“Captain?” whispered Hobs.
“Yeah.”
“I think it might be time to run for the ship.”
“Right. Um, crew? Run for the ship.”
“Now?” asked CiCi.
“Now!” I yelled.
I threw myself into the crowd and weaseled my way out into the streets. I heard gunfire and saw a bullet lodge into a post in front of me.
“What the flark!” I screamed.
“On it!” yelled Rivera. He ran backward and let loose a firestorm of bullets as we tore for the ship.
“Faster, I can ‘ear choppers!” cried Bell.
CiCi ran as fast as her little legs could carry her, but she was lagging behind. I turned just in time to see her trip. I ran back to her, swooped down, picked her up, and raced toward the dock behind Williamson’s Dive. A bullet whizzed past my right ear and hit my ship just before I climbed in. I whirled around.
“Nobody shoots my ship!” I yelled. I drew my Colt and fired, but nothing happened. “Are you flarking kidding me?”
The SUN soldier I had been aiming at dropped like a rock, and I turned to see Rivera holstering his gun. “Out of bullets again?”
I glared at him. “I could kick you out the airlock, you know.”
“I know. But you won’t. Wanna know why? Because you need someone who actually manages to keep a steady supply of bullets in his gun.”
Before I could craft a cutting reply, Rivera slammed the door shut as a smattering of bullets hit my ship.
Oh no, they did not.
I ran full speed to the cockpit and launched myself into the pilot’s seat. “Come on, baby, hustle,” I whispered. As we took off, I saw the executioner push my aunt’s head through the hangman’s noose. I turned my gaze to the stars, grateful that the noise of the Misfit’s thrusters would drown out the strangled death cries of Tabitha Dixon. We blew into the atmosphere, leaving the SUN helicopters floundering in our powerful wake.
FIRED UP 3
ONCE WE WERE SAFELY OUT OF MARTIAN AIRSPACE, I RETREATED to my quarters. I knew it was only a matter of time before the SUN made another appearance, and I needed a minute. Several, in fact, but five would do better than none.
I shut the door to my quarters, leaning back heavily against it. My room was beat up, faded, like most things on the Misfit, but it was my sanctuary and I loved it. The Misfit was a graduation present from my parents—something Mrs. Ford had tucked away in a hangar waiting for me to turn sixteen. I walked to my bed, sat down on the edge, and pulled the chain out from my shirt. I cradled the vial in one hand and stared at it, rolling it around in my fingers and thinking of the latest life that had been claimed in the name of freedom.
I knew little of my aunt, other than the fact that I was named for her, and she was the jackwagon who stuck me with the stupid Eternigen in the first place. Well, sort of. I mean ... the last time I saw her, things had gone very differently.
The rain came down in sheets that day. I was alone. At least, I think I was. I can’t remember why now, only that no one was there to answer the door but me. If I believed in time travel, I would have thought an older version of myself stood soaked to the bone on our porch.
“Who are you?” I had blurted out.
The woman stared at me from underneath the dripping brim of her hat. “Tabitha?”
“How do you know my name?” I demanded.
“It’s my name too.” She had looked behind her, as if to see if someone had followed her to our door. “Take this and give it to your father.”
She had placed a wooden box in my hands. It was beautiful, stained a dark cherry color and inlaid with intricate patterns. I ran my fingers across its smooth surface and fiddled momentarily with the lock. When I looked up, the woman had disappeared.
It was at that moment that I did something unpardonable. I ran upstairs with the box, picked the lock, and found the glass vial filled with what looked like mercury. I fiddled with it, and then tossed it in my underwear drawer and promptly forgot about it.
Three days later, my family was dead and I had a new identity as Trudy Loveless, the ward of Mrs. Ford, my former English teacher.
I wished I had known my namesake better. With the online monitoring, it’s not like I could just flick on my Cuff and look up Tabitha Dixon. The wrong people would notice.
I leapt from my bed and started pacing as another knot tied itself up inside my stomach. I yelled and kicked my second-hand dresser. My foot went right through the bottom drawer. I extracted my boot and fell to my knees.
I should have done more.
Breakfast suddenly seemed like a terrible mistake. I scrambled for my bathroom.
I should have been able to save her. I should have been able to save them all.
Even as the thought flashed through my mind, I knew I had to deal in reality. I had to lock down all my doubt and guilt and go back to being numb. Feeling anything was a luxury I could not afford.
I had a ship to captain.
I rinsed my mouth out and jerked my mother’s ring off my index finger. I tossed it into a cleaning solution on my nightstand, flicked away a solitary tear, and headed out my door for the cockpit. Hobs caught me and stopped me.
“You okay?” he asked.
I nodded. “I’m fine.”
He didn’t believe me. I could tell by the ridiculous expression of skepticism that took up his entire face.
“If you want to talk about it, I’m here, you know.”
I patted his shoulder as I slid past. “I know.” I shimmied into the cockpit and sat down next to Bell.
“How we doin’?” I asked. The image of my Aunt Tabitha’s bruised and broken body popped up in my mind’s eye. I blinked and tried to focus on what Bell was saying.
“Fine, Captain. The ship is sound, and it’s clear out there for now. We are almost to the jump gate.”
I nodded. “Nobody’s tailing us?”
She was so scared ... I could tell. When she looked at me, there was pure fear in her eyes, and what do I do? Run away. I had a gun and a knife. I could have done something.
What on earth could I have done?
“It doesn’t appear that way. Captain? Captain.”
“Oh! Uh, good. Keep an eye on things, lemme know if there are any changes. I’ll be shocked if the SUN hasn’t figured out who we are before we make it to the jump gate. I’m gonna go check on the others and make sure Salazar isn’t too jumpy.”
“Aye, Cap. May I ask a question?”
“Shoot.”
Bell cleared her throat. “Are you alright? You seem a bit out of sorts.”
I hopped out of my chair. “I’m okay, Bell.”
“Very well, but if you need to talk—”
“You’re here. I know. Thanks.” As I walked back to the hold, I breathed in and out, trying to shut out what I had seen. The vial hanging against my chest felt heavy, a weight that never stopped pressing on my heart. The pewter stopper was cold and sent a shiver through me. The coldness of the vial was something I should have gotten used to by now. The chill against my chest had spread to my heart years ago and become familiar, a tool I could call upon to survive just about anything—even death.
Miriam the Fluffy Healer didn’t think my habits were particularly healthy, but I didn’t care what she thought. The only reason she was on board in the first place was because the SUN made it illegal to fly without an onboard healer. I didn’t care about health. All I cared about was survival.
At least, that’s what I told myself.
I watched CiCi crossing the other side of the hold, her short arms loaded down with ship parts. A backpack stuffed to the brim with even more parts sagged on her tiny, narrow shoulders, hunching her over. She walked with so much purpose, so much drive.
So much ... stuff.
“CiCi!” I yelled.
She screeched to a halt, her momentum nearly getting the better of her.
“Aye, Cap?”
An offer of help died on my lips. N
o one came between CiCi and the Misfit, and I of all people should be able to respect that. Despite my darker thoughts, I found myself transforming the laugh bubbling up my throat into a cough.
“Never mind. You just ... keep on doin’ what you’re doin’.”
She nodded, and then plowed through to the other side of the hold. As soon as she was out of sight I heard a loud, metallic crash.
“CiCi?” I cried.
“No problem, Cap!”
I raised an eyebrow, but I said nothing more as I made my way to the galley. Rivera was sitting at the table, glowering more than usual. I sat down next to him and put my feet up on the scratched up table.
“Feeling better now that you’ve picked off a few agents?” I asked.
Rivera picked up his beer and took a slow sip in reply.
“Nice lunch. Where’s Hobson?” I asked.
“The lab rat hasn’t come out sniffing for food yet.”
I punched his shoulder. “That lab rat is my best friend. He’s brilliant.”
“You ever gonna tell me what he’s up to in that lab?”
“Nope. Not my story to tell,” I lied.
“Well, then, you wanna tell me why some loony thought that yelling for you to run would be a good plan?”
“Nope.”
“What, ‘cause that ain’t your story to tell, either?”
I paused to examine Rivera’s unusually stormy expression. “What’s eating you?”
“Nothin’, just wondering why we got chased off Mars. Wondering if it has anything to do with him.” He nodded toward the far end of the galley, where Mr. Salazar and Miriam were deeply engaged in conversation. “Something ‘bout that little weasel I don’t hold with. This job’s felt off since day one.”
I scratched the back of my neck. “Yeah, I know what you—”
My sentence came to a screeching halt as I realized what Rivera’s real problem was. I grinned. “Look at how closely Miriam is sitting next to him, Rivera. I wonder what they could be talking about. Probably not politics, they look too cozy for that. Maybe she’s giving him some of her favorite healing tips. Is that what’s buzzing your bonnet?”
“Pssh. You and Bell been smoking in the cockpit again, Cap’n Loveless.”
I grinned.
“Deny it all you want, I know the truth. Although, it is kind of hard to imagine. Miriam is a healer, so ... feeling-oriented, so sensitive, whereas you are—”
“Holding a loaded nine-millimeter Glock.”
I smiled, choosing to ignore the dig.
“And I believe you just made my point.”
Mr. Salazar checked his Cuff, kissed Miriam’s hand, and was about to excuse himself.
“I’m sorry we had to leave like that, Salazar,” I called out. “Just a miscommunication.”
“I see. Happen often?” he asked.
“On Mars? Oh, yeah. Nothing I won’t be able to resolve with the SUN later, I’m sure.”
He didn’t look convinced, but he nodded and walked away. As soon as Salazar was out of the galley, I elbowed Rivera in the stomach.
“Here’s your big chance!” I hissed. “Go on, I’m dying to see you try to one-up a guy who kisses women’s hands before leaving the table.”
Before Rivera could reply, the entire ship rattled around us. My ears filled with terrible metallic squeals as shots fired across the nose of the Misfit.
“Aw, flarking skud, here we go! Everyone to the bridge, now!” I yelled.
I darted from my chair and ran ahead, a strange cocktail of hungry rage and abject terror propelling me faster and faster.
Nobody fires at my ship.
Nobody.
“Bell, I thought you said no one was behind us!”
“This isn’t a SUN issue ship! I don’t recognize the model, Captain, but preliminary observations indicate there’s no way we can beat ‘er in a firefight. I mean, look at ‘er. She’s énorme.”
I grabbed the controls and engaged the thrusters. The Misfit screamed as we veered to the right of our hulking attacker. Suddenly, the communication monitor lights started blinking.
“Sure, you shoot at me and then try to chat? Like skud!” I pounded on the monitor’s keypad and hung up on the caller.
About two seconds later, the comm lights flickered again.
“Per’aps it is better to find out who this person is. Maybe you can get them to stop shooting at us?”
I rolled my eyes and hit ‘Accept’.
A porcelain face materialized on the screen, framed by a halo of perfect blonde curls. The woman’s pouty, cherry lips shined and her bright blue eyes sparkled under perfectly angled eyebrows.
I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t her.
“Tabitha. How nice to see you,” she purred.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You must have me confused with someone else. My name is Captain Trudy Loveless. My crew and I are on a mission to deliver cargo to Earth, and I’d really appreciate it if you’d get out of my way and stop firing on my ship.”
The woman tilted her head and smiled slightly. It wasn’t a friendly smile, or even a courteous one.
It was the smile of a lioness that has cornered her lunch.
“Oh, Tabitha, you know you shouldn’t lie so much. I know all about you, and despite the tough-girl façade, you really do want to do the right thing. Lying goes against your better nature. Why not come clean? I know what you have, and I feel it’s only fair to tell you I will do whatever it takes to get it.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, or what you think I have. Also, I don’t believe I caught your name?” I asked.
“What, you don’t recognize me? I’m Eira Ninge, President of Galileo Space Pioneering. Surely you’ve heard of GSP?”
“Anyone who’s flown a ship knows GSP However, last I heard they were still interested in financing missions to the colonies and designing ships, not shooting cargo runners out of the sky.”
“I told you, Tabitha, you have something I want. Now, you can come along quietly or put up a fight and endanger all you hold dear, but either way, you will give me that vial.”
I swore under my breath. “We’re done talking.”
I shut off the communication monitor and yelled into the ship’s intercom.
“CiCi! Tell me I can out-maneuver her!”
“You can’t.”
“CiCi!”
“Well, you can’t, especially because she’s parked herself right in front of the jump gate. But you could lose her in Dead Man’s Field.”
“You’re sending me into the asteroid belt? I love you too.”
“She’s a big ship. She’ll sustain more damage than we will. There’s an emergency gate, and if all else fails, we can hide somewhere. It’s your best bet short of the jump gate.”
“Captain, ‘er starboard guns are active and ready to fire,” said Bell.
“Rivera!” I yelled. “Get in here and get on those guns!”
I looked at my first mate. “Liz, I don’t know if I can—”
“Please. You out-scored me on our final exam. And I rock. You can do whatever the flark you want.”
I took a deep breath, and she gave me a quick nod as we swerved into the asteroid field. As I maneuvered the ship, my chair spun sideways and Rivera, who had come at last, lost his footing and fell straight into my lap.
“Rivera, you lummox! Get off! What took you so long?” I yelled.
“Sorry, Cap, can’t fire on a full bladder.”
“You just went!”
“Hey, small bladder!”
He scrambled off me and fell into his seat to the right of Bell and me. We lurched hard to starboard to avoid a collision with a small asteroid, and he glared at us. “Be easier to walk if you two infants would fly straight.”
“Shut up and take out whatever part of her you can!” I yelled.
Rivera cracked his knuckles and stared down Eira’s massive ship. “Whatcha got for me, sugar lips?”
As if Eira’s ship had heard him, a blast engulfed the Misfit in white light. She shivered, and then went utterly dark.
“Rivera?”
“I didn’t do it!”
Shots were coming in from everywhere, and we had no firepower. We were frozen, with no means of defending ourselves. On top of it all, one very determined looking asteroid was headed our way.
“Emergency shields at thirty percent ... fifteen percent ... five percent!” yelled Bell.
“CiCi, did you fix that backup generator before we took off?” I cried.
“It should kick in any second now,” said CiCi.
I stared ahead, helplessly watching blast after blast damage bits of my ship. “Come on baby ... come on ....”
I heard a low hum and felt a whirring beneath my hands as tiny white lights pierced the darkness. The backup generator engaged. I held back a sigh of relief and opted to chomp down on my lower lip instead. I could only see one course of action that would keep my crew— and my secrets—safe.
“Bell, put everything we’ve got into those shields. Rivera, take out that asteroid before it hits us. Everyone else, into the escape pods. Where the flark is Salazar?”
“Captain! An escape pod has jettisoned,” said Bell.
Rivera shot me a knowing glance as we watched the pod fly toward Eira’s ship. “Weasel! Oh, I called it. I totally called it! Which one did he take? Miriam! You owe me five bucks!”
“You bet against Salazar?” I cried.
“Uh ... I mean, well, I really don’t think this is the moment to discuss it, Cap,” stammered Rivera.
I glared at him. “Get in that escape pod. And the next time I see you, I expect flowers and chocolate and a big brass flarking band.”
“Aye, Cap.”
Bell pulled up the screen. “Captain, ‘e appears to have taken one of the dual-riders.”
“Skud,” I hissed under my breath.
Just then, Hobson poked his head in the door.
“Who’s a weasel? What on earth is going on? My lab went dark and I can’t get anything done if—”
I looked up into his face and his sentence stopped cold. I didn’t have to say a word—he just knew. Like he always knew. I never had to explain anything to Hobs. I wanted more time to take in the ever-present glimmer in Hobs’s bright blue eyes, to memorize the wild path of his unruly blond curls. Instead, I stole a second to freeze him in my mind, until the taste of blood on my tongue reminded me to release my jaw-lock on my lower lip and get back to work. I wanted to carry that picture with me forever.
Liberty Page 3