Lena looked at the broken device, her stomach in knots. “That is the answer,” Lena said.
***
The box of pieces now sat on the table in the middle of the ship. Tern, Druinn, Myri and Gideon stared at it as Lena spent the next few minutes relaying to the others exactly what Dorry had told her about agency and the device. Myri confirmed that she had found it in pieces on the bathroom floor. Gideon absentmindedly picked up a piece with gold wires protruding from it. He turned it over in his fingers, and dropped it back into the box. He picked up a jagged piece that looked like it was part clear plastic and part silver screws holding more gold wires. Most of the pieces looked like broken wires mixed with bits of plastic. Gideon didn’t seem to care what the device looked like, his mind seemed far away.
“So,” Druinn said, breaking the silence. “What is your plan now Captain?”
Gideon dropped the piece he was now holding and pushed the box away from him. He wiped his hands on his pants as he replied, “The same. We need to get to the Port. If anyone can fix this device, it’ll be there.”
Lena’s heart fell. She hoped this would be reason enough for him to change his mind to keep them here on Mir.
“Plus,” Gideon said, “we should let Tarek and Azara know we’re safe.” Gideon flushed as he said Azara’s name.
Lena quickly looked away from him. She felt weird thinking about Azara and Gideon. Myri nudged her with her elbow and raised her eyebrows. Now she felt even more awkward. Luckily Druinn started to talk.
“Do you think Jonah told anyone about your plans?” Druinn asked. Lena felt a flood of relief that they’d changed the topic away from Azara.
“I don’t think so. Jonah wanted to use the information to secure our participation and his position. Our biggest danger is that the Defense troops are looking for us,” Gideon said, straightening his shoulders.
“We can get you to the city of Arc without being seen,” Druinn said. “Unlike the Cimmerians, our ship has a working cloaking device and Myri can confuse the Defense radars without a problem. But entry into The Port is heavily guarded. The good news is, at this point, we don’t think anyone is looking for Myri and me. The Cimmerians didn’t seem to care about us when you were captured and we’ve steered clear of any Defense system, so we can probably get into The Port without a problem. The bad news is, we won’t be able to sneak the ship in while it’s cloaked. And, according to reports, the Defenses are searching each ship that enters.”
“So we’d need to find a way to sneak through Arc to its center where The Port is located?” Lena asked.
“Not only does Arc encircle The Port, The Port is encased in a protective shield. You can only enter The Port through specific, guarded locations. We’ll have to figure out a way to get you through the entrance without being caught,” Druinn explained.
“I can help with tha’,” Tern spoke for the first time since entering the ship. The group all looked at him without answering. “I’m good at sneakin’ around without gettin’ caught. The best—besides maybe Birdee. I can do it.”
Gideon took a deep breath and looked around the room. Everyone nodded in agreement at Tern’s offer to help.
“To the City of Arc,” Gideon commanded in reply.
Chapter Fourteen
Lena felt the ship land. Druinn and Myri came down the ladder into the common area. “We’re outside the city of Arc in the poorer, less guarded part of town. Let me remind you that the closer you get to the center where The Port is located, the heavier it’s going to be guarded,” Druinn said. “Myri and I will hole up here. We discussed it and want to be near if you need anything or if things don’t go as planned. Once you’re safely off Mir, send us a message and we’ll make our way to The Port and then home.”
Gideon lowered his head. “Thank you, Druinn. I know what you might sacrifice by doing this.” Gideon grabbed Druinn’s shoulder in thanks. They held each other's gaze a moment before Gideon turned towards Lena and Tern.
“Are we ready?” Gideon asked.
Lena and Tern nodded their heads and followed Gideon out of the ship to the outer edges of Arc. Even from miles away they could see the giant forcefield surrounding The Port. It’s surface shimmering a collage of different colors. Its dome reached through the atmosphere beckoning ships to come to the small planet. Lena felt a wave of anticipation mingled with fear. She’d finally get to see The Port. The place so many people from Everleigh talked about. The place her father had kept her away from for safety reasons. She focused back on the street she was on. Walking past the first run-down buildings Lena had to be careful where she stepped. The smell caused Lena to cover her nose with her hand. Only a few people walked the streets. Abandoned vendor carts lined the roads. Garbage lined the rest of the empty spaces. The further in they got, the more people they started seeing. Scruffy vendors called to them selling run-down merchandise. Children’s dirty faces looked through glassless windows. Their eyes were wide and fearful. When Lena met their gaze, they immediately ducked their heads. Hushed whispers filled Lena’s ears. Older children grabbed the younger ones by the hand and pulled them into the tumbled-down corridors.
“They think you’re one of the Priestess’,” Tern whispered to her. “It’s your clothes. You’re wearing a Defense uniform.” Lena looked down at her training uniform as Tern took off his animal skin coat to cover her. After that people looked at them less.
They walked until they saw an inn. Its holographic sign flickered on and off as if it had a short in the wiring. Lena’s immediate thought was of how Dorry would have her fix it. They walked inside.
The smell of animal urine wafted from the doorway, Lena took a step back before holding her breath and following Tern to the desk.
“Can we have a room?” Gideon asked.
A fat man, with greasy unkempt hair, looked up from the desk. He looked to Gideon, then Lena, and gave an uneasy half smile.
“Show me your money,” he said.
Gideon pulled out the cash Druinn had given him. The man's face turned into a grin. “It’ll be double for such short notice.”
Lena knew the man was taking advantage of them but Gideon handed over the cash without question. The man then offered them an electronic key with a room number attached.
“Pig,” he yelled. “Pig! Where is that lousy boy? I feed him and he’s not even here when he needs to be.”
“Yes, sir. I’m here,” A small boy said. He couldn’t be more than seven or eight as tiny as he was.
“Show these people to their room. And don’t be slow about it either. I have some garbage that needs emptying.” The man spat on the floor. As they left, Lena heard the man murmuring. “They said he’d be better than a robot. Less maintenance. If I ever find them...”
Lena’s stomach curled. She looked at the boy in front of them scurrying to show them their room. From the corner of her eye, she saw Tern, hands clenched. She placed a calming hand on his arm. The boy led them up disjointed stairs and down a hallway with the ceiling paint peeling.
“This is your room, ma’am, and sirs,” the boy said.
Lena turned towards him. The boy stepped back. His eyes refused to meet hers. “Thank you for showing us the way,” Lena said.
Gideon handed him some money. The boy shuttered but grabbed the money from Gideon’s hand.
“Can I ask you something?” Lena asked the boy. He stood still, his eyes fixed on the floor. Lena knelt down so she was level with him. “What is your name? It can’t really be Pig can it?” Lena kept her voice soft and friendly.
Silence fell between them, then slowly the boy brought his eyes up to Lena’s. Lena gave him an encouraging smile. The boy mirrored her with a smile of his own. “Ollie,” the boy said before quickly turning and running down the hall.
Gideon waved the key card over the entrance pad to the room. The door slid only halfway open before becoming stuck. Tern slipped his body through the small opening. Lena followed, then Gideon.
The room only sme
lled slightly better than the lobby, but the dust on top of the two beds and couch showed how little it had been used or cleaned. Tern sat down on top of the table.
“Did ya both hear wha’ I heard?” The corners of Tern’s mouth was tight and his hands gripped the edge of the table. “Tha’ boy is a slave here.”
Lena nodded and walked to the window overlooking the alley. She saw two children huddled next to broken machines. “What has happened here?” Lena asked. “My father spoke of this town as a thriving marketplace. This cannot be the Arc my father spoke of.”
“Your father always found the best in everything. Arc hasn’t been thriving since before Everleigh fell. The Priestess only cares for those who she feels will help her,” Gideon said. “The rest have fallen into despair.”
Lena caught the eye of the two children outside. They both had matted hair and their eyes had a haunted look. She pressed her hand to the glass. Gideon walked behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. They stood, silently staring at the scene. “You can’t save everyone, Lena,” Gideon said.
Lena turned to face the room. Tern sat his pack on the bed. Rummaging through it, he pulled out a large knife. Lena shrugged off Tern’s coat and handed it back to him.
“I’m goin’ ta check out the city. Be back tonight,” Tern said. He slid out the broken door.
“I’m going to try and buy us some different clothes and bring you back some food. Lena, stay here until I see what new information they have floating around on you. I’ll be back as fast as possible,” Gideon instructed.
Lena sat on the dusty bedspread and watched Gideon slip away. She felt useless. She walked to the window again. The children no longer sat in the alley which gave Lena a better view of the pile of junk sitting below. She thought about Ollie, how his life paralleled hers in so many ways. The junk looked like old service bots. She thought of Ollie again and made a quick decision. Walking out the broken door, she nearly ran to the alley. Rummaging through the old machines, she picked out various parts from the broken service bots and hauled them back up to her room. It took several trips before she found everything she needed. Pulling out a small utility knife from Tern’s bag, she got to work.
The hours now passed quickly. Gideon and Tern still hadn’t returned when Lena turned on the refurbished bot. “Clean the room,” she instructed. The robot zipped through the room, as its ultraviolet lights removed the layers of dust and sanitized all the surfaces.
Lowering herself to the bed, she smiled and leaned backward so her back rested on the now sanitized bedspread. It felt so amazingly good. She’d give the bot to Ollie. Pushing herself back up, she stood and slid through the broken door and walked back down the disjointed stairs to the lobby.
Ollie sat huddled in a corner by the side of the reception desk. The greasy man looked at her and smiled. His teeth looked rotten and drool dripped from the side of his mouth. “What can I help you with, Miss,” he asked.
“Oh, um, nothing. I was just stretching my legs.”
“Well, surely you don’t want to go too far. These parts aren’t too friendly to a pretty young thing like yourself,” the man said.
Lena paused. Something seemed off. She looked at Ollie huddled in the corner, then back to the man sitting anxiously on the edge of his seat. “You’re probably right. Do you mind if the child walks me back to my room?”
“Not at all,” he sneered. “Pig, you make sure she gets there, or you know what’ll happen.”
Ollie nodded and jumped to his feet. He wouldn’t make eye contact as he shuffled toward the direction of her room. Lena followed close behind. The halls were empty and silent. A strange feeling hung in the air. Tense. But she couldn’t see any reason why it would be. The halls were also empty when they arrived at her room.
“Ollie, I have something for you,” Lena said. Ollie stood still. His eyes opened wide. “I can see I scare you. I understand. I, also, am a servant.”
He held her gaze in disbelief.
“Let me prove it to you. I used to fix service bots. Watch.” She called the bot to her. Ollie’s jaw dropped then pulled his lips into a smile. Tentatively he stepped forward. He touched it softly, sliding his hand across the surface.
“You did this fer me?” he said.
“Yes, just for you. I thought it could help you around here. Can I show you how to use it?” Lena beckoned him inside the room.
“That bot clean’ this room?” Ollie asked his eyes wide with amazement.
“Yes.”
Lena spent the next hour showing Ollie how to work the robot. By the time she’d showed him how to work all its features, Ollie had dropped all his barriers and was talking nonstop.
“Ollie, where are your parents?”
“Oh, them’s dead. Been dead since I were a little kid.”
“And have you worked here since then?”
“Wa? no. I only gotta work heres since I was caught stealing. ‘Fore that I was with friends.”
“I’m so sorry. My parents also died when I was a child.”
“Is tha’ how you ‘came a servant?”
“Yes,” Lena answered with a sad smile.
“I thou’ you was a soldier. You came in wearin’ the same clothes under yer jacket. I thou you’s gonna hurt me like they did my parents. Ya must work fer someone in the Defenses, hu? How else woul’ ya get such clothes. Unless ya stole ‘em. But you don’ look like the type of person who’d go stealin’ anythin’. Do ya work fer that guy you were with? The one with the pockets full of money? Man if I had money, I’d buy the biggest loaf of bread I coul’. Maybe some ham too. Wouldn’t tha’ be nice?”
The sliding of the broken door caused Ollie to jump. Gideon stood on the other side. A large bag hanging from his shoulder, and a loaf of bread in his hand. Without a thought, he threw the bread to the young boy. Ollie didn’t say a word. Catching the bread, he jetted out the door. Gideon looked at the service bot sitting in the middle of the room.
“Looks like you’ve been busy.” Gideon stared at her for a moment. He pressed his lips together like he wanted to say something then released them. He looked around the room. “I got you some new clothes,” he said tossing the clothes to her.
Straightening the clothes out, she held them up to herself and smiled. Loose fitting cargo pants and a white flowing shirt with flowers embroidered on it. Just the type of outfit she would have worn as a thirteen-year-old. He also tossed her a jacket full of pockets. “Thank you, Gideon,” she said, unable to hide the excitement at having a new outfit. She saw Gideon chuckle and shake his head as she ran into the bathroom to change.
Chapter Fifteen
Lena sat on the newly clean bed, her legs crossed, chewing on a small piece of cheese rolled in meat. Tern and Gideon sat staring at the table. A holographic map was open in front of them.
“I got ta the other side of Arc. It’s patrolled by the Priestess’ Defenses more heavily the closer in we get,” Tern said. “I mean severely heavy patrols. They’re checking not only people crossing into the port but also anyone near its border. There’s a man there, at the entrance. He’s unlike any I’ve ever seen before. He’s huge. And his face is...well, it looks like it’s been re-shaped or somethin’ unnatural-like.”
Gideon stiffened.
“Do ya know who the man is?” Tern asked.
Gideon’s thoughts looked momentarily far away. He shook his head as if clearing it. Ignoring Tern’s question, Gideon said, “Then we’ll have to bypass the entrance. Any idea how we’re going to get into The Port?”
Tern cast Lena a wary look. Was Gideon hiding something? She shrugged her shoulders. “I ran its perimeter,” Tern said. “The place is secured tightly by a protective shield. The shield is like a bubble that the port lives inside. The city of Arc curves around all sides of it. Various spots in the shield provide an entrance. Those spots are guarded by the Defense. I touched the shield to see what kind of barrier we were dealing with. Woke up about an hour later. Still feel the zinging in m
y hand.”
Lena sighed and grabbed a pillow. “Any way of sneaking us past the guards?” she asked.
“I need ta observe more. I’ll find us a way.”
The broken door slid open. Lena jumped. Ollie ran through its small opening.
Tern grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him into the air. “This is a private room,” he said.
Ollie’s legs flailed. He struggled to catch enough air to talk. Tern tossed him to the bed like he was a toy.
Ollie gasped. “Ya gotta go,” he said. “Them’s guards are here. My master’s showing em a picture of ya. I think he must’ve called ‘em.”
Lena jumped to her feet. Tern grabbed the pack and rapidly started stuffing anything he could into it. He threw Lena her new jacket. She put it on at the door.
“Ollie, do you know how we can get out without being seen?” Lena asked.
“Can ya get me outta this cuff?” Ollie answered holding up a leg with a cuff attached to it. Lena examined it. It was cheaply made and not tamper-resistant. Lena nodded and grabbed her tools. It took only seconds to remove. He smiled at her and took off out the door. “Come on. An’ stay close. I don’ wan’ be loosin’ ya.”
The three followed at his heels. Turning a corner, Lena heard the pounding of soldiers’ feet entering the other side of the hall and then their sliding door being forced opened. Ollie led them into a hidden opening that revealed a small stairwell. “Theys ‘ill thin’ you gonna run in the street. But I’s go’ a better way.”
Coming to the roof, Lena saw why Ollie brought them this way. Even in the setting light, Lena saw the rooftops connecting with each other.
Ollie started running. “Stay close an’ don’ step where I don’. Lot’s of places ye’ll fall through. Did it once er twice myself.”
They kept on his tail, jumping from building to building. Lena lost count of how far they’d come. Several times Ollie had them lay flat on the rooftop as troops passed on the ground below looking inside the houses. Ollie pointed to a set of turrets. Windows free from glass or force field. He jumped over an alleyway and waited for the others to do the same. Then he led them to the turret’s opening. He knocked and waited. A distant knock echoed back. Ollie slid into the window’s opening.
The Mir Chronicles- The Complete Series Page 29