by Rachel Aukes
His jaw tightened. “I am.” I was.
“Then you of all people understand the value of redundancies firsthand. When the CUF bombed Ice Port, what happened to Playa’s entire support infrastructure? That’s right; it collapsed. Unlike here, where we can build protected gardens, Playa’s climate is too miserable to support anything. Without any way to import or export, I imagine all of Playa’s other colonies have gone extinct by now from starvation. There can’t be more than a few thousand Playans left. As a Playan yourself, that makes you a bit of a rarity, doesn’t it?”
Reyne glared.
Lincoln smiled, seemingly pleased. “Enough about the other fringe stations. After all, you’re here to talk about my fringe station and what it can do for your revolution.”
Reyne took a deep breath to calm himself. “As stationmaster, you can control everyone and everything that goes in and out of Spate. That could make you a very powerful ally.”
“Or a powerful enemy,” Sixx added.
Reyne shot Sixx a hard look before turning back to Lincoln. “The fringe needs your help. The Spatens are as sick of Collective oversight as are all colonists. We deserve equality instead of being treated like second-class citizens. Let us recruit from Spate. In return, we can offer you supplies, rilon, you name it.”
“I have a lot to offer a fringe rebellion,” Lincoln began. “But that means I also have a lot to lose if I choose the wrong side. Whoever supports torrents will bring Ausyar’s armada to their doorstep. As long as I’m neutral, I’m safe and Spate is safe.”
“As long as you stay neutral, you’ve already chosen a side,” Reyne refuted.
Lincoln sighed. “My heart beats for the fringe, but my head reminds me that the Collective has been good for business. If I help you, those in power won’t take kindly to a stationmaster supporting the fringe.” He paused. “They’re not calling you torrents. They’re calling you terrorists. I don’t think it’s good for my health or my business to associate with terrorists.”
“We may have gotten hold of the fungicide, but Ausyar still has his hands on the blight. What’s to stop him from dropping the blight on Devil Town next? Or, remember what it was like before the Uprising, when colonists weren’t allowed to be stationmasters? You think they can’t oust you if their mood changes?”
“I know they can,” Lincoln snapped back. “Which is exactly why I have to play it safe.”
“Be careful about which side you choose,” Reyne said. “It just may be the losing side.”
Lincoln chortled. “The torrents lost the Uprising. You had the full support of the fringe then. You have a far smaller chance of winning this time.”
Reyne remembered every minute detail about the Uprising. He’d spent years working with his counterparts to recruit and build the infrastructure to stand against Alluvia and Myr. And he’d spent years battling alongside those same people—watching many of them die—as they fought for a seat in Parliament. After they lost the Uprising, he’d realized he’d made a mistake. They needed far more than a seat in Parliament to be treated equally. They needed to tear apart the Collective. In his heart, he knew…they would win this time around.
He leaned back. “You’re wrong.”
“Oh, how so?”
“Because Myr and Alluvia are on the verge of war with each other.”
“Rumors,” Lincoln said. “I’ve heard those stories time and time again, yet the two worlds never sway in their mutual control of the Collective.”
“If those rumors happen to be true,” Reyne said, “what do you think is going to happen to Devil Town when it’s caught between the two great powers?”
“It’ll be squashed,” Sixx interjected. He pinched his fingers together. “Not pretty.”
“Pick the right side, Lincoln.” Reyne stood. “Give it some thought. We’ll be back for your answer.”
“Send Gabriela Heid next time. You’re a lousy negotiator.”
“I’ll see what can be arranged, but I should warn you. She’s not as nice as I am. I hope you have something far better to offer her than your harem.”
Lincoln clapped his hands together. “Oh, I will. I look forward to making her acquaintance. As for today, since you’ve declined my first offer, I’ll offer you information. One piece for each of you.”
Reyne’s lips thinned. “What’s the cost?”
“Who really dropped the blight on Sol Base?” Lincoln asked.
“Ausyar. Everyone knows that.”
“I see. Then, I suppose I don’t have information for you after all.”
The men stared each other down for a lengthy pause.
Reyne broke the silence first. “It’s only a rumor, but I heard mention of a secret organization being back in the game.”
“The Founders?” Lincoln asked.
Reyne chuckled. “We all know they disappeared centuries ago. Those rumors are obviously farfetched.”
Lincoln thought for a moment and then nodded. “Fair enough. Here’s my piece of information for you. The CUF is going to crack down on the Space Coast next week.”
Reyne rolled his eyes. “That’s not information. They’ve had a quarantine on the Coast for over a year now.”
Lincoln shook his head. “You see, Michel Ausyar would never admit it, but he has a weakness for Spaten women. I offer him my personal girls for discretion, even though he tends to be a bit overzealous with them. Anyway, he was bragging how he was going to bomb the hell out of the Space Coast and not break any laws, since it’s not officially a part of the Collective. Essentially, they’re going to use the asteroids for training practice.”
Reyne shrugged. “They’ll never reach Nova Colony. It’s in the middle of the asteroid belt.”
“Perhaps not, but the debris will make it next to impossible for any transports to make it through to Nova Colony.” Lincoln sighed. “Maybe you can get word to Nova Colony soon so they can evacuate. No one wants to see colonists starve to death.”
He gave a tight nod. “I will. Thank you.”
Lincoln then turned to Sixx. “Now, I have a more personal tidbit for you. I’ve learned that someone you know is a tenured on Myr.”
“I know lots of people,” Sixx replied with nonchalance. “Be more specific.”
Lincoln’s lips curled upward. “I believe her name is Qelle.”
Reyne’s jaw slackened, and he spun to watch Sixx, whose face had drained of all color. His friend leaned on the chair for support. “You’re lying.”
Reyne turned to Lincoln. “Qelle’s dead. It can’t be her.”
Lincoln shrugged as he leaned back in his plush chair. “What do I have to gain from lying? I’m just sharing what I’ve learned, because I thought you’d want to know. One of my new girls escaped from a Myrad hauler and ended up at my stationhouse. Long story short, your name is well known around here, and—as you know—girls talk. My new girl recognized your name and thought to share what she knew with me. Anyway, it’s a piece of information. Use it as you like.”
“Where is she? Who is the girl? Where’s the girl now?” Sixx shot the questions at Lincoln.
Lincoln lifted his hand. “That, I can’t say.”
“Can’t or won’t?” Sixx asked, his voice getting deeper and harder.
“Can’t at this time,” Lincoln replied before lifting a finger. “Maintaining her privacy is for her protection. However, I’ll see what more information I can dig up, for the right price, of course.”
Sixx lunged around the chair and onto the desk. Reyne caught him just before he tackled the stationmaster. The sounds of guns being drawn behind them made Reyne’s jaw tighten.
He yanked Sixx back. “You’ll get yourself killed,” he whispered to his friend.
Lincoln, now red-faced from anger, pushed back from his desk and smoothed his shirt. “We’ve covered all we’re going to cover today. You better be on your way before I have your man arrested.”
As the guards escorted Reyne and Sixx to the door, Lincoln added, “Tell Heid
I look forward to making her acquaintance.”
Reyne’s fists remained clenched as they strode out of there and back down the winding hallway. As they walked, he noticed Sixx stared straight ahead.
“She’s alive,” Sixx said after a lengthy silence, his words carried on an exhale.
“Your wife’s dead,” Reyne said as gently as possible.
Sixx stopped and faced him. He bore the same dark look he’d borne the day the two men had met. “No, she’s not.”
Six
Adventures Gone Awry
When Reyne and Sixx reached the Gryphon’s ramp, Sixx froze.
Reyne motioned to the ship. “Come on. The faster we get off this rock, the safer we’ll be.”
“I’m not going.”
“What?”
“I’ve got to find that girl who knows about Qelle.”
Reyne pursed his lips. “I don’t know the game Lincoln is playing, but you can’t believe anything he says. I can guarantee that he’ll make sure you won’t get any additional information, not without his chubby hands in the way.”
Sixx snarled. “In my gut, I’ve always known Qelle was alive. Now, to think she’s been a slave on Myr all this time?”
“You don’t know that.”
“It’s the only lead I’ve got. I have to follow it. I’m sorry, boss.” He turned to walk away.
“No, Jeyde. I’m sorry,” Reyne said. He grabbed Sixx by the shoulder and swung. His fist connected solidly with Sixx’s cheek, and the man collapsed. He’d never seen the blow coming. Reyne dragged him up the Gryphon’s ramp, to his quarters, and dropped him on his bed.
Reyne entered his captain override code to lock Sixx in his quarters, and headed to the bridge. He strapped in without looking at Throttle. “Get us out of here.”
“Hey, Throttle. It’s great to see you. I knew you’d be worried since we were gone a few hours and patrols kept cruising by,” she rattled off in a low-pitched voice.
“I’ll fill you in after we launch,” Reyne said.
“Fine.” She went through her takeoff procedures and launched from Devil Town’s space docks.
From the bridge, he could hear the pounding on Sixx’s door.
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Throttle asked.
“Sixx isn’t too happy with me right now,” Reyne replied.
“Why?”
“I punched him.” Then he went through the series of events that had transpired in Devil Town.
After he finished his story, Throttle leaned back. “Poor Sixx. Do you trust Lincoln?”
Reyne looked up from the scans he’d been running. “Never. A man doesn’t become stationmaster of the largest fringe station without playing both sides. Even so, I believe he was honest about the information with the Space Coast. There was nothing for him to gain by sharing that information, but it could save lives. That’s assuming the colonists out there aren’t too hardheaded to evacuate.”
“What about Sixx’s wife?”
He ran a hand through his gray hair. “I don’t know. It doesn’t make any sense. Her transport ship reported a cat fail—catastrophic failure—but the ship and crew were never recovered. While it’s possible she survived and was picked up by a Myrad crew, the odds would be low since nothing was ever reported.”
“But it is possible.” Throttle blew out a breath. “No wonder he’s all torn up inside. I’m worried about him.”
“I am, too.” Reyne looked down at his bruised knuckles. “I am, too.”
“Well, let’s see if he’s come to his senses.” He tapped a command to unlock Sixx’s door. Immediately, the pounding stopped, and he heard running down the hallway.
Sixx stormed onto the bridge. His hair was disheveled, and a bruise was forming under his eye. “You son of a bitch. You can’t force me to not look for my wife. It’s my wife we’re talking about!”
“Hate me all you want, but I did it for your own good,” Reyne snapped back. “Lincoln was maneuvering you into some kind of position that was clearly for his benefit. You’re just too blind to see it right now.”
His instrument panel chimed. “What now?” He read the caller ID and frowned. “I’m getting a call from the Honorless.”
“We’re supposed to be in radio silence,” Throttle said. “We’re only to break it in case of an emergency.”
He glanced back at Sixx. “This will have to wait.”
Sixx was clearly fuming but chose to bite his tongue, lean against the wall, and cross his arms over his chest rather than to continue their argument. He dramatically motioned to Reyne to take the call.
Reyne connected, and Birk’s copper-haired visage appeared on the monitor.
“Hello, captain,” Birk said with his usual quiet nonchalance.
“What’s going on?” Reyne snapped.
The younger man’s brows rose before he replied. “We’ve run into a situation on Terra. Since you’re the nearest to Terra right now—”
“Just lay it out there.”
“Yes, captain. Critch and Chutt left to go to the stationhouse at Rebus Station. They haven’t returned yet, and they’re not answering their comms.”
“How long ago was that?”
“Twenty-two hours. Their trackers showed them arriving at the stationhouse, but they went offline right after that.”
“Shit.” Reyne grimaced. “All right. We’re heading your way now. Send me your coordinates. We’ll be there in…” He glanced at Throttle.
“A little over eleven hours,” she said.
“I heard her. Hi, Throttle. How are you?”
“Hey, Birk,” she replied with a smile.
“I have the new shocks for your chair. I’ll get them to you when you get here.”
“Thanks, Birk. You’re the best.”
Reyne frowned. “Is that all?”
“I’ve also notified the specters,” he continued. “The Winter Wind and Nighthawk are both within three days from here.”
“Tell them to hang back for now,” Reyne said. “More ships lingering around a single planet means it’ll be harder to avoid detection. For all we know, Ausyar has set up a trap for us down there and is using Critch for bait. Let the specters know that we’ll keep them updated.”
“Will do,” Birk said.
“See you soon,” Reyne said.
“Oh, be sure to stay on the dark side of Terra,” Birk added. “There’s a CUF warship performing maneuvers on the light side.”
“Understood,” Reyne said, and he clicked off his comm.
He spun in his seat to face Throttle.
“Change of plans?” she asked.
“Change of plans,” he answered. “It looks like we’re not heading back to Playa yet after all.”
“I’ll need to drop us out of jump speed to change course.”
“Do what you need to do.”
Throttle broadcast to the engine room. “Hey, Boden. We’re dropping from jump speed and then going right back into it. So hold on for the next few minutes. I don’t want you to bruise your shin like last time.”
“What’s going on?” came Boden’s response.
“We’re going to Terra,” she replied.
“Oh. Okay,” Boden replied.
Reyne turned back to Sixx, who was still glaring at him. He pointed to Sixx’s swollen eye. “I’m sorry about that. Lincoln clearly has something planned for you, and I was trying to stop you from walking into that weasel’s trap. Now, I give you my word that after we resolve this situation on Terra, finding Qelle will be this crew’s highest priority. I will do everything in my power to help you find Qelle. Is that fair enough?”
“Don’t forget me,” Throttle added. “We’re all in this together.”
Sixx didn’t take his eyes off Reyne. After an unbearable silence, he gritted out, “Fair enough.” He took his seat and buckled in. “That doesn’t change the fact that you were an asshole back there.”
Reyne nodded and pointed to his own cheek. “You can take one
free swing at me. Any time, any place. Will that make us equal?”
Sixx’s eye twitched. “I don’t hit old guys.”
The corner of Reyne’s lip curled.
“I haven’t been back to Terra in a long time,” Throttle said.
“Well, it should make for an interesting visit,” Reyne said. “It’s the one place in the entire Collective that wants me dead more than the CUF wants me dead.”
Seven
The Traitor of Terra Returns
The Gryphon attached alongside the Honorless on the far side of Terra’s smaller moon. There, the two crews met to discuss the situation and brainstorm options. However, the topic kept digressing.
“I don’t know what else to tell you,” Gabe, the pilot of the Honorless said with a hint of exasperation. “Not long after they entered the stationhouse to meet with Seda, we lost contact. Either Seda has a dampener to block signals, or they’re dead. If it’s the former, we would’ve heard something from them by now. If it’s the latter, there’s nothing we can do and we should hightail it out of here.”
“You’re giving up on the captain too easily,” Birk chided. “This ship isn’t yours to take.”
“Oh, yeah?” Gabe replied. “I’m the pilot. If it’s not mine, then whose is it?”
“The Honorless belongs to Critch until we have tangible proof of his demise.”
“Enough,” Reyne jumped in, frustrated at the bickering and none too pleased with how close Birk was sitting next to Throttle. “Let’s not start dividing Critch’s possessions, shall we? First, I’m going down to the surface to meet with Seda to get to the bottom of this.”
“That might be a bad idea,” Throttle said. “If Seda killed Critch and Chutt, he could just as easily kill you.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Reyne replied drily. “If Seda intends to do me harm, he’ll have a harder time since I’m going to make him come to me. Somewhere where we can better control the situation.”
“It’ll have to be someplace private,” Sixx said. “Too many people will recognize you down there, and not in a good way.”