Galen's voice dropped so low that Siv could barely hear him. "She was holding up the black cube and talking to it as if holding a conversation. She kept responding to someone I couldn't hear, a voice that I presume was in her head, and saying things like: 'Yes, Poppa, I will.' There was something dark and menacing about the conversation. And the person on the other end was trying to make her do something she didn't want to do…something that I think involves me."
“Wow, that’s weird,” Siv whispered. “And…I don’t know what to make of it.”
"I have no idea what to make of it either. She was out here alone for a long time so it wouldn't surprise me if she were more unstable than she appears."
"Silkster, what have you discovered about the rest of the ship?"
"Sir, this ship is… Well, it's a wreck. Two of the rooms can’t be accessed due to damage, and I can’t tell you anything about them. Two simple bedrooms are empty. A third appears to be a child’s bedroom. That’s the room Tamzin’s currently in. And then there's the final room, the one with a stasis pod holding a deceased woman."
Siv whispered the information to Galen.
"I guess I'm not surprised by that. How else would a child bury her mother on a barren world she couldn’t venture onto?”
"As for Tamzin holding heart-to-hearts with the cube… Sir, I have no idea what to make of that.”
“Is it possible for someone to communicate through a stardrive like they would an echo-space comm?”
"Sir, I’m beginning to think most anything is possible, given that until today I didn't know a stardrive could be made that small.”
“So you're saying it’s possible?” Siv asked.
"Echo-space transmitters aren’t entirely unlike stardrives in how they function, though the forms are vastly different. So maybe. But I think the most likely explanation is that she's a bit nutters. Or maybe a bit more than a bit.”
"I don't know what to make of it, Galen, and neither does my chippy.”
An odd expression crossed Galen's face. "You seem to put a lot of trust in your chippy."
Siv smiled. "He's not your normal 9g-x chippy, and I've suspected he's just as sentient as you and me."
"You have too much faith in my human-seeming subroutines, sir. Cause I’m so not there…not yet.“
“We should get some rest before we trek through wraith space,” Galen said.
The ambassador stood, placed a hand on Siv’s shoulder, and leaned in to whisper in his ear.
“The WeView video I mentioned only contains dummy data. Take the data threaded into a lecture on Carthaginian civilization then reverse the code you unlock, leaving out every third string of data. That will give you the coordinates to a capsule I dropped off in deep space, not far from Titus II. The data giving you the location for the capsule with the other three blocks is in a video on William the Conqueror.”
“They’re actual physical blocks?” Siv whispered back, surprised.
Galen nodded. “You can’t decrypt them without physically piecing them together.”
“Damn, sir. That’s some straight up legit skullduggery. Respect.”
Siv nodded. “I could definitely use some rest.”
“As soon as we are out of here, secure beam that information to the Outworld Ranger.”
Siv took a forty-five-minute nap while Tamzin finished gathering her things. When he woke, Silky informed him that she had placed five explosive charges throughout the ship.
"I guess she wasn't joking about not coming back.”
"That worries me, sir.”
“Why?”
“Exactly, sir. Why? No one else can come here, and it will be safe for another seven years. There’s no need to burn it all down. She’s acting like she’s got nothing left to lose and that worries me.”
“I think she’s attached to Galen and ready to move on with her life.”
"Nah. At best, she's just a crazy witch."
Siv met Tamzin in the ship’s corridor. "Everything ready to go?”
Tamzin glanced at one of the closed doors. "I just need to say goodbye…one more time."
Siv patted her on the shoulder. "I understand. Take all the time you need."
He found Galen in the command chair on the bridge. "She’s saying goodbye now."
“To her mother?”
Siv nodded. “I don't want to pry, but it's important for me to know all the variables in play. You and Tamzin, have you… I mean, are you…”
"We're close. Is that a problem?”
“Close with her? Gross.”
“Grow up, Silkster.”
“Never!”
“I don't guess it’s a problem,” Siv said. “In fact, it may be a good thing. I suspect she needs a strong, calming influence in her life. And you’re the bridge that will link her to us so that we can all get through this."
“Tamzin… I don't know if the girls told you, but I’m an unregistered empath. It's part of how I'm able to do my job so well. I know, through my ability, that Tamzin’s lying about some things, but I don't know if her secrets are dangerous or if she just isn't ready to share yet. She definitely knows more about the cube than she's telling me.”
“I can believe that. It’s her source of power, so to speak.”
“That said, while I’ve only known her for a short time, I know she has a good heart.”
Tamzin came onto the bridge with tears in her eyes. “Okay. Let's go."
33
Siv Gendin
Plasma pistol in one hand, neural disruptor in the other, Siv crouched inside the mining tunnel nook, taking cover behind the skimmer bike. Tamzin had already returned home to retrieve Galen.
While it was possible for her to take two people into wraith space along with her, she didn't want to escort both Siv and Galen through the wormhole at once. Having heard about Galen's response, Siv couldn't blame her. He'd even broken down into a full-on panic himself on his second trip through, requiring extensive help from Tamzin.
Silky completed a level three scan. Only two Tekk Reapers lurked nearby, waiting at the nexus where several tunnels crossed, the place where Tamzin preferred to enter wraith space to access the wormhole.
“Can you risk a level five scan to find the others?”
“Even a level four is too big a risk, sir.”
Siv fidgeted and wiped sweat from his brow, even though it was chilly inside the tunnels. The trip through wraith space had set his nerves on edge.
“I know they’re hiding here somewhere, waiting to spring a trap.”
“The perfect trap would have been here at the bike, sir.”
They had emerged from wraith space a hundred meters away from this spot for just that reason.
“I guess they missed it.”
“I don’t see how they could have, sir. Surely, they did a thorough sweep of the tunnels. “
“Maybe they didn’t even come this way.”
“After shooting at you, why not walk down the tunnel in the direction you came from? It makes no sense, sir. I suggest some old-fashioned detective work. Use your flashlight to check the area for footprints that don’t match yours and Tamzin’s.”
“That is old-school.”
“I like to kick it that way sometimes, sir. It’s good for maintaining perspective. Just be sure to shield the light.”
Siv checked the immediate area. The nook was a mess of his and Tamzin's tracks. Outside the nook, he found larger footprints that matched the Tekk Reapers. The thin layer of dust didn't provide much to work with though.
“There’s overlap here, but I don’t know what to make of it.”
"I'm running video analysis, sir."
Siv retreated to the nook.
“Sir, the Tekk Reapers passed through after you left, but I can’t tell how recently. I don’t see how they could have missed the bike, but it doesn’t appear as if they went into the nook.”
“So you think they intentionally bypassed the bike to set a trap elsewhere?”
“It appears that way, sir.”
“Why not set the trap here?”
“We didn’t reemerge here, did we, sir? The Tekk Reapers are assuming we’re not idiots, that we’ll be cautious, that we may not even come back for the bike. That’s the smart play in my book.”
“I’d feel better if they weren’t avoiding our scans so easily. You detected their cloaked ship without too much trouble. Why is picking up the individual reapers any different?”
“The ship is large, and the tunnels necessitate stronger scans because the walls cause interference. If I were running a level four or five scan, I’d know exactly where they were.”
“It might be worth a short boost on our way out, just to be certain. Have you contacted the Outworld Ranger yet?”
“I tried, sir, but there’s too much interference this deep in the tunnels. I need to be near the exit.”
A hyperphasic bubble flashed into existence in the tunnel nearby then disappeared with a gust of air. Tamzin dropped into a crouch with Galen in her arms. He stumbled away from her, fell to his hands and knees, and gagged. Then he rolled over onto his side, groaning as if he’d been beaten half to death.
Tamzin dragged him into the nook.
“We’re going to have to wait here a short while before we leave,” she whispered. “I had to carry him the last fifty meters.”
“We seem safe for now,” Siv replied.
“How are you holding up?” she asked.
“I’m feeling better. What about you?”
With only his smart lenses and the tiny bit of ambient light he was beaming from the c|slate pinned to his shirt, he couldn’t make out her expression. He could feel the tension, though.
“How do you think, dumbass? I just blew up the only home I’ve ever known. I feel like shit.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
“Forget it.” She slapped the bike. “This ain’t going to hold three people. How are we going to ride back?”
“I could take Galen into the city and come back for you.”
“No way.”
“You could hide in wraith space until I return.”
“It’s going to be twenty minutes before I can jump again,” she responded. “I’ll take him into the city on the bike.”
“So you can go on the run with him?” Siv asked. “Not happening.”
“Galen chose for us to team-up,” she said. “I will honor his decision.”
“Even so, you don’t have my chippy to guide you on the best routes.”
“My chippy and my instincts will serve me well enough. These are my stomping grounds.”
“Sir, this isn’t getting us anywhere. I suggest we get Mitsuki to meet us halfway. Until then, all three of you cram onto the bike. There should be room for Galen if you scrunch up and Tamzin rides standing. With personal antigrav units at fifty percent, the bike should approach normal speeds.”
Siv told Tamzin Silky’s plan, and she agreed to it.
“Calling Wings now, sir.”
“Sivvy!” Mitsuki answered. “You made it back safely with the ambassador?”
“We ran into a couple of Tekk Reapers on the way in but managed to avoid them. There are more here in the mine tunnels, but we’re not sure where yet.”
“They’re lying in wait, you know,” Mitsuki said after he filled her in on all the details. “Be careful.”
“Of course,” he replied. “We’re going to be riding three on one bike. Can you meet us halfway?”
“Sure thing,” Mitsuki said.
“Have you followed up with Captain Jax?”
“Ah, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we have a new problem. The Titusian government has banned all starship launches without prior authorization. Only flights on government business are allowed to leave.”
“So Jax won’t take us, will he?”
“Says we can’t pay him enough to risk losing his license and access to this trade route, not to mention the danger of planetary defense systems firing on him.”
“That really sucks,” Silky said. "He was going to be the perfect ride after all."
“Why do you say that?” Mitsuki asked.
“Cause if he had intended to sell us out to the highest bidder, he wouldn’t have told you that.
“We’re going to have to steal a ship,” Siv said. “I don’t see any other choice.”
“My preliminary research picked up a few poorly guarded ships of decent quality, sir. I’ll run a second scan and analysis once we’re back in the city.”
Siv passed on the news about the planetary government banning all nonessential departures. Galen managed a half-audible grunt, and Tamzin unleashed a string of curses that were a little too loud. Siv refrained from quieting her, though, not wanting to make her angrier.
“So what…now?” Galen asked.
“We move onto plan B,” Siv said. “We steal a starship.”
34
Kyralla Vim
The Outworld Ranger broke apart in a fiery explosion. Kyralla slammed a fist against the console and stood as the simulation ended. She paced around the bridge, digging her fingers through her hair.
After a few minutes, she noticed Bishop standing at the entrance, waiting patiently for her to calm down. Feeling ashamed that she’d gotten so angry, her cheeks reddened.
“I hope you haven’t been waiting there for long.”
Bishop smiled apologetically. “I watched for about thirty minutes. It looks as if you’ve improved a lot the last two days.”
“Not nearly enough.”
“Don’t sell yourself short. How far did you make it this time?”
“Just past halfway.”
“That’s good,” Bishop smiled encouragingly.
“Yeah, but I think I’m hitting my limit. I’m starting to see why Silky told us not to try and rescue them.”
“That doesn’t sound like the best attitude,” Bishop said.
Kyralla chuckled. "It's just a statement of fact. I think even the best pilot would need a lot of help and a significant amount of luck to pull this off."
Bishop grinned broadly. “Or a clever scheme.”
“Have you come up with something?”
He nodded. “And it’s brilliant.”
Kyralla patted him on the shoulder. “You know what I like about you, Bishop? You’re not the least bit modest when it comes to what you can do.”
It was Bishop’s turn to blush. “Well…if you’ve got it, then there’s no point in hiding it, right?”
Kyralla laughed as she walked past him. “Let’s grab some food. You can tell me all about it while we eat.”
Bishop groaned. “Ugh, I don’t think I can handle any more of this food.”
“You have to eat.”
“I guess, but starvation is looking more and more appealing.”
“Don’t be so dramatic. Just shovel it down and think of something much more pleasant.”
“Like eating dirt?”
Oona popped out from the galley and smiled at them. “What have you got against dirt? I’m certain it tastes much better than our gruel.”
“Have you eaten yet?” Kyralla asked.
“Just working up the courage,” Oona replied. “Tekeru already gobbled his down and went to bed.”
“Gobbled?” Kyralla returned with surprise. “Does he actually like this slop?”
She chuckled. “He went two days without eating. He was starving and didn’t care anymore.”
They gathered at the cramped table in the galley, and Seneca swept around them plating food and pouring water. The light band around his head glowed a deep violet as he made sad beeping noises.
“He’s sorry about the food,” Oona said, “and he’s doing the best that he can.”
Bishop placed a hand on one of the robot's arms, stopping it. "You don't have much to work with as far as ingredients go. I understand. If I didn't have the right tools and the right parts, I wouldn't be able to build or repair anything."
/> Seneca turned a brighter violet that faded into a light blue. Then he continued fixing their meals.
“Speaking of parts and tools,” Bishop said, “I’ve come up with something that might be able to get us deep into the Titus system before anyone figures out where we are.”
“Can you get us past halfway?” Kyralla asked.
“I feel confident I can get us a third of the way,” Bishop said, “maybe halfway if we take a few risks.”
“That’s good!” Oona said. “How far can you get now, Kyra?”
"Halfway. The problem is that the difficulty grows exponentially the closer you get to the planet. There are a lot more enemy ships near Titus II. Plus, once we're in orbit, we'll have to worry about the planet's orbital defense platforms too."
“So, Bishop, if we combine your plan with Kyralla’s flying, how far do you think we could get?”
Bishop ate a spoonful of gruel and made a face. “Maybe two-thirds of the way? Kyralla’s right. Eventually, the odds just become too great to overcome.”
They ate in silence for several minutes until Oona said quietly, “I have an idea. But you’re not going to like it.”
Kyralla narrowed her eyes. “I’m almost certainly going to say no.”
“You know how I can connect with machines sometimes and then boost—”
“No!”
“We should hear her out,” Bishop said.
“Do you remember what happened with that snub pistol?” Kyralla asked.
“Yes,” Bishop answered. “She turned it into a cannon.”
“And do you remember how that tiny cannon ended up a fiery slag of metal?” Kyralla asked. “That could be our ship. The engines could overload. We could fly uncontrollably and slam into the planet’s surface. Or—”
Bishop turned to Oona. “What system were you thinking about boosting?”
Kyralla glared. She hated being interrupted. She hated having her concerns ignored, and that seemed to happen a lot when it came to planning.
Oona shrugged. “I could supercharge the engines or the shields… Whatever the two of you think would help the most.”
“The shields,” Bishop said.
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