by John Walker
A knock at the door pulled him back to the moment. Griel stood, letting out a sigh. He didn’t want to speak with anyone. Not until they were at their destination and he was forced to conduct the operation. Still, everyone knew where he was. Ignoring it would’ve been ridiculous, much as he wanted to.
“What?” Griel opened the door. Giden stood there, the man the Triton rescued from the Flotilla. He’d been transferred to the Brekka as soon as they were able, brought to them in case they were going to arrest him for a variety of crimes. So far, it hadn’t made sense to waste the time. Just then, he wished he’d done it already. “What do you want?”
“Where are we going?” Giden demanded. “Are we pursuing the Flotilla? No one will tell me anything!”
“Probably because it’s none of your business,” Griel replied. He stepped aside, letting him enter. “How’d you find my office anyway? What’ve you been up to?”
“I studied the schematics. I know where things are. I can help you, but you didn’t answer my question. I’m entitled to know! Those men, the Manager and his cronies, they need to be punished for what they’ve done.”
“What would you have us do?”
“Arrest them, at the very least. Possibly put them immediately to death. They deserve it!”
“Because they dangled you in a medical bay?” Griel asked.
“They’ve done that many times to other people! Most never make it as far as I did. So you need to take action.”
“In case you haven’t noticed,” Griel gestured around, “this is a military vessel. We don’t make up our own missions.” His cheeks burned when he said that part. “Often. Anyway, what do you care if they get their comeuppance? You escaped. And they’re probably already dead from going into warp like that.”
“Those men know what they’re doing. And I care because I’ve got to live in this universe. The Manager knows I survived. You know what that means?”
“He’ll send you his warm regards when he gets out of warp?”
Giden sighed. “He’s going to hire people to kill me!”
“You are overestimating your value.”
“Am I?” Giden asked. “I’m one of the only people to ever escape the hunt. That’s bad for business.”
“Gotta have a few winners or no one will play.” Griel shrugged. He took a seat. “Why would he care specifically about you anyway? And how are they going to find you? Wait. Don’t bother. Why do you think you’re not going to prison?”
“If I do, they’ll pay someone on the inside to do it!”
“Wow. This is conspiracy nonsense.”
“Your friends are still on that station!” Giden slammed his fist into the table. “Don’t you care about them?”
“I do.” Griel nodded. “Do you know where they’ve gone?”
Giden looked away. “No…”
“Our people looked. But until they get to their destination…” Griel fell silent.
“I guess…” Giden slumped into the guest seat. “I’m sorry for my fury. Those bastards enjoyed the benefits of my labor for years.”
“You want to tell me a list of your crimes?” Griel lifted a brow. “Is that what’s about to happen?”
“We both know what I’ve done. I wouldn’t have been there if I was a legitimate spacer.”
“So are you a jilted criminal?” Griel asked. “Or do you have a genuine complaint?”
“I smuggled goods. I never committed piracy. Didn’t hurt anyone that didn’t try to hurt me first. If you’d like to know whether or not I’m a good person, I’d lean on the side of no. But I’m not like them. Which means there are degrees of bad.”
Griel leaned on the desk, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You put me in a tough spot, Giden. Did you have a ship?”
“It’s on the Flotilla still.”
“Of course it is. Wait.” Griel glared at him. “Was that why you wanted us to go after them? Did it have anything to do with hurting the company or were you just hoping to get your ship back? Because if this was about a ride—”
“Stop right there!” Giden interrupted. “They do deserve justice!”
“I’m sorry if you’re not the most trustworthy individual on the Brekka.”
Giden returned his scowl. “Tell me something. How many years do you think I’d serve in prison?”
“I don’t know the laws around smuggling,” Griel said. “Rough guess? Five. Ten at the most if you killed anyone. That they can prove. Always comes down to that. Right now, unless you’ve got some kind of record, maybe they won’t even prosecute.”
“You could always do me right,” Giden replied. “For helping the Triton out.”
“Let you go?” Griel huffed. “They saved your life, asked you a couple questions, you answered them. You didn’t exactly turn the tide of the battle. Anyway, it’s not up to me. You’ll go to the authorities. Good news for you is it’ll probably happen after we find the Flotilla. Meaning you can take your ship with you.”
“Thanks. Maybe I can strike a deal. Or—”
“I don’t care,” Griel replied. “Speaking of which, how’d you duck security?”
“Ah. That…”
Griel tapped the screen of his computer. “Security, report to my office immediately.” He smirked. “You’ve got nerve, I’ll grant you that. Too bad you’ll be spending the rest of this trip in the brig, but hey, on the positive side, it’s about as nice as the basic quarters.”
“I… I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have ditched them. I just—”
“Wanted to barge in here and yell at me,” Griel interrupted. “Oh, I get it. Anyway, just have a seat and wait for them to get here.”
I’m shocked he didn’t come in here looking to take me down. He might’ve even found a way to steal a shuttle. Head of security and I will be having some serious words.
He rested his hand on his sidearm. Giden seemed calm enough but how would he react when security arrived? Best not to tempt him to get frisky. Neither of them spoke for the few minutes it took for the guards to arrive. They took him away in silence. Next up, a major reprimand. Followed by filing this report.
The break in his day over, he got back to work.
***
Milna sat on the bridge, staring at one of the screens as the scanner swept the Flotilla. Jok asked for a count of life forms aboard the station. Before risking another foray through the corridors, he wanted an understanding of the threat levels. And whether or not it was safe to set foot out there again.
Another shock might be the end of us. Or the detachment of a module. Then again, that would kill us in the ship as well. Milna nursed her pessimism like it was all she had left. Pain from the shock hadn’t worn off. Her skin felt stiff. Every time she moved the sensation reminded her of nearly suffocating… of lying there waiting to die.
“Jok!” Milna shouted, “why don’t we contact the control tower? Tell them we’re here to make this visit official?”
“Invite only, remember?” Jok called back. “We’re trespassers. They won’t take kindly to our presence.”
“They already know we’re here.” Milna sighed. “It’s not like we can be sneaky now!”
“Let’s stick to the plan. We’ll move into the most densely populated area, blend in, find out what’s going on, and report back to our people.” Jok stepped onto the bridge. He wore fresh armor. He slung his rifle over his shoulder. “What do you have on scans?”
“People are mostly spread out through the nexus,” Milna explained. “I’m guessing they’re staying put during the warp. It’s probably not safe to travel the hallways and attached parts during transit. I still can’t believe they’re insane enough to try this at all. Absolute maniacs.”
“It’s kept them hidden for a long time.” Jok leaned to look at the screen. He hummed. “This part here.” He pointed to a cluster of people. “Whatever that is, that’s where we need to go.”
“The old schematics call that the control area.” Milna shrugged. “A lounge maybe? A pla
ce where visitors can congregate for business and leisure?”
“Maybe. This was an old Prytin facility.” Jok stepped away, staring at the floor. “How’d they wrest this away from them? It doesn’t make sense.”
“That’s academic.” Milna grabbed her weapon before standing. “Who cares how they have it? No one wants it now. The place is a wreck. Look at these radiation levels.” She gestured at her terminal. “We were exposed to low levels, meaning we should treat ourselves when we’re done here.”
“Agreed.” Jok motioned for her to follow. “I’ve got a feeling they’re working on that, though. If the rumors are true, they have brilliant technicians aboard. Insane, yes, but smart. They made a theory work after all.”
“Are you sure you want to go back out there?” Milna asked. She stopped him at the ramp before he could open it. “I doubt anything of interest is happening on this station. If we risk our lives and come out with nothing, it’ll be the same as telling your people it was a wasted trip.”
“They’re your people too,” Jok pointed out.
“Not after that beating they delivered.”
“I…” Jok sighed. “Yes, they’ll make that up. I know they will. Anyway, I think there’s something out there or they wouldn’t have fled the battleships. Clearly, they’re hiding information… or even better, a prize of some sort. Either way, we need to know what drew Prytin and Kahl vessels to the area.”
And he really thinks we’re going to find it amongst the criminals? Milna stopped herself from arguing further. There was no point. He made up his mind. She needed to go along or risk their partnership by staying behind. I’d rather be with him than sitting around here waiting for some curious bastards to come calling.
The ramp dropped. Jok led the way, hurrying toward the door. Milna followed as the ship sealed behind her with a hiss. They entered the hallway with the crazy wire, going the opposite direction. A door at the end opened as they approached, leading to another lengthy corridor.
“I told you this would work out,” Jok said. “It’s like they’re welcoming us in.”
“Because we broke in,” Milna pointed out. She unslung her rifle, aiming the barrel at the floor. “Keep your weapon at the ready.” Nudging past him, she took point, clearing the sides before moving at a brisk pace. They needed to travel half a kilometer before they’d reach the station proper.
Their hangar sat near one of the dangling modules. Milna initially believed they were attached by a tether, but scans showed a solid connection, a genuine arm holding the section in place. That helped alleviate some of her concern though only barely. Such a lengthy bit of metal may not hold.
A sense she became particularly aware of when noticing the grime on the walls. While their maintenance crews may have kept some part of the station in order, they didn’t bother to venture too far out. She expected the hallway they traveled down to somehow get better but corroded metal painted a grim picture.
How do they live in a space station but leave it practically in shambles? Of all the horrible places Milna visited, the Flotilla ranked among the most ridiculous. Genius didn’t seem to extend to self-preservation. Not in any meaningful sense of the term. If they have something of value, I have a feeling they’re unaware of the fact.
That being whatever Jok’s people wanted. Or the Prytins for that matter. She figured they would’ve simply come in and imprisoned everyone on board. Perhaps killed them. The Flotilla mostly hit their territory. Kahl forces would’ve annihilated it a long time ago. At least she hoped so.
“Movement,” Jok whispered. His voice still crackled in the speakers of her helmet. No one outside could hear them, even if they spoke in a normal tone of voice. Not over the rumble of the station as various systems operated around them. “Try to take them out quietly. I’d like to question one of them.”
“No shooting,” Milna replied, “got it.” The notion annoyed her. Anyone they encountered would be armed. Then again, opening fire may attract more attention. Maybe he’s on to something. I should calm down. She rarely worked with anyone else. Going undercover specifically as his partner was outside her wheelhouse.
She finally caught the footsteps. More than two but that was the extent of her guess. She slung the rifle then drew her sidearm. If they weren’t wearing armor, then bashing them with the gun could make short work of them. Jok took the opposite side of the tunnel, pressing his back against the wall.
“It’s down here.” A man spoke in Prytin. “We don’t have long to strip it either so hurry.” And they definitely weren’t wearing armor. Or at least not helmets. They let the first one step through the door. He moved too quickly to notice them. A second followed. This one Jok grabbed, yanking the man toward him.
The third yelped as Milna lashed out for a fistful of his hair. She jabbed him in the gut twice with her pistol then spun him around, pressing her weapon against his head. The guy who came through first turned, aiming his weapon.
“Whoa…” He wore his dark hair long, blue eyes gleaming in the low light. They were dressed in overalls, brown and smudged with filth. Each carried tools dangling from their belts and weapons low on their thighs. The armed one switched his weapon between Milna and Jok. “What are you doing?”
“I think,” Jok said, “you were thinking about stripping my ship.”
“Is that yours?” The man grinned. “Then I guess we can come to some agreement, right? We thought it was abandoned. Or that the people aboard were dead. After that big shock we picked up on scans, who could’ve survived?”
Milna squeezed her captive. “Us.”
“Yeah, I see that.” The scavenger cleared his throat. “So how do you want to play this? We’re at a bit of a stalemate.”
“How so?” Jok asked. “We kill your buddies, you shoot at one of us, we kill you. Seems you lose in all outcomes, don’t you think?”
“We didn’t even get to your ship, pal. Just let us go our way and we’ll leave you in peace. No one has to get hurt.”
“Wrong.” Milna waited until the man’s weapon was in motion. She turned her gun away from her prisoner, blasting the pirate’s gun. He screamed, pulling his smoking hand to his chest before dropping to his knees. “That’s better.”
“That was dangerous,” Jok replied. “But effective. Now, we’ve got some questions about what’s going on in this station. I hope you’re ready to answer them.”
Jok’s captive wriggled free, turning to throw a couple punches to the gut. Milna shot her captive, ending him with a blast to the head. Tossing his body to the side, she grabbed Jok’s attacker by the scruff of his jumpsuit then forced him to his knees. As he struggled, she clubbed him a couple times with the gun, subduing him.
“Sloppy,” Milna muttered. “Your friend didn’t appreciate your heroics.” She made him look at the body. “You’re next if you try anything else, you get me?”
“Now.” Jok stepped over to the injured man. He cuffed him on the head. “You ready to answer some questions or shall we shoot your last friend to show how serious we are? I’m getting tired of the attitude so realize we’re also willing to explore in the dark. Your choice, friend. But make it fast. We’ve got a lot to do.”
***
Lysa bounced on the balls of her feet as the computer interfaced with the key. It provided a trickle of power, just enough to gain access to the database. But they really needed to tap the thing into the reactor… or at least something strong enough to mimic the sort of generators used in the Kahl temples.
This is going to take forever. The problem came from how long they had. None of them knew if they’d be in warp for hours, days, or another thirty minutes. Whatever the case, it felt obvious they needed an escape route for the moment they emerged. But our shuttle won’t cut it.
“Do you think the Triton’s looking for us?” Lysa asked. The distraction promised to do her some good. “That they’re out there right now?”
“No,” Kyle replied. “I don’t mean to be a killjoy there. I think th
ey have no clue where we’re going. We’re probably written off.”
“Nonsense. We’ve got the key.”
“And Essa has all the information necessary to figure out the next place without us… given time.” Kyle sighed. “And that’s if they continue to look at all. There’s no reason they will. We needed to produce some immediate results. Flying off with these assholes will put the captain in a bind.”
“You think they’ll be reassigned.”
“There’s a war going on,” Kyle said. “And our people want to be on the right end of winning it. Early. Before our planets are under assault. You remember how they get. That’s one of the reasons we left. I mean, they’re a defense force first and foremost. Which means they have to justify themselves by fighting people.”
“Bleak outlook.” Lysa sighed. “I don’t know. I’d like to think they’ve got our best interest at heart. And if not you and I directly, Vesper, Alon, and Martin. They’re soldiers. Military people hate leaving them behind.”
“Unless it’s absolutely unavoidable. We might be heading to enemy space. It’s impossible to know.”
“No way. Not this lot. They’re a bunch of criminals. I guarantee this thing is heading to another remote planet in the middle of nowhere.”
“That’s as good an assessment as any.” Kyle grunted. “How much longer? I’m nervous on guard duty.”
“The door’s locked,” Lysa said, “and you don’t even have to do anything. How are you nervous?”
“Because this place spooks me and all the other people with guns on our side aren’t anywhere nearby. How long do you think it’ll take someone to get through this door who really wants to be in here?”
“A while. It’s thick and the code’s tough to break. I bet we’re trapped in here.” Lysa’s heart beat a little faster. “Okay, I freaked myself out on that one.”