Zero Magnitude (Galaxy Mavericks Book 3)

by Michael La Ronn

  Lenny ran away and returned with a tennis ball dripping with slobber.

  “He loves to play catch,” Mary said, taking the ball. She threw it into the kitchen and Lenny scrambled for it.

  “I know it's not much,” Mary said, gesturing around the room.

  Devi took off her backpack and wandered into the living room, studying the photos of Mary. In one photo she was standing barefoot on a beach in front of a sunset. Another photo showed her kissing Lenny on the nose, her lips puckered up. She was always smiling and looked so exuberant and full of life.

  What was it like to live a happy life where you were optimistic all the time?

  Devi brushed the thought away. Happiness was beyond her. But it was nice to stay somewhere other than the orphanage.

  Already, it had been a year. Mary had come to visit her every day.

  She had grown used to Mary. The woman never abandoned her. She came to rely on Mary’s presence. Though Mary was her social worker, she felt more like a friend.

  “I'm not here very often,” Mary said. “But when I am, I like to come home to someplace comfortable, you know?”

  Devi nodded.

  “How are you doing?” Mary asked. “You've been quiet all afternoon.”

  Devi started to speak, started to tell Mary that she didn't know how she felt and that it scared her, started to tell her that she felt she was losing herself. But she thought the better of it.

  “I'm hungry,” Devi said.

  ***

  Mary made ravioli.

  Sitting at the kitchen table, Devi ate ravenously as she watched the rocky lands of Provenance outside. The afternoon light was crisp, almost milky. Two Galactic Guard rescue ships flew through the sky in a drill. The gray sky reminded her of rain, but there were no clouds.

  “How is it?” Mary asked.

  Devi shrugged.

  Mary laughed. “I know I'm not the greatest cook.”

  “It's fine.”

  Devi drank a glass of water, gasping at the end of it. Mary grabbed a pitcher of ice water and poured her more.

  The ravioli wasn't bad. Devi realized that this was the first home-cooked meal she had had in years. Not since she was home.

  Not a day went by when Mary didn't visit her at the orphanage, ask how she was doing. And when the police asked Devi a thousand questions about the Arguses, when the media and journalists interviewed her, when random people on the street asked her what it was like to be enslaved to the pigs, Mary was there, always holding her hand, always rubbing her shoulder in support, always smiling.

  “I was thinking,” Mary said, “and this is completely up to you. You won't hurt my feelings if you say no and I want you to know that this is all about you…”

  “What?” Devi asked.

  “I was thinking I could adopt you.”

  Devi dropped her fork.

  “It's entirely up to you,” Mary said. “It won't be an easy process. I can't even guarantee it. My attorney told me that I had a pretty good chance, but only if you wanted to.”

  “I, uh…”

  “I know I can't replace your mom,” Mary said.

  “Good, because you can't.”

  “Regardless of what you decide, I can no longer be your case worker anymore. It's too much of a conflict for me. I'm too attached to you.”

  Mary stared out the window. “But I've been thinking that my career as a social worker is almost over anyway. I, well… was married for a little while but it didn't work out. Not with my lifestyle. It scared my husband too much, to always be in danger. I can't have kids.”

  Silence.

  “It's funny,” Mary continued, “I guess I'm scared that I wasted my life, that there's nothing more I can do for all those kids out there that need my help. I almost quit a few months ago. I was literally two days away from quitting. And then I met you.”

  Devi turned away.

  “I just want to help you, Devi. I promise I won't be hurt if you say no.”

  Devi teared up. She buried her head in her hands.

  She had grown used to Mary.

  She… liked Mary.

  But then again, she had grown used to a lot of people. And all of them were ripped from her. Killed. Missing.

  Her heart hurt. She couldn't go through it again.

  Mary slid into the seat next to Devi and rubbed her shoulders.

  “Did I upset you?” Mary asked.

  “Why do you have to be so nice to me!” Devi said.

  “Because you deserve it,” Mary said. “You don't have to answer today. Or this week even. Just think about it, you know?”

  Devi ran.

  ***

  Mary’s pod sat in the middle of a subdivision of pods. Devi ran past pod after pod, hardly able to tell them apart.

  She didn't care.

  A cool wind blew against her face and made her tears sting her cheeks.

  After two blocks, she realized she had forgotten to put on her shoes.

  She was running in socks.

  She kept going.

  Eventually, the subdivision of pods fell away into flatlands of rocks and weeds.

  She stopped, panting.

  Far in the distance, a Galactic Guard rescue ship ascended in a diagonal line through the sky, toward space.

  She watched the ship as it blasted out of the atmosphere.

  She dropped to the rocky ground. A rock scratched her knees but she ignored the pain.

  She wiped her tears away.

  She wished for the stars. She imagined a night sky washing across the gray day sky, and stars blinking into existence. She imagined a bright pinwheel star twinkling and rotating in the sky.

  Bartholomew IV.

  Her home.

  Her mother and father.

  And next to it, another pinwheel of light spun in the night sky.

  Coppice.

  A long, scraggly line of light appeared, flying away from the two planets.

  An Argus ship.

  Far below, where the sky met the ground, the sun began to rise on the twinkling stars. One by one, they faded. And as daybreak grew, she felt calmness and peace wash over her. She was numb, but in the opposite way.

  A hand brushed her shoulder.

  It was Mary. She plopped down onto the rocks with Devi. To Devi’s surprise, she was panting.

  “You were hard to find,” Mary said.

  Devi waited a moment to let Mary catch her breath.

  And then she hugged Mary, knocking the woman backwards.

  Mary smiled and hugged back, caressing her hair.

  Chapter 15

  “A few ground rules,” Michiko said, holding up a life vest.

  The tourists stood on a dock overlooking the brown river. Several inflatable rafts bobbed in the water, paddles attached to the sides.

  Devika strapped on her red life vest. It was snug around her waist, and still wet from the last person that used it. The vest made her feel bloated, but it helped her hide her handcoil. She was lucky no one had seen it yet.

  “Galactic regulations state that we must wear life vests at all times when fifty feet or less from the river. Second, please remove any objects that might pierce or rupture the raft. This includes any keys.”

  Several people emptied their pockets and placed their personal belongings in their backpacks.

  “Next, I doubt this will be a concern, but no fishing, please. We did have someone try to spearfish once, and I had to give him a stern talking to.”

  The tourists laughed.

  Devika drifted toward the rafts, eager to get moving.

  “Lara rides with me!” Michiko said.

  Devika wanted to curse.

  Michiko smiled and offered her hand to Devika.

  “Let me help you,” she said.

  “I'm fine,” Devika said. “I go boating all the time.”

  Devika hoped the lie would placate Michiko. But instead, the tour guide grabbed her arm.

  “Legally, I have to help you.”


  Michiko helped Devika into a raft. Then she walked down the dock, helping everyone into their watercraft.

  Michiko climbed into the raft and pushed off. Devika gripped the side of the raft as the river bounced it up and down.

  “Keep your hands in the raft,” Michiko said into a megaphone.

  Devika relaxed a little. She rested against the raft and closed her eyes.

  “How long until we reach the Green Hotel?” Devika asked.

  “About half an hour,” Michiko said. “Don't you wish it were longer?”

  “No.”

  “Well, then. Okay. Everyone, if you'll look to your left, you'll see a row of historic trees…”

  ***

  Smoke stood in the shadow of the trees, studying the rafts floating downriver.

  He watched.

  He waited.

  And then he saw her, hiding in the lead raft, sunglasses on and hair down.

  The woman from the photo.

  He harrumphed.

  And when the rafts rounded a river bend, he took off, cutting through the foliage, quietly moving in the shadows.

  Chapter 16

  “We’re approaching some mild rapids,” Michiko said. “Everyone, I ask that you hang on.”

  Devika opened her eyes. She had almost drifted off. She didn't think sleep was possible in this forest. But being on the tour was good camouflage.

  She sat up as the current picked up speed. Ahead, the river slanted downward and foamed over rocks.

  “Paddles out, everyone,” Michiko said. “We’re approaching the final leg of the rafting tour. Ahead is a mild stretch of Class Three rapids for about a half a mile or so.”

  Devika grabbed a paddle from the side of the boat and speared the water. A large splash soaked her face, but she spit out the dirty water and focused on the rapids ahead.

  Last leg.

  A few rapids and she'd be home free.

  She'd run to the spaceport and catch the next ship off the planet.

  She paddled, pushing as hard as she could.

  “Good stroke!” Michiko said, motioning to Devika. “We can all learn a lot from Lara’s technique!”

  “Just trying to get us through safely,” Devika said.

  Water slid over the raft as Michiko spoke again.

  “Remember, watch for rocks. This section of the river has a lot of them, but they are mostly safe. Just make sure you pay attention!”

  The raft hit a strong riffle and surged ahead.

  Behind, the two other boats bobbed in the current, the tourists paddling cautiously.

  The water rushed loudly, raising a fine mist in the air so delicate Devika could taste it.

  She ignored Michiko’s commentary, the cheers of excitement from the tourists. All she cared about was navigating this river and living through it.

  She dug her paddle into the water again.

  Whumpf!

  They slammed into a wave and the raft jumped into the air, slamming into the crest of another wave.

  The fallout drenched Devika. Again she spit out water and paddled.

  “Paddles up,” Michiko said. “Dangerous rocks here for the next few yards!”

  Devika stayed her paddle.

  Whumpf!

  The raft crashed into another wave and went airborne.

  Another raft passed them.

  CRACK!

  It sounded like the other boat hit a rock.

  Someone screamed.

  Devika’s raft landed on the water, and she looked over.

  The brown water was running red.

  The other raft lay overturned in the water, and the tourists splashed around frantically.

  Michiko screamed. “Oh my God!”

  Devika grabbed her and pulled her down as more shots rang out.

  Chapter 17

  bullet struck the water near the raft.

  “What is going on?” Michiko said.

  “Someone is shooting at us,” Devika said, pulling out her handcoil.

  Michiko’s eyes widened at the sight of the gun.

  “Stay down,” Devika said.

  She peeked over the top of the raft and scanned the tree line.

  She couldn't see anyone.

  She couldn't tell where the shots came from.

  Next to her, several people screamed as they tried to swim. One man struck a rock and the current pulled him under.

  Devika threw herself back down.

  “Why do you have a gun?” Michiko asked. “Who are you?”

  “You don't have any weapons, do you?”

  “God, no!”

  “None?” Devika asked. “What do you do if you come across wild animals?”

  “I-I call for help!”

  Devika shook her head and clicked her tongue.

  “That's a great crisis strategy.”

  CRACK!

  The tourists screamed again. Another woman went under, blood rising where she dipped below the surface.

  CRACK!

  Air rushed below Devika and Michiko. A blast of air hit Devika in the face and she rolled backwards.

  Michiko yelled.

  Water overtook them.

  The raft flipped.

  Devika held her breath as she hit the water. She opened her eyes below the surface, but could only see furious brown water and bubbles.

  She spread her arms and legs and oriented herself, looking up toward the sunlight.

  She exploded upward, parting the water.

  She broke the surface and gasped.

  The river pulled her downstream.

  Michiko popped up near her, screaming for help.

  “Go under!” Devika cried, holding her breath and dipping below the surface. As she did, she saw Michiko do the same as another shot rang out.

  The shot.

  It came from her left.

  The killer was hiding in the forest.

  She kept her eyes open in the brown water, looking for rocks. She stayed under as long as she could, then she popped up again, her eyes on the left shore.

  A quick puff of fire escaped from the shade, then disappeared.

  CRACK!

  Another tourist yelled as the bullet ripped through him.

  Devika aimed at where she had seen the puff and fired until her handcoil was empty.

  Zzzt! Zzzt! Zzzt! Zzzt!

  CRACK!

  Zzzt!

  “Lara!” Michiko cried, pointing ahead.

  A row of rocks lay in their path.

  Devika cursed and held out her hands, crashing into a rock before the current pulled her around it.

  Michiko was nearby.

  No gunshots.

  Devika watched the shore. The current was carrying them quickly, now. Whoever was shooting would have lost their vantage point by now.

  Far, far behind them, the rafts sank into the water, and the remaining tourists floated dead or dying on the surface. The killer had picked them off, one by one.

  Devika hated the sight. It was not the first time she had seen dead bodies, but something about this scene—everyone floating peacefully on a violent river—made her want to gag.

  She heard loud splashing next to her.

  It was Michiko. Her hair hung soaked in front of her face and she had ditched her safari hat.

  “What do we do?” Michiko asked.

  Devika lay back on the water. Her vest buoyed her and she let the water carry her toward the rocks.

  “Get ready,” Devika said.

  ***

  “What kind of shooting was that?” Kyla asked through the radio.

  Smoke lay on his stomach with his coil rifle resting on his shoulder.

  Devika and Michiko floated out of his crosshairs.

  He watched his artwork float down the river—two dozen dead, washing about in their own blood.

  He stood, brushing leaves and dirt off his armor.

  “Can you hear me?” Kyla asked. In the distance, he heard her spaceship’s engine droning in the air.

 
“I hear you,” Smoke said.

  “You were supposed to follow orders,” Kyla said. “We've got a freaking massacre on our hands now. God!”

  Smoke stepped out of the cool shade of the rainforest onto the riverbank.

  He watched the women flow down the river.

  They were moving fast.

  Too fast for him to catch them.

  “Are you coming or what?” Smoke asked.

  “What the hell is your problem?” Kyla asked. She was rattled from the carnage.

  “You talk too much.”

  “And you shoot too much! I should leave you down there for GALPOL to arrest you.”

  “If they do, I'll take you with me,” Smoke said. “Get down here.”

  A beeping sounded in Smoke’s ear.

  “Incoming message from Tavin Miloschenko,” the computer in his ear said.

  “Yeah, what,” Smoke said.

  “What the hell do you think you're—”

  “I'm following orders,” Smoke said.

  “Of all the people you shot, you missed the most important one,” Miloschenko said.

  “I don't kill prey with a full stomach,” Smoke said.

  “What does this have to do with food?”

  “It's called morale,” Smoke said. “And the less of it she has, the easier my job is.”

  Someone laughed. It wasn't Miloschenko. It wasn't Kyla. It was a quiet, raspy laugh, as if it came from the back of the room Miloschenko was in.

  “Oh, this is just hilarious,” a voice said.

  The droning grew louder, and Kyla’s spaceship descended and hovered over the river.

  Smoke took out a grappling gun, aimed it at the spaceship’s belly and fired. A rope with a flat magnet on the end shot out and latched onto the ship.

  Kyla flew forward and the ship pulled Smoke into the air, over the river.

  He scanned the water for Devika and Michiko.

  But there was no sign of life among the rocks.

  The two women were gone.

  Chapter 18

  “Are you angry, Devi?”

  A psychiatrist sat across from Devi, taking notes. He watched her intently.