Breathing Space

by S. J. Higbee

  What! I know zip about how to conduct such an investigation. They need a regular detective. I don’t possess even the most basic crime-bot. “I can’t possibly—ˮ

  “We can obtain any equipment you’d need. In addition, you’d have the use of some of the Eaought tech, which is lightyears ahead of anything we have. The Dars would all be willing to help you,” he added.

  Having those space chimps onside made my skin crawl. “Whoever it was would be long gone by now. I don’t even know where I’d start.”

  “It’s not the cliff-face task you’d think. Space Station Tahari was purely a scientific research institution, which meant there was no through-flow of personnel. Everyone needed clearance, especially in areas where Sladen spent most of his time. So even if they used a false ident, there’d be records.”

  “This all happened twelve years ago. How—ˮ

  “Because Tahari is right in the middle of the Forbidden Zone. Philbycorp didn’t bother with the expense and hassle of extracting the station.” Cerk’s dark eyes glowed feverishly. “It’s all still there. Empty and decommissioned. I’d help, too, of course.”

  I’ll bet. Because whoever killed Sladen is now on your trail. Which was another way into this investigation, I realised. The case wasn’t space cold after all. The vile drossers who’d tossed a man out of an airlock and whimpered with pleasure as they filmed his death throes, were lining up yet another victim.

  I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. “What about my security team?”

  Cerk shook his head. “They’re soldiers. You won’t need their protection on your journey in the Eaought ship and they’d be at constant risk.”

  “What happens to them? They’ve given up a lot to accompany me on this trip. I won’t allow them to be abandoned to this bunch.” I looked across to the bridgedeck crew on the other side of the privacy bubble, as I added, “It’s likely Captain Credgrabber will toss them out’ve the airlock because they’re witnesses to what went down here.”

  “The Honourable and Wise Cheetshzay has already thought of that possibility. He is going to allow me to inform the Captain that you have managed to bargain for the safety of his ship. In return, you have delivered yourself up to Eaought justice as a hostage.”

  Which isn’t so far from the sodding truth, as it happens! “And for this sacrifice, you’ll request that your security team are accorded every luxury and comfort the ship can provide for the duration of the voyage,” continued Cerk.

  “And Wynn,” I added.

  Cerk’s glance flicked across to him. “Cheetshzay is intrigued by the notion of humans producing art and wonders if it is of any merit. He’ll transport him back to Homespace with you if you wish it. However Wynn is also free to continue travelling on the ship with your security team.”

  “He should travel back with the security team,” I said.

  “I’m coming along with you,” Wynn declared at the same time.

  I stared at him, wishing the wretched veil away so that I could see his face and get some idea of what he was thinking. “This is my mess. You stay on the ship, you’ll get to Earth as you planned. This, though… this is a waking nightmare.”

  “Had a notion that’s what you were thinking, being a space camel.” I didn’t have to see his face to hear his smile. “You forget – this was my homepatch. Back in the day, before we got turfed out by the Eaoughts I worked on the planet nearest Tahari. Lived in the service hub with Lethel and…” his voice trailed away.

  How come I didn’t know any of this? “You said you were a sub operator!”

  “Yeah. On Atlantis, which is mostly an ocean planet. Tahari was constructed above it so there was a plentiful water supply close by.” He moved closer and lowered his voice, “You’re wading up to your neck in a mire of what you don’t know. And I mightn’t be able to give all the answers, but leastways I know some’ve the backstory.”

  “So you think I should take this deal?”

  “I reckon you’ll struggle to arrive back in Homespace in one piece if you don’t. Given the mouthwhacking you gave the Captain.”

  I winced. Wynn was probably right. It hadn’t been one of my smarter moves. “Can the Eaoughts be trusted to keep to their deal, d’you reckon?” I switched into Trader, hoping Cheetshzay didn’t speak it.

  “Yeah. So long as you make a solid pact with ‘em. Thrash out all the loose ends. Which Cerk seems to be doing well enough.”

  “You had a problem with him, earlier. What was it?” I was determined to gather as much Intel as I could while Wynn was being this chatty.

  “It wasn’t him, so much as his name. Golby Withers – his father.” Wynn’s voice was banked with long-held fury. “Man was a snake on legs. Reckon the Eaoughts wouldn’t have cleared us out if it hadn’t been for him. And Dr Waller dying was the final push over the event horizon. Besides… us grunts never got within spitting distance of a real-live alien – and I always wondered what they were like. So this is a chance to see ‘em close up.”

  My jaw was all but hitting the deck. “You’re really, truly up for a ride on a Eaought ship?”

  He nodded.

  And the dread that had gripped my heart shifted, morphing into a healthy wariness, instead. I didn’t have to do this terrifying thing alone. Wynn would be by my side.

  Cerk fidgeted, jogging my elbow in the cramped space of the privacy bubble. “And I’ll be coming along, as well.”

  I looked up at the alien towering above me. “We have a deal, then, Honoured and Wise Cheetshzay. If you transport me, Wynn and Cerk safely to Earth Homespace so I get there before Eddy, after I have dealt with him, I’ll return to investigate who murdered Dr Sladen Waller.” I was proud I managed to get through the speech without any wobble in my voice. “However, I do not know how long it will take me to track down Eddy and dispose of him, so I cannot offer you any firm timescale,” I added.

  His amber glare locked onto my face through the veil, as a string of glottal-thick sounds fell out of his mouth.

  Cerk flinched and replied, then turned back to me. “Cheetshzay…” He’d dispensed with the wise and honoured epithets, I noticed, as my stomach slithered to somewhere around my knees. He took a breath and started again, “Cheetshzay is thinking it would be prudent to guarantee your co-operation in this matter by keeping one of your security guards as surety for your return.” He flushed, before mumbling, “If this is the case, which one would be most likely to survive the experience?”

  What!

  He’s jabbing you, Lizzy. Trying to see if he can roll over you.

  I didn’t need Jessica’s input to recognise the ploy. I’d spent too many long, unlovely hours deflecting such powerplays during meetings, conferences and summits. Must be my kind, confiding nature that encourages every drosser to try to stomp all over me.

  There was only one way to deal with such nonsense. “How dare you impugn the honour of Elizabeth Sarah Jane Violet Norman!” I thumped the deck with my staff and stepped forward until I was toe to toe with the alien and shouted up at him, “While there are humans who are fickle-fingered holo-hoaxers, more of us stand by our word. As you are clearly ignorant of this fact, I shall overlook your vile insult and forebear to call you to account.”

  I glared up at him, only partly play-acting my fury. Being this frightened for this length of time had chewed away my patience.

  Yeah, that’s telling the big, ugly dust-bunny, Lizzy!

  A relief to know Jessica was delighted, because Cerk’s gasp split the pent silence, as the huge creature’s eyes blinked – a sideways movement that frayed my sense of reality, further adding to my anger. Whatever Cheetshzay had been expecting, it wasn’t my reaction, which was just lame-brained. What – did he think because his head scraped the ceiling, I was going to buckle at every scuzzy utterance that dropped out of his mouth?

  The dish-shaped depressions on his face started buzzing, as he blinked once more very slowly. A clear acknowledgement that my stance was understood, it se
emed to me.

  “God on a stick!” cursed Cerk in a shaky whisper. “You got away with it. Whatever you do – don’t go around pulling that stunt with any of the others. They’d rip your head off for your trouble!”

  “Or try to!” I snapped, unwilling to retreat back into abject-fear mode.

  Cheetshzay’s cheek-dishes buzzed more loudly and his eyes seemed to be crinkling as the feathered fur around his eyes shivered in sympathy. He gargled something to Cerk.

  Who retched a phrase back in response, before turning to me. “He says you’re now his favourite human and he’s looking forward to seeing if you continue being so entertaining on the voyage to Earth.”

  It sounded like a threat. Whatever else these creatures are, they’re bullies. And the golden rule around bullies is to show no fear. Even if you’re shaking so much you daren’t loosen your grip on your staff by a nanospec in case it starts quivering.

  “I’ll do my best,” I announced, light-headed with fear-fuelled fury.

  Cheetshzay’s cheek-dishes were still buzzing with amusement as the privacy bubble abruptly dropped away. The bridgedeck crew and my long-suffering security team ringed us, grim-faced and clearly exhausted.

  Which was when I realised the news that they’d be continuing the journey to Earth without me would be as welcome as a turd at a teaparty.

  *

  As it happened, my prediction that my security team would be unhappy at the prospect of leaving us in the hands of the Eaoughts was putting it far too mildly. It took all the combined persuasive powers of myself, Cerk and Wynn to convince Chris not to try and stow away on the alien ship. While Sarge snarled unrepeatable curses under his breath, in between barking out fierce instructions on how we should take care of ourselves in such a hostile environment.

  When Cerk explained that the three of us had offered ourselves as hostages for the liner’s ongoing good behaviour to the Bridgedeck crew, the young Coms Officer wept and the Chief Engineer and Captain shook our hands, repeatedly thanking us for our selfless sacrifice. Cerk also added that the Honoured and Wise Cheetshzay would be especially checking up to ensure that my security team had a comfortable, enjoyable journey to Earth, which we’d agreed should guarantee their safety, along with his girlie, who was promptly released from the brig and moved in to share with Eileen.

  Meanwhile, they scurried around to ensure we had plenty of food for the remainder of the voyage on the alien ship, as Cerk warned us that while we wouldn’t starve aboard the alien craft, we wouldn’t like the food overmuch, so I snatched a quick sandwich and wolfed it down, hoping that might ease the dull ache in my stomach. Other than that, Wynn took his tools and I took a bag of clothes including my P’s uniform, which I figured might come in handy on Earth, despite Cerk’s insistence that I shouldn’t on any account wear it aboard the Eaought ship.

  I thought Cerk was way too twitchy about the Eaoughts, given that Cheetshzay and me had reached an understanding, as he evidently respected my stand against his attempt to dominate me. When we reassembled on the bridgedeck, where the Eaought and his guards were waiting for us, I was even looking forward to the upcoming voyage.

  However the transfer to the alien ship was a nightmare. The matter-transfer box I sat in seemed to spend most of its time spinning upside down. As I grabbed at a handhold not designed for my hand, something stabbed my palm, drawing blood. By the time the box thumped to a juddering halt, I was struggling to stand up.

  The sandwich I’d eaten before we left Home Turf was a solid waste of my time. The minute I arrived on the Eaought ship and staggered out of their dregging box, I vomited it and everything else I hadn’t eaten since the previous evening across their floor. It shouldn’t have been a problem – it wasn’t so much your polished, shiny surface, as a rubble-pocked dustbowl. Nonetheless as I sank to my knees, heaving up my whole digestive tract through the small aperture in my veil, there was a gurgling undercurrent of comment from a growing crowd of Eaoughts. It didn’t take a xenobiologist with a long string of letters after her name to guess they weren’t brimful of joy about my sudden sickness.

  “Lizzy?”

  Wynn! This just gets better and better. I was convulsed by a series of dry heaves, having now emptied my stomach. And yet unable to stop vomiting.

  I was aware of him kneeling beside me, pulling me towards him and holding me.

  “Hey, hey, it’s solid…” his voice was deep and comforting.

  “It’s not… It’s runny and vile…” I managed to groan between more retching.

  “You need to leave.” Cerk whispered shakily, “They won’t like you helping her.”

  “They’ll have to cope, then, won’t they? I’m not leaving her. Look – she can hardly move! And they don’t care – they’re just angry at the mess.”

  “Why d’you think she’s pitched up in such a state? It isn’t an accident!” Cerk’s voice rose, “She shouldn’t have challenged Cheetshzay on the bridge! This is part of her punishment.”

  “P-punishment?” I croaked – before doubling up again.

  “You knew this was going to happen?” Wynn’s voice was icy.

  “No, of course not! What d’you take me for? I hoped she’d gotten away with it… You help her – they’ll prolong her misery,” he hissed urgently. Before turning to me. “This isn’t personal. They play rough. They reckon we’re a prey species and they object if we don’t act like it. So show that you’re suitably flattened – it’ll stop soon enough.”

  And with that, he dusted off his hands and walked away. Drosser.

  Wynn wound my arm around his neck and hauled me as upright as I could get, while I was still heaving and started off after Cerk, when a couple of the guards started gargling and belching furiously, gesturing at the pile of vomit I’d deposited on their soil-covered floor. Evidently we were supposed to clear it up. Not that I was fit for anything – desperately trying to control the dry heaves juddering through me…

  Wynn carefully lowered me back onto the ground and mimed for something to scoop it up with. They pointed at his hands, with a gargle that sounded like a snigger. Another spasm of nausea had me talking my own version of Eaoughtish, wishing fervently I was somewhere else. It didn’t help that I was now dealing with agonising stab of pain somewhere in my guts – as if I’d been stabbed. And I now tasted blood… Is this some kind of alien weapon? How are they doing this to me?

  I was vaguely aware of Wynn clearing up my vomit with his bare hands and being made to walk around in circles with the dripping mess, while a couple of other vile monsters were standing over me gurgling insults and occasionally jabbing at me with their clawed feet. It hurt, particularly a stinging scratch across my back which, judging by the wet stickiness trickling down my spine, was bleeding.

  I curled up. Partly to protect my sore, spasming stomach from the Eaoughts’ sharp claws, partly because it was the only position in which I was remotely comfortable. Finally, the dry heaving seemed to be easing down. I closed my eyes and tried to relax.

  I was vaguely aware of Wynn kneeling alongside me. “Sorry... sorry,” I mumbled.

  “C’mon, Liz…” He lifted the veil off my face.

  A warm blast of humid air washed against my sweat-slicked skin, but I was past caring what I looked like, or who I was. I just wanted the griping pains to stop.

  Wynn hefted me up in his arms. “There. Who knew your trick of being too busy to eat would come in handy?” he murmured. “You’re light enough I can carry you wherever we need to go.”

  Though it was difficult to hear him over the sounds our alien guards were making. Apparently, they weren’t too happy with us.

  “Don’t have the wisp of a notion what you’re babbling about!” he threw over his shoulder at them, then staggered, as one of the drossers shoved him, while emitting loud disgusting noises.

  I clung onto him, the pain knifing my guts plain unbearable, as I whimpered, “I’m dying…”

  “No! Gods – blood… There’s blood coming out’ve
your mouth- Cerk - Cerk! You get your sorry carcass back here! She dies – you’ll wish you’d been flung out’ve that airlock! My word on it! Cerk!” Wynn roared, sinking to his knees, with a jolt that had black spots blotching my vision at the agonising flare it caused.

  His rough fingers stroked my face. “Don’t you prodding die on me! You hold on, you hear me, Lizzy?”

  Don’t you dare give up now! Who’ll protect Mum and the boys from Eddy if you’re too cowardly to deal with a bit of a stomach-ache? You saw those holos. How can you prone around in Blondie’s arms like a drenched duck in a thunderstorm when you know what he’ll do to them? Jessica was in full rant mode.

  Typical. I wasn’t even going to be allowed to die in peace…

  “There you are! You need to come—ˮ Cerk’s voice seemed to be coming from a long way off, “Hell in a black hole! What’s happened to her? She looks…”

  Lizzy – I mean it. I’ll give you such a headache if you go on lolling around just to stay in his arms, that you’ll wonder why you whined about your aching guts!

  “There. He’s scampered off at high speed, hollering for ol’ Cheeseface. So stay with me, Lizzy…”

  Cheeseface… Nice one, love. It suits him…

  Lizzy! You die – I’ll make your afterlife hell! Don’t think I won’t…

  I felt so cold… so very, very cold… And despite Wynn calling for me to stay with him and Jessica screaming threats, I realised I couldn’t hold on any longer. My last thought was wondering if Norman would be waiting for me on the other side. And even the spike of fear I felt at that prospect couldn’t keep me with Wynn as blackness swallowed me.

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

  I must be in Heaven… The first thought that slid through my head as I opened my eyes to see Wynn sitting by my bed, without his veil. Intent on his drawing, he’d propped a parch-pad against his crossed leg. The dim light caught his cheekbones and glinted off his hair as his hand moved across the parch in wide sweeping strokes.