”
Just as Reese righted herself, the Earthrise dove to the other side, introducing her upper back to the corner of the station. Acceleration pressed her into it hard enough that she couldn’t find a way to get up. “Saaascha!”
“Almost done—GOT ‘EM!”
In the corner of her eye, Reese could see a rock swooping into view behind them and the raider not turning fast enough to avoid it. The explosions that rippled from its side seemed to happen in slow motion.
“That one is definitely out of the game,” Kis’eh’t said. “The other one’s still coming, though.”
The alarms from Reese’s board were still whooping. Now that she could turn she did to find new problems bordering the old ones, which were now flashing their distress. “If I lose some part of this ship because of this—”
“I’m just working on getting the oxygenated part out of this in one piece,” Sascha said. “The rest of it can be replaced.” The ship began leaning to one side again.
“They’re still tailing us,” Kis’eh’t said.
“Not after this they won’t be,” Sascha said, and dropped the bridge out from under them. Reese’s mouth filled with burning fluid but she swallowed it back down before it could have any other ideas. Her palms were sweating more than usual. Was the room spinning?
One of the alarms stopped abruptly. ‘Gantry Separation Imminent’ became ‘Gantry Has Separated. Please check for leaks.’ “Leaks!” Reese exclaimed.
“I’m not seeing any leaks,” Kis’eh’t said. “What happened?”
“I think one of the cargo cranes just came off,” Reese said weakly.
“Dodge that, friend,” Sascha said, and pulled them out of their dive so quickly Reese gave up her watch on the board and dropped onto the floor to fight with her stomach full-time.
“And—he’s skidded to a stop!” Kis’eh’t said. The Glaseahn squinted at her board, then added, “He’s venting, Sascha. You did something!”
Sascha hit the intercom button. “Bryer, now would be a good time to tell me we can get the hells out of this system.”
“Can do. Vector away.”
Sascha crowed. “We’re out of here!”
Earthrise (Her Instruments Book 1) Page 8