by Gun Brooke
“No!” Weiss winced at the sight of the green fluid levels rising at an alarming rate. If she wasn’t able to stop it, it would be above Madisyn’s head within half a minute. Looking around, about to panic, Weiss saw a half-closed cabinet behind the cylinder. She flung the door open. Inside it were Onotharian plasma blasters. Thank the stars!
Grabbing a rifle, Weiss unhooked the safety and placed it against her shoulder as she turned back to the glass cylinder. The green fluid now covered Madisyn to her chin. Weiss couldn’t lose any more time. Aiming twenty centimeters above Madisyn’s head, she fired.
The glass shattered and flew in all directions around the dais. Oxygenized plasma fluid cascaded in a green tidal wave. At the last moment, Weiss clung to the console in order to remain on her feet. Horrible images of the broken glass cutting Madisyn made Weiss cry out in despair.
“Madisyn!” She drew new air. “Madisyn!”
The floor was slippery from the green fluid, and nearly impossible to navigate. Cursing her slipping feet, Weiss gave up and fell onto all fours, crawling through the goo. She cut herself on the sharp edges of the shattered glass, but now she could see a still form at the base of the dais. Sobbing from anger and frustration, she crawled over to Madisyn and gently lifted her over the broken sides of the cylinder. It didn’t look like she had been seriously cut, although it was hard to see as she was covered in the fluid.
Weiss tore her collar from her jacket in one violent tug and used it to wipe Madisyn’s face. It didn’t look like she was breathing. Perhaps Madisyn didn’t always have to? Cursing at how little she knew about Madisyn’s configuration, she tried to move toward the door with her precious burden. No matter how she tried, she couldn’t stay upright and carry Madisyn simultaneously.
“I’m sorry, Madi, I’m sorry. I’m really trying.” Weiss’s voice shocked her. She couldn’t remember sounding so raw or feeling so distraught, not since her mother was killed. The woman in her arms had sacrificed everything for this cause of hers against piracy, against people like Weiss. Now all Weiss wanted was for Madisyn to have a real life with friends, work, and family. To never be alone again. She hugged Madisyn tight to her chest, willing life back into her cold, limp body, but it didn’t help.
“That’s Kyakh,” someone said in Gantharian. Two women stood inside the door, plasma-pulse weapons raised but not directed at her.
“Help me. She’s not breathing.” Weiss eased toward them, making sure she kept Madisyn away from the sharp glass. Her knees and shins burned, but she didn’t care.
“Let me take her. This is Pimm, right?” The tall blond woman bent down and lifted Madisyn from Weiss’s arms as if she were a child. “I’m Roshan O’Landha, Gantharian resistance, deputized SC officer.”
“Weiss Kyakh. Mercenary.”
The other woman, smaller and with dark hair, bent down and extended her hand. “Not today, Weiss. I’m Andreia M’Aldovar, resistance leader, and I say today you’re as much a freedom fighter as we are.” She tugged Weiss to her feet and winced as she glanced down at her legs. “You need medical assistance. We have to get them back to the shuttle, Ro.”
Weiss looked down and saw that her coverall was torn into shreds and blood was oozing down her legs. Oddly enough it didn’t hurt. Yet.
“I’m not the one who needs it the most. We need to get Madisyn to a doctor, or an engineer, damn it, I don’t know.” Weiss limped over to Roshan. “She—she’s breathing.”
“She is. I’m not saying she doesn’t need care, but I think you had her breathing sooner than you thought. Can you walk?” Roshan nodded at Weiss’s legs.
“Yes.” Weiss hoisted the weapon she’d found in the cabinet. “I’ll have to make do with this. Are we far from the shuttle bay?”
“Two decks down, but we’ll get there.” Andreia tugged her arm. “Lean on me. If we run into the enemy, you can hold your own, I know, but for now, conserve your energy and use my strength.”
“I—yes, ma’am.” Weiss hated how submissive she sounded all of a sudden, but something about Andreia M’Aldovar didn’t allow for any smart-ass responses or refusals. She placed her arm around Andreia’s shoulders and was actually grateful for the support as the pain in her shins returned. To keep her mind off it, she asked the question that had been on her mind since their makeshift introductions. “You said ‘M’Aldovar.’ Are you related to the bastard who did this to Madisyn?”
“My brother,” Andreia said. “And no, we’re not related where our values and ideals are concerned. I’m Gantharian, heart and soul. He’s Onotharian leadership at its worst. And just so you know, I had no idea he was alive. I don’t even think our parents realize it.”
“There’s one in every family.” Weiss focused on their conversation so she could keep walking and disregard the increasing pain. “Guess I’m the one in mine.”
“Looks like you’re trying to do the right thing now. There is such a thing as redemption.” Andreia took a firmer grip around Weiss’s waist, grabbing her belt.
“Some things can never fall into that category. I haven’t led what you’d call an honorable life. These last months, even while working against the Onotharian oppressors, all I did was plot how to escape and get to my stash.” The self-loathing was like bile in Weiss’s throat as she glanced over at Madisyn, who lay limp in Roshan’s arms. “Madi trusted me. She didn’t know the truth. She thought I was an undercover agent with a fake background. Now she hates me.”
“But you don’t share her animosity?” Her voice soft, Andreia didn’t sound judgmental.
“No. Madisyn Pimm is a fantastic, brave individual, who was prepared to sacrifice herself for the sake of this mission. She was ready to die aboard this damn ship, at the hands of a deeply disturbed megalomaniac.” Weiss felt no remorse for her words about Andreia’s brother.
“Once she comes to, she’ll know that you saved her. That you risked your life in order to save hers. I know she’s a sentient android, but not a lot of people would do what you did. It says a lot about her, and even more about you.” Roshan spoke matter-of-factly, but kindly. Suddenly she stopped, pressing her back against the wall. She held on tighter to Madisyn. “We’ve got company.”
Weiss and Andreia took aim with their weapons, ready to fire. Not sure she would be able to remain on her feet much longer, Weiss swore to herself she would go down fighting.
“It’s Kellen and Ayahliss!” Andreia sounded relieved. “And—oh, Gods. It’s him.”
Trax M’Aldovar’s hover chair traveled along the corridor, flanked by two striking blond women. She recognized both of them, although the younger of them, Ayahliss, had clearly grown up some in the months since one of Weiss’s crewmembers had fired upon her at a space station. That, together with the fact that Weiss had kidnapped Dahlia Jacelon, made Weiss wary. The other one was Kellen O’Dal, the protector of the realm. Tall, blond, and wearing her red suit, she had an imposing charisma. She wouldn’t cut Weiss any slack, and Weiss didn’t expect her to.
“Good to see you, Kellen,” Roshan said. “Where did you find him?” Her eyes turned bitter cold when she shifted her gaze to Trax.
“Believe it or not, in the brig, in weightless condition. He’s unconscious.” Kellen smiled joylessly as she motioned toward the slumped figure. “His vital signs are acceptable.” She looked from Weiss over to Madisyn. “I see you found Kyakh and Pimm. Is Pimm all right?”
“No, she’s been exposed to an unknown substance in some sort of chamber. Kyakh is badly hurt. We have to get them to the shuttles.” Andreia pulled at Weiss. “You’re pale.”
“I’m all right.” The corridor was flickering and spinning around Weiss. She tried to focus on putting one foot in front of another, counting the steps as they all made their way to the shuttle bay.
“How did you get him out of a weightless environment?” Roshan asked Kellen.
“I used old-fashioned techniques that we learned in the movement,” Kellen said, her full lips curving into a smile. “Like fusi
ng wires and adjusting manifolds with a well-aimed sidearm.”
“I see.” Roshan chuckled. “You know my advice. ‘When all else fails, go low-tech.’”
“Indeed I do.”
Kyakh knew she was in trouble when she began to experience tunnel vision. A humming tone sung in her ears and her legs slowly seemed to turn to jelly. She tried to warn Andreia, but her tongue wouldn’t work. She heard, rather than felt, the pain in her kneecap when her right leg gave way. Andreia held on to her, but she hit her temple against the bulkhead as she went down. The last thing she knew before everything became blissfully black was how incredibly tired she was. The last word from her lips was “Madisyn.”
Chapter Thirty
“This is unbelievable. A complete shock, if you ask me. I’ve never come across anything like this in my career.”
Madisyn wanted to identify the woman speaking close to her, but she was simply too fatigued. In fact, she couldn’t move anything. Slowly, panic started to build and flashbacks from how she’d woken up and found herself transplanted into an android washed over her.
“I’m so glad the Brilliance made it to this part of space. This is where the nucleus of the war is fought, and both Rae and I felt we needed to be here,” a dark male voice said. “This young woman has certainly sacrificed above and beyond.”
“Examining her, I’d say she’s sacrificed even more than that,” the female voice said compassionately. “At first I had engineers work on her, then my best physician, while I worked on Kyakh and M’Aldovar.”
M’Aldovar? That scum was here? And where was he? Madisyn tried to remember a ship named the Brilliance, but her tired brain wouldn’t focus. Suddenly the image of Weiss floated to the surface. The last she remembered was how frantic Weiss had been when M’Aldovar had ordered Madisyn into the glass cylinder. They had hit her and dragged her off somewhere. What if they tortured her? Killed her?
A movement close by helped stymie the panic. Someone tucked in a blanket or a sheet around her with gentle hands.
“It didn’t take them long to find discrepancies. Lieutenant Commander Dakke quickly informed me that this girl needed a physician more than an engineer, since her brain and spinal column are entirely humanoid.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” the male voice asked.
Madisyn gasped. They had scanned her when she was unconscious and unable to suppress any of the markers in her system. Slowly she managed to open her eyes, blinking at the two uniform-clad people. The man was an SC admiral, and the woman held the rank of commander.
“Admiral Jacelon?” Madisyn whispered hoarsely.
“That’s right, Ms. Pimm. Welcome back.” Admiral Ewan Jacelon smiled down at her. “You gave us first a scare and then a shock. We now know the full magnitude of your sacrifice. You’re not a sentient android, you’re humanoid.”
“Some would call me a freak.” Madisyn didn’t mean to sound bitter. She meant it as a factual statement.
“I would call it an amazing recovery from a brave and lonely soul.”
“Weiss…please, Admiral. Where’s Weiss?” Madisyn tried to sit up, but firm hands held her down by gently pressing her shoulders.
“I’m Doctor Gemma Meyer, CMO aboard the Supreme Constellations vessel Brilliance,” the woman said. “You have quite a way to go before we can allow you to get out of bed. We’re restoring some of your skin, and your pulmonary system also needs repairs. We’ve started a regeneration cycle to create the type of tissue you require, but until we’re ready to transplant, you need to remain very still.”
“If you don’t tell me where Weiss is, I’m getting off this damn bed!” Drawing shallow, painful breaths, Madisyn forced her upper body up onto her elbows.
“Weiss Kyakh is undergoing treatment in our surgery theater,” Dr. Meyer said. “She’s rather banged up and needs a lot of reconstructive surgery. We have SC’s best plastic surgeons and vascular surgeons aboard.”
“Vascular? How bad are her injuries?” Weakly, Madisyn relaxed against the pillows. “Did they torture her?” The thought was excruciating.
“Nobody tortured her. She sustained bad cuts to her arms and legs when she rescued you from the oxygenizing glass chamber. She had to fire upon it to get you out,” Admiral Jacelon said. “There was a lot of broken glass, according to our people.”
“And the Onotharian? M’Aldovar?” Relief paired with awe made it difficult to speak.
“Alive. Barely.” A muscle in Admiral Jacelon’s jaw twitched and he had unmistakable hatred in his eyes. This man clearly loathed M’Aldovar, who had nearly killed his daughter.
“And Admiral Jacelon? Your daughter?”
“You ask a lot of questions, but that’s good. Means you care and that you’re well enough to care.” Admiral Jacelon held up his hand as if to forestall any more impatient words. “Rae is on her feet again, thank you.”
“Good.” As if knowing that the ones she had worked with were all right or expected to recover allowed her to relax, Madisyn slumped sideways. “Pain.” Her head hurt, and, somehow, the strange sensation of being short of breath seemed hurtful too.
“We’re adding more pain relief through your intravenous line.” Dr. Meyer pressed a sensor on a console next to the bed. Within seconds, the discomfort and pain lessened.
“Wh-when can I see Weiss? Got to tell her…” Madisyn yawned.
“As soon as it’s possible. You’re both too injured right now and need rest.” Dr. Meyer leaned over Madisyn and met her gaze straight-on. “Trust me. If we see any significant signs of improvement or if either of you takes a turn for the worse, I promise to let the other one know. You and Weiss obviously care greatly for each other. I had to sedate her because she was ready to jump off the bed and force herself in here.”
“She’s my colleague. She had my back.”
“She sure did.”
“I’ll return for a bedside debrief when Dr. Meyer says it’s possible.”
The two officers left, and Madisyn was grateful to close her eyes again. She needed to gather her thoughts. M’Aldovar’s cohorts had forced her into the cold glass chamber. The green fluid had stung her skin, which had startled her. Certainly, she had experienced pain before, but this was a searing sensation, like being burned.
At this point, Madisyn recalled Weiss going crazy on the outside, struggling against the two Onotharian security officers. Madisyn winced as she remembered every little detail as to how Weiss had received several blows to the head and her abdomen. The last thing Madisyn saw before she lost consciousness was Weiss falling over, her knees unable to support her. Instead the chamber had made her hover, the green fluid rising around her. Madisyn had been certain she would die in there and never be able to tell Weiss how much she cared for her after all.
Madisyn’s eyes snapped open. It was true. She did care for Weiss. No matter her past, Weiss had proved irrevocably that she was capable of bravery and honorable actions. I’d love her anyway. Love? Madisyn tried the word in her head, not about to say it out loud. Love Weiss Kyakh, who said she loved Madisyn back. Was it possible that Weiss could really love her? Since Madisyn felt the same, perhaps they had a chance?
Thinking that the medication might be making her reason like this, Madisyn let her eyes close again and allowed sleep to take her. They couldn’t resolve anything here and now. She could only hope to find Weiss feeling stronger and healthier the next time she woke up.
They had a lot to discuss.
Chapter Thirty-one
Kellen stepped through the docking tube that linked the Circinus with the Brilliance and strode through the corridors, not about to waste any time. Crewmembers moved out of her way, some actually pressing their backs against the bulkhead.
Next to her, Owena and Leanne lengthened their stride to keep up.
“The admiral said she was all right, Kellen,” Leanne said. “She even said she’s able to resume light duty.”
“I know. I heard her.”
“But
you need to see for yourself,” Owena said. “I understand. If it was Leanne…” She shuddered.
Kellen knew their friends were concerned about Rae, but she was past concern. Rae was her life, the one who gave her purpose beyond her duties as protector and guardian for Armeo. When she secretly feared that Rae might never be found, or that she was dead, Kellen struggled to find a reason to continue. Her joy in life was interwoven with Rae and what they shared, and now Kellen couldn’t wait a moment longer to see her. She didn’t know just how fast the Brilliance was, and when she’d returned to the Circinus in her shuttle, Kellen’s knees had nearly given out when an ensign informed her she had a personal message waiting, and then Rae’s beloved face filled the screen.
Unable to do anything but stare at Rae for several moments, Kellen found her mouth curiously dry and her eyes just the opposite. Rae didn’t have the same reaction.
“Darling…” She launched into a detailed explanation of how she’d made it to Kellen’s location in record time.
Kellen didn’t really care how. She just sat there and enjoyed the husky voice of the woman she loved, grateful she sounded like her usual self. Still, now that she was about to see her face-to-face, the dryness was back in her mouth and her abdomen was in knots.
“We’re supposed to meet Ayahliss in your father’s ready room,” Leanne said kindly. “Why don’t we see you and Rae later?”
“All right. Thank you.” Grateful for her friends’ understanding, Kellen parted ways with them by one of the hubs of this enormous vessel. Consisting of forty-two decks and with a crew manifest of 3,800, it was the latest among five of its kind, each one more elaborate than and technologically superior to its predecessor.
Standing at the orientation board at the hub, she tried to pinpoint Rae’s location but couldn’t see anything designated the admirals’ quarters.