The Heights of Perdition

by C. S. Johnson

  He barely heard the door open below.

  “I hope I’m not interrupting anything this time,” Emery said in greeting.

  “No,” Exton assured her, hopping down from his perch. He landed next to her. “I’ve actually been waiting for you to show.”

  “Why?” Emery asked. “I know I’m not the only one who comes and gets you when you miss breakfast with the crew. I could have sent Mei, or Cherrie, or Alice.”

  “No, please don’t send them, or any of the older daughters of the crewmembers. Ever.”

  “Why not?” Emery teased. “They’re all pretty eager to find an excuse to talk to you.”

  “And I’m rightfully terrified to give it to them,” Exton replied. “They need jobs where they don’t have to interact with me. They’re barely adults.”

  “They’re the same age as that girl we’ve managed to capture,” Emery pointed out. “You don’t seem to mind her company so much.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Spying on me, are you?”

  “Not intentionally. But I happened to be friends with some of the medics, and one or two of them mentioned you’d visited her. And checked up on her multiple times, in one way or another.”

  “So?”

  “You’ve been acting weird since we got back from Earth,” Emery told him. “And then you go and see her? In the middle of the night?”

  “There are any number of things that I tend to at night. I’ve been preoccupied,” Exton replied, scratching his head nervously. “And I thought it was good to check on her, since it’s my fault she’s here in the first place.”

  Emery raised an eyebrow. “And now you’re trying to explain yourself to me?”

  “Ha! You wish.” Exton rolled his eyes. “As it happens, Emery, I was going to talk to you about her. I think I’ll let you worry about her from now on.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m putting you in charge of her. She’ll be here as a temporary guest.”

  “A guest?” Emery’s mouth dropped open, reminding Exton of their mother more than ever. “Exton, she’s from the URS.”

  “So are most of us, if you recall.”

  “I mean, she’s not a member of the Ecclesia, and she’s not a refugee or a defector. Her loyalty is still to them.”

  “I know.”

  “You know,” Emery replied slowly, “but you don’t care?”

  “Em, we’re not going to make supply runs anytime soon; it’s harvest time, and the water I’ve had collected from the Memory Tree should be enough to boost our supply,” Exton reminded her. “And even while I could return her, what do you think will happen to her? She’ll be in trouble with the URS, and we both know they’re more merciless than me. While they don’t believe in God, they certainly have used quite a few of their people as martyrs, if they don’t just disappear entirely.”

  “That’s true,” Emery agreed, “but she could still turn against us.”

  “That’s why I’m putting her under your care.”

  Emery wrinkled her nose. “Gee, thanks. I guess.”

  “It’ll be easy. Or at least, as easy as she’ll make it for you.”

  “What do you want me to do with her?”

  He shrugged. “You might as well train her. Have her assigned to a job, see if she’s useful in anything we need onboard.”

  “I don’t agree with showing her the ship.” Emery crossed her arms over her chest, defiant. “I’m not even sure I agree with letting her out of the med ward. She tried to hurt you, Exton.”

  “I survived.” When she said nothing in reply, only glaring at him, he added, “I talked with her, Emery. Aerie’s not going to attack me again.”

  “Aerie?”

  “That’s her name, right?”

  “The medics had ‘Aeris’ down on their report.”

  “I’m guessing that she gave me her nickname, then,” Exton said. A sudden thought crossed his mind. “Did she give the medics a surname?”

  “Rearden, if I’m not mistaken.” Emery paused. “You didn’t notice that while you were with her?”

  “I was making notes on her personality,” Exton grumbled. “Not her name.”

  “Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”

  “What’s wrong, Emery?” Exton huffed, exasperated. “I know this is a unique situation, but at most it would be three weeks we would have to deal with her.”

  “I’m worried.”

  “Then just tell me why.”

  “I’m worried she can hurt you.”

  “I just told you before she’s not going to attack me. She might be a good fighter, but I can handle her.”

  “I didn’t mean in that way,” Emery said softly. “You like her.”

  He stiffened. If Emery could see it, he would have to face reality. A long, telling moment of silence passed between them before he finally replied, “Is there some reason I can’t like her?”

  “Plenty, according to your own reasons,” Emery reminded him.

  “Aren’t you the one who was concerned I would die alone and lose my soul just a week ago?”

  “So sorry for being concerned for you,” Emery sneered. “But you have to agree, this isn’t what I had in mind.”

  “Still trying to push Alice on me?” Exton teased. “Or any of the other insufferable defectors looking for a trophy for a boyfriend, or another helpless refugee only after protection?”

  “No, even though Alice is a nice girl,” Emery huffed. “You know what I mean, though.”

  “I do.”

  “And you still like her?”

  They were both silent for a long moment. Exton knew what Emery was thinking. He had made his plans and used the Perdition to protect the world; if he became vulnerable, it was possible he would not be the only one to suffer the consequences.

  “If Aerie does decide to turn against us, we always have the upper hand,” Exton reasoned, ignoring the question.

  “I’ll take care to remind her of that, then,” Emery said with a sigh.

  “Emery.”

  “I know,” she said. She reached out and touched his cheek. “Just be careful.”

  He smirked. “Duty first, Em.”

  “I know,” she reiterated.

  “I could change my mind,” he continued. “Given enough time.”

  “I can only hope.”

  Before she could do anything else—beg, plead, threaten him to do just that—the bell sounding the end of the shift rang, and it was time for her to go and take care of her new charge.

  ♦♦♦♦

  Aerie was reluctant to wake up. She had grown up in New Hope, which, in being underground, felt like living in a large planetarium of sorts. Being out in the middle of the real solar system was tiring.

  Tiring but beautiful.

  The nature of the solar winds, the glow of the moon or Earth, both seemingly close enough to touch—all of it radiated temptation and captivated her attention through the small windows in the med ward.

  She blamed that for her inability to sleep properly.

  All things considered, she thought as she pulled the thin blanket over her tired face, it’s for the best. There was no need to add a handsome space pirate captain to her list of reasons to stay awake when she would rather be dreaming.

  “Miss Rearden?”

  Aerie grimaced under the covers. What had possessed her to give them Brock’s last name as hers?

  Aerie sighed as she answered her own question. The medics, without Exton’s scrutiny and suspicion, proved to be too easily misled, and General St. Cloud wasn’t the greatest father in the world by far, but he was certainly the second-to-worst one to have as a father while she was on an enemy starship.

  It’s a good thing I wasn’t raised in the Osgood unit, she thought wryly.

  “Miss Rearden?” The voice was more persistent.

  Aerie pulled back the sheet and sat up. “I’m up.”

  “Good.” Tyra, one of the medics Aerie was able to recognize, smiled up at her from b
ehind a screen. “Your assigned counselor is here to meet you. I’m just going to do one final check through your reports before discharging you to her.”

  “Thanks, Tyra,” Aerie murmured. So, Exton had assigned her a caretaker already, just as he said. She’d been secretly hoping he would come and see her again before she had to move.

  “No problem, miss,” the medic replied as she squinted down at some blood samples. “It’s been nice having you here with us. We always enjoy getting to know the newcomers.”

  “Thanks.” Aerie pressed down her hair, trying to get her long locks to cooperate. “Uh, Tyra, do I have enough time before I leave? I’d like to get myself organized, if I can.”

  “You’ll have plenty of time for that later,” a new voice called from the door of the med ward. “We’ll see that you’re comfortable.”

  Tyra glanced over. “I’m almost finished with my final notes, Director. Just another few moments while I get the test results for these.”

  “By all means,” the Director said, “take your time. We are in no rush.”

  Aerie studied her new counselor. Her hair was a pretty shade of brown, cut short at the chin. She was just a bit shorter than Aerie was, but Aerie could tell from just looking at her that she was older, but not by much. She was, like Exton, used to wielding authority.

  Master Browning’s bushy eyebrows flashed across Aerie’s mind, and Master Instructor Harrick’s cool gaze soon followed. Would this lady be just like them?

  “Hello,” Aerie said in polite greeting. She had to remind herself not to salute her. No need to invoke any enmity for the URS, Aerie thought.

  The Director arched an eyebrow. “You’re not going to attack me first? Well, it’s good to know you have some self-control.”

  At Tyra’s surprised expression, the Director sighed. “Tyra, leave us. Check your charts in the hall.”

  “Yes, Director.” Tyra shot an apologetic look in Aerie’s direction before collecting her gear and shuffling out the door.

  “I guess you heard about my, um, untraditional greeting,” Aerie muttered.

  “Hardly. I was the one who stopped your fight.” She pointed to Aerie’s neck. “I shot you with a tranquilizer, and you ended up collapsing.”

  “Huh.” Aerie felt annoyance bubble up inside her. “That’s funny. Exton never told me that part.”

  “Exton?”

  “The captain. He, uh, told me to call him by his name.” Aerie hated herself for flushing over. She was instantly reminded of being humiliated in her primary classes for daydreaming, getting caught doodling on her papers, or whispering to her friends. “I didn’t realize the titles were more important here. I guess you’d rather not call me Aerie, then? I don’t really want to be called ‘Miss Rearden,’ or ‘Comrade Rearden,’ if you don’t mind.”

  The Director sighed. “Let’s get a few things straight, Aerie,” she said, allowing Aerie to exhale in relief, “and then we’ll get started on settling you in.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Aerie replied.

  “First, I am the Coordinating Director of the Perdition, Emery Shep—uh, Caldwell, now.” She sighed. “I have a newer last name. Sometimes I forget still.”

  Her stumbling made Aerie smile. She doesn’t seem as uptight as my previous instructors. “Did you recently get assigned to be married?” Aerie asked, before she could help herself.

  “Assigned to be married?” Emery frowned. “Oh, never mind. We don’t marry as a career enhancement or replacement here. We marry for love.”

  “Love?” Aerie repeated, knowing she sounded stupid.

  “Yes. And to answer your question, yes, I did get married recently,” Emery continued. “My husband works on the Command Bridge.”

  It had been a long time since Aerie had heard the word “husband.” She was, despite her better judgment, intrigued. “Love is seen as a barbaric type of response to anything but the State in the URS,” Aerie mused aloud. “A genetic throwback response to emotional stimuli.”

  “Congratulations on your recitation of the URS Brainwashing Handbook.” Emery frowned again. “I don’t seem to be ‘barbaric’ to you, do I?”

  “No, not really. But then, I don’t know. I’ve only just met you.”

  “I’ve been assigned to be your counselor, and I don’t need any more incentive to make things as difficult as I can for you,” Emery told her.

  “I didn’t mean to insult you,” Aerie promised. She sighed, and her voice dropped down to a whisper. “I tend to agree with you, even though the State doesn’t allow for that.” When Emery only looked at her, she added, “My mother told me she loved me very often, but it was only in secret.”

  “Oh.” Emery cleared her throat. “Well, that’s good. You might prove to be a defector yet.”

  Aerie felt her stomach twist with guilty sickness at the thought. As Emery began to talk about her role onboard the ship, Aerie’s thoughts briefly landed on her own unit.

  Was Serena back at the military academy? Was the wreckage from the battle with Captain Chainsword still present? Were her brothers working on a way to bring her home, or were they just causing Brock trouble in pilot training?

  Did the General even know she was missing? What was Phoebe doing to the garden Aerie had tended with her mother?

  Discomfort settled inside her.

  She wasn’t lying to Exton when she said she was not a top priority. Indeed, she had a feeling if it weren’t for her mother, she might not have been born at all and no one would have felt a loss at the thought.

  I just have to survive. She recounted her plan to herself. Get information, as much as possible, on the Perdition and its mysterious captain and crew, and then get home. Once there, prove idle insubordination had borne a better fruit than meaningless obedience. And then survive whatever punishment she’d earned.

  Aerie couldn’t say which part was going to be the hardest to accomplish.

  “—and that’s what I do. Any questions?”

  “Uh … ” Aerie just stared at her, blank-faced, angry she’d been focused on her own plans instead of the information. “No. Not now, anyway. I can always ask questions later, right?”

  “Yes, of course,” Emery said, giving Aerie her first glimpse of a smaller smile. “Now, let me tell you about your duties.”

  Good, I didn’t miss this part. Aerie scooted closer.

  “Exton has made it so you are a guest, but to others, we’ve registered you as a refugee; we don’t have guests, as a general rule. We don’t want people in the URS thinking of it as a travel ship.”

  “Believe me, we don’t,” Aerie assured her. “I was pretty sure you were going to kill me on sight when I got up here.”

  “So you wanted to take the initiative, is that it?”

  “Yes.” Aerie felt a spark of happiness ignite inside her. It was possible she would like Emery. “That’s perfect!”

  “I think I’m beginning to see why Exton thinks it’ll be okay to have you as a guest,” Emery said.

  “Exton?” Aerie frowned. “You don’t call the captain by his title, either?”

  “No.”

  “He’s not your husband, is he?” Aerie asked, suddenly alarmed at the prospect.

  “Goodness, no.” Emery made a face. “I told you, my husband’s name is Tyler.”

  “Oh. Sorry. Exton’s not married, is he?”

  “No. He’s not.”

  At Emery’s sharp reply, Aerie’s heart fluttered helplessly. “Sorry,” she murmured, “but there’s so much to remember.”

  “It’s fine,” Emery replied, even though her tone told Aerie a different story. “You shouldn’t apologize so much.”

  “I’ve been told that by the URS, too. There’s no room for apologies when it comes to survival.”

  “The pendulum can swing the other way just as easily,” Emery told her. “Here, if you do wrong, that’s when you apologize. But there’s no need to keep apologizing for a wrong once you’ve been absolved from it.”

  �
�Sounds easy enough to remember.”

  “Consider it your first lesson, then. For today, we’re going to get you established in your new quarters and start scheduling you for some job training.”

  “I would like to leave the med ward. I mean, the medics are nice and all, but … I feel trapped in here.” She admitted the last part sheepishly, realizing that she was trapped on the ship. It wasn’t like being in a different room would make any difference to that reality.

  “That’s a common side effect of being in space.” Emery pointed to the bags of fluid and the devices behind her. “It’s best to make sure you didn’t have any toxins or harmful chemicals in your blood. Things happen differently in space, especially on a biological level.”

  “I’ve been wondering,” Aerie muttered. “I wasn’t terrible at science, but some of the more complicated astrophysics did leave me confused.”

  “They’ll do that,” Emery agreed. “That’s why my studies were in horticulture.”

  “Really?” Aerie’s eyes lit up with renewed enthusiasm. “That was what my mother pursued for a while when she was at university, before she decided to pursue a career in marriage.”

  Emery gave her a wry smile. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t talk about marriage as a career. The URS has striven to remove all the love, it seems, and its intended meaning; we see its meaning coming from a different place than what they do.”

  “The love is still there,” Aerie argued. “My mother loved me.”

  “She wasn’t supposed to, at least not more than the State. And you weren’t even supposed to call her ‘Mother,’ were you?”

  Aerie bit her lip. “No, I guess not.”

  “You know,” Emery said slowly, “there are a lot of mothers and fathers here on the Perdition. You might want to get used to the idea of it.”

  But what happens when I go back to the URS?

  Aerie said nothing while Emery continued. “Exton has you registered as a refugee of the URS. You’ll likely be surprised at how different things are here. You’ll be assigned to work, but we can make adjustments if you are not content.”

  “Working is fine with me.” It would give her opportunities to discover more about the Perdition and its crew. “I suppose I have all the time in the world to adjust.”