by Jordan Rivet
Tents made from sailcloth divided up the space. There wasn’t as much room here as in the bazaar, and much of it was hidden behind the tents. The drill itself still rose from the center, like a mast. Water dripped from the skeletal rig structure with a forlorn pattering. A hacking cough came from somewhere nearby.
In the rain-blurred morning light, the illicit place didn’t look as dangerous as she had imagined. A man with rheumy eyes sat cross-legged beside the drill, a rifle balanced on his knee and a pipe in his hand. He didn’t stop Esther as she peered into the nearest tents. They contained cots, blankets, and a few personal items, but nothing more than you would expect to see in any cabin. A woman came out of one of the tents behind her, stretching her back until it cracked.
“Excuse me,” Esther said. “Have you seen a man with—?”
“Sorry, honey, we don’t do descriptions here.”
“What?”
“You wanted to know if your man has been here. We have a policy of not remembering what they look like.”
“Oh . . . oh! No, it’s not that. He went missing during the fighting, and I just want to make sure he’s okay.”
The woman studied her for a moment. “Go on then.” She waved a hand, a ring glinting on every finger.
“He’s tall and blond, about thirty years old, and he was wearing a cream sweater,” Esther said. And after a moment, “He’s handsome—and really clean.”
“Good news, honey. He hasn’t been here that I’ve seen.”
The woman dismissed her with another wave and went to join the man, who handed her his pipe.
Esther didn’t think that was good news at all. She had checked everywhere that David could possibly be. What had happened to him? She fought against panic. She couldn’t allow herself to dwell on her fear, to imagine what could have caused David to leave his cabin in the midst of the attack without any shoes. She had to act—and fast.
She headed back to the northern end of the platform, where Wong and Pieter guarded their gangway. They reported that they hadn’t seen David since he left the Rusty Nail late the night before. He hadn’t returned to the Lucinda either.
Back on the Catalina, Esther raced toward the plaza. Her hair was still wet from the rain, but she didn’t bother to shake off the water. Near the grand staircase she found an impromptu meeting of the most influential leaders of the moment: Judith, Dirk, Esther’s father, and Mrs. Cordova. They stood in a tight circle beside the old gift shop. Zoe sat alone at a café table nearby, sharpening her knife and studying the window of Constance Gordon’s shop a little too intently. She glanced at Esther as she stalked up, fully alert, and then went back to her studious examination of her blade.
“. . . doesn’t sound like we had the worst of it,” Simon was saying.
“We got lucky,” Judith said. “This is what happens when we meet with strangers.”
“I’ve been saying we need to improve our defenses,” Dirk growled. He carried the machine gun on his shoulder openly now. “We need more weapons. This might not be the last time we face something like this.”
“We’re sailing as soon as the entire crew is on board,” Judith said.
“We can’t afford to be rash.” Simon met his daughter’s eyes as she joined the group. “We don’t know what kind of dangers might be out there.”
“All the more reason to stockpile while we can,” Dirk said.
“No more weapons on this ship. Think of the children!” Mrs. Cordova said. Her hair had been twisted hastily into her usual bun, pulling the wrinkled skin back on her prominent forehead.
“I am. What if next time they want this floating piece of scrap metal for themselves?”
“We are leaving,” Judith said. “This is not a negotiation.”
“We can’t go yet!” Esther said.
“Not now, Esther. We’re in a meeting,” Judith snapped.
“Come now, Judith. Have you forgotten how recently Esther saved this community? She deserves to be here,” Simon said.
Judith gave a tight nod and folded her arms over her ribs.
A bit of the pressure on Esther’s chest eased at her father’s reassuring nod.
“Have you heard anything from the Amsterdam officials about who the attackers were?” she asked.
“The rig boss believes it was an organization called the Calderon Group,” Simon explained. “They’ve been trying to intimidate people for several months now. They have reportedly taken over a ship or two, always in remote regions. They seem to be making a statement this time.”
“I’ll make a statement if they ever try it again,” Dirk said, tightening his grip on his machine gun.
“They might have been after something else.” Esther swallowed hard to keep her voice steady. “David Hawthorne is missing from the Lucinda.”
Nearby, Zoe lifted her head. Her hands on the whetstone stilled.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Judith said. “He’s around somewhere.”
“No, I’m sure of it,” Esther said. “His room is messed up, and his only shoes are still there. I’ve looked everywhere. No one has seen him.”
“What on earth would Hawthorne have to do with the Calderon Group?” Judith said.
“I don’t know, but he’s gone.”
“Well, good riddance,” Judith said, reaching up to tighten her severe ponytail. “He was in too deep with the Galaxy captains. I never trusted him.”
“Judith,” Simon said. “He did us a real service by helping Esther and Neal escape the Galaxy.”
“If he’s gone, he’s gone,” Dirk said. “We can’t do anything about it. I’ll sail the Lucinda for now.”
“You’re not going to help?” Esther looked around at the circle of faces. “After what he did for us? We can’t just leave him.”
“For all we know, he went willingly,” Mrs. Cordova said. “We don’t even know if he’s with the Calderon Group. He might be sleeping off a hangover somewhere on the oil rig.”
So much for David’s plan to make friends with Mrs. Cordova.
“We need more information,” Simon said. “It’s unlikely the attack was orchestrated just to steal Hawthorne. We need to find out more from the Amsterdam. I’ll get Neal and go talk to the rig officials again. Dirk, would you organize a security detail until we leave here? I think it would be wise to delay our departure a few hours until we know what danger we’re in at sea. If the Calderon Group is becoming more aggressive, we may not want to be alone right now. Otherwise, let’s plan to sail before dark.”
The others nodded and went off to their tasks. Judith gave Simon a frozen stare. He hadn’t actually told her what to do, but then the others hadn’t waited for her approval before they obeyed him.
Simon squeezed Esther’s arm as the group dispersed, then walked off toward Neal’s Tower. After a moment Judith followed. Esther watched them go, twisting her fingers around the cold metal of the wrench in her belt. She felt a sense of hopelessness deep in her stomach, the same feeling she’d gotten when she realized that the Catalina was lost without a water system and she was stuck on the Galaxy Flotilla. But hopelessness spurred determination. She had to find another way.
She turned to join Zoe, who had obviously been listening to every word.
“We have to do something, Zoe.”
“Do you really think—?”
“Esther! Esther!”
Cally ran across the plaza toward her, Dax in tow.
“Not now, Cally.”
“But Esther! Hawthorne might be in danger!”
Cally skidded to a stop in front of them, grabbing Dax’s arm for balance. Half of Dax’s hair was flattened to his head, and the other half stood up like hackles.
Esther froze. “What do you know?”
“We tried to tell you last night. We overheard some guys talking about him in the bazaar yesterday. They think he invented the energy system. They were talking about how to get your plans without paying. One of them said something like ‘Maybe we should just steal him.’”<
br />
“Who were they?”
“I don’t know, but one had a really scary face, and he had these crazy earring things that made huge holes in his earlobes.”
“Rust!” Esther flashed back to the scene she had witnessed in the Rusty Nail. “David is gone,” she said.
“What?” Cally and Dax exchanged glances.
“His room on the Lucinda is empty, but his shoes are still there.”
“They kidnapped him! We have to save him!”
Cally whirled around like she wanted to dash off immediately. Dax put a hand on her shoulder to steady her.
“I’m glad you feel that way at least,” Esther said. “We need to find out where the Calderon Group went.”
“What’s that?”
“Mercenaries,” Esther said. “Pirates apparently. The Amsterdam officials think they were behind the attack.”
“We need to go after them!”
“Someone does,” Esther agreed. “And we’re going to need help.”
Zoe stood from the table and shoved her knife back in her pocket. There was a light in her eyes that had been missing since the night before.
“I’m in.”
Chapter 11—The Mission
THE AFTERMATH OF THE attack floated on the bazaar like a layer of oil. Hawkers sorted through their wares and packed their belongings. There was quick, subdued trade at some of the stalls. Others had already disappeared. No one laughed at the Rusty Nail. People stared at each other with distrustful eyes. Even the music from the day before was absent.
Esther, Zoe, and Cally walked slowly through the aisles. Cally was skittish and seemed about to take off like a seagull at every step. Dax had gone off to gather information from Neal while the three girls returned to the bazaar. Zoe’s fingers kept straying to her belt knife. Esther forced herself to stay calm, keeping her steps even as she led the way. There was no need to push through crowds now. Several ships had already sailed away this morning. If Judith had her way, the Catalina would depart soon too.
They found Rachel fixing new locks on her boxes of nuts and bolts. She had already attached her collection of cables to the partition of the stall, as if she thought someone would run by and snatch them away.
Esther didn’t waste any time. “Rachel, we need your help.”
“Glad to see you made it through the night,” Rachel said. Her hair escaped from her braid in tendrils like metal shavings, and she wore the same clothes as the day before. “See any action? I know you aren’t afraid of a fight.”
“We had boarders on the Catalina, but we’re okay. You remember Cally, and this is my friend Zoe,” Esther said.
Rachel nodded at them. “Were you armed?” she asked. “I thought the Catalina was one of the few peaceful ships left.”
“We got by with some help,” Esther said, avoiding Zoe’s gaze. She had been quieter than normal ever since the slip of her knife had resulted in a man’s death. It had clearly affected her, even though he had been attacking them.
“I’m surprised they bothered with you folks at all.”
“Me too. Were you okay here?” Esther asked.
“I was home in bed, but I heard the explosions.” Rachel reached back and took hold of her iron-gray braid, kneading the plait as she spoke. It was something Esther had never seen her do before. Rachel was very nervous.
“Luke came by to check on me this morning,” Rachel continued. “He said some of the Harvesters got into it with the Calderon thugs. It was bound to happen sometime. They exchanged a few blows but didn’t make off with much of their metal stash. The Harvesters guard it well.”
“I heard some oil was stolen in the attack,” Zoe said.
Rachel continued to knead her braid. “True, but I have a hard time believing the Calderon Group would attack the Amsterdam for a measly handful of oil barrels. My theory is it was a symbolic move. A declaration of war. They’re saying even the Amsterdam isn’t safe. The Calderon Group can do whatever they want wherever they want. Unless someone stands up to them, it looks like they’re right.”
“Will they?” Zoe asked. “Stand up to them?”
“I don’t know. Of course, I could be wrong.” Rachel tossed her braid over her shoulder and straightened her back.
“I think they wanted something else too,” Esther said. “I’m hoping you know someone who can help us.”
The rain got heavier by the minute. It pooled on the decks and ran down the slanted beams of the oil rig in rivers and waterfalls. The pattering surrounded them, discouraging conversation. The remaining ships around the Amsterdam looked fuzzy—when they were visible at all.
Esther found Rachel’s son, Luke, playing dice with two other men on the deck of a cargo ship. A suspended lifeboat protected them from the rain. The dice game wasn’t as raucous or intense as the ones she had seen in the bazaar yesterday. Meager piles of scrap metal sat in a puddle on the deck in front of the players. The men looked away from the dice to scan their surroundings frequently. All three stood when Esther and her friends approached.
“Hi there, ladies. Fancy a game? If you got anything of value, that is,” said a thin man who seemed to be made entirely of straight lines. He watched them suspiciously despite his casual tone.
“I know what you could play for,” said one of the younger men, elbowing his friend and snickering. He had short, curly brown hair that looked like it was still recovering from a military haircut, and he wore a green military-style jacket. Esther recognized the leer on his tanned face.
“No, thanks,” Esther said. “You’re a sore loser, Luke. Not worth the drama.”
“Do I know you?” the young man said.
Confusion replaced the leer, and Esther knew for sure he was the same boy who’d quickly become contrite after a lecture about fighting from his mother, Rachel.
“What’s this?” said the bony man. “Another lady friend you’re going to claim you don’t remember?” He slapped Luke on the back.
“Pretty sure he paid the last one to talk about the ‘great night’ she had with him,” said the third man, a short, dark-haired fellow who was probably a year or two younger than Luke and Esther. He had round features that gave him a babyish appearance. He also wore a green jacket, though his was sewn with dozens of pockets.
Luke punched his friend in the arm and ducked a retaliatory swing. He jumped behind the other man and put him in a headlock, all while shooting glances back at Esther. Finally, recognition lit his brown eyes.
“You come to the bazaar sometimes!” he said.
Esther smiled. “I buy parts from your mom.”
Luke smacked his friend’s shoulder. “Knew it! Esther from the Canberra.”
“Catalina.”
“That’s what I meant. What’s up? Looking for a crew to join?” Luke’s voice was relaxed and good natured, even as he struggled to maintain the headlock on his buddy.
“The Harvesters hire women?” Zoe asked.
Luke eyed Zoe up and down. “Yeah, first mate on my ship’s a gal. Not as pretty as you, mind.” Luke’s smile was all teeth against his tanned face.
His friend took this opportunity to extract himself from the headlock.
“She’d open your guts for saying so, though,” said the bony man. “She’s a cold, hard bitch.”
“Sounds like someone we know,” Cally whispered to Esther.
“She rejected you is all, Rawlins,” said the baby-faced young man. He jerked reflexively when the bony man chucked his dice at him.
“Shut up, Cody,” Rawlins snapped.
“We’re not looking to join a crew,” Esther said. “We need help.”
“Yeah? What kind?” Luke nudged Cody with his elbow, and Cody shoved him back.
“We’re going after the Calderon Group,” Esther said.
The men grew serious.
“Look, Esther,” Luke said, “you don’t want to mess with the Calderon boys.”
“I think they kidnapped one of our friends,” Esther said. “We have no
choice. Can you give me any information about them? I could also use a few men to help navigate our patrol ship and possibly fight, if you’re game.” She wasn’t sure how she’d get control of the Lucinda for the mission, but she knew it would be stupid to go after David without a few people who had faced the Calderon Group before. “There will be a reward for whoever helps us.”
Zoe shifted beside her.
“We’re not mercenaries,” the bony man, Rawlins, said. “The Harvesters operate a legitimate business. You’ve come to the wrong guys.”
“Yeah, but you’ve also dealt with a lot of shit from the Calderon Group lately,” Esther said, remembering the rumors from the bazaar. “Don’t tell me you’re not already talking about going after them after last night’s attack.”
Luke and Cody exchanged glances.
“I’d say you’re fed up,” Esther said, “and you want to take action.”
“Those bastards crossed a line when they attacked the Amsterdam,” Luke grumbled.
She had thought she could count on him. He grew up on the Amsterdam, and the Harvesters needed it to facilitate the metal trade. They wouldn’t want anyone to tamper with the Coalition. Though Esther would have thought the Calderon Group needed to maintain good ties with the Amsterdam too, until now.
“Why don’t you come with us then?” she said.
“They aren’t going anywhere on that baby patrol ship,” said Rawlins, who clearly outranked Luke and Cody. He fixed Esther with a hard stare. “Don’t think I can’t tell what you’re doing. You’re trying to split our group, lure us away with a tale of a damsel in distress. I can recognize a Calderon plot when I see one.”
Esther met his eyes steadily. “You’re wrong,” she said. “We’re not rescuing a damsel. It’s a man . . . a man who was trying to sell a game-changing technology. They nabbed him for it.”
She had learned enough from David to know she would need this trump card.
“What kind of technology?”
“The kind that would allow you to be entirely independent,” Esther said. “The kind that would mean you’d never run out of fuel, never need to rely on trade with anyone, Calderon scum included.” She tried to imitate David’s way of waving his arms around to make a point, but it felt awkward. She hooked her fingers in her belt instead.