by Lara Morgan
A woman’s voice announced their flight was ready for boarding and the three of them joined the queue that took them down the long connection tube to the ship’s hatch.
CHAPTER 18
Their seats were next to a small window in the main cabin. Behind them a sealed hatch led to the sleeping chambers for trips to Genesis, or further, and in the front another hatch led into the central viewing port where a third of the ship’s hull slid back to give a view of the stars and Earth far below.
Rosie gazed out the window as the seat harness automatically fit itself over her shoulders and around her middle. The ground staff looked like ants as they zoomed off the tarmac in baggage carts. The screen on the back of the seat in front of her lit up with a Space Islands ad, bright 3-D fireworks exploding silently out towards her. She used the keypad on her chair to switch it off. Beside her, her aunt was staring straight ahead and Riley was watching his screen.
Her mind was filled with worry about her dad and what they would find when they made it to Mars.
“Aunt Essie,” she whispered, nudging her. “What do you think Riley’s going to offer them?”
“Not here,” her aunt replied.
“What did you say?” Riley turned to them.
“Nothing,” Aunt Essie said quickly. “Rosie just needs to use the toilet.”
Riley looked silently from her to Rosie but didn’t say anything.
Rosie turned back to the window. If the diary and key weren’t enough to get her dad back, what was he going to trade? There was more to everything, a lot more. What was the secret the Shores died for? If Helios had killed them for it, what else could he possibly give them?
There was a sudden roar and the lights dimmed. She lost her train of her thought as the cabin began to vibrate.
Her seat screen lit up automatically. “Ladies and gentlemen,” said a pleasant female voice, “we are now preparing for take-off. For those who haven’t travelled with us before, oxygen inhalers will soon be released from your seats to assist with your comfort during the preliminary breach. Please attach these like so–” An image of a woman clipping a tubular breathing device to her nose and mouth appeared on the screen.
“Please keep these in place until we have breached atmosphere. Your restraints will remain locked for the breach. After that, you are free to move around and join us in the recreation cabin for refreshments and to view the stars. As gravity will be reduced, please take care not to move too quickly. The estimated time to our destination is three hours and seventeen minutes. Thank you and have an enjoyable flight.” A chime sounded and the screen went dark.
She glanced at her aunt, nerves playing with her insides. Aunt Essie smiled. “The first time is always the best, kid,” she said.
Rosie tried to smile and stared out of the window as, with a shot of steam, the ship lurched up into the sky.
It took ten minutes to exit Earth’s atmosphere. Clouds slid past her window like fog. The oxygen made her head feel clear and light, and the vibrations from the force of their lifting travelled through her body, massaging the muscles in her back. Her heart was pounding with anticipation and her vision was shaky, the curved roof of the cabin oscillating, and then suddenly they were out; gravity loosened its grip and the ship burst through into the blackness of space.
For a moment there was no gravity. Rosie lifted slightly off her chair, straining against the straps of her harness, and wisps of hair drifted around her head like strange tentacles. Her aunt’s spiky hair was hardly any different but Riley’s dark hair was a nimbus around his head, making him look much younger. He was trying to catch a pen which had floated out of the pocket of his shirt. He smiled wryly but then a dull mechanical sound filled the cabin and Rosie looked outside and saw the edge of a long arm extending into space. Moments later a low level of gravity started forming in the cabin as the ship began to rotate. Rosie settled back on the seat and her hair dropped to float lightly around her jaw.
Rosie smiled. “We’re in space.”
“Uh, yeah.” Aunt Essie rolled her eyes.
Riley put his pen away and pushed the slowly retracting harness off his shoulders. “Let’s go to the viewing station.”
“Now?” Aunt Essie said.
“I thought Rosie had to go to the toilet?” Riley said.
“Right, yes, I do,” Rosie said quickly, shrugging off her harness.
They followed him up the aisle to the recreation hatch. Around them other passengers laughed and exclaimed as they acclimatised to the lower gravity, bumping into each other and the chairs. Rosie couldn’t help feeling as though she’d come to a party to which she wasn’t invited. The people around her were going to Space Islands for a holiday; she was going to stop someone killing her dad.
The viewing port in the recreation chamber had been opened and the whole curved wall of one side of the ship was a window out to space. Rosie stared out at the endless black vista, sparkling with faraway points of light and the blue orb of Earth. The ring of atmosphere was dense with cloud and pollution but it was still a beautiful sight – almost unreal.
“This way.” Aunt Essie shook her arm and Rosie tore her gaze away. They crossed the wide expanse of the ship, leaving Riley standing alone in the crowd.
“Careful,” he whispered to her as she passed him.
His words immediately made her regard the other passengers around her with suspicion. But none of them seemed remotely like they were here for any other purpose than to have fun. A couple in a corner weren’t smiling though, they were … She stopped and stared. She couldn’t believe it. How had he got on? Standing with his back to her, half hidden behind a group of people, was Pip.
She pulled free of her aunt’s grip and, moving awkwardly in the low gravity, went towards him. It was difficult to move quickly as, with each step, her feet seemed to arrive in a slightly different place to where she intended. So it was more of a hopping, skipping motion. Pip turned and saw her when she was still an arm’s length away.
“Rosie.” He didn’t appear surprised and she noticed he’d managed to clean himself up. He had on a clean white T-shirt and jeans with only a few patches and even a pair of boots. The white shirt made his brown skin and blue eyes stand out even more. To her irritation, Rosie’s heart beat faster. He stepped forward and yanked her towards him, causing her to slam into his chest.
“Ow!” She pulled out of his grip, crossing an arm across her chest.
“Sorry.”
“What’re you doing here?” She glared at him.
“Told you I got a cousin in baggage.” He grinned, then lost his smile. Her aunt was right behind her.
“Hey, Aunty,” he said.
“Pipsqueak. You just turn up everywhere, don’t you?” Aunt Essie looked at him with narrow eyes. “How did you get on?”
Pip shrugged. “Just talented, I guess.”
“Or stupid.” Riley joined them. “I told you to stay.”
Pip’s expression became defiant. “I came to warn you, boss,” he said in a low voice. “I saw some people getting on who looked suspect. A guy and a girl – I’m sure they’re not right. I thought they must be some of you-know-who.”
“I saw them,” Riley said.
Aunt Essie turned on him. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“And have you all watching over your shoulders? Besides, Pip’s wrong. They’re not with Helios. I haven’t seen anyone on board who might be. It’s odd.”
Aunt Essie poked him in the chest. “This lone ranger crusade has to stop, Riley. In case you’ve forgotten, we’re all in danger here.”
“I haven’t forgotten.”
“Oh, really? You could have fooled me. I need to know what’s going on. And I mean everything. What if something happens to you or me? What the hell are Rosie and Pip going to do?”
“I can take care of myself,” Pip said.
“Well, Rosie’s not a Feral, Pipsqueak,” Aunt Essie said. “And you overestimate your ability.”
“I’m not helpless,”
Rosie said, feeling irritated.
“I know you’re not,” said her aunt. “That’s not what I meant. I think it’s time we found out what all of this is about, don’t you?” She turned back to Riley.
“I’ve told you all you need to know.”
“You mean all you want to tell us.” Aunt Essie leaned towards him. “Why should we keep following you if you’re going to keep us in the dark?”
Riley’s mouth twitched. “All right, but only you. You two go sit over there and wait.” He indicated a set of empty chairs a few metres away.
Rosie was about to protest but her aunt stopped her.
“It’s okay, Rosie,” she said. “I’ll fill you in after, hon.”
“You might change your mind about that,” Riley said.
“We’ll see.” She put a hand briefly on Rosie’s shoulder then walked a few paces away with Riley.
Pip didn’t appear to care. He just rolled his eyes and slouched over to the seats and sat down. Rosie joined him but kept an empty seat between them. He smirked and, annoyed, she watched her aunt and Riley standing close together. Riley had a hand on Aunt Essie’s shoulder and was talking close to her ear.
Her insides were stretched taut as wire.
“Typical,” Pip said. “Mr Mystery strikes again.”
Rosie ignored him. She couldn’t see her aunt’s face, but she was standing very still as she listened. Every so often she nodded and said something back. What was it that he didn’t want her to know?
She could feel Pip watching her. It made her uncomfortable and she tried to pretend he wasn’t there, but then he moved into the seat next to hers.
“What do you think he’s saying?” She could feel the warmth of his breath near her ear.
“Don’t know.” She didn’t look at him.
“Your aunt thinks he’s hot,” he said.
“What?” She turned to him. “She does not. She was going to stab him.”
Pip shrugged. “Girls always do weird things like that when they like a guy.” He smiled and put his hands behind his head. “I’ve had girls try to beat me up, throw things at me, even call me names,” he winked at her, “but they’re all just after the same thing.”
Rosie stared at him in amazement. His T-shirt was riding up, exposing a line of tanned stomach and the muscles in his arms bunched as he leaned his head in his clasped hands. “You’re deluded,” she said and got up. “I’m going to check out the view.”
She tried to move too quickly, almost stumbling as her feet failed to make proper contact with the floor.
“Careful.” Pip grabbed her arm and stopped her from tumbling. “I’ll come with you, leave the lovebirds alone.”
“No, thanks.” Rosie tried to pull away but succeeded only in pulling herself closer to him.
“Oh, come on, Rosie. Don’t be like that. I was just teasing.” He tried to put an arm around her waist but she pushed him away.
“Stop it, Pip. Can’t you be serious about anything?” She was suddenly angry. “What are you even doing here? You don’t care about me or my family. You’re just here to get more money out of Riley or something. Why don’t you just piss off!”
He looked at her like she’d hit him.
“What?” she said savagely.
His smile was gone and there was emptiness in his eyes now. The brightness had gone and there was a bleak desperation in his gaze, a sadness. Rosie felt as though she’d got a glimpse of the real Pip and he looked older, worn.
“You know,” he said quietly, “I wish I could. I’m really sorry about your dad, Rosie. I didn’t–” He clenched his lips together as if he’d been about to say something he shouldn’t.
“What?” She reached out to him, trying to take his hand, but he shook his head and walked away.
She stared after him. What had just happened? She watched his tall frame disappear from view as a chattering family swarmed towards the viewing window. He didn’t seem to have any trouble moving in the lower gravity.
“Where’s he going?” Aunt Essie came up beside her.
“Don’t know.”
“He won’t go far.” Riley had followed her aunt. “Come on, let’s get some food.”
“As long as you’re buying,” Aunt Essie replied.
Apprehension filled Rosie. The tone of her aunt’s voice had changed: she sounded friendly towards him now. What had he told her to make her change?
Unsettled, she fingered the pendant as she followed them to the ship’s restaurant. Would her aunt tell her what he’d said? She was getting a feeling she might not and it made her feel very alone.
CHAPTER 19
Pip didn’t show up again for the rest of the trip and Aunt Essie didn’t tell Rosie what Riley had said. They’d sat in the recreation area and watched everyone else and at no time had her aunt made any move to get her alone to speak to her.
Rosie began to wish she hadn’t chased Pip off – at least if he was there, they could have been in the dark about everything together. She felt ill about what she’d said to him and couldn’t get the look of hurt on his face out of her head, or what he’d said. Despite what he’d done, he’d been doing it under orders from Riley – and he’d saved their skins in the city with the car. They could have been caught if it wasn’t for Pip and she’d treated him like he was nothing. Was he off somewhere now feeling as alone as she was?
She needn’t have worried though. They docked at Space Islands ten minutes ahead of schedule and he was waiting for them in the disembarkation chamber, the nonchalant grin back on his face. “Here I am, boss.” He winked at Aunt Essie. “Aunty, having fun?”
“Pipsqueak, what a pleasant surprise,” her aunt said.
“You miss me, Aunty?”
“Like the black plague.” She smiled in exasperation.
Pip’s eyes went to Rosie briefly but she could have been anybody. His smile was easy, as though he had no problems in the world.
Rosie watched the hatch that was slowly opening and felt stupid. Idiot. Why had she thought she’d upset him? Clearly, he was fine.
A voice was announcing their arrival over the intercom and telling them that people would disembark in groups of ten at a time and be picked up in the hotel’s transports.
Rosie had studied the Space Islands complex almost as closely as she had studied the spaceships. It was built like an enormous wheel. At its core was a long tube of docking bays – the gravity maintained at Earth levels – topped by the hub, a transparent-roofed zero-G dome where you could play sling ball, ride the catapult or even don wings and “fly”. Extending out from the central core were seven spokes, each one a long tube connecting to the outer wheel of the hotel proper, where normal gravity was maintained along with the rooms, gardens, a water park and restaurants.
Their ship had docked at level eight, two floors above the spoke entries. Aunt Essie was twitching with impatience as they waited to leave the ship. Finally, she turned to Rosie and said, “I’m not waiting for this.” She nudged Riley. “If I use my own ID, we can get out of here faster. They know me here anyway.”
Riley nodded.
“This way.” Her aunt began pushing through to the front of the queue, ignoring the protests. Rosie kept her head down and followed, conscious of Pip right behind her. Her aunt spoke to a man in uniform at the front and handed him her original ident. He waved them through.
“Check it out,” Pip said as they emerged onto a wide walkway.
The docking bay was a massive circular open space, about as large as two football fields, crisscrossed with connecting metal walkways and platforms that seemed to float in midair. Looking over the chest-high balustrade, Rosie could see all the way down to the other floors, and above them, all the way to the curved base of the zero-G dome hundreds of metres overhead. It made her dizzy. Spaced around the inner walls were more airlocks that allowed passengers to enter the hub from the ships docked outside. Next to each airlock were smaller hatches which gave maintenance crews and robotic repair systems
access to the outer airlocks.
An open-sided cart sat whirring quietly on the walkway near their hatch, waiting for its passengers. The sides flashed colourful images of Space Islands’ attractions and a small pod-shaped robot hovered in the air nearby, a spiel of information sounding from its microphone as the other passengers climbed into the cart.
“Follow me.” Aunt Essie turned to a narrower walkway that led to the centre of the hub. People in white uniforms were moving back and forth along the various walkways, many accompanied by buzzing robotic pods. Far across the other side and a level down, a long line of passengers in carts were rolling up and waiting to enter another ship.
They reached a central platform and turned left, heading for a smaller hatch, which turned out to be a lift. They all filed in and after pressing a button, her aunt said, “We should go straight to my room. I can request my pod be cleared for launch from there and the service kiosk isn’t too far away. We’ll be able to stock up on oxy tubes and some food for the trip. If we do it that way, no one will know there’s anyone else but me going.”
“Doesn’t security check on your ship before it leaves?” Riley said.
She shook her head. “I get easy clearance because of my job. I’m always coming and going, same as other staffers on Genesis and the station. They only check the cruisers and colonists now. We’re all just assumed to have clearance.”
“No wonder it’s so easy for Helios,” Riley said.
The lift chimed and the doors opened into one of the spokes. Fifty metres of walkway led to the outer wheel of the hotel. The roof was curved and set with long clear panels so you could see the stars, and there was no gravity. Rosie knew the spokes were a zero-G zone but she wasn’t prepared for the reality. As soon as the lift doors opened, they all drifted up from the floor, floating out into the spoke. She couldn’t suppress her gasp of surprise as the weight left her body. Wisps of hair floated around her face and her pack suddenly weighed little more than a feather.
Pip let out a loud whoop and tumbled out of the lift, knocking Rosie as he floated up towards the roof. She bounced off him with a shriek and her aunt grabbed her foot.