by T. M. Catron
During the launch, Rance thought of all the horrible things she could do to James and Solaris. It wasn’t that Rance hated Jane, but she didn’t know what to say to her mother. She hadn’t spent much time with her. Ever.
Rance didn’t have long to agonize over it. Immediately after they entered hyperspace, it was her turn to sleep. Rance had never been so grateful for her private quarters. She had just changed into a t-shirt and leggings and crawled under the covers when someone knocked on the door.
Rance dragged herself out of bed, taking the blanket with her to ward off the chill in the air.
When she opened the door, the light from the corridor nearly blinded her. Solaris stood there holding a stuffed bag. “My laundry, Captain,” he said, the light dancing in his eyes. “I didn’t want you to forget.”
“I’m sleeping.”
“Yes, Captain. You are surprisingly alert for someone who is sleeping. I’ll just leave it here for when you wake.”
Rance grabbed the bag and tossed it on the floor of her room. “Any special instructions?”
Solaris paused. “You want me to tell you how to do the laundry?”
“I know how to do it.”
He pressed his lips together, then glanced at the bag on the floor. A worried look crossed his face. “Hmm,” he said and left.
Rance kicked the bag into a corner before crawling back into bed. She had just closed her eyes when the door opened without a knock and Jane walked in. Once again, bright light from the corridor made Rance’s eyes water.
“Mother, this is my shift to sleep, remember?”
“Yes, I remember. But I wanted to thank you.”
Rance sat up. “For what?”
Jane moved over to sit on the edge of the bunk. Her slight weight barely even sagged the mattress. “I know I haven’t been the best mother. But I wanted you to know that I’m grateful for your help with this.”
Rance smiled. “I do think this is a crazy coincidence to meet like this. Too big a coincidence.”
Jane pulled back. “You think I contacted you on purpose?”
“The thought crossed my mind. At first, I thought you were helping Davos.”
Jane sighed. “I will not help Davos. As I recently told him, your father must deal with the consequences of his actions. I won’t get him out of the mountain of trouble he is in with you. He must ask your forgiveness.”
Rance snorted. “He will never do that.”
“Probably not.”
“I notice you avoided my original question.”
Jane stood to touch the cords that secured her crates against the wall. She looked at them a minute, hesitating. “I didn’t know who to trust, Devri.”
“So you did contact me on purpose. Why didn’t you just tell me you needed help?”
Jane turned, her eyes meeting Rance’s. The only emotion that showed in them was a quiet strength. “I didn’t know if you would accept.”
Rance stood and walked the two steps to put her arms around her mother. Generally, hugging Jane felt awkward, but not this time. Rance’s relationship with Davos would never be repaired, but she didn’t want to lose her mother, too.
“I’ll do anything to help you, Mother. We’re family.”
When she pulled away, the facade on Jane’s face slipped, and she looked happy. Then, she squared her shoulders and looked around the room. “Thank you.”
When Rance was a little girl, she had always wished her mother would tuck her in at night. Instead, a servant made sure Rance was ready for bed every night. She always hoped her mother or father would come in and tell her story or just sit with her until she fell asleep. When she got older, she had wanted to talk to them, tell them her troubles, but they didn’t make it easy.
That was all water under the bridge now, she supposed. When Jane didn’t move, Rance felt she should say something more. She sat back down on the bed and pulled the blanket around her. “I went to see you a few months ago, but you weren’t there.”
Rance cringed. Her words were more accusing than she had intended. She didn’t want to argue.
“I haven’t been back to Xanthes in almost a year,” Jane said. Her own voice sounded bitter.
“Why not?”
“Why do you think? Your father still hasn’t forgiven me for you running away.”
Rance shifted uncomfortably and pulled the blanket around her shoulders. “But that didn’t have anything to do with you.”
“Deep down, he knows that. But he thinks I should have tried harder to persuade you to stay. He thinks that if I had put my foot down about it, you wouldn’t have run away.”
“He can’t blame you for that!”
“You know your father. Once he gets something stuck in his head, there’s no changing his mind.”
Jane had never been so free with information. She had always been distant, always kept her relationship with Davos private. Rance didn’t know how she felt about the sudden confidence.
“Mother, I’m sorry he blames you. But I wouldn’t want any other life. I like my friends, my crew, and my ship. Sometimes it’s hard when I can’t see you, but I’m glad you support me even though father doesn’t.”
“Of course I support you.” Jane put her hand on Rance’s shoulder, then quickly removed it as if she were uncomfortable touching her daughter more than once a day.
“Why are Galaxy Wizards watching you? Is it because of that artifact?”
“Yes, I am sure of it.”
“Why do they want it?”
“I have theories, but nothing concrete. As I said before, I wasn’t even sure that the item was genuine until I spotted the Wizards following me.”
“How did you find out?”
Jane took a deep breath. “I saw one I recognized. Your father has dealt with them before.”
“Was he in trouble?”
“No. He worked with them once. I met them only briefly. When I did recognize the man, he vanished. But I couldn’t shake the feeling I was being watched.”
Rance sat up, intrigued.
Jane saw her daughter’s interest and shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t know enough about the particulars to tell the story. Maybe someday you will be able to ask your father why he worked with them.”
“When I’m old and gray, well past marrying age.”
“You’ll never be too old to marry.”
Rance smiled. “Well, too old to arrange my marriage to some drunken heir. When will father give it up?”
Jane smoothed out the blanket beneath her. “Davos is a very stubborn man.”
“No kidding.”
“How did Roote know the Wizards were watching your ship?” Jane asked.
“He’s very perceptive. And it’s his job. You were worried about me traveling the stars alone. But I’m not alone, Mother. I’m surrounded by people who are better than I am.”
Jane sniffed and rose. “I envy your attitude, dearest. Get some sleep. I won’t bother you anymore tonight.”
“You didn’t bother me. Goodnight.”
Rance felt uneasy about the whole situation. She tossed and turned, wishing for sleep and hoping they had a smooth landing on Persephone. And then, she reminded herself that Deliverance had said this was going to be a smooth flight. The risk was low. Rance drifted off to sleep, thinking that maybe Jane’s life was fascinating, after all.
Rance dreamed of a curved sword. Its white glow burned so brightly that she had to shield her eyes from it. The sword swept over the galaxy, igniting planets, turning ships into flames. Terrified, Rance tried to call out, to warn someone, but all she could do was watch as the galaxy turned to dust. Humans, aliens, stars. All were lost.
Even the ground beneath Rance’s feet crumbled and fell away. Shocked, she floated in the dark void around her.
As she watched, the sword sliced through the last star in the galaxy. The star went out, plunging the universe into darkness. Rance walked across the void toward the dead star, staring, unbelieving. Suddenly, the sword
lay at her feet, no longer bright but black like ash.
The captain bent down to touch it. When her fingers brushed the wooden handle, the sword turned into a black metal staff.
“Captain,” Solaris said. Rance tried to pick up the staff to show him. To ask him what he thought it was.
“Captain.” Solaris’ voice drifted through Rance’s dreams.
“Yes?” she asked. She turned, expecting him to be behind her. But there was nothing but darkness there.
“Captain?”
Rance woke with a start. She sat up, heart pounding. Sweat soaked her body and clothing. “Did someone call me?” she asked.
“I did, Captain,” Solaris said over the comm. “We have a serious problem. You’re needed on the bridge.”
“On my way,” Rance said, already tugging boots onto her feet. She grabbed her flight jacket and put it on over her pajamas. When she climbed into the cockpit a minute later, Solaris sat staring at a screen with a deep frown on his face.
“I really was sleeping this time,” Rance joked quietly.
Solaris nodded to her and pointed to the screen. “We’re being followed.”
Rance leaned over to peer at the display. A beeping dot indicated the Star Streaker, with waves parting around it to simulate their journey through hyperspace. “It looks normal. How do you know?”
Solaris pointed to the area behind the Streaker. Just before the waves met, something blipped on the screen as if they went around a bump.
“Those Unity Dark Fighters you told me about,” Rance said, fighting the cold thrill of fear creeping up her spine. “The ones that were equipped to follow a ship into hyperspace…”
“We have one on our tail.”
“Galaxy Wizards?”
“That would be my guess.”
Rance let out a long sigh and sat down in her chair across the aisle from Solaris. “Mother was right.”
“Looks like it.”
“She contacted us on purpose, Roote. She said she didn’t know who else to trust.”
Solaris nodded and looked over at Rance. “I guessed that. What do you want to do?”
“You’re the resident expert. What do you suggest?”
“I suggest moving forward with your mother’s plans for now. Since we don’t know what the Galaxy Wizards want from her, the best thing to do is not let on that we know they are following us. They may only be doing surveillance. If we expose them, it may prompt them to act.”
“Will they fire on us?”
“I highly doubt it. Killing us won’t help them.”
“We need to tell everyone so they can be prepared for trouble.”
“I agree.” Solaris looked at Rance, taking in her appearance for the first time. “You okay?”
She rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. “Yeah.”
“I know that look,” he said.
Rance removed her hands to look at him. “The grumpy disheveled look?”
“The haunting look after you wake up from a troubling dream. I’ve seen it on my own face in the mirror many times.”
“I was dreaming when you woke me." Rance told him about the dream, which was still surprisingly vivid in her mind. As she described it, Solaris’ frown grew deeper.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever had a dream like that,” she finished. “I figure it’s from hearing you talk about it.”
“But Rance,” he said, “your dream is almost exactly like ones I have been having. With one difference—there is no sword. It is a staff throughout my dream.”
“Why did I have the same dream? And what does a sword have to do with anything?”
Solaris shook his head. “It’s strange.”
“Where do you get your power from, Solaris?” Rance asked quietly.
He gave her an appraising look, his eyes growing warm and intense. “I don’t think it has anything to do with the dreams. But I promised I’d tell you, didn’t I?”
“Don’t you think you’ve kept me in suspense long enough?”
Solaris took a deep breath, and then let it out in a whoosh of air as if he had changed his mind about speaking. He turned back to the screen, his expression becoming unreadable. Disappointed, Rance heard the footsteps on the ladder below. A moment later, Jane’s head appeared. She smiled as she climbed through into the cockpit.
“Did you wake early?” she asked Rance.
Rance nodded to Solaris. “Roote has some bad news, Mother. The Galaxy Wizards are following us.”
Over the next few minutes, Rance and Solaris explained what they had found and their course of action. When they finished, Jane stood silently beside Solaris’ chair, staring at the screen as if she didn’t see it.
“You were right to contact me, Mother,” Rance said.
“On the contrary,” Jane said. “I’m sorry I have brought you into this.”
“Lady Jane,” Solaris said, “we’ll gladly help you. You did the right thing. What is this artifact, anyway?”
“You’ll see,” Jane said. “I would rather not tell you at the moment. Because if it’s what I think it is, I want you to be able to claim ignorance if something happens before we get to the Imperial Museum.”
Rance thought that if they were captured by Galaxy Wizards before they reached the Museum, no one would be able to claim ignorance. As soon as they found out Solaris was on board, they could all go to prison for a very long time.
The next evening, the entire crew sat in the galley. Jane had eaten their simple food with good grace, smiling at the crew’s jokes. But when no one was looking at her, she sank into a troubled silence.
Rance had told the rest of the crew about the Galaxy Wizards following them. No one liked the idea, but they didn’t let it stop them from enjoying dinner. They were the most resilient people Rance had ever met, and she couldn’t fathom how she had gotten so lucky.
After dinner, Abel washed up while everyone else played cards. Jane proved to be a quick learner.
“What’s your bid, Your Ladyship?” Harper asked. Her dark hair was as spiky as ever, and she’d colored the tips pink. She’d stuck a stylus behind her ear for safekeeping, which made her look every bit like the shrewd cards dealer that she was.
“Please call me Jane. And I don’t have any chores to gamble.”
Rance choked on the water she was sipping. The idea of her mother doing chores was ludicrous. Jane shot her a look.
“You’re our guest,” Tally said smoothly. “We wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Then what should I gamble?” Jane asked. “Rance, what do you play for?”
Recovering, Rance shrugged. “I have chores just like everyone else, Mother.”
“More chores since the last game,” Solaris said off-handedly while he studied his cards.
Rance glared at him. His dirty laundry still sat in the corner of her room.
Jane smiled. “How about baking? I make a decent chocolate cake. Roote, I understand that you like chocolate.”
“I do,” he said, looking up from his cards with interest. “But, er…”
“Don’t look so worried. If I lose, I’ll make a big chocolate cake for everyone to enjoy.”
“I prefer pie,” James said.
Tally nudged the pilot with his pointy elbow.
“What?” James asked him. “Are we gambling or not?”
Jane nodded. “If James wins, I’ll make chocolate pie.”
James sat up like a little boy who had just been told he would get two desserts. He studied his cards with renewed interest.
Rance studied her cards carefully, for reasons other than chocolate cake. As far as Rance knew, Jane had never cooked a day in her life. Rance didn’t want any more laundry to do. And she had the idea to gamble away her new chore before having to do it.
“James,” Jane said. “Your last name is Fletcher, correct?”
“Yes, Your Ladyship.”
“Call me Jane.”
Tally huffed loudly. Clearly, calling the noblewo
man by her first name was beyond common decency.
“Yes, Jane,” James said, ignoring Tally’s discomfort. “Why?”
“You remind me of someone. Have you ever been to Xanthes?”
“Of course. Who do I remind you of?”
Jane shook her head. “I can’t think of who right now, but it will come to me.”
“Alright,” Harper said. “These are the rules. We bid until someone folds, then we switch hands.”
They played well into the night. James lost the first round spectacularly. He got up from the bench, muttering something about pie. Having finished with the dishes, Abel took his place at the table.
James picked up Henry and watched while sitting on the counter. Henry trilled loudly when the players got too rowdy.
“Rance,” Solaris said.
Jane glanced at Solaris, noting how he addressed the captain by her first name.
“It’s Captain Rance to you, minion,” Rance corrected. She was winning and had just decided to throw in all the laundry duty for the next month.
“Apologies, Captain Rance,” Solaris said, grinning. “Have you considered that when we switch hands, you will lose this round?”
Rance took a deep breath, concentrating on her cards. “Distracting me won’t work, dastardly sir,” she said, adopting the affected accent of the sea-captains she had seen in archival movies. “I know your evil plan.”
Solaris grinned and tipped his imaginary hat to her. “Aye, Captain. As you wish.”
“Quite right,” Rance muttered.
Jane folded. She had nothing. Everyone groaned—no chocolate cake.
One by one, everyone dropped out except Rance and Solaris.
“Here we are again,” Solaris said. “Do you wish to concede the game? I’ll cut the laundry duty in half if you bow to my wishes.”
“No,” Rance said. “I know what cards you have in your hand. He’s bluffing,” she announced to the rest of the crew.
Jane leaned over to look at Rance’s cards.
Rance pulled away. “No helping the enemy, Mother.”
Jane studied Solaris a moment, then whispered, “He’s the best-looking enemy I’ve ever seen.”
Rance fought the color rising to her cheeks. Really, she needed to stop doing that. What was wrong with her lately? Thankfully, if Solaris heard Jane’s compliment, he gave no indication.