NightPiercer

by Merry Ravenell

  That was not the tone or words of a man who was prepared to listen. Lachesis thumped her knuckles against the cot’s rough weave. Her body hurt, she was thirsty, grumpy, exhausted, and fed the hell up with this nonsense. NightPiercer wanted her or they didn’t, but she was sick of this ship’s level of crazy. “Oh, I thought we were just going to stare at each other.”

  “If you don’t want to talk, I’ll leave.” He turned around to go.

  If this guy thought she was going to beg him to stay, he was wrong about that. He might walk out, but he’d come back. This was Humanoid Dominance Behavior 101. He was the one who wanted to talk and ask questions, and if he didn’t want salty answers, he could knock it off with the grandiose platitudes like he was gracing her with the chance to tell her side of the story.

  Then he turned back around with a chuckle. “Ah, wait. Wait. Yes, I’ve seen your file. I’m going about this the wrong way. I could walk out of this cell twenty times and twenty times you won’t ask me to stay.”

  She tried to crick her neck and regretted it. “I have nothing but time down here, and you’re eventually going to have to answer for where I am.”

  “Or I put you out a spacelock.”

  After years of minding herself on Ark in pursuit of her ambitions, the NightPiercer brig was liberating. “Rainer’s already tried.”

  If she got out of this brig, it was right back to Rainer’s quarters, and Rainer.

  Bennett tapped his tablet against his thigh. “Tell me what the files were.”

  “I told Gribbons. They’re navigation scenarios. Part of an ongoing group challenge with the other navigators on Ark. We’re calling it Jovian Moon Hopscotch.”

  “And this?” He plucked her little daisy-chain gizmo out of his pocket.

  “It lets you attach multiple tablets together to combine their processing power.” She sighed. If she managed to survive, having the First Officer as an enemy would be bad. Bennett’s Big Man In The Cell had deflated down to a more manageable size. “It’s something Tech on Ark developed.”

  “What would a member of Crèche be doing with it?”

  “I told you. Running components of navigation scenarios without needing main computer processing cycles.”

  “And how did you get your hands on it? This surely can’t be standard kit or easy to obtain.” He dangled it from his fingers. “It looks like it got made in a bunk with spare parts.”

  “Yeah, probably because it was. Be careful with that. I had to go down to my panties in a game of high-stakes strip poker for it.”

  Bennett put it back into his pocket. She guessed he wasn’t the kind to play strip poker. She wasn’t either, but when she’d found out what was in the pot, well. She’d have done a lot more for it. Werewolves were a lot less goosey about their genitals than humans. Bennett patted his pocket and said, “Our computer system detected you were trying to alter the ship’s course.”

  “That’d be a neat trick. According to my tablets the chips couldn’t even mount.”

  “That was the sandbox protocol displaying a false error. The chips did mount, and the network detected a navigational course file with an executable flag.”

  What? That was insane. No ship should have detected a clearly flagged simulation file as a legitimate course input. “Of course it has an executable flag. It’s a simulation set to compile and run. I’ve never seen NightPiercer’s computer system, what makes you think I wrote a worm to get out of a sandbox knowing there’d be a false error thrown? I’m Crèche, not Tech.”

  “What makes you think our computer system is compatible with Ark’s in any way?”

  “Because the ships were built off the same basic core and mail gets sent back and forth so, clearly, there’s a level of compatibility.” More than mail got sent back and forth. She sent Jovian system sim data to LightBearer regularly too. Obviously the ships’ common lineage meant they all ran relatively compatible software.

  And what Tech assholes didn’t recognize a simulation file? Or have some basic protocols requiring Command-level authorization to adjust ship course?

  This ship was full of crazy.

  Bennett tapped his tablet against his thigh. “Lachesis, what has Rainer told you?”

  She gave him a sideways look. “About what?”

  “About this. What this is really about.” He held up his tablet. “Why are you really here?”

  “Because Crèche said so. It wasn’t optional.”

  “What has Rainer told you?” Bennett asked again, as if he knew the answer.

  “Nothing.”

  “You two had to have talked on the shuttle. What did he tell you?”

  “Exactly what I said yesterday about not wanting a wife or children.”

  “That’s not news,” Bennett said. “You’re his third wife, but he’s never said why he doesn’t want children.”

  “I’m his third wife?” she asked, astonished. “Wait, what?”

  “He failed to mention that, I see.” Bennett smiled unpleasantly.

  This ship was insane. “What happened to the other two?”

  “His first marriage lasted two weeks before she begged for a divorce. The second lasted three days before he threatened to put himself into a plasma capsule. I’m guessing you’ve been sourced because you can’t run away, although you did try. His previous two wives are alive and well, but I’m told the first one needed therapy after her experience with him. While I’m grateful, I am still curious why he doesn’t want children. He seems to eschew everything a normal, proper wolf is supposed to value.”

  Bennett still needed to get his gossip elsewhere. They weren’t trading dirty little secrets. “I was paying attention yesterday, Commander. Anything Rainer and I have said between us is privileged. If I get out of here I still have to live with him, so I don’t think I’m going to tell you anything.”

  The First Officer smiled. “How unfortunate. If you’re not going to answer then we’re done here.”

  “Lachesis!”

  Bennett straightened, and cursed.

  Rainer stalked down the hallway into the holding block.

  Lachesis cringed.

  “Rainer.” Bennett spoke in the Third Officer’s general direction.

  Rainer stormed into the cell, and with a bare minimum of civility, bit out, “Questioning my wife, Commander?”

  “Clarifying some points.”

  “Captain Tsu has already dropped the charges and labelled all of this a—”

  Bennett interrupted, “Yes, another large misunderstanding. I know NightPiercer doesn’t expect you to be a model of decent behavior, but you’re exceeding expectations, as usual.”

  “Why is she still bound?” Rainer snapped at Gribbons.

  “Wait outside, Commander,” Bennett said calmly. “Gribbons, the man is right. Free her wrists, please.”

  Rainer didn’t budge. “She doesn’t have to talk to you. I’m taking her home.”

  “Wait outside. That’s an order.”

  Rainer still didn’t move.

  “There are exactly three people on this ship that can give you a direct order, and I’m one of them. Outside.”

  Rainer stepped exactly one stride out of the cell.

  Gribbons cut her wrists free. Lachesis sighed and her arms sagged, and the muscles stabbed her with sharp pain as she tried to crick the joints back into place. Bennett tabbed through his tablet. “Now where were we, Lachesis.”

  “You were just implying I’d rot here for not answering questions while apparently I’ve been free to go the whole time,” she said sweetly. Fly the ship into Jupiter. These people were nuts. Why would anyone instantly leap to that conclusion? Next they’d try to claim she bewitched someone and there’d be a public burning.

  Bennett’s scent still blew downwind from the fan, but his expression spoke volumes. He tucked his tablet under his arm, and as he stepped down next to Rainer, eye to eye, he said, “Mind your bride better. This could have ended badly for both of you.”

 
Rainer curled his lip. “The order to release her came through forty-five minutes ago. You had no business being here.”

  Bennett stepped right up to Rainer, their uniforms brushing, and he growled, “I am the First Officer, and that means I can ask questions of anyone on this ship. I know what you’re doing, Rainer.”

  Rainer leaned into Bennett’s space. “What I’m doing is getting my wife out of the brig and away from you.”

  “You think I haven’t figured out why Lachesis is really here?”

  “She’s here because Crèche thinks I’m so critical to the future of my species that they’re going to get a pup from me by hook, line, or crook. How are you doing with that, by the way?”

  The First Officer didn’t take the bait. “Not wasting good will on my third attempt at a marriage. We’re not risking this ship or a single soul on it with your plans.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but if you’re the one who tried to put a noose around her neck I’ll—”

  “Rip me into pieces?” Bennett shoved his finger into Rainer’s chest. “Bite me like the furry little dog you are? Make it Sunderer all over again?”

  Rainer shoved his hand away and grinned instead. “No. I’ll do something much worse. I’ll become a model officer. Reformed and obedient in every way, with my beautiful wife by my side and a pup in her belly. That you truly made me see the profound errors in my thinking and set me on the righteous path.” Rainer lowered his voice to a hiss. “Because that’s the only advantage you have over me, Bennett. I have everything else. I am everything else.”

  Bennett leaned in with a hiss of his own. “A wolf will never captain this ship. Not after what happened on Sunderer.”

  “We built this ship, and we’ve captained it before.”

  “And you’re easily dealt with with silver.” Bennett flicked his finger against Rainer’s collar. “Still hurt? Thought so, and that was what, a few silver bars against your skin? Evolution didn’t build humans with a kill switch.”

  Rainer’s smile sent a terrible, but thrilling sensation over Lachesis’ skin. “You’re terrified to go back to Earth. You are Commander Bennett of NightPiercer and that is all you are, that’s all you’ve ever made yourself, and you know it, and it terrifies you. An entire lifetime of work being the perfect executive officer will leave you the Captain of a rusting hull sinking into some green meadow.”

  Bennett circled him. “Unless Earth is still a ball of seething rock. You’re a sled-dog, Rainer. You pull the sled where I say. And I know you will, because that’s who you are. You can hate me all you want, but this ship is your pack, and all those mangy werewolf instincts in your brain won’t let you turn on any of us. I am part of that living whole you’re so sentimental you still believe in, and even if I’m some diseased mangled limb, you won’t cut me off. Just like you jerked off into all those cups, mounted those collection dummies, married those she-wolves and tried to sire pups on them, crawled into plasma tubes and brown lines. You are a fucking sled-dog who goes where you’re told, and all you care is that you’re at the front so you’re not eyeballing some other dog’s asshole. Whatever you’re going to use Lachesis for, I’m going to stop you. Everyone else here might believe this Crèche bullshit, but I don’t. Not for a second.”

  Rainer’s whole body tensed, and he snarled, “Stay away from my wife.”

  “Isn’t that adorable. Is that your mate, Rainer?” Bennett hissed the word by Rainer’s ear.

  Lachesis inhaled at the word. Gribbons went a shade paler. Even if mates had once existed, they didn’t exist out here. Gaia had repudiated Her Children.

  “Did I hit a nerve?” Bennett whispered.

  Rainer eyed him, their faces just a breath apart, so close Rainer could see the shards of dark brown piercing the paler amber of Bennett’s eyes, and smell the sour secrets and loathing on his skin. “If Lachesis is my mate, if she is the other half of my soul chosen for me by Gaia at birth, then it means Gaia is real, and She knows where Her Children are.”

  “Then there’s nothing to go home to,” Bennett whispered back, expression cruel. “So let’s all enjoy our living damnation. Gribbons, close the file on this. I’m done here. Rainer, teach your wife how to behave herself. And if you can’t, I’ll find someone who can.”

  Are We Coming Or Going?

  She checked the rug when she got back to the quarters just to triple-check she hadn’t bled on it.

  She hadn’t.

  Slightly relieved she hadn’t ruined a priceless relic, she moved on to wanting to shrivel up in total mortification. Maybe she should have thought it through but… this ship was so damn confusing. And she’d lost her daisy-chain gizmo. Bennett still had it in his pocket.

  “I left you for less than six hours and you managed to get yourself nearly killed.” Rainer yanked his collar open.

  She snarled, “I didn’t mean to!”

  “If you had meant to, I’d call you suicidal. Why didn’t you think for two seconds that loading up navigational files on a foreign file system might be a bad idea?”

  “Because I’m an idiot. Is that what you want to hear?” She wasn’t stupid, but she wasn’t feeling very clever either. And everyone else had thrown her around and locked her down like she was the most dangerous wolf since Sunderer.

  She picked up her tablets from where they’d been scattered on the ground during her arrest. They were back on now. Not that it mattered. Her datachips hadn’t been returned to her. Pictures, letters, notes, journal entries, scenarios, all her personal memories. Gone. They’d probably collect dust in some drawer or bin up in Tech.

  Rainer rubbed his temple, eyes closed, and counted to twenty-seven under his breath. “You didn’t get shoved out an airlock, so there’s that. Just remember this is not Ark.”

  “Like I could forget.” She rubbed the back of her neck and flinched as her fingers found a tender lump.

  “What did Bennett ask you? How long was he there talking to you before I showed up?”

  “About five, ten minutes, I guess.”

  Rainer tilted her chin a bit higher to examine the side of her face. “And what did he want to know?”

  His lack of concern aggravated her. “At first he was accusing me of trying to plunge the ship into Jupiter, and I should just confess.”

  “How amusing. You’d already been found innocent by then, and he was still in there hunting a confession. What was he really after?”

  Her mouth went dry. “He wanted to know why I was really on the ship.”

  “Crèche, apparently.”

  “He wants to know why you don’t want pups.”

  Rainer’s green eyes seemed to turn molten as his presence consumed her awareness. His fingers rested near her throat. “What did you tell him?”

  “That it wasn’t any of his damn business.” She jerked away from his hand and turned her head to the side. A miserable shudder wracked her sore, tired body. A tear escaped her eye, and another, and another.

  Rainer touched one of the tear droplets. “How badly did Security throw you around?”

  “What does it look like? They acted like I was going to cause the next Sunderer.” They could do it again, and again, and again. Throw her down, and beat her up, and smash her, and maybe use her for sport. That’s what history said had happened to a lot of prisoners in the past. Raped, tortured, abused by sadistic guards that had long leashes and bad dispositions. She was no one on NightPiercer, and a thin veneer of civility separated her from a hellish existence.

  Just like a few meters of metal separated her from the abyss.

  Rainer finally removed his hand. “Why don’t we wash up and go find dinner?”

  “With my face like this? No, thank you.” She wanted to crawl under the blankets, pretend they didn’t smell like Rainer, and forget this had ever happened.

  “We’ll eat in the officer’s wardroom. This isn’t a secret up there. I only took you to the main mess since I figured it would be more familiar to you.”


  “I’m not hungry.”

  “That doesn’t change the fact you need to eat.”

  He pulled off his own jacket, then his shirt. The muscles of his back flowed, the burns visible at the nape of his neck. The top layer of skin had died back during the day, leaving green-black halos around square patches of inflamed, scalded skin. The plasma scars trailed down his back like candle wax.

  Bennett had taunted Rainer’s loyalty. Shouldn’t the First Officer have admired it? What a strange thing to fling at another officer: your loyalty won’t let you hurt me.

  She carefully pulled off her own top, hissing around her sore neck and her tender side. She touched the deep purple contusions right over her liver. The pain was so sharp it felt like her skin had split. The lump on her vertebrae didn’t feel much better.

  Rainer pulled the shirt from her fingers. He touched the purple blotches on her side. “How hard did you resist? Did you bite?”

  “I didn’t do anything!” She tried to snatch her top back. “I just wanted them to tell me why they’d barged in here and threw me around! They wouldn’t tell me! I was just shouting, that’s it! There were four or five of them. I couldn’t do anything about them in this form.”

  “This is not acceptable,” Rainer said, mostly to himself, smelling of anger and concern that just made things worse.

  “Don’t make it into a thing,” she pleaded with him.

  “Don’t let Bennett intimidate you.”

  “He’s the First Officer. One day he’s going to be Captain.”

  Rainer made a derisive noise.

  “That’s how it works, and Keenan of Crèche doesn’t like you much either. Or can’t you do simple math and see that you don’t have as many allies as you think you do? I’m your damn third wife! Everyone’s about to get tired of you.”

  “Bennett told you about my first two wives? Of course he did. Were you suitably horrified?”

  “This entire ship is insane. Please, just let it go. The bruises will heal.”