Renegade Fleet
Date: 2018-03-21 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Science Fiction; Fantasy
Description: An ancient threat is rising. Jace Hughes has successfully crippled the Union, saving a small civilization in the process. With a new army at his side, he sets his sights on Earth, the lost homeworld of humanity, vowing to finish the job he set out to do. But there is something looming on the horizon. Another threat of unspeakable carnage, and it isn't the Union or the Sarkonians. It may not even be human. Journey alongside Jace as he attempts to save his crew, his people, and himself from an enemy he cannot see. The mission is bleak, but the payoff is huge, and everyone wants him dead. In a ga
Publisher: Independently published

J. N. Chaney

Copyrighted Material

Renegade Star Copyright © 2017 by Variant Publications

Book design and layout copyright © 2017 by JN Chaney

This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living, dead, or undead, is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from JN Chaney.

www.jnchaney.com

1st Edition

Books By J.N. Chaney

The Variant Saga:

The Amber Project

Transient Echoes

Hope Everlasting

The Vernal Memory

Renegade Star Series:

Renegade Star

Renegade Atlas

Renegade Moon

Renegade Lost (January 2018)

Renegade Fleet (February 2018)

Renegade Empire (March 2018)

Standalone Books:

Their Solitary Way

The Other Side of Nowhere

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Renegade Star

For Sarah -
how lucky that I should live
at this moment
on this planet
in this galaxy
and, despite the odds,
meet and love a girl like you.

One

“I’ll fucking kill you!” screamed William Emmerson as he ordered his security personnel to fire in my direction.

“Good luck with that!” I returned, running as fast as my feet would carry me.

I tore through the woods outside the Emmerson Estate, having just stolen an object worth two hundred thousand galactic credits—a small metal orb about the size of my fist.

A merchant named Fitz, one of Emmerson’s rivals, hired me to deliver this junk for a reasonable price. I didn’t really give a shit about their feud, but the pay was good and I needed the work.

“Stop him!” shouted Emmerson. “Someone stop that bastard!”

I could hear the dogs barking far behind me as I neared the clearing. If Emmerson thought a couple of mutts and some hired goons would be enough to slow me down, he had another thing coming.

“Excuse me, sir,” said a voice in my ear. It was Sigmond, my ship’s A.I. unit. “I see you’re being chased. Shall I drop the cloak and prepare for departure?”

Another energy blast went flying by my head, throwing a shower of splintered tree bark and oxidized sap into my face. I gripped my pistol and swung around, spotting the guard between branches and undergrowth. I waited for a clean shot, then squeezed the trigger and fired, sending the bullet straight into the man’s leg, dropping him to the ground.

“That’d be great, Siggy,” I said, breaking through the tree line and into the open field. “Try to make this quick, pal, unless you wanna be homeless.”

“Perish the thought, sir.”

The Renegade Star rippled as it phased into visibility right in the middle of the valley. Several more security personnel came running after me, emerging from the forest, setting their sights on me and firing.

I burst forward, shredding grass with the heel of my boot. Several shots fired in the distance, whizzing by so close they rang in my ear.

“Hurry!” shouted Emmerson, joining his rent-a-thugs. He continued with a garbled, unintelligible slew of insults.

Meant for me, I assumed.

I turned and aimed as I ran, shooting as accurately as one could expect, given the situation. This managed to startle the other men, forcing them to take cover.

Four dogs entered the field, racing after me, snapping their jaws as they ran. Within a few short seconds, they were already halfway across the glade.

“Get us out of here,” I said as I finally reached the ship. “Raise the lift!”

The dogs were closing behind me. I could hear the anticipation of the kill in their labored breaths as they gained ground.

The cargo bay gate began to rise, and I leapt into it, sliding along the floor with my pistol trained out the narrowing airlock.

The animals tried to jump in after me but fell short. They leapt and snarled, showing their teeth as the half-closed gate continued to raise.

Several blasts struck the side of my ship. “Fuck you!” I heard Emmerson shout.

The Renegade Star lifted from the ground. I held the railing, watching through the closing cargo bay as nearly two dozen armed guards and their master aimed their rifles at me and fired.

More shots peppered our hull, but I knew we could take it. This ship was built to withstand a hit from a quad cannon, so a little handheld firepower wouldn’t do much except scrape the paint.

As the airlock sealed and daylight was replaced by the cruising floods, we accelerated. For a brief moment, I felt the pressure, until the stabilizers kicked in and it was smooth sailing.

At about this time, we entered the stratosphere. From Emmerson’s point of view, we were already gone.

I ran up the stairs and made my way to the cockpit, where I took my seat and strapped in. On the dash, an old bobblehead of Foxy Stardust, a cartoon character, was still bouncing from the earlier turbulence. She had a white helmet with a neon blue visor and a pink spacesuit.

“Raising the cloak,” said Sigmond, right as we entered the stratosphere.

No doubt, Emmerson was fuming over what I’d done, although it wouldn’t matter soon. After I delivered this trinket to Fitz, all the blame would shift to him. If there was any revenge to be had, Fitz would bear the cost of it, not me. That was how it usually went for people in my line of work. We did the job, but the client was always the one who shouldered the blame.

My name is Jace Hughes and I was a Renegade. A hired gun. I’d been known to smuggle, steal, loot, and even kill, should the need arise, and I’d keep on doing it until I was dead.

It was the life I’d chosen, and I had no regrets.

* * *

“What the hell is this?” I asked, staring at the blinking red light on the dash.

“That would be the warning light, sir,” remarked Sigmond.

“Since when do we have a warning light?” I asked. “And how do I make it stop?”

The light went dead as soon as I finished. “Apologies, sir. It seems our sudden arrival triggered it. The sensors were overwhelmed.”

“Oh,” I said, turning back toward the glass and the current battlefield. Over four hundred ships across two fleets were currently fighting it out, blasting themselves to pieces. I couldn’t say why this was happening. That’s not why I was here.

We were flying above Galdion, an isolated planet on the edge of the galaxy, having just broken through the thermosphere on our way out. I’d arrived in pursuit of an item of interest, dropped here specifically for me to pick up and deliver. Had I known I’d be leaving through a war-zone, I might have arrived at a later time.

“Do any of them see us?” I asked, referring to our cloaked vessel.

“Not yet,” answered Sigmond.

“How soon can we jump?” I asked, bringing up the star map.

“Approximately forty-five seconds," responded Sigmond. "Longer if we die.”

“Funny as always, Siggy.” I punched in the coordinates for Taurus Station, our next destination and my current home of record.

“Thank you, sir,” said the AI. “I really do aim to please.”

The ship jerked sideways, and I gripped my chair. “The hell!” I barked.

“Shields are holding,” remarked Sigmond, an unimpressed tone in his voice. Normally, AIs weren’t outfitted with personalities, but I made it a point to request one when I had Siggy commissioned. If I was going to spend weeks at a time inside this ship, it wouldn’t be with a monotone, talk-me-to-sleep artificial intelligence. “Neither side has spotted us yet, thankfully, and the cloak is holding. Both enemy shots were targeted at other ships.”

Some distance from the planet, several Master Class Cruisers lay waiting. It would be difficult to leave this area without being spotted, even with the cloak. The smaller fighters won’t be able to detect us, I thought. But those Cruisers might. “We’ll have to show ourselves soon right before we make the slip. Think we’ll have enough time?”

“I believe so, sir,” said Sigmond. “Though, I may have to return fire, should they spot us.”

“Let’s try to avoid a firefight, Siggy. The last thing I need is another warrant.”

“Perhaps next time you won’t bring us to such a dangerous location,” said Sigmond.

“I will if I want to eat,” I told him. “Or would you rather we not get paid?”

“There must be easier lines of work,” said Sigmond.

“Easier ain’t always better, Siggy,” I said with a grin. “I’ll take the Renegades over sitting behind a desk any day of the week, thank you very much.”

Another blast rocked the ship, this time from the rear, and the attacking vessel passed by overhead. It was a strike class Arnesian raider. “Are we ready yet?” I asked.

“Incoming slip in twelve seconds,” said the A.I.

I watched the two fleets duke it out, ships exploding across the battlefield like fireworks, leaving fields of floating debris in their wake. In a matter of hours, the entire orbit of this planet would fill with wreckage. Dozens of salvage crews were likely already standing by, eager to resell the parts to the open market, possibly to the very organizations involved in this fight. Ships would be rebuilt, pilots trained, and the cycle would continue. Before I joined the Renegades, I might’ve been there with them, waiting for my scraps.

Not anymore. Now I had a more active profession. Sure, it was dangerous, and I’d probably get myself killed before I turned fifty, but I’d rather die from a blaster than boredom.

“Dropping the cloak and initiating slip,” announced Sigmond.

I gripped the manual controls for the quad cannons. “Let’s do it.”

The screen showed the cloak dropping, leaving us vulnerable to detection. “Readying slip,” indicated Sigmond. “Six seconds until activation.”

I nodded. “That should be quick enough to—”

Before I could finish, two Arnesian raiders broke formation, turning toward us. “We’re being scanned,” said Sigmond. “They are readying weapons.”

I let out a quick sigh. “Can’t say I didn’t try.”

I aimed the digital reticule at the first ship, squeezing the trigger once the computer had the lock. The quad cannon sprayed a series of rapid shots at the enemy vessel, punching a six-meter hole straight through its cockpit, obliterating the pilot and setting the ship to drift like a dead fish in a calm lake.

Immediately, I turned my attention to the second, firing another wave. To my surprise, one of the shots tore through the center of its hull, splitting it apart instantly and igniting its core. The propulsion engine reacted the only way it knew how—by exploding.

The ship shattered into countless pieces of unsalvageable dust, scattering towards the planet.

The rest of my shots continued, unabated, into the darkness of space. A few fell to the planet’s surface, followed by the debris from the destroyed ships, most of which would disintegrate before it could touch the ground. My shots, however, would continue until they hit something. Part of me wondered if any of them would strike Emmerson’s plantation, but I wouldn’t stick around to find out.

I had shit to do.

“Initializing slip,” said Sigmond, and suddenly the entire battlefield vanished.

I watched as we entered the slip tunnel, the buried dimension that doubles as an express lane. Most of slipspace was still largely unexplored, but at some point, we figured out how to use it to transport ourselves across vast distances. Traveling through it wasn’t instantaneous, by any means, although it was certainly faster than using normal space. Instead of taking centuries to travel from one-star system to another, you only had to wait a few hours, maybe days or weeks, depending on how far apart the systems were.

Right now, I was looking at six standard hours, give or take a few minutes. That gave me time to nap and take a piss, maybe snag a sandwich. “Siggy, let me know before we’re out. I need to be alert when we get there.”

I leaned back in my chair, observing the passing lights along the slip tunnel. I had no idea what they were, and I didn’t care to learn. I wasn’t a scientist, and I liked the mystery.

I reached down beside my foot and touched the package, a metal crate, tightly secured with a coded lock. I’d risked my life to track down, retrieve, and deliver this thing.

Whatever it was, I didn’t want to know. Being a Renegade meant doing whatever the job required. It meant shutting up and getting paid.

Outside of that, nothing else mattered.

Two

“Ten thousand credits,” said Fitz, pressing his thumb to the pad. “Now, give me the orb.”

“Here you go,” I said, tossing it to him.

He caught it with both his hands, right in the flab of his gut. I watched him marvel at it, studying the detailed designs engraved in the metal. “Marvelous.”

“Glad you approve,” I said.

“Oh, yes. This is great!” he smiled. “That shithead Emmerson must be so pissed right now. I hope he’s ripping his hair out. Did you see his face when you took it? How angry was he?”

“It was hard to tell with all the gunfire.”

“I bet he killed one of his men after you left. He does that sometimes,” Fitz said, laughing.

“You got any other jobs for me?” I asked.

“More?” asked Fitz. “No, nothing else right now. Maybe in a few more weeks. Things are slow these days, you know?”

“Sure,” I said.

“Why you asking? You feeling an itch in the old trigger finger?”

Dammit. I could’ve used another job. “I’ve got some debts I have to square.”

“That’s too bad,” said Fitz, grinning. “You ought to make better life choices.”

“Says the guy who hired me,” I remarked, ignoring his sarcasm.

He gave me a cheeky smile. “Maybe so. Say, you wanna know what you stole?” He lifted the orb in front of me.

“Not particularly,” I said.

He chuckled before tossing it behind him. “Well, it’s nothing, really. I just heard it was Emmerson’s favorite toy. He collects old shit and pretends it’s treasure. He thinks it makes him sophisticated or something.”

The orb rolled along the floor, stopping when it hit the base of his chair.

“Oh,” I said.

“When he finds out I have it, he’ll be so furious. I hope he tries to come after me. Did I tell you what he did to me?”

“He stole your territory,” I said, hoping to avoid what he was about to tell me.

No such luck.

“He did more than that! I was the only dealer in X-92 fuel for three systems until he showed up. I had a monopoly on over thirty high-demand items. Emmerson comes around and starts undercutting me on every bid. Can you believe that? He’s got no idea who he’s messing with. I’m going to—”

I turned away and started to leave. “See ya later, Fitz. Good talking to you.”

“W-Where are you going?”

“I’ve gotta be somewhere. Call me if you get another job.”

He swallowed, recomposing himself with a large grin. “Maybe I’ll have you steal the rest of his collection next time. I’ll be in touch!”

“So long, Fitz,” I said, leaving his foyer. You crazy bastard.

When I was outside, near my ship, I tapped the com in my ear. “Siggy, how’s my money looking?”

“Ten thousand credits have been transferred from multiple shell accounts into yours,” said Sigmond.

“What’s my total after the transfer?” I asked.

“Ten thousand, forty-seven credits.”

“Hold on a second. You mean I only had forty-seven credits in my account before this? Where’d the rest of it go?”

“Fuel and repair costs to the ship, as well as the new coffeemaker you installed.”

I nodded. “All important things.”

“Including the coffee?” asked Sigmond.

“Especially the coffee,” I answered, imagining myself with a cup in my hand, breathing in the delicious aroma. “You don’t have taste buds, Siggy, so I’m willing to let that one slide.”

“You’re so very kind, sir.”

* * *

As we left the planet, Sigmond informed me that we had a call. “From who?” I asked.

“Fratley Oxanos. He wants to speak with you about—”

“Money,” I said, finishing the thought. “Put him through.”

A second later, I heard several voices on the com, each one laughing and shouting. It sounded like a party. “Hello? Is that you, Jace?”

“I’m here, Fratley,” I answered.

“Ah! You ornery boy. Tell me you’ve got my money.”

“I’m working on it. I just did a job and now I’m on my way to collect on another.”

I heard the crowd cheer, including Fratley. “Oh, did you see that? What a score! Sorry, Jace. I’m busy with a game. Did you say you had my money? Because that’s the only answer I want to hear from you.”

“I’ve still got two standard weeks left to pay you,” I reminded him.

He laughed. “Aha! That’s right, you do. How could I forget? I hope you’re not waiting until the last minute, though. I’d hate to track you down.”

“You’ll have it, Fratley. Don’t worry.”

“That’s what I like to hear, Jace! Now, leave the me the fuck alone. I’ve got money on this game and I ain’t losing.”

The line clicked off. “Guess he hung up,” I muttered.

“It would appear so,” said Sigmond.

I leaned back in my seat, trying to relax. I owed that jackass one hundred thousand credits, which was far more than I had. I’d have to pull some serious jobs to get that kind of cash before the deadline. I might even have to sell my ship.

The thought sent a chill down my spine. Screw that. I’d let him cut my fingers off before I gave up The Star.

If only I hadn’t taken out that loan, I wouldn’t be in such a tight position.

I’d borrowed it from Fratley six months ago to pay for a cloaking device, which I believed would give me the edge I needed in this business to stay at the top. I was half-right about that.

Having a cloak helped more than I ever dreamed, but no matter how useful it might be, if the jobs weren’t coming in, then what good was it?

A little while back, the Union government started cracking down on Renegades, making it even more difficult for clients to find us on the market. This happened from time to time, maybe once every other year, although it never lasted. We used a private network within the Galactic Net to maintain privacy. Sometimes the Union pups got lucky and broke through our security, and sometimes they’d make an arrest, but it was always tough to stick. None of us used names. Only codes.

Mine changed every two weeks.

Our guys managed to restore security within a day, although the damage was done. A large chunk of clients dropped contact, leaving me and every other Renegade without any work. They’d all come back, just like every other time this happened, but not for a few more weeks.

Until then, I was out here trying to grab whatever I could. Any job to get the credits so I could pay off what I owed. Fratley didn’t like to give extensions, so I couldn’t count on that. I’d have to find a way to pay the debt before time ran out.

Which was why I needed to check in with Ollie Trinidad, my own personal agent. If anyone had a job for me, it was going to be him.

* * *

I arrived at Taurus Station and ordered Siggy to mind The Star while I was out. “Anyone fucks with you, you know who to call.”

“Station security?” he asked.

“No, you call me so I can shoot their asses. Security would only get in the way.”

“Right, of course,” said Sigmond.

I went straight for the bar, leaving my quarters for later. I wasn’t tired or bored enough to call it a day. Not until I had some booze in me.

Percy’s Bar was in the corner of the promenade, but it wasn’t what you’d call fancy. If anything, I’d say it was a pile of shit, barely holding itself together.

“What can I get you?” asked the barkeep, a new guy I didn’t recognize.

“Where’s Mort?” I said, taking a seat.

“You didn’t hear? Mort died a few weeks back. There was a memorial dinner here. We posted signs around the station.”

“Damn,” I muttered. “Sorry I missed it.”

The man pulled out a bottle of gin and poured a cup. “Here you go, friend. This one’s on the house.”

I took the glass, never one to turn down a free drink. “Thanks, pal.”

I stayed there a while, watching people pass through the promenade with shopping bags and busy conversations. There were only a handful of people in the bar itself, probably because it was only the middle of the afternoon.

“We’ve received a report regarding the attack on Senator Gibson,” said a man’s voice, catching my attention.

I turned to see the Union News Network on the view-screen. The anchor, whom I recognized as Quintin Dallas, was a clean-shaven reporter with brown hair in his mid-thirties. Like every other person on mainstream television, Quintin was nothing more than a mouthpiece for the Union government, spewing propaganda and bullshit at every turn.

I took a sip from my drink as I watched.

“It appears the assassin broke into a special research facility to attack and kill Senator Gibson, most likely because of his affiliation with the New Dawn political movement, which aims to crack down on border security along the Deadlands. The Deadlands, for those unfamiliar with the term, refers to the edge of Union-controlled space between the Osiris system and the Velos Nebula. We here at the UNN caution all Union citizens to please inform your local representative of any suspicious—”

The view-screen clicked off. “I hate that jackass,” said the bartender. “Always with the lies. I only had it on this channel because of the game before this shit. You know, that senator he’s talking about was corrupt. I heard he was the guy behind the bill that called for all those arrests a few months ago.”

“Arrests?” I asked.

“The government went and seized a bunch of planets near the border. They arrested anyone with authority or any outstanding warrants. One of ‘em was my brother-in-law. I heard he’s working in a mining colony now. Those politicians ain’t nothing but crooks, if you ask me.”

I nodded my agreement, then drank the last of the alcohol, setting the cup back on the counter. I transferred my payment into his account as well as a nice tip. “Thanks for the drink,” I said. “I’ll see you next time I’m in.”

“Stay safe, friend,” he said as he wiped the counter with a dirty rag.

I waved my goodbye and headed out into the crowd on the promenade, squeezing my way toward the other end. My next stop would be the parts department and the station fuel center, not to mention a visit to Ollie’s place. All routine whenever I returned from a recent job. This was the part I hated most about being a Renegade.

Check-ins and paperwork, but maybe Ollie had something fun for me to do—another smuggling gig or something involving a break-in. Whatever the case, I was ready to hit the sky again.

Three

“Here you are, Jace,” said Ollie, fanning a pad in my face. “Two thousand creds, the last of your payment from that job you pulled two weeks ago for Antonio Ariguellio.”

I took the pad from his hand, examining the transaction. The funds had been sent directly into my account—one that wasn’t tied to my real name, of course. “Good. Now I can finally afford to get a decent piece of meat on this station.”

“You mean from Jarro’s?” he asked, raising his brow. “Pretty sure they shut down.”

My eyes widened. “What?”

“Yeah, heard the owner fell into some money problems. Borrowed from the wrong guys, you know?” He snickered. “Hey, probably from guys like me.”

I cursed under my breath, handing him back the pad. “Don’t kid yourself, Ollie. You’re not that menacing.”

I started to leave when he raised his finger. “Hang on, I’ve got another job.”

“Oh?” I said, pausing.

“Two actually.” He glanced at his pad. “Antonio again. He’s asking for you, specifically.”

“What’s it about?”

“Not sure you’ll like it,” he said, twisting his lips.

I could tell by his expression that he was probably right. Ollie knew me better than anyone, much as it pained me to admit. “Just tell me.”

“Looks like his ex-wife took off on him, so he’s putting a hit out. He’s pretty sure she’s in the Deadlands somewhere. Looks like she stole some money and ran off with her bodyguard. It pays thirty thousand creds.”

“Doesn’t she have a kid?” I asked.

He hesitated a second, then nodded. “That’s in here, too. Antonio wants you to take out the boy. He—”

“Pass,” I said without any hesitation. “You know I don’t mess with kids, Ollie.”

He nodded. “I know, but I had to tell you. It’s my job.”

“What else you got?”

“Only one more.” He reached beneath the counter and brought up another pad. “It’s an escort job. You’d be taking a woman to Arcadia.”

“Isn’t that the place with the priests?”

“The Church of the Homeworld, I think,” said Ollie, trying to remember. “Yeah, that’s them. This lady’s got some cargo she needs delivered there.”

I bent over the counter and looked the little man in the eye. “You want me to take some nut back to her cult? What do I look like to you?”

He raised his hands. “Hey, I just give you the jobs, Jace. Don’t blame me if you don’t like ‘em.” He turned the pad around. I could tell the woman had an attractive face, although her clothes hid the rest. She wore one of those baggy gray tunics with a veil over her hair—standard stuff for a member of the Church, far as I could tell. I’d seen a few of these nuts on the news protesting the government, but who knew why. “Come on, Jace, what’s a little girl like that gonna do? ‘Sides, it seems like good money. Five thousand creds. Plus, she ain’t bad on the eyes.”

“Looks like a waste of time,” I said, thumbing the pad away. “What else you got?”

He swiped the screen, frowning. “Uh, looks like nothing’s come in yet.”

“You only got the one?” I asked.

“It’s been a slow week. What can I say?” He grinned, showing his crooked teeth.

I cursed again. “Fine, send it to me.” I looked him in the eye. “She better not be any trouble.”

“Hey, no promises. I just send you the jobs, remember?” he asked, still smiling.

“Sure,” I said, grabbing the pad out of his hand. I tapped my thumb to screen to accept the job. “Tell her to meet me at the ship tomorrow, and find me some better jobs while I’m gone.”

“You got it, Jace. Anything for my best,” he said.

Ollie owned a souvenir shop on the promenade that doubled as a Renegade Bounty Office (RBO). This entire station was a common stop for tourists making their way back from the Lenidas system, allowing Ollie to overcharge them for hastily-made trinkets. Everything in this store was absolute trash, but the vacationing executives with too much money were eager to buy them, probably to put on display for all of their spoiled friends.

The joke was on them, though. Half of this crap came straight out of the station’s dumpsters, only to be cleaned and refitted with some wire and hot glue. Ollie loved the idea of his little garbage toys sitting on hundreds of mantles, like they were exotic art pieces. What a joke.

Despite all that, Ollie was still the only reliable RBO agent in six systems. I’d had disagreements with a fair share of them, but never him. He always shot straight with me, never tried to steal or do me wrong.

I wish I could say he did all that because of his ethics, but I think he just valued his life. He knew the second he tried to short me, I’d bury him.

I respected him for that, even if he was a crook who sold trash to rich people.

I left Ollie’s little shop and grabbed lunch at a place called Sal’s in the food court. Unsatisfied by the sorry excuse of a sandwich, I drank half a dozen beers and went back to my place, a living area about the size of most people’s closet. It had enough room for a bed, a dresser, and a small desk, just not much else. Not that I minded. My job kept me away most of the time.

Besides, when you own a big home, you get comfortable and don’t want to leave. You get lazy and fat, watch too much entertainment, you get boring. No, to hell with that.

I’d take my ship and a job, thanks.

My room smelled like stale bread when I opened the door. I must have forgotten to clean up when I was here last time. No matter. I wouldn’t be around for long.

I tapped my ear. “Siggy, you there?”

“Always, sir,” said Sigmond.

“Looks like we have a new job tomorrow. It’s an escort gig. Should be quick and simple. I’m sending you the coordinates now.”

I entered the passcode for my ship’s digital inbox and transferred the data.

“Received. Uploading now,” said Sigmond. “When should I expect your return?”

My head was foggy from the booze, and I was dog-tired. No way I was getting up before 9AM. “Mid-morning,” I answered. “Call me if I’m not awake by 10.”

“I’ll sound the alarms,” said the AI.

I tossed the pad on the dresser and sat on the bed, sinking into the tiny mattress. I’d have to leave tomorrow for this job. Escort some religious nut to her cult. Not the most exciting work for a Renegade, but simple enough.

* * *

I met Ollie at the airlock outside my ship. “Morning, Jace,” he said with a joyful expression.

“Where’s the nun? Let’s get this over with,” I said.

“Never the morning person, eh?” asked Ollie. “Don’t worry, she’s already inside the ship. Siggy’s keeping her company.”

I squeezed my hand, ready to knock some sense into him. “You let a stranger into my ship? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

He scratched his ear and gave an awkward smile. “I told her it was a bad idea. I even said you’d get pissed, but she told me the sooner she boarded, the quicker you could leave.”

“I don’t care if it takes us half a day to get off this goddamn station, you don’t ever let anyone on The Star without me being here. You got me, Ollie?”

“Yeah, yeah, I got you. Seriously, though, Jace, she’s gorgeous. You gotta see.” He raised his brow and gave me a knowing look.

“Ollie, I swear to gods.” I walked past him and through the airlock.

“I’ll see you when you get back!” Ollie called from behind me.

I glanced behind me as I walked. “See you later, pal.”

“Good morning, sir,” said Siggy, once I entered the inner corridor.

“What’s the status on our passenger? She in the lounge?”

“The cargo bay, actually,” said Sigmond.

“What for?”

“Ms. Pryar wishes to remain in close proximity to her belongings.”

“Pryar?” I said. “Was that her name?”

“Yes, sir. Did you read the report?”

“Sure, the sections that mattered. Her name wasn’t part of the job.”

“If you say so, sir. Shall I have her meet you on the bridge?”

“No,” I said, passing by the lounge. “I want to see what she’s carrying.”

My ship wasn’t huge, but it had enough space to house several people and a fair bit of cargo. Depending who you were and where you came from, The Renegade Star was either massive and beautiful or a flaming pile of floating garbage. Either way, I didn’t care. My baby kept me alive and got the job done.

The walk from the airlock to the cargo bay was short, saying nothing as I entered the familiar space. The woman stood beside a large, plain-looking crate. “You must be the nun,” I said, plainly.

She turned to look at me, wearing the same garments from the picture I’d seen in Ollie’s shop. They still covered most of her body, keeping her hair out of sight.

However, what she did let people see was beautiful. Large, brown eyes, a thin nose, and a fair complexion. It was a mix of natural beauty and proper grooming. I wondered, briefly, what she might look like in a normal outfit.

“You must be the thug,” she mocked, turning her back to me. “Are we leaving? I’d like to depart as soon as possible.”

“I got that impression when you barged into my ship.”

“I didn’t barge anywhere. Your employer let me in. Besides, would you rather I take my time or do you want to get this over with and get paid?”

I scoffed. “Did you just call Ollie my employer?”

“Isn’t he?” she asked.

“That little runt doesn’t employ anyone except himself. I’m a freelancer.”

“Call yourself whatever you want. Now, can we get going?”

I glanced at the massive crate at her feet. It was about two meters long, half-a-meter wide. “What’s in the box?”

“Supplies for my church,” she answered, frankly.

“Care to open it?” I asked.

Her eyes widened. “Excuse me?”

“Something wrong?” I walked to the side of the crate. “I can’t carry this unless I know what it is.”

“That’s not a possibility.”

“Why the hell not?”

“There are perishables inside. If I break the seal, they’ll ruin within a few days. The seal has to stay intact until I get home.”

“So, food? That’s what you’re carrying?”

“Food and medicine,” she explained. “Our congregation placed an order and I was sent to bring it back.” She reached into her side pocket and withdrew a pad. “You can see the order form here.”

I took the device and read it over. The document looked authentic, as far as I could tell. “Seems right,” I said, handing it back. “Okay, go take a seat in the lounge while I get us clear of the dock.”

“With all due respect, I’d rather wait here until we arrive.”

“You want to stay in the cargo hold? What for?”

“I take my work quite seriously. I can’t leave the church’s supplies unattended.”

I laughed. “You think someone’s gonna steal your box? You realize it’s just you and me on this ship, don’t you? That box isn’t going anywhere.”

“Nevertheless, I’m staying with it.”

“Fine, then you can find another ship,” I said.

“Excuse me?”

“There aren’t any seats in here, which means there’s no safety harnesses. You go flying and bash your head, what am I supposed to do? I’d have to deal with a whole mess of paperwork, not to mention the mess you’d leave behind.”

“I can’t just—”

“You fly with me, you follow the rules. Stick your ass in the lounge or take your box and go. It’s one or the other. No compromises.”

She looked at the crate, clearly concerned. “I can’t wait for another ship.”

“Do what I say and you won’t have to. That’s the price of admission.”

She paused. “Fine. I’ll wait in the lounge, but only until we’re clear of the station. That’s acceptable, isn’t it?”

“Whatever stirs your pot, lady. Spend the trip in this room all you want, just not when we’re arriving or departing.” I shook my head and turned to leave. “It seems like a lot of trouble just for a stupid box, if you ask me.”

Four

“We’re away from Taurus Station, sir,” informed Sigmond. “Setting course for Arcadia System.”

“Good, now let’s see about our passenger,” I said, pulling up the security feed in the lounge. To my surprise, the nun was nowhere to be found.

“She’s already on the move, heading back to the cargo bay,” said Sigmond.

The display changed automatically to the woman’s location. She was now standing firmly beside her crate, lording over it. “She’s a loony one, isn’t she?” I said, observing her.

“You did tell her she could return once we left the station. She stayed seated until we were clear.”

“Whose side are you on?” I asked.

“Apologies,” said the AI.

Truth was, I didn’t have a reason for ordering her to stay seated in the lounge, but whenever I had a new passenger, I made it a point to put my foot down right at the start. They had to know I was in charge, just in case something went south. Maybe the engines blew, maybe we ran into a nasty fight. Whatever the case, they needed to do as I said. Best way to make that happen was to enforce my authority early on.

Lucky for the nun, I didn’t foresee any major snags. The trip was a straight shot from Taurus Station to Arcadia, less than sixteen Union standard hours. We’d be there within a day. A quick in-and-out job for me, which was perfect.

Once I made the drop, I’d call Ollie and see if any other jobs came in. If none had, I’d have to put in requests to every other agent I knew about, which wasn’t something I did very often. If that failed, I’d have to figure something else out. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, I thought.

I watched the nun in the video as she stood, almost motionless, like a guardian statue beside her valued cargo. I was certain she was lying about its contents. I could see it on her face when she gave me that story. Whatever was in there, it wasn’t just food and medical supplies. “Siggy, see if you can run a scan on our new friend’s cargo.”

“Proceeding. Just one moment.”

I tapped my finger on the console. I’d never worked with any religious folks before. The only exposure I had with any church was when I was a homeless kid on Epsy. I remembered a priest named Shiggorath walking around the city, handing out pamphlets. He first ignored and then condemned me when I asked for some of his lunch, and that didn’t sit right with me. After following him home, I waited for him to leave, then broke in and stole whatever I could carry. He called the police that same day and they found me drunk on his brandy. I was tossed in juvenile detention the next day.

After that, I didn’t have to worry about food or clothes again for two years. They even taught me to read and write. Not a bad deal when I thought about it.

“Scan complete,” said Sigmond, snapping me out of my thoughts. “No results.”

I leaned forward in my seat. “What do you mean?”

“The box is lined with an ultrathin layer of Neutronium, preventing me from examining its cargo.”

“Did you just say Neutronium?” I asked.

“Indeed, sir.”

My mouth hung open as I sat there, staring at the nun and her box. Neutronium was an exceptionally rare type of metal, used primarily by the Union for both research and military purposes. Most scanners couldn’t even tell the difference between it and normal steel, but every decent Renegade kept their records up to date, just in case something like this happened. You never knew what piece of information would come in handy on a mission.

Whoever this woman on my ship was, she certainly wasn’t your average nun. Not if she had access to Neutronium, of all things.

“Do we have a way of getting through the metal?” I asked.

“There is no known method, according to my database. I could search the Galactic Net for more information, if you would prefer,” said Sigmond.

“No, forget it,” I said.

I sat there for a long moment, debating what to do. After a while, I stood and began to leave. “Siggy, standby to perform another scan, but wait for my signal. Use the earpiece, too.” I tapped the side of my head. “Got it?”

“Of course,” said the AI, and I heard his voice in my ear this time.

“Time to go see what our passenger is trying to hide.”

* * *

I entered the cargo bay and spotted Abigail next to her precious crate, standing quietly with her hands in front of her waist. “I see you couldn’t wait to come back here,” I asked, making my way down the stairs to the lower platform.

She turned, a surprised look on her face. “You said I could—”

“I know what I said. Sit with your box. Do what you want. Just stay away from my stuff, you got it?” I motioned at the stack of supplies in the back of the bay. “I’ve got a lot of important shit down here, you know.”

I walked over to my personal locker, opening it and removing an old hat, which I proceeded to wear. “Looks good, right?”

“I assure you, I’ve no interest in your things,” she said, turning away from me. She stood there a moment, then glanced down at the crate.

I returned the hat and shut the locker. Leaning against the nearby metal beam, I crossed my arms and eyed her brown and gray tunic. “You mind if I ask you a question?”

“What?” she said, clearly distracted.

I reached into my pocket and took out a piece of rock candy, then tossed it back. Everyone had a vice. Mine was rock candy, those little hard fruity-flavored candies they made for old people and kids. “I said, can I ask you a question, lady?”

“Oh,” she said, finally understanding. “I suppose so.”

“What’s with the whole church thing?” I asked, sucking on the delicious cherry sweet.

“Excuse me?” she asked, almost offended.

“The church thing. Whatever this is about.” I motioned at her entire outfit. “What’s the story there?”

“I’m not sure I know what you mean. I’m a devout follower of the church. My mission is to serve the teachings of our order as best as I—”

“Yeah, I get all that,” I said, waving my hand at her. “I’m asking, why? What makes someone go and join the church?” I bit down into the candy, breaking it. “Your church is in the middle of the Deadlands. I read about it last night. It’s not even considered a real religion by most people. How did a girl like you get swept up in such a nutty organization?”

“Excuse me?” she said, her look shifting from one of confusion to offense. “What right do you have to ask me such questions? You’re nothing but a brigand.”

“I certainly am,” I said, laughing at the insult. “You know what? never mind. It’s none of my business.”

She looked at the crate again, saying nothing.

“Guess I’ll leave you to it,” I said, and started to leave. “Although, I do have one other question, if you can spare me a second.”

She didn’t bother to look at me. “What is it?”

I swallowed what remained of my candy. “What’s a woman like you doing with Neutronium?”

She froze at the question, her fingers going stiff at the mention of the last word. She knew exactly what I was talking about, no doubt about it. She must understand how this looked.

“I’m waiting,” I said.

She finally turned around. Her face was serious, more than it had been before. “I don’t know what you mean.”

I looked at the crate, then again at her. “Is that right?”

She nodded, slowly.

“Your box is lined with one of the rarest materials in the galaxy, but you don’t know anything about it?”

“Even if I did,” she said. “It’s none of your business, sir.”

“See, normally I might be inclined to agree with you,” I said, taking a step to the right, moving closer to the box. “But right now, I’m thinking you lied to me when you boarded this ship. I’m thinking whatever’s in that crate, it isn’t food or medicine.” I took another step. “I’m thinking it’s something I should be aware of.”

“What I told you was the truth. I bought this crate from a shop in Cretos. I had no idea—”

A light tapping sound filled the cargo hold, and I froze in place. It was very light, but also close.

“Is something wrong?” asked the nun.

I held up my finger to quiet her.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Abigail and I made eye contact right as my hand slid down to my holster. I held the butt of my pistol.

“What is that?” I muttered, looking down at the crate.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The nun’s eyes widened. “Nothing!”

“It doesn’t sound like nothing,” I said, stepping forward.

“Wait a second!” she insisted, holding out her hands.

“There’s something inside that thing, isn’t there?” I asked, drawing my gun, not aiming it.

“It’s an animal,” she blurted out.

“Is that right?” I asked.

“Please, leave it alone,” begged Abigail. “You don’t—”

I raised the gun, showing it to her. “Keep pushing me, lady. I swear, I won’t think twice about spacing you and your weird box.” I pushed the gun forward, motioning with the barrel. “Back up.”

She did as I ordered, giving me room. “Please, don’t do anything rash!”

“You try anything and I might,” I said. The crate had a locking mechanism on it with a touchpad. “What’s the code?”

“Please, you can’t open that. It’s not—”

I tapped the side of my pistol. “I said, what’s the code? Don’t make me ask again.”

“It’s not that kind of lock,” she said, nervously.

“Then, what kind is it?”

“You…need my thumbprint. I’m the only one who can do it.”

I lowered the gun and motioned for her to get on with it.

She edged her way closer to me and the crate, bending down to look at the lock. “Oh, this is no good,” she said. “There’s something wrong with it.”

“What are you talking about? Open the damn box,” I said.

She threw a hand up in frustration. “I can’t! Look for yourself.”

I leaned in to see what she was pointing at. The screen looked exactly the same as before. “I don’t see any—”

Before I could get the words out, a hand flew up and snagged my wrist, moving it to the side. At the same time, I felt a jab in my gut.

Abigail was so fast, I had little time to react. Spit flew from my mouth as the blow struck me, and I gasped.

With the nun on her feet and holding my wrist, I pressed forward, shoving my knee into her bulky tunic and hitting her in the chest. She took the hit like a beast, surprising me, and tried to go for my neck.

I used my one free hand to grab hers. We struggled with one another, hand-in-hand. “What kind of nun are you?” I balked. Using my weight, I pulled her to the floor, slamming the woman on her back. She didn’t scream or cry, but kept those determined eyes locked on me.

“You’re pretty tough,” I said, pinning her.

“Let go!” she snapped.

“Not until you open the box,” I said.

She tried to position her leg beneath me, but I used my knee to lock her down.

Just then, I heard a click from behind us, coming from the crate. I looked to see the lid cracking open, condensation rising from within.

That was when I felt the nun’s hand slip free of mine and hit me straight in the cheek. My face went numb from the slap, and it jarred me for a moment.

“Get off me!” she demanded, and for whatever reason, I did.

She let go of my other wrist and scurried over to the crate, leaving me with a red face and sitting on my ass. I still had my pistol, though it wasn’t raised.

Abigail opened the lid to the box, letting a cloud of steam rise into the air. I eased up to my feet and leaned forward, eyeing the contents of the cargo. To my shock, I saw a figure—a girl with white hair, pale skin, and blue eyes—breathing steadily. A thick tube stuck out of her mouth, running into the back of the box.

The nun eased the tube out of the girl’s mouth and throat. The girl responded by coughing erratically. She had green slime dripping out of her nose—a residue from the tubes.

Abigail helped her sit up and began rubbing her back until she vomited the contents of her stomach. It was standard for cryo-sleep patients, although I had only seen it a handful of times. Cryo-sleep wasn’t common, except in extreme medical situations.

“Someone wanna tell me just what the hell is going on?” I asked, still gripping my pistol. I wouldn’t use it against a helpless kid, but holstering it would be stupid.

The nun didn’t answer. She swept her finger through the girl’s hair, pushing it behind her shoulder. With the sleeve of her tunic, she wiped the girl’s mouth and nose. “There, there,” she whispered.

The albino child shivered in the cold, her eyes half-asleep. She opened her mouth to say something, although it was so light I couldn’t hear it.

“Did you hear what I said?” I asked. “Who is that? You’d better start talking, woman.”

“Her name is Lex,” said Abigail.

The girl licked her lips. “Did we make it?” she asked, her voice finally audible.

Abigail shook her head. “I’m sorry. Not yet.”

“Why am I awake?”

The nun turned to me. “Can you get a blanket, please?”

“Not until you tell me just what the fuck is going on,” I barked.

The fire in Abigail’s eyes had dissipated, replaced by a gentleness I hadn’t seen before. “Please,” she begged again, nothing but concern in her voice.

I stood there, not certain what to do. I looked at the girl in front of me. She couldn’t be more than ten years old. No matter what circumstances had brought her to be in this position, no matter how outrageous the story, the fact remained she was just a kid.

I went to the nearby locker and took out a blanket, then handed it to the nun. “Here.”

She took the blanket and wrapped it around the half-naked child. “Thank you.”

With my hand still on the pistol, I leaned against the back wall, observing the two of them.

The girl leaned into Abigail’s chest as she wrapped the blanket around her side. As she did, I could see the outline of a marking—no, a series of blue shapes along her side. They looked like tattoos.

“You’d better start talking,” I said.

“It’s complicated,” said Abigail. “And frankly, none of your business.”

“You bring a frozen girl on my ship, it becomes my business.”

She ignored me, and looked at Lex instead. “Sorry about this, but the lock broke. You’ll have to stay awake until we get there.”

“Will I be safe if I do?” asked the girl.

“I promise you will,” said Abigail.

“Hold on a second,” I said. “Don’t go making any promises to a kid like that. I’m about ready to drop you both off at the nearest station I find. Hell, maybe I’ll just go back to Taurus and dump you where I found you.”

Abigail furrowed her brow at me. “What about our deal? The whole reason I hired you was because Renegades will do any job they’re offered.”

“I’m not sure where you get your info, lady, but every Renegade is different. There’s jobs I’ll take and there’s jobs I won’t.”

“So, you won’t help us?” she asked.

“Look, it isn’t even that you lied going into this,” I said. “I don’t actually mind that part. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t carrying a bomb or something.” I motioned at the girl. “But you’ve got a kid stashed in a box. What am I supposed to think?”

“It’s not like that,” she insisted.

Lex coughed, looking up at me with an exhausted expression. “Please, don’t be mean to Abby.”

“Abby?” I said, glancing at the nun.

The two of them stared back at me. I could sense their desperation. The need to survive, to keep going. If I didn’t get them home, they might not have a second chance.

The truth was, I’d already decided not to toss them, but they didn’t have to know that. Let them worry for a few more seconds about what the heartless Renegade was about to do.

“Tell me everything,” I said, holstering my pistol. “You do that and maybe I’ll take you the rest of the way.”

“It’s complicated,” said Abigail.

I scoffed. “A fighting nun smuggles a frozen girl on my ship and tells me it’s complicated. Lady, how much worse can it get?”

Five

A lot worse, it turned out.

“Repeat that for me, one more time,” I said, trying to process what I had just heard. “Because it sounded like you said you had the Union after you.”

“That’s right,” said Abigail.

“The Union,” I repeated. “The largest and most expansive government in thirty-two systems. The one with the most advanced military fleet in known space. That Union?”

She nodded.

“What did you do to piss them off? Aren’t you supposed to be a holy woman? Or maybe you’re some kind of assassin with all those moves you threw down on me a minute ago.”

Abigail got to her feet. “I’m a lot of things, Captain.”

“That much is clear,” I remarked.

I wanted to turn and walk away from her right then, and maybe I should have, but I also wanted to congratulate her. I was no fan of the Union, by any means. They made my job more difficult every month with all their bullshit regulations and new laws, constantly encroaching on Deadland space and other territories that were supposed to be outside their authority. Half the reason anyone lived in those sectors was to avoid their massive oversight, only they were always pushing things. Always threatening to come in and wipe us all out.

Being a Renegade, an outlaw, was never as hard as it was right now. Not when the universe’s biggest dictatorship decided to tell people how to live their lives, even when they weren’t a part of their empire. Some believed it wouldn’t be long until those bastards consumed the whole of humanity under their unified reach. All the free men and women, all the Renegades and independent colonies, would end up being nothing more than Union slaves, probably in the next few years.

If that happened, I’d have to change my name and find a new career.

Maybe something in agriculture. I always liked farming.

“Look,” she began to say, but stopped herself, looking at Lex. She paused before continuing. “Let’s talk in the hall, please.”

I shrugged. “Whatever you say, Your Holiness.”

We walked into the hall and left the weird-looking albino kid alone in her box.

She’d be fine. Probably.

Once we were out of earshot, I leaned against the corridor and said, “So, what’s the story?”

“Before I tell you, it’s important for you to understand the this may implicate you. Everything we’re caught up in could come back on you, Mr. Hughes.”

“Just get on with it,” I said, unphazed.

“Fine. The short answer,” began the nun, “is that a division inside the Union has been abducting children. They’ve stolen them from across known space, from dozens of Union worlds, even a few outer-rim colonies, and, I’m not certain how much you know about the government, but—”

“Enough to believe what you’re saying is probably true,” I said, not ashamed of the hate I had for the government. I’d spent time with Union officers on several occasions. Most of it involved me getting shot at. I had no love for any of them.

“Good,” she answered. “Those people have been doing this for years. The tests they’re using on those children are complicated, so I won’t get into it, but trust me when I say that Lex is lucky to be alive.”

“Okay, so how did you get involved with a kid like that?” I asked.

“Someone in the department reached out to my congregation. They told us about the children, specifically about Lex, and we intervened. With the help of our contact, we managed to smuggle her out of the compound. We’ve traveled twelve systems to get this far, and now we’re almost there.”

“Twelve systems? That’s three weeks of slipspace. Did she stay in the box the entire time?”

“For most of it. We had to refill the cryogenic fuel a few days ago, so we stopped at Taurus Station. I rented a room until you took the contract.”

“Worst mistake I’ve made this week,” I said. “And that’s saying something.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“You’re sorry? I started this trip with just one crazy nun and now I’m stuck looking after some kid. You should be paying me double, trying to sneak a stowaway aboard like that.”

“Double? Are you serious?”

“You paid for one ticket, not two. How is it fair to let that kid ride for free? This isn’t a charity.”

I expected anger, some sort of outburst at the notion of more money.

Only her eyes were soft and easy now, less angry than before. She seemed to accept what I was saying, like it made sense to her, or maybe she just didn’t care. “Take us the rest of the way and the church will pay the rest. How does that sound to you?”

“Like a smart move on your end,” I said, picturing the ten thousand credits I’d have at the conclusion of this trip.

I didn’t like manipulating a nun for extras creds, but with Fratley breathing down my neck, I didn’t have much choice. He was pushing hard for payment and I was running out of time. If I had to be a little mean to get it done, then I’d do what I had to.

Ten thousand wouldn’t cover much of the debt I owed, but it was certainly better than five.

“Does that mean you’ll fulfill the agreement?” she asked.

“Don’t worry, lady. I’ll get you to where you need to go. You just worry about paying me that money. That’s your real job. Getting those credits. You got that?”

“I do, Captain,” she said, taking a step back into the cargo bay.

“Call me Jace,” I told her.

She didn’t say another word. She simply returned to the little girl in the box. The albino child with the porcelain hair and the blue tattoos, who looked like the most innocent thing in the galaxy.

* * *

I sat in the lounge, staring at the little girl and her guardian nun as they slurped on some expired soup from my pantry.

Neither seemed to speak much, and when they did it was usually a short whisper.

Maybe they didn’t want me to hear anything or maybe they just weren’t talkers. Either way was fine with me, I decided. I liked the awkward quiet moments. They reminded me we weren’t friends.

They also kept me alert.

“Sir, may I have a moment of your time?” asked Sigmond, piercing my ear like a cawing bird in the early morning.

“Right now, Siggy?” I blurted out. “What is it?”

Both of the females looked at me. I had forgotten that Sigmond’s voice was coming through my earpiece rather than the overhead speakers.

“Just a second,” I told them. “Small alert from the system. No big deal.”

Abigail’s expression didn’t change, but I could see her fingers pressing into the table. The sudden outburst of mine had made her tense. No real surprise when I considered who she was running from.

I leaned back in my seat, placing my arms behind my head, staring at her in the most obnoxiously relaxed way I could. “What’s up, Siggy? Got something for me?”

“We’re reaching our first S.G. point,” said the AI. “Shall I prepare to raise the cloak?”

“Sure. Can’t be too careful,” I said.

Abigail kept her eyes on mine. “Is everything all right?”

“We’re about to hit a S.G. Point, so I was confirming with the ship’s AI. Don’t worry about it.”

“S.G. Point?” asked the girl, her eyes perking up.

I felt a pain in my stomach. I was so hungry. When was the last time I ate? This morning? “Siggy, do we have any of that Artesian bread left over?”

“I’m afraid not, sir.”

“Damn it. I could’ve sworn we did. What am I supposed to eat? More soup?”

“What’s an S.G. point?” Lex said again, apparently not satisfied.

“It’s where the ship comes out of slipspace,” explained Abigail. “Only for a moment, though. Don’t worry.”

“Actually, that’s only part of it,” I said, only because I wanted to make the nun feel stupid.

“She doesn’t need the full definition,” said Abigail, giving me a look.

I ignored her, naturally. “It’s called a Slip Gap Point. You know what slipspace is, kid?”

The girl nodded.

“Well, we use those tunnels to get around, but sometimes on long trips you have to leave one to enter another. It’s like short pitstop. You follow?”

“I think so,” said Lex.

“Right, so we just need to go back into normal space for a minute or three, then we’ll launch into another slip. No big deal.”

“Why can’t we use the same tunnel until we get there?” asked Lex.

“Because not all of them go to the same place,” I said.

“Oh! Are they like roads?”

I nodded. “Sure, kid.” I took a drink of my beer, then looked at Abigail. “Better not be any Union ships when we come out, either.”

“I wouldn’t expect any. We’ve been exceptionally careful.”

“Not enough,” I said, taking another gulp of alcohol. “I found you out, didn’t I?”

“You were lucky.”

“Or you were sloppy,” I said, forming the shape of a gun with my finger. I aimed at her and pretended to fire. “Either way, it doesn’t matter. All that really matters is that it happened. You were found out.”

“What’s your point?” she asked, staring at my finger.

“That anything can happen, Ms. Pryar. None of us are ever safe.”

* * *

The space between Taurus Station and Arcadia was riddled with all manner of unsavory sorts. That included pirates, smugglers, ravagers, and anyone else trying to avoid the eye of the Union. In other words, people like myself. I knew this stretch of space better than most, so I was aware enough to avoid staying in one spot for too long.

Countless jobs had me flying through this cluster of systems, which meant I had to be prepared for a multitude of dangerous possibilities. That was why I had the cloak installed in the first place, despite the costly overhead. I paid double the price of my actual ship for this thing, but it had saved my skin more times than I could count. At this point, I wasn’t sure what I’d do without it.

We arrived out of the slip tunnel and back into normal space before long. “Initiating cloak,” announced Sigmond.

I sat in the cockpit with the tracker on, checking to see who was around. The display showed a handful of ships positioned a short distance from us. This was not uncommon, since S.G. Points were often used as rest areas with traveling merchants setting up temporary shops to sell their goods. Unfortunately for us, I could already see this was not the case.

“I’m reading three ships,” I said, examining the tracker.

“It appears they are ravagers,” said Sigmond. “Amber class.”

“So, small ones,” I responded.

“Shall I fire a warning shot?”

“Is the cloak up?” I asked.

“It is,” said Sigmond.

“Then, wait,” I said. “They should know better than to mess with a cloaked ship.”

“I believe you give people too much credit, sir.”

I was about to tell Siggy he was wrong when one of the ships fired blindly at our position. I watched as the shot missed us and faded into the darkness of space. A quick glance at the tracker showed all three ships continuing toward us. “Here we go,” I said.

“The enemy is using a hyperion shield generator. Be warned that our cannons will be ineffective at long-range.”

“Great,” I said, grabbing the controls. Hyperion shield generators were a massive pain in the ass because they could encompass an entire squad of ships, shielding all of them at once. We would have to pinpoint which of the three had the generator onboard and then get in close enough to perform an accurate strike.

I activated The Renegade Star’s thrusters briefly, giving us some momentum before I cut throttle. The Star drifted forward, through the enemy formation as they continued firing blindly at the place we’d just left.

“Your orders, sir?” asked Sigmond.

“Wait until we’re inside their shield. Once we’re close enough, hit the one with the generator with the quad cannons.”

“Understood,” said Sigmond. “Entering enemy shield space in four seconds.”

“Don’t miss,” I muttered. “And as soon as we down them, open a tunnel and move. You hear me, Siggy?”

“I hear you, sir.”

I waited for the red light on my dash to turn green, indicating that we were close enough. I moved us behind the ship so that we were facing their exhaust. It was the weakest section of a ravager ship, by far, and it would give us the best chance.

The yellow light for the cannons came on, showing they were primed. “Preparing to fire,” Sigmond said.

“Do it.”

My seat vibrated as a series of missiles left The Renegade Star’s cannons and struck the ravager vessel, ripping it apart. The ship exploded, sending chunks of debris forward into the void, a large piece of which nearly hit one of the others in the nose. The remaining two began to turn, and as they did, I fired again, directly through the field of debris, hitting several pieces of the destroyed ship, but also managing to strike the second in the wing.

He came forward, activating his thrusters, attempting to maneuver through his deceased comrade’s remains. He must have figured that the debris would give him cover, but the same was true for me.

I released a mine, then activated my cloak and moved away from my current position, dropping thrusters as soon as I was able. The enemy ship approached my last position as it left the debris field, unaware of my actions.

As the ship activated its thrusters again, the mine attached itself to the ravager’s hull, latching on and activating.

The explosion split the ship into three pieces, keeping the forward section intact. The pilot might actually survive this encounter, if he was lucky enough to be rescued.

But I wouldn’t be the one to do it.

Before I could set my sights on the third ship, a shot came at me, grazing the side of my shield. Nothing to be concerned about. I responded with two of my own. The first hit the ravager in the upper hull, doing little damage, but the second managed to blast his weapons system, leaving him defenseless.

“Enemy ships disabled,” said Sigmond.

I was able to fire again when the vessel turned toward the tunnel and performed a slip, disappearing and leaving me behind.

“There he goes,” I muttered.

“Shall I pursue?” asked Sigmond.

“No, let him go,” I said. “He’s done.”

There was a bang on the cockpit door. “Mr. Hughes!” came a muffled voice from the other side. “What’s going on out there?”

“Quiet down, nun,” I said, ignoring the question.

“It sounded like we were hit by something. Are we under attack?”

I went and opened the door to find the woman standing with her arms crossed. “A few ravagers tried to ambush us when we came out of slipspace,” I told her. “I took care of it. Relax.”

“Took care of it?” she repeated. “You mean you killed them.”

“That’s one way to put it, sure,” I said, tapping my chin. “Another would be that I saved your life.”

“Or nearly got us killed,” she said.

“Either way, we’re still alive, and ain’t that what matters?” I asked, giving her a smirk. I turned my head, glancing back to the front of the cockpit. “Siggy? You ready?”

“And waiting, sir,” he responded.

“Let’s hit it.”

I felt the ship rattle and, together with Abigail, I watched as a swirling blue light formed outside the cockpit window, expanding as we began to move into it. In a few seconds, we were inside, riding the currents of the slip, moving toward our final destination.

Six

We arrived in the Arcadia system, almost on time. To my surprise, the ravager ambush hadn’t actually slowed us down that much.

When we came out of slipspace, I could sense the relief on Abigail’s face. Her mission, as she saw it, was nearly at its end. I knew the feeling well, having performed so many jobs of my own, crossing borders with smuggled cargo, stealing precious items of interest from rich guys like Emmerson, and even ferrying crazy nuns from one corner of the galaxy to another. I always got that feeling of satisfaction when the goal was in view. I never fully let myself relax, because that would be shortsighted and stupid, but having most of the job behind me was always a good feeling. For Abigail, in this moment, she had to feel like all her efforts had been worth it. All the bullshit she had to go through was finally justified.

As we neared the planet, a representative of the church hailed me. “Incoming vessel, please identify yourself.”

“You first,” I said, deciding I wanted to be an asshole to this guy for no reason.

“This is Deacon Castiel. I am with the Church of the Home—”

“Thanks. I’m just here to drop off your nun,” I said.

“To whom are you referring, sir?” asked Castiel.

“You know, the one who stole the little girl from the government and stuffed her in a freezer. Sound familiar? I hope it does or I might have to turn back around.”

There was a short pause on the com before Castiel responded. “Y-Yes, sir! I’m so sorry. Please land at the following coordinates.”

“Why, thank you,” I said, tapping the bobblehead on my dash and watching its pink head bounce.

“Shall I inform the passengers of our arrival?” asked Sigmond.

“Might as well. Make sure you remind the nun she has to pay me,” I said, but paused. “Actually, I’ll tell her. Think you can handle landing The Star?”

“Don’t I always?” he asked.

I left the cockpit and went straight to the lounge. I found Abigail sitting on the side of a padded bench seat, with the girl on the floor in front of her. It looked like she was doing something to her hair. “Hey, both of you,” I said, grabbing their attention. “It’s time to go.”

“We’ve arrived?” asked Abigail.

“Sigmond’s bringing us down. Make sure you’re ready when the doors open.”

Lex turned and looked at Abigail. “Are we really there?”

“It seems so,” said the nun.

“Finally!” exclaimed the girl. She sprang to her feet, bursting with sudden energy, a look of excitement in her eyes.

“Save that for when you’re off the ship, kid,” I said.

“We’ll be ready soon,” said Abigail.

“Good, and don’t forget to have my money ready,” I said.

“You’ll have your payment, Mr. Hughes,” said the woman. “I can promise you that.”

* * *

I was surprised when I saw the church’s landing bay. For being a religious organization out in the middle of nowhere, they certainly had some decent infrastructure. The design looked professionally built, but dated. Several decades old, I guessed, maybe more. This sort of setup wasn’t uncommon for docking stations this far out. It was hard to find contractors outside of Union space. When you did, they generally overcharged for services.

“Please follow me,” said a grown man in a silly outfit. Some sort of priest, I imagined. His clothes were similar to Abigail’s, but less elegant. Jewels hung from around his neck like he wanted me to know he was something special.

“Where to?” I asked, glancing back at Abigail, who was dragging her suitcase and having a hard time of it.

“The council will want to speak with you,” said the man leading us.

“What about you?” I asked the nun, ignoring the escort.

“Lex and I have to go and meet with them first, separately,” she said, frustrated by her luggage. She stopped and finally picked the bag up and carried it with both arms.

I didn’t bother asking why the Council wanted to meet with us separately, because I already knew. In the event that I was dangerous or couldn’t be trusted, they couldn’t have me there, not until they fully debriefed the nun. “Whatever works,” I said, then looked at the robed individual in front of me. “What else can you tell me about this Council, buddy?”

“The Council oversees all church matters, including those involving outsiders. You will need to meet with them to discuss your payment as well as any other matters they wish to cover.”

“I don’t have time for an inquisition. Just give me my money and I’ll be on my way.”

“If you want your payment, you’ll need to see them,” he said.

Lex ran up beside Abigail. “Can I stay with Mr. Hughes?”

“I’m sorry, Lex, but we have to go on our own for now. Besides, I’m certain Captain Hughes would rather handle things himself.”

“You’re not wrong about that,” I said.

Lex frowned. “Mr. Hughes is more fun than priests.”

I looked back at her. “You ain’t wrong about that one, kid. These weirdos wouldn’t know fun if it bit them in the ass.”

Abigail and Lex took a separate corridor as we entered the facility. I, however, continued to follow the man in the dress. He led me to a large hall with thick pillars, like something from an old painting. I didn’t spend much time in holy places, so the whole sight made me uncomfortable. Maybe it was my hedonistic tendencies, because I couldn’t shake the feeling I didn’t belong here.

“Right this way,” said the escort as he opened a massive set of wooden doors. “The Council will arrive within the hour. Please wait here until the appointed time.”

“You expect me to sit around for an hour?”

He gave me a look that said he was growing irritated with me, then shut the door, leaving me alone. My thumb brushed the butt of my pistol. I didn’t like being trapped.

The room itself was circular, not a single corner on the walls, and the furniture was sparse, with only a few seats and two tables along the back half. I sat behind one of them, already bored, throwing my feet up and leaning back.

In seconds, I felt the weight of sleep pulling me down. I didn’t fight it, and instead let myself drift. If I was going to sit in this room with nothing to do, I might as well catch up on some sleep.

* * *

I opened my eyes to the sound of a door opening, scanning the room for intruders and clutching my pistol.

Several people entered through a secondary door, each with brown and silver robes. I watched as they walked to the rear table and took their seats, each of them staring at me.

“Hey,” I said, waving slightly, my feet still on the nearby table.

“Thank you for coming,” said the centermost councilmember, a woman with gray hair. She looked to be in her late seventies, if I had to guess. “My name is Sister Loralin.”

I put my feet back on the floor, feeling pins and needles as the blood returned to my toes. “Nice to meet you,” I said, unenthusiastically. “The guy outside said you wanted to speak with me about my money.”

“That’s right,” she said, glancing at the other four people beside her. “We’d like to thank you for helping to deliver our cargo. We heard you ran into some trouble along the way.”

“By cargo, I assume you mean the kid, but yeah, we hit a snag with some ravagers. My ship took some heavy damage, so I hope I get paid what I’m due.”

“Sister Abigail informed us of your agreement. Rest assured you will be properly compensated.” Loralin raised her hand, showing me a small pad. “As you said, you encountered some trouble, so we will raise your payment. How does fifteen thousand credits sound?”

“Fair,” I said.

She tapped the screen. “The funds have now been transferred to your account, as promised. You have done us a great service and we appreciate it.”

I pulled out my own device and checked my account. Sure enough, I now had an extra fifteen thousand credits. “Fantastic.”

“Now that we’ve concluded that exchange, I hope you’re willing to listen to another proposition.”

“Huh?” I looked up at her. “What kind of proposition? You have another job?”

“We do, indeed,” said a second councilman. He wore a large set of glasses and had graying red hair.

“What’s it pay?” I asked, cutting straight to it.

Sister Loralin looked at her associates. “Double the previous one.”

“Thirty thousand?” I asked. I hadn’t had a job that paid so well in months. “What did you have in mind?”

“We need a capable pilot with a defensive ship,” said the woman. “Someone to protect our vessel, should the journey prove hazardous.”

“Where exactly are you trying to go?” I asked.

She hesitated to answer.

“I can’t help if you don’t tell me.”

“Epsilon,” Loralin finally answered.

I recognized the name immediately. The Epsilon system was one of the most dangerous in the Deadlands. You had to travel through a whole mess of problems just to get there. “You realize that system is in ravager territory, right?”

“Which is why we’re asking you to help us,” she said.

I considered the proposition for a moment. “How many people are you involving here?”

“Excuse me?” asked Loralin.

“What’s the headcount on this trip? Are you sending a dozen people? Twenty? Fifty? Give me a number.”

“That is undecided,” said the man with the glasses.

“Okay, how about a rough estimate?”

“Possibly fifteen to twenty, but the number could increase,” he answered.

“Think you could drop that to four or five?”

“For what purpose?” he asked.

“Just answer the question. Can you do it or not?”

The man glanced at Loralin, who gave him a slight nod. “We could if the situation called for such a thing, I suppose.”

“Good, because that’s almost certainly the only way you’ll be able to make this nonsense work.”

“What do you mean?” asked Loralin.

“You’re not taking your own ship. We’ll be using mine and nothing else, and I don’t have room enough for all those people.”

The man with the glasses scoffed. “Why would we only use one ship?”

“You don’t have a cloak,” I said, matter-of-factly. “I do, and it’s the only way to move freely through ravager territory without being spotted. You take anything else in there and you’ll be asking for trouble.”

Loralin’s eyes widened. “Your vessel has the ability to cloak itself?”

“It does indeed,” I said.

The man gave me a curious expression. “Where did you acquire it? I thought only the Union had access to cloaks.”

He was right. The Union spent more money on defense than any other governing body in the galaxy. The only reason I managed to find a cloaking device was because I borrowed a small fortune from a thug.

“Doesn’t matter where I got it,” I told them. “What matters is I’ve got one and you need it. Drop your crew size and I’ll take them on my ship. I’ll get you to where you want to go.”

The councilors leaned in and whispered among themselves. After a brief exchange, Loralin cleared her throat and returned her eyes to mine. “Are you certain there is no other way?”

“Not unless you wanna get yourselves blown to pieces,” I said.

“In that case, we agree to your conditions,” she said. “We will begin preparations first thing tomorrow morning. We will also pay you thirty thousand credits—”

“A hundred thousand,” I said, interrupting her.

She paused, but didn’t flinch. “One hundred thousand?”

“I’m risking my life in the most dangerous section of the Deadlands and you only want to pay me thirty thousand? Don’t think I can’t sense when I’m being short-changed. You know you’ve got the money.” I motioned around the room. “Look at this place. Don’t act like you can’t afford it.”

“Very well,” she said, agreeing to the new terms without consulting her friends. “One hundred thousand credits.”

Her sudden agreement threw me. I’d expected a negotiation of some kind, and she hadn’t even tried to bring me down on the price.

I cursed myself for not asking for more. Oh well, I told myself. Doesn’t matter. With the money I made from this job, I’d be able to pay off the Fratley. That was the main takeaway here. That deadline was fast approaching and I couldn’t afford to be choosy.  “Fine, it’s a deal,” I told the old woman and her friends. “One hundred thousand credits for safe passage to the Epsilon system. There and back.” I turned and started to leave. As soon as I touched the door handle, I felt it open from the other side. It was the same robed man from before. Before I continued, I turned back toward the Council one last time. “What’s the mission for, by the way?”

“It’s scientific in nature. We are interested in exploring a set of ruins,” explained Loralin.

“Ruins?” I asked. “What in the gods’ names for?”

“We believe they hold significant spiritual value. Nothing more or less.”

“Whatever you say, lady,” I muttered, turning back to the door.

With that, I was gone, headed back toward The Star.

* * *

I sat inside the lounge, staring through the window at the lands beyond the church’s estate. The docking platform where my ship stood overlooked a wide valley, stretching nearly into the horizon. Surrounding it was a forest, dotted by a few small ponds and cut by a clear, flowing river. I debated taking the detachable shuttle and flying down there for a few hours, maybe get some fresh air for once.

I couldn’t leave my ship unguarded, though, not in a foreign place like this, surrounded by strangers with an unknown agenda.

I didn’t trust any of these people. It wasn’t that I had anything against religious folks, but I knew practically nothing about them. It didn’t help that they lived in such isolation. The only folks who did usually had something to hide.

Something big, too.

Whatever their reason was, I wouldn’t feel at ease until I figured it out.

The sun fell below the horizon, sinking into the unknown like a falling rock in the sea. I watched as the blue sky turned black and filled with stars.

As the night went on, all the people disappeared into their homes. I left the lounge and made my way outside, climbing on top of the ship and resting my head against the hard metal hull.

I watched Arcadia’s twin moons rise high above me, lighting up the night, joining thousands of stars.

I extended my arm and finger, connecting the lights, forming new constellations. It was something I did when I traveled to new worlds, if the situation allowed for it.

I formed a ship with my finger, its shape not unlike The Renegade Star. I found a woman’s face, whom I named Julia, after my mother. She gave me pause as I stared into her eyes, and it brought me back to when I was young.

As I began to drift, my mind swirling with the fog of sleep, I spotted the outline of a man walking toward the distant night. I could almost hear Julia’s voice, shouting at him to stay. Where are you going? she seemed to ask. Why do you have to leave?

Seven

I dreamed I was in a field, standing with a plow, wearing loose-hanging clothes under a warm sun. The season had been plentiful, and the farm would do well this year. I had a wife with a pretty face and two children I loved very much. A strong boy and a beautiful girl. Both were in the field with me, helping their father, doing their chores.

We finished our tasks, tired from our work, and headed indoors to sit around the family table. I tore into a piece of bread and drank a glass of wine while my family laughed and teased each other. As the sun began to set, I thought this was a fine life and I was glad to have it. I wondered how I could ever want anything more.

And then I woke up, shivering in the cold wind of the early dawn. I looked at the hangar, momentarily confused about where I was and how I had come to be here.  Why wasn’t I in my bunk? And what kind of building was this? Why did it look so archaic?

But the memories returned within moments, flooding back to me, replacing dreams with reality. I recalled being at Taurus Station and receiving the job from Ollie, meeting Abigail Pryar in the cargo bay of my ship, and discovering the frozen little girl in the box. I remembered getting into a scrape at one of the S.G. Points, and how one of them had gotten away. Finally, landing on this planet, and falling asleep on the top of my ship, under this foreign sky. It all returned to me in a heartbeat, but for that brief second, between being asleep and awake, I was somewhere else.

The haze of waking faded quickly, and before I knew it, I was myself again.

It was in that moment where people were their most vulnerable, the few seconds when they weren’t entirely certain of who they were or what was going on. I hated everything about it.

“Did you sleep well, sir?” asked Sigmond, talking into my ear.

I groaned, feeling the discomfort along my spine from sleeping on a piece of hard metal. “Put on some coffee for me, would you, Siggy?”

“I shall activate the process right away.”

I grabbed a change of clothes and a cup of liquid caffeine, then made my way to the front of the loading dock beneath my ship.

It didn’t take long for the platform area to fill with activity. Two ships sat not far from mine, and I watched as several engineers began making repairs.

Far as I could tell, The Star outclassed every craft on this rock in terms of firepower. The ships were Stellar-class, which meant they could certainly move. Out here in the Deadlands, you either put your money into weapons or raw speed. If you could afford both, all the better.

Me, personally, I’d stuck a small fortune into my ship, which had saved my ass more times than I could count. Every credit had been worth it.

The door to the inner hall opened and out walked Abigail and Lex. The little girl smiled as she saw me standing on the loading dock, sipping my coffee and scratching my stomach.

“Morning, Mr. Hughes,” said Lex, waving as she approached.

Both of them were dressed far more casually than before, especially Abigail. No church tunic on her this time. Instead, she wore a standard Union-style shirt and pants, the clothes of a working woman. I could finally see how fit she was, toned arms and a lean waist. No wonder she nearly put me on my ass the other day.

“Welcome back,” I told them. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

Abigail gave me a confused look. “Of course we are. Didn’t they tell you?”

“All I know is I’m taking some priests to Epsilon.”

“No priests, Captain. You’re escorting the two of us and three scientists.” She paused. “Well, two are archaeologists. The third is an engineer.”

“You look different,” I told her, changing the subject.

“The situation calls for something different.”

“What was the excuse before?”

“People ask fewer questions to members of the church,” she said. “But as you saw, those clothes make combat difficult. We have no idea what we’ll face in the Deadlands. I need to be prepared.”

“You’re not a normal nun, are you?” I asked, scanning her.

“Still a nun, though,” she said, walking past me.

Lex ran up beside me, a wide grin on her face. “Mr. Hughes, can I go play with Sigmond?”

“Sure, kid,” I said. “Go kick his ass.”

She clapped her hands and ran up the platform and into the ship. “Sigmond, are you there?” I heard her say.

Right then, one of the nearby doors opened and two individuals walked into the hangar—a man and a woman. They made eye contact with me and proceeded forward, nodding in my direction.

“Sir,” greeted a heavyset man with glasses and thinning blond hair. He looked nothing like the other priests. “My name is Dr. Thadius Hitchens. I’m the resident archaeologist. Pleased to meet you.”

“Hitchens?” I echoed.

“That’s correct,” he said. “And this is my associate, Octavia Brie. We’re to accompany you and Sister Pryar on your voyage. I promise, you won’t even know we’re here.” He snickered. “Not until we’ve landed, that is. I doubt we’ll be able to contain our excitement once we reach the dig site.”

“The what?” I asked.

“The excavation site,” said Hitchens. “Did no one inform you of the details regarding our trip?”

“All I know is I’m taking you to Epsilon,” I said.

“That you are, sir,” said the fat man. “But there’s so much more to it. Have they really not bothered to fill you in?”

“Look, why don’t you get on the ship and stow your gear. You can bore me to tears later once we’re on our way.”

“Right, of course,” said Hitchens. “Come, Octavia. Let’s do as the good captain asks.”

Octavia nodded, and the two scientists proceeded into the cargo bay.

I started following, but stopped at the sound of another door closing. I looked to see a young man running toward me. Unlike everyone else, he was actually wearing his priesthood robes. The only difference was his age. He couldn’t be more than twenty years old. “Wait! Don’t leave!”

I stopped and crossed my arms. “Now, what?”

“I’m so sorry!” said the young man, running with bags in his hands.

“Who the hell are you supposed to be? Father preschool?”

“Brother Fred…Frederick…Tabernacle…” he said, gasping and out of breath. “Sorry to…keep you, sir!”

“You didn’t keep me. I was just gonna leave you behind,” I said.

“I’m so glad I caught you, then,” he said, dropping his bags.

“You’re just lucky you ran, Freddie. Two more minutes and you would’ve been left behind.”

* * *

The Renegade Star lifted off the church’s landing bay and began its ascent into the cloudy, vanilla sky. I asked Siggy to inform the passengers to stay in their cabins for at least an hour. We’d be out of the atmosphere long before that, but they didn’t have to know that.

We breached orbit in less than fifteen minutes, entering slipspace shortly thereafter. We’d have to switch tunnels at least seven times before we arrived in the Epsilon system. If all went well, there wouldn’t be a problem.

I left the cockpit and grabbed a quick bite from the food locker before any of the holy folks left their rooms. Soup and bread in my favorite chair.

“Can I have some?” I heard a sudden voice ask.

I looked to see Lex standing at the open doorway, staring at me as I sat with my food. “What are you doing out of your room?” I asked her.

She squirmed, and then shrugged. “I smelled it and got hungry.”

“So?” I asked.

She frowned, her eyes fixated on my bowl. “Um.”

“Fine,” I said, pushing the bowl across the table, next to one of the other seats. “I’ve got more.”

She smiled and ran to the table, giggling at the sight of the food. I got up and made some more, then joined her. “Thank you!” she said.

“Just eat,” I said, dipping a piece of bread into the steaming soup.

She watched as I let the bread soak for a second, then tried to emulate my actions. I withdrew the bread and blew on it. She did the same, and then took a bite. Her eyes lit up at the taste. “Mm!”

“It’s Tomato,” I explained. “Expensive stuff, so you better not complain or—”

“So good,” she said, taking another bite.

I watched her inhale the food. “Damn, kid. Didn’t that cult feed you?”

She tried to answer, unable to get the words out with so much food in her mouth. Once she swallowed, she gasped. “Yeah, but it wasn’t good,” she finally said.

“What did they have?”

“Dumb stuff. It tasted like dirt,” she said.

I nodded, then took another bite of my own food. We sat there together, eating soup and saying very little. The blue tattoo on her neck stuck out when she bent to dip another piece of bread in the bowl. I couldn’t help but stare curiously at it. What kind of idiot had tattooed such a little girl? The nerve of some people.

“I don’t know what it is,” she said, suddenly. The words jarred me.

“Huh?” I blinked at her, and she stared back at me.

She pointed to the mark. “You want to know about it, right? Everyone always asks. That’s why I was in the other place, before Abby found me. Those people wanted to know about it, too.”

“It’s a tattoo, isn’t it?” I asked.

She nodded. “That’s what they called it. The doctors from before.”

“Doctors?” I asked.

“They were bad, but Abby stopped them,” she said, taking another bite. “I never want to go back.”

“Where did your tattoo come from?”

She shook her head. “I don’t remember. Sometimes I think it was always there.”

“Always?” I asked. “Someone had to give it to you.”

She didn’t answer, but instead focused on her food.

Looking at the marks, they didn’t resemble any familiar pattern. Was it a tag of some sort, the way a rancher marks his livestock? Was it so the Union could spot her easier, should she ever get away from them? Maybe that was why the nun had placed her in a box, so that no one would see the mark and report them, but weren’t there easier ways to track a person than a tattoo? And if that was the case, why didn’t Abigail simply cover the mark with a cloth? Why not go to a back-alley surgeon and get it removed?

No, there had to be something else to it. Something I couldn’t see.

Lex finished her soup, then stared at the empty bowl.

“You want some more?” I asked, seeing the hunger still in her eyes.

She looked at me, timidly. “Can I?”

“Sure thing, kid,” I said, standing and going to the food dispenser. “Just do me a favor, would you?”

“Okay,” she said.

“Next time you want something, just ask. Don’t just wait for me to give it to you.”

“Wouldn’t that be rude?”

I laughed. “Kid, I know you’ve got a nun for a guardian, but take it from me. The galaxy ain’t made for that kind of talk.”

“It’s not?”

I poured a fresh cup of soup and placed it in front of her. “In this life, you take what you need to survive. If you spend your days worrying about other people’s feelings, you’ll never make it anywhere. You get me?”

“Yeah,” she said, staring at the steaming bowl sitting before her. “Thanks, Mr. Hughes.”

* * *

“What a sight,” said Hitchens, looking out the window of The Renegade Star. “I never get tired of seeing this.”

He was referring to the slip tunnel, of course, and I had to say I couldn’t blame him. The walls of the passage were always so bright and colorful, with random bursts of what looked like lightning.

I watched the group of passengers huddle together to see the show as we passed through the tunnel. Abigail was the only one ignoring it, probably because she’d just spent several months flying from one system to another. She probably had her fill of it by now.

“What happens if we go over there?” asked Lex, pointing to the tunnel wall.

“Bad things,” said Fred, who was so young I could have been—well, not his father, but a much older brother, at least.

“Like what?” asked the girl.

Fred thought for a moment. “Think of slipspace like a river, Lex. Right now, we’re following the flow, so it’s pretty easy to keep going forward. If we move around too much, though, we could drop into another stream. If it’s going in the opposite direction, the two currents could tear the ship apart.”

“Oh,” said Lex, and I was sure she didn’t understand.

“There’s more to it than that, of course,” said Fred. “We don’t always use these tunnels when we travel. They’re simply the fastest method for long distance, although we can discuss that later.”

He was wasting his time, trying to explain faster-than-light travel to a kid, but who was I to interrupt? Maybe some of it would sink into that head of hers.

“Listen up, tourists,” I said, grabbing their attention. “We’re about to arrive at the next S.G. Point. Might want to have a seat.”

“Certainly, Captain Hughes,” said Hitchens, a jolly grin on his face.

“Jace is fine, Doc,” I said.

The group joined Abigail, strapping themselves into their seats around the lounge. Fred had to help Lex with her buckle, but after a few seconds, everyone was secure.

I returned to the cockpit to do the same. “Siggy, are we ready?”

“Dropping in five,” said the A.I.

We came out of the tunnel, decelerating, and raising the cloak. It took about four minutes to ready the next slip, so I pulled out another hard candy—orange this time—and unwrapped it.

I waited for Siggy to give me the go-ahead on the next jump as I eased back in my chair, watching the digital displays from the various cameras along the ship. One of them showed the previous tunnel entrance, still open, and with no sign of closing.

The blue and green colors flared inside, refusing to stop. I waited, expecting a change, except nothing happened. It wasn’t closing.

“Siggy,” I said, after more than a minute of this.

“Sir?” he asked.

I leaned on the dash, watching the display. “Why hasn’t the tunnel collapsed yet? Are we too close to it?”

“I don’t believe so, sir. We’ve moved far enough away that our position should have no effect on it.”

“So, what’s wrong? Why hasn’t it stopped?”

“Barring some anomaly, I would hypothesize that another ship is about to arrive,” he said.

“Another ship?” I asked.

“Based on the available data, that scenario seems the most likely, sir.”

“Are we close to any space stations? Any colonies?” I asked.

“No, sir,” said the A.I. “Not unless one was erected in the last three weeks, since my last update.”

I debated moving The Star to a safer nearby location—maybe behind an asteroid or a moon—but there was no reason to panic. Not yet. This could have been anything. “Start the next slip, Siggy. Get us out of here.”

“Right away,” he said.

The cloak dropped and Siggy activated the slip drive, opening the next tunnel. I took us forward and into the rift, passing into the tunnel.

I was never one to panic, so I didn’t jump to any immediate conclusions about who was behind us. In all likelihood, it was probably nobody. Maybe just a freighter or a ship on its way to some planet. Whatever the case, it had nothing to do with me, so there was no reason to worry.

At least, that’s the story I told myself.

Eight

There was a knock at my door and my eyes snapped open. “Captain, are you in there?” I heard the voice ask.

I looked at the time. To my surprise, I’d been asleep for nearly six hours. I usually didn’t rest that long with passengers onboard.

“What is it?” I asked, sitting up and twisting around so my feet were on the floor.

“It’s Frederick, sir,” he said.

“What do you want, Fred?” I asked, reaching beneath my bed to grab a swig of water from my jug.

“I was hoping to talk to you, if you have a moment.”

I got up and opened the door. He was a little shorter than me. Probably still growing, given his age. “What?” I asked, taking a drink.

His eyes widened as he stood there. “Shouldn’t you put on some clothes?”

I glanced down at myself, then chuckled. “Woops!”

Fred turned away. “I’m so sorry!”

I grabbed my pants. “It’s fine. What do you want?”

“I had to make sure you were up-to-date on what the mission is, once we arrive.”

I buckled my belt, then grabbed my shirt. “What’s it matter?”

“What’s it…matter?” he asked, echoing my words.

“I’m just your ride, last I checked. A glorified taxi service.”

“Is that what they told you?” he asked, peeking through his hand to see if I was dressed.

I raised my brow. “More or less.”

“Oh,” he said, finally looking at me. “The mission report I have states you’re to join us on the surface. Your protective services are meant to extend beyond the confines of the ship.”

“You mean those priests expect me to be your muscle, too?”

“Along with Sister Abigail,” he said. “No one at the church has any experience with combat. She was the only one. I wouldn’t worry, though. The only concern is the wildlife. No humans live there.” He paused. “Well, not anymore.”

I thought about the deal I’d struck with Loralin. She hadn’t mentioned anything about me protecting these people. “No, this wasn’t the deal,” I said. “You call your boss and tell her I’ll need more money.”

“More money?” he asked.

“What is it? Worried they’ll say no?” I asked.

“That’s not it,” he assured me. “It’s just that we’re too far out of range. The church isn’t equipped with a high-grade com system. Instant communication won’t be possible unless you’re in a neighboring system.”

I gave him a look.

He raised his hands. “But don’t worry! I’m sure they’ll agree once we return. I can speak on your behalf.”

“Tell them I want another ten thousand. You got that?”

“Okay,” he nodded.

I grinned. This deal was getting better every minute. “All right, kid. What was it you wanted to talk to me about?”

“Oh, right,” he said, perking up. “I just wanted to brief you on a few details. Namely, the wildlife. It’s not exactly pleasant, but as long as we stick to the path Doctor Hitchens has drawn here, we should be fine.”

He handed me a pad with a map already displayed. It covered a good chunk of land, and the distance between the landing zone and our destination wasn’t far. Maybe a two-hour walk. “Okay,” I said, returning the device.

“The place we’re going is in the mountain. It’s something of a cave, I guess you’d say, except unnatural.”

“Like ruins?” I asked.

“Exactly that,” he said. “They’ve decayed so much that they’re a part of the ground now. Sunken into the earth. We’re not expecting any trouble, but it’s better to have someone who knows how to handle themselves, just in case. I assume we can rely on you, Captain.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem,” I said, nodding at the blaster sitting in its holster on my dresser. “I’m a good shot.”

* * *

Not long after we found the planet, I ordered Sigmond to drop us on the landing zone—the exact spot Fred had specified.

The clearing—a field between two forests—was level enough for an easy landing. We disembarked and I told Sigmond to engage the cloak until we returned. No use taking any unnecessary risks with my ship.

Standing outside the cargo bay doors, Hitchens tapped my shoulder. He wore a large, goofy hat to shade himself, though I suspected he had no idea how ridiculous he looked. “That’s our destination, friends,” said the doctor, pointing to a snow-tipped mountain to the east.

“I hope we’re not climbing it,” I commented.

“Certainly not,” said Hitchens. He chuckled. “I’d never be able to do such a thing. No, we’re heading to the base. An easy walk for someone like you, Captain. Less so for me.”

We followed his directions, making our way through the woods. I had my blaster ready. I also had my earpiece with me, just in case Sigmond picked up any hostile movements, whether on land or in space.

As we walked, I noticed several pillars in the earth, clearly manmade. The majority were faded and broken, although a few stood tall. From what little I could glean, they had some kind of text carved into them, though centuries of rain had made them nearly impossible to make out.

I wondered, briefly, what these structures were for. Had there been a city here once, only to be wiped away? Or were the pillars simply extensions of something far larger, buried under the grass and dirt we were walking on? I tried to imagine a city beneath my feet, all its treasures lost forever.

None of it mattered anymore. Whoever built these things had long since vanished, forgotten like so many before them. Such was the cost of living.

A large wailing cry echoed in the distance, somewhere beyond the forest trees. “Did you hear that?” asked Fred, looking around.

“Just animals,” I said, still walking. “Keep going.”

“What if they attack?” he asked, scurrying after me.

“We can always shoot them.”

“I’d rather avoid killing anything while we’re here,” said Doctor Hitchens. “Though, I suppose our own survival must come first.”

“This guy gets it,” I said, pointing my thumb at the plump doctor.

He chuckled. “I’m a conservationist when I can help it, but a pragmatist at heart.”

I tapped my blaster. “You and me both, Doc.”

* * *

It took a few hours to reach the mountain. As we neared the cliff, the ground turned hard with stone, replacing the soft earth.

Lex tripped and fell, scaring half our group. Abigail ran to her, a look of panic and fear all over the nun’s face. The girl hit the rocks, tumbling a bit, and ended up scraping her knee. I expected her to cry like every other kid, except to my surprise, there was nothing. The girl simply got back on her feet and continued, almost like nothing had happened.

I suspected she was used to pain, numb from all the time she’d spent in captivity, but I wouldn’t ask her about it. A person’s pain was their own business. It was best to let them carry it in silence.

A short walk later we were standing in front of a cavern, pillars and carvings all around us. Hitchens proceeded first, climbing down into the cave, his assistant Octavia holding his hand to steady him. I was right beside them, my blaster out and ready.

We reached the bottom, although it was difficult to see. “Hold a second,” said the doctor, and he took out a small device. With the press of a button, the little machine emitted a light so bright, it brought most of the darkened cave to life. Suddenly, I could see everything around us—dozens of buried machines, inoperable and long-decayed. Above us, a covering of stone and stalactites. Whatever this place used to be, the world had taken it back, merging stone and metal.

“Come down, everyone,” said Hitchens.

Lex, Abigail, and Fred descended the rock, being careful to watch their footing.

“How long before we get there?” asked Lex.

“It’s not far now,” said Hitchens. “Just beyond here.”

We followed the doctor’s lead as he passed by the various machines, ignoring them. Whatever he was after, it was clearly more important than any of this.

As we crept further into the cavern, I began to see the remains of several animal nests. They were comprised of twigs, wires, and metal. Several pieces of broken eggshell lay scattered across the nests, covered in dust.

We made our way through two long corridors, and to my surprise, I began to see lights along the walls and inside machines. Somehow, the technology here was still active and operational, though I couldn’t say what it did, if anything.

“This way,” said Hitchens, motioning for us to enter another opening. The door to this room was laying on the ground nearby, cracked and half-sunk. It was thick and made of metal, too big to move.

The doctor shined his device on the center of the room, revealing a table and what I gleaned to be a star map—a half-circular device with a grid on the top. A small light blinked on its side. Beside it, I saw a reclining chair, attached to the machine. “What is this place?” I muttered.

“We call it the Cartographer,” said Hitchens.

He turned to the nearby console, which was covered in dust, yet still operational. He retrieved a small card from his satchel, then placed it on the machine’s surface.

I watched as the blinking light went solid, going from blue to emerald green. The circular grid at the center of the table flickered before finally solidifying and lighting up. “Here we are,” said the good doctor.

We stared at the machine as it came to life. A hologram of the galaxy manifested before our eyes, two hundred billion stars blinking into existence within mere seconds.

I bent my neck back to see the full span of the image. “You came all this way for a map of the galaxy?”

“Hardly,” said Abigail.

Hitchens motioned for Lex to come closer. “My dear, if you would please take a seat right here.”

Lex nodded and went to the ancient, reclined chair. She climbed into it so that her feet dangled off the edge, then leaned back and stared up into the rock ceiling.

“Fantastic,” said Hitchens.

Abigail went to the girl’s side and held her hand. “Everything will be fine. You’re doing a wonderful job.”

Lex smiled. “Okay.”

Hitchens entered a command into the console, and I heard a clicking sound, as though something had just turned on. “Command acknowledged,” said a female voice I didn’t recognize.

“The hell was that?” I asked, yanking out my blaster.

“Easy,” said Abigail. “It’s just the computer.”

“Oh,” I said, holstering my weapon.

“She’s not as sophisticated as your typical AIs,” said Hitchens. He typed something into the console. “Let’s see if we can just—”

“Command acknowledged,” said the voice.

“Ah, there we are,” said the doctor, smiling. He twisted in his seat to look at Lex. “Stay perfectly still, dear.”

“Okay,” said Lex.

A light emitted from beneath the chair, and I watched as it moved from her head to her feet, then back again, finally stopped at the point just below her neck.

“Fiducial recognized,” said the voice. “Initiating data retrieval.”

Lex looked at Abigail, who continued to hold her hand. “Almost done,” said the nun.

The hologram display blinked, disappearing briefly, as though it were resetting, and then returned. Suddenly, a string of stars changed from white to red, forming a single line, beginning at our present location and stretching halfway across the galaxy.

The light faded from beneath Lex, and I saw her face relax. “Process complete,” said the voice.

Everyone stared up at the star chart before us. “We have it!” exclaimed Fred. He clapped his hands. “After all this time, there it is!”

“It seems the wait was well worth it,” remarked Hitchens.

I looked at each of them. “Can someone tell me what just happened? What is this thing?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” asked Octavia Brie, who had been rather silent before now. “It’s a map.”

“You came all this way for a map?”

“Captain Hughes, I beg your pardon,” said Doctor Hitchens, a genuinely happy look on his face. “This isn’t just any map, my friend. Far from it.”

“Okay, so what’s the deal? What could possibly be so important that you needed a map in an old cave to show you where to go?” I paused for a second. “And why the hell did that kid just sit in that chair?”

“So now you want to know?” asked Abigail. “I thought you didn’t care about our mission.”

Fred walked over to me. “Mr. Hughes, do you know what the Church of the Homeworld is?”

A cult, I thought, but didn’t say it. “A religious group. I don’t know.”

Fred shook his head. “We’re not a religion. We’re—”

“Hey!” snapped Abigail, staring at the young man.

“It’s okay. We owe it to him for taking us this far,” said Fred. He looked back at me. “The Church of the Homeworld is more than just a fringe sect, Mr. Hughes. We’re a scientific organization devoted to a singular goal.”

“Which is?” I asked.

“The eventual discovery of the origin point of all Mankind,” said Fred. “The mythical lost world known as Earth.”

* * *

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing as we stood in the decaying cavern of a lost civilization. “Earth,” I muttered, trying not to take any of this seriously. “You’re looking for Earth.”

“That’s right,” said Doctor Hitchens.

“The fairytale planet that no one has ever seen. The one where people used to fight dragons and use magic. That Earth.”

“We don’t believe in those parts,” remarked Fred. “But much like other myths, we believe the seed of this one to have some truth to it.”

“So you think Earth is real and this—” I motioned at the hologram above my head. “—thing, this map, is going to show you how to get there?”

“Correct,” said Hitchens. “In fact, today confirms it.”

“How are you so confident?” I asked.

He paused and looked at Lex, then again at me. “We have our reasons. Perhaps if you—”

A scream filled the cave, forcing me to shield my ears. “What the fuck!”  I shouted.

The cry continued, coming from somewhere near the entrance. “I think it’s an animal,” said Fred, pulling out his scanner. “I can’t read anything from here.”

“What do we do?” asked Hitchens.

I drew my pistol, taking aim at the open doorway. “Stay behind me,” I told them.

Abigail came to my side, taking out her own weapon—an eight-shooter Artesian handgun, by the look of it. I wanted to snap at her for bringing a pistol onboard my ship, but decided against it. I’d yell at her later when we weren’t under attack by a pack of wild animals. “I hope your aim is good,” I said.

“Better than yours,” she returned.

I heard another howl, this time closer. A shadow moved from beyond the opening, and I squeezed the trigger tight.

* * *

The monsters rushed into the room, their snarling jaws full of foam, and raging.

I turned one into a corpse with a single shot to the skull. Three more appeared instantly, charging at our group.

Abigail hit the first in the leg and chest, staggering it a moment before the final bullet plunged into the animal’s snout, sending chunks of its brains into the nearby wall.

I set my sights on the other two, firing without hesitation. Seven shots left the barrel of my gun, each with a distinct purpose, each one piercing flesh.

The beasts collapsed, almost simultaneously, sliding into one another. I continued firing with precision, hitting every living member of the pack as it came.

A pile of bodies formed a meter in front of the entrance, blocking our view. I saw one of the beasts leap over its fallen brothers, a hunger in its eyes. It came down on Abigail, its jaw ready to snap her in two, but she raised her gun and fired into it.

The beast fell on her, knocking her back, and for the first time I saw how truly massive the animals were. This one covered most of her body. I could barely see Abigail.

She rolled the animal off of her, revealing spots of blood from where the bullets had pierced its gut. I helped her to her feet, and she wiped her forehead. Her hands were shaking, but her face was calm. Not bad for a nun, I thought.

I gave her a slight nod, then returned my gaze to the entryway, raising my pistol, and waiting.

There was nothing after that. Only the silent dead.

Nine

We waited for Hitchens to download the map to his device before we left. Hardly anyone spoke a word until we were out of the cave.

No doubt, with the exception of myself and Abigail, I doubted any of the others had any real combat experience. Seeing their expressions, full of confusion and fear, reminded me that not everyone had the skill to survive out here. Not on their own.

Abigail, who still had stains of animal blood on her clothes, walked alongside Lex. The girl’s composure continued to impress me. She never cried, never showed an ounce of panic. I couldn’t help but wonder why.

We reached the woods soon enough, finally free of the confines of the cave, and I told the group to rest. It would take us two full hours to make it back to The Star, and it was clear some of them needed the break.

“I appreciate it,” wheezed Hitchens, trying to catch his breath. He sat beneath a large tree, fanning himself with his hat.

Octavia took out a canteen of water and passed it to him. “Here you are, sir,” she said.

He gulped it down, spilling some on his shirt. “Thank you, my dear.”

I looked at Fred, waving him over.

“Yes, sir?” said the young scientist.

“Don’t think I forgot what you told me back there,” I said, motioning in the direction of the cave. “That story about Earth? The nonsense with the map? I still want to know what the deal with this kid is, too.”

“O-Of course,” stuttered Fred.

“There’s more to all this,” I said, raising my brow. “A lot more.”

“Well,” he began, a look of hesitation on his face. “I can’t exactly tell you everything. I think that’s up to the council.”

“Oh?” I asked.

He held his hands up. “But they will, I’m sure. Don’t worry. You saved all our lives. You’re a hero, Mr. Hughes.”

“I’m a hired gun,” I corrected.

He nodded. “R-Right, of course. My point is just that you were vital to our success today. The council will see that, and they’ll likely ask you for further assistance.”

I tilted my head. “Further assistance?”

“That’s right. We’ll need help if we’re to pursue those coordinates. You saw where the trail went, didn’t you? It’s on the other side of ravager territory. We’ll need your cloak to make it.”

“Hold on a sec, kid. I never agreed to anything besides this one job. I’ve got things I need to do.”

“Even if the money is there?” he asked.

“We’ll see how I feel about the offer when they make it,” I answered.

“Typical Renegade,” said Abigail.

Fred and I turned to see her standing a few meters away.

“You’re only out for yourself. Didn’t you hear what the doctor said?” asked the nun.

“You mean about Earth?” I asked, smirking. “The make-believe planet that doesn’t exist?”

“It does exist. You saw the map. Open your eyes.”

“All I saw was a standard galactic star chart with a few blinking lights. Nothing special. Definitely nothing that told me one of them was Earth.”

“Give him time,” said Fred. “He hasn’t seen what you’ve seen, Sister.”

“That’s right, Sister,” I said, winking. “Quit picking on me.”

“You’re hopeless,” she said, dismissively, and then walked back over to where Lex was sitting.

“That nun sure is something else,” I said.

“She is,” Fred agreed. “Wait until you really make her mad. I heard she killed six men when she rescued Lex.”

“Now that I can believe.”

* * *

“Strap in and hold on tight,” I said over the com, sitting in the cockpit of The Renegade Star. “Siggy, take us up and out.”

“Right away, sir,” said the A.I.

The engines primed and I felt my seat tremble. The ship began to lift off, and I watched the green field fade into a distant blur. We withdrew into the sky, finally, and I leaned back in my seat, thrilled to be done with this place.

The orange horizon turned purple and then black as we entered the thermosphere. A few moments later, we broke orbit.

“Take us to Arcadia, Siggy,” I said.

“Inputting coordinates,” he said, and I watched as the star chart transformed to reflect our route.

A short while later, the opening of a slip tunnel formed before me. As we entered the swirling mass of blue and green slipspace, I suddenly felt exhausted.

I looked down at my hands. They were dirty, covered in grime and, to my surprise, a bit of blood. I need a shower, I thought, then pushed myself out of the chair. “Siggy, call me if there’s an emergency.”

“Yes, sir,” he responded.

In the lounge, several of my guests had convened, with only Abigail and Lex absent from the group.

“Ah, Captain,” said Hitchens, waving at me.

“Talk to Sigmond if you need anything,” I said, dismissively. “I need to sleep.”

“I was hoping to talk with you about—”

“Sleep,” I said, holding my hand up.

He sat there with his mouth partially open, then shut it, nodding.

I went straight into my tiny room and stripped, ready to wash this stench off and pass out.

* * *

I woke up drooling, coming out of a deep sleep. It felt like I’d been dead, my body was so stiff and tense.

“Siggy, how long was I out?” My throat was dry, so I took a drink from my water jug.

“Ten and a half hours, sir,” said the A.I.

“Holy shit,” I muttered. “Guess I needed that.”

“It seems so,” said Sigmond.

I slipped on my pants and left the bed as it was, the blankets tossed and partially on the floor. I didn’t bother putting on a shirt.

The lounge was empty, save for Fred, who sat alone, sipping coffee. “Good morning,” he said with a genuine smile.

“Piss off,” I answered. “Pour me a cup of that, would you?”

“Of course,” he said.

I sat in my favorite chair and rubbed my eyes. “Everyone else asleep?”

“It’s early,” he said, placing a cup on the table.

I didn’t drink any yet. Instead, I took a long sniff and inhaled the aroma, waiting for it to cool. The coffee on my ship wasn’t the best, but it smelled like a drug.

Fred sat across from me, sipping on his own, and continued to read his pad.

“Any news in the Union?” I asked. “You know it’s all propaganda.”

“Oh, I agree. These are just notes. I’ve been researching slipspace technology and theoretical applications for it. There’s some promising papers in circulation.”

I groaned, finally taking a drink. “Let me get my head on straight before you get into all that.”

“Sorry,” he said.

“It’s fine.” I took another drink, and let out a relaxed sigh. “God, this is good.”

“You should try the stuff we have on Arcadia. I’ve never had coffee so good.”

“Oh, yeah?” I asked, suddenly interested.

“They bring it in once a month, along with a bunch of other supplies. All high-grade products from Din.”

I knew the name immediately. Din was home to a merchant organization known as the Dinesian Trading Company. They specialized in consumables, specifically across Union space, and like every other major corporate entity, they had an underbelly. The DTC had its hands in smuggling exotic goods—a business tactic the Union wasn’t keen on. Still, that didn’t stop them, and they outsourced the job to guys like me who were happy to accept the credits. “That’s gotta cost you a pretty credit or two.”

He nodded. “It does, indeed.”

“Let me ask you this, Fred,” I said, taking another sip. “How’s a weird little cult like yours get so much money? Did you trick a few old ladies into emptying their purses?”

Fred laughed. “Have you heard of a man named Darius Clare?”

I said that I didn’t.

“He was a Union archaeologist about a century ago,” said Fred. “He worked for a special department within the government. Their mission was to investigate reports of unknown relics and fantastic oddities, wherever they were found.”

“And?” I said, unimpressed.

“Well, he and his team operated all over known space, traveling to nearly sixty planets in pursuit of knowledge. They uncovered many fascinating antiques that couldn’t be explained. Most were catalogued by the Union, stuffed in storage, and never seen again. A few—” He paused, giving me a sly grin. “—went missing.”

“Is this going somewhere?” I asked, taking another drink, only to realize the cup was empty. I frowned. “I’m not a big history buff.”

“I assure you, it all matters.”

I got up and poured another cup. “Fine.”

Fred continued. “On a certain dig, Darius and a woman named Reslin Gaile, his partner and future wife, uncovered a two thousand-year-old storage device. They thought nothing of it at first, since such machines were common in digs like this and typically yielded nothing of true importance. Usually, you might find a log entry or someone’s personal diary. Historically interesting for scholars, although not exactly pertinent to Darius’s mission.” Fred leaned in. “However, when he and his partner returned to their lab, they began the process of retrieving the stored data within the device. It took several weeks to fully reconstruct the data within. When they finally did, they discovered a message.”

“What did it say?” I asked.

“Earth is restored. Initiate Project Reclamation.”

“What does that mean?” I asked, setting my cup down.

“That’s what Darius wanted to know. He was thrilled about this discovery, so he returned to his superiors to try and get their backing on expanding the project, this time with more focus. He wanted to search for more clues about Earth.”

“Let me guess,” I said. “They told him to piss off.”

“No, not at first. The Union leadership was actually intrigued by the data Darius collected. They continued to fund his efforts and even elected him as the head of the department. He kept working for them for another twelve years, searching for relics related to Earth, expanding his team, and acquiring more leads.”

“What happened?”

“He failed to deliver anything substantial. After a while, his superiors lost faith in him. They let him go.”

I chuckled. “Figures.”

Fred gave me a wry smile. “Does it? Darius knew what the Union was after. He’d found data on Earth’s lost technology, and he knew what the government would do once they had it. He took his research and left the organization, but he didn’t give up on any of it. He and several members of his team continued to search for the truth. They made it their mission to discover the homeworld.” He looked down at the pad in his hand, and smiled. “Years after he left his job, Darius discovered an archive full of information deep inside some ancient catacombs beneath a mountain on small colony world, far removed from Union space. Among the priceless data, there was a single image that stood out.”

He turned the pad around to show me what he was looking at—a planet, blue and green with expansive continents. I didn’t recognize it, despite my many travels. “What’s that?” I asked, taking the pad from him, and looking closer.

“Isn’t it obvious?” asked Freddie, and I knew that it was. “This is where we all came from, Mr. Hughes. This is Earth.”

Ten

I didn’t believe half of what Fred told me. Hell, I wasn’t sure I even understood it. An undiscovered planet with boundless treasure, hidden for two thousand years, and it just so happened to be the legendary origin point of the entire human race?

Please. I wasn’t your everyday sucker, not like the rest of these fools. I could already see where they were leading me, trying to convince me of some grand lie, just so they wouldn’t have to pay me what I was owed. Help the cause, they’d tell me, only I was no stranger to money schemes. Maybe they really did believe all of this. Maybe they were all good people.

But I wasn’t about to give up my fee for the betterment of mankind, even if it was all true. I had a debt to pay off.

I sat in my bunk, sucking on a piece of candy, replaying the events on Epsilon as they had happened. I thought about Lex as she’d sat in that chair, and the ancient machine that sparked to life, revealing a line of dots from one end of the galaxy to the other.

Bullshit, I thought, lying back and scratching my nose.

“Excuse me, sir,” said Sigmond, his voice coming on over the speaker in my room.

“What is it, Siggy?” I asked.

“We are nearing the end of the final tunnel,” he explained.

“Thanks for the heads-up,” I said. “Tell the cult to grab their shit and get ready.”

“You have a way with words, sir,” said Sigmond.

Siggy wouldn’t say it exactly like that. I knew he’d ease up on the vulgarity. He always did. Sometimes you just have to express yourself, even when no one besides you can hear the words you’re saying.

I slid out of the bed and got to my feet. “Can’t wait to get this job behind me, Siggy. The sooner we get paid, the sooner I can get my debt squared with Fratley.”

“Of course, sir. I know how you hate getting involved with other people.”

“Are you getting a tone with me?” I asked. Despite only being an A.I., Siggy understood me. Maybe it was all the time we’d spent together or the fact he was built to adjust to his owner’s personality, but he knew how to mess with me the way a friend would. He understood my limits.

“I would never dream of such a thing,” he said.

I touched the button next to my door, then waited as it slid open. “Just remember, we don’t have time to be hospitable. We have to get that money and hightail it straight to Fratley. The sooner, the better, lest I lose this boat and everything in it, including you.”

“I’d rather not have that happen, sir.”

“You and me both.”

As I made my way through the ship, I could hear Sigmond telling each of the passengers what was about to happen. They scurried about, trying to gather their things, filling the ship with commotion.

I entered the cockpit and took my seat. It had taken us two days to return. To my surprise, it felt like we’d only just left.

The ship trembled, a sign we’d emerged from the tunnel. I glanced out the nearest window to see the darkness of space, stars in the distance.

Bending slightly, I tried to see if I could spot Arcadia.

As it slowly came into view, I imagined my account filling with credits. Fifty thousand. One hundred thousand. It would all depend on how much I could squeeze out of that council. These people were a gold mine.

Fred had asked me to stay with them for another job once this was done, but I still hadn’t decided. If I took the work, I’d have to leave and return later. I couldn’t let the debt stand for too long. Not if I valued my life. As soon as I could, probably later tonight, I’d go straight to Fratley and give him his money.

The edge of the planet floated across the glass, growing as we neared.

Something was different now, I noticed. The once quiet world of Arcadia now had several ships waiting in orbit.

I stared at them, curiously. Were they a part of the trade shipments Fred had mentioned? No…they didn’t match the design. These were sharp, triangular vessels. Green flames in white circles had been painted along their hulls.

They were ravager ships.

My skin crawled as I stood there, balking through the glass. What were ravagers doing here? Why would they go after a worthless religious group? Were they—

Before I could finish the thought, I felt the entire floor drop, thrusting me against the wall. An explosion shocked the ship and an alarm rang throughout the corridors.

“Sigmond!” I shouted. “Cloak us and get us the fuck out of here!”

“Right away, sir,” he answered.

Abigail came running out of her room from the other end of the lounge. “What was that?!”

“We’re under attack. There’s a fleet of ravagers out there,” I said, pointing in the direction of the planet.

“Ravagers?” she asked. “What did you do?”

“Me?” I scoffed. “What makes you think I did something?”

“Sir, the cloak has been activated, but I’m receiving a hail,” announced Sigmond. “Should I accept?”

“Throw it on speaker.”

Lex joined Abigail in the hall. “What is it?” asked the girl.

“Nothing,” said Abigail. “We’re handling it.”

“I’m handling it,” I corrected.

“Sir, the channel is open. You are receiving, but we are not transmitting,” said Sigmond.

“Let’s hear it,” I said.

A second later, a familiar voice came through the ship’s speaker. “Jace Hughes,” said the man I knew as Fratley. “It’s about time you showed up. I’ve been waiting.”

* * *

Fratley was the last person I expected to hear on the com today. I still had some time on the clock before my debt was due. What was he doing here?

“Jace,” said Fratley, his voice echoing through the entire ship. “Talk to me, you old thief. You think you can hide with the cloak I gave you? You ought to know better than that.”

“Does that mean he can see us?” asked Abigail.

“I don’t know,” I muttered.

“Jace, you done me wrong. You done me so wrong,” said Fratley. “Owing me money is one thing, but you killed two of my men back at Galdion. Did you think I wouldn’t notice it was you? Then you come out here to the Deadlands, trying to hide from me. That’s a coward’s way, Jace, but what should I expect of a man who came asking for a cloak, of all things.”

I felt my chest sink. “Shit,” I said, pressing my knuckles into the wall, cracking them.

“Now, you know I’m a fair guy, Jace. I ain’t one to hold a grudge, except you owe me a heaping pile of credits and I need ‘em bad,” said Fratley. “You shot down two of my ships, and I’ll let it go if you’re willing to pay up twice what you owe. You following me, Jace? You hear what I’m saying?”

“That piece of shit,” I said.

“One hundred thousand. You got that much in creds?” asked Fratley.

“Sigmond, start transmitting,” I ordered.

“Yes, sir. Just a moment,” said Sigmond. “Go ahead, sir.”

“Fratley, it’s me,” I said.

“Ah! There he is!” exclaimed Fratley.

I took a breath. “How you been?” I asked, trying to sound relaxed. “I was just on my way to talk to you. Thanks for saving me the time.”

“Does that mean you have my creds?”

“I’ve got a bit, just not everything. That kind of money takes time.”

“That’s not what I need to hear, Jace. I was hoping to have a good day today, but you’ve gone and disappointed me already. You killed my men, blew up my ships, so now you owe me for my loss. Don’t try to weasel your way out of it, either. I’ve seen the holos. I know that was you at Galdion.”

“Fratley, let’s be reasonable,” I said. “Those two ships attacked me when I was leaving the planet on a job. A job, I might add, that I had to take in order to pay you back. Besides, they fired at me first. What was I supposed to do?”

“I’ll tell you one thing, Jace. You don’t shoot down my fighters. That’s what you don’t do,” said Fratley.

“How about I pay you twenty-five thousand now, then get you the rest later?” I asked. “I’m working a job and about to take another. I can pay you with interest when they’re both done.”

“Oh, now that’s what I like to hear. You know, Jace, I had one of my fighters following you for a while. I had to make sure you weren’t running out of the Deadlands, trying to get away.”

“You followed me?” I asked, remembering the slip tunnel from before and how it hadn’t closed immediately.

“You know it’s just business, Jace,” he said. “Don’t worry. I saw where you went. Some abandoned planet with a bunch of old ruins. I figured you must be pulling an escort job. I can respect that, except…” He paused, and I heard him lick his lips. “I gotta ask you, Jace. Were you working for anyone on this planet? Because that’d be pretty unfortunate.”

“Why? What’s it matter?”

“Oh, Jace, you poor bastard,” said Fratley with a laugh. “I’m sorry to tell you, but I was getting impatient, sitting around here for you to come back. I sent my boys down there already, and man, they’ve been busy killing. Been busy killin’ all day!”

My eyes widened as I slowly looked at Abigail. Her mouth was open and she appeared horrified, ready to say something. I pressed my finger to my lips and, to her credit, she kept her composure, at least for the time being.

I took a slow breath, trying to keep my head. I knew Fratley was a piece of shit, but murdering a random group of civilians was something else altogether. “Fratley, call your men off. I need those people alive. It’s the only way you’ll get your money.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Jace. You see, we came out this way looking for you, and we’ve been waiting here a while. My men need a chance to cut loose, though, so things got a little messy. You know how it is.”

Lex looked up at Abigail, about to say something, but the nun motioned for her to stay quiet. The two of them stared at me. “Fratley, if you let them die, how am I supposed to pay you?”

“I guess you can’t,” said Fratley, laughing a little. “Boy, ain’t you in a predicament? I’d hate to be in your sorry ass shoes.”

“Goddammit,” I muttered.

“Tell you what, Jace. I’ll give you a few more days to collect what you owe. Just go murder some folks and steal what they got. That’s easy work for a guy like you, ain’t it?”

“Sure thing, Fratley. I can do that.” I had no chance at salvaging this situation. The best thing I could do was agree to his terms and run like hell.

“Good man. Now, you mind telling me what you were doing for these priests? What kind of work did they have you on?”

“I glanced at Abigail and Lex. They stared back at me with terrified expressions. “I was asked to make sure the way was clear for a trip they wanted to take. I was coming back to pick them up.”

“Too bad for you,” said Fratley. “Maybe next time you’ll work faster.”

“I will,” I agreed, sounding complacent. “Anyway, I’d best get going if I’m to pay you what I owe. One hundred thousand credits, I think it was.”

Fratley laughed. “Right you are, Jace! Oh, but before you do, I’ll have to ask you to wait a few minutes. My boys need to search that piece of shit ship of yours.”

“Search my ship? Come on, is that really necessary? I don’t have anything here. All that’ll do is slow us both down.”

“Call it punishment for making me wait,” said Fratley.

Shit, I thought. If he finds Abigail and the others on here, he’ll kill them just to get to me.

“Expect a boarding party in ten minutes,” said Fratley. “And Jace, you better not try to fuck with me again. You understand?”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I said, looking out the window at the fleet of ravager ships.

The speaker clicked off. “The channel has been cut by the other party,” said Sigmond.

I looked at Abigail and Lex, standing there together. Behind them, Fred, Hitchens, and Octavia were waiting, all their eyes on me. They must have been standing there the entire time, but I hadn’t even notice them.

“The—the church…” muttered Fred. “Are they…?”

“Don’t think about that,” I told him. “There’s no time for grief right now.” If Fratley discovered any of them on my ship, he’d kill everyone just for being in my proximity. He wouldn’t care.

Goddammit.

“This is because of us, isn’t it?” asked Hitchens.

I grabbed the doctor’s satchel from the couch and tossed it at him. The bag hit him in the chest, but Octavia managed to sweep it up. “Everyone, grab your shit, and I mean everything, and come with me.”

“Are you turning us over to them?” asked Abigail, her voice far steadier than the rest.

“Don’t be an idiot,” I said. “They’d kill you, and probably me, too.”

“So, what’s the plan?” asked Octavia.

I walked over to the wall near the cockpit door, then tapped my knuckles against the metal. “See this?”

“The wall?” asked Fred.

I nodded. “Siggy, open it.”

“Right away, sir.”

Just then, the metal on the wall transformed, sliding back into itself, revealing a hidden storage area that extended beneath the entire lounge. “Store your shit and get ready for a tight squeeze.”

“What is that?” asked Abigail.

“Most call this kind of thing a smuggler’s bin,” I said. “Today it’s your salvation.”

“I’m not certain I can fit,” said Doctor Hitchens.

“I’ve got another spot to put you,” I assured him. “I use it for the bulkier goods. Now, quick, get every single bag you’ve got and bring it here. We don’t have much time.”

Everyone raced to their rooms, returning momentarily, one at a time with their luggage. Even Lex had a small package in tow, although she didn’t seem anxious, much to my surprise. “You good, kid?” I asked.

“I’m hungry,” she answered. “Can I have some more tomato soup?”

I smirked. “Tell you what. You do what I say and you can have your fill in a few hours. Sound good?”

She smiled. “Okay!”

We stuffed as many bags into the wall that we could fit, while still leaving enough room for Abigail, Lex, and Freddie. The three of them crawled inside, maneuvering around the luggage and squeezing beneath the floor beneath us. They laid on their backs, staring up at us through the cracks in the flooring. “Everyone comfortable?” I asked, tapping where I was certain Abigail’s face was watching.

“We’re all set,” she responded in a muffled voice.

I gave Siggy the order to close the wall. “Don’t say a word until the ship is clear.”

“We understand,” said Abigail.

I turned to Hitchens and Octavia. “Now for you two.”

The three of us went quickly to the cargo bay. “In here?” asked Hitchens.

I nodded. “Siggy, if you’d be so kind.”

The hidden door slid open in the back, behind a series of crates. “I’ll need some help moving these,” I told the two archaeologists.

The three of us hoisted one of the boxes out of the way, which took longer than I expected. When we’d finished, I could see the strain in Hitchen’s face. He was already sweating profusely, breathing like he’d run a marathon. The fat doctor leaned against the box, but I pointed at the hiding spot. “No time to stop. Get in there and don’t say a word. You understand?”

Hitchens wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. “Yes, yes. Of course, Captain.”

“Good. Now, hurry up,” I said.

The two of them got inside and I watched as the door slid shut.

“Sir, Fratley’s ship is signaling us to dock,” announced Sigmond.

“Just in time,” I answered. “Tell him we’re ready for him.”

I turned and raced out of the bay, my heart nearly beating out of my chest.

Eleven

The ravager shipped docked with The Star, and a dozen armed men in red armor entered through the airlock.

Behind them, a man with a thin beard and thick eyebrows followed. He wore a small, round hat with gold trim. In his left hand, he held a thin cane with primitive carvings, something he’d picked up on a backwater planet. He carried it, not because he needed the assistance, but because he simply enjoyed the design. “Jace!” exclaimed the man, giving him a wide and unsettling smile. “If it isn’t my favorite swindler.”

“Hello, Fratley,” I said, watching as he strode through the outer hall.

Fratley walked right up to me and gave me several pats on the shoulder. “There he is, my old friend. You ought to have gotten me and my boys some drinks while you waited.”

I didn’t bother smiling. “There’s coffee.”

He ignored me and continued further in, ogling the ship like it was his first time seeing it. “My, what a fine shithole you’ve made of this bucket.”

“What can I say? I like to decorate,” I said, walking slowly behind him.

He waltzed into the lounge and collapsed into one of the chairs. “Ah, now that’s the stuff.” He rubbed his hand along the fabric.

“Glad you like it,” I said.

“You spoil yourself, Jace. I hope you’re not spending the money you owe me on fancy chairs.”

I said nothing. Fratley knew full well that I hadn’t changed much about this ship before I got it. The only exceptions were a few things in my personal room, the coffee maker, Sigmond’s neural core, and of course, the cloaking device.

He grinned at the armed ravager nearest to him. “What do you think? Should we take these seats back to the ship?” asked Fratley, laughing. “Nah, I’m just playing. We’ve got ourselves a nice setup back on the ship, don’t we, boys?”

“Did you want to see the rest of the ship?” I asked.

“Oh, Jace, you always know just what to say. Sure! Let’s see this piece of shit in full detail. Why not?” He got to his feet, slamming his cane on the floor. The action gave me pause, and I half-expected Lex or Abigail to scream.

But there was nothing, thankfully. It seemed those two had enough composure to stay quiet. Good for me, since I wasn’t ready to die today.

I took Fratley and his men through the ship, showing them all the spots I wanted them to see. When we reached my room, there wasn’t much to see, although that didn’t stop his goons from tossing the dresser and mattress. In under a minute, I had sheets and clothes soaking in a pile of spilled water on the floor. I stared down at the jug I kept under my bed, quickly burying the anger.

Fratley only laughed. “They’re rough, but they get the job done. Don’t you agree, Jace?”

“Whatever works for you,” I said.

“Show me what you got in your cargo hold,” he ordered.

I did as he asked, and we stepped into the bay. As we entered, I felt a hand on my shoulder, holding me back. I looked to see one of the ravager men glaring at me to stay put.

Fratley continued into the room, his cane spinning in his hand. He looked around, clicking his tongue as he scanned the bay. “Tsk, tsk, Jace,” he said, shaking his head. “Doesn’t seem like you’ve had much work come your way. Big shame about those priests. I almost feel bad for killing them.”

I tried not to look at the section of the wall where I knew Hitchens and Octavia were hiding. “I’ll find more. Don’t worry about it.”

He looked at me from over his shoulder. “I’m sure you will.”

Fratley glanced around, his eyes jumping from one item to the next. I had several crates in here, mostly filled with tools and random shit I’d found. In other words, junk. I expected him to start rummaging through it all, maybe have his guys toss a few boxes. Instead, he eyed something beneath the railing. Something close to where Hitchens and Octavia were hiding.

That was when my heart sank. I’d left a crate out, the one we’d pulled away so the two of them could squeeze inside the wall. Did Fratley see it? Did he realize how out of place it was?

I tried to move so I could see what he was looking at, but the ravager thug kept his hand firmly on my shoulder. I could always turn around and kick his ass, but so many of his goons behind him, I was pretty sure I’d wind up a corpse.

For now, all I could do was watch and hope the bastard didn’t put the pieces together.

Fratley tapped his cane as he walked over to where the crate was sitting. He leaned in and looked behind it, saying nothing, and then banged the tip of his cane against the crate. “Now, why’s this one out of place, I wonder?” he asked, leaning forward to examine it.

“It wasn’t strapped in properly,” I lied. “You know how those slip tunnels are sometimes. I hit some turbulence on my way out.”

He waved his stick at the men next to me. “Let’s pop it open, boys.”

Three of them ran to his side like the eager dogs they were and attempted to open the lid. When it proved too difficult, they just knocked the crate on its side, spilling its guts onto the floor.

We all watched as several dozen pieces of clothing fell out of the box, each one air-sealed in plastic. “What’s all this?” asked Fratley. “You smuggling shirts now?”

The group of ravagers laughed.

“Those are from a job I pulled a while back. The client gave me some as payment,” I said.

“They paid you in clothes?” he asked, still laughing. “Damn, Jace. You just can’t catch a break!”

I wasn’t lying. The contents of the crate really had come from a client—a man named Arte who asked me to steal some high-end luxury apparel from a corporation called P&G Inc. Most of the clothes I delivered would sell well on the open market, except for these. This particular set of outfits were part of the discount line, which meant they were worthless. Arte let me keep them as a bonus, but I had no use for them. They weren’t even worth the time it would take to sell them.

Fratley left the clothes on the floor, ignoring the rest of the cargo bay. “I think we’re done here,” he said as he neared me.

“Thanks for stopping by,” I said.

He paused, a knowing smile on his face. “Since you’ve been a good boy today, I’m gonna be straight with you, Jace.”

“Straight with me?”

He nodded. “We came out here for you, but that’s not why I dropped so much fire on that church.”

I raised my brow, saying nothing.

“Y’see, there’s a warrant circling the gal-net. Seems the Union’s after a nun, and the picture they got shows her dressed in the same outfit as the kind these people wear.” He motioned for one of his men to hand him a pad, then showed it to me. Sure enough, it was Abigail, dressed in religious uniform. It looked like it was taken from security footage. “This is her, a few days after she broke into a Union lab and kidnapped a little girl. Can you believe that, Jace? Who does a thing like that?” He gave me a crooked smile.

“That’s weird,” I said, plainly.

“Warrant says the nun killed a man on her way out. A senator, from what I heard.”

“That so?” I asked, trying to sound like I didn’t care.

“This lady is supposed to be some kind of dangerous assassin, only I guess she ain’t too good with keeping herself hidden. Union cameras picked her up a few more times after this.” He tapped the pad and showed me another picture. “Sounds like bullshit, right? An assassin nun. Who would’ve thought?”

“That’s pretty wild. I hope you catch her.”

“I’ll tell you what’s wild, Jace. I come out here to talk to you and I see you working for the same church as this bitch. That’s a wild coincidence, yeah? It really has me scratching my head.”

His eyes went cold and serious as he glared at me.

I stared right back at him. If he thought he could intimidate me, this prick had another thing coming.

He chuckled. “Ah, I’m just teasing,” he said, then slapped my shoulder. “I’m sure we’ll turn something up on the surface, one way or another. If the girl ain’t there, we’ll find her.”

“I’m sure you will.”

He pointed his cane at me, nearly touching my forehead with the tip. “I’m giving you one more week to get me that money, by the way. Don’t make me hunt you down again. I won’t be so forgiving next time, you hear me?”

“I’ll get you the money,” I said, pushing the cane with my finger.

“I hope so, Jace. As much as I like you, I can’t let a debt go unpaid. That’s bad for business.”

I watched Fratley and his crew leave through the airlock, making sure they could see me, and trying to look relaxed. I’d wait until their ship was fully detached before I let my stowaways out of their hiding spots. After that, I had no idea what I was going to do.

Fratley had given me a week to get his money. Who could say whether he’d left any survivors on the planet. I’d probably have to drop these people off on some rock, away from here, and find myself some credits, quickly.

Just when it seemed like everything was going to work out, the entire day just goes straight to shit.

Funny how that always happens.

* * *

“Open it,” I told Sigmond, and watched as the wall slid up to reveal the hidden compartment.

A drenched Abigail appeared inside, covered in sweat, and breathing heavily

“We need to talk,” I said, stepping aside so she could come out.

“Are they gone?” she asked, climbing through the gap.

“For now, yeah, and you and I need to have a long conversation about just what is going on with—”

Lex popped her head from under the floor. “That was gross and smelly. I don’t ever want to do that again.”

I helped lift her out of the hole. When she was free, I tapped the wall and it closed. “As I was saying, we gotta talk.”

Abigail went straight to the drink dispenser and tapped the button for water. She drank it so fast, I thought she might choke.

“Are you even listening to me?” I asked.

“Did you know it was that hot down there?” She filled the cup with water again and continued to drink.

“Sure I did, but it was the only option we had. Now, are you gonna answer my question or do I have to ask again?”

“I don’t know what you’re asking me,” said the nun.

“Did you kill a man to save this kid?”

She stopped drinking. “What?”

“Fratley showed me a picture of you in the labs. He said you killed a senator. What the hell were you thinking?”

“I had no choice. I—” She paused, looking at Lex, hesitating to finish the thought. “Let’s talk about this later, privately. I’ll tell you everything.”

“I’m not doing anything privately with you, lady. I’ll talk to you and Fred together…and I want the truth this time.” I turned toward the cockpit. “Siggy, go ahead and let the others out. Tell them to get in the lounge and plant their asses for a while, until I get us out of here.”

“You’re leaving the system?” asked Abigail, setting her empty cup on the table.

“Of course, I am. We’re not staying here.”

“You need to search for survivors at the church. There’s safe spots all around the facility. You have to—”

“We can’t worry about that right now. If Fratley sees me sitting here for much longer, it’ll be all our asses.”

She started to say something, only to shut her mouth. She hated the idea of running away, I was certain, but she also knew the reality of our situation.

“Just so you know,” I continued. “I still aim to get paid for all this.”

I left her there, taking my seat in the cockpit. I primed the engines and opened a new tear in slipspace.

Twelve

The Renegade Star sat floating in a loose orbit around the moon of Damos III, a system not far from Arcadia. The five members of the Church of the Homeworld, along with the little albino girl, sat together in the lounge, waiting for me to talk.

I didn’t know what to say, except, “What the fuck is going on?”

Octavia got to her feet and looked at Lex. “Say, how about we go play for a bit?”

An eager smile formed on the young girl’s face. “Okay!”

“I’ll come and get you when we’re done here,” said Abigail.

“Take your time,” answered Octavia as she and Lex began to leave.

As soon as they were gone, Abigail turned to face me again. “I’m happy to tell you everything, Mr. Hughes, but first I need some assurances.”

“That’s not how this works, nun. First, you tell me exactly what you’re doing with this kid. After that, I’ll decide if I want to assure you of anything.”

“I can’t just—”

“If you don’t like it, there’s the airlock.” I pointed to the back half of the ship.

“I’m sure the Captain will understand,” said Fred.

“Quite so,” agreed Doctor Hitchens. “He’s done a fine job of protecting us, wouldn’t you agree?”

“He only did that because he was getting paid,” said Abigail.

She was right. Before now, I’d been promised a payment. A rather large one at that. As it stood now, I had no reason to help these people, except the vague possibility of getting compensated for what I was owed. “I won’t leave you stranded. How’s that to start?”

Fred nodded. “See? There’s no harm in telling him.”

“Fine,” resigned Abigail. “But you should know I’ll kill you if you try to turn us in.”

The woman was so frank, I nearly laughed. Not because it was funny, mind you. Only because I’d never met anyone with balls like hers. “You got it.”

She took a breath. “Lex isn’t your average little girl,” she began. “She’s part of something much larger.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Several years ago, back before the church first learned of her, Lex was a small child living on a fringe planet known as Deo. It’s a farming world and thus remains of little interest to the Union. Lex was living there when a group of scientists found her and brought her back for further research.”

“Why would they do that?” I asked.

“Because she was different. Not only did she look nothing like the other people in her village, but she had a rather unusual tattoo on her body. I’m sure you’ve seen it.”

I said that I had.

“The tattoo has certain properties to it that are unlike anything even the Union has seen.”

“Properties?”

She nodded. “You remember the chair she sat in, back in those ruins? Her tattoo activated the map in that place. It’s how we were able to use it. It was the key.”

“Her tattoo did that? How does that work?”

“No one knows for certain. It’s believed to be tied directly to a certain technology.”

“An ancient one,” added Hitchens. “Specifically, the lost engineering of old Earth.”

“The Union discovered Lex because of a rumor,” continued Abigail. “It was said that a pod from space landed in a field, and that the farmer of that land discovered a baby inside, bearing a strange mark. When a pair of Union merchants came to trade, they heard the rumor and wanted to meet the little girl with the tattoo. They were shocked to see she was, in fact, alive and real. The news eventually reached the Union’s science division, and it didn’t take long for them to find Lex.”

“We don’t know if the Union has pieced together the connection between Lex’s tattoo and Earth,” said Fred. “They definitely understand there’s something important about her.”

“From what I saw in the labs, they seemed to be experimenting on her, trying to replicate the properties of the marking,” said Abigail.

“What exactly is that tattoo?” I asked.

“Like I said, it’s a key, but we don’t know how and we don’t know why,” she answered. “All we know is that it works.”

“In short, Captain,” said Hitchens. “That little girl holds the key to finding Earth. It may be the only means we have of ever reaching it.”

“If the Union ever gets their hands on her, they’ll eventually figure out what we already know—that she has a connection to Earth. After that, they’ll do everything in their power to extract whatever secrets are hidden in that tattoo, no matter the cost,” said Abigail.

“What stopped them before?” I asked.

“The tattoo is actually organic and relies on Lex’s own biology to function. The Union understands that if she dies, they lose the information,” said Fred.

“They were working on a way to extract it when I took her,” said Abigail. “I couldn’t risk that happening, so I acted before we were ready. That’s when things went wrong.”

“You mean the senator,” I said.

She nodded. “He was touring the facility when I made my escape. His men tried to stop us, but we managed to get through them. The senator was never part of the plan.”

“When you say we, do you mean you and Lex?”

“There was another person helping me,” said Abigail. “His name was Peter. He died on our way out. That was when the senator was killed, too. There was a firefight in one of the corridors. I protected Lex while Peter covered us.”

“It’s not your fault,” said Fred.

I scoffed. “Sure it is. You ran in blind and botched the job. What did you think would happen?”

She looked at me, although there was no argument in her eyes. “You don’t have to tell me.”

The response took me by surprise. “So, you admit you messed up. That’s good. Now you can learn from it and be better. You’ve got that kid to look after, so you can’t screw up anymore.”

She nodded.

After a brief silence, Freddie cleared his throat. “What are we going to do now, Captain? Do you have a plan?”

“I’m not taking you back to the church,” I said, frankly. “But I won’t leave you stranded, either.”

Abigail lifted her eyes to look at me. “What do you mean?”

“You owe me a shitload of money, lady. All of you do. I expect you to find a way to pay, and quickly.”

Hitchens, who had said very little until now, raised his finger. “I might have some extra credits.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“The church recently sent me a nice sum for my research expenses. A grant of sorts.”

“How much?” I asked.

“Ten thousand, I believe,” he said, tapping his chin. “Would that be enough?”

“Not even close, but it’s a start,” I said. “Anyone else?”

“I don’t have any money. I’m sure we can figure it out,” said Fred.

“Good, because until we do, we’re all in a world of shit. Maybe you didn’t see the guy in charge of that small fleet. His name is Fratley, and he’s ruthless. He’ll torture and kill you all if he finds out you’re on this boat.”

“Let’s avoid that outcome if we can,” said Freddie.

“There might be a better way,” mused Hitchens. “Tell me, Captain, do you know any traders who deal in relics or antiques?”

“I might know a guy,” I said, immediately picturing Ollie, back on Taurus.

“If so, the solution might be right in front of us.”

“How?” asked Fred.

“Do you recall the Cartographer on Epsilon?”

“How could I forget?” I asked. “Getting attacked by a bunch of wild animals is always memorable.”

“Nevertheless, there are several points of interest there, aside from the ruins we visited. Octavia and I, along with other researchers at the church, have spent the last several years excavating that planet. We’ve uncovered several artifacts that we believe would net a small fortune.”

“And where are these relics?” I asked.

“In a small facility, not far from Arcadia. I can give you the exact coordinates if you’d like.”

“This isn’t the kind of thing where one person thinks something is valuable, then it turns out to be a bunch of junk…is it?”

Hitchens waved his arms back and forth. “No, no, I assure you, these relics are quite valuable, Captain.”

I considered the proposal. If he was right, it could mean getting Fratley off my back for good. If these relics turned out to be worthless, I might not have enough time to do another job. I’d be royally fucked.

“Okay,” I finally said. “To hell with it. I didn’t become a Renegade because it was easy. Let’s see what you can do, Professor.”

“I’m not a professor,” corrected Hitchens.

“Whatever,” I said. “Siggy, you listening?”

“As always,” said Sigmond.

“Prime the engines. We’ve got a junkyard to loot.” I let out my hand to Hitchens. “Now, let’s hear those coordinates. There ain’t much time to lose.”

* * *

I thought about putting in a long-range request to speak with Ollie back on Taurus, but decided against it. The last thing I needed was someone catching the signal and listening in. They said the gal-net was secure, but I’d heard stories. There was talk that the Union had trackers in place to pick up on key words, and I couldn’t risk getting found out before I delivered the goods. I’d have to take a chance on Ollie’s ability to sell whatever I brought him. If the goods were decent, we wouldn’t have a problem. I’d just have to wait to find out.

The facility Hitchens told me about was on a large asteroid in a system called DX192-9444-0. It was the kind of place you’d never visit, because there was almost nothing there. There was a single planet, sure, only it was a gas giant with liquid hydrogen oceans on its surface and little else. Hardly the kind of place you’d take a date.

According to the gal-net, it was theorized that there used to be another planet here, closer to the star, but it eventually exploded into an asteroid belt. Most believed it was due to a rogue comet hitting the planet. I got the impression none of them knew for sure.

Whatever the case, hardly a soul ever came this way. The belt had been mined and subsequently abandoned, just like so many other systems whose resources had been bled dry, and now it was ours.

“Our destination is one of the larger asteroids,” said Sigmond as we entered the belt.

“Bring us in,” I ordered.

“Shall I ready the shuttle for you, sir?”

“Sure, and while you’re at it, tell Abigail and Freddie to meet me in the bay.”

“As you wish,” said the AI.

I exited the cockpit and found Lex running around the outer ring of the lounge. She seemed to be playing and mumbling to herself, the way a kid does when they’re in a world of their own. “Hey, Mr. Hughes, excuse me.”

I stepped aside, letting her pass. “Careful,” I told her. “If you trip and fall, I’m not cleaning you up.”

“Sorry,” she said.

“What’s that in your hand?” I asked.

She showed me a small toy, some kind of tiny ship. “Abby gave it to me at the church. His name is Jerry.”

“Jerry? What kind of name is that for a ship?”

“I dunno. That’s just his name,” she said, like she had nothing to do with it.

“Oh, well, why aren’t you with someone? Did the nun get sick of you?”

She shook her head. “Abby’s talking to the doctor.  It was boring, so I left.”

“Smart girl,” I said. “All right, go on and play or whatever you were doing.”

She smiled, then turned and resumed her nonsense.

Leaving the lounge, I quickly walked to the bay, where I found Freddie and Abigail waiting for me. To my surprise, Hitchens was also there. “I only need two of you. The doctor can wait in the lounge or his room.”

“You’ll need me to help locate the correct items,” said Hitchens. “None of you know anything about my work.”

“He has a point,” said Abigail.

“That might be true, but you have to stay here.”

“What for?” he asked.

“Because you don’t have your own spacesuit, and you’re too fat for mine,” I said, rather bluntly.

Freddie’s jaw dropped.

“Oh,” muttered Hitchens. “I see. Well, that makes sense, I suppose.”

“You can guide us from here. There’s a camera on each of the suits that links directly to the ship’s systems. Sigmond will set you up on the lounge’s viewer.”

“That’s correct,” said Sigmond, his voice booming from the overhead speaker.

“Ah, well, that makes things easier,” said Hitchens, resting his hand on his side.

“As for you two, I hope you can handle a spacewalk. Suits are in that locker over there.” I pointed behind them. “Gear up and let’s get to it.”

“W-Wait,” said Fred. “I don’t know if I can do that.”

I paused. “Huh?”

“I’ve never gone on a real microgravity walk before.”

“You what?” I asked.

“There’s never been a reason for me to do something like that.”

Even Abigail was surprised. “Didn’t you take the training course? It’s required on most Union worlds before you’re allowed to fly.”

“I’m from Shadderack. Our training program isn’t what you’d call pristine.”

“Shadderack?” asked Hitchens.

“It’s a lesser known colony world. We don’t utilize a lot of space travel, so most never have a reason to leave the planet. I only did because my education required—”

“Get to the point, Freddie,” I said.

“Sorry. We mostly submerge ourselves in water for an hour, walk around, and that’s it. The instructor signs off and we move on. The Union doesn’t seem to mind it, since hardly anyone from Shadderack ever leaves the planet, let alone the solar system.”

I went to the locker and pulled out a helmet. “Well, today you get some hands-on experience.” I pushed the helmet into his arms. “It’ll be a great learning exercise.”

Fred looked down at the reflecting visor, spotting himself. “Oh, boy.”

Abigail grabbed one of the suits from the locker and handed it to me. “Let’s get this over with.”

“That’s the spirit,” I said, grinning at the nun. “I like where your head’s at.”

Thirteen

I stood on an asteroid, watching as my two companions departed the small shuttle.

Freddie nearly fell out of the vehicle, having had little experience with spacewalks before today. Still, he seemed to grasp the concept pretty quickly, once his feet were planted on the rock.

Abigail flicked on her suit’s light, brightening the asteroid’s surface.

I touched the side of the shuttle, detaching a flat piece of metal. It unfolded itself into a large, hovering cart with an extendable handle. This would make carrying the load back significantly easier once we located it.

Nearby, I spotted several discarded pieces of drilling machinery, most of which were likely inoperable. The gal-net had mentioned a mining operation taking place here some twenty years ago, making most of this equipment useless and archaic.

“Hitchens, you hearing me?” I asked, speaking through the com in my suit. “Give me a sign you’re there.”

“Is this thing on, Sigmond? Can he hear me?” asked the doctor.

“I can hear you,” I acknowledged.

“I don’t think he can hear me,” said the archaeologist.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “Siggy, you got me?”

“Yes, sir,” said the AI.

“Tell Hitchens to shut up and tell us where to go.”

“Oh, it’s working now. Captain, this is Doctor Thadius Hitchens. Do you read me?”

“Yes.”

“Excellent!” he exclaimed, cheerily. “Now, if you’re all ready to go, I’m happy to lead you.”

“Just get on with it,” I said.

“You’ll want to move through the area ahead of you. Do you see that rock over there? The one resembling a large eye? A short walk after that, you’ll find the mine entrance. That’s your destination.”

“That’s it?” I asked, surprised at how simple the directions were.

“Not quite. Once you’re inside, the tunnel segments into several more. You’ll want to follow my explicit directions if you are to reach the storage room.”

“Did you two hear that?” I asked my companions.

“Loud and clear,” said Abigail.

We both looked at Freddie, who seemed to be preoccupied with a green rock. “Fred?” I asked.

He looked up from the stone. “Oh, I’m sorry. I was just—”

“Were you even listening?” asked Abigail.

He got an embarrassed look on his face. “I’m so sorry.”

“Just come on,” I said, pushing the cart forward. “We’ve got work to do.”

We passed by the stone Hitchens had mentioned, which I decided looked less like an eye and more like a testicle, although I kept the observation to myself.

A minute later, I spotted the mine in question. A feeble little cave that you’d only see if you were standing directly in front of it. The only signs of activity were the scattered drilling equipment, attached to the ground by hard wires, abandoned near the entrance.

“Okay, Doc, lead the way,” I said over the com as we entered the cave. Before me was a long passage with several branching paths. It was too dark to see without turning on my helmet’s light, which I decided to crank to the highest possible setting. The cave had no flat walls or floors. Instead, all sides were equally ridged.

“You’ll need to disable your suit’s gravity function,” suggested Hitchens. “You can’t walk this on foot.”

“If I die in here, Hitchens, I’m coming for you,” I warned, disabling the artificial gravity option. I lifted slightly off the ground, keeping my hand on the cart, which had its own mini-thrusters to allow for better control.

Abigail and Freddie did the same, each placing an arm on the cart’s railing.

“Where to, Hitchens?” I finally asked.

“You’ll want to take the first left, then right, then head straight…then pass two…no, three passages, and take the next left. Finally—”

“How about you tell us as we go,” I suggested.

“Ah, yes. Sorry,” he said. “Please, take the first left.”

The three of us went forward, entering the cave and slowly making our way into the darkness. At the first break in the tunnel, I turned the cart into the second hall. We pressed on, with Hitchens guiding us through the labyrinth of corridors. I wasn’t sure how the miners ever managed to get anything done in such an awful workspace. Unlike a moon or a planet, there was no north or south here, no true sense of direction. There was only forward and back, surrounded by the same stone on all sides. I felt like an insect, burying my way deep into the ground.

After several minutes, at the end of the final tunnel, we found an opening that lead into a sort of cavern. There were no doors to protect it, no barricades of any kind. As we drew closer, I could see there was nothing significant inside. I wondered if we’d taken a wrong turn somewhere.

Before I could say anything, Hitchens chimed in on the com, a satisfied tone in his voice. “Ah, now we’re at it!”

“At what?” asked Freddie. “There’s nothing here.”

“Hardly so. This is only the foyer. There should be a panel on the far wall. Do you see it?”

Sure enough, there was a control panel hidden in the corner of the cave. It was difficult to see at first, being the same gray color as the rest of the wall. Freddie floated over to it and popped the cover open, revealing a number pad. “Got it,” he said.

“Excellent,” said Hitchens. “Next, you’ll want to punch in the following: 6-6-4-2-9.”

“You get that, Fred?” I asked.

“Not a problem,” said the young priest.

He pressed the numbers, a hard click following each one, and then…

Nothing.

We stood there in silence, waiting for something to happen.

“Are you certain you did it correctly?” asked Abigail.

“6-6-4-2-9,” said Freddie, repeating the code exactly as he’d heard it.

“Give it a moment,” said Hitchens.

A second later, the nearby ground began to shake, and a wall cracked open, sliding up into the ceiling. “Here we go,” said Fred.

“Aha!” exclaimed Hitchens. “Pardon the security measures. The wiring isn’t exactly what you might call exemplary, though it is effective.”

“Doesn’t matter,” I said, floating through the opening. “Let’s get what we came for and head out.”

The hidden area looked to hold a catalog of artifacts similar in design to what I saw on Epsilon. I had no idea if any of them were still operational, but it didn’t matter. I was sure some rich asshole somewhere in the galaxy would pay their weight in credits to get their hands on this garbage.

Hell, if Ollie could sell ornaments he built out of old wiring he found in a dumpster, why not this?

As I entered into the final room, I felt a sudden weight on my body, and dropped to the ground, catching myself.

“Oh, goodness!” exclaimed Hitchens. “I should have mentioned, we installed artificial gravity in this section of the mine. Please be careful.”

“Next time, how about you give us a warning first?” I asked, standing back up.

“My apologies,” said Hitchens.

Crates and plastic-sealed machines filled the cave, delicately placed in perfect order. Fred accidentally bumped his foot into one as he entered, knocking it to the ground. I heard something shatter inside.

Abigail and I both looked at him, and I shook my head. “Really, Freddie?”

“I’m so sorry!” he said, trying to salvage the broken whatever-it-was.

“Will you be able to get the rest without breaking them?” asked Abigail. “Do you need to wait outside?”

“No, I promise I’ll be more careful, Sister.”

I chuckled. “You’re getting lectured.”

The nun turned and glared at me.

“Don’t try that shit on me,” I told her, shutting her down before she could start. “I’ll leave your ass stranded.”

“A word of warning, Captain,” said Hitchens. “You’ll want to be especially careful with the cargo marked with a yellow indicator. Those are particularly fragile, and therefore more valuable.”

I saw Freddie checking the box he’d broken. He frowned at the yellow marker.

I shook my head again. “Poor, poor Freddie.”

We loaded what we could on the cart and began our way back toward the entrance. The path out was a little easier, although I don’t know what we would have done without Hitchens guiding us. Considering how much cargo we still had to retrieve from that cave, we were looking at several more trips, but I was certain we’d be done before the day was through.

Thankfully, loading the crates into the back of the shuttle was significantly easier than it was in the cave. I lifted a box with one hand, which had previously required both Freddie and I to move.

We filled the shuttle in no time, then returned to the mine. It was easy-going for a while. It even began to feel routine. Walk through the mine, load the cart, walk back to the shuttle, load it up. Repeat.

We managed to take a shuttle’s worth of artifacts up to The Star, store them in the cargo bay, then return for another load.

It wasn’t until a few hours later that everything went to total and complete shit.

* * *

“Sir,” began Sigmond as we loaded another cart full of equipment. “I’m detecting something.”

I stopped what I was doing. “What is it, Siggy?”

“A slip tunnel has appeared in this system. I believe another ship has entered the area.”

“Another ship? Can you see who it is?”

“I’m afraid not. Shall I raise the cloak?”

“Do it,” I ordered. “We’re on our way back. Expect the shuttle in a few.”

“What’s wrong?” asked Abigail.

“Sounds like we’ve got company. Come on, we’ve gotta go.”

“What about the rest of—”

“Leave it. We’ve got enough. Let’s get back to The Star,” I said, beginning to do just that.

We moved as fast as we could through the tunnels, but the lack of gravity made for slow progress.

After we reached the shuttle, I had the two of them board and get strapped in. I hit the com, closing my door and starting the engines. “Siggy, we’re heading back. Get ready to punch it as soon as we’re onboard.”

The shuttle lifted off of the asteroid, hovering for a second before finally taking off. We maneuvered through the belt, bypassing several hulking rocks that could have easily crushed us.

“We’re nearly there,” I told the others.

“Sir, be cautious,” warned Sigmond. “The other ship is moving closer to your position. They do not seem to be aware of us, but—”

At that moment, I felt the shuttle rattle violently as a torpedo nearly struck our side.

It blasted a chunk of rock from an asteroid, shattering the stone and sending us into a spin. “What the fuck!” I yelled as we began our descent back toward the same rock we’d only just left.

I hit the stabilizer and took manual control, trying my best to steady the ship. It nearly worked, but there wasn’t enough time. Instead of leveling out, we hit the surface and slid four dozen meters until we slammed straight into a small cliff.

The sides of the doors and the dash released a white puffy material, shielding our bodies from most of the impact.

Freddie screamed, hitting his head against Abigail’s seat. I could already see the blood from his nose.

When the commotion finally stopped, I looked at Abigail. “Are you okay?”

She was breathing quickly, confusion still in her eyes.

“Hey, Abby. Look at me.” I put my hand on her arm. “Focus on what I’m saying. Look at me. Hey!”

She turned and tried to focus on my face. Her eyes were swirling. “What…happened?”

“Hold on.” I reached beneath the dash and took out a small red medical box. I took the scanner inside and activated it, running the device along her head and chest, checking for any signs of damage or swelling.

Fred kept his head up and elevated, covering his bleeding nose with his hand. I grabbed his hand. “Let it bleed, you idiot!” I barked. “You’ll give yourself a pulmonary embolism that way!”

“S-Sorry. Is Sister Abigail okay?” he asked, apparently more concerned with her than himself.

“It looks like she has some bruising, but nothing’s  broken,” I said, closing the scanner. “Abby, are you with us?”

The disconnected look in her eyes was finally gone. She blinked several times, staring back at me. “I-I’m here. I’m okay.”

“Goddammit,” I said, punching the seat. “Who are these bastards? I’ll have Siggy fire a hole clean through their—”

“Attention intruders,” said a voice over the com. It sounded like an automated message. “You are encroaching on Sarkonian territory. Prepare to surrender your vessel.”

“Who are the Sarkonians?” asked Fred.

I tapped the com. “Who the hell is this? I want to speak to your representative right now.”

“Please prepare to surrender your vessel,” repeated the voice.

I cursed and hit the seat again. Next to Fratley, Sarkonians were probably the last thing I wanted to deal with right now. They liked to confiscate ships and property that they felt were in their territory, but since Sarkonians had no defined borders, their claims were impossible to predict. The rule of thumb in the Deadlands was, if you saw a Sarkonian ship, you turned and ran away as fast as you damn well could.

“Siggy, scan that ship and tell me what we’re dealing with.”

“Are we in trouble?” asked Freddie.

I raised my finger to quiet him. “Not if I can help it.”

“I’m detecting one quad cannon, and only a second-grade hull,” said Sigmond.

Freddie pulled the cloth away from his nose. “Is that bad?”

“Only for them,” I said, kicking open the door. “Siggy, get ready to blow that piece of shit out of the sky, you hear me?”

“I do, sir,” said the AI.

I got to my feet and stared into the asteroid belt at the oncoming Sarkonian vessel. “Time to show these assholes why you should never fuck with a Renegade.”

* * *

Standing with my pistol in one hand, I waved at the enemy ship. “That’s right, you jackasses. Come right over here.”

As the Sarkonian ship neared us, they opened their bay door. An unmanned shuttle exited and began making its way towards us. No doubt, if they had their way, we’d wind up working in an ore mine by the end of the day.

Too bad Siggy and I had other plans.

Before the shuttle could get more than a hundred meters from the Sarkonian vessel, The Renegade Star decloaked from beneath another large asteroid, firing at the enemy ship.

The quad-cannons unleashed a string of rapid-fire shots, taking them by surprise. The ship withstood the many hits, much to my own surprise, and returned fire at The Star. Thanks to Siggy’s inhuman reaction speed, he managed to maneuver behind another asteroid, allowing the rock to shield most of the damage.

Chunks of stone broke apart, scattering in every direction, including towards us. “Get out of the shuttle!” I ordered, reaching my arm inside and grabbing Abigail by the hand.

She and Fred stumbled out of the door, scurrying on the hard surface of the asteroid and together we attempted to flee, back towards the mine.

Three large ship-sized rocks spiraled towards us, smashing into the ground and, incidentally, crushing our shuttle. I cursed under my breath at the loss. Those things were expensive and on top of all the other debt I had, this would only add to it.

I pushed the thought out of my head and decided to be pissed later. For now, I ran, hoping I didn’t trip and rip my damn suit in the process.

As we reached the giant eye-shaped monument near the mine, I called for Sigmond to fire a second wave.

He did, and the missiles hit the Sarkonian ship right in the same spot they had before, puncturing their deck and sending pieces of cargo into space. I watched the entire event unfold on my visor as Siggy broadcasted it to me.

The enemy vessel opened a slip tunnel, attempting to flee, and I gave the order to fire one last volley.

Sigmond did as I said, sending a final wave of six missiles towards the enemy ship. Two collided with a cluster of smaller asteroids, but the remaining four managed to get through.

The Sarkonian vessel could do nothing to stop the barrage from penetrating their hull, obliterating the ship from the inside. The vessel splintered, exploding into a cloud of wreckage, scattering in all directions.

“Oh, my gods,” muttered Fred, gawking at the obliterated ship.

I looked at Abigail, who was watching the whole mess unfold. “You good?” I asked.

She still looked dazed, albeit a little less than before. “I just want to get out of here.”

“Sounds like my kind of plan,” I said.

I could have ordered them to keep working, maybe try to salvage the artifacts in the destroyed shuttle, but we had enough cargo onboard The Star to call this a success. There was no use chancing another Sarkonian attack.

The ship came down through the asteroid field, rising above us, hovering momentarily. “Are you ready to depart, sir?” asked Sigmond.

“Can it land?” asked Fred.

“There’s no solid surface wide enough, but I’m sure Siggy can make it work.”

“Stand clear,” said the AI.

I waved the others back as the ship approached, stopping a few meters from the surface.

“Bring it closer,” I ordered.

“Not possible,” Sigmond replied.

The base of the ship was a short distance above us, not close enough to reach by hand. We’d have to float up to reach it.

I waved at Abigail and Freddie to join me. “Time to go,” I said, pointing to the ship.

They both looked up at the cargo lift door. “I take it we’re supposed to jump,” said Freddie.

“And hope you make it,” I added, clasping my hands together. “Come on, I’ll give you a boost.”

Freddie placed his foot between my fingers, and I pushed him up, watching as he floated towards the door. He waved his arms around, frantically, before finally catching the base of the lift. “I have it!”

I breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Abigail. “You’re up next.”

“I can manage,” she assured me, squatting to the ground. She took a slow, deep breath, and jumped.

I watched her confidently sail towards the ship, perfectly aimed. She reached it easily, grabbing the railing with her whole arm, attempting to swing herself around. As she did, she seemed to react, partially losing her grip.

Freddie reached for her, taking Abigail’s hand and pulling her onto the deck. “I have you!”

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

I could hear her breathing heavily. “Nothing, it’s just…” Her voice trailed off. “Sorry, my shoulder was hurting. It’s fine now.”

“Must have been from the crash,” I said.

“Are you ready, Captain?” asked Freddie.

I crouched, placing both my hands on the rock beneath me, then pushed my feet down, extending my body and launching myself straight up towards The Star.

I nearly passed the opening as I floated, but a hand grasped at me, yanking me back. “Got you!” said Abigail. She held me tight, squeezing my fingers.

Fred took my wrist as well, and together the two of them pulled me inside. As I entered the cargo deck, the ship’s artificial gravity took hold and brought me straight down on my ass, knocking both Abigail and Fred on their sides.

“Welcome back, sir,” Sigmond said inside my ear as the lift began to close shut. “Shall I chart a course to Taurus Station?”

“I think that’d be a fine idea, Siggy,” I said, feeling a sudden ache in my lower back.

Fred ran over and offered his hand. “Now what?”

“Now nothing,” I said, then waited for the oxygen to fill the cargo bay. Once the doors were sealed, I removed my helmet and took a long breath. “The shuttle’s gone and we have our cargo. I think we’ve done enough for one day, don’t you?”

Fourteen

After a long, hard sleep and a cup of coffee, I went to check on Abigail. She needed more medical attention than I thought. The scanner I used had missed the concussion, which wasn’t a surprise. I found that thing in a pawn shop over a year ago, but never had to use it. Go figure it barely worked.

I found her with Octavia, who had a decent bit of experience with patching wounds, as it turned out. “How’s she looking?” I asked when the door opened.

Octavia motioned at the sleeping woman in her bed. “She’s resting, but she’ll be fine.”

“How’d you learn how to handle that?”

“I used to be in the Union Guard,” she explained.

“You?” I asked.

“I wasn’t always Dr. Hitchens’ assistant. In my other life, I was a patriot.”

“Is that what they call dogs of the military where you come from?”

My bluntness didn’t faze her, or if it did, she didn’t let it show. “The Union isn’t cruel to every world, Mr. Hughes,” she said. “I was born on Androsia.”

Androsia was the capital of the Union, so I knew the name, despite never stepping foot on its soil. “Boy, talk about a silver spoon,” I said. “That must have been an easy life for you.”

“It was,” she admitted. “I used to think the whole Empire was like that. I thought everyone was happy. It wasn’t until I saw the outer colonies with my own eyes that I began to understand.”

“I’m not sure if I should be happy for you or not,” I said. “Seems like you gave up a lot just to be someone’s assistant.”

She nodded. “I suppose I did. My father was a surgeon on the richest planet in the Union. We had enough money to last a lifetime. But living an easy life isn’t the same as being fulfilled. It doesn’t mean you’ll be happy. I gave it up because I felt a need for something more. I wanted to study history, to explore.”

“You felt confined,” I said.

“Living in the capitol, I had my entire life planned out. I was to do my duty and serve the Union, then go to medical school like my father. No one asked me what I wanted. It was like living in a really comfortable box where all your needs are met, except you can never leave. For most people, that’s enough. For me, it felt claustrophobic. You seem like you understand that.”

“I might,” I said, refusing to elaborate. “How long before the nun recovers?”

The sudden question didn’t throw her. She leaned back, looking at Abigail’s bed. “Miss Pryar needs to rest a while. Give her a day.”

“Thanks for handling it. I’ve got enough to do as it is.”

She gave me a slight smile. “I’m sure you do, Captain.”

I started to ask what she meant, only to drop it and return to the lounge.

I kept mulling over our haul from the asteroid. I had no idea if it was worth anything, but with some much-needed luck, Ollie might be able to find me a buyer. Probably a sucker on the prowl for antiques. I just hoped we’d get enough to cover the debt.

In the lounge, Hitchens sat with Freddie and Lex, watching one of the old Foxy Stardust cartoons. I took a seat and didn’t say anything. Lex had a wide-eyed expression on her face, totally engrossed in the show. Hitchens was on his pad, reading an article, while Freddie just sat there, eating an apple.

It would be strange, once this job was done, to return to such a quiet ship. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d carried so many passengers, but this mission had certainly lasted longer than most.

I expected them all to leave once we arrived at the station. No doubt, they’d try to charter a new ship, one with a less dangerous captain at its helm. I was in over my head with Fratley, and after the shocking display back at Arcadia, I was sure they’d want to avoid the bastard at all costs.

Whatever they ended up doing, I hoped they didn’t get themselves killed.

“Excuse me, sir,” said Sigmond, speaking in my ear. “Please report to the cockpit. There’s something you need to see.”

“What is it, Siggy?” I asked, surprised that he wasn’t speaking through the speaker.

“We may have a problem.”

I casually took my leave of the room and headed to the front of the ship, saying nothing. After closing the door to the hall, I took a seat.

A few moments ago, The Star had come out of a slip tunnel, so the space outside the ship was still and quiet, glowing dots in the distance. No sign of trouble. “What’s the deal? You see something I don’t?”

“I’m detecting a Union star cruiser near the other end of the next slip tunnel, sir. I believe they are entering soon.”

I blinked. “A cruiser? And they’re heading here?”

“Yes, I believe so.”

A series of questions hit me all at once. Could they be looking for us? Had the Union discovered our location and found a way to track the girl or my ship? Was it some new directive, as part of their recent border expansion program? I’d heard rumors about them going into the Deadlands a handful of times, but that was so rare. They generally kept to their own space.

Could Lex really be so important to them?

I hoped I was overthinking it, and this was something unrelated. With any luck, we’d pass each other in the tunnel, off to our own destinations. Scans didn’t work in slipspace, so if the cruiser continued on its course, we’d have nothing to worry about. The only concern was whether they had a means of penetrating our cloak. We could see them from here with our long-range sensors, which normally would mean the same for them, but only if they had a means of detecting the cloak. If not, then we just might be able to make it through without any trouble.

“They’re entering the tunnel,” said Sigmond.

“How long?” I asked.

“They will reach our present location in approximately three hours.”

“Enter the tunnel as soon as they do. Wait until the cruiser is fully inside. We don’t want them to see us when we drop our cloak.”

“Actually, sir, it may not be that simple.”

“Why is that?”

“If we enter at the same time as the cruiser, we’ll most likely leave at the same time. If anything, they will emerge slightly before us. If that happens, we won’t be cloaked in time to shield ourselves.”

I knew he was right and cursed myself for not realizing it sooner. If we entered the tunnel now, the cruiser would emerge before us. All they’d have to do is scan behind them to see us coming out the same point they entered. Even if we waited an hour or two, there was still a risk that they’d see us when we emerged.

“We could remain cloaked in this position and wait,” suggested Sigmond.

“No, there’s gotta be another way that doesn’t involve us waiting here for a cruiser to arrive. I don’t want to risk them detecting us through the cloak.” I flicked the side of my chair, weighing the options. There were other tunnels running through here, certainly, and we could take any of them we wanted, but the detour would prolong our arrival at Taurus, possibly by a day or more. “Siggy, what if we stay on this tunnel until we’re out of scanning range? Where would we come out?”

“That would bring us inside Union-controlled space.”

“Would we be near anything? Any planets or colonies? Space stations?”

“None, according to the galactic map.”

“How long to return to Taurus with only standard warp thrusters?” I asked.

“Six hours,” Sigmond said.

“And if we use one of the other tunnels nearby? How long would that take?”

“There are three tunnels besides this one, but the detour would add another three days to our travel time.”

I thought about Abigail in her bed, knowing she needed better treatment than what my ship could provide. If we waited too long, she might end up suffering. “Fuck it, let’s take this tunnel and bypass Taurus. Once we get there, cloak us and turn around.”

“Right away, sir.”

A beam from our ship split a tear in space, opening to reveal the jade-colored lights of slipspace. “In we go,” I said, leaning back in my chair.

Our cloak dropped and The Renegade Star pushed into the rift.

At the same time, the Union cruiser was on its way to our location, flying in the opposite direction through slipspace. We would pass each other soon, unaware of the other’s presence.

Entering Union space wasn’t the most ideal scenario, I had to admit, but it was better than waiting three days to return to Taurus Station. Aside from Abigail’s health, there was also the matter of our cargo, which had to be sold so I could pay Fratley back before the end of the week.

The deadline was fast approaching, and I couldn’t risk bringing Fratley’s wrath down on me. One way or the other, I had to get that bastard his money.

Fifteen

I made it a point to avoid Union space, whenever possible. I’d crossed the border when I had to, depending on the job, but there were always certain risks involved. Risks that generally outweighed the dangers of operating within the Deadlands.

Sure, the Deadlands had ravagers, thieves, pirates, and Sarkonians, but at least I never had to deal with Union checkpoints or military envoys. While I could always handle a few small pirate ships, the Union controlled the largest and most powerful armada in the galaxy. That was the kind of trouble you just didn’t want.

Union space also had several long-range buoys to monitor border activity. If one of them caught a glimpse of you, there was a chance you’d end up having a rough time. I even had to watch where and how I used my cloak, since the technology was illegal here.

And now I was back, perhaps to my own detriment. Fratley needed his money, and I needed to live, which meant I didn’t have the luxury of being cautious.

“We will arrive at Taurus Station in approximately six hours,” Sigmond told me as we raised the cloak and set out from the slip tunnel.

“Keep your eyes out for any sign of Union activity,” I said. “I don’t want us anywhere near one of their ships.”

“I will adjust our route, should the situation call for it.”

“Good man,” I said, sitting in my bed.

I hadn’t bothered telling the others about the cruiser we spotted near the tunnel. There was no need for them to know that the Union was inside the Deadlands. Maybe I’d inform them later, but with everything that had happened to the church, to Abigail, and to all of us, I knew they didn’t need to know. Not right now.

My head swirled in a fog as I sat on the bed. I’d been increasingly exhausted these last few days, a testament to how overworked I was, most likely.

I leaned back in my bunk and felt the soft embrace of my pillow, falling straight to sleep as soon as my eyes closed.

When I opened my eyes, I felt a stiffness in my jaw, and sat up. Glancing at my pad, I saw we were nearly at our destination. Half an hour more. Five and a half hours had gone by in a blink.

I yawned. “Siggy, put me through to our guests, would you?”

“Right away, sir,” he confirmed. “Speak when you’re ready.”

I cleared my throat, wiping the grime from my eyes. “Everyone, we’ll be at Taurus in a few,” I announced, and I heard my voice over the coms outside my room. “Pack your shit and standby.”

Elegantly put,” remarked Sigmond.

I threw a shirt on and cracked my back, then took a drink from my water jug. As I stood, I heard something against my door. It wasn’t quite a knock. More like a light tap.

I opened it and looked down to see Lex standing alone in front of me.

“Mr. Hughes, you sleep too much,” said the little albino.

“What do you want, kid?”

“I’m hungry and there’s no more food.”

“We’re out already?”

I went to the food dispenser and opened all the cabinets, finding most of it empty. There were a few pieces of jerky, but not much else to speak of. “Damn, you people cleaned me out.”

“Can I have something, please?” asked Lex. “My stomach hurts.”

I offered her a piece of jerky. “Eat up.”

She smelled it and, twisting her nose, quickly shoved it back in my hand. “Gross!”

I bit into it, munching on the processed meat. “What’s wrong? Not a fan of jerky?”

“It smells like butt.”

“What? You don’t like butts?” I asked, taking a whiff of the meat.

She giggled at my joke. “Ew.”

“Tell you what,” I said, taking a piece of candy from my side pocket. “Eat half a stick of jerky and you can have a sweet. What do you say, kid?”

Her eyes widened at the sight of the treat. “I can have that?”

“You just gotta eat the other thing first.”

She looked at the meat, then back at the candy. “Um.”

I stuck out my hand with the jerky. “Here.”

She took it, a little reluctantly. With her eyes on the candy, she bit into the meat, chewing slowly.

“Well?” I asked, watching her make what I was certain was the ultimate sacrifice.

She seemed to relax as she continued to eat. “It’s okay,” she said, swallowing and taking another bite. She looked up at me. “Still not good, though.”

I laughed. “Here you go, kid.” I tossed the candy and she caught it, the jerky hanging out of her mouth.

“Wow!” she exclaimed.

“Eat the jerky first, then you can have the candy. Got it?”

She nodded. “Thanks, Mr. Hughes!”

I left with the second piece of jerky, eating it while I made my way to the hangar bay. Lex followed after me, munching on her own food as fast as she could. By the time we reached the end of the hall, she was unwrapping the candy, a giddy expression on her face.

Hitchens had been spending a fair amount of time in the cargo bay since we left the asteroid belt. I had, before now, left him to do his work in peace, but we were drawing close to the station now and I wanted to make sure our cargo was fully intact.

“Ah, Captain Hughes,” said the doctor as I made my way down the steps. He had several of the relics we’d found in the mine placed neatly around the floor. Each one had an piece of paper attached to it with an identification number written on it, most likely to help keep track of the inventory.

“Looks like you’re staying busy,” I said, looking at one of the machines. Its tag read 021.

“I’ve been organizing our collection,” he explained.

“Which of these are you keeping and which are we selling?”

“Items one through eight are to remain in my possession.”

“How high does the list go?”

“Forty-six,” he said. “Not quite the catalog we once had, though it remains a respectable collection.”

I did the math in my head. “So, we’re selling…thirty-seven?”

“Thirty-eight,” he corrected, an always-respectful tone in his voice.

“I kept meaning to ask, why did you have all this shit stored in that mine in the first place?”

“The Council saw the need to keep our findings hidden, should the Union or another party such as that Fratley fellow ever see fit to invade Arcadia. I was opposed to the notion originally, yet it seems the Council was correct to insist upon it. Loralin, specifically, if memory serves.” He wiped some sweat from his brow with a small, red handkerchief, then paused for several seconds, like he was lost in thought.

“Doc, are you okay?” I asked, snapping my fingers.

He blinked. “Oh, I apologize, Captain. I was thinking about them again. Our friends in the Church. They’re still heavy on my mind, it seems.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, as I was saying, the technology itself was something of a mystery when we first discovered it. We had little information about what each of these machines actually did.”

“And now?” I asked, looking at the dozens of devices scattered neatly across my ship’s floor.

“Sadly, most are inactive,” he explained. “The only exceptions are the eight I mentioned before.”

“That one’s my favorite,” said Lex. Her voice caught me off guard. I’d forgotten she was even there. She pointed to a small box in the corner, near Hitchens.

“Ah, yes. Such an exquisite find,” he said.

Lex ran to it and picked it up. As she touched it, I was surprised to see it brighten, a small light emanating from its surface, followed by a soft, melodic series of tones.

Lex smiled, giggling at the sounds. “Isn’t it pretty?”

I listened, intently, but couldn’t recognize the song, if that’s what it truly was.

“Lex has been assisting me,” said Hitchens.

I put out my hand to Lex. “Can I see that?”

She smiled and gave me the box. The second it left her hand, the music stopped and the light grew dim and empty.

“As you can see, Lex’s mark allows her to interact with each of these objects. It’s quite remarkable.”

“You’re talking about her tattoo,” I said, glancing at the blue lines on her neck. An image of Lex sitting in the mysterious chair inside the cave swept through my mind.

“Exactly right, Captain. The mark gives her the ability to activate each and every one of these machines. Why that is, I don’t fully understand, but her very proximity is often enough to bring them online.”

I still had trouble believing that the girl could do what he was suggesting. Since when did a tattoo give someone the ability to activate anything? Most of the time, they were just an eyesore.

Even if it was true, who would give such a valuable thing to a little kid?

“Some don’t work, though,” said Lex, frowning. She pointed to the other machines.

“Indeed. Only the eight are operational, and I had to replace several parts in each to get them working.”

“You fixed them?” I asked, handing the box back to Lex.

She took it and the music started up again, and she smiled.

“Thankfully, yes,” said Hitchens. “I was able to salvage pieces from a few of them to fix these eight. This technology is nearly two thousand years old, so most of them had at least one broken part. I’m actually surprised I was able to get any of them to work in the first place.”

“What about the map you found? How did you know it would work if it was so old? Did you know it would work before we went all the way out there?”

He let out a short laugh. “Heavens no, Captain. I wasn’t even certain Lex existed until Sister Abigail brought her back. For that matter, putting her in that chair was only a theory.”

“A theory?” I asked.

He nodded. “I didn’t have time to perform any tests on her before we left. The only information we had came from the notes we stole from that Union lab. When you and Ms. Pryar arrived, the rest of us had to move quickly.”

I looked at Lex, who was humming along with the machine, bouncing from one foot to the other. She walked to the stairs at the back of the bay and sat down. “That’s quite a gamble you took,” I said, turning back to him.

“You have to understand. Lex is unique. Part of her tattoo resembles the emblem on the Cartographer, so we knew there had to be a connection.”

“You had to know they’d come after her,” I said.

“We did,” said Hitchens. “Frankly, we were fortunate to get the child home when we did.”

“And you really think that map you found leads to Earth?”

“I wouldn’t be risking my life and career if I didn’t.”

“Well, for what it’s worth, Doc, I hope you’re right.”

“Thank you, Captain. That means a great deal, considering your doubts.”

“I may find the whole thing ridiculous, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want it to be true.”

“I appreciate your skepticism,” said the doctor, a slight smile on his face. Perhaps one day you’ll have the proof you need to believe.”

I laughed. “Now, wouldn’t that be something?”

* * *

We arrived at Taurus and had to wait in line over an hour before they let us dock. A bit unusual in my experience.

Sigmond brought the ship in once we got the go-ahead, and I felt a sweeping relief wash over me as the station locked its docking clamp around The Renegade Star’s airlock.

I met everyone in the hall. They each had their bags in hand and ready to disembark. I could see the eagerness on a few of their faces. After days in a cramped ship, they had to be ready for something with a little more area to it. Maybe a room with a raised ceiling, such as the promenade.

“Everyone ready?” I asked, tapping in my access code to open the airlock.

Abigail stood next to Lex and Octavia. She looked better than before, much less dazed, but still tired.

I gave her a nod and she returned it.

The door slid up and a cold breeze hit us, sweeping through the inner hall of my ship. It felt refreshing, just like every other visit. The fresh air conditioning reminded me that I needed to replace the one on The Star.

Freddie reached out his hand. “Thank you for the safe journey, Captain.”

I shook it. “Not a problem.”

“We’ll be at the hotel on deck 4. I’ll be using my name, so ask for Tabernacle.”

“Taber-what?”

“Tabernacle. That’s my last name.”

I raised my eye at him. “Since when?”

He laughed and shook his head, like I’d said a joke, then walked through the door and into the station.

Everyone followed, disembarking the ship. As most of them continued toward the promenade, Hitchens paused at my side, along with Octavia. “Captain, shall we accompany you to see your man?”

“My man?” I asked.

He looked around, even though no one was there, and leaned in. He covered the side of his mouth and whispered, “You know…the dealer.”

I pushed his hand away. “His name is Ollie, and sure, you can come if you want. Try to relax, though. This isn’t a spy movie.”

He clasped his hands together. “Oh, wonderful!” he exclaimed as we began to walk down the platform. “This will be so exciting.”

The promenade was less congested than I expected, especially during this time of day. Typically, there was a decent-sized crowd gathering around the shops and bars. Travelers, mostly, and tourists. It made it easy for people like myself to blend in.

Ollie’s shop wasn’t far from where we pulled in. I knew he’d be there, too, since the poor schmuck never took a day off. Whatever he was, Ollie was reliable.

“Jace!” he yelled when he saw me coming.

I nodded at him. “Ollie. Good to see you.”

“You’ve been gone a bit longer than I expected. What happened with that job? You know, the one with the nun. I’m still waiting on my cut, by the way. When are you gonna pay me?”

“It got complicated,” I said, approaching the counter. “Haven’t had time to send the money yet, but I’ll take care of it after this.”

“Yeah, you better, pal,” he said. Ollie had one of his suits on today. Turquoise blue with a little gold trim. Not exactly my kind of thing, although somehow it worked for him. “You ought to bring me something nice when you stay away for so long.”

“You’re the one who sells cheap souvenirs. I figured you had enough to last a lifetime.”

“I’ll have you know, my goods make the best gifts on the station. Ask anyone who shops here. Anyway, who are your friends?” asked Ollie.

“His name is Hitchens,” I explained. “He’s a professor. This is his assistant, Octavia”

“A doctor of archaeology, actually. Not a professor,” corrected Hitchens.

I shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. He’s here to help explain the cargo I need to sell, in case you have questions.”

“Cargo?” asked Ollie.

“We picked up some old tech. I think it’s pre-Union. Since you’re in the market of selling useless shit to rich idiots, I thought you’d be the guy to talk to.”

“Damn, and this whole time I thought you were stopping by because you missed my face.”

“The catalogue includes over three dozen items,” said Hitchens.

“I’ll have to take a look before I say for sure. Did you bring anything with you?”

Hitchens opened his satchel and set a small metallic object on the countertop. It was bronze and circular, interwoven with beautiful designs. The carvings, I noticed, were remarkably similar to Lex’s tattoo.

Ollie’s eyes widened at the sight of the machine. “Oh, well, look at that.”

“This particular artifact is, by my estimates, 1300 years old,” said Hitchens.

Ollie took out a small device, which could only be a scanner, and waved it along the relic. A light blinked, and Ollie grinned. “Oh, yes. Yes, yes, yes.” He looked up at me. “Jace, you always bring me the best stuff.”

“Glad you like it,” I said.

“Higgins, is the rest of your supply like this?” asked Ollie.

“It’s Hitchens,” corrected the doctor. “To answer your question, it most certainly is.”

Ollie’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh yeah, Jace. I can sell this for sure. Let’s go get the rest and I’ll set up a meeting with some buyers first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll be needing the usual 10% to cover my fee, naturally.”

“How much do you think you can get?” I asked.

“If the rest of the merchandise is like this? I’d say you could be looking at a hundred thousand, easy.”

I blinked. “Seriously? A hundred thousand for a bunch of machines?”

Ollie laughed. “Look around this shop,” he said, waving his hand at the array of tiny trinkets, made primarily with discarded junk. “You should know by now that people will buy just about anything if you tell them it’s worth something.”

“These machines are valuable,” insisted Hitchens.

“It’s garbage,” said Ollie. “And it’s old as shit, which means it’s valuable.”

Hitchens dropped his mouth like he was insulted. “But—”

“Let it go, Doc,” I said, touching his shoulder. “Ollie can call our cargo garbage all he wants, so long as he delivers the right payment.”

“Trust me,” said Ollie with the same bravado I’d witnessed so many times before. “No one knows this business better than me.”

* * *

Ollie, Octavia, and I moved the thirty-eight artifacts from my cargo bay and unloaded them into the back room of the shop. He was eager to start making calls to his associates, so the rest of us agreed to give him some space.

“Call me in the morning,” Ollie said.

“That’s a fast turnaround. You sure you don’t need more time?”

“There’s always someone eager to get their hands on this stuff. Trust me. I see postings for it all the time.”

“Great. Thanks again, Ollie,” I said, tapping his shoulder.

“Anytime, Jace. Just do me a favor, would you?”

“What is it?” I asked.

Ollie leaned in. “That girl you’re with. The assistant to the fat guy. Think you could put a good word in for me?”

“You mean Octavia?”

“Yeah, she’s a looker, that one.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” I said, glancing back at Octavia, who was standing at the entrance to the shop with Hitchens.

Ollie’s eyes lit up. “Really? Damn, Jace, you’re a good pal.”

“Just sell my stuff and we’ll call it even,” I said, turning to leave. “See you tomorrow.”

I said goodbye to Hitchens and Octavia, who went to join their friends in the hotel on floor twelve. They’d join me on the promenade first thing tomorrow so we could meet back up with Ollie. Until then, everyone was free to relax.

I thought about heading to the bar, ultimately opting to just go to my room and crash for the night. It was early, sure, but I didn’t operate on a typical sleep schedule. That was for people with day jobs. People who sat in a cubicle or an office and performed a mindless task for eight hours a day. Me? I didn’t have the luxury of going home at the end of a shift and clocking out. My job didn’t end, which meant that sometimes I couldn’t rest.

Not that I was complaining. This was the life I’d chosen, and it was a good one. A lawless one, full of freedom and open space. The last thing I wanted was to be trapped in a room, behind a computer screen, logging data-entry points and reading memos.

I’d fought tooth and nail to get to where I was, including taking out that loan from Fratley. All I had to do was pay him off and then I’d be free to do as I pleased. No more debt to struggle with, no more asshole breathing down my neck.

I thought about the money I was about to make, thanks to Ollie and those artifact machines.  While I was still thinking about it, I went ahead and transferred ten percent of my earnings from the last job into Ollie’s account. Fair was fair, after all.

Almost there, I thought as I closed my eyes to sleep. I’ll fix the rest tomorrow.

Sixteen

A few minutes after I woke, I noticed my pad blinking an alert. Ollie had mentioned calling me, so my only guess was that I missed it while I was asleep.

I swiped the screen and saw a video recording in my inbox. As expected, it was signed Ollie Trinidad.

I tapped the name and Ollie’s face filled the screen.

“Jace, it’s me. I guess you’re still asleep, so listen up. I called and got a deal with a buyer. They’ve transferred the money directly into my account, so I’m sending your share straight to you. Enjoy, pal. Just stop by sometime after lunch and we’ll celebrate. The buyer is on his way now to pick up the goods. Anyway, see ya soon.”

I quickly pulled up my bank account, using the gal-net. After logging in, I was shocked to see a whopping one hundred and ten thousand credits sitting there. Talk about a beautiful sight. I swear, I could have cried.

The video ended with a timestamp, suggesting it had been sent in the early morning, around 0600. I checked the clock and saw it was currently 0900. Boy, had I slept late.

Was it really over? All that work to get this money, but it was finally done. I had the payment and Fratley could be satisfied. I could take my ship and go anywhere, do anything I wanted.

I slammed my fist into my mattress, smiling as I stared at the number in my account.

After a quick stretch, I got up and showered, taking my time. There was no need to rush anymore.

It wasn’t noon yet, so I decided I wanted to catch a glimpse of these buyers, if possible, and see who was actually willing to shell out so many creds for a bunch of useless toys. Then, I’d buy Ollie a drink to show him my thanks. The little weasel really came through for me, same as always.

When I was in the hall, leaving my room, I called Sigmond and asked him to tell Hitchens to meet me on the Promenade. The jolly researcher was more than eager to do so, giving me a warm acknowledgement.

I stopped in at the bar, briefly, for a cup of their terrible coffee, giving my salute to the same bartender I’d met the last time I was here. “Thanks,” I told him, taking the cup from the counter.

“No problem. You in dock for long?” he asked.

“I aim to leave today, actually.” I took a sip and was surprised at how good it tasted. The coffee on my ship was usually the best, but this blend wasn’t much worse.

“I can’t say I blame you,” said the barkeep. “There’s some sketchy people here today. Moreso than usual.”

“Sketchy?” I asked. “We get another group of ravagers in?”

“Nah, more like military guys. I saw some uniforms heading upstairs.”

“Military? You’re sure?”

He nodded. “Seemed like it. I didn’t get a good look, but someone mentioned they were with the Union. I don’t believe it, though. Ain’t seen any Union guys around here in over a year.”

That wasn’t good. The last thing I needed to deal with was the military snooping around. “Thanks for the tip,” I said, gulping down the coffee.

“Hey, you take care. Stop by the next time you’re in.”

“Will do. Thanks again.”

I spotted Hitchens walking beside Octavia the second I left the bar. He was wearing a vacation shirt of some sort. The same kind they sold in the local gift shop.

“Do you like it?” he asked, grinning.

“He bought it upstairs at the hotel,” said Octavia, shaking her head. “I told him not to.”

“Nonsense,” said Hitchens. “I think it’s rather fitting.”

“You should listen to your assistant,” I said. “Are you two ready?”

They both gave me a nod and we began walking through the promenade, which to my surprise was far less congested than normal. In fact, I was pretty sure I’d never seen it this empty. There were, at most, two dozen people quietly walking between the different shops—a stark contrast to the typical crowds I might normally have to wade through.

I stopped as Ollie’s shop came into view on the other end of the promenade. The shutter was closed, something I’d only seen once in the three years I’d known the man.

“Is something wrong, Captain?” asked Hitchens.

“Can you wait here? I need to go and have a look.”

“Certainly.” He looked at his apprentice. “Octavia, let’s have ourselves a seat at that restaurant. Shall we?”

“I could use the meal,” she answered.

“Salad for me,” he said, rubbing his belly.

“You always say that, but you just end up getting a steak.”

He chuckled. “It’s a problem.” They started to leave. “We’ll be over here when you’re ready, Captain.”

I nodded, then proceeded to Ollie’s shop. As I drew closer, I saw there was a sign posted.

CLOSED – STATION SECURITY

The only other time I had seen this Ollie shut down the shop was when he had a run-in with a rogue trash dispenser. The machine malfunctioned as he was trying to dig out some discarded metal, severing three of his fingers in the process. Much to everyone’s shock, he had to close the business for nearly twelve hours while he sat in the medbay getting them sewn back on.

When it happened, he didn’t bother with a sign. This one said it was from Security, which was even stranger.

“Hey,” I heard a voice say from behind me.

I turned to see a girl standing there, chewing on some gum and crossing her arms. It was one of the shoe shop girls from across the divide. I recognized her face because she was always staring at me when I came to Ollie’s shop. “Yeah?” I said.

“You lookin’ for the guy who runs this place?” She had obnoxiously bright clothes and too much jewelry.

“Sure. You know where he is?” I asked.

She nodded, her long earrings clanging against her neck. “Oh dear, oh dear. You seem like a nice fella. I’m sorry to have to tell you, but he’s dead.”

For a second, I thought I must have misheard her, she was speaking so fast. “What was that?”

“That guy, the one who owns this place. He’s dead, honey. They found him a few hours ago with a bullet in his head. To think, something like that would happen here.”

I looked back at the sign. “What the…?” I whispered, totally in disbelief. “Ollie’s…dead?”

“Oh, honey, it’s such a scandal. The whole floor’s talking about it. Me and the other girls are thinking it’s probably a hit, you know? Like maybe someone was after him. Danni said she heard from her cousin that Paule over at the bar had something to do with it, but I know Paule and he ain’t the kind of guy, you know? He wouldn’t go and—”

I blinked, trying to focus on the sign in front of me. Maybe if I went and talked to Security, they could tell me what happened. Hopefully this woman was making everything up, or maybe she was just stupid.

I turned away from both her and the shop. “Thanks. I have to go,” I said.

“All right, mister. You take care. Try not to end up like that guy. Be careful.”

I didn’t answer. “Dammit, Ollie,” I muttered as I left that section of the promenade.

Hitchens waved at me as I passed the restaurant. He took a bite from a steak, a large grin on his face. He started to rise from his seat, but I motioned for him to sit, so he did.

“I have to go talk to Security,” I said, when I got near their table.

“Is everything okay?” asked Octavia. “You look disturbed.”

“Just wait for me here. If I’m not back in a few hours, go to the hotel and join the others. I’ll call you.”

Despite their clear confusion, they both nodded. “We’ll do as you ask,” said Octavia.

“Thanks,” I said.

Hitchens raised his finger. “Captain, if I might. You look a bit concerned. Are you certain everything is—”

“Just stay out of trouble,” I said, then turned and left the restaurant.

What that woman had told me had to be wrong. There was no way Ollie could be dead. Not that squirrely little jackass. Not in a million years.

It just wasn’t possible.

* * *

The Security clerk sat behind the counter with his blue suit and a thin pair of glasses. “Ollie Trinidad? Yes, I do believe he passed away this morning.”

I felt my shoulders tense. “The owner of—”

“Taurus Gifts and Memorabilia,” finished the clerk. “That’s the one. Are you a family member?”

“No. Can you tell me what happened?”

“Only part of it. I’m afraid the investigation is currently still open, which means we can’t disclose some of the details. I’m sure you understand.”

“Can you at least tell me how he died?”

The clerk looked at his screen for a moment. “It seems he was shot late last night. Could I take down your information? If you’re an associate of Mr. Trinidad’s, Sergeant Deekon will probably want to ask you some questions.”

I turned and walked to the door. “Thanks for your help.”

The clerk didn’t press me for a name, most likely because their cameras would pull my ID as soon as I left. If they connected the dots and learned about my association with Ollie, I’d have them breathing down my neck before the end of the day.

Several televisions were mounted along the corridor walls, displaying various criminals and missing civilians. I saw a boy who had disappeared a few months ago named Connor Luce, six years old.

MISSING – CONNOR LUCE

AGE: 6

HAIR COLOR: BLACK

EYE COLOR: HAZEL

IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE REPORT SIGHTINGS TO YOUR LOCAL SECURITY OFFICE.

THANK YOU.

Beside him, I saw the photo of a man with orange hair and freckles. He had a thick pair of glasses and messy clothes.

WANTED – LANDON O’TOOLE

AGE: 52

HAIR COLOR: RED

EYE COLOR: GREEN

HEIGHT: 6’3’’

CRIMES: SIX COUNTS OF MURDER, ARSON, GRAND THEFT

BEWARE: SUSPECT IS ARMED AND CONSIDERED EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

The next display, which had been dimly lit until I was close enough for the sensor to pick me up. When it did, the screen brightened, and I saw a familiar face that gave me pause.

On it, there was a woman, dressed in holy garments. My eyes widened as I realized who it was.

WANTED - ABIGAIL PRYAR

AGE: 35

HAIR COLOR: BLONDE

EYE COLOR: GREEN

HEIGHT: 5’10’’

CRIMES: MURDER, THEFT, ASSAULT, CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MURDER, KIDNAPPING

BEWARE: SUSPECT IS ARMED AND CONSIDERED EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

I stared at the image, a little beside myself. I had known she had a warrant out for her arrest, but to see it here on Taurus was surprising. We weren’t in Union space, which should have meant any criminal acts performed in Union territory were null and void. That didn’t mean the person couldn’t be pursued, just that their crimes weren’t publicized. Not out here in the Deadlands.

If we started doing that, half the people in this region would be placed under arrest, myself included.

I turned and continued walking, leaving the screen with Abigail’s face behind me. I had other things to worry about right now.

As I rounded the corner and entered the promenade, I saw the closed shutters of Ollie’s shop and the unusually thin crowd of visitors walking through the deck.

To my surprise, however, there were now three individuals standing together in front of the gate to Ollie’s place. Each of them wore a uniform, but it wasn’t the kind one might expect to see on Taurus Station.

Blue and gold colors, tight fitting jackets, and pressed collars. Those were Union personnel.

I froze where I stood, staring out across the promenade at the three strangers. What were they doing in front of Ollie’s? For that matter, what were they even doing on this station?

I tapped my ear, activating the com to my ship. “Siggy, you picking this up?”

“Naturally, sir,” replied the AI.

“Can you check for any Union ships in the area? See if any are docked.”

There was a quick pause. “I’m detecting two ships on the other side of the station. Both are Union, Alpha-class.”

I cursed under breath, glancing at the men again. As I stood there, one turned and, for a brief second, we made eye contact.

I doubled back around and walked inside the corridor leading toward Security. This section of the hall was empty, except for a trash dispenser and a small television, which showed a commercial for Jarro’s restaurant on a loop.

“Siggy, can you put a call in to Abigail’s room at the hotel?”

“Certainly, sir,” said Sigmond.

“Hey, you,” said a voice from behind me, near the bustling promenade.

I turned to see one of the Union guys staring at me. The same one who had locked eyes with me before. “Yeah? What do you want?” I asked, casually.

“What’s your name?” asked the man.

“Why do you wanna know?”

His two buddies were beside him, each one staring at me. “We’re with the Union government and we’d like to ask you a few questions.”

“What’s the Union doing all the way out here?” I asked.

“That’s not your concern. Now, tell us who you are and why you went to Security asking about Mr. Trinidad.”

Shit, I thought. I knew I shouldn’t have gone there. What was I thinking?

“Come on, sir,” said one of the men. “Don’t make us arrest you for disrupting an investigation.”

“I do odd jobs for Ollie,” I said, bending the truth a little. “He owes me money for the last one. I was trying to collect.”

“Odd jobs? Like what?”

“I collect trash for him so he can make those ornaments. You saw them in the shop, yeah? That’s how he makes them. Just takes wires from dumpsters. Well, I do some collecting for him. Helps pay my rent, you know?”

They all looked at each other. “You collect dumpster wire?”

“Not all the time. Do I look like a two-bit dumpster diver?” I asked. “Sometimes I get other things, too. Just the other day I found a stack of vintage Solento goggles. You know how much those things go for?” I scoffed. “We’re talking a few hundred creds, let me tell you.”

“What else do you know about the owner of that store?”

“Nothing, except that he buys a lot of wiring and junk. Biggest sucker on the station.”

“Wires, huh? Have you ever seen anyone suspicious come into the shop?”

“Like a criminal?” I asked, pretending to be shocked.

“Sure,” said the man. “A thief, a brigand, a Renegade-type of character.”

“Oh, a Renegade? Now that you mention it, there was this one guy. I saw him with a woman. He came into that shop and then left. That was a week ago. I think his name was Landon.”

“Are you certain that was it?” asked the first.

“Something like that. Or Lando. I don’t know. He said something about taking off to Arcadia.”

“That sounds right,” said the second guy. “That’s where she’s from.”

“There’s nothing there now,” said the third.

“They could have gone further into the Deadlands,” said the first.

I faked a sigh. “Look, fellas. I hate to leave you, but I need to get back to work. There’s a load of trash I gotta sort through before I can call it a day.”

“Wait a second. Tell us about that man you saw. What did he look like?”

I shrugged. “Red hair, I think. Actually, there’s a poster of him back there. You see the displays in the hall?”

The man’s eyes widened. “Are you talking about Landon O’Toole?”

“Yeah, that’s the guy. Pretty scary. I wouldn’t want to be stuck in a room with him.”

“When did you see him?”

“A few days ago,” I said, tapping my chin. “Yeah, maybe in the afternoon sometime.”

“Holy shit,” said the second guy. “We need to inform Command.”

“Easy,” insisted the first. “Let’s check security footage first.”

“Right, right.”

“Come on,” said the third, pushing past me.

The other two followed, heading to the Security office. When they arrived, they’d spend several hours trying to locate the man on the wanted poster, ultimately coming up empty.

At that point, they’d try their best to track me down. Hell, they might just find the security footage of me arriving with Abigail and Lex.

Not that it would matter. By the time they discovered the truth, I’d be halfway through a slip tunnel, gone to some undisclosed location.

I just had to move my ass before it was too late.

Seventeen

I disappeared into the elevator at the end of the promenade, hitting the button for deck 12, where the hotel waited.

While the doors closed, I tapped my ear and opened the com. “Any word from Abigail, Siggy?”

“I was about to tell you, sir. I have her on the line.”

“Patch her in.”

“Hello?” asked Abigail.

“Hey, it’s Jace. I need you to listen up.”

“Oh, is everything all right, Captain?”

“How fast can you get your shit and meet me in the hotel lobby?”

“What? Why are you asking?”

“The Union is here,” I explained. “They’re looking for both of us.”

There was a short break of silence. “I understand. Everyone’s here in the room. We can be ready in ten minutes.”

“Leave whatever you don’t need. Tell the others to hurry, otherwise we’re all fucked.”

“Is that Mr. Hughes?” I heard Lex ask. “Tell him I said, hi!”

“Just a second, sweety,” Abigail said in a soft voice. “Captain, are you absolutely certain about what you saw?”

The doors opened and two men, each dressed in a Union uniform, stood in front of me.

I swallowed hard.

Each of them looked at me. “Excuse us,” said the first one, a tall, pale fellow with white hair.

“Captain, did you hear me?” Abigail asked. “I asked if you’re sure.”

“I’m sure,” I said, then clicked off the com.

The two men looked at me, lifting their brows. “Pardon?” asked the second guy, who was thicker than his friend, with brown hair.

The door closed and the two men just stood there.

I glanced up at the display, which read deck 9. Still a few more left to go before the hotel. “Which floor?” I asked, hovering my finger over the screen.

The first one nodded. “Twelve. Thanks.”

I pulled my finger back from the display.

Well, shit.

* * *

The two Union officers and I stepped out of the elevator and onto the hotel floor. I debated turning back around, but stopped myself, since it would look suspicious.

Better to wait here, as I planned. If these two jackasses didn’t leave by the time Abigail was here, I’d call and tell her to standby.

I felt the weight of my pistol resting beneath my coat. Not yet, I told myself.

The two men walked to the front desk and started talking to the receptionist.

I sat on a bench, far enough so I couldn’t hear them, although that also meant they wouldn’t hear me. I tapped my ear and opened a channel. “Siggy, put Abigail through,” I whispered, turning my head away from the men.

A second later, I heard the nun’s voice. “Captain? What’s going on?”

“Don’t come out,” I muttered. “There’s Union officers here. Wait inside until I tell you, and be ready.”

“Okay…just a moment,” she said, and I heard shuffling sounds on the other side of the line. “This way, Lex. Stay here, right behind me. Yes, right there. Good girl. Okay, Captain, we’re standing by for your mark.”

“Excuse me, sir,” I heard a voice say.

I turned my head back to see the white-haired officer looking down at me. “Uh, yeah?”

His partner was still at the desk, talking to the clerk.

“Why are you sitting here alone? Are you waiting for someone?” asked the white-haired man.

“I wanted to rest my feet,” I said.

“Why not return to your room?” he asked.

I clenched my teeth. What was this guy’s problem? A sudden urge to grab my pistol rose in my stomach, but I suppressed it. “I’m fine here.”

He gave me a look that told me my statement wasn’t enough. I’d have to embellish something.

With a dramatic sigh, I crossed my arms. “If you must know, pal, I have a bladder problem and pissed the bed last night. It’s a serious medical problem and I’m not proud of it.”

“You…did what?” the guy asked, looking down at my crotch.

“Oh yeah, like you didn’t hear me. Look, I was just on Praxus III and I slept with the wrong girl. Is that what you wanna hear? Damn bladder’s out of control.”

He took a step back. “Oh, that’s disgusting.”

“Yeah, thanks for making me relive it.” I got to my feet. “I can’t wait to get my ass home. No more vacations for me.”

“Sorry to bother you,” said the officer. He went back to the counter to join his friend, a disturbed look in his eyes.

Asshole, I thought.

The two men took a card from the clerk before turning to leave. “Let’s start with room 201 and go from there,” said the white-haired man.

They passed me and began heading through the hall to my left. There were only two directions and I had no idea which one had Abigail’s room.

I tapped my ear again. “Abigail? You read me?”

The line clicked. “One moment, sir,” said Siggy. “Connecting you.”

“Hello?” said the nun.

“What room are you in?” I asked her, quickly.

“212,” she said. “Why?”

I glanced at the sign on the wall near the elevator. Odd numbers to the left, even numbers to the right.

I leaned to the side and glanced at the two Union officers. “Wait for my signal,” I told Abigail. “Just a second.”

“Right,” she answered. “Everyone, stay close and be ready.”

I watched the two men touch the door with the card the clerk had given them. A moment later, it opened, and they began talking to the person inside. I couldn’t hear the conversation, but they seemed to have little trouble getting the resident to let them in.

As they disappeared into the room, I got to my feet. “Now, come out and move!”

I heard a door open on the other side of the hall. A crowd of familiar faces unloaded from the room, carrying luggage and hurrying toward me. Abigail, Lex, Freddie, Hitchens, and Octavia were all here and ready to go.

I hit the elevator button, not realizing that it would take a few seconds for the lift to reach us. Why hadn’t I thought of bringing it up sooner?

Abigail came up to my side in a mad hurry. “What’s the problem?”

“Elevator. Just hang on.”

“Mr. Hughes? What are you doing here?” asked Lex.

“He’s here to help,” said Freddie. “Right, Captain?”

The elevator arrived and the doors opened. “Get inside,” I told them.

I heard the sound of another door opening, the one the two officers had gone into. They entered the hall, glancing at me and the rest of the group.

The older man seemed to notice my fellow passengers. Specifically, the little albino girl with white hair standing beside me. “Hey! You, there!”

As the doors closed in front of me, I waved at the two men. Bye-bye, I mouthed.

We descended from the upper deck and toward the bottom promenade. No doubt, the two idiot officers would inform their superiors within seconds. It wouldn’t be long before I had a swarm of soldiers coming after me.

That was only if I couldn’t reach my ship, of course. The Renegade Star was docked pretty close, but we’d have to move quickly.

“Let’s go!” I snapped as soon as the doors opened.

“Were those men with the Union?” asked Freddie as we began to move.

“What do you think?” I asked, rather bluntly. I went straight into the sea of civilians on the promenade, pushing them aside to make space for the others as they struggled to keep up.

We entered the main section of the shopping plaza, sluggishly wading through the mob. Hitchens was the slowest, stumbling to keep up, and scared shitless. He didn’t belong here, dodging Union officers and running for his freedom. None of these people did.

Behind us, an alarm sounded, and then it was everywhere at once. Two dozen red lights swirling on the walls. Holo-displays emitted warning signs, letting people know to take cover.

That was when I heard the gunshot. It was so loud that I couldn’t tell the direction.

A woman screamed, not far from where we were. The mob panicked, stumbling over each other, tripping and screaming as the frenzy and fear set in throughout the station.

The already thin crowd in the promenade dispersed, running into the nearby shops, which were closing their shutters in anticipation of what was about to unfold.

Another shot, and then I heard a man yell, “Stop them!”

I looked and saw three security personnel standing beside two Union soldiers. Only the soldiers had weapons, and they drew them in a hurry.

In a swift and fluid motion, I turned and unholstered my pistol, aiming with my body as I brought the men into my sights.

I pulled the trigger, the first shot striking the soldier directly in the side of his belly, pushing him back against the wall.

The second officer took aim at me, but before he could shoot, I sent a second round his way, striking his leg. He screamed, violently, and blindly fired the rifle in our direction.

Bullets soared through the promenade, hitting the walls behind me. One of the displays to my right shattered, scattering glass onto the floor.

“Move!” I yelled, grabbing Hitchens by the shoulder and shoving him. “Get your asses to The Star!”

Freddie was on his knees, clutching his arm, blood dripping between his fingers. I went to him and hoisted his arm over my shoulder. “Freddie! Get your ass up!”

“S-Sorry,” he muttered, a confused look in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Jace.”

Abigail came running, taking Freddie from me. “I’ve got him! We need you to cover us!”

I let him go and turned my attention back to the guards. The remaining security officers were making their way through the promenade, ready to put us on the floor. I raised my gun and fired above them, shattering one of the overhead lights. It sent sparks raining down on them, making them panic. “Back off or I’ll lay you out right here!” I shouted as I aimed the pistol at them.

They froze, raising their hands. They didn’t get paid enough to press this, unlike the Union soldiers who were currently writhing in pain behind them.

Abigail and Freddie continued on ahead of me, followed by Hitchens and Octavia. I waited for them to reach the docking bay at the end of the promenade, close to where my ship was waiting. We were almost there. I just had to hold this line for a little while longer.

The same elevators we’d used before suddenly dinged, and the doors slid open. The two men from the hotel appeared inside, making eye contact with me immediately. The one with the white hair dropped his mouth and pointed to me, while the other went for his gun.

Good thing I was faster.

I fired at them, hitting one in the shoulder. The two men ducked back inside, and unloading my entire magazine, buckling the elevator doors as they closed.

Without a second beat, I reloaded, darting my eyes between the elevator and the other set of guards across the promenade.

A loud cry jarred me, pulling my attention. It sounded like a small child. I scanned my eyes across the warzone, trying to find the one responsible.

“Make it stop!” screamed Lex. I turned to see her crouching several meters behind me, ducked beneath a large bench. How did she end up here alone? Why wasn’t she with the others?

I ran over to her, taking her by the wrist. “Get your ass to the ship, kid!”

Then there was a gunshot, and a bullet buzzed by me, hitting the wall behind us. The injured soldier that I’d downed was on his ass, struggling with his rifle. Before he could pull the trigger, I reacted without thinking, twisting where I stood and firing a single shot at him. The bullet struck his throat, shattering half his neck like a pimple, and he grasped desperately at his missing flesh. I was about to do the same to the other men beside him when I felt Lex tugging at my arm. “Mr. Hughes!”

I blinked, stopping myself. I had to get this kid to the ship. I had to get off this station. If I didn’t get her out of here now, she might end up dead.

I took the girl in my arms. “Hold onto me!”

She put her arms around my neck, squeezing me with more strength than I thought she had in her, and I darted towards the dock where my ship was waiting.

One of the two men from the elevator screamed in the distance, calling for more men, but we were already gone, running down the corridor.

Abigail and Octavia were waiting at the airlock for us, panic on their faces. “Oh gods!” shouted Abby, letting out her arms to take the girl.

I handed off the kid, then motioned for everyone to get inside the airlock. “Next time, keep a better eye on your shit, lady!”

I slammed my first on the release button, closing the doors. “Everyone alive?” I asked, holstering my gun. “Okay, good. Siggy, get us the hell out of here. Everyone else, strap yourselves in!”

Eighteen

“I’m afraid Taurus Station isn’t allowing us to separate,” said Sigmond.

“Attention vessel attempting to flee,” said a voice over the com. “Set down your weapons and prepare to be boarded.”

“As I was saying,” remarked the AI.

“Can you override the controls?” I asked.

“Station Security has initiated lockdown procedures, making it impossible.”

I looked at my passengers. “Anyone know how to hack a security system?”

None of them answered.

“That’s what I was afraid of,” I said, looking back to the airlock.

“Captain, I could attempt to pull us free, although the damage to the station would be significant,” said Sigmond.

“How bad?”

“The force of our pull would break the docking clamp from the wall and it would leave a sizeable hole behind.”

“Would anyone be injured?”

“Not if they follow procedure,” theorized Sigmond. “The station walls should compensate by raising a shield to conceal the damage and protect station personnel from exposure.”

“What about damage to the ship?”

“Our hull would take some moderate strain, though it would remain intact. Atmosphere would be unaffected.”

“Captain, are you actually considering forcing our way free from the station?” asked Hitchens.

“The alternative is worse, trust me,” I said.

He dabbed his forehead with his red handkerchief. “Oh, goodness.”

“Let’s do it, Siggy. Yank us free, and as soon as we’re away from the station, I want you to open a tunnel.”

“What coordinates, sir?”

“Doesn’t matter,” I said. “The opposite of Union space. I don’t give a shit.”

“That would be further into the Deadlands, towards Sarkonian occupied space,” said Siggy.

The thought of taking my ship anywhere near Sarkonian territory made me sick, but it was better than risking the Union finding us. “That’ll work, just cloak us when we get there. We’re laying low for a while.”

“Right away, sir. All passengers, please fasten your safety harness and remain calm.”

Abigail looked at me as she clutched Lex in her arms. “Are you sure about this?”

I gave her a nod. “Trust me.”

I felt a vibration beneath my feet, a humming sound all through the ship, and it lingered for a moment as we all looked at each other. The thrusters were powering on, already beginning to burn.

Things were about to get bumpy.

I looked at the others. “Everyone hold onto some—”

The entire ship jerked, sending me to my knees as I gripped the railing along the wall. I held on tight with both my hands. Grinding sounds were coming from outside the ship, near the airlock.

I glanced at my passengers. Abigail and Lex had strapped themselves in, along with Freddie, who was still bleeding from his fresh wound. Octavia had her arms around Hitchens, who had also fallen to the floor. I heard a loud blast from beyond the airlock, followed by a series of rapid clicks.

Then, a sudden jerk forward.

The shaking stopped immediately, and I was able to get back on my feet. “Everyone okay?” I asked, looking first at Lex.

“We’re okay,” said Abigail.

“Us, too,” said Hitchens.

I went to the window to see the damage. The docking platform was torn to pieces, with chunks of debris floating outside the gaping, monstrous hole in the station’s wall.

A layer of metal slid down over it, shielding the deck from within, protecting the station from exposure.

As we made our escape, I noticed something trailing behind us—a large chunk of the wall, stuck to our airlock.

I’d have to deal with that later.

“Siggy, let’s go!” I barked.

“Opening a Tunnel,” said the AI.

“Where are we going?” asked Lex.

I started moving to the front of the ship. “As far as we can get,” I said as I left the lounge.

Inside the cockpit, the interface was already live and waiting for my authorization. The second I was seated, I tapped the activation button, launching a beam and opening a tunnel directly ahead.

As we entered it, I activated the ship’s rear camera, focusing on the station. There was no going back now. I was pretty certain this was the last time I’d ever get to lay my eyes on it, the closest thing I had to a home.

An image of Ollie swept through my mind, right as the tunnel closed behind us. I’m sorry, Ollie, I thought as I watched the station disappear. I’m so fucking sorry.

* * *

“So much for that,” said Octavia as I walked back into the lounge. She was sitting beside Freddie, tending to his wound with my first-aid kit. They didn’t seem to notice me yet.

Freddie let out a cough. “What are we going to do now? The Union is after us. The church is gone. We’re running out of options.”

“We’re staying the course,” said Abigail.

“Which is what, exactly?” I interrupted, walking further into the room.

She looked at me. “The rediscovery of Earth, obviously.”

“That again?” I asked.

“I know you don’t believe us, Captain, and that’s okay,” she said. “All I ask is that you take us somewhere safe for the time being. A neutral planet, if possible, far from Union-controlled space. Somewhere where we can charter another ship.”

“I’ll drop you at Keasler Station. It’s near a mining colony. Not much around it, but far enough that you won’t have to worry about being caught. They also have a decent spaceport there, so I’m sure you can find someone to take you where you wanna go.”

“We appreciate it,” said Abigail.

“Mr. Hughes isn’t coming?” asked Lex, looking up at her.

“I’ve got other things I have to do. Sorry kid.”

Namely, paying Fratley the money I owed, and I’d have to do it soon. The deadline was fast approaching and the last thing I needed was more of this to deal with.

I went to my bunk and collapsed into the mattress, but didn’t sleep. I couldn’t, not with Ollie’s face still in my head.  The poor bastard’s death was all my fault.

What was I doing, shuttling these fugitives around the Deadlands? Was the money worth the price of my friend’s life?

What was I thinking?

* * *

I slept for ten hours.

When I finally woke up, the clock said it was the early morning. Had I gone to bed at a normal time, I’d probably still be asleep.

I found Freddie in the lounge, asleep with a patch on his shoulder. He seemed to be doing all right, breathing soundly and staying quiet. Beside him, Octavia was resting with a pad in her hand, lightly snoring.

I left them there and continued into the cockpit. I sat down in my chair and stared out into the swirling green walls of the slip tunnel. It was both beautifully chaotic and frightening, all at the same time. I could’ve watched it for hours, just like I’d done so many times before. In all the universe, as far as I’d found, there was nothing as mysterious or divine as the glow of slipspace. If I’d been a religious man, like the passengers I was carrying on my boat, I might’ve found something holy in all of this. Something to inspire me.

To move me.

But those things had always been for others, I knew. Like Freddie and Abby, I thought. Better people than me.

I hated myself for being the skeptic, for being unable to see the magic, but wasn’t it worse to lie to yourself? To deny what you were and what you believed?

No matter how much I might have tried, I could never see what the rest of them did. Never see the gods in the stars.

I could only be me.

“Sir,” said Sigmond. The word brought me out of my head.

“What is it?” I asked.

“We are currently nearing the end of the ninth slip tunnel since we departed Taurus Station,” said the AI.

“Nine, already?” I asked, pulling up the galactic map. It looked like we’d gone in a crazy zigzag after leaving the station. Standard protocol when evading an enemy like the Union.

By the look of it, we appeared to be fairly close to Keasler. It wouldn’t take us long to reach it, and then I’d drop the others off and be on my way.

On my way? To where, I wondered.

First to Fratley, I supposed, but then I wasn’t sure. I couldn’t go back to Taurus, especially with the Union after me. Maybe I’d head to Ouros and lay low for a while, bury my head in the sand of some beach and forget my shit-storm of a life. “What’s our ETA to Keasler?” I asked.

“Three standard hours, sir.”

“Not long,” I said, and suddenly it felt very cold.

“Shall I wake the passengers and inform them?” asked Sigmond.

I leaned back in my chair and watched the waves and sparks along the walls of the tunnel. “No,” I said, taking a long sigh. “Let them sleep a while longer.”

* * *

We left the final tunnel and entered the outer rim of the Keasler system. Several ships appeared on the grid, most of which were docked at the station, but I noticed several others departing and arriving from the mining colony on the fourth planet from the star.

I’d only been here once before, a few years back when I was on a delivery mission. A guy named Oxam Wu asked me to drop some illegal goods off on the station for the administrator at the time. I was less experienced, so I asked fewer questions. It wasn’t until later that I realized I was actually carrying weapons. Not my finest hour, but I always made sure to understand my jobs better after that.

Maybe that was a mistake, though. Asking questions is how I got into this mess in the first place. If I’d never pressed Abigail about what she was carrying, I could’ve avoided the Union altogether. Ollie and Bron would be alive.

I shook my head. It was too late to think about alternatives. This was my life now. Better to deal with shit than look back.

I kept my distance from the station. “Let’s wait until we’re ready,” I told Siggy.

“Shall I cloak the ship, sir?”

“Park us behind this moon for now,” I said, tapping the display.

“Sir, Ms. Pryar would like to see you,” said Sigmond.

“Guess that means she’s awake,” I said.

Freddie and Octavia were both still in the lounge, although the priest was still passed out. Octavia was in the middle of replacing his bandage when I came out of the cockpit. “Good morning, Captain,” she said when she saw me.

“How’s he doing?” I asked.

“Holding together. He had a slight fever during the night, but it appears to have broken.”

“Glad to hear it. Let me know if you need anything.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

Abigail’s room was down the hall opposite mine. Her door was already open. I noticed a bag on the bed, open with clothes in it. “Getting ready to go?” I asked, stepping inside.

Lex was in the corner, watching the nun fill her luggage. “She’s in a hurry,” said the girl.

“That so?” I asked.

“We have to get going as soon as we’re docked,” said Abigail. “Sigmond told me we’re in the system, so it’s almost time.”

“I don’t want to leave again,” said Lex. “This ship is nice.”

“Kid’s got good taste,” I said.

“Nevertheless, since you can’t be bothered to help us any further—”

“You know I have to take care of my own shit, Abby. It’s not about you.”

She tossed a shirt into her bag. “Okay.”

“If I brought you with me to Fratley, he’d kill me and take Lex, all so he could get that bounty. It would be a disaster.”

“I know.”

“Then, why are you upset?”

“I’m not upset,” she said. “I just think it would be easier for everyone if we didn’t have to find another ship.”

“What did you call me in here for? To yell at me?”

She sighed. “No, I’m sorry. That’s not—”

“Then what is it?”

She stopped, hesitating for a moment, then touched her pocket. “I wanted to give you something before you left.”

“You got me a present?” I asked.

“No, don’t be ridiculous. It’s something I owe you. That’s all.”

“Oh. Like money?”

She reached into her pocket and took out what appeared to be a gold locket. “Here,” she said, dropping it in my hand.

The small chain dangled off my finger. “What is this?”

“It’s your payment,” she said, turning back to her clothes.

“My payment?”

Upon closer inspection, I saw an intricately carved pattern of a planet on the top. It was the same one, I realized, that Freddie had shown me several days ago on his pad. “Is this supposed to be Earth?”

“That’s what they say,” she replied. “You can sell it if you want. Go ahead and open it.”

I pulled the two sides apart, only to find a ticking clock inside. This thing wasn’t a locket; it was a pocket-watch. “Holy shit.”

“It’s solid gold,” she said. “The church believed it was a relic from Earth. I don’t know for certain, but now it’s yours. It should cover what I owe you for helping Lex and me.”

“I already have all the money I need from those machines we sold. You paid me, fair and square.”

“That was for the second job you did, taking us to Epsilon. This watch is for helping me. Take it, Mr. Hughes. Please.”

I looked at the gold trinket in my hand. It was pristine and glistening. “You’re sure?”

“I am,” she responded, stuffing her luggage tight with clothes. “Thank you again for everything you’ve done.”

* * *

Returning to the cockpit, I felt the pocket-watch clinging noisily in my jacket. It was heavy in a good way, and it felt natural on my person. It was a fine gift, and despite the high price it might fetch on the market, I wouldn’t sell it. I had all the money I needed to pay Fratley back, plus a bit extra.

As I neared the end of the hall, I heard the com system click on. “Sir, may I have your attention?” asked Sigmond.

“What is it?” I asked.

“The slip tunnel we left on our arrival is opening. Shall we remain at our present location or would you prefer we move?”

“It better not be the Union again.” I watched the display as a ship came flying out of the tunnel, recognizing it instantly.

“I don’t believe it is,” said Sigmond.

It was the same ship I’d seen above Arcadia, the one belonging to Fratley. “Siggy, get ready to do another slip!”

“Sir, a channel is opening. It’s—”

“Well, ain’t this a surprise?” asked a familiar voice.

“Fratley?”

“That’s right, buddy. Good to see you again. Mind if I ask what you’re doing all the way out here?”

I touched the control panel, trying to bring up the com systems. Nothing happened. “Siggy, you there?”

“I took control of the com,” said Fratley. “Hope that’s all right. I wanted your full attention.”

“You hacked my ship?”

“Hacked might not be the right word,” he said. “I have the backdoor access codes. It’s just good business, you know? Makes it easier to repossess my property if the payment doesn’t come through.”

“Fratley, I was just about to come see you, once this job was done. I’ve got your money sitting in my account right now.”

“Oh? All one seventy-five thousand creds?”

“Plus some interest,” I said.

He laughed. “Ain’t that something? I guess that goes to show what a little motivation can do! You put some fire under someone’s ass and they’ll always get the job done.”

“If you want, I’ll transfer the credits to your account right now. I just need a gal-net uplink. I can’t do that without my com, though.”

“Fair enough, Jace. I’ll let you pay me, but that’ll have to wait. The people you’re transporting, I need ‘em.”

A nervous chill ran down my arm. Had I heard him correctly? No, there was no way he knew who I had on my ship. He couldn’t. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t play stupid. I know you’ve got that Pryar woman with you. Probably got the albino freak, too. You hand them over, then pay me what you owe. We’ll call it square after that.”

Shit, I thought.

“Don’t try to run, either,” warned Fratley. “I’ve got three quads locked on your position. We’ll blast you right out of that moon’s orbit.”

I knew Fratley could see through my cloak, so he wasn’t bluffing. I could try running, but faster ships than mine had tried and now they were space dust. Besides, I’d watched him follow others for as long as it took, just to see them dead. He’d probably do the same to me. “Okay, Fratley. I’ll stay put.”

“Good man, Jace. That’s what I like to hear!”

The com clicked off. “Sir, I apologize,” said Sigmond. “I lost control of the system.”

“Is the ship okay?” I asked.

“Nothing has been damaged.”

“Activate your firewall. Don’t let him take over again.”

“Yes, sir.”

I leapt out of my seat and ran into the lounge. “Everyone, get out here!”

Octavia, Freddie, and Hitchens were already there, but Abigail and Lex came running. “What is it?” asked the nun.

“Fratley’s back,” I said, pointing out the window. “And he knows you’re with me.”

Nineteen

“What are we going to do?” asked Hitchens.

“We have to get out of here,” insisted Abigail.

“Calm down. I’ll figure something out,” I said.

“Sir, the ravager ship is deploying a shuttle. They wish for us to let them dock,” informed Sigmond.

“Put me through to Fratley,” I ordered. “All of you, stay quiet.”

Lex was standing between Octavia’s arms, watching me. I wondered if she even knew what was going on.

Fratley’s voice came over the com. “Jace, what do you want? I’m about to head over there to pick you up.”

“There’s a problem with my airlock,” I said. “It has a wall on it.”

“Don’t I know it! Relax, Jace. I’ve got you covered. My boys will rip that shit right off so fast you’ll forget it was even there. Just get ready, because they might accidentally penetrate your ship’s atmosphere and kill everyone inside.” He let out a long chuckle.

“If I die, you won’t get your money,” I cautioned.

“You let me worry about that,” said Fratley. “All right. Stand by!”

The line clicked and he was gone. I peered out the window to see the shuttle inbound from his ship.

“We need to hide you,” I said to everyone on my ship. “All of you.”

“Are we going back in the hole?” asked Lex. “I don’t like it down there. It smells like pee.”

“It’ll be over soon,” said Abigail, stroking the girl’s hair.

“You all remember where to go, right? Sigmond will open the wall when you’re ready,” I said.

“We’ll head there now,” said Octavia, taking Hitchens by the hand.

“Oh, goodness,” said Hitchens.

I looked at Freddie, who was holding his shoulder. “You think you can go with them?” I asked him.

Freddie got to his feet. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay.”

I nodded. “Octavia, look after him. Take the med kit.”

Fratley’s shuttle was arriving outside, quickly releasing two extendable arms. They gripped the massive block of metal that was still attached to my airlock. For a second, I thought it might end with a breach in my ship, but I was relieved to see that this wasn’t the case. Instead, the wreckage detached, and Fratley’s shuttle released it into empty space, letting it float away.

I turned to look at Octavia. “Quick, I’ll help you to your spot. There’s not much time, so we’ll have to hurry.”

* * *

The airlock opened, and Fratley Oxanos walked into my ship. “Jace!” he exclaimed. “You old rat.”

“Fratley,” I said, no enthusiasm in my voice.

He beamed a wicked smile. “Thanks for having me.”

Eight of his men unloaded behind him, each of them carrying a rifle and a sidearm.

Fratley looked at the nearest one, the squad leader. “Start the search.”

“Yes, Boss,” replied the man. He motioned for the others to follow, and together they ran by me and into the lounge.

Fratley and I both looked at each other. “It feels like I was just here,” he said.

“I guess you must really like the coffee,” I answered.

He laughed. “You know, back when I was a Renegade, I had a ship just like yours. It was nicer, of course, but still pretty similar.”

“Is that right?”

He nodded. “I’m telling you, I was on top of my game back then. Jobs were easy to get, you know. Not like today. I had enough cash to pay my debts and fix my ship, which is more than I can say for you.”

“It’s been a slow season. We have the Union to thank for that.”

“Right, that’s true. The Union’s been down everyone’s neck to play nice and do as we’re told. They’re inside the Deadlands now, too, expanding the border. You saw a few on Taurus, except that ain’t all of ‘em. They’ve got big plans, Jace.”

I was surprised he knew about Taurus. I never saw his ship in the area. “You heard about that, did you?”

“You’re a naughty one, Jace. You know, they don’t even know it was you, but I was watching.”

“Watching?” I repeated.

“Always, when it comes to you, Jace.”

I leaned against the wall. “I’m not sure if I should be flattered or concerned.”

“It’s for your own good. You owe me a small fortune, so I can’t let you go and get yourself killed. Not until I get paid, anyway.”

“I get it,” I said, crossing my arms. “You have a business to look after.”

“A very successful one,” he corrected.

The head grunt came jogging down the corridor. “Sir, there’s no sign of anyone else on the ship.”

“Oh?” asked Fratley. He raised his brow at me. “Where’s the girl, Jace? You got her stowed away somewhere?”

“Not sure what you mean,” I said, looking him right in the eye.

He snickered. “Now, Jace. We both know you’ve got her hidden somewhere. I saw the security footage from Taurus. She boarded this ship.”

“I don’t remember that. Must have been a different ship.”

He looked at the nearby thug. “One of the crates was moved out the last time we were here, wasn’t it? Let’s have a look at the cargo hold.”

“Aye, sir.”

Fratley made sure I followed him. His thugs pushed me along until we were inside the bay.

The crates were all nestled tight against the wall, having been moved to their original spots. Fratley walked to the nearest one, the same crate that had been pulled out, and examined it. “Let’s get this moved, shall we?”

Two broad-chested individuals grabbed the side of the box and pulled it back, sliding it against the metal floor, filling the bay with a loud screech. When they had it cleared, Fratley went to the back wall and leaned in close to look at it.

“Looking for something?” I asked.

He tapped his cane on the wall, and there was a deep thud. “Got yourself a hidden compartment, do you?” He waved one of his men over to him. The lackey handed a small device to him, which Fratley took. “Can’t say I blame you. I had a few of my own, back when I was in your shoes.”

He pressed a small button on the device, then scanned the wall. Not two seconds later, the compartment raised, revealing itself.

Fratley stared into the empty section of my cargo bay, leaning in, and finding nothing. No signs of any intruders. Not a single trace of any fugitive passengers.

“Satisfied?” I asked.

He peered back at me and smiled. “Not quite yet, I’m afraid.”

Fratley tapped the side of his ear, opening a com channel. “Find them yet?” he asked. “Uh huh. Oh, well, that was fast work. Good work.”

The ravager boss twirled his cane in the air and began walking back toward me.

“Something going on?” I asked.

“Why don’t you follow me, Jace? You’ll want to see this.”

We left the bay and proceeded down the hall. I could already hear something up ahead, coming from the lounge. There was movement, the sound of someone shuffling their feet, followed by a grunt. “Sit down and don’t move,” a man snapped.

As we rounded the corner, I already knew what to expect. Abigail came into view right away, her long, brown hair flowing down the side of her neck, followed by a stern look as she stared with those fierce hazel eyes at the three goons standing before her.

Then, as I finally stepped into the lounge, I saw one of the men holding Lex, gripping her shoulder with one hand as well as her white hair with the other.

Fratley smacked his knee. “Hooey! What a sight. Looks like I’m about to get paid! Thanks for keeping these two safe for me, Jace.”

Lex’s neck was strained, with the man holding her hair so tight. I could see she was in pain.

Abigail noticed it too, and she set her eyes on the guard’s face. I knew the first chance she got, she’d try to kill him. I only hoped she could contain herself long enough for me to figure something out.

“Of all the guys to give me shit, I’m glad I kept you alive, Jace,” said Fratley. “I’m about to get paid twice in a single day.”

I felt the urge to grab my pistol and shoot this asshole on the spot, but quickly buried the impulse. “How nice for you.”

Fratley ignored me, walking to Lex’s side. He took her by the jaw and examined her face. “All that money, just for you.”

I noticed Abigail tense up, leaning forward a little more, watching the man with the cane.

“I wonder why the Union wants you back so bad,” said Fratley. “You got something they need?”

“She’s just a kid,” I said.

“Weird-looking one, though, ain’t she?” he asked, running a finger through her alabaster hair. “Freaky.”

“Get your hands off of her!” yelled Abigail, unable to hold back anymore.

Fratley let go and turned to the nun. He took a step closer to her, then raised his cane and struck her, right in the jaw. She fell on the floor, suddenly bleeding and moaning. “What was that?” he asked, calmly standing over her.

“Hey!” I shouted.

Fratley laughed. “Toss me a rag, would you?” he asked one of his men.

I swallowed hard, suddenly afraid that this psychopath would murder someone. “Please, Fratley, just calm down!”

He smiled as he wiped the blood from his cane. “Calm?” he asked, looking at Abigail as she lay on the floor. He kicked her, a sly grin on his face.

Abigail yelped, reaching out with her hand, trying to crawl away.

“Everyone’s calm,” said Fratley.

“Why don’t I get that money over to you, huh? I owe you, what, seventy-five thousand? I’ll toss in an extra fifteen. What do you say? Ninety thousand credits, all yours.”

Fratley bent back to look at me, arching his eye. He stood there a second, like he was processing what I’d said. Then, he smiled. “Oh, Jace, you know just how to warm my heart.” He smacked his cane against heel of his boot. “Let’s see those creds!”

“Sigmond, transfer ninety thousand credits to the following account number,” I said, looking at Fratley. “Go ahead.”

He grinned. “44-029-11000.”

“Request acknowledged,” said Sigmond. A few seconds passed. “Transfer complete.”

Fratley reached out his hand toward the nearest thug. “Pad.”

The man retrieved it from his side. “Yes, Boss.”

“Let’s see,” Fratley said, taking the device and examining it. “Yes. Yes. Here we go.”

I said nothing, letting him take as much time as he needed.

“Ah, great job, Jace. It looks like it’s all here. Isn’t that something?”

“You’re welcome,” I said.

“Now, we just need to get the little brat over to that Brigham bastard.”

“Brigham?”

He fanned his hand dismissively at me. “Forget it. Doesn’t matter. All you need to know is that I’m leaving with the kid. There’s a warrant for the nun, so I’ll be taking her, too.” He nodded to the thug hold Lex’s shoulder. “Get her on the shuttle and strap her in nice and tight. Same with that one.” He pointed to Abigail. “Give her a rag so she stops bleeding everywhere.”

The guard forced Lex to stand and nudged her along, toward the back of the lounge. Another two men picked Abigail up, one on each side.

“Are you selling them to the Union?” I asked.

“They want the girl unharmed, but the nun…well, she ain’t gotta be in one piece. Might let the boys have some fun before we head back.”

I felt my hand squeeze and my chest stiffen.

“As for what to do with you, Jace, I’m a bit torn. Most times, I’d kill a man where he stood for trying to fuck with my bounties, but you did all right getting me that money. I know you’re soft on those two, so I’m trying to be reasonable. It’s easy for a man to fall for a girl when he’s surrounded by the Void. I get that. Hell, I used to do the same shit, back when I was in your shoes. So, I’m thinking it ain’t all your fault. It’s just your dick. You can’t help it, right?”

I kept my eyes on Abigail as they carried her away. “Sure,” I said, trying to bottle my emotion.

“I’ll tell what I’ll do, Jace, since I understand you so well. I’ll let you work it off. You bring me a cut of all your earnings for the next year and maybe I’ll forget this ever happened. That’ll keep you square with me.” He tapped his cane on the floor. “No one else gets a deal like this, buddy. You’re lucky I like you.”

I wanted to reach across the room and bury my pistol in his mouth. This asshole. “Wow, Fratley. I don’t know what to say.”

“Ain’t it the truth? And if you’re lucky, maybe I’ll extend the deal a bit longer. Just do right by me from now on, because trust me, you don’t want to piss me off again. Not after this. You understand? Come on, Jace. I gotta hear you say it. I gotta hear you say you understand.”

“I get it, Fratley,” I said.

“Good,” he responded. “That’s real good.”

“There’s a problem with that plan, though, unfortunately,” I said, eying the guards as they shoved Lex toward the airlock.

“Oh?” chuckled Fratley. “How’s that, Jace? You got a better idea? You want a bigger cut? I’m afraid this is as good as it gets, pal.”

“No, that’s not it,” I said, looking back at him. “I’m not after more cash.”

“Then, what?” he asked. “You want me to give you an hour with the nun?”

I stared at him, unblinking, a bead of sweat running down my temple. There was a strong possibility I could die today, and it’d be all my fault for what came next. I could walk away right now and live, take other jobs and do other things, maybe even retire to a resort planet somewhere far away. My life could be a cakewalk, no question about it.

But easy wasn’t meant for men like me. No, I liked to play the hard game. I liked to bet it all.

Fuck it, I thought, sweeping my hand inside my jacket and clutching the extendable pistol under my belt.  “I’ll need a bit longer than an hour,” I said, tapping a button on the gun, causing it to fully form in my hand. In a solid, quick motion, I brought the barrel out and aimed it straight at Fratley’s face. “That is, if you don’t mind.”

Fratley smirked. “Now what are you gonna do with that little thing, Jace? Kill a bug? You forget I have six guys standing behind you?”

I heard a rifle load. “Put the weapon down!” shouted one of the ravager soldiers.

“Not happening,” I said, maintaining my aim. “Try anything and I’ll shoot.”

Fratley shook his head. “That’d be a big mistake. Like I said, you pull that trigger and Jimmy over there will blow a hole clean through your skull.”

“I guess we’ll find out,” I said. “Isn’t that right, Octavia?”

Fratley raised his eye. “Who the fuck is Oct—”

A bullet exploded from a metal grate above one of the men, striking him in the head and killing him dead. The grate fell from the ceiling, landing on the now deceased guard.

Octavia popped out of the opening above, holding my pistol, and fired two shots at the other nearby men.

A bullet struck the first in the stomach. He staggered, firing his weapon into the ceiling in a panic.

The second shot hit his friend in the foot, ripping the boot to pieces, along with the man’s toes, leaving a massive hole where his flesh should be. The man screamed, trying to lift his weapon towards the vent, but before he could, a third bullet hit him in the chest, sending him into the food counter and down to the floor where he lay still.

Octavia Brie dropped from the gap in the ceiling and landed on the body beneath her.

Fratley’s eyes widened at the chaos unfolding before him. “Stop her!”

Another soldier took aim, but Octavia struck first. Her shots hit the both the man and the coffee maker behind him, sending shards of glass and black liquid into the air.

Fratley and I both dove to get out of the way, attempting to avoid the storm. We met on the floor, inches from each other’s face.

It took us both a second to realize what was happening. I tried to aim the pistol at him, except he reached for my wrist before I could move it. I raised my hand to get some leverage, only to have Fratley slam it back down as he tried to knock the gun away. When I refused to let go, he released the magazine and ejected the loaded round from the chamber, then threw both the bullet and the magazine away from us.

I managed to yank the gun away from him, though it was empty, and proceeded to get to my knees. He tried to do the same, so I lunged at his throat, pinning him. I raised the empty pistol above my head, preparing to beat him to death with it, when a shot fired from behind me, hitting the wall to my left. Fratley took the opportunity to jab me in the side, rolling me off of him.

Fratley reached for his cane, which had fallen a short distance from him. I tried to scramble after him, but I was too slow. He grabbed the stick and brought it down on me, towards my skull. I blocked it with the barrel of my gun. He pivoted to his knees, then pressed the cane further down with all his weight behind it.

I clenched my jaw and pushed back on him, but he was determined. A quick glance to my right revealed a small coffee cup, which had rolled towards us. With one hand on the pistol to keep the cane back, I went for the cup, snagging it with the tip of my index finger. With a strong, decisive motion, I slammed it into Fratley’s jaw, knocking him sideways.

As he fell, I reached for the cane, quickly tossing it behind me. Before he could move, I leapt on top of him, straddling his chest and grabbing his collar. With all the strength I had, I decked him in the face, striking him so hard it numbed my knuckles. Blood spattered from his nose as I continued beating him like a man possessed, and after a moment his mouth dropped open, like he was about to talk.

Before he could, I slammed my bloodied fist into his cheek again.

“Jace!” called Lex from across the ship.

The sound of my name jarred me, and I stopped with my fist hovering above Fratley’s head. He had a dizzying look on him, like he was lost and confused, about to black out.

“Mr. Jace!” yelled the little girl.

I dropped Fratley by the shirt and instantly rose to my feet, turning towards the back of the ship. “Lex?”

“Help!” she cried. “Mr. Jace, please help!”

I started running, snagging Fratley’s cane as I bolted through the lounge and into the corridor to the airlock.

As I rounded the back corner of the ship, I saw Octavia on the floor, a man standing over her. He had my pistol in his hand, aimed at Octavia.

I threw the cane at him, hitting him in the arm. He fired the gun instantly, hitting the side of the corridor wall.

I sped up as I neared him, ramming my shoulder into his chest and knocking him back. He dropped the pistol, so I swept my hand under the gun and brought it up to meet him, letting a bullet loose right as my barrel found his stomach. It struck him true, right in his belly. He staggered, but came at me again, as though he was unaware of the injury.

I pulled the trigger again, only to hear a click. The pistol was empty.

The thug collided with me. He was twice my weight, and his body fell on me, knocking me to the floor. He brought both his fists up and slammed them into my chest, forcing the wind from my lungs.

I wheezed, trying to push him away.

He hit me again, and pain rattled through me. I couldn’t breathe. My ribs were suddenly numb.

The ravager soldier grinned, even as blood pooled from his lips, and he lifted both his hands, ready to finish the job. His nose flared as he clenched his teeth.

My body tensed as I anticipated the final blow. There was nothing I could do to stop him. Nothing I could say, except—

The man’s head jerked as an explosive noise filled the ship, pieces of his skull and brains splattering onto the side of the wall. He sat on me, a confused emptiness in his eyes, and then he fell forward, collapsing beside me with a loud thud.

Dr. Hitchens was standing four meters away from me, clutching the extendable pistol I’d dropped in the lounge, both his hands extended against his heavy belly. He looked absolutely horrified, like he couldn’t believe what he’d just done.

Fuck, neither could I.

I pushed myself away from the freshly deceased body and slowly got to my feet. “Holy shit,” I muttered, holding my aching chest. “Holy shit, Doc!”

“Did I…get him?”

I put my fingers over the barrel, lowering both his arms. “Easy.”

He looked at me. “Where are the girls?”

“I’ll get them back,” I said. “Stay here while I’m gone, would you?”

“O-Okay,” he said, staring at the dead man in the hall.

I wiped my forehead, then looked at Octavia. She was still motionless on the floor, but I couldn’t worry about her now. Not when the others were still in danger. “Look after her. I’ll be back in a minute.”

He ran to his associate. “Octavia?” he whispered, taking her by the chin. “She’s breathing! She’s breathing.”

“Stay with her and shout if you see anyone else,” I said, entering the door to Fratley’s shuttle, my weapon ready.

I slipped inside the airlock and into the shuttle, which was almost sizable enough to be its own ship. The interior was sufficient to walk upright in, and about two meters wide.

Piles of trash sat in the corner—beer and bags of junk food. A dozen empty seats lined both sides of the ship, with a curtain resting behind them. I limped my way to the rear of the section, keeping my pistol aimed and ready.

“Get away from me!” yelled Lex.

The girl’s voice sent a flutter down my chest, and I doubled my speed.

I pushed the curtain aside, stepping into the back of the ship, and saw two men standing with Lex between them.

Abigail was also there, and back on her feet, much to my own surprise. One of the men had her by the hair, his fist around her neck. They seemed to be locked with one another.

“Jace!” shouted Abigail.

“Stay where you are!” yelled one of the men, his rifle pressed against Abigail’s chest.

I dragged myself forward, aiming my gun at the one holding Lex. “You touch the kid and I’ll send you straight to Hell.”

“Try it and we’ll kill them both!”

I took another step, keeping my aim steady.

“Do it, Jace!” yelled Abigail. “I can handle myself.”

There was only one bullet left in my little extender pistol. Hardly enough for two thugs. I’d have to make the single shot count. “Get your hands off of the kid unless you want to see what your brains look like on the outside.”

“This one is ours,” he said, bending over Lex and taking her by the chin. “Just wait until we get her back to the—”

I fired the final bullet, hitting him in the jaw and destroying his face. He fell in front of Lex and she shrieked an ear-piercing scream.

The other man watched his friend hit the ground, a look of horror on his face. “You bastard!” he yelled, then turned to Abigail, no doubt to follow through with his threat.

But before he could regain himself, Abby took the rifle with her hands and forced it up, then wrapped her legs around his waist and twisted, forcing him to the floor and slamming her fist into his throat.

She released him and sprung up, back to her feet, and proceeded to kick him in the stomach. He gasped as each of the blows landed, helpless to stop her.

She took the rifle and hit him in the nose with the back of it, breaking his cartilage with a loud snap.

He screamed, and Abigail backed up, glancing at Lex. “Go to Jace, honey,” she said, an eerie calmness in her voice. If it hadn’t been for the cannon in her arms, I would’ve said she was being almost motherly.

“Okay,” replied Lex, walking over the fallen, broken body beneath her. She trotted towards me, leaving bloody footprints in her wake.

Abigail raised the rifle to the soldier’s chest. He opened his mouth to say something, but she wasn’t giving him a chance. She squeezed the trigger and fired, creating a hole the size of my fist that went all the way through him.

The man fell, lifeless and empty, straight to the floor.

“Goddamn,” I said, right as Lex took my hand.

Abigail turned towards me, her face swollen and still bleeding. She looked like she shouldn’t even be standing, like she might collapse at any moment. If it hadn’t been for the rage in her eyes, the determination she wore, I might have told her to sit down. “Let’s take care of the rest of them,” she muttered, lifting the rifle across her chest.

I wasn’t about to argue, not with a woman like that.

* * *

When we reentered the ship, I saw Hitchens and Octavia on their feet and against the wall. “You guys all right?” I asked, stepping through the airlock.

Both of them stared at me with wide-eyed expressions. Octavia shook her head, looking out of the corner of her eye to the other side of the hall.

At that moment, I saw a gun appear, followed by the man holding it as they walked into view. “Put the call in. Send our coordinates,” said Fratley, holding his ear. He beamed a smile at me, moving the gun so the barrel was aimed in my direction.

“Shit,” I muttered.

“You ain’t lying,” he said, shaking his head. “Should’ve killed me back there. You’re getting stupid, Jace.”

“Put the gun down and just leave, Fratley.”

“And walk away from my money? I don’t think so.” He looked at Lex, who was standing behind my leg, holding my waist. “That little bitch is coming with me.”

Abigail raised her rifle at him. “Touch the girl and you’ll lose your head.” She dropped her aim to target his hips. “Both of them.”

He laughed. “So many threats. What a toxic environment you’ve constructed here, Jace. I don’t think I like it.”

“Then leave,” I said.

“I will. Very soon, too. Just give me the freak and I’ll let the rest of you go. Even the nun. How about that? You can keep your toy and I can still get paid. Win-win.”

“Except I’m not giving Lex to you,” I said.

“You’ll do exactly that if you want to make it out of here alive.”

I saw the same pistol Hitchens had used earlier resting in front of me, centimeters from the wall. He must have dropped it earlier when he went to check on Octavia. All I had to do was get to it before Fratley could get a shot off, but that was easier said than done.

If only Fratley didn’t have his own weapon aimed at the doctor.

I watched him tap the side of his ear. “This is Captain Oxanos. Prepare another boarding party. I need reinforcements.”

“What’s wrong, Fratley? You can’t handle this on your own?” I asked.

He ignored me. “Repeat. This is Captain Oxanos. Someone answer me, goddammit!”

I heard a click inside my ear. “Sir, I managed to block all outgoing transmissions. Captain Oxanos will be unable to contact his ship until he leaves.”

I couldn’t answer Siggy without drawing attention to myself, so I kept quiet, looking at both Octavia and Hitchens, and then at the extendable pistol on the floor. If I was quick, I might be able to get to it while Fratley was distracted.

Octavia seemed to track what I was thinking. She had both of her hands around Hitchens’ arm. We eyed one another, and she gave me a slight nod.

Fratley snarled in frustration, unable to reach his ship. “Those idiots. I don’t know what they’re doing, but when I get over there, I’m going kill every last one of them.” He glared at me. “Jace, I swear to the fucking gods, if you do anything stupid here, so help me, I’ll kill this fat piece of shit where he stands, you hear me? Do you, Jace? Do you understand what I’m telling you? I’ll plug every last one of your friends while you watch, and then I’ll take that little girl with me and burn this ship where it floats. And I’ll keep you alive for all of it, just so you can see—”

Octavia pulled Hitchens to the floor, suddenly, and I dove forward at the pistol. I quickly grabbed the gun, rolling on my knee in a single motion as I brought my sights to Fratley.

Before I could pull the trigger, however, Fratley fired at the two archaeologists, hitting Octavia in the middle of her back. She landed on top of Hitchens, who wrapped both his heavy arms around her, and they fell together against the floor.

At the same time, I unleashed a bullet of my own. It snagged Fratley’s wrist, splitting bone and flesh.

Behind me, Abigail followed suit, firing her rifle and hitting him in the shoulder.

I ran forward, raising my gun and bringing it down across his face, knocking him in the jaw and nose.

Fratley fell, wheezing and bleeding, snot and blood rolling down his cheeks and lips. He tried to lift his pistol again, but collapsed his arm instead.

I pressed my foot to the ravager king’s wrist, then aimed the barrel at his forehead, cocking my gun a final time. “Don’t.”

Abigail ran over and kicked the weapon from his weakened hand. Fratley’s fingers wriggled on the floor like worms, trying to touch a gun that wasn’t there. “Bastard,” he muttered as spit and blood pooled out of his mouth.

“You should have left it alone,” I said.

“Octavia needs help!” yelled Hitchens. “She’s not moving!”

Abigail swung the rifle around her body so it was on her back, then ran to the doctor. “Easy,” she said, pulling the woman off of him. “Octavia?”

“She needs to go to a hospital!” cried Hitchens.

“How bad is it?” I asked.

Abigail shook her head.

I stared at Octavia, an anger rising in me, and I dug my hand into Fratley’s neck, squeezing as hard as I could. “Look what you did, you piece of—”

He tried to laugh, and it came out garbled.

“Shut the fuck up!” I shouted at him. I pulled my fist back and punched him again. He took the blow, but didn’t stop laughing or coughing.

He tried his best to speak. “Union…coming…! You’re—”

Before he could say another word, I buried the barrel of my gun into his mouth, pulling the trigger, splattering brains and blood against the floor beneath him.

I stood, stepping back from the body, and dropped the pistol at my feet.

Twenty

I stared down at the body of Fratley Oxanos, ravager leader and legendary former Renegade, lying motionless on my floor.

What had I just done?

He was on his way to bleeding out, no doubt about it, so I had no reason to kill him now. Fratley had already been disarmed, so the danger was gone. He was finished.

“You idiot,” I whispered, staring at his motionless body.

“Jace, we have to do something here,” pleaded Abigail, still holding Octavia.

I turned away from the corpse at my feet, hurrying over to the woman with the bullet in her spine. “Is she breathing?”

“Barely,” said Abigail. “We need to get to a hospital.”

“Sir, may I have your attention for a moment?” asked Sigmond. “I hate to interrupt but we have a situation.”

“What is it now?” I asked, not bothering to hide my frustration.

“I’m detecting slipspace activity. Another rift is forming.”

“Another rift? Who is it this time? What can you see?”

“It appears to be a Union cruiser, sir.”

I looked at Fratley. Was this what he meant when he’d mentioned the Union?

“What are we going to do?” asked Hitchens.

“First, we’re getting out of here,” I said, looking at each of them. “We’ll find a place to patch Octavia as soon as we’re clear.” I turned to the speaker. “Siggy, open a tunnel!”

“Right away, sir.”

I felt the ship vibrate as we initiated our slip drive. It would only take a few seconds for the engines to prime, and then we’d be free and clear, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

“What about that ravager ship?” asked Abigail. “Won’t it come after us?”

“I’ll handle that. You all look after Octavia. Oh, and someone go get Freddie. Make sure he’s okay.”

“I’ll check on him,” said Abigail.

I started running for the cockpit, going as fast as I could through the ship. When I was finally in my seat, I fired up the quad cannons and took aim at the ravager ship, targeting their thrusters. They wouldn’t be expecting us to fire, since Fratley was still onboard, but my ship was no match for a one-on-one fight. The safest option was to disable their engines before they had a chance to raise their shields, then get out of this system.

I was only going to have one chance at this.

“Here we go,” I muttered, pulling the twin stick triggers and firing a barrage of torpedoes.

“Enemy ship is reacting,” said Sigmond. “They’re attempting to release their countermeasure flares.”

I watched as a series of small pods dispersed from the larger ship, scattering into the space between us.

Three of the four torpedoes hit the newly-created field, but the last remaining missile continued toward the enemy ship.

It collided with the vessel, exploding in a wonderful display, shattering a chunk of their hull off of the craft, setting them adrift.

I brought up the scanner and checked their status. “Looks like we got them!”

“The tunnel is open, sir. Shall we proceed?”

“Do it!” I barked.

“Receiving a transmission,” said Sigmond.

“Attention, this is General Marcus Brigham with the UFS Galactic Dawn, calling the vessel identified as The Renegade Star. Please respond. You are in violation of multiple Union laws, including the possession and theft of classified Union property. Stand down now or be prepared to face additional charges. You will not be warned a second time.”

“Siggy, cut that channel and get us out of here!”

“Entering slip tunnel now,” responded Sigmond.

I had no idea who Marcus Brigham was, but he could piss off. I wasn’t going to fall for whatever he was selling.

We entered the tunnel right as the cruiser was leaving its own. I watched as the opening sealed behind us, and we pushed into the swirling emerald cloud of slipspace. We were back on the run now, for better or worse.

“What other orders do you have, sir?” asked the AI.

“Put us through a few more tunnels and then find us a planet with a hospital,” I told him. “And make sure it’s as far away from Union space as possible.”

* * *

Abigail and I loaded the shuttle with the bodies of the ravagers. most were dead, but a few were still breathing, though they were unconscious. I didn’t really care what happened to them after this. They deserved whatever they got.

Fratley was the last to be taken inside. I sat him down in one of the seats, my eyes lingering on him for longer than I realized.

His face was different now, all the rage and fury gone. He seemed so placid and calm, almost peaceful, so unlike himself. I wondered, briefly, if we all looked this way when we died. All our hate drained out of us. All our anger gone. Would Fratley find peace now? If the gods truly existed, would they treat him well?

A part of me hoped not. I wanted him to suffer for his crimes, for hurting Octavia and Abigail, for trying to take Lex. I wanted to tell him that dying wasn’t good enough…that he deserved more.

But I couldn’t. He was gone. For better or worse, he was free now, all his ambition finally lost. He was like anyone else now.

“Jace, are you ready?” asked Abigail. She was standing far behind me at the entrance to the shuttle.

“I’m right behind you,” I said, still looking at the dead man.

She stepped off the ship and went back through the airlock, leaving me alone. My eyes stayed on the former Renegade for a long moment before I finally turned away. “So long,” I muttered.

* * *

I waited in the lounge for Freddie to give me the news. Aside from Octavia, he was the only one of us with any medical training. Despite being injured himself, he was doing his best to take care of her.

“How is she?” I asked as Freddie came out of the hall.

“Not good,” he said, removing his gloves. “I can’t say for certain. I’m no doctor. We need to get her to a proper hospital.”

I felt sick to my stomach, hearing the words. If I’d shot Fratley when I had the chance, when he was unconscious on the floor, this wouldn’t have happened. “Siggy already has us going to a colony planet called Bellium. It has one of the best hospitals in the six systems. It’ll take a few short hours.”

“She’s not in any serious danger right now, as far as I can tell,” he assured me.

I nodded, slowly. “Thanks, Freddy.”

“The good news is she’s alive,” he said. “I have faith in her.”

“Faith,” I said, quietly. “Yeah.”

Freddie stood there for a second, but then quietly turned back to the hall, leaving me in silence.

I sat on the small couch, staring at the destroyed coffee pot in the corner and the tables that had been knocked over. I took the nearest one and straightened it, wiping the top with my sleeve.

The viewscreen was on, but muted, so I touched the controls to turn the sound up. It was the Union News Network, and the anchor I disliked was talking about a recent awards ceremony.

“I never liked that guy,” said Abigail, standing near the hallway. She had a few bandages on her face, concealing her cuts and bruises. I was glad to hear her voice.

“Who does?” I asked.

She sat near me, crossing her legs and placing her arm over the back of the seat. “Have you seen the new warrant list?”

“Let me guess.”

She nodded. “We’re all there.”

“Perfect.”

She took a small pad from her right pocket and tossed it to me. “You, me, Freddie, Hitchens. We’re all wanted. Two hundred thousand credits each.”

I read over the document, scoffing. “A million for the whole lot of us. That’s big money. We’ll have every Renegade in the galaxy after us.”

“Are you going to turn everyone in?” she asked.

“I’m considering it,” I said, a wry smile on my face.

Abigail smiled, but it soon faded, and her eyes trailed off, focusing briefly on the television. “We can’t go back now. We’re done.”

“It’s not like either of us had anywhere to go back to in the first place,” I said.

She nodded. “Not after what happened to Arcadia.”

“I’m sorry about that,” I muttered. “The only reason Fratley did that was because of me. I—”

I felt her hand touch mine, and my eyes lifted to see hers. “You saved us all, Jace. Forget the rest. If it wasn’t for you, we’d all be dead.”

I didn’t say anything.

“You know,” she continued. “Maybe we can find a nice beach somewhere, far from all the noise.”

“A beach?” I asked, trying to imagine myself with sand between my toes.

“You never know,” she said, smiling, and for the first time since I’d met her, she had a warmth to her. It made me smile.

You could open a bar,” I suggested.

She scrunched her nose. “I’m no good at mixing drinks.”

“Oh, right. You’re a nun. I almost forgot.”

“I think we both know I was never really a nun, Jace.”

I nodded. “I always knew that. Somehow.”

“What are you two doing?” asked Hitchens, entering the lounge from Octavia’s room. Abby’s hand slipped off mine as soon as the doctor spoke.

“We’re just talking about what kind of alcohol to sell in our new bar,” I answered.

“We’re discussing our next option,” corrected Abigail. “The Union has warrants on every last one of us, which means we can’t go back.”

“Why would you want to do a thing like that?” asked the archaeologist.

“You have a better idea, Professor?” I asked.

“If you can’t return, why not press forward? We have the map to Earth. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no reason not to follow it.”

Abigail looked at me. “That was the initial plan.”

“Except it didn’t include me,” I added.

“That was then,” she said.

“We could use your expertise, Captain,” said Hitchens.

“That map has you leaving the Deadlands,” I said. “My so-called expertise only extends so far. I’ve never been beyond this part of space. I don’t know what’s out there.”

“Not many do,” said Hitchens.

I shook my head. “What about Octavia?”

“I’ve spent the last seven years with her at my side. I know she wants nothing more than to see this mission through to the end. Since I met her, it’s been her dream, and mine.”

I had to admit, the idea of seeing the unknown was enticing. There were plenty of colonies beyond the Deadlands. Plenty of worlds with people on them. A few other empires, such as the Sarkonians, who kept to themselves. I’d always wanted to see their worlds. This could be my chance.

At the same time, I knew I couldn’t go home again, not after everything I’d done. Taurus Station wouldn’t have me now…and Ollie was gone.

Aside from these people, who else did I really have? Where else could I go?

“How about it, Jace?” asked Abigail.

I looked at both of them. Hitchens with his belly and jovial mustache, still smiling at me, even despite Octavia’s situation. Abigail with her quiet resolve, determined to fulfill her mission.

And Lex, standing at the doorway, there in the corner of the lounge, watching me with that strange, intense curiosity. I played like I hadn’t seen her there, but I knew she was waiting to hear my answer.

“Okay,” I finally said, looking back at Abigail. “I’ll take you where you want to go. I’ll help you find your way to Earth, wherever it is.”

She smiled. We all did.

“Wonderful!” exclaimed the archaeologist, coming to my side. He reached his hand out, and I took it. He pulled me on my feet and wrapped his arms around me. “This is a true gift, Captain. Thank you!”

“Easy,” I said, pushing him off. “Personal space.”

“This should be an interesting trip,” said Abigail.

“Think so?” I asked.

“If the last few days are any indication,” she said.

“Let’s plot a course, then,” I said, cracking my knuckles. “First Bellium, and then to Earth.”

“To Earth,” agreed Hitchens.

“Wherever it is,” said Abigail.

I placed a hand on both their shoulders. “Here’s hoping it really does exist.”

Epilogue

I sat in the cockpit, staring at the little box Hitchens had given me. It was a piece of ancient technology, a kind of holographic storage device.

A tiny, porcelain finger reached out and touched the top of the cube, and it caused a series of lights to illuminate before me, showing the next coordinates.

I turned to see the little girl, Lex, sitting beside me, smiling a wide grin. She had a toy rocket in her hand, the same one I’d seen her playing with the other day. “Like that?” she asked.

“Exactly like that,” I answered.

She slapped her knees. “Where are we going now?”

“Looks like…” I paused, staring at the display. “Somewhere in Sector 2210. Siggy, you got that?”

“I am already charting a course, sir,” replied the AI.

“See there? You did it, kid,” I told Lex.

“Will I get sit up here with you from now on?” she asked.

“Normally, I wouldn’t allow anyone in here with me,” I said.

She started to frown.

I raised my finger. “For you, kid, we’ll make an exception.”

“Really?” she asked, widening her eyes.

“We’re partners, right?” I asked.

She furrowed her brow, very seriously. “Partners,” she said, nodding.

“Slip drive is ready. Awaiting your orders, sir,” said Siggy.

I looked at Lex. “You want to give the order?”

She grinned, eagerly. “Really? But I’m not the captain.”

“This will be an exception,” I said. “Think you can handle it?”

She nodded, still smiling. “Okay. Okay, I’ve got it!”

“Let’s hear it, kid.”

The little albino girl gripped the sides of her chair, and with the most commanding voice I’d ever heard from her, she said, “Punch it, Siggy!”

Renegade Atlas

One

“Oh, fuck,” I muttered, dropping my coffee as I stared out through the window of the medical facility on Paragon III. The steaming black liquid spattered all over my pants, making me hop back a step. “Shit! Shit!”

I swiped my fingers along my leg, annoyed by my clumsiness. After a quick second, I looked again at the spectacle unfolding in the hospital yard. There were two dropships—Sarkonian, judging by the gold and red colors it carried—unloading nearly twenty armed, exosuit-wearing soldiers.

I hadn’t spent much time this close to Sarkonian space, so I’d only had the chance to see their military a handful of times, but every instance had told me everything I needed to know: avoid these sons-of-bitches at all costs.

“Sir, would you like me to prepare for departure?” asked the voice in my ear. It was Sigmond, my ship’s artificial intelligence. “It would seem you’re about to have unwanted company.”

“That might be a good idea,” I said.

“Very good, sir.”

I turned and fled across the hall, leaving the puddle of coffee for someone else to bother with.

Nurses and patients crowded the rooms, trying to look out the windows at the small army about to storm their building. I wondered if this was normal for them, seeing a pack of soldiers unloading on their front lawn. This far out into the Deadlands, I wagered it just might be.

I rounded the hall and instantly spotted Freddie in the third doorway. We made eye contact at once, and I already knew what he was going to say. “Captain, what’s going on?”

“Looks like the Sarkonian military,” I said, as I approached. He stepped aside to let me through.

Octavia was awake, sitting up in the hospital bed. She’d been here for nearly two days and was doing much better now, thanks to the surgical team and the incubation chamber they had on hand. When I brought her in, the doctors had said it was unlikely she’d recover, but she proved them wrong on that. “Captain, do we need to leave?” she asked.

“I don’t know yet.”

Hitchens was beside her, holding a small bucket of ice. “Goodness! We can’t move her yet. She needs her rest!”

I pulled Freddie inside the room and shut the door, heading straight to the window so I could close the curtains. “Rest ain’t a luxury we can afford, Doc.”

“Do we know why they’re here?” asked Octavia.

A voice exploded over the hospital com before I could answer. “Attention, Union fugitives!” it said, like thunder overhead. “We know you are here! Surrender yourselves now or we will use extreme force!”

I looked at Octavia. “Does that answer your question?”

“Damn,” she said, trying to straighten herself. “So much for my vacation.”

I grabbed the wheelchair from across the room, which the nurse had folded and squeezed between the closet and bathroom door, and flattened the seat with my palm. “No time for vacations when you’re with me,” I said, pushing it close to the bed.

I offered my arm and she took it, using me as leverage as she eased herself over. “You’re right. Why rest when I can get shot again?” She landed in the chair with a soft thud.

I smirked, rolling her away from the bed. “That’s the spirit.”

We rushed out of the room and into the hall. I was in the lead, pushing Octavia’s chair as we made our escape, everyone else behind me.  “Where are we going?” asked Hitchens.

“The ship,” I said, over my shoulder. “Where else?”

“How do you plan to get by the—” Two Sarkonian soldiers appeared at the end of the hall. “—guards?”

The armored men raised their weapons the second they saw us. “Move!” I barked, rushing into a side room.

Multiple gunshots fired through the corridor, forcing us to take cover in a room. As soon as I was inside, I pulled out my pistol and set my back to the wall, then returned fire, delivering three rounds. They missed, and the Sarkonians fired again, forcing me to take cover. “Siggy, tell Abigail we’re gonna be a bit.”

“I shall inform her of your delay, sir,” said the A.I.

“Attention, fugitives!” called one of the soldiers. “Surrender now! You cannot escape this facility!”

I leaned in, peaking through the crack in the door, spotting one of them. There was just enough room in the crack to fit a bullet, I guessed.

I eased my pistol up to the slit, taking a second to aim, and then…

The frame of the wooden door exploded as the round left my gun, sending splinters into the air.

It struck the only visible soldier, ripping his jaw from his skull. He twisted where he stood, collapsing onto the floor.

In a heartbeat, I leapt into the hall, spotting the second man as he turned to look at his newly-deceased friend.

Before he could react, I pulled the trigger and fired two shots. One in the head, the other in the chest.

The poor bastard was dead before he had a chance to react.

Octavia rolled her chair out as soon as the body fell. “That was messy,” she said as we started moving again.

“You’d prefer a softer touch next time?” I asked, grabbing the handles behind her chair.

“Stop a second!” she snapped as we neared the two bodies.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

Octavia pointed at one of the rifles. “Give it here, Jace.”

I snagged the gun and tossed it to her.

She gripped the weapon with both hands. “I figure if you’re pushing, you can’t aim, so I might as well pick up the slack.”

“Good thinking,” I said, handing the second rifle to Freddie, who took it with some hesitation.

Right as we started to move, another set of Sarkonians entered through the end of the hall ahead of us. Octavia unloaded a three-round burst, clipping their armor, and managing to snag one in the neck.

I let go of the chair, retrieved my pistol, and fired a set of shots. A bullet buzzed by my head right as I hit the still-standing soldier in the head and chest. “Hot damn!” I snapped. My adrenaline was in full overdrive.

“Like I said,” remarked Octavia.

I grinned. “Not bad for a cripple.”

She gave me a look. “Careful, Captain, or you’ll be next.”

We kept moving, running as fast as the chair would allow, but stopped when we neared a set of doors to the outer lobby. Both had a glass pane at their center.

I motioned for the others to stay back. With a quick glance, I spotted six soldiers, each in pairs of two. “Looks like half their squad is out there.”

“What do we do?” asked Freddie, a slight crack in his voice.

“What do you think?” I asked, looking back at him. “We’re not sitting here like a bunch of invalids.” I looked at Octavia. “No offense.”

She scowled at me. “Give me a target and get out of the way.”

“Someone’s eager for some killing. Okay, Hitchens, you’re on chair duty. When I go out there—”

“You mean you’re running into that room?” asked Freddie.

“Yeah, and you’re staying here.”

“You can’t do this by yourself, Captain,” he cautioned.

“I’m not. If you’d actually listen to me, you’d know that,” I said.

He gulped, then nodded.

“Do what I say and we’ll all make it out of here. Now, Hitchens, I need you to push Octavia out so the door cracks and she can get a decent view. Don’t push her all the way. Are you following?”

“I-Is that safe?”

Octavia took his hand in hers. “It’s okay, Doctor. Please, do as he says.”

Hitchens took a deep breathe. “All right, if you think it’s a good idea, Octavia.”

“And you, Freddie,” I continued. “You’re the rear guard. Don’t let anyone snipe us in the ass. You hear me?”

“I’m not coming with you?” he asked.

“Someone has to watch our backs. That’s you, kid. I swear to the gods, I ain’t dying from a bullet in the ass, you hear me?”

He nodded. “I won’t let you down, Captain.”

I turned back and raised my pistol. “That’s good, Freddie, ‘cus this sure as shit ain’t the end of my story.”

Two

“Stop right—” My bullet cut through the Sarkonian soldier’s neck before he could finish the sentence.

His partner turned to me as I ran to the other side of the room, passing between the remaining five soldiers. In a panic, he unloaded his rifle, shots trailing me as I moved, ripping through the wall and, to my delight, his own teammate.

Asshole didn’t know what hit him.

I reached another set of doors, diving through them. They flapped open, slamming into the walls and swinging backwards, toward the gunfire.

I rolled on my back, aiming my pistol at the swinging doors, firing every time they opened.

With the Sarkonians’ attention on me, Octavia came rolling into the room, rifle in hand, and opened fire.

The first one took a straight hit in the back. His chest exploded as the bullet ripped through him, bringing shards of bone into the open air. He fell flat on his face, instantly dead.

One of the soldiers came at me, propping the doors open and extending a barrel in my face. I did the same to him, but before either of us could unload a round into the other’s skull, the woman in the wheelchair ended him.

Blood spattered out of his neck and onto my pants, and I quickly scrambled back. “Fuck!” I snapped.

The remaining soldiers turned their attention to Octavia, but Hitchens was already pulling her into the hall again. I took the opportunity to get on my feet again.

By my count, we still had two more to go.

“Walk away and we won’t kill you!” I yelled, throwing my back to the wall, just behind the doors.

“W-We have reinforcements coming! Surrender now and you won’t be—”

Two loud blasts interrupted the soldier before he could finish, followed by what sounded like bodies hitting the floor. I looked across the hall, but the others were still hiding. “What the fuck was that?” I asked.

“You can come out now!” called a familiar voice.

“Abigail?” I swung the door open and stepped out.

Abigail stood behind the two fresh corpses, a large rifle in her arms. “I thought you could use the assistance.”

Freddie came running out of the hall. “Sister Abigail!”

Hitchens and Octavia were right behind him. “Goodness!” exclaimed the doctor, looking at all the bodies and the blood pooling around them. “It looks like a warzone!”

“It is,” I told him, then turned back to Abigail. “Why aren’t you in the ship? Where’s Lex?”

“With me, sir,” answered Sigmond, his voice filling my ear. “I’ve locked down The Star until you return, rest assured.”

“I had this covered, you know,” I told the former nun as I approached her.

“I’m sure you did,” she answered. “But we’re pressed for time and there’s an army coming.”

“An army?” asked Hitchens.

I nodded. “She’s right. There’s bound to be more ships on the way. We need to get off this rock, and fast.”

“Understood,” said Octavia.

We raced through the rest of the building, towards the fifth loading platform where The Renegade Star waited.

The airlock was sealed, but Siggy opened it right as we had the ship in view. “Awaiting orders, sir,” he said, once we were onboard.

“Get us in orbit and activate the cloak,” I said, making my way through to the cockpit.

I spotted Lex in the lounge. She was playing a game on the viewscreen. Some kind of educational thing with numbers. “Hello, Mr. Hughes!”

“Hey kid,” I said as I ran by.

A moment later, I was strapped into my chair, staring out the front of my ship as the engines primed. The Renegade Star began to lift off the dock, hovering briefly before moving forward.

We ascended through the massive opening in the bay, angled toward the nearby clouds.

“Sir, I’m picking up movement near a slip gap point,” said Sigmond.

“More Sarkonian ships?” I asked.

“On the contrary, sir, it appears to be—”

“Attention, Renegade vessel,” interrupted a husky voice on the com. “This is General Marcus Brigham with the UFS Galactic Dawn, hailing the vessel identified as The Renegade Star. Respond now or you will be met with extreme force.”

“Fuck you,” I chimed back. “Siggy, cut the com and get us out of here.”

“Right away, sir.”

As we tore through the atmosphere of the planet, Sigmond activated a slipspace tunnel. The Galactic Dawn was moving towards us, but we’d be well on our way before it arrived.

“Entering slipspace,” announced Sigmond, this time over the ship’s com. “Please remain seated.”

The black void of normal space quickly dissipated as we moved into the emerald vortex. Yellow sparks flashed along the tunnel walls as the rift closed behind us, separating us from our would-be pursuers.

“That’s the second time that Brigham guy has found us,” I said. “The Sarkonians must have sent a message before we escaped.”

“That is very improbable, sir,” said Sigmond.

“Oh? You got another theory?”

“The UFS Galactic Dawn arrived out of slipspace as we made our escape, not long after the Sarkonian dropship landed at the hospital.”

“So?”

“Between the time the Sarkonians landed and the moment the Union ship emerged from the tunnel, only fourteen minutes passed. The nearest slip gap point along the slip tunnel they used is approximately thirty minutes away.”

“What are you saying, Siggy?”

“That the math implies they were already en route when the Sarkonians landed on the planet.”

“You think they signaled them when they were in orbit?”

“It is possible, but The Star’s sensors didn’t pick the Sarkonians up until a short while ago, moments before they arrived.”

“Do you think the Union knew we were there before the Sarkonians even showed up?”

“It certainly appears that way, sir, but I cannot be certain. Not without additional data.”

I glanced at the bobblehead of Foxxy Stardust on my dash. Her head was still bouncing from the launch. “Well, you keep trying to get that data. I’ll check on the rest of the crew.”

I unhooked my harness straps and pushed myself onto my feet. I could already hear people talking in the lounge, even before the door was open.

“—need to get Octavia to another hospital,” Freddie finished saying.

“Not until we know we’re safe,” said Abigail.

“But what if she needs more treatment?” asked Hitchens, who was standing beside Octavia’s chair.

Lex was there, too, watching the others talk. She glanced at me and smiled, then ran over to greet me. “Mr. Hughes!”

“Hey, kid,” I said.

“Can we go somewhere fun? I’m tired of being on the ship.”

“Wish we could,” I answered, patting her on the head. “Hopefully it won’t be long before we land again.”

She frowned, clearly disappointed by the answer.

“Tell you what, though,” I went on. “Gimme ten minutes and I’ll grab you some jerky and cheese.”

Her eyes lit up at the prospect of food. “Can I, um, can I have some tomato soup?”

“Sure, kid.” I walked past her and toward the others, who were still discussing options in the middle of the lounge.

“I just don’t—” Freddie stopped when he saw me. “Captain Hughes, is everything okay now? Did we take any damage?”

“You’d know it if we had,” I said.

“What about that Union ship?” asked Abigail.

“What about it?” I asked.

“Is it pursuing us? Are we safe?”

“Beats me. We won’t know until we’re at the next S.G. Point.” I looked at Octavia. “How about you?”

“Me?” she asked.

“Are you holding up all right?”

“I can’t feel my legs. What do you think?”

“I think if you can still be sarcastic, things can’t be that bad.”

“Fair point,” she said.

“As for the plan, I figure we’ll stick to the map,” I continued. “The atlas we got from that cave has us heading this way. We’ll just stay on course and keep our eye on the prize.”

“You act like it’s such a simple thing,” said Abigail. “Like trying to win something out of one of those stuffed toy machines.”

“Since when are those things easy?” I asked.

“I don’t know, but compared to running for our lives, I’d imagine they can’t be that bad.”

“I have a cloaked ship, if you’ll remember,” I said.

“Do you think that will be enough?” she asked.

“Trust me. When we get out of this tunnel, we’ll go dark and bide our time. No one will know where we’ve gone, and if they ever do figure it out, we’ll have disappeared completely.”

Three

I sat in my room, my feet on my desk as I leaned back in my chair, playing with the gold pocketwatch Abigail had given me. It had a planet engraved on it, which she’d called Earth. I didn’t know if I believed the myth, but I still liked the watch. She’d given this to me, believing she’d never see me again.

That was before we went on the run together. Now, we were crewmates, all of us, the road before us full of unknown possibilities.

The territory ahead was largely owned by the Sarkonians, but their borders were constantly in flux. For all I knew, we’d already crossed over. The bastards loved claiming systems that were nowhere near their own space.

But the universe was a big place, and they could only go in so many directions. If we stayed on this path, we’d cross through their space in a matter of days. If I kept The Star cloaked, we’d have an easier time of it.

A soft knock at my door stirred me, and I dropped my feet and stowed the pocketwatch. “What is it?” I asked.

“It’s Fred. Do you have a minute?”

“No,” I answered. “I’m busy watching a holo. Ever heard of Lustful Sins of a Sarkonian Wife?”

There was a short pause. “Oh, I, uh, I don’t—”

I hit the door control and it slid open, revealing Freddie’s stammering face. “What is it, Freddie?”

“A-Are you really watching that?”

“I will if you don’t hurry up,” I cautioned.

“I…” He paused, taking a breath. “I have a small request, if you don’t mind.”

“What is it? You need to have the talk? I suggest you try Hitchens. I’m not really the fatherly type.”

“I want you to teach me how to shoot.”

The words lingered in the air a moment, taking me by surprise. “What did you just say?”

He cleared his throat. “Look, Captain, I’m no fool. I know you ordered me to stay back because I’m useless in combat.”

He wasn’t wrong. The poor guy had practically no experience to speak of when it came to fighting. I wagered he wouldn’t be able to hit a wall of The Star if I gave him a rifle and pointed. “I don’t know if I have time for that kind of thing.”

“Please, Captain,” he begged. “I don’t want to be on the sidelines while the rest of you pick up my slack.”

Call me a sucker, but I felt for the kid. He wasn’t raised like me. He didn’t grow up on the street, getting in knife fights at the age of nine. “Before you joined that cult, did you ever have to use a gun, Freddie?”

“Once or twice,” he said, hesitantly.

“Ever have to kill anyone?”

He shook his head.

“That could be a problem. I’m not sure I have the time to get rid of that part of you.”

“What part?” he asked.

I poked him in the chest. “That part. You know, the thing inside that makes you afraid to murder some asshole before he can murder you.”

“Murder? But it’s self-defense, isn’t it?”

“Sometimes it’s business. Sometimes it’s preemptive,” I explained. “You do what you gotta do out here, Freddie. That’s how it works.”

His eyes widened. “Gods, Captain. Is that how you’ve been living this whole time?”

“It’s the only way to live. It’s how you stay alive. Make no mistake, Fred. This ain’t the Union or your church. It’s the fucking void. There ain’t any rules out here. No civilization to tell you how to exist. You take what you take, kill who you kill, and try to make it out alive.”

I wanted the weight of my words to sink in. I wanted him to understand. Killing wasn’t easy, but a second of hesitation could make you a corpse.

But…it’s necessary,” he muttered. “It’s how I protect the rest of you. Isn’t that right?”

I nodded. “It’s how a crew survives. We do it together. We look out for each other. But you gotta be willing to pull that trigger.”

He stood there for a moment, and I could see the wheels turning in his head. He was convincing himself that this was right, justifying what he had to do. “Okay,” he finally told me. “I understand, Captain.”

“Good,” I said. “Because if you get me killed, Freddie, I swear to the gods, I’ll fucking rise from the grave and come back for you. Do you understand?”

* * *

I spent the afternoon showing Freddie how to aim a rifle. I had noticed his posture a few times, most recently back in the hospital, and thought it would be a good place to start.

Once I was satisfied that he wasn’t going to accidentally recoil the weapon into his nose, I went about the business of explaining how to aim. “You want to keep your breath steady. It’s cliché and everyone knows it, but hey, it’s also true.”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

I placed my hand on my chest. “Breathe out, but keep it steady,” I said, exhaling. “The point is to keep yourself balanced. You need your calm.”

“My calm?”

“Every seasoned soldier gets it after being in the shit for a while. It’s a state of mind. That’s the best way I can explain it.”

“What is it?”

I’d never explained this sort of thing before, so it took me a second to find the right words. “When you’re running, you know how your heart is racing?”

“Sure, adrenaline kicks in,” he said, nodding.

“Right, exactly. The same thing happens when you’re in the shit, only it’s about a hundred times worse. Your whole body tenses up. The synapses in your brain are lighting up like crazy. Your tongue gets dry. You get that sick feeling in your gut, like you’re about to throw up. It’s the same thing that happens before you fuck for the first time. It makes you clumsy and stupid, and it gets you killed in a quick hurry.”

“How do you control that?” he asked.

“Practice,” I said, simply. “And breathing. Lots of it. Every chance you get, you breathe. Take deep breaths when you’re alone in your bunk, stop in the hall when no one’s around. Just keep doing it.”

“That’s all I have to do?”

I laughed. “Fuck no, kid. You’re gonna need to fight someone. Maybe get your face torn up. I don’t know. It’s gonna take time to get your calm.”

“I see,” he said, looking down at the rifle in his hands.

I was being hard on him, telling him all this, but he had to hear it. I liked Freddie, for whatever reason, and I didn’t want him to die anytime soon. If those Union and Sarkonian bastards kept coming after us, he’d need his wits about him. He’d need to be willing to kill. “Where’s the nun today?” I asked, after a moment.

“Are you referring to Sister Abigail?”

“Ain’t no other nuns on the ship, so who else?”

“I believe she’s teaching Lex her math tables.”

I tapped the com in my ear. “Siggy, patch me through to Abigail’s room.”

“Right away, sir,” said the A.I.

A second later, I had her. “What is it, Jace?” she asked, an obvious annoyance in her voice. “I’m busy.”

“Too busy to help your pal Fred?” I returned.

“What’s wrong? Is he okay?”

“He’s fine. I need you to come down to the cargo bay.”

“I’m on my way,” she answered.

I clicked off the com, then took Freddie’s weapon. “Give me that,” I said, walking over to the nearby locker and putting it away. “Abby’s on her way to help you out.”

“Help me out?” he asked.

“I can’t do everything, and I really don’t have the time. You’re like a newborn pup, Fred, sorry to tell you. You need a momma.”

The door slid open at the back of the bay as Abigail entered. She walked down the steps and joined us in the center of the bay, her arms behind her head. “What’s all this about?” she asked, raising an eye.

“I need you to beat the living shit out of Freddie here,” I told her, motioning with my thumb. “Think you can do that?”

* * *

Abigail’s fist slammed into Freddie’s jaw so hard I heard a crack. Spit flew from his mouth as his cheeks rippled from the blow, and he yelped, staggering back.

“I told you to block me!” the nun yelled.

He fell on his ass and covered his quickly bruising face. “I-I wasn’t ready!”

“You can’t always be ready in a fight,” I said, shaking my head and trying to sound disappointed. “So embarrassing.”

“Are you hurt?” asked Abigail. She let out her hand to help him up.

Freddie got to his feet and, after checking his jaw, nodded. “I’ll be fine.”

“Ready to go again?” I asked.

“Again?” repeated Abigail. “Did you see what just happened?”

“I’m ready,” interjected Freddie.

We both looked at him. “That so?” I asked, cocking my brow at Abigail. “Hear that? He’s ready.”

“I heard him,” she said, glaring at me. “But if he’s not careful, he could get seriously injured, and we can’t have that if the Union finds us again.”

“I can handle it,” insisted Freddie. He put up his fists like a boxer.

I tried not to laugh.

Abigail ignored him. “Can I speak with you for a moment, Captain?”

“Sure.” I followed her to the bay door in the back, a few meters inside the hall where Freddie couldn’t see us. “Well, this feels familiar.”

“Familiar?”

I recalled being here once before with Abigail, having another conversation about a passenger, only it was Lex instead of Freddie that time. She’d told me her situation was complicated…that she was in a bit of trouble, and I believed her because that’s how it went out here. It was hard to think how far we’ve come since then. “Nothing,” I said, not wanting to get into it. “What do you wanna say? I assume it’s about Freddie.”

She crossed her arms. “You need to take it easy on him.”

“Easy?” I asked. “He’s the one who asked for help.”

“He’s only doing that because he thinks he has to. You need to tell him it’s not his job to fight.”

“What is his job, anyway? Hitchens and Octavia are archeologists. You’re some kind of crazy nun with a trigger finger. Lex is a freak kid with magical powers. I own the ship. What exactly does Freddie do?”

“He’s an expert on the Church and the early writings of Darius Clare.”

“You mean the old guy who started the Church?”

“That’s right,” she said. “He practically has Dr. Clare’s entire library memorized.”

I raised my hands. “Oh, well I’m sure that’s handy in a fight.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You know that’s not fair. He has other values.”

“Not fair?” I repeated. “We’re not on some pilgrimage. There’s a giant fucking ship that’s hot on our asses, trying to track us down and kill us. Well, kill most of us. I’m sure they’ll just take Lex and leave the rest of us for—”

“I get it,” she interrupted.

“Do you? Because if we’re going to survive this suicide mission across the universe, we’re going to need everyone on this ship trained and ready to fight. Freddie needs to know how to kill in a heartbeat. Do you want him hesitating when it’s your life on the line?”

“Ugh, fine,” she groaned. “I swear to the gods, Jace.” She turned away from me and headed back inside. “Frederick, get ready.”

“A-Are you going to hit me again?” asked Freddie.

I stepped into the bay and leaned against the railing above the stairs, watching Abigail descend. “She’s going to kick your ass until you’re better, Fred.”

“Oh, boy,” he said, taking a deep breath.

Abigail got into her fighting pose. “Ignore him and try to keep up.”

Four

I left Abigail and Freddie to train, or rather, I left Freddie to get his ass kicked by a nun, and then made my way to the lounge.

Hitchens was there, sitting with Lex on the sofa. He had a box in his hands—one of the ancient relics we’d brought with us from the asteroid belt. He gave it to the girl and she took it, smiling, and the device instantly lit up, illuminating her face.

“Got yourself another toy?” I asked, crossing my arms and leaning against the wall a few meters from the couch.

“Ah, Captain! I was hoping to speak with you about something, whenever you had a chance.”

“Looks like you’re busy now,” I said, nodding at the glowing square in Lex’s hands. “Got yourself another music box?”

I made my way over to the snack bar, eying the place where my coffee-maker had been, back before Fratley and his goons roughed my ship up and broke half my furniture. I missed that delicious brew like nobody’s business.

“Not quite,” said the doctor. “This one’s a little less playful. More like a—”

The box suddenly snapped open, its lid popping up. The sound startled Lex, but she laughed soon after.

“A lockbox,” finished Hitchens. He chuckled. “Time to see what’s inside.”

Lex peered into the opening. “What’s that?”

Hitchens reached inside the container and brought out a smaller object. It was flat, like a pad, but it had no screen. “Strange,” muttered the archeologist. “I haven’t seen anything like this before.”

“Is it a toy?” asked the little girl.

“Might be,” he said, nodding. He looked at her and grinned. “What say we find out?”

She smiled. “Okay!”

Hitchens took the storage box from her and the light inside immediately dimmed, going dark after a few short seconds. He handed her the other, much smaller object, and she took it, curiously.

We all watched, waiting for something to happen. “What’s the deal?” I asked after a minute had passed.

Hitchens tapped his chin. “It could be malfunctioning. I might need to replace some parts, although I don’t know if I have them on hand. Lex, dear, could you place the device back inside the—”

A sudden burst of light exploded from the girl’s hands, hitting the farthest wall, near the cockpit door.

I hit the floor, reflexively. “Holy fuck!”

Lex screamed, releasing the object. She recoiled, falling back into the sofa and kicking her legs. Hitchens wrapped his arms around her, shielding her from whatever the hell was happening.

The light vanished a short moment after it appeared, but that didn’t stop the girl or Hitchens from panicking. I scrambled to my feet and kicked the little machine away from her, knocking it beneath the coffee-maker table. “Fuck!” I yelled.

Hitchens released Lex. “O-Oh, my goodness! Are you all right?”

“My…my hand,” she muttered, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stared at her fingers. They were red and bloodied.

“Oh, dear,” said Hitchens, carefully taking her hands in his. “Captain! Captain, Lex needs medical attention!”

I tapped my ear. “Siggy, tell Octavia to get her ass to the lounge! Get Abigail, too. She’ll want to be here.”

“Yes, sir,” responded Sigmond.

“Can you bend your fingers?” asked Hitchens. He looked absolutely worried, but I could tell he was trying to hide it. “Try to make a fist if you don’t mind.”

“O-Okay,” she said, doing as he asked. She squeezed her fingers together, flinching slightly, but still going through with it.

It reminded me how tough this little girl actually was, for better or worse.

Octavia came rolling down the hall in a matter of seconds. “What’s going on?”

She came to a stop right in front of the sofa.

“Lex fried her hands,” I said. “It’s Hitchens’ fault. He gave her one of those stupid relic things.”

She leaned in close to Lex and took her wrist to examine the wound. “It looks like a burn,” she said. “Doctor, is the Captain right? Did you do this?”

Hitchens frowned. “Oh, I’m so sorry. Yes, it’s true, Octavia. I wasn’t thinking. I’m so sorry, Lex.”

“It’s okay, Mr. Hitchens,” said Lex, wiping her eyes on her shoulder. “It doesn’t hurt as much anymore.”

“It doesn’t?” asked Hitchens.

“No, not as bad,” she said, but then flinched when Octavia touched her.

“It looks like your fingers are pretty sensitive. We need to get some gel on your skin,” suggested Octavia. “Doctor, can you bring her to my room? I’ll get the medical kit.”

“Right away,” said Hitchens, getting off the sofa. “Let’s do as Octavia says, Lex.”

I watched him lead the girl down the hall. When they were close to the room, Octavia swiveled in her chair to look at me. “Where is it?” she asked.

“Where’s what?” I returned.

“The device you mentioned. I assume it’s still here.”

“Right there, under the table,” I said, motioning with my head.

She stared at it, curiously, before looking back at me. “Get rid of it.”

“You don’t want to keep and study it?” The statement surprised me, given her history as an archeologist, like Hitchens.

“Not if it’s dangerous enough to do that. Did you see her fingers?”

“They looked fucked up, yeah.”

“She has second degree burns, Captain. Those are serious injuries.”

“She didn’t act like it hurt that bad,” I said.

“I expect she’ll feel it soon, once the shock has settled.”

I glanced down at the device on the floor, at whatever the fuck had just blasted a beam of light in my lounge. “Guess I should find somewhere to dump this.”

* * *

I didn’t toss the box. Instead, I stuck it back inside the container it came in, and then I stuffed that inside a closet inside my room.

Back on Taurus, my old pal Ollie (rest his soul) had told me that these relics were worth their share in credits. Maybe if I held onto this garbage, I could find a trader somewhere who desperately wanted it.

Hell, I had to pay for fuel somehow, didn’t I?

“Exiting slipspace in ten minutes, sir,” announced Siggy.

“On my way,” I said, closing the closet door and leaving my room.

By the look of the lounge, everyone was most likely with Lex, no doubt concerned over her well-being.

They probably thought I was heartless to ignore her, but I knew better. That kid was tougher than most. She wasn’t some soft little girl. She was strong. She had what it took to be here.

I’d seen it on her face, back when Fratley had come…back when I’d killed him, right on this very ship. Lex had seen it all, but none of it had fazed her. The only way a person got through something like that, especially a kid, was if they’d witnessed something worse.

Much worse, I wagered.

Lex had to know what death was, long before she’d ever come aboard this ship. A girl like that, stuck in a galaxy like this…it made sense that she’d seen a killing or two, long before I came around.

I smirked, walking through the hall. Whatever your story is, kid, I’m glad you made it this far.

We arrived out of slipspace shortly after I strapped into my chair. The emerald lightning of the rift disappeared behind us as the tunnel closed. “Activate the cloak, Siggy.”

“Understood, sir. Would you like me to move us to the next tunnel entrance?”

“That’d be fine,” I said. “We got any movement in the system?”

“Affirmative, sir. It seems there’s a construction project occurring on the moon surrounding the nearby gas giant.”

That was a surprise. I had assumed we’d be alone when we got there. “Why didn’t you tell me about this before we came in?”

“Apologies, sir, but this project hasn’t been entered into the galnet universal map yet.”

“Maybe they don’t want the Union to know about it,” I suggested. “Or the Sarkonians, for that matter.”

“That is a possibility, sir.”

“Can you run a deep scan and tell me what’s there?”

“Already done,” said Sigmond, anticipating my needs like always. “There appears to be a modest selection of shops in the local bazaar, as well as a fully functional fuel station.”

A list of vendors came up on the holo, ranging from beer to clothes to beef-on-a-stick.

“If I might make a suggestion, Captain,” continued Sigmond. “Our fuel reserves could use replenishing.”

I thought about the fridge and the lack of food. “We might need more than that, now that you mention it, Siggy.”

I heard a short knock on the door. “Mr. Hughes? Are you in there?” The door cracked open and I turned to see Lex peeking in. She kept most of her body behind the wall, afraid to enter. “Um.”

“What is it, kid? Shouldn’t you be resting from that blast you took?”

“That was a while ago,” she said, hugging the door, bouncing a little. “What are you doing in here?”

“Finding us a place to wait.” I turned away from her, back toward the console.

I heard her step inside, taking a seat next to me. “What are we waiting for?”

“Not sure yet,” I muttered.

“Oh.”

I glanced down at her hand. It was bandaged, delicately wrapped, probably by Octavia. “Your hand doing okay?”

“Huh? Oh…” She pulled her hand away and placed it in her lap, covering her fingers with her other palm. “Yeah, it’s better.”

“Better?” I asked. “Don’t be modest, kid.”

Her eyes dropped to the dash, like she was embarrassed.

We sat there a while, saying nothing. I kept thinking she would get up and leave, but she never did. After a while, I cleared my throat, tired of the silence.  “Hey,” I said, finally. “When your hand gets better, I’ve got a computer game you can use. It’s a racer. You like racers?”

“What’s a racer?” she asked.

“It’s a game where ten ships see who’s the fastest.”

“Is it hard?”

“Depends how good you are. For me, it’s easy. But for you…” I cocked my brow and shook my head. “It might be too much. You gotta be tough to handle a racer, you know.”

“I’m tough,” she said, sitting up straight. “I can do it.”

“Really? You don’t sound tough. How do I know?”

“I am!” she insisted. “I can do it!”

I tapped my chin. “Hm…yeah, you know, maybe you are tough.”

“Yeah,” she said, quickly. “I promise I am.”

“Well, once your hand is better, we’ll have to find out. You can show me.”

“But my hand is okay now!” She raised the bandaged appendage, no longer shy about it. “See? It’s better!”

“I’m sure it is,” I said, trying to sound like I believed her. “But let’s give it more time to heal. You don’t want it to be sensitive.”

She furrowed her brow. “But it’s better! Just look, Mr. Hughes.”

She started to unwrap the bandage from around her fingers.

“Hey, kid, hold on a second,” I cautioned. “You shouldn’t do that.”

Fuck, what was I thinking?

She took the bandages off in a hurry, letting them fall on the floor, between our seats. “See? Look, Mr. Hughes.”

Lex lifted her hand in the air between us, fluttering her fingers. I had expected to see them inflamed, possibly charred and bloodied from the blast. Instead, they had a soft pinkness to them, like the skin of a newborn. I took her hand, steadying it so I could see. “What the hell?” I muttered, leaning in, searching for the burns. “What happened? Why isn’t there—there’s not even a scar.”

Lex smiled. “Does this mean I can play the racer now?”

“Hold on,” I said. “Siggy, did you get the incident in the lounge recorded? Answer privately.”

“Of course, sir,” I heard his voice say in my ear. “Would you like me to replay the footage?”

I glanced at Lex, who was staring at me, still smiling. It would probably be a bad idea to pull the feed up in front of her. She might be tough, but I didn’t know if she’d be able to sit and watch herself get hurt. Besides, Abigail would fucking kill me.

“No,” I finally decided. “Just run a quick analysis and tell me how bad the injuries were.”

I took Lex’s hand and rewrapped the bandage. For some reason, it felt like the best thing to do.

A few short seconds later, Siggy chimed in with an answer. “Octavia Brie’s initial analysis was partially correct, sir. Lex received second degree burns, but there were also first degree burns along the index finger.”

I swiveled in my seat, taking Lex’s hand again and looking over her fingers. None of them appeared damaged, far as I could tell. “How long does a burn like that take to heal, Siggy?”

“Given the medical resources available on this vessel, I would place the estimate at six days. However, there could be scarring and some pigment discoloration afterwards.”

I let Lex’s hand go. It dropped to her lap, and she stared up at me with big, curious blue eyes.

I turned away from her, lowering my voice so it was hardly above a whisper. “Siggy, if there’s supposed to be scarring or something, if it’s supposed to be as bad as you said, do you have an explanation for why none of that has happened yet?”

He answered, “None whatsoever, sir.”

Five

I asked Abigail and Octavia to meet me in the cargo bay, not long after my talk with Lex.

Octavia was sitting in her wheelchair, palms on her wheels. We had to stay on the upper deck, above the stairs, because I didn’t have a ramp.

“What are we doing in here?” asked Abigail, leaning her ass against the rail. “Does this have something to do with why we stopped in this system?”

“We’ll get to that,” I said, not wasting any time. “First, have either of you seen Lex’s hand?”

They both looked at each other. “What do you mean?” asked Octavia. “Are you talking about the bandage?”

“No, I mean what’s under the bandage.”

“There’s a wound, last I saw,” she responded.

“What’s this about?” asked Abigail. “Captain, what exactly happened?”

“It’s not what happened. It’s what didn’t happen.”

She tilted her head. “What?”

I threw my finger out, pointing at the hall. “The kid’s wounds are all healed up. There’s no burns on her.”

“No burns?” asked Octavia.

“None,” I confirmed.

She paused, and I could see her trying to remember. “No, no, I saw them,” she finally said. “She had serious degree burns all down her fingers.”

“Not anymore. Her skin looks fine now.”

“I’m sure you just didn’t know what you were looking at,” suggested Abigail.

“You want me to call her in here?” I asked. “She’s in the lounge playing a game I gave her, but we can get her in here and you can see for yourselves.”

“Hold on, Captain,” said Octavia. “You’re suggesting that her wounds healed in a matter of hours. Is that right?”

“I’m not suggesting anything,” I corrected. “I’m telling you what I saw.”

Abigail motioned at me. “But that is what you’re saying, in your own weird way.”

“There’s no way those burns could have healed like that. It’s not possible,” said Octavia.

“Well, they did,” I said, shrugging.

Abigail looked down at Octavia. “Maybe you were wrong about the diagnosis?”

“I don’t think so.” She pushed her wheels and swiveled around. “Let’s go talk to her.”

I stepped out of the way to let her past. For someone stuck in a chair, she sure was quick, rolling through the corridor, wheels clicking as they turned.

We found Lex exactly where I’d left her, sitting on the sofa playing on a small pad, tilting it left and right as she played. I could see her having a time of it, crashing her ship into the invisible barriers of the racetrack as she moved from one part of the solar system to the next. She was in thirteenth place, failing miserably.

Poor kid had no skills.

“Lex, honey, can we speak with you for a moment?” asked Octavia.

The girl looked up from the screen. “Huh? But I’m racing.”

“It’ll only take a second,” said Abigail. “You can finish the game afterwards.”

Lex frowned and looked at me with an expression that said, Please Mr. Hughes, save me.

I shrugged at her, saying nothing.

Lex dropped her head, defeated, and placed the pad on the sofa.

“Can we see your hand?” asked Octavia.

Lex nodded, and Octavia leaned in and carefully took her palm.

Abigail and I watched as she examined the girl’s hand, unwrapping the bandage. Octavia’s eyes widen, like she didn’t understand what she was seeing, but she quickly composed herself. “Thank you, Lex,” she said, calmly, and didn’t bother rewrapping the girl’s hand.

“Can I play now?” asked Lex.

“Go ahead,” said Octavia. “But can you go in your room?”

She nodded, and leapt off the sofa, headed down the hall. We waited until she was out of sight before looking at one another.

“You see what I’m talking about?” I asked the two women.

“I’m sure the burn just wasn’t that bad,” said Abigail.

“This doesn’t make sense,” muttered Octavia, staring at the bandages.

Abigail sat on the couch, looking at the wrap, then at Octavia. “Are you certain you didn’t simply make a mistake about—”

“I didn’t,” said Octavia, looking up at her. “I’m telling you, that girl had burns on her hands. The kind that don’t heal in a few hours.”

Abigail started to respond, but I cut in. “I had Siggy look over the footage. He said there was no way those burns could heal that fast.”

“Sigmond, is that true?” she asked.

“It is,” said the A.I., his voice filling the room.

“I just don’t see how it’s possible, though,” said Abigail.

“Have you ever seen her recover this quickly before?” asked Octavia.

“Not to my knowledge,” said Abigail, but then she hesitated, almost drifting in thought, like she wasn’t entirely sure.

I could tell she was having a hard time remembering, so I tried asking the question in a different way. “Have you ever seen her get injured?”

The nun looked at me. “You know I have.”

“Oh? Do I?”

“When that Fratley person came on our ship. Those men, they roughed her up.”

“No,” I corrected. “They roughed you up, not Lex. I saw the whole thing. Maybe you didn’t, since you were knocked the fuck out.”

“Careful, Captain,” she said, giving me a look that suggested if I didn’t shut up, I’d regret it.

“In any case,” interjected Octavia. “Was there another time where she was injured under your watch?”

The bluntness of the question surprised me. She might as well have asked if Abigail was a neglectful guardian.

“No, nothing serious,” said Abigail.

“We may need more information.”

“What are you suggesting?” I asked. “You want to cut her? See how fast it takes to heal?”

Octavia was quiet for a minute. “No, we can’t do that,” she eventually said.

“What’s your suggestion, then?” I asked.

She paused a second, looking down at the bandage that was still in her lap. She picked it up, and the bloodstained ends of the cloth fell against her arm. “I might have an idea.”

* * *

Octavia called for Hitchens to join us in the cargo bay, suggesting he bring an electron microscope, along with Lex. He got there in a hurry, clumsily making his way through the corridor with the bulky equipment in his hands.

“Where shall I set it down?” he asked, breathing heavily as he stepped into the cargo bay. Lex was right behind him, carrying her little rocket ship, flying it in the air and making whooshing sounds.

“Preferably where I can reach,” said Octavia.

“Ah, on the table, then.” He waddled over to the side of the room, near the locker. “Here we are.”

“Lex, honey, can you come here a moment?” asked Abigail.

The girl did as she was asked, running over to Abby’s side. The nun took her hand and smiled.

Octavia motioned for her to come closer. “Can I see your hand again, Lex?”

“Uh huh,” said Lex, extending her arm.

The assistant archeologist and former Union medic took a small device and placed it gently on the girl’s wrist. It resembled a gun, in a way, with a trigger and a grip. She placed the barrel to the kid’s skin, and I heard a soft click.

Lex didn’t seem to notice, if there was even any pain. She used her free hand to continue playing with the rocket, flying the toy around her head, and smiling.

Octavia eventually let her go. “All done,” she said. “You can go play now.”

Lex didn’t say anything, but instead ran back down the stairs and into the larger part of the bay.

“What’s your plan here?” I asked, once the girl was far enough away.

“We’re going to perform an analysis on her skin cells to see what we can find,” said Octavia.

“What results are you expecting?” I asked.

“I’m not sure yet,” she admitted. “We may not find anything at all, but there’s something going on. I think we can all agree on that.”

I nodded.

“How long will this take?” asked Abigail.

“Half an hour at most,” she said. “You’re welcome to—”

My earpiece clicked. “Sir, if you don’t mind,” interjected Sigmond. “There’s a slipspace tunnel opening nearby.”

I held up my hand to quiet the group, then touched the side of my ear. “Did you say a tunnel, Siggy?”

“That is correct. I’m running a scan now to determine the arriving vessel’s classification code.”

“I’ve gotta go,” I said. “Stay here and play with your blood. Or skin. Or whatever. I’ll be on the bridge.”

“Is something wrong, Captain?” asked Hitchens.

“Someone just came out of slipspace, same direction we did. It could be trouble, but I don’t know yet.”

“Someone?” echoed Abigail. “But we aren’t close to any colonies.”

I could tell where she was going with this, and I would’ve been lying if I said it wasn’t already in my head. If anyone had come this way, so far from any known colonies, there was a good chance it had something to do with us. That might not be a guarantee, but I wasn’t taking the risk. Not today.

I started jogging towards the front of the ship, ordering Sigmond to lock the door behind me once I was inside the cockpit. I didn’t have time for any distractions, whether it was from the nun or the kid. I had work to do.

“Siggy, what do we have?” I asked, grasping the controls, prepared to fire the quad cannon, should the need arise.

“I detect no incoming vessels,” Siggy responded.

“None? Then why’s there a tunnel opening?”

“Uncertain.”

“Well, you better get certain right fucking now.”

“Understood, sir. Continuing scans.”

The rift closed after another moment, sealing the green waves away so that only the stars remained. I sat there, not even blinking. Just waiting like a jackass.

“Siggy?” I said. “Anything?”

“No sign of movement,” he answered. “This is most unusual, sir.”

“Unusual?” I repeated. “When was the last time you saw a slipspace tunnel close without anyone coming through it?”

“I have no records of such an event.”

“Neither do I,” I muttered, staring through the display. I touched the console, wondering if maybe Sigmond’s detection protocols were acting up. It had been a while since I had him updated. Maybe he’d missed something.

No, the secondary scans checked out, or at least matched the results Siggy had given.

Whatever was going on, it didn’t sit right with me…and I knew better than to ignore that feeling.

Six

Seven hours and two slip tunnels later, our scans detected a small moon colony near a system called Proxi Beta, called so because it was the lesser neighbor to Proxi Alpha.

The system was technically inside Sarkonian space, although there were only a handful of military ships in the area. That was because this colony was still under construction, which is why I’d chosen to come here. It would still be a few months before the system was bustling with enough activity to give me anything to worry about. Until then, I could refuel and resupply, then be on my way, all without anyone noticing.

Besides, the Sarkonians allowed traders to visit their outermost colonies, which they often set up as commercial zones. It helped keep their crumbling economy alive. Thanks to my Renegade contacts, and using the galnet, I was able to procure some credentials as a salvage operator. It was low key enough to avoid drawing attention, while also giving me a valid reason to be here, off in the middle of nowhere.

“Does everyone have their assignments?” asked Abigail, standing beside me in the cargo bay. The Renegade Star had just made landfall on the moon, entering its habitation dome and parking in the third-largest of its docking platforms. Spot 226.

Freddie nodded. “I’m on fuel.”

“And we’re to stay put,” said Hitchens, referring to himself and Octavia.

“Right,” confirmed Abigail. “Let’s not take more time than we need. No sightseeing.”

“I doubt there’s much to see, anyway,” I said.

“What are you two doing?” asked Freddie, motioning at the nun and me.

“We’re on ship supplies,” I answered.

“You mean food,” said Octavia, giving me a look.

I raised my brow. “That might be part of it.”

“You just want to eat and get drunk.”

“I’m the captain of this rig and I get to decide what kind of rations we carry. End of story.”

“Fine, but at least get something we can all enjoy. Not just meat sticks and all that overly processed garbage you’re so fond of.”

“I make no promises,” I said.

Abigail clasped her hands together. “Okay, we’ll reconvene at the ship in two hours. Let’s move quickly.” She glanced at me. “And try not to draw too much attention.”

“Are you talking about me, nun?” I asked.

“Who else would she mean?” asked Octavia.

We left Lex on the ship with Octavia and Hitchens, much to her frustration. She didn’t argue, though, when I told her.

It seemed the kid was catching on.

Freddie was just outside, filling the engine with fuel. He’d be the first to return, which meant all Abigail and I had to do was grab our supplies and hurry back. Not a big deal, barring any unforeseen circumstances, but I didn’t anticipate anything crazy. We were in the middle of nowhere on a tiny little moon, no sign or hint of the Union. No cause for alarm.

In the meantime, I could load up on snacks and beer, maybe even find some candy.

Abigail and I entered through the large hangar opening of the colony, which was very clearly still under construction. There were metallic beams lying next to the walls, half-completed plaster, and essentially no cosmetic fixtures in place yet.

None of that had stopped thousands from coming here and filling its streets, of course.

The colony was made up of three domes. A central, larger dome, with smaller ones on each side. This was a common design choice for colonies this size, and I recognized it immediately. These things were sturdy enough to withstand their share of meteors, because they had to be, but not tough enough that they could handle a full-on assault. That kind of fortified structure would have taken years to build, unlike this, which had sprung up overnight, likely within the last two months. It wouldn’t really take that much to destroy it, should the Sarkonians or the Union get the urge, but I got the impression that this place had been left off the galnet map for a reason.

“Welcome to Spiketown,” yelled a man with a funny hat as we walked into the massive opening. “Would you care to buy a rifle today? You can’t use them in town, but they’re great for hunting on Decca Three, just a few systems from here. I see you have a handgun there. Might you want some extra ammunition? I’ve got plenty of—”

“Not interested,” I said with a cold voice that suggested if he asked me again, I might pull out his esophagus.

“U-Understood, mister,” he answered, slowly backing away.

A mess of scattered buildings had been built all throughout the dome, lined up side-to-side. “Wonder where the market is,” I said, still scanning the streets.

Abigail walked up to the same man from before. “Hey, where are all the shops?”

“Oh, uh, down this street and to the left, but it’s a walk. That’s why I set mine up here, near the entrance. Pretty smart, right? That way I get to greet all you nice—”

She turned and walked away, leaving him alone to slowly trail off. “Down and to the left,” she said, coming back to us.

“Simple enough,” I remarked.

Octavia’s voice popped into my ear over the comm. “Captain, we’re going to ask around the hangar and see if we can find some medical supplies. I believe there has to be some sort of medical facility. I’ll let you know what I find.” There was a short pause. “Although I have my reservations on the quality.”

“Use the com if things get too hairy,” I said.

“Don’t worry about us,” said Octavia. “I can handle whatever happens. Focus on obtaining the other supplies.”

I smirked. “You gonna beat them with your wheels?”

“Keep talking and I’ll show you firsthand,” she returned.

I laughed as I started walking, almost believing her.

Abigail quickened her pace to match mine as we strolled through the streets towards the market. It was a cold city, if you could even call it one, and it smelled of grease and burning rubber, a common side effect of this sort of construction. The streets teamed with residents and visitors, here for gods-knew-what, most of them in their job uniforms.

We curved around the street, making a left just as the gun merchant had suggested. The market came into view soon, its dozens of tents and hastily built shacks primed for our perusing. I caught a whiff of cooked meat after a moment, and it lingered in the air a while before disappearing. It smelled like charred, smokey beef. As we drew nearer, I spotted a flame-pit with skewers of meat resting on the open fire, and my mouth watered with anticipation.

Without a word to Abigail, I walked briskly to the merchant, waving a finger to get his attention. He nodded at me and removed one of the skewers.

I took the rod and tore into the largest piece of meat. It was rough and chewy, with a strange taste that I didn’t recognize. It wasn’t beef, like I had thought, or any kind of fowl that I knew, but something else. Nothing bad, though, not at all. In fact, you could’ve given me just about any sort of meat and I’d be satisfied.

“How is it?” asked Abigail.

I grinned with the flesh between my teeth. “Better than you’d expect,” I said, biting off another chunk.

“Twelve credits,” said the cook, holding up a pad.

I tapped my ear. “Siggy, transfer the money.”

“Processing,” said Sigmond. “Transaction complete.”

The merchant looked at the pad, nodded, and smiled. “Good doing business with you.”

“Can I just ask,” I said, swallowing and taking another bite. “What is this?”

“Rombdin,” he said, flatly.

I had never heard of that before, so I pressed him further. “What’s Rombdin?”

“You never heard of it?” he asked.

“Should I? Is it a type of bird or something?”

“Vermin,” he said with a shrug. “Like a rat.”

Abigail was standing behind me and gasped, suddenly. “A what?!”

“Vermin,” the man repeated. “What? You don’t like?”

I stared down at the meat that was still left on my stick.

“Jace, put that down!” said Abigail, utter disgust in her voice. “We can’t eat any of this food. How horrible!”

My stomach growled as my eyes lingered on the skewer. “But…”

She shook her head. “This is what happens when you don’t ask more questions before you dive into a situation.”

“But…”

“What? Don’t tell me you’re thinking about eating the rest of that. Do you know what kind of diseases it might be carrying?”

“No diseases,” said the merchant. “If you cook rombdin, it kills everything.”

My mouth salivated at the sight of the meat, its charred skin blending with salt and spice.

“Jace, please, you’re going to get sick if you—”

I tore into the remaining meat, ripping the tough Rombdin flesh and scarfing it. I barely chewed before swallowing.

I raised the skewer and grinned. “Another!”

The merchant returned my smile and handed me a second helping.

Abigail’s mouth dropped and she looked away. “I can’t watch this!”

When I had my fill of the rat-like food, I set the rods on the stone next to the fire pit and got to my feet. “Ready to go? I need to walk this off.” I smacked my belly.

She wouldn’t even look at me. “You smell like vomit. You know that, right?”

I grinned. “Smells like a win to me.”

* * *

Abigail insisted we only buy food that was shipped and imported, sealed and frozen. I tried to argue in favor of bringing some fresh Rombdin back with us, but she wasn’t having it, so I let it go.

After loading a cart’s worth of supplies, I decided I wanted to take a piss, so I told Abigail to stay put while I took care of business.

The nearest restroom was a walk, but there was an alley between two buildings and I didn’t want to wait. I also didn’t see the harm, since it smelled like piss anyway. Leaving the street, I entered the narrow passage and got straight to it.

Right as I was finishing and zipping up my pants, I heard something move behind me. I turned, my hand on my pistol, ready to draw.

It was a young woman, dressed in rags, holding an object beneath her arm. “Oops,” she said, nearly bumping straight into me.

I slid out of the way. “Who are you supposed to be?”

“D-Don’t mind me, mister,” she said, quickly. “Sorry if I scared you.”

“You didn’t.” I looked at the box under her arm. It had a unique design on it, with layers of metal overlaying one another, similar to the ancient artifacts Hitchens had found. “Whatcha got there?”

“Oh, um, it’s nothing,” she said.

The box, if that’s what it was, seemed about the size of my head, give or take. A little bigger than the one Lex had been playing with when she burned her hands. “What are you doing with it?” I asked.

“My father has a shop. You can buy it if you want.  We have more of them.”

“How much?”

“I don’t know. You have to ask him. He’s in charge.”

I toyed with the idea of stealing it right there, but pushed the impulse away. Abigail would kill me if I swiped something from a kid. “Can you take me to your shop?”

“Uh, sure, mister. You really wanna buy it?”

“I don’t know yet, but maybe.”

She continued toward the street, motioning for me to follow.

Abigail was still standing next to the little cart with the rest of our supplies. I used the com to tell her what I was doing, since the crowd would only slow me down and I wanted to keep pace with the girl.

“What do you mean, you’re going to see about a box?” she asked.

“It’s some sort of relic. Looks a lot like the one Hitchens and Lex were messing with. I figure they might be useful to get. Just take the supplies back and I’ll meet you at the ship.”

She scoffed. “If you think I’m letting you run off like that, you’re crazy,” she said. “I’ll be right there. Sigmond, please send me Jace’s location.”

“Understood,” said Sigmond.

I almost cursed, annoyed at having a potential babysitter, but let it go. “Where’s this place at, kid?” I asked the girl in front of me as we crossed the street.

She pointed to a medium-sized tent, just ahead of us—red and purple, with event posters stuck to its sides. Apparently, there was a cage match between Mayfew and Cole tomorrow night, two raves a few hours later, and Doro’s Grill was having a sale for the next week. Based solely on the advertisements, I was starting to think this was my kind of town.

“I’m back,” said the girl, rushing into the tent.

I followed, entering through the open flap.

“Welcome back, Camilla,” said a bulking man behind the counter. He had a thick beard that filled out so well you might think he never shaved a day in his life, like he’d been born with it. His forearms were thicker than calves, with a chest so large I wondered why he was working here instead of fighting in a gladiator match on some other world. For all I knew, maybe he once had.

“This man wants to ask you about the stuff from the pit,” said Camilla.

“Is that so?” asked the burly fellow. He extended his hand to me. “Bolin Abernathy. Good to meet you, stranger.”

I shook his hand. “Jace,” I said, simply.

“What can I do for you, Jace? Are you really interested in buying those boxes?”

“Might be,” I said. “Depends on the price.”

He raised his eye. “What can you offer?”

“Not much, I’m afraid. I’m just a scrapper, so I don’t have too many credits, but I’ll pay what I can if the price is fair.”

He nodded like he understood. “How about we start with this one and go from there?” He tapped his palm on the box his daughter had brought in.

“Sure,” I said. “How’s fifty creds?”

“That’s not a bad starting offer. Could you do one hundred?”

I twisted my lip. “Eh, I don’t think so. I can’t get much out of them at that rate. Really, anything over sixty is tough.”

“Sixty, huh?” asked Bolin. “Well, maybe we can do that price, but you’d have to get more than one.”

“How many do you have?”

“This is the only box like this, but we got plenty of other makes,” he said, patting his daughter on the head. “My little Camilla salvages them from the dig sites, but there’s not much to speak of. I only have seven others.”

“So, that’s eight total?” I asked.

“Right, but like I said, only one is a box.”

I nodded, pretending to really think this over. “That’s a tough call. Sixty credits each will set me back.” I had, of course, already decided to buy them. I could probably resell these for ten times that on the free market. “You know what, sure. I’ll do sixty each, but I need to see the rest of them first.”

Bolin smiled. “A wise decision, my friend!”

“I hope so,” I said.

“Camilla, go and get some of the others,” said Bolin.

She smiled and ran off, into the second part of the tent, behind him.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how’d a guy like you end up scrapping in a place like this?” I asked.

He chuckled. “I’m not just a scrapper. I also work for the trading company here. I’m in construction.” He laughed again. “Actually, almost all of us are.”

“What else are they building here?” I asked. “Don’t tell me it’s just a triple dome, because this is really out of the way for a little colony.”

He nodded. “The way I heard it, there used to be something else here, maybe a thousand years ago. I’m not sure, but the company I work for decided it wanted to dig. So far, they haven’t found much of anything, but they keep going anyway.”

A thousand years ago? I thought. That certainly explains the artifacts.

Right at that moment, I heard footsteps behind me at the tent entrance. I looked to see Abigail poking her head inside, probably checking to make sure I was here. “There you are,” she said.

“Is this your wife?” asked Bolin.

Both Abigail and I looked at one another. “Oh, uh, she’s—”

“Yes, we’re married,” she said, interrupting me.

I narrowed my eyes at her with a disjointed expression. “Huh?”

“We’re on our way to my uncle’s place, but Jace here insisted on stopping for fuel. Next thing I knew, he wanted to see what shops were here.” She shook her head. “I see he’s found another one.”

Bolin laughed. “I was just talking to your husband about scrapping. It seems we share the same interest.”

“Is that right?” she asked, looking at me. “Isn’t that a strange coincidence.”

“It is,” I said, simply.

“And what exactly did you manage to scrap this time?”

“He wanted to purchase a few of these,” said Bolin, pointing to the box.

Abigail’s eyes widened at the sight of the artifact. She recomposed herself quickly, but I knew there was more to this, whatever the hell it was, and it made me even more curious. “Oh, well, as long as he can wrap this up soon, I’d like to be on our way. My uncle is probably worried.”

“I’ll have you ready to go as soon as possible,” Bolin assured her.

I heard a click on my com. “Captain, it’s Doctor Hitchens. Are you available or otherwise engaged?”

I touched my ear. “What is it, Doc?”

“Octavia and I have had no luck procuring any proper medical research supplies. It seems this city is still under construction and does not have a working hospital or even an emergency medical station. Of all the facilities to delay construction on, one would think—”

“Was there something else or was that all you needed?” I asked, cutting him off.

“Oh, pardon me. Octavia managed to discover the whereabouts of a medical research space station, not far from here. It also happens to be along our present heading.”

“And you think that will help us with Lex?”

“If the station has the right supplies and equipment, I believe so, Captain.”

I looked at Abby. “Thoughts?”

“I think it’s a good move,” she said.

“Okay, you got that, Siggy?” I asked. “Update our route when you have a chance.”

“Understood, sir. I shall do so immediately.”

Finally, things were looking up. We had promises of artifacts and a proper lab to test the kid, maybe find some answers. I wondered if it was safe to start feeling optimistic, but buried the feeling.

Optimism made a person feel safe. It was the fastest way to get yourself killed. I couldn’t have that.

“Is everything okay?” asked Bolin.

I’d forgotten he was there. Oops. “Yeah, nothing to be concerned about. I was just talking to a friend. He’s on our ship and was hoping to restock our medicine. No luck here, though.”

“Oh, I see. Is he a doctor? I heard you call him ‘Doc’.”

“Something like that,” I said, but left it at that.

Camilla came back, carrying several smaller pieces in her arms. I didn’t recognize any of them, but it definitely seemed like the same sort of technology we were after. Part of me wanted to call Hitchens and Octavia to have them give their opinion, but doing so might make Bolin suspicious and I couldn’t have him raising the price or calling someone. The last thing I needed was a background check and my warrant popping up on a screen with hundreds of thousands of credits enticing these people to turn me in.

“Thank you, Camilla,” said Bolin, helping her set the objects on the nearby table. “Please, folks, have a look.”

I eyed each of the relics, pretending like I knew what I was doing. I caught Abigail doing the same, although she was trying to seem uninterested. It would have been better if we’d gone into this prepared, our roles reversed, with her acting as the scrap expert and me as the clueless husband, but I couldn’t go back now. Besides, I didn’t live with regrets. “Some of these are decent, but I don’t know about the rest,” I muttered, sweeping my fingers across my jaw, like I was in deep thought. “Tell you what, how about I buy the lot from you in bulk at, say, three seventy-five?”

“Three hundred and seventy-five credits?” he asked.

I nodded. “That’s a fair price for what you have.”

He glanced at each of the devices, probably trying to gauge the value, but I knew he had no idea. No one in this tent knew what this shit was worth. Not really. “I can do that,” he said, after a few seconds. “Yes, I can do that.”

“Great, then it’s a deal. All your pieces for three hundred and seventy-five credits.”

“I’ll get the account pad and you can make the transfer,” he said, reaching beneath the counter. “Was there anything else you wanted to—”

A loud pop went off somewhere in the distance, sounding like a gunshot.

I turned where I stood, hand at my waist. “The hell was that?!”

“Uh, oh!” said Camilla, hiding behind her father. “Is it the Rakers?”

“The what?” I asked.

“Rakers,” repeated Bolin. “The Sarkonian military stationed here. They come around sometimes, looking for illegal trading.”

“Illegal trading?” I shot another look at the relics. “Are you allowed to have these?”

Bolin scratched the back of his head. “Um.”

I slammed my open hand on the table. “Quick, get this shit wrapped and stowed before they get here!”

He didn’t argue, probably because he knew the Sarkonian military didn’t fuck around. He took everything in a large brown sack and ran to the back, along with his daughter. I heard lids opening and shutting as they frantically tried to hide the evidence.

Just then, the tent flap flew open. Abigail and I turned to see three soldiers storm in, each holding rifles across their chests. They were dressed in Sarkonian armor, the same uniforms we’d seen at the hospital. “Everyone stop where you are!” barked one of them, a woman with a thin scar across her cheek.

Abigail and I turned toward them and raised our hands, slowly stepping to the side and away from the counter. “Just shopping here,” I told her. “No need to blow our heads off.”

“Where’s the shop owner? Get out here right now!” barked the female officer.

Bolin came quickly from the back half of the tent, opening the halfway flap, sweat on his forehead. “S-Sorry about that,” he managed to say. “I was trying to find some engine parts for this man here.”

“Engine parts?” asked the officer, glancing at me. “You have a ship?”

“I do,” I said.

She eyed me. “You don’t look like a resident. What’s your business?”

“My wife and I are on our honeymoon, headed to see her uncle. We thought we’d stop here on the way to see what goods you had to trade. I figured I could use some replacement parts while I was here.”

“I see,” said the officer, staring at us for what felt like a creepily long time. For a moment, I could have sworn I saw one of her eyes flicker, but convinced myself it was only my nerves. “Well, mind your business in this town and you’ll be fine, but I need you to stay where you are for now. We’re performing a search on all the shops here.”

“Is that what the gunshot was about just now?” I asked.

“Someone gave us trouble. Better not to do what they did.”

“Right, of course.” I looked at Abigail. “We won’t be a problem. Right, dear?”

“Goodness, no,” said Abigail, her voice suddenly much softer than I was used to hearing. “Oh, dear me, you know, I just don’t want to cause anyone any trouble.”

I blinked at her, surprised by whatever the fuck she was doing. She sounded like a completely different person.

“Mr. Abernathy, is it? Our records show you have a daughter. Where is she?” asked the officer.

“Sleeping. She’s been there for hours,” he said.

“Bring her out here right now.”

“I-Is that necessary, ma’am?” he asked.

“It is if you don’t want to get arrested. Now, do as I say.”

He looked at us, concern all over his face, and slowly backed away into the rear section of the tent. A moment later, he returned with his daughter, who was rubbing her eyes like she’d just woken up.

I had to give her credit. The girl could act. Even her hair was messy.

The female officer approached the two of them. With her rifle in hand, she looked down at the young girl. “Camilla Abernathy?”

“Yes,” she answered, staring up at the woman.

“Please step out from behind the counter.”

Camilla slowly came around the side of the table, looking both confused and terrified. We all knew where this was going.

The officer motioned at her two accomplices. “Take her.”

The men grabbed the girl’s wrists and place them behind her back.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“This child is under arrest for trespassing. We caught her on a holo recording, just behind the security fence.”

Bolin’s expression change to horror. “No, that wasn’t her! She’s been here all day!”

“Don’t try to lie to me. I saw the feed myself. There’s no mistaking it was her. In fact, I suggest you bring me the object she stole, unless you want us to shoot both of you where you stand.”

“W-Wait!” pleaded Bolin. “I’m telling you, I didn’t see her bring anything back. Don’t hurt her!”

The woman nodded to her subordinate. “Have a look back there. See what you can find.”

He did as she said and went into the rear of the tent. I heard some heavy shuffling as he tore the place apart, breaking what sounded like pottery. A few moments later, he returned with a wrapped cloth, full of the trinkets Bolin had shown us, all in one hand. In the other, he held the box.

“As I thought,” said the female soldier.

Camilla started breathing quickly as the panic set in. Her eyes darted to the officer and then to the exit, and her foot began to edge forward.

I could already see what she was thinking. The problem with that, of course, was that she wouldn’t get far if she ran. Amateurs never did. She’d run out of here, make it about twelve meters, and then a bullet would stop her dead in her tracks.

I sighed, removing my pistol from under my coat and aiming the barrel at the woman’s face, cocking it. “That’s good and plenty, I think,” I said. “Let the girl go.”

Abigail looked at me with total surprise. She obviously hadn’t expected me to intervene, but it only took a moment for her to adjust. She drew her own weapon, holding it toward one of the other soldiers.

“What do you think you’re doing?” asked the female officer. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“You might not be that far off. Now, let the kid go.”

She didn’t seem fazed by the fact we had two weapons aimed at her team. “Do you know who you’re talking to right now?”

“A Sarkonian,” I said.

“I’m Commander Mercer Equestri. You will do as I say, unless you want to—”

I jerked my arm to the left and fired a quick shot into one of the other soldiers’ legs. He fell to his knees with a loud scream.

Mercer Equestri looked at me with a wide-eyed expression. “What did you do that for?!”

“He was going for his weapon. Not a smart move.”

The man screamed again, clutching his leg in pain. I raised my pistol back to the so-called commander.

“If you think I’m just going to hand this girl over to you, you’re out of your mind!” she said.

I shrugged. “Sounds to me like you want a bullet in your chest.”

She clenched her teeth, looking at Camilla, who was standing next to her in the other soldier’s arms.

“Last chance, lady,” I said.

She hesitated, then shook her head. “Let her go.”

The other soldier released the girl.

“Give her that box, too, while you’re at it,” I said.

“That is the property of the Sarkonian government!” insisted Mercer.

“Do it or I’ll shoot both of you in a different limb.”

She gave me a look that either meant she wanted to kill me or bed me. Either way, I wasn’t interested. “Give it to her,” Mercer finally said.

The soldier handed the box to Camilla, and I motioned for her to come to my side. When she was close enough, I leaned down and whispered, “Get to the hangar. Spot 226. You understand?”

She nodded. “Okay.”

I held her shoulder so she didn’t go running off. “Wait a second,” I whispered, then aimed my gun at the tent’s flap, and fired.

The shot tore through the fabric, hitting something on the other side. A body fell on the ground, right in front of the entrance. He let out a groan.

“Always look for the rear guard,” I told the girl. “Standard search and seizure. Now, you can go, kid.”

She ran forward, jumping over the fallen soldier and taking off down the street.

Mercer watched the girl leave. “We’ll find her soon. There are over two hundred active security personnel in this city and each of them has access to the same alert system I do. They’ll know who she is the second our sensors pick up her biometrics.”

I stepped closer to her, keeping the pistol on her at all times, and removed her rifle, throwing the strap over my shoulder. I also took the gun from the guy with the bullet in his leg. Once both weapons were safely removed, I turned Mercer around and put my barrel to the small of her back. “Whatever you say,” I told her.

Abigail did the same with the other, yet-to-be-shot soldier, wrapping his arms behind him and taking his gun.

“Hey, Bolin, buddy,” I began. “Got any cuffs we can use? Anything like that?”

“I, uh, I have some plastic ties,” he said, crouching behind the counter.

As he brought them over to me, I felt Mercer tense up. “Must be tough, not being in control,” I said, taking one of the straps from the shopkeeper.

“You’re the one not in control,” she said.

“Sure, lady, sure.” I took her left wrist and wrapped the strap around it, making certain it was nice and tight.

She leaned back to look at me, a slight smile on her face. “You must be from the Union or somewhere in the Deadlands, is that right?”

“Shut up,” I ordered. “It doesn’t matter where I’m from.”

“You’re not that familiar with Sarkonian uniforms, are you?”

I snapped the second half of the tie around her other wrist, finally securing her hands. “I swear, lady, you must just want a bullet, the way you keep talking.”

“Do yourself a favor, whoever you are, and look beneath the small flap beneath my jacket. The one with the button.”

I glanced at her stomach, following her eyes. “Why?”

“Just look,” she said. “It’s important for you to know.”

“If this is a trap, I’m going to shoot you. You know that, right?”

She nodded. “Of course, and I promise, it’s not.”

I slid my finger to the button and unhooked it, lifting the flap of clothing, revealing a small piece of metal no larger than my thumb. “What is this?”

“A voice recorder. My personal identifier. A number of things, really, packaged into one.”

“This thing is recording us?” I asked, jerking my hand back.

“And it just scanned your face,” she said, with a wry smile. “Oh, look at that.”

I saw a small reflection in her iris change. It must’ve been an implant for constant data retrieval. I’d heard of those before. Kept meaning to pick one up for myself, actually, but they were tough as shit to find on the market these days.

“Jace Hughes of The Renegade Star, is it?” she asked. “Looks like there’s a hefty price on your head. Maybe I won’t have you killed after all. Maybe I’ll only rough you up before I arrest you.” She glanced at Abby, and I saw another flicker in her eye. “Abigail Pryar, too. Wow, it looks like the bounty for you is even higher.”

I ripped the recording device from her clothes and dropped it on the floor, stomping and cracking it.

“It’s too late for that, Captain Hughes,” said Mercer. “The rest of my security personnel are already being dispatched.”

Abigail grabbed my arm. “We need to go!”

I pressed the barrel of my gun to the officer’s temple. It had to hurt, but she smiled through it. “Call them off!” I told her.

“Not a chance, Hughes.”

I started to squeeze the trigger, slightly pressing my finger to it, but stopped. A dead Sarkonian commander would only incentivize their fleet to hunt me down.

She smiled. “Smart move, Captain. You don’t want to add homicide to your record. That would be—”

I smashed the butt of my gun into the side of her face, sending her to the floor. She might not eat a bullet today, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t give her a headache. She collapsed in front of me, seemingly unconscious.

Abigail gasped. “Holy!”

“Tie these idiots up and let’s go!” I looked at Bolin. “Help me with the other guy.”

“Okay, right,” said the shopkeeper. The two of us dragged the bleeding soldier to the counter, wrapping his arms around one of the table legs and securing him. “What do we do now?” he asked.

“We get our asses out of here, that’s what,” I said, checking outside the tent. “And you’re coming with us.”

Seven

A bullet pierced the tent as soon as I opened the flap. I counted six soldiers, although I couldn’t be certain, given the panicking crowd. “We have a problem!” I said, lifting my gun. “Abby, grab Bolin and let’s go!”

“On it!” she returned, taking the shopkeeper by the arm. He was twice her size, but it was clear from the look on both their faces who exactly was in control.

“What are we doing?!” he asked.

“Running,” said Abigail, tugging him along. “Stay close and try not to get shot!”

The enemy soldier’s next blast struck Abigail’s cart, a meter to my left.

I returned fire, getting his chest, knocking him on his ass, but the other five were still coming.

“Move!” I yelled, running.

Abigail and Bolin followed, and the three of us bolted through the street in the direction we’d arrived. We had to get to the ship as fast as possible or risk the rest of this godforsaken army coming down on us.

More gunfire from behind as we neared the end of the first street, but I didn’t stop, not even to return fire. Not yet. There was no time, not when the entire city was about to go on high alert. We had to—

“Jace!” yelled Abigail, stopping a few meters after the turn. “Stop!”

“What the hell for?!” I asked, turning to see her holding Bolin, his arm around her shoulder. He was holding his other hand up, blood dripping from the place his finger used to be.

“Problem!”

I doubled back, almost sliding in the gravel. It took me a few seconds to get to them. “Can you keep going?”

“I-I think…I think so,” Bolin said.

I grabbed the rag from his pocket and wrapped it around his fucked-up hand. “Keep your shit together and move!”

The soldiers weren’t far behind us. There wasn’t enough time to deal with a gunshot.

As if to answer me, Abigail said, “We can’t leave him here, Jace!”

“Dammit, Abby,” I said, taking the shopkeeper’s other arm and throwing it over my shoulder.

We kept moving, trying to keep our pace. A siren began ringing through the intercom system in the dome. “EMERGENCY ALERT. CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IN PROGRESS. PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR HOMES.”

“That must be us,” I said as we stumbled through the street. I tapped the com in my ear. “Siggy, can you hear me?”

“Yes, sir,” answered Sigmond.

“Start the goddamn ship! We’re almost there!”

“Of course, sir. Preparing for launch.”

“What about the others?” asked Abigail.

“Siggy, where’s the rest of the crew?” I asked.

“With the exception of yourselves, all personnel are safely aboard the ship, sir.”

“Good, tell everyone to strap in and get ready. We’re almost there.”

“Acknowledged, sir.”

I glanced behind me and spotted a few soldiers making the turn to our street. “Hurry up!” I barked.

The exit was just before us. A dozen more meters and we’d be in the clear.

Shots fired from behind. “Stop where you are!” yelled one of the men.

I let go of Bolin’s arm. “Get him on the ship!” I said. I pulled out my pistol and fired a quick two shots. “I’ll be there in a second!”

Abigail didn’t bother arguing. Maybe she finally understood how orders worked. “Fat chance,” I said, popping another two shots off.

I dropped behind a nearby vehicle, hoping it would make decent cover, and continued firing at the soldiers. The first shot went wide and shattered a storefront window, but the second and third hit one in the shoulder and thigh. The fourth hit struck a soldier’s rifle and nearly knocked him on his ass.

I took cover again, reloading.

A steady stream of bullets continued to fly above my head, bursting out the glass and rocking the vehicle. I felt the impact through my body as I kept my head down and hugged the front of the car.

I leaned beneath the vehicle’s underbelly, firing six shots in quick succession and hitting two of the men in the feet. The second they hit the ground, I unloaded on them. “Siggy, if you have any ideas on how to get out of this, I’m all ears!”

“One moment, sir. I’ll attempt to hack their security network to cancel the alert.”

“That won’t do any good! What about the people trying to kill me?”

“I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do about that, sir.”

I reached inside my belt and withdrew my emergency smoke grenade. “Fuck me,” I muttered, throwing it over the back of my head.

It landed a few meters in front of the still-standing soldiers. “Grenade!” yelled one as they scrambled to take cover.

Using the hood of the car, I leveled my barrel and fired rapidly into the smoke. I couldn’t see anything, but several screams followed.

A good sign.

I heard a voice from close by. “What are you doing?!”

I snapped my eyes around.

Not far from my position, sitting behind one the stalls, I saw the same merchant who’d tried to sell me weapons when I first entered this godforsaken town. He was hiding beneath his stall, looking at me with a rattled expression. “Get your ass out of here before you get yourself killed, moron!” I told him.

“I can’t leave my merchandise!” he said. “What did you do to piss off security?!”

“I shot one of them,” I said, pulling my pistol around my head and firing three more shots. I heard a scream and guessed I landed one.

Bullets continued to strike the side of the vehicle, denting the metal and popping two of the tires.

I reached for another magazine, but noticed I was out.

The merchant ducked behind his stall when a Sarkonian bullet nearly blew his head off. A second later, he leaned out the other side.

“Got any ammo back there?” I asked him, quickly.

He raised his brow. “I can sell you some bullets,” he said, reaching into his stall. “That’s a Z91, right? Hold on.”

The shift in his tone took me by surprise. He’d gone from petrified to professional in ten seconds flat. “Yeah, think you can handle that?”

“Of course,” he said. “I’ll sell you a few magazines if you can transfer the money.” He showed me a credit pad.

Another burst of gunfire struck the car beside me. “Okay! How much for two magazines?”

He pursed his mouth. “Let’s say, five hundred each.”

“Five hundred credits? Are you serious? The sign over there says you have the cheapest prices in the sector.”

“What can I say?” He grinned. “Demand has skyrocketed.”

I started to tell him to toss the mags, but stopped myself. Why was I only going for more ammo when I had an arms dealer right in front of me? “What else you got?” I asked.

He gave me a sly smile. “What do you want?”

“How about some grenades?”

He stuck a hand inside his stall and brought out a small box. “Whatever you want, sir. Eight hundred creds for two.”

I tapped my ear. “Siggy transfer one thousand, eight hundred credits to the asshole arms dealer named…” I paused. “Hey, jackass, what’s your name?”

“Garin Shill,” he said.

Even the fucker’s name sounded sleezy.

Garin watched his pad for clarification, grinning once the transfer came through. “There it is!” he said, and tossed the first magazine to me. “Happy doing business with you, friend!”

“Yeah, yeah,” I muttered, catching and sliding the bullets into my pistol. “Damn crook.”

He followed with the second magazine, which I stowed in my belt for now, and finally the grenades.

“Move forward!” I heard a man’s voice yell. “He has to be out by now!”

I smirked. “Not anymore.”

* * *

By the time I had the second magazine inserted, I still hadn’t made any progress. The Sarkonian soldiers were keeping their distance, refusing to let me get clear of this spot. I wondered how much more this vehicle could take before a bullet managed to tear its way through and into my flesh.

I eased up along the front of the car, trying to aim, but another shot hit the hood, forcing me down. “Give up, Renegade!” yelled a familiar voice.

That sounds like that Mercer woman, I thought. “I see you’re awake!” I yelled back.

“Don’t think you’ll get away with that!”

I took a breath, glancing at the exit. It was only a dozen yards from here, but the corridor went on for a bit before the first turn. I might get shot in the back if I tried, but I couldn’t wait here to get caught.

I shot at the group again. I didn’t wait to see the damage, but I knew I’d struck one guy in the waist and another in the crotch. Not a bad combo.

“That’s enough, Captain Hughes!” barked Mercer. “I don’t want to kill you, but I will if I have to!”

“I think you might have to, because I’m not letting you collect that bounty!” I yelled.

The merchant was still bunkered down at his shop, watching me. I wondered how long he’d wait before the money was no longer worth it.

“Hey, asshole, gimme something bigger!” I yelled. “I need a fucking army!”

“You’ll want the black-label merchandise, then,” said Garin. He reached under his shirt for a small locket, then swept it across the stall’s side. The wall slid open, revealing a hidden compartment.

“What the fuck is that?” I asked.

He grinned, opening it. “Ever heard of a Howlizter 47?”

My eyes widened. “No way,” I muttered.

He pulled the gun out of the box—a small enough weapon that you could trick the untrained eye into thinking it was nothing more than a pistol, but I knew what a Howlizter looked like. The three-centimeter grip housing the micro-generator gave it away, along with the silver-lined trim surrounding it. “Catch!” he yelled, tossing the gun in the air, high above our heads.

I caught it, tossing my own pistol to my other hand in the process. The weight felt good as I wrapped my fingers around the tiny death cannon.

“You’ll want to prime the generator by pressing that red button next to the trigger,” said Garin.

I ran my index finger along the side, finding it. “There we go,” I said, pressing it.

The gun hummed gently in my palm. “Purs like a dream, doesn’t she?” asked Garin.

“Last chance, Hughes!” yelled Mercer.

I looked at Garin. “Better keep your head down!” I told him, then set my finger on the trigger and turned with my arm extended, taking aim at the small army.

I squeezed it, and a beam of red energy exploded from the barrel of the cannon, cutting through the nearby vehicles, slicing a line straight through their tops. Glass shattered in six cars instantly as my hand swept across the battlefield.

The Sarkonians dived out of the way, avoiding the beam as it moved across the place their heads had been. One was too slow, and the hot light cut through his wrist, slicing his hand clean off, along with the rifle he’d been holding. He screamed in a panic.

The laser stopped after a few seconds. I turned to look at Garin, who gave me a shrug. “It’s only good for one shot,” he told me.

“You mother fuck—”

Gunfire broke up my sentence as the soldiers got back on their feet. Mercer shouted something I couldn’t understand, and then she motioned to one of the soldiers, who handed her something.

She threw them in my direction, but they landed closer to Garin, rolling a few meters closer to him.

“Oh, shit,” I said. “Grenades! Get out of—”

The explosion threw me back against the vehicle beside me, and I felt a wave of heat as I shielded my face. When I took my arm down, I saw a hole where the stall used to be.

Goddammit, Garin.

A figure appeared from the exit tunnel, but they were hard to make out through the grenade smoke. “Jace?! Where are you?”

“Who is that?” I asked.

As the smoke lifted, I saw Abigail standing in the tunnel, looking in my direction. She was holding something.

Something big.

“Abby? What the fuck are you…is that what I think it is?!” I shouted.

She didn’t answer. Not with words, anyway. Instead, I got my confirmation when she propped up the massive quad cannon in her arms and fired an explosive shot toward the Sarkonians. The blast sent her flying back, into the hover cart she’d used to carry the other half of the equipment.

The bomb hit the ground between me and the military, shattering the concrete and sending multiple vehicles into the nearby buildings.

The entire dome echoed with thunder. My ears rang so loud I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to hear again. Before I could get back on my feet, I felt Abigail’s hands on my wrist, pulling me up. “Come on!” she yelled into my face.

I blinked a few times, dragging myself up. Before I knew it, I was running behind her, passing by the quad cannon. “Wait!” I shouted. “I need this!”

I grabbed hold of it and lifted it onto the floating cart, pushing the bulky cannon through the hall. Abigail got beside me and helped.

When we made the turn at the end of the corridor, heading toward the open hangar, Abigail turned to me and said, “You could at least say thank you!”

“And give you the satisfaction?” I asked, still screaming over the ringing in my ears. “I’d never live it down!”

* * *

The airlock closed and I ran to the bridge, ready to give the order to leave, when I heard Freddie’s voice. “Someone’s outside!”

“Of course they are!” I returned. “We’ve got Sarkonians after us!”

“No, it’s not a soldier,” he said.

Hitchens ran to the window. “He’s right! It appears to be a young girl.”

“A girl?” asked Bolin, who was sitting on the couch. Octavia was in the process of bandaging his back shoulder, but he pushed himself up. “What does she look like?”

“It’s Camilla,” said Abigail. “Quickly, Sigmond, open the door!”

“Understood,” said the A.I.

I looked outside to see the preteen running to the airlock, and shrugged. “Get her inside if you want. I’m getting us out of here in two minutes!”

I hustled to the cockpit, fastening my harness as soon as I was in the chair. “Siggy, tell me the second we’re ready for lift-off.”

“Acknowledged,” he answered. Roughly ten seconds later, he followed it with, “All systems are ready for take-off.”

“Is the girl onboard?” I asked. “Camilla.”

“She just entered,” Siggy informed me. “Closing the airlock now.”

“Good,” I said, flipping the ignition switch. We lifted off the ground, hovering momentarily, and then blasted forward in a damn hurry, breaking half-a-dozen flight laws in the process.

Several of the nearby ships wavered in place, but none took any serious damage. In a few short seconds, we were clear of the moon.

“Any pursuing ships?” I asked, quickly.

“None so far,” said Sigmond.

I breathed a sigh of relief. “Let’s get gone,” I said, leaning back in my seat. “I think I’ve had my fill of people for today.”

Eight

Bolin was in tears, hugging his little girl when I came back into the lounge. His hand was still wrapped and bleeding, but he barely seemed to notice. All his focus was on his daughter.

“Papa, I’m okay,” she said, her voice muffled as he squeezed her.

“My little girl!” he cried.

“You’re both safe now,” said Abigail. “That’s what matters.”

“Everyone good?” I asked, looking at each of them. No one, aside from Bolin, appeared to have any injuries.

I also spotted Lex next to Octavia, watching the entire scene, a curious look on her face.

“Thank you so much for getting us out of there,” said Bolin, turning to me. He had wide eyes and his cheeks were red from all the crying.

“We’re cloaked and on the move,” I explained. “The tunnel isn’t far. We were headed to a space station, not far from here. If you want, you can find an outbound ship to take you away from the border. I’d recommend getting as far from Sarkonian space as possible. I’m sure you’re wanted fugitives by now.”

The girl looked at her father. “What are we going to do now?”

“I don’t know, Camilla. I suppose we’ll have to start over.”

She frowned, sniffling. “I didn’t mean to get you in trouble, Papa.”

“It’s not your fault. I never should have gone to that awful place.”

It actually is her fault, since she stole that box in her arm, I thought, but kept my mouth shut.

“We should have left the second we arrived. I was a fool to think it had what we needed,” said Bolin.

“Which was, what, exactly?” I asked.

They both looked at me.

I decided to clarify. “What did you go to that moon for?”

“Opportunity,” said Bolin. “I wanted a fresh start. We both did.”

“A fresh start from what?” asked Octavia.

“The Sarkonian Empire invaded our system,” explained Bolin. “The occupation forced people to leave, and now most are scattered across the system. The new government began offering work a few months later, so I took one.” He shook his head. “I didn’t want to, but it was the only job I could find.”

“I get it,” I said. “Gotta do what you can to survive.”

“Exactly. The Sarkonians won’t let you leave their territory once they consider you a citizen, so I could only take what I found. This was the best option.” He dropped his head. “Gods, listen to me.”

“It’s okay, Bolin. You did the best you could,” said Freddie.

“I almost lost my daughter today,” he muttered. “I’ll never forgive myself.”

“But you didn’t lose her,” I said.

“No thanks to me,” he answered. “It was you, sir. You saved her.”

I fanned my hand at him. “She saved herself.”

I returned to the front of the ship right as we approached the next tunnel. A rift formed and we went in, leaving the colony behind and, with any luck, the Sarkonians with it.

* * *

I gave Camilla my room while Bolin slept on the couch. It was fine, since I preferred to stay at the helm. Our flight time through the tunnel was short, so all I could afford was a nap. It would have been a decent one if Hitchens hadn’t come knocking, interrupting me.

“Sorry to bother you,” he said, stepping into the cockpit. He was entirely too fat to be here, but I didn’t say anything.

“What is it?” I asked, hoping to cut through the small talk.

“With everything happening, I was never able to follow up with you.”

I wiped my eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Back in the lounge, when Lex and I were opening that box. I asked if I could speak with you about something. It was actually rather urgent, but the situation escalated and—”

I held up a hand. “I get it.”

He nodded. “Right, of course,” he said, continuing. “It’s about the star chart and our current heading.”

“Oh?” I asked. “You find a better route?”

“Not quite,” he answered. “I was studying the chart with Lex and comparing it to the galactic net’s universal starchart. Granted, there are many unexplored regions, but it seems our end destination has already been explored and no planets were found.”

“You mean the map leads to nothing?” I asked.

This was just great. I was a wanted fugitive in two empires without much money and hardly any supplies, and for what?

“Oh, no, Captain, that’s not what I was saying. There’s definitely something there. It simply isn’t Earth.”

“You’re not helping your case, Hitchens. Just tell me what it is.”

“In short, a planet, but nothing like what we’re after. I believe, rather, this to be a second step along the path. I suspect the atlas is leading us to the beginning of the next leg of our journey.”

“Next leg? You think this atlas of ours is only the first half or something?”

“That could certainly be the case. I wish I could say I knew.” He scratched the side of his face. “In any case, we must continue to follow the map. I’m certain we’ll find an answer if we remain vigilant.”

“Not like we got a choice,” I muttered. “We can’t go back.”

“No, I don’t suppose we can,” he said, shaking his head. “But at least we can keep moving forward.”

* * *

The slip tunnel took us into a system right outside a nebula. There was a bustling space station here, which happened to be just outside of Sarkonian territory. According to the galnet, the station was owned by a scientific research organization that paid a healthy tax to the Sarkonians to allow them access to this region.

Seemed like a waste of money to me, but what did I know?

“There are three ships with Deadlands identifiers,” informed Sigmond.

“Put me through to the one with the cleanest record,” I said.

A few seconds later, I was chatting with a guy named Hutch about taking two passengers into safer space. He agreed to a modest payment of four hundred credits and a bit of manual labor while onboard, and I told him that was fair. I knew Bolin would do whatever he had to in order to get his daughter to safety. If that meant cleaning some dishes and mopping a few floors for a week or two, I figured he could handle it.

I docked The Star with the science station, but didn’t plan to stay very long. The encounter on our last stop still had me looking over my shoulder for the Sarkonians, which wasn’t a feeling I enjoyed. The faster we left, the sooner I’d be satisfied.

Of course, our path had us heading directly into Sarkonian space again, which wasn’t exactly ideal, but slipspace tunnels weren’t flexible. They only ran through specific paths and ultimately didn’t give a damn what you wanted. Our next tunnel, if we still planned on moving forward, remained our only option.

Once I had the ship docked, I opened the airlock and told everyone to get out and stretch. “Grab a drink if you’re thirsty. Get some food. We lost our supplies in the city, so this is the place to pick up what you can.”

“What about us?” asked Bolin.

“I’ve already found a ship willing to take you,” I said.

He looked surprised. “You did that for us? Thank you so much!”

“It was nothing. I just made a phone call. Go to docking platform three and ask for Hutch. He’s the captain of that ship. It’s a cargo transport that specializes in…what was it, Siggy?”

“The procurement and transfer of adult entertainment, including video, holographic, handheld devices, and artificial humanoid replicants,” responded Sigmond.

“Oh, yeah,” I said. “He transports exotic goods. Nothing to worry about.”

The girl, Camilla, was standing a few meters from us, talking to Lex. Her father called her over, after a moment, and told her it was time to leave. “Already? I was hoping to stay.”

“These people have done enough for us, Camilla. We need to take care of ourselves now,” said Bolin.

She nodded, looking at me. “I kept the box,” she finally said, and lifted it up. “I left it inside on the couch. You can have it for saving us.”

“That’s nice of you,” I said.

“I just found it in that pit, and we would’ve sold it to you if those soldiers didn’t come.”

Bolin smiled, hugging his daughter. “She’s a good one, my angel.”

The kid was a thief, so not much of an angel, but I didn’t argue with the man. If he wanted to believe she was an innocent do-gooder, then by all means, let him delude himself.

“Bolin, a word?” called Octavia. “I need to check those wounds before you go.”

“Ah, yes, thank you!” said the former shopkeeper. He looked at me. “Thank you again, Captain.”

He went quickly to Octavia, who waited patiently with a medkit in her lap. Hitchens was there to assist, as usual.

Camilla stayed next to me, her eyes still on me.

I glanced at her, wondering why she hadn’t followed her father. “Why are you still here?” I asked.

She seemed to study me. “You’re a Renegade, aren’t you?”

I raised my eye. “Who told you about that? Was it Abigail?”

She shook her head. “I’ve heard of Renegades. You steal and do what you have to do to stay alive. You’re like me.”

“You ain’t far off,” I told her. “But you’re also not close. You do what you have to because you have no choice. I do it because I like it.”

“You like stealing?” she asked.

“Only under the right circumstances,” I explained. “But yeah, I do, and I’m pretty damn good at it.”

“I only did it to help my Papa,” she said, glancing at her father. He had his shirt off next to Octavia, who seemed more than eager to touch his back and reapply his bandage. “He does everything for me.”

“You’re right, he does,” I said. “You want to take care of him?”

She nodded.

“Then, stay out of trouble. Do what he tells you. Don’t be like me, kid. It ain’t good for your health.”

She lowered her head, her face full of disappointment. I could tell she wanted more.

I let out a long sigh. “Look, kid, you’re not bad at thieving, but you keep going about it the way you are, you’ll wind up dead or in a cage. You gotta get some brains if you wanna stay ahead.”

“Brains?”

“When I was your age, I got arrested for stealing some bread. This was back on Epsy and I lived on the streets. Once they let me out of juvy, I got set up with a parole officer. You want to know what he told me?”

“Something about being good and getting off drugs?” she asked.

“Nah,” I said, fanning my hand. “He said if I wanted to stay out of trouble, I had to work on not getting caught.”

“What? Your parole officer said that? Why?”

I smirked. “His name was Jesson. Not really your average parole officer, but he was a good guy and he taught me to steal.”

“He taught you? But isn’t that bad for a parole officer to do?”

“Not on Epsy. That place was bad news. You had to be smart to get through those streets. Jesson understood that. He didn’t waste time teaching us how to be upstanding citizens, only how to survive. That’s the trick to this galaxy, kid. You gotta learn how to keep yourself alive. Sometimes that means stealing a loaf of bread to feed yourself. Other times, maybe it means you gotta shoot someone. Either way, the point is survival. Jesson showed me what I was doing wrong, running in blind, not understanding the layout of a place. He taught me how to set a mark and follow them. Study them. That’s your problem, kid. You didn’t case that facility before you snuck in. Even if you think you did, you didn’t do a good job, because those cameras picked you up and that’s how they got you. That’s how you got caught. You gotta know all the blind spots, all the cracks in the glass. Next time, plan it out better. Be better than the fools chasing you and you’ll always come out ahead. More importantly, when everything finally does go to shit, have yourself a way out.”

She nodded, slowly. “Blind spots. A way out. I think I get it.”

“No, you don’t,” I said, patting her shoulder. “But maybe you will in a few years, once you’ve fucked up a few more times.”

Nine

I made sure we didn’t stay on the station for too long. I figured it would be better for survival if we kept moving.

Hitchens and Octavia returned with a cart full of machines. I had no idea what any of it was, but I figured if they went through the trouble, it must be worth it.

We still didn’t fully understand what was going on with Lex, after all, and something told me it would do us well to figure it out.

I moved The Renegade Star towards a nearby gas giant, closer to the next slip tunnel. “We ready to go, Siggy?”

“Yes, sir. Activating the slipspace drive now.”

I brought up the star chart, examining the data I’d pulled from the device Hitchens had given me. The entire galaxy came into view, and a thin golden line stretched from one system to another, somewhere far from here, towards the outer rim. It was out of known space, as far as I knew. I had a hard time believing Earth, if it even existed, was so far away.

But hell, this map had to lead somewhere. They usually did, from my experience. Maybe this was the flight path of an old research ship from two thousand years ago, back when this technology was in its prime. Maybe we could scrap what we found and sell it off. If this whole expedition fell apart, there was still a chance I’d walk away with something.

Shit, you had to stay optimistic, right?

A tear in space formed ahead of me, just above one of the gas giant’s eighty-six moons.

“The tunnel is clear, sir. Shall I proceed?”

“How long are we looking at this time?” I asked.

“Fifteen hours, approximately.”

“Long enough for whiskey and regrets,” I said. “Take us in, Siggy.”

“Proceeding, sir.”

The ship shuddered as our thrusters ignited, followed by a loud SNAP.

My seat jerked.

The Foxy Stardust on my dash bobbled violently.

“Sir, I am detecting unusual activity along the outer hull,” said Sigmond.

The Renegade Star rattled again, this time so much that I felt my body slam into the harness around my shoulder. “Is that a fact?” I snapped. “Stop moving and scan the ship. Find out if we were hit by some kind of debris.”

I activated the ship’s com. “Attention, we’re experiencing some turbulence. Sit your asses down and buckle up.”

“Captain Hughes!” screamed a voice from the lounge. “You need to get out here now!”

I unbuckled my harness. “I swear to gods, Siggy, if you ran us into an asteroid, I’m going to kick your digital ass.”

“I pray that isn’t the case, sir.”

The cockpit door slid open and I stepped into the lounge. Abigail was standing near the window, staring with a wide-eyed expression. She turned to look at me, open-mouthed. “We have a problem!”

“What are you—”

The airlock blew open with a shattering blast that knocked both Abigail and I on our asses. I hit the wall, rolling to the floor as the world blurred into a haze.

I felt a ringing in my ears as I struggled to stand, only to fall back against the wall. I could hear the faint screams of someone far away…or were they close? Was it Abby? Was she calling me?

I pushed myself off the floor, trying to see ahead of me. The blurred outline of something, a person moving, came toward me.

I reached for my pistol, thumbing the holster on my hip as I tried to get my grip, but it was difficult.

“…alert…”

A voice in my ear. It sounded like Sigmond.

“…sir, there is…you must…alert...”

“Siggy,” I muttered, suddenly aware of how dry my throat was. “Siggy, what’s going on?”

“The ship is being boarded, sir. You need to stand up, quickly.”

“Boarded?” I muttered, coughing, but I couldn’t see much of anything. Only the haze and black spots across my vision.

I sensed something moving. Figures coming out of the airlock. “Sir, you must get up at once. The enemy is here. You need to stand,” said Sigmond.

One of them stopped, looking at me and walking closer. “What do we have here?” he asked in a deep, scruffy voice. “You must be the guy in charge.”

“Who…the fuck…are you supposed to be?” I managed to ask, blinking rapidly, trying to make out his face, impossible as it was.

He laughed as he stood over me. “The man who’s taking your ship.”

Before I could say anything else, I felt the top of his boot slam into the side of my head.

* * *

A scream woke me.

“Get away from me!” yelled Octavia.

I cracked my eyes open to see her laying prone on the floor. Her chair was on its side, seemingly tossed to the other end of the lounge.

Two Union officers stood over her, each with a hand on a little girl’s shoulder.

Lex.

There were too many things to process at once. Too many questions racing through my mind. I pushed every last one of them aside and focused on the girl in front of me.

She stood between them, helpless to do anything. Her cheeks were wet from crying as she watched them taunt the cripple on the floor.

Abigail sat behind her, across from me. I could see she was unconscious, knocked out in one of the chairs. Her head was drooping forward, bangs hanging across her forehead, hiding her eyes. Each of her wrists had been tied to the chair. Either she’d put up a fight or these guys knew exactly who they were dealing with.

I tried to lift my arm, but felt the pressure of a plastic strap across my wrist. Fuck.

“Please, you mustn’t hurt the girl!” pleaded Hitchens. He was in the hall to the right of me, behind Octavia, an armed guard in front of him.

“Shut the fuck up, fat man!” barked the soldier. He pushed him, knocking the doctor to his knees. The other men laughed.

“Hey, I found another one!” called a voice. It came from the direction of the cargo bay.

Freddie. As the soldier brought him closer, I could see a mark across his left eye. It was fresh and still bleeding.

At least he tried to fight, I thought.

“Sit over here,” the Union official in the center of the room said. A captain, by the look of him, the leader of this group.

I’ll kill him first.

A young man approached the officer. He was lower ranking. Maybe an ensign in his mid-twenties. Black hair, well-kept. Quiet eyes. “Captain Anders, sir, what are your orders?”

The middle-aged officer looked over each of his new prisoners. Before his eyes could land on me, I pretended to be unconscious. “Extract what you can from their system. We’ll blow the ship once we have what we need.”

“The ship has an AI, sir. We won’t be able to break its encryption with the equipment we have on hand,” the young man responded. “If we were to tow the vessel back to Union territory, we could have a specialist meet us to assist in the extraction process.”

The officer nodded. “We’ll transfer these prisoners to the hold and return with both ships. Good catch on the AI, ensign.”

“Thank you, sir,” said the young man.

The captain looked at each of the other men. There were six in total, by my count. “Begin the transfer immediately. I’m ready to get out of this sector.”

I cracked my eyes, barely enough to see anything. Two men took Lex by the wrists, pulling her away from the rest of us. She tried to resist. “No! Let me go!”

One of the men smacked her across the cheek. “Quiet down!”

She clutched the side of her face, but didn’t cry.

“Stop it!” demanded Octavia. “She’s just a child!”

“Tell her to calm down,” ordered the captain.

Octavia looked at him, then at Lex, hesitating. “Lex, do as they say. I promise it will be all right.”

Lex held her hands in front of her waist. “Okay, Octavia.”

Another soldier cut the straps on Abigail’s wrists, then lifted her legs. “Hey, help me with this one,” he told another man.

“Sure thing,” said the other soldier. Together, they hoisted the woman up and moved her to the airlock and into the other ship.

Hitchens and Freddie followed, each with a rifle buried in their backside. They said nothing as they walked.

Finally, only the captain, Octavia, and the ensign remained. “Let’s get this woman onto the ship,” said the officer.

“Are you going to carry me?” she asked him.

He raised his brow at her. “If we give you back that chair, will you play nice?”

“Are you that afraid of a crippled archeologist?” she asked. “What am I going to do against six armed soldiers?”

“Fine, but I promise you, if I see you try anything, I’ll have this one—” He pointed to the ensign. “—shoot you on the spot, right in your little chair. Is that understood?”

She nodded.

“Ensign, if you would,” said the captain.

The young man brought the chair over to her, then helped Octavia into it. “Hands where I can see them, please,” he told her.

She kept them in her lap, and he began pushing the chair towards the airlock.

I shut my eyes again, waiting. The captain approached me, standing there. I could hear him breathing.

“Now, what to do with you?” he muttered.

I heard a click in my ear. “Standing by, sir.”

Good, but I couldn’t give Siggy any orders yet. Not until I got myself out of this chair.

I felt a hand on my wrist as the officer began to untie me. It was taking him longer than it should, but that was because he only had one free hand to do it with. The other, I knew, was still holding his handgun. Without opening my eyes, I understood that the barrel was aimed squarely at my head. If I tried anything now, I’d be dead before I could move.

He managed to loosen the knot, and then got to work on the other, pushing my arm back in the process.

I let my body go limp, like a ragdoll. I fell forward.

The captain backed up, standing over me. I could sense the debate going on in his idiotic brain. Should he carry me or get one of his men to do it?

“Docker, get in here and load their captain up,” he barked.

I nearly smiled at how predictable he was.

Docker came running from the other ship. “Yes, sir. I’ll handle it.”

“Hurry up and get him inside. We need to get out of this sector, quickly.”

“But we have the cloak,” said Docker.

“It only covers our ship,” said Captain Anders. “And without access to this ship’s system, we won’t be able to use theirs.”

“Does that mean we’ll be vulnerable to attack?” asked Docker.

“Only if we stay here for too long. This area is too far out from Union space. There are ravagers, pirates, Sarkonians. We can’t risk a fight while we have this vessel in tow.”

“Understood, sir,” said Docker, lifting my arm over his shoulder.

He pulled me to my feet, but I sank back to the floor, hitting it with a loud thud.

“Docker, you need to hold him up,” said the officer.

“Right,” said Docker. He bent down to take my hand.

I cracked my eye open, glancing at his waist…at the gun on his hip. It was an M-7, standard military issue. No fingerprint scanner on that one, unlike the M-8. Lucky for me.

As he lifted me, I felt my toes touch the floor. I was a foot taller than this asshole, so he strained to hold me. Good. That left him distracted.

It left him vulnerable.

My right arm swung across his chest and waist as he angled my body against his own, and my hand came within a few centimeters of his holster. Now was my chance.

I grabbed for the pistol at his waist and pulled it free. I opened my eyes fully, staring him in the face.

His mouth dropped as I met his gaze, and I dug the gun into his side. “Sorry, Docker,” I said.

With our eyes locked, I pulled the trigger.

He collapsed on the floor in front of me and clutched his side.

I turned the weapon on the officer right as he was about to do the same to me. “Freeze.”

He paused, hand around the grip of his gun. He glanced at his weapon, then at me.

“Go ahead,” I muttered. “If you think you’re fast enough.”

Anders swallowed. “Your people are on my ship. If you try anything, they’ll all die.”

“But you’ll die first,” I said. “Put the gun down and step away. If you don’t—”

He brought his arm up, suddenly, trying to catch me off-guard.

I shot him in the neck, forcing a hole clear through the other side. He looked surprised as he staggered back, falling on his ass, with blood pouring out of the new hole like an upturned soda bottle.

I stole the gun out of his hand, stepping back with it.

Anders gasped, with garbled, wet sounds instead of words, struggling to breathe. He clutched at the wall behind him, trying to pull himself up, but couldn’t do it. All the strength in him was leaving. He’d be dead within the minute.

Good.

“Siggy, can you seal their docking clamps?” I asked. “We can’t have these assholes trying to run.”

“Their ship has its own AI unit, but I’ve been working to override its firewall. It appears to be missing the latest firmware update, which is good news. I should have access within the next ten minutes, approximately.”

I heard someone yell from the other ship. “Hurry! Get to the captain!”

“Do what you have to, Siggy,” I said. I glanced at Anders right as his eyes had gone empty and he stopped moving.

I stepped over Docker, who was fading in and out of consciousness, and ran to the wall adjacent to the airlock. Footsteps raced through the corridor on the other side.

Any second now.

I felt the wall behind me shake as the remaining soldiers came running. I could hear them grunting, clumsily stomping. Union dogs were never light on their feet.

I took a long, clean breath, my fingers on the triggers, extended my arms and turned into the airlock door.

Two men met my guns the very next second, and four eyes stared down the barrels.

They each started to open their mouths, but I fired a pair of bullets before either could make a sound.

Brains spattered across the wall behind them, and the bodies collapsed.

Four down, two to go.

I moved quickly through the interior of the ship. It wasn’t like any Union vessel I’d ever seen. The design was newer, cleaner, more concise. Good for a small crew like this.

“Sir, if you’ll pardon the interruption,” said Sigmond. “I’ve infiltrated the firewall. The opposing artificial intelligence is attempting to stall my progress, but I believe I will take control—” He paused. “—Now.”

I heard a mechanical sound beneath my feet, like something snapping into place.

“Locks have been secured. I will proceed with quarantining the other AI.”

“Good luck,” I whispered, getting close to a larger room in the center of the ship. It resembled my lounge, from what I could tell. An open area with tables and chairs, but the furniture was nicer and it lacked the same homely smell as The Star.

I heard a woman’s voice from further down the hall. “Where am I?! Who are you?!”

“Guess Abby’s awake,” I said, turning my attention to the end of the corridor.

I took a few steps in that direction, but stopped when I heard a rustling noise, followed by a man’s cry.

I raced toward it, prepared to fire, when I saw Abigail step into the hall, a rifle in her arms. She reacted by jerking the gun up toward me. “Whoa!” I snapped, raising my hands.

She pulled the gun away when she saw me. “Captain Hughes!”

“You okay, Abby?” I asked, staring at the barrel.

She turned the gun away from me, but didn’t lower it. Smart, since there was still one more soldier to deal with. “What happened? I woke up a minute ago to this jackass trying to handle my—” She paused. “Where’s Lex?”

“They have her somewhere on this ship.” I tapped my ear. “Siggy, do you have eyes in here yet?”

“I do now, sir,” he responded. “Everyone is being held inside the brig, near the back of the ship, opposite the bridge. You’ll want to take the next right.”

“Siggy says they’re down that way,” I said, pointing to the branching corridor.

“How many soldiers are left?” she asked.

“Siggy, what’s the count? Is it just one?”

“Affirmative, sir.”

“Just the one,” I told her.

She nodded. “Follow my lead, then.”

“You follow mine,” I said, stepping in front of her. “Don’t be thinkin’ you’re in charge just because you whooped that guy’s ass.”

Ten

I knew by the body count, up to now, that the last remaining soldier was the ensign, the mid-twenties kid who suggested they take our ship. I wagered a punk like that couldn’t match me in a fight, especially with this crazy nun by my side, but I also wasn’t stupid enough to drop my guard.

I raised both pistols as we neared the brig door. “I’m detecting movement inside,” Sigmond said in my ear.

A quick nod to Abigail told her as much as she needed to know, that this was the right spot. She returned the action, extending her rifle.

“Open it, Siggy,” I whispered, not wanting to touch the access panel. It was better to keep my weapons pointed ahead of me and my eyes forward.

“Right away, sir.”

The door slid open, revealing the inside of the brig, and—

“I surrender!” said the ensign on his knees with his hands behind his head.

I kept my guns trained on him, then leaned inside to make sure there was no one else. Even with Sigmond’s assurances about the crew count, it was better to be safe than dead.

After I was satisfied, I turned back to the man before me. “Huh,” I muttered. “Didn’t think he’d just give up.”

Abigail rushed by me and kicked the boy in the chest. He let out a sharp woof as the air left him and he fell on his back. A second later, Abby had her knee on his ribs and a rifle in his mouth. “Where is she?”

“O-er d-er,” he said, his tongue flapping against the metal.

“What’s he saying?” I asked.

The ensign pointed to his left, across the room.

I walked past the two of them.

“Captain Hughes!” exclaimed Freddie. He was inside a small cell with Hitchens, some distance down the hall.

“Thank goodness!” said the doctor.

Across from them, I spotted Octavia in her wheelchair, with little Lex beside her on the floor.

“Everyone okay?” I asked.

“As good as can be expected,” said Octavia.

I called back down the hall at Abigail. “Hey, before you kill him, can you ask that guy how to open these?”

“Answer,” she commanded, squeezing the grip of the rifle.

“Might wanna take that gun out of his mouth first,” I added.

She growled, but did as I said.

“The access code is 33918,” said the ensign. “Please, don’t shoot me!”

“This guy makes it too easy,” I muttered.

I typed in the code on Freddie’s cell. As soon as I hit the last digit, the door unlocked.

Freddie grabbed the bars and pushed it free. “Where are the rest of those men?” he asked.

“Dead or dying,” I said, typing the code into Octavia’s side.

Another click, but this time I grabbed the handle and pulled it myself. “Need someone to push you?” I asked her.

She rolled her wheels, moving towards the opening. “I have it, thank you.”

Lex stood beside the wall, watching us as we gathered. “Kid, you can come out,” I said. “It’s safe now.”

“It was safe before,” she responded. “They came anyway.”

“And if we don’t get out of here, they’ll come again with a different ship,” I said.

“Jace!” snapped Abigail.

“Well, it’s true,” I said. “We need to get the hell off this Union ship and as far from it as possible.”

“What about the boy?” asked Hitchens. “You don’t plan to kill him, do you?”

“Why not?” I asked.

“W-Well, he’s just a child, practically.”

“Old enough to join the Union,” I said. “Old enough to die for them.”

“I don’t care about the Union,” the ensign said. “I swear, I’m nobody. I’m fresh out of training!”

“We can’t just let you go, pal. You’ve seen too much,” I said.

“Captain, couldn’t we use the space in the cargo bay?” asked Freddie.

“What space?” I asked.

“I assume he means the spot behind the wall, where you stowed us during the ordeal with that Fratley person,” said Hitchens.

“Oh,” I said, knowing exactly what he meant, but not wanting to say it. The last thing I needed was another mouth to feed, especially a prisoner.

“If we take him, we might be able to get some intelligence out of him,” suggested Freddie.

“Intelligence?” I asked. “He’s a kid. He doesn’t know shit.”

“I-I can tell you how we followed you,” he said, quickly.

“How’s that, now?” I asked, waving my pistol at him.

He followed the barrel with his eyes. “Didn’t you notice how fast we docked with you?”

I paused. “What do you mean?”

Abigail touched the rifle to his forehead. “Please, continue.”

“The cloak,” he answered. “We have a sixth-generation cloak. It’s the latest in a new line, issued only to a handful of ships.”

Sixth generation? I thought. I took a step closer to him. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not,” he returned. “They upgraded us to it last month. It allows us the ability to travel through slipspace without decloaking. I swear, I’m telling you the truth.”

“Through slipspace?” asked Hitchens.

I approached him. “Are you telling me you can cloak inside slipspace?”

“Yes, yes,” he said, quickly. “We were cloaked when we followed you through the tunnel. We were tracking you before that, ever since you left the hospital.”

Sigmond spoke through the com in my ear. “That matches my observations, sir. I believe he is telling the truth.”

So, that’s why the tunnel hadn’t closed behind us. We were being followed, only we couldn’t see the ship. I knew it had to be something. Tunnels never stayed open for that long without something coming through.

“What do you think, Captain?” asked Octavia.

“I believe him,” said Freddie.

“So do I,” agreed Hitchens.

Octavia motioned at him. “We should take him with us for now, maybe interrogate him later. If nothing else, we could use him as a hostage.”

“Agreed,” said Hitchens.

“Since everyone’s chiming in with opinions, what are yours, Abby?” I asked.

She stared down at the ensign, a look of quiet hate in her eyes. “You and the others keep coming for us,” she said in a steady tone. “How many times has it been?”

“I promise, I had nothing to do with that,” he answered.

“You’re here now,” she said.

He didn’t answer.

Abigail’s hands were tight around the grip of the rifle. Her eyes were fixed, unblinking, staring at the man in front of her. I’d seen that look a hundred times. The gears were turning in her head as she slowly convinced herself what she had to do…to pull that trigger.

“Abby,” came a soft voice from behind the others. It was Lex, standing beside the cell door.

The nun blinked, loosening her grip. She turned around to look at Lex.

“I wanna go,” said the little girl. “Can we please?”

Abigail looked down at the man, the debate raging in her brain. “Lex has the right idea,” said Freddie. “Let’s get back to the ship.”

After a moment, Abigail eased back, off the chest of the ensign. She said nothing, getting to her feet. Lex took her hand and together they walked out of the brig.

I took the ensign by his shirt and yanked him onto his feet. “Kid says you get to live,” I told him. “Guess it’s your lucky day.”

Eleven

“Are you sure about this?” asked Octavia, looking up at me.

“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my entire life,” I said.

I wrapped my arms around the coffeemaker and lifted it with all my strength, there in the center lobby of the Union ship.

“If you say so, but I don’t like the idea of moving anything from this ship onto ours.”

“Oh, it’s our ship, is it?” I asked, trying to look at her from behind the massive machine.

“You know what I mean,” she said.

“Listen, lady, as the Captain of our ship, it’s my decision, and I’m deciding that this beautiful piece of technology is essential to the job.”

I began waddling toward the exit, trying not to drop it.

Octavia grabbed her wheels. “Whatever you say,” she said, rolling close behind me. “How long before we leave?”

“As soon as I get this where it belongs,” I said as I drew nearer to the airlock. “Freddie! Where are you?”

“Over here, Captain!” He yelled from inside the ship. He came running a moment later.

“Help me with this,” I ordered.

Freddie gripped the bottom of the device. “Oof!” he let out, clearly as surprised by the weight of it as I was.

“Hold her steady now,” I said as the two of us edged our way through the two airlocks.

“You don’t even know if the coffee is any good,” said Octavia.

“It has to be. It’s from a Union ship,” I said.

We brought the coffeemaker over to an empty table, the same spot as the last one, and set it down. “Whew,” wheezed Fred.

“Think you can figure this out on your own?” I asked.

He looked confused. “Huh?”

“Make me some coffee,” I explained. “Can you handle it?”

“Oh, I, uh, I guess so.” He glanced at the machine.

“Great,” I said as I began jogging to the cargo bay. “Don’t fuck it up!”

Abigail and Hitchens were downstairs when I arrived, standing together near the center of the bay, looking at the fake wall where we’d stuck our new prisoners.

Prisoners, because there were three of them: the ensign from the brig, the man Abigail had knocked out, who was still unconscious, and the wounded guy named Docker. Octavia had seen to his bandages, despite my reservations.

“Ah, Captain,” said Hitchens. “Are we departing?”

“Right as usual, Hitch,” I said, going down the steps.

Abigail still had the Union rifle resting across her chest. “We were just discussing how to best tend to these men,” she said, motioning to the fake wall.

“I had Fred raid their food supply while we brought them in here, so they can eat on that,” I said.

She nodded. “Until we figure out where to take them.”

“About that, if I might make a suggestion,” interjected Hitchens. “There is a binary star system, not far from here.”

“That so?” I asked, not liking where this was going.

Hitchens tapped his chin. “Are there any ravagers or otherwise dangerous types roaming that area?”

“None that I know of,” I said. “But if you’re suggesting we go out of our way just to drop a few Union brats off, I’m not sure I care enough to do it. There has to be something on our way.”

“I’m afraid there isn’t,” Hitchens said. “I’ve looked through the star chart and this is our best option.”

We didn’t have time for an argument, not while we were still tethered to a Union ship. “Let’s get moving and worry about the logistics later. You said that binary system is nearby? How far are we talking?”

“Two slip tunnels, I believe. Combined, the trek would amount to one day’s journey. The first tunnel is the same as our current heading, however, regardless of what you decide.”

“Fine, we’ll take the first and figure the rest out later,” I said.

I wasn’t interested in keeping these men on my ship, but the thought of going that far out of the way to drop them off seemed like a waste of resources and time. Why had I stopped myself from killing all three of them when I had the chance? They’d come on this ship, captured my crew, tried to take my home away from me. These assholes deserved to die.

So why hadn’t I killed them? Why did I give Abigail or the albino a say in what I did and who I shot?

Had I lost my touch, somehow?

Or was I getting soft?

* * *

Siggy managed to quarantine the other A.I., preventing it from calling anyone. At the same time, set the ship’s course for the nearby gas giant, where it would enter the atmosphere and, with any luck, never be seen again.

I couldn’t say it was much of a loss. That was one less Union ship in the galaxy.

What concerned me more than anything, presently, were the men in our storage room. One way or another, I’d have to decide what to do with them.

But not before I took care of an important matter. “Freddie! Get your ass in here!”

I was in the lounge, staring at the recently-acquired coffeemaker.

“Captain, is that you?” called Freddie from inside one of the guest quarters.

He came running a second later. “Where’s my coffee, Freddie? I thought I told you to make some.”

“I tried, but the machine is complicated,” he said. I watched him mess with the control panel, attempting to punch in a command. “Medium cup, two creamers, no sugar. See? It won’t work.”

I moved him aside. “You’re doing it wrong.”

“Was I?” he asked. “I suppose I’m not used to it.”

I tried entering another string of orders into the machine, then pressed Enter. Nothing happened.

“Maybe it’s broken,” Freddie suggested.

“Already? We just got the damn thing. No way it needs fixing this soon.”

“What do you suggest we—”

“Is something wrong in here?” asked Hitchens as he arrived from the cargo bay.

“We’re trying to get this to work,” I said, turning the machine around to get a peek behind it.

“Did you, by chance, procure it from the Union ship?” Hitchens asked.

I looked at him. “Where else would I get it?”

“Ah, I see. In that case, I believe you’ll need to have your A.I. unit integrate with it.”

“What are you going on about?” I asked.

“Everything on Union ships is tied into its A.I. unit, even smaller devices like this one,” explained Hitchens.

I scoffed. “Why the hell didn’t Octavia tell me about this when I dragged the damn thing over here?”

“She may have assumed you knew,” Hitchens said.

Now that I thought about it, I’d heard from Ollie a few months ago that the Union was moving away from independent hardware, preferring to use a closed system on each of their ships. He’d been complaining at the time about how more and more of the Union tech he’d bought had to be reconfigured to work outside of their ships. I thought nothing of it at the time.

“Goddammit,” I muttered. “Siggy, can you interface with this thing?”

“Attempting now,” said the A.I. “Access granted.”

“That was fast,” I said.

“I do aim to please, sir.”

I punched in the command again and stepped back.

A glorious smell filled the lounge, igniting my senses. I went for the cup as soon as the machine finished, pressing the rim of the cup to my lips, and sipping.

And then I spit it out.

“What the fuck!” I snapped, setting the cup down.

“Is it bad?” asked Freddie.

Hitchens grabbed a second mug and filled it, taking a short drink. “Oh, goodness,” he said, scrunching his nose. “That is not good at all.”

“Fucking Union,” I cursed. “They can’t even get coffee right!”

* * *

Docker’s wound tore again and had to be sewn. Octavia managed it while Freddie and I held him down. We couldn’t have him trying anything, not that I thought he would.

Still, I wasn’t a fool. Abigail kept a rifle pointed at his skull, just to be safe.

His eyes stayed locked on the barrel the entire time. I couldn’t say I blamed him, what with the anger in Abby’s eyes. She was ruthless when she had to be, and when it came to protecting Lex, I knew she’d do anything.

“That should do it,” said Octavia, relaxing back in her chair. “He needs to rest, though.”

“That right, Docker?” I asked. “You need to rest?”

“Whatever you want!” he said, still looking at Abigail.

I leaned forward. “How about you answer a quick question for me?”

“Okay,” he said, breathing heavily.

“Who sent you after us? What were your orders?”

“Our orders?”

“Don’t play stupid, Docker. Next to your captain, who’s dead now, by the way, you’re the highest-ranking person in your crew. I’m sure you know why you’re here. Better yet, who gave you the order in the first place?”

He gulped, a bead of sweat running down his fat neck. “Th-That would be General Brigham. He’s—”

“Did you just say Brigham? The guy in charge of the Galactic something?”

“The UFS Galactic Dawn,” he answered, nodding.

I stared into his terrified eyes, seeing if there was any truth in there. I wagered there was, given how much fear I saw in him. But he was smart. He knew how to stay alive, and right now the only way to do that was to tell me the truth.

I got to my feet and looked at Abigail. “Let’s put him back with the other two.”

She lowered her gun, but only slightly. “You’re done asking questions?”

“For now,” I said, glancing at Docker. “But the two of us are going to speak again, Docker. You got that? And I don’t want any problems from you.”

“No problems, sir,” he said.

We tossed him in the cell and closed the wall, locking him inside with the other two prisoners, the ensign and the officer who’d tried to tie up Abigail. They had no light, no bathroom, nothing but the cold metal surrounding them on all sides. It was hardly a way to live, but certainly better than dying.

* * *

Abigail and I met in the cockpit, a few minutes later. She placed her rifle at the door. “What’s going on?” she asked me.

I cut right to it. “Who the fuck is Brigham?” I asked. “Does he have some vendetta against you? Was he there when you kidnapped the kid?”

“Brigham? He’s the head of the Union’s Third Defense Operational Wing. He controls their largest carrier.”

“A carrier,” I repeated. “A ship that’s so goddamn big it can fit a thousand of mine inside it. That’s the guy chasing you.” I paused, shaking my head. “The guy chasing us.”

She nodded. “But he can’t find our ship if we keep moving.”

“We were moving, but these six idiots still managed to find us.”

“I wasn’t expecting that.”

“You and me both. Siggy, can you pull up everything you have on General Brigham?”

“Right away, sir.”

I leaned against the wall, pulling out a piece of hard candy and unwrapping it. Before tossing it back in my mouth, I glanced at Abigail, who seemed to be watching me. “You want one?” I asked, offering the sweet.

“Oh, I’m okay,” she said, holding her palm up.

“Suit yourself,” I said, throwing the candy back. It was a delicious kessil flavor, based on a fruit from Kandil Six. Common enough that you could find it on just about every planet in Union space as well as most Deadlands worlds. Common for a reason, I thought. They were easy to grow, simple to harvest. But more importantly, they were perfect for hangovers.

I had six sitting in the fridge. Maybe I’d go and grab two of them when this business was over, along with some soup. I ran out of tomato, but I still had a noodle and beef blend waiting for me in the cabinet. Now that I thought about it, I really needed to go grocery shopping.

Did they have grocers this far out in the Deadlands? I honestly didn’t know.

“Analysis complete,” said Siggy. “Please forgive the delay, sir. I had to mask our network ID before accessing the galactic net.”

“No problem,” I said, cracking the candy with my teeth. “Let’s see this guy’s bio.”

A holographic display appeared over my console, showing the head and chest of a middle-aged man with white hair and brown eyes. The image, if I had to guess, probably came from his military record, since he wore a Union dress outfit, his chest fixed with a large block of ribbons. I couldn’t guess what any of them were for, but if the biography was any indication, the man understood war better than most.

Name: General Marcus H. Brigham

Age: 62

Place of Birth: Androsia

Rank: General, Grade-2

Height: 182 cm

Marital Status: Divorced

Latest Assignment: UFS Galactic Dawn

-List of Medals and Awards-

I reached over and touched the list of awards. It expanded, revealing what must have been an additional fifty lines. There were several impressive-looking ones, although I had no idea whether they actually were.

Medal of Valor (on three occasions)

Norsdad Medal of Excellence

Legion of Honor

Galactic Cross

Union Medal of Excellence (on six occasions)

Union Fleet Decoration for Gallantry

Union Fleet Award for Valor

The rest of the list went on for several pages, dating back twenty-five years. This was a dedicated soldier if ever I’d seen one.

I collapsed the awards and brought up the model for his ship, the UFS Galactic Dawn. It took the place of Brigham in the holo display—a carrier with what must have been a thousand strike ships. There was probably enough firepower onboard this monstrosity to glass an entire city, maybe even a planet.

“What do you think?” Abigail asked, staring over my shoulder.

“I think we’ve got a problem,” I said, stepping back from the display. “And it’s worse than I expected.”

Twelve

“Where have you been?” asked Octavia as Abigail and I joined her in the cargo bay.

Hitchens was there beside her, each of them near the electron microscope. “In all the commotion, we nearly forgot to check in on the blood analysis,” said the doctor.

“Did you find anything?” asked Abigail, passing me in a hurry.

I stayed back and observed, having learned a long time ago that sometimes it’s better to shut up and listen.

Octavia retrieved a vial of blood from the table. “It’s interesting, actually. Lex’s—”

“Where is Lex?” asked Abigail. “I’d rather she not hear this.”

“Frederick is looking after her,” assured Hitchens. “I believe he’s going over her spelling lesson.”

Abigail nodded. “Thank you. What’s wrong with her cells?”

“Actually, that’s the strange part. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with them. They’re just…better. In fact, the more I examine Lex, that’s the conclusion I keep drawing. She’s simply better.”

Abigail tilted her head. “I’m not sure I’m following.”

“The human body is a funny thing. No matter the situation, it will try to heal itself, to survive as long as possible.” She took her fingernail and slid it along her wrist. “When you get cut, there’s damage, so it needs to be healed. You have to be put back together. Normally, we’d apply some medicine and it wouldn’t be a problem, but out in the wild, your body has to do everything on its own. Scarring is how it does that.”

I leaned forward, away from the wall. “Lex didn’t scar, so what does that mean?”

“From what I can gather,” continued Octavia, “which isn’t much since I don’t have access to a lab, Lex’s body isn’t creating a disorganized scaffolding for the cells to grow on. That’s unusual, because if it were one of us, we’d see the opposite. Our cells would attempt to heal the wound, building that scaffolding in the process, and a scar would form. Instead, Lex’s blood is creating a crystalline structure with clean regularity. This is beyond unusual. It simply doesn’t happen.”

“You got all that from testing her blood?” I asked.

“Partially. Her blood cells, unlike the rest of ours, contain no defective or inadequate copies. They grow orderly, making for flawless regeneration.” She looked at the vial of blood in her hand. “They’re perfect.”

“Does any of this make sense to you?” I asked, looking at Abigail.

“A little,” she said, giving me a nod. “Octavia, if I’m understanding you correctly, you’re telling us that Lex’s body can heal faster, is that right?”

It’s not just that,” said the former Union medical officer. “If these early screenings are right, her white blood cells are also far more efficient. For whatever reason, she was born like this.”

“Could those Union scientists have done this?” I asked.

“As far as I know, the technology to genetically modify a human at this level does not exist, but the Union has its share of secrets and hidden labs, so who knows?”

“I took her from one, so clearly they were doing something to her,” said Abigail. “I thought it was because of her tattoos, but what if…” Her voice trailed. “…what if there was more to it?”

Hitchens, who had been silent for most of the conversation, cleared his throat. “I believe we still have much to learn. As talented and brilliant as Octavia is, she isn’t a biologist. None of this is certain, not without more evidence and testing.”

Octavia nodded. “I agree. We’ll need to find a proper facility with—”

“We don’t have time for that,” I interrupted. “We’ve got a Union ship the size of a small moon after us. Whatever this is,” I motioned at the electron microscope and the vials of blood next to it. “We can figure it all out later, once we’re in the clear.”

“But what about Lex?” asked Abigail.

“You heard Octavia. Her health is fine. Better than fine, if I got it right.”

“You did,” confirmed Octavia.

“See? I’ll admit, half of the science was lost on me, but I got the important shit.”

Abigail took a step closer to me, staring at me with her green eyes. “Once we take care of the rest, I want your assurances that we’ll find answers for Lex.”

The tone in her voice was vulnerable, in a way, or about as close to vulnerable as a woman like this could be. It caught me off guard. “We’ll do that,” I said, staring at her.

“I have your word?” she asked, leaning in.

Her scent flowed across my face, like I was noticing it for the first time. Her blonde hair fell below her shoulders in a disorganized mess, but there was something to the madness, the way the light bounced off the strands. It was…

What the fuck am I doing?

I took a step back. “Yeah, all right, lady. You got it.” I turned away from her. “If we’re done talking about magic blood, I’m going to bed. Hitchens, make sure you feed the prisoners. Don’t touch my fruit.”

“Y-You want me to…to feed the three of them by myself?”

“Someone has to. Get Freddie to help you.” I walked into the corridor, not giving him a chance to respond.

Thirteen

“…leaving slipspace, sir.”

I cracked my eyes open, groggy and tired. Siggy’s voice, calm as it was, felt like needles in my brain. The holo screen in my room was still on, illuminating the dark. When had I fallen asleep?

“Sir,” said Sigmond. “We’re about to—”

“Okay, I heard you,” I said, turning on my side. All I wanted to do was go back to sleep. “Siggy, how long until—”

I froze when I felt it. The wet, cold liquid in my bed.

Had I pissed myself?

No, that wasn’t it. It didn’t smell like piss. I licked my chapped lips, tasting what remained of the whiskey in my mouth.

I swept my hand across the drenched sheet, to where the puddle was at its deepest, and felt the empty flask with my index finger. I must have fallen asleep drinking it.

I eased off the bed, drops of whiskey falling from my boxers. I need a shower, I thought.

The sheets would need to be changed. I’d have to clean the mattress, too. The last thing I remembered, I was in bed, watching an old holo film about a professional thief. He was trying to rob a bank, but I couldn’t remember the ending.

It didn’t matter. I’d spent longer than I meant to, and I still had to bathe and dress, all in the next few minutes. If Abigail saw me like this, she’d lose her mind.

Not that I cared. Let her try to lecture me. Doesn’t matter. This is my ship.

I yawned and took a swig of water from the jug beneath my bed, then told Siggy to start up the shower, medium hot.

Eight and a half minutes later, I was clean and toweling my face. I stood in front of the mirror, examining my bloodshot eyes, thirsty as hell. Maybe I should lay off the booze, I thought, remembering how when I was twenty-five, I could drink my way through every bar in town and still be sober enough to take a woman home to bed.

In those days, back when I was just some punk kid on Epsy, I thought I could drink and fuck my way into eternity. No one would stand in my way. I was going to have it all and live forever.

But that was how it was when you were young and stupid. You thought the world was yours, and maybe it could’ve been, had you played a better hand, but kids are always too stupid to see it, to know what the right call is.

They fall in love, make silly choices. They kill the wrong guy or screw the wrong girl. That’s how you end up dead in a gutter, a worthless little shit without a credit to your name, gone before anyone knew who you were.

Without a ship or a crew.

Without…

A knock at the door jarred me. I dabbed the towel on my neck and then wrapped it around my waist. “Who is it?”

“Lex!” said a mousy, muffled voice.

“What is it, kid?” I threw some pants on, grabbing my shirt.

“Open up!”

I groaned as I got my shoes on, then hit the control by the door.

She was standing there with a grin on her face, twisting left and right, with a foot off the floor. “Um, what are you doing?”

“Nothing. What do you want?” I asked.

“Um.”

“Just say it,” I told her.

“Can I have a, um,” she looked at the floor. “Can I have a piece of candy?”

“Candy? Is that why you’re here?” I pulled open my desk drawer and retrieved a few pieces of hard sweets. “Sure thing.”

Her eyes lit up when she saw them. “You mean it?!”

I tossed one of them to her, bubblegum flavor. “Enjoy.”

“Wow, thanks!” she unwrapped it as quickly as her little hands would allow.

I grabbed my holster and pistol, strapped them around my chest and waist, and made sure they were secure.

“Hey, Mr. Hughes,” said Lex, the hard candy clicking against her teeth. “What’s that smell?”

I glanced at the bed, which was soaked in whiskey. “Oh, uh, that’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

She wrinkled her nose. “It smells bad. Did something break? What is it?”

“Nothing, kid. Hey, look here.” I placed a second piece of candy on the table. “Here’s another. Save it for later, or don’t. Just take it and get out of here.”

She snatched it up with a grin, burying it in her pocket. “Wow, thanks Mr. Hughes!”

I nudged her to move. “Time to go.”

We both left the room and I made sure it was secured. “Where’s everyone else?” I asked when we were in the lounge.

She bit on the candy. Clack clack clack. “Abby and Freddie are playing in the bay. They said I couldn’t stay.”

“What about Hitchens and Octavia?”

“They’re in their room with the door locked,” she said.

Oh boy, I thought. “Who’s supposed to be watching you, then?”

“Abby said to sit in the lounge but it’s boring here.”

“So you thought you’d bug me, huh?”

“Yup!” She grinned.

I started walking to the cockpit, away from the couches and tables.

“Are you leaving?” she asked.

“I told you, I got work—”

“Me too!” she exclaimed, running after me, coming up to my side.

I glanced down at her, only to see a smile with a piece of red candy between her teeth. “Whatever. Do what you want,” I said, not caring enough to stop her. “Siggy, what’s the status of the ship? Are we almost out?”

“Arriving at the next slip gap point in less than two minutes, sir.”

“As soon as we’re out, activate the cloak,” I ordered.

“Understood, sir.”

“What’s a cloak?” asked Lex, curiously.

I took my seat behind the dash. She did the same, sitting in the copilot chair to my right. “It protects the ship. Keeps us invisible.”

“Is that so the bad guys don’t find us?”

I chuckled. “Sure, kid. The bad guys.” I almost told her the truth, that some folks considered me a bad guy. I thieved, killed, and smuggled my way across the galaxy, breaking every law I could in the process. Did that make me bad? Or did it make me a survivor?

Was there a difference?

“Are the people in the dark room bad?” she asked, after a moment.

It took me a second to realize who she was talking about. “Oh, you mean the soldiers, is that it?”

She nodded.

“They’re bad,” I said, and kept it at that.

Truth was, each of those guys might be all right. Maybe deep down, they had a solid moral compass. Who the hell really knew? But they’d come here with an aim to take this girl from us, to steal her away and deliver her to scientists. She had to see them as evil, for her own sake. Maybe then, she’d stay far away.

The tunnel began to open, a tear forming before us like a nail through cloth.

But instead of darkness on the other side, I was surprised to find a blinding light, forcing me to shield my eyes.

“What is that?” asked the little girl beside me.

“Siggy, analysis,” I said, ignoring the question.

“It seems this tunnel ends near the inner orbit of a yellow star, classification number 392—”

“Decrease brightness on the screen by fifty percent.”

“Acknowledged.”

The screen dimmed immediately, allowing me to put my hand down, away from my eyes. “How close are we to that thing?”

“65 million kilometers, approximately,” answered Sigmond.

I nearly cursed. The closest safe distance a ship like The Renegade Star could get to a star this size was 60 million kilometers. A little more and we might have taken some serious damage to the hull…or worse.

This was one terrible location for a tunnel to drop out.

“Give me the next location,” I ordered. Coordinates appeared on my screen. It wasn’t far. Good.

Another set lit up, surprising me. This one was on the opposite side of the star from our current position.

“Siggy, what is this?” I asked.

“I have sent the coordinates for each tunnel appropriate to our two destinations.”

Two? Oh, right. I’d almost forgotten about the side trip Hitchens wanted to take. “Which one has us following the atlas?”

“The first coordinates,” answered Sigmond.

I almost ordered the ship to continue on its present course, to follow the atlas, but in doing so, we’d be stuck with those three hostages, possibly indefinitely. I couldn’t have that. Hitchens, for all his absurdity, had raised a good point.

“What are we doing?” asked Lex, now on her second piece of candy. Purple, by the look of it.

“I’m trying to decide where to go,” I said.

“Which is the right way?” she asked.

“I don’t know. That’s the whole problem.”

“Did you ask Abby? She always knows what to tell me when I don’t know.”

“No offense, kid, but that’s the last thing I want to do right now.” I could still feel the hangover weighing on me.

“Well, then you gotta decide,” said Lex, cheerily.

“Kid, it isn’t that simple—”

“Captain!” screamed a voice from the other side of cockpit door.

I turned in my seat the second I heard it.

“Captain Hughes!” It sounded like Freddie.

I scrambled to my feet and ran out into the lounge, leaving Lex in the cockpit. “What the hell are you screaming about?”

Freddie nearly collided with me as I entered the lounge. “Captain! We have a serious problem!”

“Spit it out, then,” I snapped.

“The prisoners, the Union soldiers, they’re out of their cell and they have Doctor Hitchens!”

“Stop!” called Octavia from down the hall.

“Fuck,” I muttered, reaching for my pistol, unholstering it. I looked at Freddie. “Follow!”

We raced through the corridor toward the cargo bay. I came to a stop near the door, creeping up to the wall. I grabbed Freddie by his shirt and kept him back. “Wait!” I said in a loud whisper.

He nodded, but I could see the panic in his eyes. Beads of sweat streamed down his cheeks and forehead. The panic was beginning to set in.

I leaned closer to the edge of the door, trying to eye whatever the hell was going on in there.

I spotted Abigail first, standing a few meters in front of two of the men. One had Hitchens in a headlock. Docker, by the look of him. The other guy, the same one Abigail had knocked out on the other ship, had a broken piece of pipe in his hand. Part of me wondered where he could have gotten it, but I buried the thought, focusing on the situation.

Two men, one hostage, no sign of the third, I thought. Abigail’s close enough to strike, if I need it. Octavia has to be close, too, but the angle’s no good. She might be under the overhang, beneath the stairs.

Fuck, there wasn’t enough information. I needed a better vantage point.

Fast, heavy breathing half-a-meter behind me. Oh, and there’s Freddie, I guess.

“Let him go and I promise, we won’t kill you,” Abigail told the two Union soldiers.

“We just want off this ship!” said Docker, trying to keep Hitchens’ head in front of his own. “We don’t want to hurt anyone, but we will if we have to!”

“If you do,” began Octavia. Her voice seemed to come from beside them, in a place I couldn’t see. “You’ll have given up your only hostage. Is that what you want?”

“We’ll still have the two of you!” snapped the one whose name I didn’t know.

“Wrong,” corrected Abigail. “I’d kill you both before you could touch us.”

He laughed. “You only got the drop on me the first time because I thought you were asleep. You won’t get lucky again!”

“It wasn’t luck,” she said. “And I really was asleep. If I can do that, half-disorientated and with a beating headache, just imagine how I am now.”

“Bullshit!” He raised the pipe. “You try anything, I’ll go for the cripple first!”

I eased my way into the cargo bay’s upper floor, putting my hand out to keep Freddie back. Slowly, I made my way to the back of the railing, overlooking the entire area.

Abigail noticed me right away, but only gave me a single glance. “Your friend in there had the right idea. You should stay in the cell like he did.”

“He’s just scared,” said Docker.

“I’d call it smart,” she answered. “The two of you…not so much.”

She looked at me again, but only for a second. Long enough to get the message across. Long enough for a signal.

I aimed my barrel at the one with the pipe, and I pulled the trigger tight.

The bullet whizzed through the air, sniping him through the jaw, scattering blood and bone against the wall behind him.

He spun around like a doll, blinking rapidly, and then collapsed, releasing the pipe.

“Bennett!” screamed Docker.

“Was that his name?” I asked, stepping down the stairs.

“How did…where did you…!?”

“Let him go, Docker,” I cautioned. “Or else.”

“I…I…”

“We’ll forget about this if you do what we ask,” said Abigail.

“Do what they say, you idiot!” called the young ensign, who was still in the cell.

Octavia was close to his position, behind a few crates, like she’d been trapped there. “Listen to your friend!” she said.

“If I do, you won’t kill me?” he asked.

“We might, if you try this again,” I said.

Abigail looked at me with an expression that told me I should probably stop talking.

“We won’t hurt you, Docker,” said Abigail.

He nodded, and began to loosen his grip, but when Abigail started to move, he tightened it again. “Stop!”

She sighed. “Docker, what are you doing?”

“I bandaged your side, and this is how you repay me?” asked Octavia.

“Th-The situation is complicated!”

Just then, I spotted Freddie on the upper deck, climbing over the railing, three and a half meters from the bottom.

I turned my head, watching him. “What the f—”

Before I could finish, he was in the air, falling straight towards Docker. He landed on the man’s shoulders, sending both of them, as well as Hitchens, onto the deck floor.

Abigail lunged forward, after Hitchens, while I went for Docker. Freddie managed to roll, surprisingly, and got to his feet in seconds.

As Docker started to rise, I slammed the butt of my pistol into his nose, and he fell again. “Stay the fuck down, you idiot!”

Fourteen

I sat beside the open cell with the two men inside. Docker was on his knees with steel cuffs on his wrists and a gag in his mouth, while the ensign stood beside the entrance. “Smart move, not trying to escape. Smarter than your stupid friend back there.”

“Nnfph,” said Docker.

“Right,” I agreed. “Very stupid.”

The ensign nodded. “I knew there was nowhere to go.”

“See? Smart. Now, stay that way and you’ll get out of this in one piece.”

“When?” he asked.

I was surprised by his calm, almost like he wasn’t terrified, like he didn’t really view me as the enemy. “Whenever I say. Just keep quiet and don’t cause me any problems. Do that, and I’ll drop you both off first chance I get.”

“Do you have any idea where that will be?”

“Not yet, but the guy Docker had his arm around, Hitchens, he knows a place. Some habitable planet a short slip away.”

“I understand,” said the ensign. “And I’ll make sure Docker doesn’t try anything again.”

“Good,” I said. “You’re smarter than you look, kid.”

“Alphonse,” he corrected.

“What?”

“That’s my name. Ensign Alphonse Malloy.”

His tone was different than before, back when we’d captured him. He was calmer, less frantic, like all the fear in him had drained. Did he think he was safer now, since he’d refused to join his crewmates’ escape attempt, or was there more to it? I had assumed he’d stayed back out of fear, but looking at him now, I wondered if there was more to it.

“Okay, Alphonse,” I said, giving him a dismissive wave. “Whatever. Just stay put and don’t piss me off.”

“I won’t cause you any trouble.”

“It’s no trouble for me,” I said, stepping back from the cell. “You’re the one who’ll end up dead.”

* * *

I returned to the lounge, walking straight to the fridge. I was thirsty and still hung over, so the only solution was a piece of kessil. If I was right, I’d find four in the fridge.

I pulled the door open and bent down, looking on the third shelf. There was a bottle of mustard, two refrigerated dinners, and absolutely no kessil fruit.

“The hell?” I asked. “Hey!” I raised and turned my head. “Who took my fruit!”

I heard a slurping sound coming from the sofa. “Sowwy,” said Lex, chewing on one of the kessil. She swallowed, then took another bite.

I glared at her. “Lex, what is that in your hand?”

“I dunno,” she said, smiling, trying to play innocent.

I shut the fridge, burying the fury in my throat as it slowly rose to a killing rage. “Are you sure about that?”

She scrunched her chin into her shirt, soaking the rim with liquid from the fruit. “I dunno,” she giggled.

I let out a long sigh, accepting my defeat at the hands of this child. “I’ll be on the bridge.”

“Can I come?” she asked, leaping off the sofa, the mostly eaten kessil still in her hand.

Without answering, I walked into the cockpit and shut the door behind me, locking it.

I collapsed into my seat and tried to get comfortable. I was exhausted and hungover, tired of dealing with all this bullshit. Maybe a nap in here would do me good, but only if everyone left me—

“Sir, I hate to intrude, but…”

Goddammit. “What is it now, Siggy? Have you come to betray me, too?”

“Heavens no, sir. I would never dream of such a thing. I simply wanted to inform you that you have yet to provide our next destination.”

“Destination?” I asked.

“We need to choose a route. Do you not recall our last conversation? It was just before the interruption involving Mr. Frederick Shiggorath.”

Oh, right, I thought. With all the insanity in the cargo bay, not to mention the catastrophic loss of my kessil, I’d completely forgotten about the two slip tunnels.

“Shall I continue forward, per our original path?” asked Sigmond.

“No, we’re taking the other one. The one Hitchens gave us. The detour.”

“Understood. Proceeding with new destination. Star system X1-20-5519.”

“Sounds like a wonderful place with amazing people,” I said.

“I wouldn’t know, sir, but I should hope that it is.”

“Me too, Siggy.” I leaned back, propping my feet on the console and closing my eyes. “Me too.”

* * *

The tunnel took six hours to cross. I slept through most of it. When I finally opened my eyes, I felt better than I had in days.

“Siggy,” I muttered, licking my lips and wishing I had some water.

“Yes, sir?”

“The next time I’m drinking straight whiskey in the middle of the night, remind me how awful the last time was, would you?”

“Of course, sir.”

I leaned forward, rubbing the grime from my eyes, and blinked, trying to focus. We’d just entered normal space again, having left the tunnel behind. According to the map, we were in the  X1-20-5519 system. There was one planet, waiting in the goldilocks zone, three smaller planetoids in deep orbit, and a few hundred asteroids. Hardly the kind of place you’d want to visit, but it would do fine for unloading prisoners.

I entered a command to bring us closer to the planet, then set us in a stable orbit. “Cloak the ship,” I ordered. “Hopefully, this doesn’t take us long.”

“Shall I begin landing procedures, sir?”

“Go ahead,” I said, getting up from my chair. I tapped the Foxy Stardust bobblehead as I did, letting it bounce chaotically while I left the cockpit.

“Captain,” said Freddie, who was sitting with Abigail. “Have you been on the bridge this whole time?”

“I had work that needed tending,” I lied. “Are those two soldiers playing nice?”

“We fed them and left them in their cell,” said Abigail. “They should still be alive in there.”

“Either way, we’re at the system Hitchens gave me, so we can finally get rid of them. You two think you can help me get them on the shuttle?”

“With pleasure,” said Abigail.

“I’ll be happy to help,” said Freddie.

“I bet you would,” I smirked. “Just don’t jump on anyone this time, if you can help it.”

He gave us an embarrassed smile. “I was only trying to help.”

“And you did,” said Abigail. “We’ll have to work on your form, though. You could have broken something.”

He nodded. “I’ll do whatever you ask.”

“Sounds like you’re really taking to this whole training thing,” I said, and I really did mean it. “Keep it up and you might actually learn how to fight.”

He smiled. “Thank you, Captain.”

* * *

We stepped out into the light of sun and saw the endless valley before us, a vibrant yellow field, interlaced with spots of green.

The Renegade Star had landed in the western part of the largest continent, twenty kilometers from the ocean. There was a freshwater river nearby, with two large lakes, ripe for drinking. According to the database, there had been a colony here, half a century ago, but no longer. Because of a border dispute between the Sarkonians and another group, the colony was uprooted and moved to a world called Hexios.

It seemed the Sarkonians had still yet to make use of this place, but it would do just fine for our purposes. The wildlife was mostly safe, with a larger population of smaller critters than not, and there were wild orchards of fruit trees, remnants from when the settlers had been here.

“What do you think?” asked Abigail, standing beside me as I scanned the horizon.

“It’s not a bad place,” I said. “Should be good until we send someone to pick them up.”

“About that,” she went on. “What’s your plan to get them rescued?”

“Siggy suggested an encrypted message to the Sarkonians, once we’re clear of their territory. Since they’re clearly working with the Union, they should have no problem rescuing them.”

She nodded, taking a deep breath of air. I imagined it must feel nice, not being cramped inside a ship the size of mine for once. “Does it make you miss the Church?” I asked.

“What do you mean?” she asked, turning to look at me.

“Wide open spaces, fresh air, your two feet on the ground. Seems like a better alternative to living on The Star.”

“I’m not complaining. Not at all. I’m sorry if I gave you the impression.”

“No, I didn’t think you were,” I assured her. “I was just wondering.”

“Were you?” she asked, giving me a warmer smile than I was used to seeing from her. “Interesting.”

The look on her face gave me pause, and I cleared my throat. “Okay, I’ve seen enough. Let’s head back.”

“Already?” she asked, a disappointed tone in her voice.

“What? Did you want to go frolicking in the grass? Do you need time to play in the mud?”

She laughed. “Do I strike you as the frolicking type?”

“I’m not answering that,” I said, walking back onto the ramp of the cargo bay.

I heard the footsteps running through the corridor on the second deck, growing louder by the second. “I wanna see!” demanded a tiny, eager voice. Lex darted into the cargo bay with her hands raised, looking like she was in a panic. “I wanna see the outside!”

“Whoa,” I said as she zipped past me, nearly running into my leg. I dodged her, and she continued unabated towards the ramp and into the field.

Abigail laughed when she saw her, putting her hands on her hips as the little girl sprung off the metal grate and into the mud, stomping her feet around. “It’s so pretty!”

“Great, now I’ll have mud to deal with,” I said, watching as she managed to get the wet dirt on her feet, knees, and hips, all within a matter of seconds.

Abigail laughed, and for a few seconds it looked almost natural on her.

I supposed it was nice to see the kid having fun for a change. After everything she’d been through, maybe it wasn’t so much to ask, just to play in the mud.

“Sir.” Sigmond’s voice popped into my ear, startling me.

“Something wrong, Siggy? Did the scans turn up anything?” I had asked him to continue searching the planet to look for anything Docker and Alphonse might find that could give them a means of escaping. I couldn’t have them accidentally stumbling on a lost shuttle or a communications device. They needed to stay here until we were long gone.

“Not quite, sir. On the contrary, the scans revealed very little,” he explained. “However, I am detecting another slipspace tunnel opening. It appears to be the same tunnel we used.”

“Did someone follow us here?” I asked.

“That is unclear for the moment.”

I looked back at Abigail and Lex. “Hey, you two! Get back in the ship!”

“Aw,” groaned Lex. “Already?”

“I said now!”

She frowned, but did as I told her, running back and into the cargo bay, leaving a trail of mud in her path.

Abigail came jogging behind her. “What’s going on?” she asked as she approached me.

“We have company,” I said.

“Union or Sarkonian?” she asked.

“Does it matter? Either way, we need to get out of here.”

She nodded, heading inside without another word.

I hit the control near the door, raising the lift. “Siggy, begin the ignition sequence.”

I watched the gate close, sealing me inside and killing the outside light. We just might need those hostages after all.

Fifteen

The Union ship emerged from the rift right as The Renegade Star was leaving the planet’s thermosphere.

As we did, the clarity of our long-range sensors improved and I was able to find the exact designation of the incoming vessel.

It was the UFS Galactic Dawn.

“Fuck,” I said as I watched the rift close behind the oversized death ship.

“What do we do?” asked Abigail. She’d followed me into the cockpit, refusing to stay in the lounge. I saw no point in arguing this time.

Our thrusters eased when we were clear of the planet’s gravity, and I aimed the ship toward a nearby moon. “We wait,” I finally answered, trying to kill our momentum and bring us to a dead still. “As long as the cloak stays up, we should be good. We just can’t move too much. A ship that size is bound to be able to see us. We need to keep our distance.”

“Is that the only tunnel out of this system?”

“As far as I know,” I said.

“That is affirmative, Abigail Pryar,” answered Sigmond, confirming my statement.

“Just Abigail, Sigmond,” she corrected.

“Yes, Abigail,” he acknowledged.

“Save the small talk, both of you. We need to find a way out of this. Better yet, we need to see how these bastards are tracking us."

“Do you think our hostages have some sort of transmitters on them?” asked Abigail.

I turned my head to look at her. It was the first time that thought had ever entered my brain, and I felt like a total idiot for it. “Can you go and ask them?”

“Now?” she asked. “Aren’t we in the middle of something?”

“Seems like the best time, don’t you think? If they have a transmitter, we need to get rid of it before we make another jump.”

“I shall supervise the pat-down,” said Sigmond. “I already scanned the soldiers, but perhaps further analysis will prove beneficial.”

“Don’t you need to help Jace?” asked Abigail.

“I can perform both services simultaneously.”

I nodded. “He’s a multitasker.”

“Fine, I’m going,” she said, getting up. “Try not to get us killed, Captain, if you don’t mind.”

I waited for her to leave. “No promises,” I muttered, staring at the massive Union carrier on my holo display.

* * *

The Galactic Dawn had arrived out of the slip tunnel and gone nowhere. If I hadn’t known any better, I might have thought it was abandoned.

If only I could be so lucky, I thought, trying to imagine a scenario, during slipspace travel, where the entire crew of thirty-thousand could have evacuated the ship. Too bad that would never happen, given the dangers involved. For example, veering off course in the middle of a tunnel could result in a ship hitting the surrounding walls, which nearly always resulted in disintegration of whatever matter it came into contact with.

No, there were people on that vessel. Tens of thousands, all following the orders of a man named General Marcus Brigham. He’d been tasked with hunting me and my crew down, all so the Union could dissect the little pale-faced girl sitting in my lounge.

Assholes, the lot of them, coming for a kid like her. I’d kill every last one, if I had to, before I let them touch her.

Special bonus if it meant saving my own ass in the process.

My eyes lingered on the holo image of the ship, wondering what the man in charge was thinking. Had he taken this assignment because he believed in the Union? Did he think kidnapping and dissecting a little girl was the righteous thing to do?

“Sir, we’re receiving a transmission,” said Sigmond, almost like an answer to my thoughts.

“Let’s hear it,” I said, leaning forward with my arms on my knees.

The speaker clicked a few times, followed by a moment of silence, and then…

“This is General Marcus Brigham with the UFS Galactic Dawn hailing Captain Jace Hughes of The Renegade Star. Respond.”

The sound of my own name gave me pause. It was strange hearing the old man speak it, almost unsettling.

“Again, this is General Brigham, speaking directly to Jace Hughes,” continued the voice. “Captain, it is in your best interest to turn yourself in, along with the stolen cargo in your possession. I assure you, if you cooperate with me, I can ease your sentencing. You have an hour to respond to this request, after which I will have little choice but to use force. This doesn’t have to be difficult, Captain Hughes.”

I smirked. “Difficult, he says. That’s a polite way of saying he doesn’t want to chase or fight me, just for me to give up now and save him the trouble. Great deal.”

“Sir,” began Sigmond. “You may be interested to know that the signal from the UFS Galactic Dawn is being sent to a specific section of the system.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“The transmission, sir. It is being sent directly to our present location.”

“That can’t be right. Are you sure they’re not just sending it to one area at a time? They could be doing it to see when we respond, which would narrow down the search.”

“No, sir,” he answered. “The transmission is targeting our exact position. That is, within one hundred kilometers.”

“Shit…” I felt my stomach turn. “The only way they can do that is if they know where we are, but the only way that’s possible is if they can track us, but that would mean…”

And then it hit me, like a bag of shit from the sky. I suddenly knew why, no matter how far we moved, no matter how many tunnels we took, the Union always stayed a step behind us, never slowing down. It all made so much sense that I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it before.

“The cloak,” I finally said. “This whole time, they’ve been using our fucking cloak!”

* * *

I had Sigmond remain on standby while I took off through the ship, passing Hitchens and Freddie in the lounge as I ran to the cargo bay. If anyone could tell me what I wanted to know, it would be the two guests we had stowed away in our makeshift cell.

“Open the wall!” I called as I entered the upper level of the bay.

Abigail was still here, rifle in hand. “I already shook them down, but they didn’t have any transmitters.”

“I’m not here for that,” I said, climbing down the stairs. I ran over to the cell wall as it began to slide up.

“Then, what? Did you figure something else out?” she asked.

I pulled out my pistol. “Stand back.”

Alphonse and Docker were inside, their backs against the wall. They cringed when the light from the carbo bay hit them, like a couple of otherworldly fiends. “Is there something we can do for you, Captain?” asked Alphonse, his hand over his eyes.

I raised my pistol and pointed it squarely at Docker’s forehead. “You can tell me how the fuck Brigham is tracking my cloak!” I looked at Alphonse. “Untie this idiot.”

He slowly moved closer to Docker and undid the knot around his mouth.

Docker shook his head, once he could talk. “I-I don’t know anything.”

“Liar,” I said, feeling an itch in my trigger finger. “Tell me the truth or I’ll start firing. You think I give two shits about keeping you alive, Docker? You tried to escape and hurt my crew. If you don’t start giving me information, you’re worthless to me.”

Docker crouched, hiding behind his arms. “I really don’t know! Don’t shoot me, please!”

Alphonse stood there, watching the two of us. “They’re here, aren’t they?” he asked.

“What?” I said.

“The Union,” he explained. “They finally showed up, didn’t they?”

I had to give him credit. He was quick to piece things together. Smarter than Docker, at least. “They have, and the only way any of us survive, yourselves included, is if I figure out how they found us.”

“What makes you think we know?” he asked.

“Maybe you don’t, but something tells me you don’t want to die in this cell.”

He slowly nodded. “All they want is the girl, right? Why not just turn her over? Isn’t that the safer move?”

“Why would I ever consider doing that? You think I’m that heartless?”

He shrugged. “You’re a Renegade, right? Isn’t that part of your job description? You work for money, not people.”

“Being a Renegade isn’t just about money,” I said.

“Oh? Then, what’s it about?”

“Whatever you want it to be, and right now it’s about staying alive and out of a Union prison cell, and protecting the people on this ship. So, one of you had better start telling me exactly how Brigham is tracking me. If it’s really my cloak, then I want to know.”

The ensign stared at me with a strange expression, like he was deciding something. Maybe it was whether or not I’d kill him if he didn’t give me what I wanted to know. Maybe he just wondered if I’d really sacrifice my ship just to save a little kid.

“I’m just an ensign,” he finally said. “I don’t know everything, but I’ll tell you what I can. You asked about the cloak and the answer is yes. That’s what they’re using to track you. If you stop using it, they won’t have a beacon to follow anymore.”

“I knew it,” I said, looking back at Docker. “You lied to me, you scrawny little spitfuck.”

“He didn’t know about it,” said Alphonse. “He was telling the truth.”

“It’s true!” said Docker.

“How can an ensign know more than you, Docker? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“I’m a command officer,” said Alphonse. “The information is compartmentalized. He doesn’t know because he doesn’t have to.”

I moved my gun over to Alphonse. “In that case, tell me what you know about the cloak, and make it quick.”

“You bought that cloak off a black-market trader, right?”

“Sure,” I said, picturing the recently deceased Fratley.

“And when you purchased it, where did the merchant say they found it?”

“Union territory, but I don’t know the specifics,” I said.

“Well, let me fill in the gaps,” said Alphonse. “Modern cloaking technology was first developed in the Union’s thirty-second research center, also known as T.R.U.S.T.” He looked behind me at Abigail. “Your friend back there knows all about that place. It’s where she stole the girl.”

Abigail walked up beside me. “Watch yourself,” she cautioned.

“Sorry,” he said, sounding genuine. “As I was saying, T.R.U.S.T. developed cloaking technology, and since then, only Union vessels have been allowed to use it. The Sarkonians managed to get their hands on some parts a few decades ago, so they have a handful of ships outfitted with it, but those have all been modified with a custom frequency by the Sarkonian government. Most of them are also outdated, since those people don’t really innovate so much as steal and modify.”

“Get to the point,” I said with my gun still on him.

“This ship, your Renegade Star, is outfitted with a fairly advanced cloak. That should tell you it didn’t come from the Sarkonians.”

“I already know it’s from a Union ship,” I said.

“Good,” he responded. “So, knowing that, what conclusions can you draw?”

I didn’t like this game, him leading me along, and me trying to piece together the clues. I couldn’t deny his subtle pokes, however, as I was now beginning to understand. “You’re saying that because my cloak came from the Union, they can track me.”

“Very good, Captain!” he exclaimed, genuine excitement in his voice. “You’ve figured it out. Yes, the cloak in your possession was once part of a Union ship, as you said, which means it can be tracked. That’s how General Brigham has been following you, ever since you started running.”

“If that’s true, why didn’t the Union come after me before? I’ve been using this cloak for months.”

He chuckled. “What use would there be in that? What would they have to gain?”

“It’s stolen tech. Why wouldn’t they want it back?”

“Captain, there are bigger things at play here than the theft and reacquisition of a single cloak. Had you never adopted the nun and child, I can assure you none of this would have happened.”

“How do I make it so they can’t track us?”

He shrugged. “I’m sorry, but I’m not an engineer. I really don’t know except to suggest you keep from using it.”

“That’s too bad, because I’m not surrendering, which means the only way you survive any of this is if I get away. You’d better think of something if you want to make it out of here alive.”

“As much as I value self-preservation, I’m afraid I really have no idea. Trust me, Captain, I don’t have any loyalty to the Union. I just work for them.”

Something told me that was only half-true. “Cut the shit and tell me who you are?”

“I already did. My name is Alphonse. You know that.”

“I don’t know anything,” I said.

He gave me a thin smile. “You’re certainly right about that, Captain.”

Sixteen

“What’s your plan?” asked Abigail, once we had sealed the prisoners away.

I walked swiftly to the stairs. There was little time to waste, now that I had confirmation about the cloak. I’d have to find a way around Brigham’s ship without my ability to hide. It wasn’t going to be an easy escape.

“I’m still working on that,” I said, stopping at the cargo bay entrance. I paused to look at her, and she nearly ran into me. “What are you doing?”

“I’m coming with you, obviously.”

“I don’t have time to entertain you,” I told her. “I need to get to the bridge and think about how—”

“We’ll do it together,” she said, interrupting me. “I’ll help you figure it out, Jace.”

The com in my ear clicked. “Sir, the UFS Galactic Dawn is on the move. What are your orders?”

Had it already been an hour? No, that couldn’t be possible. I’d only been down here for twenty minutes at the most.

I touched my ear. “What do you mean, ‘on the move’? On the move to where?”

“Here, sir,” answered Sigmond. “They’re on a direct course to our location.”

“Guess that confirms they can see us,” I said.

“Then, we need to find a way to avoid them,” said Abigail. “Without the cloak, of course.”

“I don’t know if that’s possible,” I answered.

We ran through the hall and back to the bridge, taking our seats in a hurry. As I buckled my harness, I heard someone yelling from the lounge. “What’s going on?”

It sounded like Hitchens.

“Oh, my goodness. Are we under attack?”

Definitely Hitchens.

“How do we play this one, Jace?” asked Abigail.

The holo showed the Galactic Dawn as it moved in our direction. I only had a few seconds to think my way out of this, and I wouldn’t have a cloak to back me up. I’d relied on it for so long, going without it felt like moving backwards.

“Jace?” repeated Abigail. She grabbed me by the shoulder. “Hey! Are you listening to me?”

I examined the layout of this system and the positions of the two ships—ours and Brigham’s. There was enough space between us to allow for a good run, but it would all come down to the location of the slip tunnel. “Yeah, I hear you,” I said to Abigail. “And I’ve got this shit.”

With a swipe of my finger, I activated the ship’s engines, pulling us away from the moon. I dropped the cloak right as we broke orbit and set our course towards the nearby planet.

“Siggy, where’s the next slip tunnel, not including the one we took to get here?”

“Two million kilometers beyond the farthest planetoid in this system. Shall I chart a course?”

“How long would it take to get there?”

“Approximately ten minutes.”

“Think we got a chance to make it out of this alive?”

“Roughly fifty-two percent, sir.”

I took a breath. I should learn to stop asking him that.

The Galactic Dawn moved toward us, even as we made our way to the other side of the planet. I could sense Abigail’s anxiety building. She was tough, I knew, but one of the flagships of the Union was bearing down on us. Even I felt sick to my stomach.

When the tension was at its thickest, Abigail finally asked, “I really hope you know what you’re doing, Jace, otherwise we’re all dead!”

“Just watch,” I said, nodding towards the giant ball of plasma as we grew closer. “That star is our ticket out of here.”

As The Galactic Dawn continued its pursuit, it came within close orbital distance around the gas giant. I made certain to stay on the exact opposite side at all times, rotating with it.

I pressed the controls forward, sending us to the planet at a 90-degree angle from where The Galactic Dawn was heading. If you were to look at the planet from the center, it would have appeared like we’d cut down the middle of it, coming up from below, while The Galactic Dawn continued its pursuit from left to right.

That was the great thing about space travel. Every direction was forward, depending on your perspective.

In this case, what appeared to be the bottom of the gas giant to General Brigham was simply another route to freedom for me.

This alone wouldn’t save us, I knew, but it was a fine start.

“The UFS Galactic Dawn is deploying fighters,” announced Sigmond. “I’m estimating over two hundred, heading in our direction.”

As we broke free of the planet’s gravity, I set our course toward the second tunnel. “Why are you going that far out?” asked Abigail when she saw what I was doing. “Why not use the way we came in from?”

“If Brigham followed us here, there’s probably reinforcements waiting on the other side. We need to use another route if we don’t want to die the second we come out of slipspace.”

“How do you know he left reinforcements?” she asked.

“Because,” I continued. “That’s what I would do if I were him.”

The Galactic Dawn’s fighters appeared on the radar, lighting up like a plague of insects. I’d never seen so many in all my life, but I knew it wouldn’t matter. All I had to do was beat them to the slip tunnel.

“Sir, Union fighters are approaching,” informed Sigmond.

“I see them, pal,” I said, spotting what appeared to be fifteen dots blinking their way to our location.

I searched the system for cover, but there wasn’t much to use. The cloak clearly wasn’t an option, which meant I’d have to play this the old-fashioned way.

I pointed The Star at the nearby asteroid cluster. “Time for a game of hide-and-find.”

Abigail snapped a look at me. “Wait a second, we can’t just go into that!”

I grinned. “Have a little faith, Abigail. You’re a nun, after all.”

“Former nun!” she yelled.

A dozen fighters were gaining on us as we arrived at the asteroid cluster. As we neared the first set of rocks, an alarm sounded on the dash. “Enemy ships are within firing distance, sir.”

The cockpit shook rapidly as we took a blast in our ass. “In we go!” I shouted, gripping the controls with both my hands, bringing us between two moon-sized boulders.

The ships at our rear followed closely, moving quickly to keep up. The shield around The Star deflected some light debris as we dove beneath one of the rocks.

The others continued their pursuit, maintaining their speed.

I spotted a denser section of the field. “Hold on tight,” I told Abigail. “Siggy, release the mines on my mark.”

“Understood.”

Three rocks were so close they nearly created a tunnel between them, so I took it, entering through the gap. “Now!” I barked.

Six small mines deployed from the base of our ship, activating three seconds afterwards, hovering in the empty space between the stones.

The strike ships followed, going into the gap. As they did, the mine activated, creating an explosion that disintegrated the first, but sent the next five into the rocks.

We escaped the narrow opening a second later, flying back into the open asteroid field. “Six ships down,” informed Siggy.

The remaining ships continued their pursuit, firing and blasting The Star’s rear shield. I felt the burst when it landed, shaking the entire cockpit and sending the little Foxy Stardust bobblehead into the air. “Hot fucking hell!” I snapped.

“What is it?!” asked Abigail, no doubt sensing my panic. “Do they have us?”

“My Foxy bobble almost bit the dust,” I growled, reaching for the toy and planting it back on my dash. “There. We’re good now.”

“Goddammit, Jace!” snapped the former nun.

Another shot hit us and a red warning light came on, informing me that if I didn’t lose these guys soon, I’d be in some serious shit.

I steered The Star toward one of the larger asteroids, cutting so close to the rock that it penetrated my shield and set off a proximity alarm.

The other ships followed, trying to keep up. “Get ready to take the flight controls, Siggy,” I said as we came around the asteroid at a perpendicular angle.

“I shall set a direct course for the slip tunnel,” he responded.

Three ships were hot on our tail. “Okay, then,” I muttered, spotting a large cluster of rocks ahead of us.   I squeezed the control stick and glanced at Abigail. “Hold on to your trousers!”

Abigail’s eyes widened as she saw what was coming. “What the—”

I pulled the stick back, spinning the ship to angle us perfectly between the initial wall of floating stones. As soon as we were through the first layer, I took the ship straight up with a hard turn, taking the cleanest path out of the field.

The other ships tried to stay close and avoid the asteroids, but all it took was a single mistake, made by the first pilot as he nicked one of the rocks with his wing. The collision destabilized his flightpath and sent him spiraling out of control, creating a chain effect with the other ships, knocking each of them off course. Only one managed to pull through, despite some slight damage to its forward compartment.

I checked the scanner to find a shitload of dots still after us, but they were far enough behind that they’d never reach us. Only the one remaining fighter was close enough to warrant concern. Now that we were clear of the asteroids, I’d have no choice but to take him out myself.

“Are we nearly there?” asked Abigail, gripping the seat handles.

I gave her a wink, then cut the engines, turning us around in a complete 180. We continued flying, only now we were backwards, facing the enemy ship as it quickly closed the gap on us.

With my thumbs on the quad-cannon triggers, I watched the Union strike ship come within firing distance.

“Warning,” announced Sigmond. “Enemy vessel is closing.”

The ship fired a quick spread on us, mostly missing, but still managing to graze the hull. I felt my seat tremble. Almost there, I thought as I waited, hoping to make this count.

Finally, the holo gave me the green, lining up the best possible shot, and I squeezed the trigger.

The blast struck the strike ship directly in the cabin, tearing through its hull like a knife through paper, and it exploded from the inside out.

“There it is!” I barked, feeling the adrenaline as it coursed through my veins.

An indicator light blinked, letting me know that another wave was fast approaching. “If you’re finished having fun,” said Abigail, motioning to the radar.

“Right,” I said, then turned the ship and lit the engines. “Siggy, start the slipspace sequence and get that tunnel open!”

“Already processing,” said the A.I. “Opening slip tunnel in five seconds.”

“Captain Jace Hughes,” said a deep voice over the com. “This is General Brigham. I know you’re receiving this message. I implore you to respond.”

I clenched my teeth. “Siggy, open the channel.”

“Ready when you are, sir.”

“Brigham, this is Captain Hughes of The Renegade Star. You’d best turn your ass around and head home, because you’ll never get what you’re after.”

There was a short pause. “Captain Hughes, I see you’ve finally decided to talk back,” said the General.

“I’ve done more than talked, haven’t I?”

“That you have, Captain. It seems the reports I’ve read about you are true.”

“Glad I was able to satisfy. It’s probably been a while since you had a good fuck,” I said.

He laughed, but it sounded more forced than genuine. “Hughes, why don’t you cut your engines and hand over the girl? You have my word that I’ll let you go.”

“That’s a generous offer,” I said, glancing at Abigail, who was waiting beside me with a tense expression. “What about the rest of my crew?”

“They can go as well, sir. Your entire crew, even the woman who stole her, can walk away from this. All we want is the girl. The rest is negotiable.”

I paused, staring at the holo of the Galactic Dawn. It was so big, so majestic, like a god compared to me and mine. I was nothing to this man, just a piece of shit who had what he wanted. Any other day, he would have walked over my corpse and never thought a thing about it. Not that I could blame him.

“There’s an issue I take with that, if you don’t mind me saying, General.”

“Whatever it is, I’m sure we can—”

“The little girl you want, the one with the tattoos and the stupid questions…she’s as much a part of this crew as me, and I ain’t letting her go. Not with the Union. Not with the Sarkonians—” A crack in space opened and a green swirling light appeared before us. “—and especially not with you.”

I clicked the com off. “The slipspace tunnel is open. Please proceed forward,” said Sigmond.

I eased the ship into the tunnel, disappearing inside.

“Wait a second,” said Abigail. “Where does this passage come out at?”

Sigmond’s answer came immediately. “According to the star chart, the next slip gap point along this path is…” The holo transformed into a map of the star cluster, zooming in on the destination in question. “The center of Sarkonian space, approximately six million kilometers from Sarkon, their capital planet.”

Abigail and I looked at one another right as we entered the rift. “Shit,” we each said, turning back to the green light as it continued to surround our ship.

Seventeen

“Dammit, Siggy!” I barked, slamming my fist on the console in front of me. “Why didn’t you tell me where this thing went before we got inside?”

“Apologies, sir, but you didn’t ask,” responded Sigmond.

I went to yell at him a second time, but stopped, choosing instead to count to ten. “One. Two. Three.”

“What are you doing?” asked Abigail.

“Trying my best not to shoot my own ship, if I’m being honest.”

“Well, don’t. I need you to keep your head on straight if we’re going to make it out of this.”

“I won’t murder Siggy today, but not because you told me not to.”

Heading deeper into Sarkonian space, especially their homeworld, was not something I was eager to do. Not only was it dangerous for someone with fake papers like me, but we’d already encountered their military, and somehow they’d known all about the bounties on our heads, despite the fact that the Union and the Sarkonian Empire never worked together on anything before. For them to discard decades of rivalry, distrust, and animosity just to turn in a few bounties seemed more than unrealistic. It was just plain ridiculous.

No, there had to be more to it than that. Something bigger that I couldn’t see. I had to figure this shit out.

“Where are you going?” Abigail asked as I was getting to my feet.

“To interrogate our prisoners about what to expect when we arrive,” I explained. “We know the Union and the Sarkonians are working together, but we need to find out why. Since we can’t access the gal-net inside slipspace, those two jackasses are our only leads.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“No, stay here and help Siggy monitor the tunnel,” I ordered, opening the door. I stepped out into the lounge.

“Isn’t that something he does on his own?” she asked, right as the door slid shut.

“It sure is,” I said in a low voice as I continued through the ship.

I’d never been in the heart of Sarkonian space. Like the Union, it was a region I generally ignored, if I could help it.

I’d only encountered the Sarkonians a handful of times, although those instances had spiked in recent weeks, thanks to the blunder back in Spiketown.

I entered the cargo bay and took the stairs. “Open the wall, Siggy,” I said, unholstering my pistol.

The door slid up, revealing the two prisoners. Alphonse sat with his legs crossed on the floor, while Docker remained in the far corner, sitting much further away, arms tied and the gag back around his mouth. The light from the bay hit them both, but only Docker flinched.

“Back already?” asked Alphonse.

“Take your friend’s gag off,” I ordered, motioning at Docker with my gun.

“Yes, Captain,” said the young man, politely. He unwrapped the cloth from Docker’s mouth, but it was tightly bound, making it difficult to remove. After some yanking, which I could tell was unpleasant, based on Docker’s expression, Alphonse managed to get it free, discarding the gag on the floor.

Docker stretched his jaw and licked his chapped lips, squinting at me as he drew close enough for more outer light to touch him. He let out an exasperated groan. “Thank you for finally—”

“Shut up,” I demanded. “Tell me why the Sarkonians know about the bounties on me and my crew. They’re on a separate network. They don’t use the gal-net. Why would they bother looking us up and turning us in?”

He wrinkled his nose. “I don’t know a lot about that.”

“Sure, you do,” I countered. “I bet you both know plenty.”

“The only thing I’ve seen is the Sarkonians are working with the Union to find this ship, but that’s all,” he insisted.

“You don’t know why they agreed to it?”

He shook his head. “Wish I did. Really!”

“Is that really all you know, Docker?” I cocked the hammer on the pistol, and it echoed through the bay. “Are you sure there’s not something you’re leaving out?”

“I-I told you the truth a second ago, I swear! There’s nothing else really at all, I swear to all the gods!” he was talking so fast I thought he might pass out. The crippling anxiety in his voice told me everything I needed to know.

“Fine.” I couldn’t tell if there was any other information in that idiot worth pulling out. For now, I’d have to assume he’d given me everything and rely on Alphonse for the rest. I turned and pointed the gun at him. “Your turn, kid.”

He eyed the barrel. “I see.”

“Start talking. This gun is getting heavy, and I’d sooner shoot you both than keep it raised.”

“You might not like what I have to say, Captain. How do I know you won’t shoot me just because you’re angry?”

“I need you to keep my people alive. If you help me do that, I won’t hurt you,” I said. “But, if I find out you’re bullshitting me, I’ll kill every last piece of you.”

He stared at me for a few seconds, a cold, emotionless look on his face. I couldn’t tell if he was planning a surprise attack, plotting an escape, or recounting his favorite soap opera, his face was so empty. “All right, Captain Hughes. I’ll tell you what you want to know.”

This fucking guy, I thought, staring into those strange eyes.

He cleared his throat. “Docker is correct. The Sarkonians are working with the Union, but what he didn’t say is that they aren’t in this for the bounty on your head.”

“How’s that, now?” I asked.

“The Union offered the Sarkonian government a truce, allowing them direct access to 50% of Deadland space without having to worry about Union interference.”

I considered this for a moment, laying out the star map in my head. The Deadlands made up a large chunk of space, with dozens of systems in it, all of it between the borders of the Union and Sarkonian Empire. Most of the region was utterly lawless, which made it easy for folk like me to come and go. The Union and the Sarkonians remained content to leave the uncivilized region to itself for the better part of two centuries. Until recently, of course, as I’d witnessed firsthand. “You mean the Union and the Sarkonians are planning to take over the Deadlands?”

“I don’t know if the Union means to conquer their side of the Deadlands adjacent to their border. The dominant view right now in Ambrosia is that it’s too much work to police it all. There’s also not enough resources there to make the expansion worthwhile.” He crossed his arms. “But the Sarkonians are different. They’re restricted to half a dozen sectors and a handful of systems within their own territory. They have no other choice but to expand, which means they need the Deadlands, even if the worlds are remote, chaotic, and disorganized.”

“Wait a second here,” I said, waving my pistol. “Are you saying the Union’s going to let them expand their borders just for capturing us?”

He grinned. “That’s exactly what I’m telling you, Captain.”

“But that’s crazy. The Sarkonians are violent and stupid. The Union hates them. Why would they make a deal like that?”

With his arms still crossed, Alphonse opened his palm and leaned forward, like he was inviting me to connect the dots. “What do you have that they want?”

“Wait, you’re saying it’s because of Lex?”

He nodded. “The one and only.”

“But, why go through all that trouble for just one kid?”

“Ah, now that’s the real question, isn’t it?” asked Alphonse with a slight smirk. “Why risk your very security, all to procure a single child? I must admit, Captain, I’m also in the dark, but I’m oh-so fascinated to learn the truth.”

I scoffed at the idea of it all. The Union was willing to risk their own security, their own borders, just to find my ship and the little albino.

“You know too much to be some shitty ensign,” I said, looking at his rank insignia. A single yellow bar on his collar.

“Do I?” he asked, not hiding his amusement. “I suppose that’s true.”

I took a step back and lowered the gun. Tapping my ear, I said, “Drop the door. I’m done here.”

“Yes, sir,” said Sigmond, and the wall began to slide down.

“Until next time, Captain Hughes,” called Alphonse. “Please, do try not to die.”

* * *

I gathered everyone in the lounge. Freddie, Abigail, Hitchens, and Octavia. Meanwhile, Siggy managed to distract Lex with a game in her room. She didn’t need to hear any of this.

“Please tell me you have a plan,” said Abigail.

“Did the prisoners give you any information?” asked Octavia.

I nodded. “It’s not good news, in case you’re wondering.”

“Of course it’s not,” said Abigail. “Why should we expect otherwise?”

“Basically,” I continued, ignoring the nun’s sass. “The Union made a deal with the Sarkonians for our heads. If they deliver us to Brigham, they get to invade the Deadlands, uncontested.”

Hitchens dropped his jaw. “A-Are you being serious?”

“That does seem like a stretch, just to capture us,” said Freddie, who looked equally surprised.

Abigail pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes. “Gods.”

“I didn’t believe it at first, either,” I said.

“Are you certain the intelligence on this is good?” asked Freddie.

“No, I’m not, but Alphonse was right about the cloak, so maybe he’s telling the truth.”

“I can’t believe they’d go this far just to stop us and capture Lex.” Freddie shook his head. “All this for a little girl who never did anything wrong.”

I glanced down at Octavia, who was sitting quietly in her wheelchair. She seemed to be lost in thought, her eyes drifting along the floor to the base of the wall. “You have anything to add, Octavia?”

She blinked, looking at me. “Hm? Oh, I apologize, Captain. I was thinking...”

“How’s that going for you?” I asked.

She stroked her wrist with her index finger for several seconds, like she was trying to put her thoughts together. “I believe the ensign was telling you the truth.”

“You do?” I asked. “You got a hunch about it?”

“It’s far more than that,” she explained. “Do you recall the information I shared with you about Lex’s biology?”

“Sure,” I said, looking at Abigail. “Something about fast healing and perfect cell replication.”

“Close enough. I’ve been busy working on it.”

Abigail stiffened. “Have you found anything more?”

“We already know the cells in her body are perfect. They perform tasks with optimal efficiency, without deterioration, hence the lack of scarring as well as her incredible healing. However, such a thing is impossible in nature, at least as we know it. I wasn’t sure at first, but it must be artificial. I don’t know how, but someone found a way to create a genetically perfect human being.”

She paused, perhaps expecting someone to speak, but we were all caught up in what she was saying that none of us felt the need. All our eyes were on Octavia. “I’ve found no trace of any modification, even after testing her several times and repeatedly biopsying her cells. Thanks to the equipment we procured from the medical station, I can finally tell you that there is no sign of post-natal engineering. By that I mean, I do not believe the Union ever changed her DNA sequencing or cell behavior once she was out of the womb. I think she was born this way.”

“But you just said the changes weren’t natural,” said Freddie.

“Correct,” she confirmed. “I believe this was done to her, either in the womb or as a simple embryo. I have no way of knowing, not without an entire lab and staff at my disposal, but it’s currently my working theory, given the technology at our disposal. I could be completely wrong and maybe the Union really did do this to her, but considering the reports about how she was found, it stands to reason that she origins are elsewhere, someplace beyond Union control. They found her on a fringe planet in an insignificant village. She arrived there in a small pod of unknown design. That’s the story we’ve heard. It’s what the report stated. We have no way to clarify it, even if we wanted to, but if it is all true, then somewhere in the galaxy, by some unknown organization or individual, Lex’s true parentage is waiting. Who knows where they are or why they did it? But I firmly believe the ones responsible have yet to be found.”

“All of this is sounding pretty outrageous,” I said. “You’re saying that Lex was made in a lab, but you don’t know for sure, and you don’t know when or why or by who. Is that about right?”

She nodded. “It’s difficult for me to know, as I said, and I’m not an expert on human biology. I have six years of medical school, but there were people with a lifetime of experience in those Union facilities, working tirelessly with the best equipment available, and I suspect they didn’t fully understand it, either.”

“But that’s why they want her back,” said Abigail. “They know she’s special. It’s not just the tattoos and the way she affects the ancient Earth artifacts. It’s her entire biology they’re after.”

“She’s unique,” agreed Octavia. “And that’s what makes her dangerous.”

I scoffed. “Dangerous? She’s just a kid.”

“Imagine an army, an entire military, with healing capabilities,’ she cautioned. “Imagine the implications if the Union could weaponize that kind of genetic engineering.”

“I’d rather not imagine it at all,” said Freddie.

“Worse yet,” said Hitchens. “The artifacts I’ve collected can only be powered by the child’s markings. If Earth does indeed possess a more sophisticated collection, we might be looking at a potentially devastating new arsenal of weapons, the likes of which this galaxy has not seen in millennia.” He tapped his chin. “As advanced as ancient Earth was said to be, its weaponry could be beyond our understanding.”

Octavia lowered her eyes. “The strongest military power in the galaxy could become the only military power. Their conquest would be catastrophic.”

“If all of that is true,” muttered Freddie. “Then, it’s no wonder they’re willing to let the Sarkonians encroach on the Deadlands. If they have Lex and Earth, then what do a few more systems matter?”

“If nothing else,” continued Octavia. “This confirms what we have suspected. The Union will do anything to repossess what we stole, no matter the cost.”

I knew what I was hearing was out there, but it also made a certain kind of sense. The Union had sent their most powerful ship after us, with a seasoned General at the helm, and hundreds of strike ships. They’d made a deal with the Sarkonians, of all groups, just for the chance at getting Lex again. There was no other reason to do those things and take so many risks except if the ends justified the means. It was the most insane shit I’d ever heard in my life, but it was real and it was happening…and I was locked squarely in the center of it.

“Doesn’t matter,” I said, hooking my thumb on my belt. “That kid ain’t going anywhere, ‘cept with us.”

Octavia nodded. “A statement we can all agree upon.”

“Captain, if I might be so bold,” said Hitchens, clearing his throat. “What is your plan, moving forward? Do you have one yet?”

I glanced out the window, staring at the green glow of the slipspace tunnel. “I’ll let you know as soon as I do, Doc. For now, let’s just worry about staying ahead of all the people trying to kill us.”

He swallowed. “Dear me.”

Eighteen

Siggy scanned the system the second the tunnel opened. Before it was closed, he had a read-out of everything from the number of planetoids to a light scan of the Sarkonian homeworld, Sarkon. More importantly, he had a tally of every ship in the system, most of them militarized.

“This doesn’t look good,” Abigail said as the information started coming in over the holo.

I couldn’t disagree. I had expected there to be dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of Sarkonian ships flying in and around Sarkon, but I never believed we’d see the fleet, itself, sitting at the other end of this tunnel. I’d assumed they’d be off near the border, assaulting Badland colonies or clashing with neighboring raiders, not waiting here by their lonesome… all for us.

No, not waiting. They couldn’t have known The Star would show up, unless the Union had told them.

But, if that had been the case, wouldn’t they have met us head-on, the second we entered the system? They had to be here for some other reason, right?

I pushed the question out of my head. There were more pressing concerns right now than what the Sarkonian fleet was up to. For starters, we had the Union after us, and it wouldn’t take them long to get here. Brigham would arrive in minutes, bringing hundreds of strike ships with him, all with the sole purpose of capturing us.

No, wait. That wasn’t right, I had to remind myself. The old bastard wasn’t after me. I was nothing to the Union but a Renegade with a deathwish. They only wanted the kid, and they’d do whatever it took to get her back, because she was a prize. A weapon to be used.

But only if I let them.

“Siggy, how many tunnels branch off from this system?” I asked, trying to focus.

“Sarkon lies at the center of a large intersection of slip tunnels. There are eight connecting paths, making this one of the most prominent slip gap points in the region,” explained the A.I.

“That’s a lot of options,” muttered Abigail. “Which one of them takes us to where we want to go?”

“If you are referring to the course we previously charted, the corresponding tunnel lies on the other side of Sarkon, beyond the fleet. I am displaying coordinates now.”

The holo changed, showing the entire system and all five planets, their moons, and anything large enough to qualify as a ship. Another dot blinked beyond Sarkon, near the fourth planet, indicating our new destination.

“Of course, we’d have to get around that fleet,” I said, sighing. “Why can’t you ever make it easy for me, Siggy?”

“Apologies, sir. I shall endeavor to do so in the future.”

“How do you expect us to get around that?” asked Abigail.

I thought for a second, weighing the options. I could run for it, risk everything, hope for the best, maybe make it through somehow. Running and gunning had worked for me in the past. Hell, I just dodged the Galactic Dawn by doing just that, but the ships here were spread out too far, all across the system. It would be nearly impossible to get there without a fight. On the other hand, I could go around, leave the system, come back on the other side, but in doing so, I’d risk drawing attention through Sarkon’s long-range detection grid. In fact, I was pretty sure they’d spot me soon if I didn’t figure something out.

“We have to use the cloak,” I finally said. “Siggy, you got that?”

“Right away, sir.”

Abigail gave me a surprised look. “Didn’t you say the Union was using your cloak to track us?”

“They’re already on their way here, which means it doesn’t matter.”

“Why?” she asked.

“They already know where we went, and it’s impossible to track us from inside the tunnel, which means they’ll have to wait until they come out again. That gives us a few minutes where we can use the cloak safely, without worrying about detection, get through this fleet, and grab a one-way ticket out of this shitstorm.”

“I see,” she said, working through the plan. “All we have to do is get to the tunnel before General Brigham arrives.”

“Exactly,” I said, motioning at the blinking dot on the holo. “We’ll just have to hurry.”

I plugged in the flight commands, bringing the ship away from the slip tunnel entrance and moving us towards our destination.

“Wait a second,” said Abigail. “What if the Union showed the Sarkonians how to track your cloak?”

The question took me by surprise. “They wouldn’t do that,” I muttered. “It would give the Sarkonians too much power. They could use that to track Union ships. Think about it.”

“That makes sense,” she said.

“We’ll be fine. Don’t worry.” I tried to sound convincing, but the truth was that I had no fucking idea what the Union would do. If everything Alphonse had told me was true, then they might actually be willing to give up classified information, so long as it meant finding my ship. Whatever the cost, just to get their key to Earth.

I swallowed, blinking a few times as we drew closer to the fleet. The holo changed, showcasing several of the Sarkonian ships, each with their emblems on the hull. Most of them had one or two quad cannons. The larger vessels carried more than that. Getting caught right now would mean the end of everything. The end of all of us.

As The Renegade Star flew closer to the planet, Sarkon, one of the orbital ships began to move. It curved toward us, heading in the direction of the tunnel we had just left. I pulled the ship to the left, moving out of the way, but it also brought us closer to one of the Sarkonian freighters, a bulking transport vessel at least seventy-five times the size of my own. I eased us back, slowing our momentum, letting the departing ship get past us before bringing The Star back on its previous path.

I breathed when we were on our way again, getting farther from the fleet.

Still nothing, I thought as I continued to monitor the other ships’ movements. None of them appeared to notice us as we edged our way through the system. I had to keep thrusters at a minimum, which doubled our crawl-time. It was a necessary sacrifice, as a large burst of heat could reveal our position. Even with a cloak, I still had to mind my actions.

It took about ten minutes to reach the tunnel’s entrance. Only a few ships were lingering nearby, likely having just arrived. One or two seemed to be prepping to depart, which was good news for us. Each of the vessels took off toward Sarkon, one-at-a-time, leaving us alone after only a few minutes.

I was about to give the order to open the tunnel when Siggy’s voice chimed in. “Sir, a slipspace tunnel is opening on the far side of the system. I believe it is the UFS Galactic Dawn.”

I glanced down at the holo display to see that he was indeed correct. The Union starship was arriving. “Siggy, drop our cloak,” I ordered.

“Understood,” said the A.I.

Abigail tensed, leaning forward as she watched The Galactic Dawn emerge from the rift. She looked like she was about to say something when Siggy interjected.

“Picking up a transmission,” he said. “Sarkon is contacting the UFS Galactic Dawn.”

“Can we listen in?” I asked.

“Affirmative. Patching through now.”

There was a short pause, followed by a few seconds of static, and then…

“…ome in, Union vessel! Halt your trajectory and stand down at once! You are in violation of sanction three-two-six-nine of the Androsia Convention! Stand down at once!”

A familiar voice answered almost immediately. “Sarkonian fleet, this is General Marcus Brigham. I am in pursuit of a fugitive ship passing through your system. The Union and Sarkonian Empire have agreed to work together to retrieve the runaway ship, so I suggest you suspend your aggression.”

This time, a woman’s voice answered. “General Brigham, this is High Commander Prynn Deschalla of the Sarkonian Empire. You have not been authorized to enter this system. I strongly advise you to return to your previous destination.”

“Perhaps I was unclear,” said the General. “I am pursuing a fugitive ship known as The Renegade Star. We already have an agreement with you—”

“That agreement only permits your ship to enter specific systems within the Sarkonian Empire’s territory. That does not include Sarkon. Your being here is inexcusable.”

“With all due respect, if you would simply let me continue my mission, I—”

“We must insist that you return, General! This is not up for debate or negotiation. If there is a fugitive in our system, we shall recover them, not you. That was the agreement we signed, if you’ll remember.”

“There’s no time for an argument,” said Brigham. “Either step aside or help me, but decide quickly. I don’t have all day to sit here and—”

A single Sarkonian ship, which the holo designated as The Panchello, fired a missile towards the bow of The Galactic Dawn, hitting its shield.

The com went dead, cutting off the moment the blast struck.

“Here we go,” I muttered.

Suddenly, a mass firefight ensued, with The Galactic Dawn returning shots toward the mounting fleet, striking several at once and disabling them.

The Sarkonian fleet retaliated together, bombarding the Union carrier with hundreds of missiles, each one colliding with the massive shield. It wouldn’t be long before they managed to penetrate The Galactic Dawn’s defenses, though they were sure to suffer heavy losses.

Strike ships exited from the ship, setting their sights on the Sarkonians in quick time. The two fleets engaged, creating an impromptu warzone.

“Now, Siggy!” I barked. “Open the tunnel while they’re killing each other.”

“Doing so now,” said the A.I.

A glowing rift formed ahead of us, splitting the darkness. I held the controls and pushed us forward, easing us into the center.

I was about to let myself relax when the cockpit jerked sideways and a warning light came on; we’d just been struck by a missile. The force of the inertial shift forced Abigail from her seat, slamming her into the console. I caught her arm before she could fall on the floor.

“Captain Hughes, stand down,” said a female’s voice over the com. It sounded vaguely familiar. “This is Commander Mercer Equestri. Surrender now or we will fire a second time.”

“Siggy, raise shields!” I snapped.

Our shields went up fast, just in time to take the following attack from the incoming vessel. Before I could say anything else, a woman’s face appeared on my holo. She had a scar across her face, and I recognized her immediately. “Stop where you are, Captain Hughes!”

“Shit, I didn’t think I’d ever see that woman again,” I muttered.

“What is she doing here?” asked Abigail, still in my arms.

I eased her back onto her seat. “If I only knew,” I said, shaking my head. “I thought we were clear of her.”

“Captain,” continued Mercer, who could neither see nor hear me. “If you think I’m letting you through this tunnel, you’re—"

I grabbed the controls. “Siggy, take us into the tunnel as fast as you can! Disregard safety protocols! Move!”

“As you wish, sir.”

I tabbed the console, unloading one of my mines behind us, and raising the shield once the bomb was clear. With the mine at our rear, I pressed the activation switch.

The explosion hit our shield, setting off several alarms throughout the ship, and sent us barreling forward, into the rift. We began to spin as we entered.

“Enemy vessel is charging weapons,” said Sigmond.

“Doesn’t matter!” I snapped, holding onto the control sticks, trying to level us out. We continued to turn as we fell into the green tunnel. “We’re in!”

The slipspace rift closed as we continued forward. The Star wavered, unsteadily, veering close to the tunnel wall. “Careful!” yelled Abigail.

“I know!” I shouted back, my hands all over the controls. Before I could actually level us, I felt the impact of the outer limits of the tunnel as we grazed the electrical field. I heard wrenching, tearing sounds coming from the hull, violently shaking the entirety of my ship. “Fuck!” I shouted, bracing myself for what I was sure to be a terrible rest of the day. “Hold on!”

Nineteen

“Hull breach detected. Applying seals to surrounding units.” Siggy’s voice sounded like a distant whisper as The Renegade Star continued to spin out of control inside the slipspace tunnel.

“Do something, Jace!” yelled Abigail, gripping her seat to keep herself from getting thrown again.

I pulled back on the controls and hit the stabilizers, slowing our spin. “Siggy, try to compensate for—”

Before I could finish, I saw a tear form in front of us, signaling the end of this tunnel. “Exiting slip tunnel,” announced Sigmond.

I pressed my hands on the console. “Already?!”

The tunnel light quickly faded as we left the opening and re-entered normal space. It closed quickly behind us and, much to my relief, everything went quiet and still. The chaos of the tunnel was suddenly gone.

“Siggy, what just happened? Did we make it?”

“You are correct, sir. According to the star chart that Doctor Hitchens provided, we have arrived at the next slip gap point.”

I breathed a sigh of relief, but knew I couldn’t slow down. “Chart a course for the next one, and hurry. We need to move as fast as we can. I’m sure I pissed off that Mercer gal somethin’ bad.”

“Sir, a quick note before we continue,” said Sigmond.

“Go ahead, but make it quick,” I said.

“This S.G. Point contains, multiple additional tunnels. Four, to be precise.”

“Another intersection?” I asked. It was a surprise, considering how rare they were. No one knew exactly how tunnels formed or why so many ended and began near one another, but it was uncommon to find more than a few in one place. For us to encounter two different slip gap points, each with several tunnels, within the same few hours was highly unlikely.

“According to the atlas, our path is here,” said Sigmond, and a map formed on the holo, highlighting our next destination, the third tunnel from our location.

“Let’s keep going. We don’t have time to waste sitting here,” I said.

“Maybe we’ll get lucky and our pursuers will think we took another path,” said Abigail.

“We should expect the worst, although I like the optimism.” Without taking any time to recover from any of the damage we took in the last one, I had Siggy open another tunnel. We were on the run now, for better or worse.  “How long before we get there?” I asked.

“Fourteen lightyears to the next S.G. Point, then we have two other connections,” said Sigmond. “Altogether, it will take us five hours to reach the end.”

“Not bad,” I said, taking the controls and maneuvering us into position. I was about to enter the tunnel when I stopped to consider an alternative. “Wait a second.”

“Something wrong?” asked Abigail.

“Siggy, how many mines do we have left?” I asked.

“Six,” he said.

“Not as much as I’d like, but it should do.”

“What are you rambling about?” asked Abigail.

“The mines, obviously,” I said.

It took her a second to realize what I was planning. “Wait a minute, Jace, you can’t just drop those in the middle of nowhere at an S.G. Point. What if a civilian ship hits them?”

“We don’t have time for an argument. What do you think is more likely, anyway? A bunch of schoolkids comes out this way…or we’re followed by an army of pissed of Sarkonians? Did you see what I did to that Mercer woman’s ship? She’s coming after us with everything she’s got.”

“There’s still a chance you might not hit her, though,” said Abigail. “Think about the risks.”

“I’ll do what’s necessary to keep this crew alive.” I tabbed the console and began releasing several mines into the area, ordering them to disperse equally around the slip gap point. “If that means planting a few bombs in the middle of nowhere and not knowing who they’ll end up hitting, then so be it. It’s the best option on the table.”

The look on Abigail’s face told me she disapproved. Still, she didn’t argue, and that meant she understood.

A rift formed and we entered it, passing into the new tunnel and leaving the S.G. Point behind. Whatever soul was unfortunate enough to follow us, I hoped they deserved what they found.

* * *

The lounge was half-destroyed when I got there, all the chairs and stools turned on their side. The contents of the fridge were all over the floor, too, as well as the Union coffeemaker I’d acquired from that ship.

Piece of shit, I thought as I glared at it before continuing to the side corridor.

Lex was sitting on her bed, swinging her legs back and forth with a curious expression. She watched as Freddie and Hitchens tried to pick up the room, since it was littered with tossed clothes. “Everyone okay?” I asked, leaning on the door frame.

Hitchens, with a pile of Octavia’s shirts in his arms, waddled over to me. “Ah, Captain! I take it we’ve arrived safely? How fares the ship?”

“We’re a little beat up, but we’ll fly.”

Freddie waved at me before tossing a small pile on Lex’s head. She giggled and kicked a pair of pants at his face, smacking him in the forehead. “Hey!” he said, laughing. “You’re playing dirty!”

“Well, looks like you’re all fine,” I said, trying not to look amused. “Where’s Octavia?”

“She’s in the cargo bay, checking on our lab equipment. I believe there was some damage to the microscope and blood samples, but nothing we can’t replace,” explained Hitchens.

“I need to see about our Union guests, anyway,” I said.

“I wanna see her, too!” said Lex, jumping up from the bed and racing out of the room. She passed by me and I quickly jerked out of the way.

“Hey, slow down!” I called, but she was already gone.

“She’s just excited,” said Freddie.

“Better that than scared, I guess.”

He nodded. “How are we looking with the map? Are we close yet?”

“We’re a few hours from wherever it is we’re going.”

They both looked at one another. “Are you saying we’re nearing Earth?” asked Freddie.

“No, I’m saying the map is almost done,” I corrected. “Who the hell knows what we’ll find?”

“Whatever it is,” said Hitchens, “I only hope it leads us to the truth.”

I left the two of them behind and made my way to the cargo bay. We didn’t have much time before we arrived out of this tunnel, which meant whatever repairs we had to make would have to be done quickly.

Octavia was halfway through the hall when I found her, well on her way to the cargo bay. She had to move slowly, due to all the fallen junk in the middle of the floor. “You need some help?” I asked when I reached her.

“No, I believe I nearly have it,” she wheezed, stretching to reach a piece of metal that had broken free of the wall and kept her from progressing. She swooped it up after a moment and set it to the side, against the wall.

“Looks like we took a beating, but so far nothing’s seriously damaged,” I said.

“We’ll see. I haven’t seen the lab equipment yet.”

“I need to check on the prisoners, too,” I said, taking the back of her wheelchair and pushing. “Let’s see if we can speed this up.”

“You’re a gentleman,” she remarked. “Just don’t expect anything from me. I’m married to my work.”

“What about Hitchens?” I asked with a light smirk.

“You should worry about your ship right now, Captain.”

When we entered the upper deck of the cargo bay, I glanced around, looking for Lex. “Where’s the kid?”

“She sped past me on the way. Maybe she’s down the stairs?”

“Someone needs to strap her in so she doesn’t keep running off,” I suggested.

“She has too much energy for such a small space, that’s all.” Octavia rolled over to the table with the microscope. Several vials had fallen to the floor, shattered and broken. She didn’t seem surprised or bothered by it.

I left her to handle her own business and ascended the stairs. I quickly noticed some damage to the retracting deck on the far side of the room. “Siggy, why didn’t you report that?” I asked.

“Report what, sir?” responded the A.I.

“The fucked-up deck. Are your sensors okay?”

“Apologies, sir. It seems some of my damage detection is malfunctioning for this portion of the ship. I will need to analyze my sensors to initiate repairs.”

“Great, so we need to fix something just so we can see what else needs to be fixed. Maybe we’ll get lucky out here and run into a repair station.”

“Highly unlikely,” responded Sigmond, not quite getting my sarcasm.

I ignored him, walking out into the middle of the bay, scanning for the kid. “Lex, where are—”

I stopped when I saw her, standing between a man’s arms, there beneath the upper catwalk, right outside the cell.

The wall was half-open, somehow, probably a result of the damage we’d taken in the tunnel.

“There you are,” said Alphonse, holding her. “I was wondering what took you so long.”

He had a gash on his forehead, with blood streaming down his cheek, and I spotted a body behind him. It could only be Docker.

“Alphonse, what did you do?” I asked.

“I took care of a problem,” he answered. “Docker was trying to hurt the girl, but I stopped him. Now, she’s safe.” He moved his arm off of her shoulder and she came running to me. “I need to sit down now, if you don’t mind.”

He stumbled backwards, into a crate, wavering for a second.

I looked at Lex. “Did the other one try to hurt you?”

She nodded. “Yeah, it was scary.”

“Hey, go upstairs, okay? Go wait with Octavia for me.”

She ran to the stairs and took off. I pulled out my pistol, just in case this whole thing was a trap, and edged my way over to the cell, trying to get a better look at Docker.

“He’s dead. I made certain,” said Alphonse. His eyes were swirling, like he was about to pass out.

“What happened to you?” I asked.

He smirked. “Took a hit from a pipe,” he answered. “Really, Captain, you should get your plumbing looked at. There’s far too many loose pipes around here.”

Then, he passed out.

* * *

“Holy shit,” said Abigail as she entered the cargo bay and saw the dead body.

“I know,” I said, crossing my arms.

Freddie was right behind her, an equal look of shock on his face. “What happened? Is he okay?”

“No, he’s not okay, Freddie. He’s dead.”

“How? And what’s with the other one?” He pointed to the second floor, where Alphonse was lying on a table.

“He’s fine, just unconscious,” said Octavia, sitting beside him.

I’d moved him, since Octavia couldn’t climb the stairs.

“What happened?” asked Freddie.

“Siggy, play the audio,” I said.

There was a short pause, followed by a light click, and then the recording played, beginning with a long stretch of silence, followed by some static and what could only be hard turbulence from our impact inside the slip tunnel.

A worried voice, unsteady and frantic, quivered as the loud tearing and banging continued. “What’s going on?!”

Another voice answered, much calmer and in control. “Perhaps we’re under attack.”

“Is it the Union?” asked the frightened voice, which was becoming clearer now. “Don’t they know we’re onboard?”

“If General Brigham attacked this ship, we would have been destroyed by now. It must be someone else.”

“Brigham wouldn’t do that, would he?”

“It doesn’t matter, Docker. Just don’t think about it.”

“What? Why would you say that?”

“The Union probably assumes we’re dead. Even if they found out we’re prisoners, they wouldn’t put any value on our lives…not compared to the mission.”

“You’re just saying that because you’ve been giving these people information. I’m not some traitor like you. They’ll come for me.”

“You’re being stupid. No one cares about you, aside from your family. We’re just pawns in all this.”

“And you’re a coward,” he countered.

“That’s funny, you calling me that. I seem to remember we both surrendered, back on our ship.”

“At least I tried to escape when I had the chance. You just sat in this room.”

“And you failed, I seem to recall. You can’t—” Another hard burst of turbulence interrupted him.

“I need to get out of here!” exclaimed Docker. He started banging on the wall. “Gods, let me out! Let me out!”

“Stop, you idiot!” said Alphonse. “There’s no point in yelling. You can’t get that door open from in here!”

“I have to!” he shouted. “I have to get out and talk to the General! He’ll help me!”

“General Brigham doesn’t care about you!” said Alphonse.

“Yes, he does! He’s a war hero!” he shouted. “All I have to do is…all I have to do is get that girl back!”

“Would you listen to yourself? You’re talking about escaping a locked room and getting off of a ship with no plan, despite the armed personnel and—”

“Shut up! Shut up or I’ll kill you right here!” yelled Docker. He was sounding more hysterical by the moment. “I can’t handle this! I just want to go home…I want to get back to my wife! I just want—”

A series of rapid tearing and banging sounds exploded through my earpiece, the loudest yet. It lasted for several seconds before finally going quiet.

“The-The door!” yelled Docker.

“It’s open?” asked Alphonse.

“Help me with it! We can get it the rest of the way if we—”

“Docker, stop, you’re going to get yourself killed if you start running through this ship!”

“I have to get out!” he shouted. A screeching noise, like metal sliding against metal. “Help me, Alphonse!”

It took them some time to open it, but we kept listening through the grinding and the screeching, despite how ear-piercingly awful it was.

“Docker, hold on a second. Let’s think this through. If you leave, you’ll only run into the crew, and you already know the captain isn’t afraid to shoot you.”

“I’ll get on the shuttle and run. It’s right down the hall above us. If we hurry, we can steal it. We just need a way out of—”

He suddenly stopped talking.

“What are you doing?” asked Lex in a curious voice. In all the commotion, neither had seen her coming, not until she was already in the cargo bay.

“I-It’s the girl,” muttered Docker. “Alphonse, it’s her!”

“I see that,” said Alphonse.

“H-Hey, little one, are you doing okay?” asked Docker.

“Um…yeah, I’m okay. Are you? Why is the door broken?”

“Don’t worry about that,” he answered. “Is anyone else around?”

“Yeah, Octavia is upstairs. She’s fixing something.”

“Oh, uh, that’s good. Can you help me out?”

“Docker, stop it,” whispered Alphonse. “Are you trying to get yourself killed? If any of the crew sees you talking to her, they’ll kill you on the spot.”

“Hey, come here,” he said, ignoring Alphonse. “We can’t see you from over there.”

“Um, I don’t think I’m supposed to,” said Lex.

“No, it’s okay. We’re friends of the Captain’s,” said Docker.

“Oh, um, really?”

Footsteps as she grew closer. “That’s right, it’s okay.”

“Stay back, girl!” ordered Alphonse. “Don’t come any—”

The recording stopped, cutting him off. Abigail and Freddie both looked at me, confused. “Is that it?” asked Fred.

“Seems so,” I said.

Sigmond chimed in. “Internal devices ceased to function properly at this time. I apologize for the inconvenience.”

“What does Lex say about it?” asked Freddie.

“She told me the two of them started fighting, beat on each other, and then Alphonse got the upper hand. That was only about twenty seconds before I got here, best I can tell.”

“I don’t get it,” said Freddie. “Why did Alphonse stop him from taking Lex?”

Abigail looked at me. “He knew we’d kill him if he tried.”

I nodded. “In a heartbeat. Besides, he didn’t know Siggy was having problems with the ship, or even what the turbulence was from, so maybe he figured taking the shuttle wouldn’t work. Siggy has protocols to stop that from happening, unless I authorize it.”

“I guess that makes sense,” muttered Freddie.

“Either way, we’ll question him when he’s awake,” I said.

Freddie stared at the body. “What do we do with him in the meantime?”

“We’re still in slipspace for another hour,” I said.

“Space him now,“ said Abigail, flatly. “That’s the only option for him.”

“Are we sure about that?” asked Freddie.

“She’s right,” I said. “It’s what he deserves.”

I helped the two of them pick him up and carry him. We wrapped him in a sheet and made sure Lex was in her room before taking him to the airlock. After placing him inside, I had Siggy open the hatch, releasing him into the slip tunnel.

They say when you release a body into slipspace, its atoms are destroyed and reformed into new energy. Scientists believe that the walls are in a constant state of nuclear fusion and fission, creating and destroying atoms on a constant loop. Some scientists think this is part of the reason it looks the way it does, but no one has been able to explain why or how it happens, only that it does.

Regardless, we sent Docker’s corpse into the stream, letting it float and collide with the inner wall, disintegrating upon impact. In less than a moment, his body ceased to exist. The truest form of death I could imagine.

Twenty

After sending Docker’s body into the slipstream, I wanted to turn my attention to the only remaining prisoner in my possession. However, Alphonse was incapacitated at the moment, which meant that would have to wait.

I gave Freddie a gun and told him to stay with both our resident cripple and the ensign. Even if Fred couldn’t shoot straight, Octavia was there with her own weapon, ready to kill if it came to it.

As for me and Abigail, we returned to the bridge right as the ship arrived at the next S.G. Point. Without missing a beat, I took us into the new tunnel, beginning the final slip towards our destination.

Abigail had the star chart up, examining our route. “It looks like we’ll pass over where we need to go,” she said.

“How’s that?” I asked.

“The tunnel is two lightyears too long. We’ll need to turn around, once we arrive.”

“Turn around? Without a slip tunnel, it would take us days to get there.”

“It’s the only option we have,” she said, giving me a light shrug.

“Meanwhile, we’ve got two armies after us, an unconscious prisoner, and a ship full of problems.”

“One thing at a time,” she said.

Abigail and I spent the next twenty minutes going over damage reports from each of the ship’s systems. From what I could tell, most of it was superficial, with some slight damage to the hull, cargo bay gate, and internal sensors. No serious problems with the atmospheric systems, weapons, or the engines, thank the gods.

I considered going back to check on Alphonse when Siggy’s voice came over the com. “Sir, we have a slight problem with our flight path. It’s—” Before he could say anything else the swirling green of the screen in front of me suddenly changed, reshaping to form the dark, black void of normal space. “—broken,” he finally finished.

“What just happened?” asked Abigail.

“As I was saying, internal scans of the tunnel showed that this slip gap point was prematurely formed,” said Sigmond.

“You mean this tunnel was cut in half?” I asked. “How the shit does that even happen?”

“Unknown, sir. However, it would seem we have arrived at our final destination.”

“Hold on, you mean that breach in the tunnel took us—”

“He’s right,” Abigail said, pulling up the star chart. “Look here. This is where the tunnel was supposed to take us—” She followed the line with her finger, then pulled it back. “—and instead, we’re here, right at the end of the original line.”

“The map still shows the tunnel going further out,” I observed.

“It must be outdated,” she said.

“Siggy, why did this happen?” I asked.

“It could be artificial, based on the instability of the current rift. However—”

“Artificial?” asked Abigail. “Is he saying that rift isn’t supposed to be there? That someone put it there?”

“I’ve heard of these,” I muttered. “People talk about breaks in the tunnels. They say they’re not supposed to be there, like someone dropped a bomb inside and tore open a new hole. I always thought it was bullshit, like the guys who say they’ve seen the gods sitting at the far end of the galaxy. You know, real kooky shit.”

“Sir, if you’ll allow me to continue,” said Sigmond.

“Oh, sorry, pal. I thought you were done.”

“Think nothing of it, sir,” he said. “As I was saying, the new rift could be artificial. However, the tunnel appeared to be intact when we entered it. I performed a long range internal scan of the tunnel and found that it would take us approximately two hours to reach the next S.G. Point.”

“In other words, that rift wasn’t there when we went into the tunnel,” I said.

“Correct.”

“What do you think that means?” I asked, looking at Abigail.

“Maybe it reacted to us, somehow,” she said.

We both sat there in silence for a minute, trying to put together what just happened. “Could it be something about the ship?” I finally asked.

“It could,” she said, “or it couldn’t. How do we find out?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we don’t.”

Abigail shook her head. “Sigmond, can you scan the system and show us where we are, specifically? Give me a detailed map of the area.”

“Working,” said the A.I. “Analysis complete.”

The holo display changed to show a binary star system. Six planets, twelve moons.

“Are any of these planets habitable?” asked Abigail.

No answer.

“Sigmond?”

“Apologies, madam. I was attempting a deep scan of one of the planets, which at first appeared incapable of sustaining life, but it seems I was mistaken.”

“So, it’s habitable?” I asked.

“Only a small portion, but I have no explanation for it. There is an area, twelve kilometers in radius, where the atmosphere is breathable.”

“So, there’s a circle of land where we can breathe?” asked Abigail.

“A three-dimensional semi-circle, by point of fact,” explained Sigmond. “It ends on the ground and extends two hundred meters at the center.”

“What the hell?” I muttered. “Is it some kind of colony?”

“There is no indication of colonization. I detect no humans or architecture.”

I leaned in to examine the circle. It was in the center of a spot of land near the middle of a continent. Nothing was particularly noteworthy about it, other than the fact that this existed. I’d never seen anything like it.

“And the atmosphere outside of whatever this is?” asked Abigail.

“Highly toxic,” answered Sigmond.

I couldn’t help but balk at all of this. “First we’re taken out of a slipspace tunnel without warning; now we’re looking at two atmospheres on a single planet, with no apparent reason. What the fuck is going on today?”

“It seems the closer we get to our goal, the more out-of-the-ordinary things become,” said Abigail.

“Siggy, list the contents of the atmosphere outside this so-called habitable zone,” I said, leaning closer to the dash.

Instantly, the display changed, showing a detailed list of the planet’s makeup.

95.31% carbon dioxide

1.91% argon

1.58% nitrogen

0.974% oxygen

0. 226% carbon monoxide

I glanced over the numbers. Yep, totally unlivable, I thought. You wouldn’t catch on fire from contact, but you’d sure as shit suffocate.

“Now, show the readout for the habitable portion,” said Abigail.

The screen changed and another list appeared, only this time was drastically different.

78.09% nitrogen

20.95% oxygen

0.93% argon

0.04% carbon dioxide

0.002% neon

0.0005% helium

0.00018% methane

“That looks much better,” said Abigail.

I scratched my head. “Why do you think it’s segmented like that?”

“You’re asking me?”

“I’m asking anyone. You just happened to be here,” I said.

She ignored my jab. “It can’t be natural, can it? There’s no way a bubble of breathable air just forms on a planet for no reason. Someone had to put it there. Sigmond, do you see anything artificial down there? Any signs of human technology?”

“Initial scans revealed none. However, I can perform a deep scan of the planet and provide more in-depth information.”

“Go ahead, please” said Abigail.

“Please stand by. This may take several moments.”

I got on my feet, continuing to stare at the planet sitting before us. My eyes found the continent where the circle was, and it didn’t take me long to spot the little green dot. It was small, though not so much you couldn’t see it, since it was surrounded by brown.

A little piece of life at the center of a wasteland.

* * *

Hitchens met me in the lounge. If anyone could help us figure out this mess, I figured it was him.

“Gracious, I really couldn’t say, Captain,” he said, staring at the pad I’d given him, which contained all the data we’d collected so far on the planet.

“Fucking seriously Professor?”

He raised his finger. “Doctor.”

“You need to give me something better than that,” I said.

He examined the data again, scratching his ear. “You say the tunnel opened prematurely?”

“That’s right.”

“And we have no idea why, except that it reacted to us?”

“Also right.”

He thought for a moment. “Could it be that it is something we have with us, rather than the ship, itself?”

“You mean our cargo?” I asked, trying to think of something that might be a match. “What about those artifacts of yours?”

“Ah!” he exclaimed, tapping his nose. “Now, there’s an idea!”

“You think so?” I asked.

“Could be, yes, could be! Oh, but,” he frowned, “without traveling back into the tunnel, we won’t be able to test it. Speaking of which, have you tried to reopen the rift? What happens if we can’t get it open again?”

“Slow down, Hitchens. You’re getting way too far ahead of yourself. What about those artifacts?”

“Ah, yes, I apologize.” He cleared his throat. “Little Lex was with me during the rupture. We were playing with the cube that your friend, the teenage girl from the mining town gave you. Now, what was the name of that city?”

“Spiketown,” I reminded him. “The girl’s name was Camilla.”

“Camilla!” he exclaimed, happily. “Such a nice family, those two. Her and her father. Bolin, was it?”

“Let’s reminisce later,” I said, trying to pull his attention back to what actually mattered. “This artifact, what did it do?”

“Ah, well, it was actually rather similar to the one that injured poor Lex’s hand.”

“Did this one do the same? Is she okay?” I asked.

“Oh, she’s perfectly fine, Captain. I tried to stop her from playing with it, but she’s so fast at her age, it’s hard for me to keep up.”

“What did it do when she touched it?”

“It activated a beam, the same as the other one, although it seemed to do nothing of note. I suspected it might simply be an artificial light source. Perhaps a toy of some kind.”

“Seems to me it’s more than that. Where’s Lex? And where’s the box?”

The answer to both, I learned, was in a bedroom down the hall. I found her fast asleep, sprawled out like wild animal. She must have been exhausted from everything that happened in the cargo bay, or maybe it was just the highs and lows of being a kid. Watching Alphonse kill Docker had to be stressful, but she’d been through worse since I met her.

I sat on the side of the bed and nudged her with my knuckles. “Kid,” I said, bluntly. “Hey, kid.”

She squirmed, clawing the pillow with her fingers, like she was reaching for something, and then went back to her original position.

I tapped her forehead with my index finger. “Hey, you little razorbeast. Wake up.”

She cracked her eyes and I could tell she’d been dreaming, just by the look on her face. It was like she’d been someplace else, far away from here. “Huh…? Mr. Hughes?”

“Hey, kid. You doing okay?”

She nodded, flinging her head up and down like she’d just had a burst of energy, and smiled.

“I wanted to ask you where that box you were playing with went to.”

“Huh?” she said. “Oh, the box!” She turned and reached beneath the pillow, inside the gap between the bed and wall. “It fell down here.”

I watched her pull it up with both hands, scratching the paint on the wall in the process, though I didn’t say anything. After a second, she handed it to me with a wide grin on her face. “This is it?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yeah, that’s the one Mr. Hitchens gave me to play with.”

“Think I can borrow it for a little bit?”

“Yeah!” she exclaimed. “Are you gonna play, too?”

I gave her a pat on the head. “Sure, kid. As soon as I figure out what the hell it does.”

* * *

I was on my way back to the cockpit with Hitchens when Siggy informed me that Alphonse was awake. “Tell Octavia I’m on my way.”

I told Hitchens to come with me so we might have a chance to figure out what was going on with this box. I took a deep breath as I thought about the day I was having. One thing at a time, I heard Abigail’s voice say inside my head. One thing at a time.

Alphonse was sitting up on the table with a patch over his forehead, looking dazed and half-asleep. It was a similar look to the one Lex had had only a few moments ago. “Welcome to the party,” said Freddie as Hitchens and I entered the upper deck of the cargo bay.

“How’s he doing?” I asked Octavia.

“Better, but he’s got a cracked skull. I’ve already applied some medi-gel, but that will take a few days to heal.”

“You hear that, Alphonse?” I asked.

He looked at me, blinking. “R-Right.”

I whistled. “Oh, yeah. He’s messed up bad.”

“He’ll be fine, as I said,” remarked Octavia. She swiveled in her chair to face Hitchens. “How’s Lex doing?”

He approached her side and placed a hand on the arm of her chair. “She’s tired herself out. We left her resting in Ms. Pryar’s room.”

I leaned in closer to Alphonse. “Hey, you and I need to have a conversation.”

“A…conversation?” he asked, trying to focus on my face.

I nodded. “About a few things, if you think you can handle it.”

He held the side of his head. “Your nurse here has me on some kind of—”

“Not a nurse,” interjected Octavia.

“—some kind of painkillers. I’m not sure…what, exactly, but…they’re definitely working.” His voice was suddenly wavering, like he could barely keep the words together.

“You stuck him full of drugs?” I asked.

Octavia shrugged. “I had to do something. He kept screaming when I tried to sew the wound.”

Alphonse started to close his eyes.

“Hey!” I snapped my fingers in front of his eyes. “Wake up, you idiot!”

He blinked, rapidly. “Sorry! I’m just so tired.”

“Before you pass out, tell me what happened with Docker,” I said.

“He tried to hurt the girl, and I…” He closed his eyes, briefly, then reopened them. “I…don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“I didn’t want to do it. He was right. We could’ve left. Taken the shuttle. Ran away. Stole the girl. She’s valuable. I couldn’t do it, though. She’s just a child. I…”

His eyelids drooped, and he began to waver where he sat. I took his shoulders and helped him lie down again. “Easy,” I said.

“Sorry,” he muttered, right as his back touched the table.

“One last thing,” I said, staring down at him.

He gave me a slight nod, and I could see the tiredness in his eyes. “Okay.”

“Who are you?” I asked. “And I want the truth about it.”

He took a long and steady breath, like he was savoring the air, like it was something to cherish, and exhaled it back out, licking his lips. “I’m Alphonse,” he finally answered. “An ensign in the Union Fleet.”

I sighed. “Not this again. I know there’s more to—”

“And I’m also a member of the Constables.”

My eyes suddenly widened at the sound of the term. The Constables. The assassin spies of the Union. I’d never encountered one before, not up close, never in-person. Not many had, the way I heard it. Constables were a secret arm of the government, sent to deal with every major threat in the known galaxy. They went where the Union couldn’t, drifting like ghosts in a field, never seen, but always there. Always watching.

I took a step back.

“Did he…” Freddie’s mouth hung open. “Did he just say he was a Constable?”

“I believe he did,” said Hitchens.

I stared down at Alphonse. His breathing had changed to a different cadence, indicating sleep. “Holy shit,” I finally managed to say. “Holy shit almighty.”

Twenty-One

“What kind of drugs do you have?” I asked, standing beside the table where Alphonse was lying.

“We managed to pick up a healthy supply at the station,” informed Octavia. “What kind do you want?”

“Something to keep him knocked out for a while,” I said.

“He has a head injury. I wouldn’t advise giving him any opiates right now, unless you want to risk putting him into a coma,” she said.

“I don’t want to leave you here alone with him,” I said. “What if he wakes up and tries something? He’s a goddamn Constable.”

“You or Abigail could simply stand guard beside me,” she said.

I shook my head. “We have another job.”

She and Hitchens exchanged looks. “What job?” asked Hitchens.

“Did you already forget about the planet outside? We have to act now if we’re going to beat the Sarkonians and the Union. If they figure out where we are, I want to be gone before they show up.”

“Oh! Of course, Captain,” said Hitchens. “Pardon my ignorance.”

“It’s fine,” I said, tapping his shoulder. “We just need to figure out exactly what the fuck is down there and why that map of yours brought us here.”

“What about me?” asked Freddie.

“Someone has to stay with Octavia, just in case she needs help with Alphonse.”

“You think because I’m in this chair I can’t kick an ass or two?” asked Octavia.

“Are you kidding? I have no doubt you could take down a dozen guys if they came at you, but someone has to watch your back.”

She looked at Freddie. “We’ll hold down the ship until everyone returns, then, won’t we?”

He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Remember,” I said, “you need to keep Alphonse contained. Even though he saved Lex from Docker, he still works for the Union.”

“Speaking of Lex, what are we doing with her?” asked Freddie.

“What do you mean?” I said.

“Should we keep her up here with…” He paused, glancing at the unconscious Constable on our table. “…this man?”

“She should be fine as long as the two of you stay on your guard,” I said.

“Actually, Captain, if I might,” interjected Hitchens.

“You have a better idea?” I asked.

He nodded. “Lex has the ability to activate the artifacts. It may behoove us to involve her in our expedition. If we encounter another atlas or a Cartographer, such as we did back on Epsilon, we may want her by our side.”

I considered what he was suggesting. Hitchens always had a talent for helping me to see the logical solution. “That makes sense,” I said, after a second.

“Besides,” he added with a smile. “She’s been aching to go outdoors. Imagine the joy it would bring her.”

* * *

I decided to go with Hitchens’ suggestion and let Lex join us on the surface, not because she wanted to be outside. No, I wasn’t as sentimental as the good doctor. I just knew the safest place for her to be was by my side, where I could keep an eye on her. The same was true for the rest of my crew, but circumstances prevented that from happening right now, which meant I had to pick and choose.

Abigail, Lex, Hitchens, and I boarded the shuttle and set a course for the semicircle of habitable atmosphere on the planet’s surface. It was a twenty-minute flight, although it felt much longer. The little ship rattled and shook as we entered the heavy atmosphere of the toxic section of the planet. I asked everyone to gear up in proper spacesuits, including Lex, who needed help getting into hers. I’d managed to buy a child’s sized suit while we were visiting the hospital, only a few days before this.

I could tell Lex was excited. Her eyes lit up as she watched us tear through the clouds and brown gas, slowly entering the lower section of the sky. “I wonder if there’s any animals,” she said, trying to catch a look at the valley below us, although it was too far out of view.

“No lifeforms were detected, upon early scans,” said Sigmond.

“Nu-uh,” she told him. “There still could be some.”

“Highly unlikely,” said Sigmond.

“What do you know, Siggy? You don’t have eyes.”

“While true, my sensors are capable of observing a wide spectrum that far exceeds that of—”

“Both of you stop arguing,” I said.

“Siggy started it,” said Lex, trying to give me a pouty face.

The ship suddenly vibrated and I saw a flash outside the window. “What was that?” asked Abigail.

“It would seem we have passed through an electromagnetic field and into the habitable region of the planet,” informed Sigmond.

“A field?” I asked, looking outside. The sky was still brown and cloudy, but the air closer to us was thinner, less congested. “Are you saying this pocket is protected by a force field?”

“Unknown, sir,” said Sigmond. “I was unable to detect it from orbit.”

“Unable? Why not?”

“Unknown,” he repeated.

“Does that mean the rest of his scans were useless?” asked Abigail.

“Could be,” I said. If Siggy couldn’t tell us what was on the surface of this place, then we could be walking into anything. “We’ll have to be ready.”

Abigail gripped her rifle with both hands. “Way ahead of you.”

We touched down a moment later, waiting a few seconds for the hull to decompress while the coolant kicked in. In the meantime, I secured my helmet and checked my suit’s seals, telling the others to do the same. When we were finally ready to go, I slammed the release button near the gate, unlocking the clamp. The door cracked, and a beam of light shined through, hitting Hitchens’ knees and growing.

As the door continued to open, I could see the excitement on Lex’s face as she bobbed on each foot, ready to run. Hitchens held her hand, making sure she didn’t just run out blindly into the field. We’d secure the area first, long before she left the ship.

The sky outside was slightly overcast with clouds, a brown tint, mixed with shades of red, but none of that seemed to stop the two suns from shining their warm light on us. It felt nice against my cheeks, even through the tinted visor, and I had to admit I liked it.

I checked the thermometer to find it was 30.05 degrees. Hot, but not so much that you couldn’t stand it.

Abigail kept the anxious Lex by her side, right on the edge of the shuttle’s gate, which had dropped into the soft dirt and thick, green grass.

The readout of the atmosphere indicated that the air was breathable, just as Siggy had suggested.

87.084% nitrogen

2.946% oxygen

0.934% argon

0.04% carbon dioxide

0.001818% neon

0.000524% helium

0.000179% methane

So Sigmond’s readings were correct, at least as far the atmosphere inside this bubble went. Why he couldn’t detect the field around it was anyone’s guess. Could that mean his scans had been mostly right? Or had we simply gotten lucky with the atmosphere?

I supposed we’d find out soon.

“Is it safe?” asked Abigail.

“Looks like it,” I said. “Let’s keep our suits on for now, just in case. This place doesn’t make sense, so we should probably stay cautious.”

“Agreed,” she said.

“I can’t take the suit off?” asked Lex.

“Not here. It’s too risky,” said Abigail.

Lex frowned, slightly, and nodded. “Okay.”

I touched the screen on my wrist, activating the planet’s map. A holo formed above my arm, lighting up in a flash to show me a three-dimensional recreation. Using my two fingers, I touched the floating orb and zoomed in on our present location, revealing the circle. Another zoom, and I had our position. “It looks like we’re a kilometer away from the center of this, which is weird since I asked Sigmond to land us as close as possible.”

“Apologies, sir. I don’t know what happened. I input the proper coordinates, based on your suggestions,” said the A.I. “This is most perplexing.”

“It’s not a long walk,” said Abigail. “We can do that in ten-minutes. Five if we hurry.”

“Let’s get going,” I said, waving them on.

The valley’s grass grew thinner as we walked. I could see the dirt between the blades, hard and cracked, like the salt flats of a dry desert. By the time we reached the middle of the circle, we were nearly out of the grass altogether, though there were still patches of it. I was surprised there were no trees here, not to mention rivers or lakes. The more we walked toward the east, the brown began to overtake the green.

Soon, it would be nothing but desert sand and dry stone.

* * *

Hitchens spotted it first.

A structure in the distance, big enough to see from far away. It looked like a round building, broken in places and ragged, although we’d need to get closer to see for sure.

The heat was beginning to grow stronger, perhaps because we’d entered a drier area. I checked my thermometer and saw that, yes, the temperature had risen nearly two degrees. No wonder I was sweating my ass off. If it got any worse, we might have to turn back.

I glanced directly above us, expecting to see one or both of the suns towering overhead. It felt like noon on this planet, but instead, I only saw the moon. Strange, that it should be so big or out in the daylight when it was so bright out.

The bright sunlight forced me to look down after a few seconds. I activated my visor’s tint to keep it dimmer.

When we were no more than a hundred meters away, we began to see strange rocks, half-sunk in the ground.

They had markings—etched lines on their sides, almost like the relics Hitchens had on the ship. The jolly doctor picked one up to examine it, turning it in his hands, studying it. He had fascination in his eyes, and I saw the sparkle of a man in his element, in the place he belonged.

“Look at the way the lines are engraved,” he said, following the lines with his finger. “It’s reminiscent of the ruins we found on Epsilon.”

“The Cartographer?” I asked, remembering the walk we took to reach the mountain, discovering the ruins beneath it, the buried technology that came to life when Lex found her way into that chair, and the animals that came afterwards. There was so much I didn’t understand about all this. The stone he had looked nothing like the relics, not to me and my untrained mind…but Hitchens—he had an eye for this. He saw the connections that I just couldn’t make.

“See here,” he said, motioning for me to get closer. He touched the indentation in it, following the line until it looped into a circle. “This is the same pattern as the Cartographer. It was all over Epsilon’s ruins.”

“Can I touch it?” asked Lex, who was standing just a meter away. She ogled the stone, a strange curiosity in her eyes.

“Of course, my dear,” said Hitchens, handing it to her, gently.

The moment she touched it, the markings began to glow a strange blue, as did her tattoos. She smiled as the light hit her cheeks with a soft glow. “Pretty,” she whispered, staring into the stone.

We all watched with some reverence, having no explanation for what we were seeing. Somehow, this little stone on this remote planet in the middle of nowhere had a connection with this quirky albino girl. What that was, none of us could’ve told you, but it was evident, here in this moment, that we had come to the right place.

Twenty-Two

The rocks were sparse at first, but grew more abundant the further we walked, and soon I saw the object that had once been their home.

A building, round and tall, although I could only barely make out the design, and I really couldn’t tell you what it was. Not even when we were there, right outside the broken wall, staring up at it in awe.

It seemed to have a tube behind it that stretched up into the sky. Round and thin, with cables coming from the ground, firmly strapped to the tube’s sides. It continued on into the sky, far out of view, heading into the gas of the other atmosphere, disappearing into the horizon, as though it went on forever.

“What in heavens could this be?” asked Abigail, once we were close enough to see it.

Despite how close we were, I still couldn’t say. The building was round and had a hole in the middle, like a donut. There were markings on it, the same as the stones in the sand, and they formed strange glyphs all across the walls.

“What do you think it means?” I asked, looking at Hitchens for answers.

He had none to give. “I wish I knew, Captain.”

At the center of this structure, we found a small building, half decayed and falling in on itself. Behind it, I saw what appeared to be a track, or the start of one, and it continued on into the tube, which began here and went up into the sky. There were no vehicles here, no transport to board so that you could ride the railway. Not that we would, of course, given how little we knew of it, but I could tell this was something made to travel on. At least, that’s how it looked to me, but what did I know? Not as much as I thought, I was quickly realizing.

I walked closer to the tube’s opening, which was far larger than me, and dark inside. “This is some ominous shit,” I muttered, turning back around to look at my crew.

“A fitting description, if ever I heard one,” said Hitchens, leaning so far into the tube that I thought he might fall into it.

“Look at this building,” said Abigail, still holding Lex’s hand. “What do you think it is?”

I approached the structure and examined the cracked walls. By the look of it, I guessed this thing was only a fraction of its original size, which must have been several stories tall at one point. The bulk of the tower was covered in its own corpse, surrounded by fallen debris and no doors to speak of.

I checked the map, bringing the holo up on my wrist. According to the readout, we were directly in the center of the circle, although I saw nothing on the map to indicate that this tower (or any of this) was actually here. Another sign that the sensors had been unable to penetrate the atmospheric shield.

A sudden chill ran over me as I quickly realized that I actually had no fucking idea what was on this planet, and I didn’t just mean the buildings.

The fallen tower had walls like all the rest. Only more markings along the stones, broken and cut off. Lex wanted to get closer, but I told Abigail to keep her back.

“Captain, look at this,” said Hitchens. His voice pulled me out of my thoughts. He was standing near the back corner of the building with his hand on a piece of stone. “I believe there’s something here.”

I went to him, looking at the wall he had his hand on, only to discover that the stone wasn’t actually part of it. This was a separate piece, or perhaps it had broken off some time ago. Either way, it was loose, and maybe it meant a way inside. “Help me with this,” I said, gripping the edge.

He did, and together we pulled, heaving until we had it sliding back. We both moved out of its way as the rock tipped and fell into the sand, slamming with a heavy thud. “Very good,” wheezed Hitchens, already out of breath. “Very good, indeed.”

The hole in the wall was large enough for a smaller person than myself. Abigail, maybe, and certainly Lex, although I wouldn’t let the girl go first. “Think you can squeeze in, Abby?”

“I believe so,” she said, looking it over.

“Do be careful now,” suggested Hitchens.

She eased inside, and I ducked to try and get a better look. Abigail went slowly, staying mindful of the rocks so she didn’t compromise the suit.

“What do you see?” called Hitchens.

I watched her climb up a fallen wall, trying to leverage herself to reach the other side. “The same thing you see out there,” she managed to say, once she had her feet planted again.

“That’s a pity,” Hitchens said, looking at me.

“Wait!” Abigail yelled, and it hurt my ear, since her voice was coming through the com inside my helmet. She was out of my line-of-sight, too, having disappeared behind more debris. “There’s something here, beneath the ground. I can see it through the cracks. It looks like glass and—” She paused. “—perhaps some metal wiring. I’m not certain.”

“Don’t these suits use cameras?” Hitchens asked, looking at me.

Oh, yeah, I thought, slightly embarrassed that I hadn’t remembered something so obvious. I decided to blame it on being completely distracted by the standing tower in the middle of a self-contained, habitable atmosphere on a planet in the middle of bum-fuck nowhere. “Good thinking,” I said. “Siggy, activate Abby’s suitcam and feed it to us.”

“Activating now,” said Sigmond.

The feed appeared in the upper left corner of my visor, showing Abby’s perspective as she dug through some fist-sized stones. Behind them, a small hole that seemed to drop into the basement of whatever this tower was. “Are you seeing this, Doc?”

“Most certainly!” answered Hitchens. I could hear the curious excitement in his voice. It was the sound of a man on the edge of his seat, watching something he considered remarkable unfold before him. “Careful, Ms. Pryar! You’ll want to mind the walls there.”

“I have it,” she said, removing another rock. “Can you see inside yet?”

“Hold your head steady for a second,” I said.

She paused. “Like this?”

“Good. Can you activate your light? The one on your wrist.”

She messed around with her armpad, briefly, and then a steady light appeared. She aimed her arm towards the hole, keeping herself as steady as possible so Hitchens and I could observe. “How’s that?”

There was glass, as she had said, but it was curved like a bowl that had been turned upside down. Beneath it, long tubes ran throughout, with no indication as to their purpose or direction. It was like some kind of machine, but none that I’d ever seen. “Perfect,” I said. “Hitchens, how about it? See anything?”

“Oh, my,” he muttered. “Oh, my, oh, my, would you look at that?”

“Talk, dammit,” I said. “Stop rambling.”

“I’ve seen architecture like that before,” he answered.

“Where? You mean back on Epsilon?” I asked.

“Not quite,” he said. “The pictures I saw were recovered by the Church’s founder many decades ago.”

“You mean that Darrel guy?”

“Darius,” he corrected. “Yes, Darius Clare. I believe one of the images he unearthed looked similar to what we are seeing now.”

“Was there anything else?” I asked.

“There were several, but it’s been a long while since I saw them. Oh, perhaps Frederick could assist us!”

“How’s that?”

“He’s on the ship, so he could transmit them, and he has some experience with the research.”

Less than a minute later, I had Freddie with me on the com. “Think you can find something?” I asked, once Hitchens explained the situation.

“I think so,” he said.

“That doesn’t sound very confident,” I said.

“Sorry, just a second. I need to get my pad. Sigmond, can you transmit my screen to their suits?” asked Freddie. I could hear him breathing rapidly as he ran through the ship. I had to give him credit. He was motivated.

“Certainly,” said Siggy.

I heard some rustling and bumbling on the other side of the line as Freddie hurried to get his pad. “Here, I think. No, wait. Yes! Here it is.”

An image appeared on my visor. It looked similar, as Hitchens had suggested, although it wasn’t the same. This one was surrounded by metal, with fair lighting and clean, no signs of dust or rubble. The architecture around it, while not exactly the same, had identical glyphs and markings, meaning there had to be some kind of connection. What it might be, I couldn’t say, but it was enough to suggest we were on the right path.

The right path. The words echoed in my head. Was that even accurate? How could I know what the right path was when nothing about it had made sense? In what way did any of this connect back to Earth? From what I could tell, sitting here in front of this wreck of a tower, the answer was that it didn’t.

What could be missing? What piece did we need to connect the dots?

I heard a rustling sound nearby.

I started to look down when suddenly the glyphs on the wall lit up, shining a bold cerulean blue. I looked down to see Lex standing there, a wide smile on her face and her open palm on the stone.

Abigail shrieked inside, and Hitchens nearly stumbled back. “Holy!”

I started to say something when the ground shook and I bent my knees. The light on the wall grew brighter at once.

I grabbed Lex by the arm and pulled her away. “Everyone move! Abby get out of there!”

I saw the light fill from within the monument, building to the top and—

A sudden burst exploded from the top of the tower, shooting a single beam of light into the sky. It pierced the clouds, splitting them apart, and went straight into—

Into the moon. The same moon that hadn’t moved since we’d arrived, floating 45 degrees from where I was standing.

The beam struck it somewhere near the equator, and the light expanded quickly, immediately, like electricity in a power grid.

I watched with awe as the moon went from a dead ball of rock to something more. Something mechanical, technological, sophisticated. Why had our sensors not detected this earlier? What was it about this place?

“Holy shit!” yelled Abigail and she threw herself out of the hole in the wall. She clawed to escape, trying to dig her way out. I reached for her, grabbing her hand and pulling.

She stumbled out of the wall right as the beam died, yet the lines on the wall continued to shine. “What just happened?!”

I pointed to the sky. “See for yourself.”

Her eyes widened when she saw it. “What in the gods’ names is that?”

“It’s a moon!” exclaimed Lex, smiling.

“It sure is,” I muttered, tilting my head to stare up at it. Of all the things I’d seen today, from rupturing slip tunnels to a pocket atmosphere, I had to admit that a glowing moon topped it all.

“Oh, my goodness,” said Hitchens. His voice surprised me. I’d nearly forgotten he was there. “Frederick, are you also seeing this?”

“I am!” Fred’s voice buzzed with crackling static. “It looks like…couldn’t say for…have Sigmond run a…need to scan.”

“What was that?” I asked.

“…aptain? Hello? You’re…can’t get…”

“It could be interference from this structure,” said Hitchens, motioning to the glowing tower beside us.

“Or the giant moon thing hovering over our heads,” I said.

“Or whatever that tube is,” added Abigail, looking behind me at the tunnel. “Uh, Jace.”

“What?” I asked.

She pointed. “Something’s happening.”

I turned toward the tube entrance to see that it was now lit up inside. Not only that, but the platform in front of it was moving.

The platform pulled apart and an object came rising out of the ground, a vessel of some sort, sleek and black, like a long triangle.

Before I could say anything, a door opened along the leftmost side of the triangle, releasing steam into the air, and the area around it became illuminated.

“What in the world?” asked Hitchens.

The ground beneath me began to shake, and I turned around to see the tower caving in on itself. “Get back!” I shouted.

The three of them ran toward me, closer to the ship and railway. The tower’s walls cracked, breaking and crumbling, chunks of stone snapping off and falling to the hard dirt. Suddenly, the entire east wall fell away like water, sliding free of the rest, sending dirt and dust towards us. We covered our visors and looked away.

More noise followed as the rest of the tower caved, all of it falling into the underground, creating a large hole and opening the place Abigail had found before. Now, there was a blue glow coming from inside, and I could see the machine turning, spinning, rotating. The light continued to build, growing brighter with the passing seconds.

“It’s all falling!” yelled Abigail.

She was right. The ground around the hole was breaking, snapping off into the inner sanctum. The hole was expanding, and quickly.

“We need to get out of here!” I shouted.

We started to run towards the exit but a divide split along the ground. We stopped, suddenly, and Hitchens nearly slammed into it.

The crack expanded toward him. I grabbed the back of his collar and pulled him, right as the chasm reached him. “Move back!” I ordered.

He scrambled to his feet. “What do we do?!”

“The ship!” yelled Abigail.

I shook my head. “I’m not getting in that thing!”

The break in the earth grew stronger, sucking in the rocks nearest to us. “We don’t have a choice!” shouted Abigail. “Get your stubborn ass in the ship!”

I didn’t argue.

We piled into the triangle and the door closed itself, all on its own. Before I could strap myself in, the ship started moving, entering the tunnel before us.

I looked down at the controls on the front console. They were in another language, totally foreign. I was pretty sure I’d just traded one deathtrap for another.

We began rising through the tube, headed up. “Siggy, can you hear me? Freddie? Does anyone read me?”

No answer this time, not even static. Nothing.

The ship continued to climb the tube, riding what looked like a conveyer belt, pulling us higher and higher. We sat there for several minutes, and I wondered how far this thing went.

But then I felt the ship level and pause, totally stopping. I looked at Abigail, who was seated next to me in the front. “What’s happening here, Abby?”

She shook her head. “Why are you asking me?”

“You were the one who said to climb inside!”

“I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Both of you, look!” snapped Hitchens, pointing ahead of us.

A display appeared above us, imposed on the dash screen. It was a number, counting down from 10.

9…

8…

7…

6…

5…

“I don’t like where this is going,” said Abigail.

4…

3…

2…

“Shit,” I muttered.

1…

The ship burst forward, suddenly moving. The momentum forced my head back in the headrest and I clutched the armrests, holding on for dear life.

The lights on the inside of the tunnel came faster and faster as we accelerated, eventually blending into a steady line of glowing blue lines. I expected us to slow down, but that never happened.

We just kept moving, going faster, all without any additional inertia.

Finally, right when I thought we might never escape this tube, another light blinked into existence, far ahead of us, and growing rapidly until we were right up on it.

We flew through the exit, exploding like a bullet from a barrel as we were sent towards the horizon. The walls around us ended and I saw the foggy atmosphere outside. The track beneath us exposed itself as we continued at an astonishing speed. Based on how far up we were, I guessed the tunnel had taken us at least eighty kilometers up, maybe more.

“Where are we going?” asked Lex, calm as ever.

Fuck if I know, I thought.

A sharp dip was just ahead. We dropped as we approached, then came up and into the sky, suddenly aiming towards—

“Look, there!” said Hitchens. “The Moon!”

It was coming into view now, the glowing blue lights of the orbiting goliath, so bright they dominated the sky.

As we drew closer, I could see trenches along the surface of the orb, lights shining from deep within. The chasms stretched across the rock like claw marks.

When we were close to it, I noticed one of the lights growing brighter than the rest. “Look at that,” I said, pointing. “What do you think that—”

The light suddenly consumed us, covering the ship, and I felt a hard tug.

I banged the side of my helmet. “Siggy, talk to me!”

“Hold on!” shouted Abigail.

We turned into the light, heading directly toward one of the Moon’s trenches.

“This must be some sort of magnetic beam,” said Hitchens. “A grapple, perhaps.”

“More like a damn fish line,” I snapped. “We’ve just been hooked!”

“It’s taking us in,” said Abigail. “Be ready!”

In moments, we dove into the chasm, entering the deeper recesses of this…well, I wasn’t sure. Was it a moon? Was it even natural?

The metallic architecture along the walls seemed to suggest that all of this was artificial, but I’d never heard of anyone building something so big, not like this.

I noticed walkways all along the sides, sealed beneath a transparent, protective surface. Everywhere I looked, I saw pathways, each of them leading in different directions. Whatever this thing was, it was built to be traversed.

“Look there,” said Hitchens, touching my shoulder. “It appears to be opening for us.”

Sure enough, the wall ahead of us was splitting, its doors sliding apart to reveal some sort of landing pad.

The light around us dimmed as we began to slowly drift toward the deck, finally dissipating once our ship was firmly planted.

The deck was massive and well-lit, with several other ships sitting further down, identical to ours. “What is this?” I finally asked.

As if to answer, the door cracked, sliding down until it formed a set of stairs. Hitchens snapped back in his seat, surprised.

“Relax,” said Abigail. “It’s just opening. Lex, are you okay?”

Lex sat with her legs swinging back and forth, a soft smile on her face. “Uh-huh!”

Abigail squeezed the child’s knee. “Good girl.” She looked at me. “What now?”

Get ahold of Siggy and get out of here, I wanted to tell her. Run as fast as we can and don’t look back. Blow this rock to hell and then—

The dash lit up, without warning, and a woman’s face appeared. She had white hair and blue eyes, with the look of someone in her mid-twenties.

“Welcome to Titan,” she said.

Twenty-Three

I stared at the woman’s face. “What…who the fuck?”

“I am the host of the Seed colony ship known as Titan. You may refer to me as Athena.”

Abigail leaned closer to the dash, staring at the woman on the screen.

“Are you some kind of A.I.?” I asked.

“I am a true, independently functioning cognitive.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“If I may,” interjected Hitchens. “I believe she is suggesting that she is a sentient A.I.” He cleared his throat. “Or, rather, a self-aware intelligence.”

“That is correct,” said Athena.

“Can you tell us where we are?” I asked.

“Titan, a Seed colony ship currently in close orbit around a class-G planet.”

I furrowed my brow. “What in the galaxy is a seed colony ship?”

“Please, exit the vehicle and all shall be explained.” The screen went dark, instantly, and we heard her voice coming from outside the ship. “Awaiting your arrival, passengers.”

This was crazy. We were inside some sort of megastructure, talking to a digitized woman. How many more surprises could I fit in a single day?

“I like her,” said Lex from the backseat.

Abigail and I both turned to look at her. “You think she’s nice?” asked the nun.

Lex nodded. “Can we go inside?”

“What do you think, Professor?” I asked Hitchens.

“We’ve come this far, Captain. It seems only natural to continue, though I suggest caution.”

“No doubt about that,” I muttered.

We each climbed out of the ship, one at a time. Hitchens held on to Lex while Abigail and I took out our weapons, ready for anything this place tried to throw at us.

“Your firearms will not be necessary,” said the so-called cognitive.

Abigail looked up into the docking bay. “How do we know we can trust you?”

Athena’s face appeared on the distant wall, a few dozen meters from the triangle ship. “Please, proceed this way so that I might explain.”

I leaned in to Abby. “Keep your trigger finger ready.”

She nodded, holding her rifle against her chest.

The four of us walked toward the rear of the bay, minding the other ships. By my count, there were half a dozen here. I wondered, briefly, if they were weaponized.

“This way,” said Athena before disappearing from the screen.

To the right of where she’d been, I spotted an open corridor. Several pieces of the walls inside were detached, some of which had fallen to the floor. Behind the gaps, I spotted wires and circuitry, although it was beyond anything I’d ever seen. Nothing on The Star resembled this, except maybe in the vaguest of ways. On our way out, I’d have to steal a few pieces, just to see what they’d fetch me.

“Take the next left,” said Athena’s disembodied voice as we rounded the corner.

The door was closed, but slid open when we approached it. “Oh, my,” said Hitchens. “Look at that.”

It looked like a conference room, with a long table at the center. What stood out, and the reason Hitchens saw fit to make his exclamation, was the woman standing behind one of the seats, her hands clasped behind her waist. “Welcome. Please, have a seat.”

We each stared at her. “What’s this, now?” I asked. “I thought you were—”

“This is my hard-light representation,” she explained, taking a few steps toward us. “There are emitters in certain areas of the ship which allow me to manifest my physical form so that I might interact with the animate world.”

Lex let go of Hitchens and ran up to Athena.

Athena bent and smiled at her. “Hello, there.”

“Hi, my name is Lex,” said the little girl.

“Is that so?” asked the strange woman.

Seeing them together, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities. Their hair and eyes were identical.

“You’re pretty,” said Lex.

“Thank you, Lex. You’re very lovely, too,” said Athena.

“This is getting creepy,” I whispered to Abby.

“Jace, be quiet,” she snapped.

“You don’t think it’s weird? Look at those two. They could be sisters.”

“Stop being rude!”

Athena stood up, placing her hand on Lex’s back. “Your Captain is correct,” she said, looking at us. “Lex and I do share certain qualities.”

“Y-You mean,” stuttered Hitchens. “The two of you are…you’re the same sort of…person?”

“Not at all,” answered Athena. She glanced down at Lex, who was smiling, bright-eyed and cheerful. “She is an organic being, the same as you, but we do share a certain history together.” She paused, touching the girl’s helmet and, strangely, phased her hand through it, touching Lex’s hand and running a finger through it. “We are remnants of what could have been.”

“You’re not making any sense,” I said, reaching towards Lex and taking her by the hand. I pulled her back to me and away from this woman, this cognitive. “Lex grew up far away from here. We didn’t even know this place existed before today. How could you two be connected? How could any of this exist? Who the fuck are you, lady? What the hell is going on?”

A high-pitched noise hit me in the ear, hit all of us in the ear, making everyone cringe. It stopped suddenly, replaced by heavy static. I thought I could hear words, somewhere in it, like shouting in a snowstorm.

“Captain…read…ship…there!”

“Freddie?!” I shouted. “Fred, can you hear me?”

“I he…you…ome…in…!”

“Goddammit!” I shouted.

Athena held her hand up, like she was offering something, and then motioned gently to the wall beside me. “One moment, please. Your transmission is being disrupted by Titan’s electromagnetic shield.”

“Is there any way to clean it up?” I asked.

“I believe there is,” said Athena.

“…aptain, do you read…? Please, respond!”

“Freddie, I’m here!” I answered. “You picking me up?”

“Yes, sir! Loud and clear! Please, tell me you know what’s going on.”

“Only kinda sorta, but don’t worry. I think…” I glanced at Athena, who stared at me with a calm smile. “I’m pretty sure things are good.”

“You don’t sound very confident about that. Should I be worried?”

“Don’t tell me how I sound, Freddie! Just get the ship parked and standby!”

Abigail snickered. “You really showed him.”

“Don’t test me right now, nun,” I said, raising my eye.

Hitchens waddled closer to Athena. “Madam, if you wouldn’t mind another inquiry.”

“On the contrary,” Athena assured him. “I do love conversations. It has been quite some time since I last had one with a human.”

The Doctor nodded, smiling nervously. “Heavens, where to begin? I suppose the first question would have to be, is this ship, are you, from Earth? Is that how you came to be here?”

She smiled. “Oh, yes, Doctor. I was born there, as was this vessel. We are both made of Earth, though I must admit, it has been many centuries since I last looked upon it.”

“Centuries?” asked Hitchens. “How old are you, exactly?”

“Exactly 2260 years have passed since I was born,” Athena said.

I whistled. “Damn, Hitchens. You’re not supposed to ask that.”

“Might I ask, were you searching for Earth? Is that why you have come here?” asked Athena.

Abigail answered this time. “We’ve been following what we thought was a map. Instead of taking us to Earth, it brought us here, to this system. Looks like we were wrong.”

“On the contrary,” said Athena. “Our meeting is imperative to your rediscovery of Earth. It is the reason I have allowed you access to this vessel.”

“You knew we were looking for it?” I asked.

“Yes, Captain. In fact, it is why I brought you out of slipspace.”

“That was you?” asked Abigail.

“Partially. I was only able to detect you because of the activation of a turn-key.”

“A what?” I asked.

“Could you be referring to a small object, encased in a locked box?” asked Hitchens. “Lex was playing with one when we arrived.”

“Your description is accurate,” she said. “It is a communications device, although it has multiple functions.”

Lex bobbed on her feet, excitedly. “I brought it! It’s in my pocket!” She tried to remove her helmet, finally releasing the switch and undoing the seal.

“Hey, hold on a second kid!” I snapped, reaching for her.

She pulled away and dropped the helmet, letting it roll, then started for her sleeves. “Get it off,” she said, tugging at the suit.

“Please,” said Athena. “There is no need to be concerned. You are safe aboard this vessel. The atmosphere is fully functional and contained.”

Lex managed to get her zipper down. “Ugh, why is it so hard?”

I looked at Abigail, who gave me an uncertain shrug. Hitchens did the same.

Fuck it, I thought, and turned my helmet, snapping it free of the seal.

I took a deep breath of the atmosphere. It was normal, although a little cleaner than The Star’s. I had expected something thicker with age and decay, but it seemed this place was well-taken care of, even after all this time. “It’s good,” I finally said. “Kinda surprised.”

“These types of facilities don’t tend to get musky when they’ve been left alone for a while,” explained Hitchens, removing his own helmet. “Space does a fine job of preserving them without much decay.”

Lex found the artifact in her pockets, showing Athena with a happy grin on her face.

“I can’t believe you’ve been carrying that around,” I said.

“It’s pretty,” said Lex, as if that answered everything.

Athena took it, examining the device. “This appears to be fully functional. Many of the ships that left Titan took such devices with them, allowing those ships to stay in contact with each other across vast distances. I was surprised to see that you had two of them on your ship.”

“Two?” asked Hitchens, looking at me.

“I may have kept the first one,” I said, giving him a slight grin.

Athena smiled. “I must commend you for your forward thinking, Captain. Your acquisition of this device is what allowed me to track your movements. It is also how we can contact your ship.”

“How’s that?” I asked.

“One moment, please.” She held the device and touched it to the nearby wall, causing the turn-key to glow. After a quick moment, Athena looked at me. “Now, speak and your associates will hear you.”

“Speak?” I asked. “You want me to just talk to them? But they don’t—”

“Captain?!” shouted Freddie in a terrified voice. “Is that you? Where are you?”

“Freddie? Can you hear me?” I asked.

“I sure can!” he exclaimed. “Where are you? Are you seeing that strange light coming from the surface? Did you do that?”

“Strange light? Did it start back up again?” asked Abigail.

“It has been reactivated,” explained Athena. “The process is part of an energy transference procedure, necessary for Titan’s nuclear power grid to reach full sustainability.”

“You’re siphoning power from the planet?” asked Abigail.

“The power grid on the surface was installed many centuries ago. The system accumulated nuclear power and has been waiting for activation. Before now, I have been operating solely on reserve power.”

“So, if I’m understanding you correctly,” said Hitchens. “When Lex touched the tower, it activated the transfer from the generators below ground to this ship. Is that correct?”

“Approximately,” answered Athena.

“Hey! Is anyone there? Whose voice is that? I hear a woman,” said Freddie.

I leaned in close to the turn-key, which was still attached to the wall. “Sorry, Fred. We’re inside the Moon, talking to a two-thousand-year-old woman about the secrets of the universe. Give me just a goddamn second.”

“A what?!”

I was about to ask Athena another question when she froze, going completely still. The wall behind her flickered, showing a view of empty space above the planet.  “Pardon me,” she said. “It seems there are more ships arriving.”

“More?” asked Abigail.

Athena turned toward the screen as six Sarkonian ships came out of partial-light speed.

“Is that who I think it is?” asked Abigail.

“You mean the psycho chick with the scar? Judging by the damage to the hull, I’d guess so,” I said.

“Am I to understand that these individuals are hostile?” asked Athena.

“Oh, yeah,” I said.

Lex walked up to the screen, staring up at the Sarkonian ships as they grew closer to where The Renegade Star was floating. “Uh, oh,” she said, looking up at me.

I placed a hand on her head. “You said it, kid.”

Twenty-Four

“Uh, hello?” said Freddie. “I think we have a problem!”

“Yeah, no shit, Fred! Siggy, are you hearing me?”

“Affirmative,” answered Sigmond.

“Raise your shields and get your fat ass behind this Moon!”

“Doing so now, sir.”

“Oh, dear,” said Hitchens. “They must have followed us through the tunnel.”

“Yes and no. Did you see how they showed up? It wasn’t from a tunnel. They must have missed the break-off and kept going to the next S.G. Point,” I explained. “Their engines must be better than I thought.”

“Titan is not yet prepared for armed conflict,” said Athena. “I do hope they restrain themselves.”

“You can’t fight back if they attack?” I asked.

“We lack the energy reserves to wage a proper assault. However, the shield is operating at 80% efficiency. It will hold off their attacks for quite some time, barring any unforeseen circumstances. However, such defensive measures will not last forever. Titan has its limits.”

“We need to get The Star inside the shield,” I said.

“Uh, Captain, one of the ships is signaling us,” said Freddie.

“Siggy, can you put them through?” I asked.

“Yes, sir. Please hold.”

There was a brief pause. “Captain Jace Hughes,” said a determined, but familiar voice. “This is Commander Mercer Equestri. I have someone that would like to speak with you.”

“What the hell is she talking about?” I muttered.

“He…Hello? Who is this?!” It was a girl’s voice. She sounded almost delirious. “Th-They have my father! Please, someone—”

“Stop babbling!” snapped Mercer. “Tell them your name!”

“M-My name is C-Camilla. Please, someone help—”

“Did you hear that, Captain?” asked Mercer. “The girl, the same one you stole from Sarkonian space. She’s here, not two meters away from me. Her father is with us, too.”

“Goddammit,” I said, talking through my teeth. “This fucking woman.”

“What should we do?” asked Freddie.

“Keep her talking to you. Tell her I’m on my way to the bridge or something,” I said.

“You—You want me to handle this?” he asked.

“Just do it, Fred! I need a second to think.”

Dammit, I thought. I couldn’t just turn myself over to this psychopath. People like Mercer always went back on their deals, even when they didn’t need to. Not that I’d agree to her terms anyway. To Hell with that, but there had to be a way out of this. There was always a way, if you looked hard enough. I just needed to slow her down. I needed to…

“That’s it!” I exclaimed. “Athena, how do those beams work, exactly? Can you grab onto bigger ships than the one we came here on?”

“It depends on the size of the vessel,” she said.

“What about those?” I asked, nodding at the screen.

She froze again, just for a second, and then relaxed. “Yes, Titan’s tractor beams can hold them, but not for an extended period of time.”

“What are we talking here? How long?”

“Approximately ten minutes, based on current power levels.”

Ten minutes. It wasn’t much. Could we board their ship and rescue the girl and her dad while fending off a group of heavily-armed soldiers? Maybe, but it might be messy. “We’ll need our gear and a ride out of here. Think you can arrange that?”

Athena nodded. “I can send you back to your vessel with the same craft you arrived in.”

“Captain, you aren’t suggesting we storm their ship?” asked Hitchens.

“We? No, just me and Abigail. The rest of you aren’t trained for this.”

“You expect the two of us to take on an entire crew of soldiers?” asked Abigail. “I’m certainly up for the challenge, but it does seem a bit suicidal.”

“Might I make a suggestion?” asked Athena.

I shrugged. “Sure, what do you got, lady?”

“Titan still has an armory. Since you do not possess augmentations like Lex, you will not be able to fully utilize the weaponry. However, you may find some use from the personal shield technology.”

“You have an armory?” I asked. “Why didn’t you say so? Quick, show us what you have.”

“Please, follow me.”

“Hold on a sec,” I said. “Siggy open the line so Mercer can hear me. Everyone else, shut up.”

“The line is active, sir. Speak when ready.”

“Mercer, if you’re hearing me, this is Jace Hughes.”

“Ah, Captain, there you are,” she answered. “I’m glad to see my proposition spurred a response from you.”

“Mercer, I’m sure we can figure out some kind of deal. You let those two go and maybe today doesn’t have to be that bad. I’m willing to turn myself in. Just please, don’t kill me.”

“So, you’ve agreed to my terms? That’s a wise move on your part. Move your ship out from behind that moon and prepare to be boarded.”

“Give me ten minutes and you’ll have yourself a deal. Do it, and I’ll surrender.”

“Ten minutes,” she said. “But if you attempt to run or attack, I’ll order all of my ships to destroy yours. I don’t care if we lose the child you’re carrying. I’ll kill all of you.”

“I get it,” I said. “Talk to you soon.”

“Line disconnected,” said Sigmond.

“Now,” I said, turning to Athena. “Show me this so-called Armory.”

* * *

The Armory was huge, with heavy lockers and cabinets along the walls. I tried to open the first one I saw, but it wouldn’t budge. According to Athena, only a registered Titan resident could unlock them, and we certainly weren’t that.

Athena touched my shoulder and a pale blue glow appeared, all along my body. It wasn’t touching me, exactly. Just hovering over me, like a piece of clothing that sat about three centimeters from my body.

Then, it disappeared. “What just happened?” I asked.

“This is a personal shield augmentation. It has a set charge limit, currently of 35%.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“The field will absorb projectiles, but please use caution. The equipment is not at full capacity and will only be able to withstand two or three attacks.”

“That should be all we need,” I said, looking at Abigail. Her body glowed as Athena activated the other shield. Like mine, it only lasted a second or two.

When we were ready, we made our way back to the docking bay, the same one we’d arrived at. Our triangular ship was still sitting there, only now it was turned around and facing the exit. Athena had said the flying process would be automatic, due to our inability to interface with the ship. I wasn’t sure I understood the last part, but the rest seemed clear enough. Keep your hands and arms inside the space jet at all times, kids, and let the crazy computer lady handle the controls.

Before we boarded, I pulled Hitchens to the side. “I need you to stay here with Lex, Doc.”

“Stay? Whatever for, Captain?”

“It’s too dangerous, Hitch. You need to keep Lex safe. If the Sarkonians or the Union get their hands on her, she’s going to wind up dead. This place—I don’t know what the fuck it is or what to even make of it yet—but I can see it’s safer than The Star, much as I hate to admit that.”

“You make a good argument, Captain,” he said. “I’ll do as you ask. Just, please, don’t get yourself killed.”

I nodded, then joined Abigail in the ship. As the doors closed, I could hear Lex outside. She tugged on Hitchen’s sleeve. “Where are they going? Why aren’t they taking us?”

The doors sealed before I could hear the answer.

* * *

After we docked with The Renegade Star, Athena called the ship back to Titan, and I gave Freddie orders to move us out from behind the Moon.

“You understand the plan, right? You move the ship in, once Athena uses her beam on the Sarkonian ships. We target the lead, rescue Bolin and his daughter, then get the hell out of there.”

Freddie nodded. “Right.”

Abigail tossed him a rifle. “You’ll need this if we fail and the Sarkonians try to take the ship.”

He examined the gun, some uncertainty in his eyes. “O-Okay, thanks.”

“You can handle it, Frederick,” she said.

“Where’s Octavia?” I asked. We were standing in the lounge, and I expected her to be there when Abigail and I showed up.

“She’s with Alphonse,” said Freddie. “He’s doing better, but she had to replace the bandages.”

“He’s still out of it?”

“The trauma to his skull was pretty bad, from what she told me.”

“Well, we can’t worry about that now. Siggy, get ready to follow the plan I gave you.”

“Yes, sir. I shall follow it with precision. Rest assured.”

“Good man.” I took a deep breath. “Everyone ready?”

Abigail raised her rifle. “Just give me the word.”

“Athena,” I said. “Do you hear me?”

“I do,” said a disembodied voice. I was surprised at how loud it was, despite the turn-key being all the way in my room’s closet. “Activating tractor beam in five seconds.”

I looked at Abigail. “Let’s go kill us some goddamn Sarkonians.”

Twenty-Five

The Renegade Star flew towards the squad of ships, taking aim at the centermost vessel, the flagship of this tiny fleet. “Fire when ready, Athena!” I barked, right as we were close enough away to use our weapons.

Several beams like the one that had brought us to Titan exploded from all across its surface, combining at a center focal point to create a massive ray of light. It swept across the void between us and struck the Sarkonian ships, consuming all of them at once.

Once it did, we were very nearly there. We had to do this quickly if we were going to make this work.

The timer had begun.

“Take us in, Siggy!” I ordered, not wasting a moment.

My ship approached the lead vessel, extending clamps and forcing a dock. “Overriding internal defense systems,” said Sigmond. “The airlock will open in—”

The door slid open on both sides, with me holding my gun as two Sarkonians came running towards me. Both Abigail and I shot them instinctively, before they could even cross the threshold between our ships.

“—now,” Sigmond finished.

“Yeah, thanks!” said Abigail.

“You ready?” I asked, unholstering a second pistol. It was the same one I’d taken from Spiketown.

She nodded. “Let’s go get that family back.”

We stormed through the airlock and entered the nearby corridor. A Sarkonian charged at Abigail, trying to take her by surprise, but all he got was the butt of a rifle and a broken nose. He fell backwards, against the wall, and Abigail shot him clean through the forehead.

I kept moving, knowing she was right behind. The second section was a corridor with multiple rooms, which meant multiple opportunities to be ambushed. We swept them, clearing the first four.

When we reached the fifth, Abigail grabbed my sleeve, holding me there. I gave her a confused look, but she motioned to the floor. There were two shadows, just beneath the door, breaking the light inside.  I nodded, motioning for her to step back against the wall. She did, and I hit the switch to open it.

The idiot inside fired off his weapon as soon as the door moved.

Abigail and I were on both sides of the entrance with our backs to the wall. I curved my arm around and fired off a shot, right in his gut. As he started to fall, Abigail twisted around the wall and finished him with a headshot. Two and done.

We kept moving, arriving at the end of the hall. As we curved toward the center of the ship, down what I was sure would be the final climb, I was surprised by a group of three soldiers. They didn’t hesitate to fire, and we didn’t hesitate to dive out of the fucking way.

We hit the floor, sliding back into the previous corridor. I heard Athena’s voice in my ear. “Shield reduced to 20%.”

My leg had been struck and was glowing blue from the shot. There went one of my free hits.

Abigail leapt back on her feet and squatted next to the bend in the hall, holding her weapon low.

They had us pinned, which meant we’d have to either plow through them or give up and leave.

“Ideas?” she asked me.

“Only one,” I said. “Time to make use of these shields.”

She nodded.

“You go low; I’ll go high. Stay close to the wall so you can take cover if you have to.”

I peeked into the hall to see one soldier laying suppressing fire on us while the other two moved up along the corridor. One of them had a riot shield. They’d obviously come prepared.

Then again, so had we.

I dove out in front of the oncoming soldiers as they drew closer, firing into the first one before he saw me coming. I collided with him, grabbing his hand and pushing him into the one with the riot shield, which kept both of them from getting a clean shot at me.

Abigail fired from the corner, tagging the guy with the shield in his side multiple times. Her own shield flickered as the soldier at the end of the hall continued his suppressing fire on her.

“I’m out!” she yelled, diving behind the wall again.

I raised my pistol and pressed the barrel to the soldier’s chin. He was still in my arms, trying to free his own weapon from my grip. No such luck. I fired straight into his skull, and a river of blood poured out of his nose as he collapsed in front of me.

The man with the riot shield had also fallen, just in front of me. I grabbed the ballistic shield and lifted it just in time to block the gunfire from down the hall.

I heard the voice tell me I only had 10% left. Apparently, I’d taken a shot without realizing it.

I pressed forward, holding the shield with my barrel peeking out the side. With one last bullet, I fired a shot at the third and final soldier. It struck him in the thigh and knocked him on his knee, where he struggled to get his rifle back up. Before he could, I reached in my side and, using my second pistol, sent the final blow to his forehead, exploding the back of his skull in the process. With confusion in his eyes, and the life in him gone, the soldier fell straight onto the floor with a hard thud.

I reloaded.

“Think we’re almost there?” asked Abigail, wiping beads of sweat from her forehead.

“Don’t know,” I said, locking my magazine in place.

I helped Abigail to her feet. We double-timed it over the bodies and made our way into the centermost part of the ship, towards the bridge.

As we neared the door, a voice came on the speaker system. “Captain Hughes, stop what you are doing at once!”

It was Mercer, no doubt with some kind of ultimatum. Let her try and stop me.

“If you do not cease your actions, I will eliminate the two prisoners in my hold. Do you understand? This is your final warning!”

I touched the com in my ear. “Ready, Siggy?”

“On your command, sir,” he answered.

I reached into my side pocket and retrieved a set of goggles, placing them over my forehead and flipping the switch. Abigail did the same. “Do it.”

The doors slid open between us and every light across the ship instantly died. “Hack successful, sir,” said Sigmond.

I slid the goggles over my eyes, and everything was bright again, only with a shade of green. “Let’s do this.”

Abigail and I turned into the corridor ahead of us. Several Sarkonians struggled to find their way in the darkened hall as we neared them, sniping each as soon as we had the chance.

The path led straight into the bridge, spacious and presently filled with panic. Someone was shouting. A woman I recognized. “Get the lights back on! Tersa! Answer me you godforsaken A.I.!”

“I’m afraid Tersa is indisposed at the moment,” said Sigmond, his voice coming over the speaker. “I am Sigmond, but my friends call me Siggy. You may call me Sigmond.”

“Who the hell is that?!”

We stayed low, moving fast. The woman yelling, the Commander with the scarred face, stood with her hand on a railing and a pistol in the other.

Not far from her position, I spotted Bolin and his daughter being held by two soldiers. I touched Abigail’s shoulder and motioned towards them. She raised her finger to acknowledge and then went forward, coming up to them and raising her rifle.

She slammed the butt of the gun into the first man’s cheek, cracking the bone, and in a fluid, quick movement, dug the barrel into the second soldier’s stomach and fired. She did this in seconds. Neither of them knew what had happened until they were on the floor.

“Kill the prisoners!” shouted Mercer. She lifted her pistol in the dark, aiming it in Bolin and Camilla’s direction. She couldn’t see, but she fired anyway, hitting the wall behind them.

Camilla screamed, crouching on her knees and holding the sides of her head.

I ran towards Mercer, only to collide with one of her aides, knocking them down.

Mercer heard this and swung her barrel toward me, firing off a bullet. It hit my shoulder and the shield flickered. “0% remaining,” Athena said.

Shit, I thought. No more second chances.

I reached for her weapon, grabbing the barrel right as she squeezed the trigger. The bullet fired off near my head, missing but giving me one hell of a headache. My ears started ringing, but I didn’t let myself slow down.

I knocked her hand against the railing, trying to force her to let go of the gun, while also burying my own into her waist. “Drop the fucking pistol!” I barked.

She struggled to move beneath me. “Let me go or I’ll have your entire crew shot!”

“I wouldn’t count on that, Commander!”

Abigail was with Bolin and Camilla, telling them to get up. She slid a third pair of goggles onto Bolin’s forehead. “This will help,” she said, activating them.

When he had them on, she told him to pick his daughter up and follow. I waited for the three of them to leave as I held Mercer back.

“I’m going to kill you, Hughes!” she snarled as she tried to move. “I’m going to kill every last one of you, starting with that freak girl you have!”

I nudged my goggles up with my shoulder, pushing them over my forehead. It was suddenly so dark, but I could still make out Mercer’s face, only six or seven centimeters from me.

Without warning, the lights clicked on. “Control recovered,” said a mechanical voice overhead.

I was suddenly face-to-face with Mercer. Her eyes filled with hate the moment she saw me. She opened her mouth to speak, no doubt to order her crew to kill me. I wouldn’t give her the chance.

“Someone kill him!” she barked.

“Not today, you crazy bitch,” I said, and then pressed my barrel further into her side and fired, watching her expression change from rage to shock as the bullet tore through her abdomen and out the other side.

She loosened her grip on the gun in her hand, and I snatched it away, tossing it behind me. Every eye in the room was on me as they reoriented themselves, finally aware of my position.

I swung her around and got behind her, wrapping my arm around her neck and buried the gun in her side, slowly backing away.

Half a dozen weapons were aimed at me in seconds, ready to blow me to pieces. I dragged Mercer back with me through the hall. “Watch yourselves!” I barked. “She’ll live if you stay back!”

Mercer struggled under my arm. “Let…go!” she said, squirming. I felt blood, wet and warm, running out of her and onto my thigh. It was coming fast. She wouldn’t last very long. I’d have to move.

I dragged Mercer down the hall while several of her subordinates followed me from a distance. They kept their rifles and pistols on me, but didn’t fire. So long as I had their leader at gunpoint, I knew I was safe.

“Siggy, get ready to close the hatch,” I muttered, right as I neared the turn in the corridor.

As I made the bend, still pulling Mercer, I felt her go limp. Her arms dangled on her sides.

“Sir,” said Sigmond. “I must inform you, the woman in your possession has ceased her breathing.”

“Damn,” I muttered. The soldiers would keep coming, but I could run the rest of the way. I had a few seconds before they had me back in their line-of-sight. “Fuck it.”

I dropped Mercer and started running. I heard the body hit the metal grate as I hurried through the hall. “Once I’m in, close the airlock!” I ordered. “Siggy, you hearing—”

I felt a sudden jerk in my shoulder, sending me against the wall. I hit the floor a few meters from the doorway, a numb pain filling my upper arm. I’d been shot before, so I knew exactly what was happening.

I turned to see a soldier aiming a rifle. Damn, I thought, staring at the stranger who was about to end me. I thought I was faster than that.

Before he could pull the trigger, someone fired a shot off, surprising both of us. It hit the wall behind the soldier, but before he could react, another one got him in the chest, followed by a third in the waist, and then a fourth in the neck. He fell to his knees and collapsed on his side.

I turned to see Freddie standing in the airlock, holding his rifle, breathing heavily. “Fred?” I said, not sure if I was hallucinating.

He reached out with his hand, grasping mine, and pulled me backwards while still aiming down the hall. “I’ve got you, Captain!”

I touched my arm, feeling the warm blood between my fingers. “Count me relieved to hear that,” I muttered. “Now, let’s get our asses out of here.”

“Sounds like a plan to me, sir.”

Twenty-Six

We arrived inside Titan and docked The Renegade Star in the bay. Before I could do anything, I heard Athena’s voice come over the com. “Captain Hughes, please return to the observation room right away.”

Abigail had taken the time to patch the wound on my shoulder during our short flight back to the Moon. It hurt like hell, but I’d managed far worse before today.

Hitchens was standing outside, waiting for us when we arrived. He looked concerned when he saw the shoulder, but I gave him a dismissive wave. “It’s nothing,” I said, before he could ask.

Lex ran up to Abigail and gave her a hug. “Abby!”

Freddie followed, carrying Alphonse on one of the mobile transports. He was still unconscious, by the look of him.

Octavia rolled beside them. Since she and Freddie had still yet to come here, they couldn’t help but gawk at the sheer size of the megastructure.

I took Hitchens by the arm. “Let’s see what Athena wants.”

“You want me to come with you?” he asked.

“Of course. You’re the expert, Doc. Not me.”

He nodded, and we started moving.

The doors to the small conference room slid open with Athena behind them, standing in the same spot she’d been before we left. “Welcome back,” she said. “There is another ship inbound to our position. I need you to classify it so that I may assess the situation further.”

“Classify it?” I asked.

She waved her hand at the back wall, changing it to show the Sarkonian ships, which were out of the tractor beam and firing on Titan’s shield. “Here it comes,” she said.

Right then, a massive ship appeared, nearly half the size of Titan. I recognized it as The Galactic Dawn.

Shit, I thought. “That’s definitely hostile.”

“I do not believe Titan’s shield can withstand an attack by such an entity. We are still not at full power. I will be unable to return fire.”

“What are we going to do, Captain?” asked Hitchens.

“We have to get out of here,” I said. “Athena, how fast can this ship move? Can we outrun them?”

“Titan can only move at one-tenth the speed of light with its primary engines. The only viable solution would be to use slipspace.”

“There’s no slip tunnels in this system,” I said.

The screen behind Athena showed The Galactic Dawn dispersing its strike ships. “Tunnels?” asked Athena.

“Slip tunnels!” I answered. We were running out of time.

“Ah, you are referring to preexisting passages,” said Athena. “Please, observe.”

She froze in place, but only for a second, and the screen behind her changed, showing the section of space ahead of Titan.

A rift appeared, slicing through the empty void like a knife mark, revealing the inner green light of the slipstream. “A tunnel?” I asked, staring at it. “There was one here this whole time?”

“I don’t quite understand,” said Hitchens.

“It seems your people have forgotten a great many things in the time since your ancestors left my side, Jace Hughes,” said the cognitive. “I can not only open existing slipstream tunnels; I can create them.”

Titan pushed forward, though only a little, and suddenly we were there, inside the newly-created tunnel.

I looked at the other screen, which showed the area behind us. The Galactic Dawn was moving, too, no doubt trying to make its way inside the tunnel. Before it could, however, the rift closed, immersing us in the inner bands of slipspace.

I was stunned by what I was seeing. In all my time, traveling from one section of the galaxy to the next, I’d never seen a ship with the ability to create its own slip tunnels. “Be at ease,” said Athena. “Your enemies will need to find another path if they hope to reach us.”

“Where are you taking us now?” I asked.

“Not I,” she corrected. “What follows is up to you.” She looked behind me, and I turned to see Abigail and Freddie there, with Octavia in her chair. “To all of you,” finished the cognitive.

Lex squeezed between them, forcing her way into the room. She walked up to me and took my hand. I smiled at her without knowing why.

I turned to Abigail. “We came here for a reason, didn’t we? Might as well see this through to the end.”

“That’s right,” she said, taking Lex’s other hand. “We’re not just going to walk away, not after everything we’ve been through.”

“The path ahead will be difficult, despite all that you have accomplished,” said Athena. “The journey is long. Titan is in need of repair and fuel. It will not be easy. Are you certain you wish to continue?”

I nodded. “Let’s do what we set out to do.” I looked at the ancient cognitive, at the woman from across the stars. “Athena,” I finally said. “Set a course for Earth.”

Epilogue

I stood inside a small room with Octavia. She had a needle in one hand, a pistol in the other.

If the man on the bed moved more than a few centimeters, she’d blow a hole straight through his brain. If he played nice, maybe I’d keep him alive.

After all, Alphonse had saved a little girl, not too long ago. He deserved to have the option of living.

The Constable cracked his eyes as he awoke, a dazed look on his face. He noticed Octavia’s weapon first, then his eyes drifted to me. He was quick to assess his present situation, as I assumed he would be, so he didn’t bother to ask what we were doing there with a gun pointed at him. Instead, he simply asked, “Where am I?”

I stood at the end of his bed, near his feet. “A lot of crazy shit has happened while you’ve been asleep.”

He started to sit up, only for Octavia to raise her pistol. She gave him a look that suggested if he tried anything, things would get messy. He eyed the barrel, giving her a slow nod, then slid back down so he could look me in the eye.

“We’ll get to all that later,” I continued. “For now, it’s time for the adults to have a conversation, just the three of us. Think you can handle it?”

He stared at me for what felt like a long time, his chest breathing steadily. I couldn’t tell if he was scared or nervous. “What kind of conversation?” he finally asked.

“The kind where you tell me things,” I answered. “The kind where I ask you questions, and if you say the right things, maybe you get to live.”

Alphonse blinked his green eyes, taking a moment to process my request. With a long, quiet breath, he let out a gentle sigh. “Alright,” he said at last. “What do you want to know?”

Renegade Moon

One

“You sure you can handle this?” I asked, holding a training stick in the middle of a large room.

Abigail gave me a strange look, like I must be crazy to think I could beat her in one-on-one combat. “I invited you down here,” she said, spinning the staff in her hand. “If you’ll remember.”

“I was just being polite, in case you wanted an out,” I said.

“Me? What about you?”

“Don’t worry about me, Sister,” I said with a slight smirk.

She cocked her brow. “You know I’m not a nun anymore, don’t you?”

“Once a nun, always a nun.” I said as she raised her staff, and a small spark lit up on the other end. We were using electrified weapons in order to test the strength of the shield. It was a safer, albeit still dangerous, alternative to actual gunfire.

Abigail bent her knees and took her fighting stance, giving me a slight nod.

I grinned. “Okay, then,” I said, tapping the switch on my own staff. Sparks emitted from the ends.

I immediately rushed forward, swinging the stick in a low sweep as I went for her legs.

She blocked it, pushing the staff aside with her own, then twisted around and managed to strike my shoulder.

“Shield at 98%,” said the voice in my ear. It was Athena’s, the cognitive program in charge of Titan, our present location.

“Shit,” I muttered, noticing the blue flicker of the shield as it appeared over my body.

“Looks like the shield works,” said Abigail, stepping toward me again, extending the stick towards my chest.

I deflected it, but only barely avoiding the electric sparks as they came within centimeters of my shield. With Abigail off balance, I went for another strike.

She dodged out of the way, but I wouldn’t give her time to come back. I swept low again, knowing she’d block it, holding her staff up with mine as she held it across her chest horizontally.

Then, I pushed my stick forward, sliding it beneath her staff, and tapped her directly in the chest.

Sparks collided with the shield as a soft blue layer appeared around her. “Dammit,” she snapped. “96% remaining.”

“2% more than your hit,” I said, winking. “Must be my man-strength.”

“You’re an idiot,” she said, giving me a look.

I ignored her obvious jealousy. “Makes me wonder how many bullets this thing could take.”

She nodded. “Should we continue until the shields drain? We can test ammunition later, if you’d like.”

I responded with a thrust, stabbing at her face with the stick. She blocked it, then tapped me in the leg for a quick hit.

“Shield at 96%,” I heard Athena say.

I pushed her stick away, going for a middle thrust, but she deflected.

She pressed forward on her leg, signaling her next move, so I got ready for it. When she lunged, I brushed her staff aside and grabbed hold of her arm, spinning her around so she fell across my leg.

She caught my wrist with her hand, yanking me to the floor with her, and I let go of the stick in the confusion. She managed to get on my waist, holding her stick above my neck, about to press down. I grabbed it, pushing the end. It lowered a few centimeters, causing the shield to flicker as the wood collided with the hard-light.

“Shield at 76%,” said the voice in my ear.

“Give up yet?” asked Abigail.

The staff continued to grind on the shield, creating sparks, so I stopped pushing up and started pushing sideways, letting the stick fall beside me and into the floor. It hit the floor next to my head with a loud POP!

Abigail fell forward with it, giving me the chance to grab her waist and turn her around. We rolled until she was under me, the staff beside us, and her body between my knees.

She tried to get up, but I grabbed both her hands and pinned them above her head. “Give up yet?” I asked, echoing her earlier question.

“Goddammit!” she shouted, squirming as she tried to get out of the armlock. “I had you!”

“That’s twice I’ve pinned you now,” I said, only a few centimeters from her face.

“If you’re referring to the time we first met, that one didn’t count. I was wearing my church garments, if you’ll remember,” she said.

“Fine, but that’s still one to zero.” I jumped to my feet, offering her my hand. “Best two out of three?”

“Deal,” she said, grasping my wrist. “But I won’t lose again.”

* * *

As I walked back from the training area, I couldn’t help but observe the sheer size of this megastructure I’d come to call ‘home’. I could probably have fit several thousand ships the size of The Renegade Star inside this station, although I couldn’t be sure.

I’d been here for nearly three days, but still hadn’t had the chance to explore much of this place. It was vast and empty, but still full of passages and secrets. Given enough time, I wondered how much loot I could salvage.

I snickered as I passed through an open archway, into another corridor. This one had a garden lining its sides. Varying kinds of flowers of all colors and shapes, herbs and plants. It gave the otherwise spartan layout a bit of life, something that, for the most part, seemed to be lacking in other areas of Titan.

“Captain,” came a voice from above. Athena instantly manifested in front of me, taking me by surprise.

“Holy shit,” I said, throwing my hand up at her. “Say something before you go leaping out in front of people like that.”

“I apologize,” she said, bowing her head, slightly. “Although, I did say ‘Captain.’”

I paused. Had the fancy computer program—no, the Cognitive—just given me a bit of sass? “Just tell me what you want, Athena.”

She smiled, pleasantly. “Yes, sir. I wanted to let you know that I have restored access to the bridge and would prefer to convene there.”

“Not now,” I said, fanning my hand. “I need a shower.”

“Understood. When you’re ready, Captain.” She disappeared, fading completely out of sight.

I continued on my way, hearing laughter from further down the hall as I drew closer to the next turn.

Lex, as usual, was playing in the garden dirt, while Freddie sat nearby, reading on his pad. “Mr. Hughes!” called the little girl when she saw me.

“Hey, kid,” I said, nodding.

Freddie looked up and smiled. “Back from sparring with Sister Abigail? How did the test go?”

“They’re good, but there’s a limit to them. We can only take so many hits before they drain.” I crossed my arms. “I kicked her ass, too, in case you were wondering.”

“Impressive! She’s quite the fighter,” he said, a genuine look of astonishment on his face.

Lex held up a clump of dirt. “Mr. Hughes, you wanna play with the flowers?”

“Not particularly,” I said, continuing my walk. “But you have fun in the dirt, kid.”

“Thanks, Mr. Hughes!” she said, far too excited about flowers and dirt than anyone ought to be.

After leaving them, I made my way to the landing dock where my ship, The Renegade Star, waited for me.

There was no one here, not since everybody moved into Titan. My entire crew had taken rooms that were more spacious and luxurious than the quarters they used on my ship. I couldn’t say I blamed them. Besides Abigail and Lex, none of them had to bunk together anymore. They all just wanted to stretch out and relax for a change, which was only natural, but I couldn’t do the same. I had to stay close to my ship, just in case.

“Welcome back, sir,” said Sigmond as I entered the lounge. His voice came through the speaker system.

“Glad to be back,” I muttered, heading straight to my room.

“Is there anything I can do for you, sir?”

I took my shirt off. “Start the shower, would you? I’m beat.”

I stood beneath the steaming water as it hit my scalp and ran along my neck and chest. I lathered up my chest with a dab of shampoo, then closed my eyes under the flowing, hot water. Over the last few weeks, I’d gone from being a lone Renegade smuggler and thief to a fugitive on an ancient megastructure searching for a mythical lost Earth, all the while being chased by two different, formerly opposed militaries that I’d somehow managed to unite against me.

If things got any more complicated, I might just have to get drunk.

Actually, now that I thought about it, that didn’t sound like a terrible idea.

I turned the valve on the shower and proceeded to use the air-dryer. When I was dressed, I took my happy ass to the lounge and poured a cup of whiskey, then sat on the sofa and propped my feet up on the nearby table.

After grabbing a drink and dropping down on the sofa, I let out a long sigh. “Ah,” I said. “That’s what I was missing.”

“Captain Hughes,” said Athena. Her voice came from all around me, like she was everywhere. That was because of the artifact we’d brought with us, an old communications device known as a turn-key. I’d kept meaning to move the damn thing off this ship, but somehow it kept slipping my mind. “Captain Hughes, please respond.”

“What do you want?” I asked.

“We’re coming out of slipspace in fifteen minutes. Your presence is requested on the bridge.”

“For what? Haven’t you been managing this giant ball for two thousand years on your own? What do you need me for?”

“I believe it would be best to show you, Captain. I’ll see you shortly.”

“You hear that, Siggy? I can’t catch a break,” I said, raising my hands in frustration.

“A pity, sir,” said the A.I.

“You know, Siggy,” I said, getting to my feet. “Sometimes I wish it was just you and me again, out for ourselves, living the good life. All this responsibility is killing me.”

“Shall I prime the engines and set a course, sir?” asked Sigmond.

I paused, thinking for a moment. “No, better not,” I finally said. “Let’s see where this whole thing takes us.”

“As you wish, sir. I shall follow your lead.”

I walked through the ship’s airlock, out into the landing platform. “I’d expect nothing less, Siggy.”

Two

“Welcome, Captain,” said Athena, who was already in her hard-light form, standing near a large monitor along the far wall.

Abigail was there, too, a new outfit on and with her hair up. “Impressive, isn’t it, Jace?”

“Hello to both of you,” I said, having a look around. The bridge was smaller than you might imagine for a ship as large as Titan, but still pretty damn big. The ceiling stood at about ten meters, and there was enough space here to hold what must have been three dozen workstations.

Not that anyone used them. This entire ship was empty, except for me and my crew. It was far too much space for just eight people.

Was my crew eight now? Actually, I hadn’t stopped to consider whether or not Camilla and her father, Bolin, qualified yet. I guessed they must, since they were here. Where else could they go? The Sarkonians and the Union would only hunt them down and try to use them as leverage against me, just like they did before.

No, I was stuck with those two, the same way I’d been stuck with Abigail, Lex, Freddie, Hitchens, and Octavia.

I smirked. Go figure. I tried going solo and it only brought me a crew.

“Not all systems are fully restored yet, I’m afraid,” said the Cognitive.

“Honestly, I’m surprised this ship is still standing after…how long did you say?” asked Abigail.

“Two thousand years, approximately,” answered the Cognitive.

I whistled. “Long time.”

“Were there many of these passengers?” asked Abigail.

“Oh, yes,” the Cognitive answered. “In fact, I carried a supply of over one million inhabitants.”

“A million?” I asked, dropping my jaw. “There’s no way.”

“Indeed, Captain. This vessel was once quite lively. Such a population could not last indefinitely, of course. Once our power core was depleted, we had no other option but to stop and begin the refueling process.”

“Where did all these people go?” asked Abigail.

“To colonize,” said the Cognitive. “They expanded to new worlds. Over the centuries, settlements and colonies spawned.”

“No one stayed here?” I asked.

“At the time, it was impossible. The ship had lost power. Attempts were made to bring our systems back online, but the only viable solution required long-term power transference from a raw source.” She waved her hand at the nearby wall, and suddenly a screen lit up, showing the surface of the planet where we had found the moon, only a few days ago. I recognized the tower and the circular building around it, except here, in this image, it was fully intact. “You saw this before, did you not?”

“Yeah, it nearly killed us,” I said.

“This is but the peak of an otherwise underground structure known as a power enclave. Its purpose is to gather thermal and nuclear energy in order to resupply Titan’s emergency power. A group of scientists and workers remained behind during the colonization effort in order to revive our systems. They were the people who built those structures. Sadly, the activation process was never performed.” She smiled at me. “Until you arrived.”

“In other words, they left you here to rot,” I said.

“Jace, don’t be rude,” said Abigail, giving me a look that suggested I’d better watch myself.

I ignored her. “These people went through all the trouble of building this giant moon-sized monstrosity, only to leave it behind when it got too hard. Seems wasteful, don’t you think?”

Athena didn’t say anything, which told me I was right.

“Please, Captain, while I appreciate your words, I must assure you that I was not abandoned,” said Athena. “On the contrary, my mission was to deliver the colonists to their designated worlds where they could prosper and grow. I was not able to do this, although I am happy to know the mission was ultimately a success.”

The screen flickered behind her, showing the slip tunnel, and she froze for a brief moment. The tiles on the wall changed to screens, allowing us to see outside the ship. It was green and swirling, as slipspace tended to be, and lightning shattered along the distant tunnel sides.

“Exiting slipspace,” said Athena, finally moving again.

A split formed before us, cutting down along the passage, revealing the dark void of normal space. Titan moved through it, leaving the tunnel behind. I could already see the nearby star—a small white dwarf.

Athena looked at me. “Captain, this is why I asked you to join me here. We have a situation involving our fuel reserves.”

“What kind of situation?” asked another voice from behind me. I looked to see Freddie standing next to the door.

“What are you doing here?” asked Abigail.

“I was hoping to ask Athena something, but it can wait,” he said.

I turned back to Athena. “You heard the man. Let’s hear it.”

The Cognitive nodded. “Titan’s fuel core is based on tritium, an extremely rare compound not easily manufactured. Because of this, Titan was outfitted with several other reserve systems, including solar. If we are to continue our voyage to Earth, we will require frequent refueling, due to the consumption requirements of slipspace travel.”

“How frequent?” asked Freddie.

“For every hour of slipspace travel, we will need six hours of refueling,” explained Athena.

I scoffed. “Are you kidding? Why the hell can’t you just use a regular slipspace generator?”

“Titan creates its own tunnels,” said Athena. “In order to do so, a great deal of energy is required. We could traverse pre-existing tunnels, of course, but we are currently nowhere near any established pathways.”

“We’re not near any tunnels?” I asked.

“When we escaped from your pursuers—General Marcus Brigham and the Sarkonians, was it?”

I nodded. “Bunch of bastards.”

“Indeed,” she continued. “When we formed a new tunnel, it took us out of the previously established network. We will need to reestablish our path if we plan to use existing tunnels in the future. The alternative is constant refueling.”

“If we kept refueling, how long would it take to get to Earth?” asked Freddie.

She froze in place for a second, then blinked. “Twenty-six years, five months, and twenty-three days.”

“Fuck,” I muttered. “Guess we can’t do that.”

“We can,” she corrected. “However, you will have aged a great deal.”

Freddie gulped. “I’d be in my fifties.”

I glared at him. “Right, so we’re not doing that. You said the only other option is using the existing tunnel network?”

She ran a finger along the wall and it changed, showing a single blue dot at the center. “This is our current position,” she said.

A few other dots appeared around the blue one. A moment later, thousands more came into view, creating what I quickly realized was a galaxy.

“You’ll notice where we are, but observe,” she said, snapping her fingers.

A line formed, expanding from our blue dot to another yellow dot, then another. It branched into three, continued in multiple directions.

“The network grows and breaks at various points, but there is usually a through-line, connecting everything in one way or another. It appears complicated, but observe.” She snapped her fingers again and this time a single blue line appeared, beginning with our position and ending somewhere on the other side of the galaxy. It zigzagged in various directions, yet never broke. “The problem now, of course, is how long it will take. Even with this particular path, our flight time is still rather long.”

“Not twenty-six years, though,” said Freddie.

“Correct. This path is much shorter, requiring sixty-seven tunnels and over five years of travel time.”

“Five years?” I asked, not hiding my frustration. “I’m not sure I can stay cramped up on this moon for that long.”

She nodded. “I understand it is not ideal, which is why I have prepared a third solution, should you wish to hear it. I must tell you, however, that it is more dangerous than the other two.”

“Let’s hear it. I like to know my options before I commit to anything.”

She flicked her wrist, causing the screen to zoom in on part of the galaxy, directly in the existing path of the blue line. “There is a planet, not far from our present location, that I believe contains another tritium core.”

“You should have led with that,” I said. “Could’ve saved me ten minutes better spent sleeping and drinking.”

“Apologies,” she said. “There is a problem with the location, which is why I waited to provide the option.”

“What’s wrong with this one?” asked Freddie.

“The map you provided allowed me to analyze the borders of the various governmental bodies. Based on that information, it would seem this planet exists within the Union’s territory, making it difficult to access.”

I sighed. “That’s why you didn’t tell me right away.”

“Correct. I also believe this planet has been colonized, which means the core may be difficult to obtain.”

“What’s this world called?” Freddie asked.

“Unknown,” said Athena. “There was no information in the media provided, aside from its location.”

“None whatsoever?” asked Freddie. “That’s unusual. Don’t you think so, Captain? Have you ever seen anything like that before?”

“I’ve seen classified ships and military bases on moons that shouldn’t be there, but never a planet without a name.” I turned back to Athena. “So, our options are twenty-six years of stop-and-go refuelings, five years of following the slip tunnel network, or stealing a new core from inside Union space. Sounds like three shitty scenarios, if you ask me.”

Freddie nodded in agreement. “I don’t think attacking a colony is worth the risk. We’re free of both the Union and the Sarkonians right now. They’ll have a hard time keeping up with us if we just keep going.”

“Possibly,” said Athena.

“Possibly?” I repeated. “What the fuck does that mean?”

“The tunnels we form remain accessible to others, once we create them,” she explained.

I raised my brow. “Come again? Did you just say the tunnels don’t close behind us?”

“Wait, does this mean the Union might be following us?” asked Freddie.

“Should your pursuers decide to continue after us, it will be impossible to stay ahead of them indefinitely. Our rate of attrition is simply too great,” said Athena.

“All because we keep stopping for fuel?” I asked.

“Correct,” said Athena. “Following the existing slipspace network will allow us to preserve a great deal of that fuel, but not all of it. We will need to stop again eventually, and when that happens, I will be unable to ensure our safety.”

“Have you picked up any ships behind us?” I asked.

“None so far,” she assured me. “However, that could change at any moment.”

I tried to weigh my options, but each one seemed like too much of a risk. If we kept going, we risked letting the Union find us. After that, it’d be a dice roll to see if we had the energy reserves to use Titan’s shields.

“What should we do, Captain?” asked Freddie.

“Gather the crew,” I told him. “We’ll need to figure this out together before we make that decision. Tell everyone to meet me in the conference room.”

Three

Rather than head straight there, I decided to make a quick stop in Alphonse’s room. If anyone could give me some insight on the Union’s thought process, it would be a Constable.

“Ah, Captain Hughes,” said Alphonse, when he saw the door open. He sat in his bed, reading a pad. Octavia had given him a digital library of over six thousand books. A kinder gesture than I would’ve done, but then, he did save Lex from being kidnapped, so maybe we owed him.

I still wasn’t sure how I felt about Alphonse. Not yet. There was a strong possibility that he was playing all of us, that killing Docker to save Lex was all a show, and that eventually he’d find a way to take us all out. You might have thought I was paranoid, but when you’re a Renegade, that kind of thinking keeps you alive. Shit, it’d worked for me so far.

“Constable,” I said, holding my pistol at my hip. I shut the door behind me, never letting him out of my sights. “I’ve come to have a talk.”

“I thought you might, given our last discussion,” he said, setting down the pad.

“Sorry to interrupt your reading.” I didn’t move any closer, just kept my distance, staying near the door. The way I’d heard it, Constables were fast and deadly. I’d never met one before Alphonse, but I wasn’t taking any chances.

He smirked. “Octavia provided me with some fascinating reading material. All fiction, except most of it is...how shall I put this?” He paused, glancing at the pad. “I suppose it’s a bit…erotic.”

“Erotic?” I asked.

“Perhaps she thought it would be funny,” he said, looking genuinely amused. “In any case, I’ve been reading one of the least graphic ones about two soldiers—one Union and one Sarkonian—who fall in love, only to have their respective governments go after them. I have to say, despite the suggestive nature of it, the politics of the story are actually fairly well-developed. I suspect the writer, Lucy Valentine, though clearly a penname, must have some former experience with government work.”

“Sounds like you’re just bored,” I said.

“There is that,” he said, nodding. “Yet another reason I am glad to see you.”

“Speaking of,” I said. “Let’s get to why I’m here.”

He leaned forward. “Do tell.”

I glanced in the corner of the room, where I knew there was a camera. I’d asked Athena to let us use this particular location so that we could keep a better eye on Alphonse. I suspected he knew this, although I couldn’t be sure.

I held my hand to my ear, pretending like I was speaking into a communication device. “Athena, show the planet we discussed earlier,” I said.

The wall to my left changed at once, showing a world with dozens of continents.

“Do you know where this is?” I asked, looking at Alphonse.

He got to his feet and, with his hands behind his back, slowly approached the display. “It looks familiar. Where is this located?”

“Inside Union space,” I said.

He touched his chin, nodding slowly. “I see…and the name of the planet?”

“It’s not listed,” I said. “But something tells me you already knew that.”

He cracked a smile. “I like your faith in me, Captain.”

“I wouldn’t go that far. I just expect a Constable to know a thing or two about unlisted worlds. Am I wrong?”

“Priscilla,” he said crossing his leg. “The name of that planet is Priscilla.”

I chewed on that for a moment, concluding that it was a stupid name to give a planet and rather something you might call a three-year-old girl with pigtails.

“Why isn’t its name listed in the database?” I asked.

“The same reason that you’re interested in it,” said Alphonse. “At least, that’s my assumption. Tell me, Captain, are you after an artifact? Is that what this is all about?”

“What do you know about it?” I asked him.

“Not as much as you, I’m guessing, but enough to know it’s priceless.”

“It’s nothing for you to be concerned with,” I said.

He chuckled. “No, I don’t suppose it is, given my current situation.”

“Got anything else you can tell me about this Priscilla?” I asked.

“Only that you should keep your distance,” said Alphonse.

“Oh? Why’s that?”

He cleared his throat. “First, there’s something you should know.”

“Is this where you tell me a story, Al?” I asked.

He smiled, ignoring my sarcasm, and continued. “The Constables, on average, receive more intelligence than any governmental body in the entire Union. I’ve seen reports on things that you couldn’t possibly imagine, much of which is located on Priscilla, buried underground in the vaults. Priscilla is the Union’s dumping ground for all exotic artifacts that the government believes to be of any significance.”

“Are you telling me that planet is some sort of Union warehouse full of priceless artifacts?” I asked.

“Not entirely. There’s more to the galaxy than relics from Earth, but yes, I suspect you will find a great many things of value on Priscilla,” he said. “That is, if you can take them without getting killed.”

“Don’t you worry about me,” I told him.

“But I do, Captain, which is why I’m going to offer you my services, should you require them,” said Alphonse.

“That’s the other half of why I’m here, Constable. I need to know how far your access goes,” I explained.

“Are you asking if I have the ability to enter the facility on Priscilla?” he asked.

“That’s right,” I said.

“I have a level-10 clearance. It can take me as far as the lowest floor of the main lab.”

“Isn’t that as far as we need to be?” I asked.

Alphonse shook his head. “No, not quite.”

“What else is left?” I asked.

“There’s a door,” he said. “A very large door. Behind that, you’ll find what you’re after. Only two people have access. The lead researcher and the commander in charge of the base. Your best bet would be the researcher. Of course, this is all contingent on you reaching that point.”

“You don’t think we can do it?” I asked.

“On the contrary, Captain. I have full faith in your capabilities. It’s just that you’ve never tried to pretend you’re a Constable. They’ll ask you a series of questions that you won’t be able to answer. They might decide to run your face through the database.” He sighed. “And that’s just you. If you bring any of your accomplices, they won’t have an I.D.”

Goddammit, I thought. The way he made it sound, getting caught seemed inevitable.

“Might I propose another solution?” he asked.

“Depends,” I said. “If you’re asking to leave this cell, I’m afraid I can’t oblige.”

“That’s too bad,” he said, with a frown. “I was only going to say that the best means you have of retrieving what you need is to take me with you.”

I scoffed. “No way in hell am I doing that,” I snapped.

“I’m afraid it’s your best option,” he said. “The security detail that meets you will want to see me standing with you. I’ve been there before and they know my face. At least, their head researcher does, Doctor MaryAnn Dressler. There’s always a chance she won’t be there to meet you, but given the unexpectedness of your arrival, it seems likely she’ll want to know why you’re…why I’m there.”

He had a point, but I wasn’t about to tell him that. Alphonse was a fucking Constable. How could I trust a man like that, even if he did save Lex from a would-be kidnapper? The man could be hiding something, and I was certain he was, but I also had to get into that base and take that core, one way or another.

No, I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t walk into that facility with a Constable beside me.

Could I?

“Fuck off, Al,” I said, hitting the door control and stepping out into the hall. “I’m not letting you out of here.”

“That’s too bad,” he said, then gave me a soft smile.

The door began to close as I lowered my gun, still watching him.

He picked up his pad and tapped the screen. “Good luck on Priscilla,” he said, leaning back on the bed and crossing his feet. “I’ll be here if you need me.”

Four

“That’s crazy,” said Octavia. She sat in her chair at the end of the conference table.

“Which part?” I asked from the opposite end. “There was a lot to unpack.”

Abigail, Hitchens, Freddie, and Bolin had taken seats along each side, listening intently.

“The part where you suggested we fly into Union space and steal a power core from a government facility,” she responded.

“Oh, that,” I said, fanning my hand. “Yeah, I guess it’s a bit messy.”

“More than a bit,” muttered Abigail.

“It’s the only option we have, unless you’re all okay with sitting on this ship for the next five years, just hoping the Union doesn’t catch up to us,” I said.

“We can’t do that, either,” said Freddie.

“So, how’s this going to work?” asked Octavia. “You sneak in and steal the core? What about security?”

“You’re talking about if we get caught,” I said.

“Won’t you?” she asked.

“Probably,” I conceded. “I just don’t see any other way around it.”

“What about Alphonse?” asked Octavia. “You said he offered to go with you.”

“We can’t do that!” said Freddie.

“Why not?” asked Octavia.

“Isn’t it obvious?” he asked. “He works for the Union!”

“Not anymore. Besides, he saved Lex and has been providing Captain Hughes with valuable intelligence. Did you already forget about the cloak?” she asked.

“What do you mean?” asked Freddie.

I cleared my throat. “Alphonse told me how Brigham was tracking us. He’s the reason we managed to escape when we did.”

“Even still,” interjected Abigail. “He’s not to be trusted. We have no idea what his true motivation is.”

I thought about it for a second. Both Abigail and Octavia were right. We couldn’t trust Alphonse, even if we wanted to, but we still needed him. I’d known it when I was talking to him in his room, and I knew it right now.

“Are you suggesting we hold a gun to his head?” asked Freddie.

“Why not?” asked Abigail.

“I don’t think they’ll let you carry a weapon into Priscilla, just so you can keep Alphonse in check,” said Octavia. “You’re going to need a better way.”

“There might be a way around that,” I finally said. “We could put a bomb on him. If he tries anything—” I raised my fist and extended my fingers, like an explosion. “—no more Constable.”

Freddie’s eyes widened. “S-Seriously?”

“Do we have that kind of device?” asked Octavia, apparently not fazed by my morbid suggestion.

“That’s where Athena comes in,” I said.

“Hello,” said Athena, suddenly appearing behind Bolin and Hitchens.

“Goodness!” exclaimed Hitchens, clutching his chest.

“I apologize,” said the Cognitive. “I sometimes forget that sudden appearances can be alarming to humans.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, fanning my hand at Hitchens. “He’s fine. Now, Athena, you think you can help us out with Alphonse?”

“Your proposal is possible, although dangerous and highly unethical,” she said. “I must admit I have reservations.”

“That’s an average day for us,” I said, unwrapping a piece of hard candy—strawberry flavored—and stuffed the treat in my mouth.

Hitchens twisted his lips. “Would it be possible to use those tractor beams to pull the object out from within the compound?”

Athena frowned. “The tractor beam cannot reach the surface of a planet from space. It would have to be much closer. Besides, we currently lack the necessary power needed. I also fear doing so would deplete what little energy reserves we have upon our arrival.”

“That’s a shame,” he said.

“Indeed, it is,” said Athena.

“Guess that just leaves one option,” I said, thumbing the side of the desk. “Which means the next problem is getting around their security. Most of us are on the Union’s watch list. We’ll have to find a way to mask our identities.”

“How do we do that?” asked Hitchens.

I shook my head. “Beats me.” For once, I was out of solutions.

“You can use the personal shields,” said Athena.

The suggestion took me by surprise. “The shields?”

“I can modify them to alter your appearance, although you’ll have to be careful not to let anyone touch you,” said the Cognitive.

“You can do that?” asked Abby.

The artificial woman smiled. “I will need some time to make the necessary modifications, but I believe I can accommodate your request.”

“This is crazy,” muttered Freddie. “We’re talking about sending the two of you down there alone with a Constable, disguised with ancient technology, all so you can steal an artifact from what must be one of the most heavily guarded vaults in Union space.”

“Your point?” I asked.

He blinked at me, then shook his head. “Oh, nevermind.”

I gave a slight shrug. “It’ll be fine, Fred.”

“Because that makes it better,” he said.

“How can we be certain that Alphonse is telling the truth?” asked Abigail. “What if we get down there and it turns out he can’t even get through the front door?”

“We’ll handle it,” I said, more than confident in my ability to get the fuck out of a bad situation. “If worse comes to worst, we’ll blow up the whole goddamn building.”

“It’s always explosions with you,” she said.

“You’re the one who used my quad cannon to drop a crater in the middle of Spiketown,” I countered. “Or did you forget about that?”

She gave me a wry smile.

Bolin, who had been quiet until now, leaned on the table with his elbow. “What can the rest of us do?”

“Stay on Titan and protect what matters,” I said. “If we fail, then you go with the second option. Run and hide.”

Everyone was quiet for a moment as my words lingered in the air. “You can’t do this alone,” said Freddie. “I’m coming with you.”

I shook my head. “Don’t be ridiculous. We can’t risk too many people on this job. We’re already pushing it with the two of us.”

“You don’t think I can be of use?” he asked.

“No, I just think you need more training before you’re ready for this shit.” I looked at Abigail. “You agree?”

She glanced at Freddie, then nodded. “It needs to be a small team. The fewer, the better.”

“Jace is right,” muttered Octavia. “We have to trust these two to get the job done. They always do.”

Abigail raised her head at Athena. “Can we take another look in that armory of yours?”

“By all means,” said the Cognitive. “I’ll be happy to assist you.”

* * *

I lingered behind, after the meeting, when I noticed Freddie meandering in the corner. He seemed to be lost in thought, staring blankly at the floor.

I already knew the reason. He wanted to help, the same way he always did. He’d made improvements since I’d first met him, even getting his first kill, but it wasn’t enough to warrant this kind of mission. He still had a long way to go.

“Fred?” I said, tapping his arm.

“Huh?” He said, blinking. “Oh, sorry, Captain.”

“What’s the problem?” I asked.

“I’m just thinking,” he said.

“About?”

He hesitated to answer. “Nothing important. I still need to talk to Athena about a request I had.”

“Oh, yeah,” I said, remembering what he’d said when I ran into him on the bridge. “Didn’t you take care of it yet?”

Athena appeared beside me. “You needed to speak with me, Frederick?”

Freddie jumped, taken by surprise. “Ah!”

I chuckled. “Well, go on and ask her. She’s eager to find out.”

“I, uh,” he began. “I was hoping you’d have something to help me improve my skillset, Athena. A training program, if possible.”

“What sort of skillset?” asked the Cognitive.

“I think Freddie wants you to help him learn how to kill people,” I said, plainly.

Freddie’s eyes widened. “Captain! I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Sure, you did,” I said. “Don’t try to walk around it. Say what you mean, kid. It’ll save you more time than you realize.”

“I believe I understand,” said Athena. “Frederick, can you please join me in Section 018 of Deck 04?”

He nodded, quickly. “I’ll be right there!”

She vanished. “Very well,” said her disembodied voice. “I shall see you soon.”

“Wonder what she’s going to teach you,” I said, scratching my ear.

“Me too,” said Freddie. He started to leave. “I’ll let you know how it goes!”

“Sure thing,” I said, watching him take off down the hall. “Just don’t do anything stupid.”

Five

Abigail and I met in the armory, hoping to be fully prepared for the mission ahead. I was already planning on picking up some shields, but I still hadn’t had time to browse the entire inventory yet. I needed to prepare for the possibility of us ending up in a firefight, should the plan go belly-up.

Hell, who was I kidding? We were heading straight into one of the most heavily guarded facilities in Union space. A simple firefight was the least of my worries.

“Okay, Abby,” I said to her as we walked in-between two rows of lockers. “What are we looking for?”

“Guns,” she said. “What else?”

“I don’t know what other answer I expected,” I admitted. “Athena! You there?”

The Cognitive appeared a few meters in front of us. “Welcome. I have a few items set aside for your consideration, if you’ll follow me.”

She turned and started walking to the far wall in the back of the room. We followed, passing by dozens of sealed lockers. I wondered what was in each of these and why we were passing them by.

I decided to wait and see what she had for us, before I bothered with questions.

Athena brought Abby and me to a large table, with several items placed neatly across the surface. I recognized a few instantly, including the shield modules we’d trained with earlier today. No sign of the electric staffs, though. “Each of these items has been specially chosen to aid you in your mission,” said the Cognitive. “There are better weapons, but due to your limited biology, you will be unable to wield them.”

“Limited biology?” I asked.

“She means we don’t have Lex’s markings,” said Athena.

Right, of course, I thought. Since I’d arrived on Titan, I noticed I could only interact with certain devices, including locked doors and passages. Athena had to let me in, and sometimes it was a problem. The bridge, for example, couldn’t be accessed without Athena’s permission, although Lex had no problem getting inside on her own. The same was true of the Armory as well as the upper decks. “What are we working with?” I asked.

“Lighter small arms,” informed Athena. “Here we have the AD-619 as well as the SS-223. Both are capable of single and burst firing. The bullets are refined carbon fiber ammunitions, strong enough to pierce most industrial metals, while also resisting most scans and inspection devices, although I am basing that assumption on your ship’s database.”

“So, you’re not sure,” I said.

“The material used to create all of this equipment requires advanced detection abilities, which I do not believe the Union possesses. However, given the blackout of information surrounding your target facility, I cannot be certain,” explained Athena.

“If things go bad, we’ll just kill everybody,” said Abigail.

“That’s the spirit,” I said, taking the pistol. I turned it over in my hand, feeling the weight. It was exceptionally well-balanced, better than my standard pistol, and the grip was smooth and comfortable, like it had been custom made for my hand. “Not bad,” I said.

“Next, you’ll recognize your shields. They are fully charged and can withstand multiple direct hits. I suggest using caution, nonetheless, as they will degrade with enough use. Additionally, you’ll find they’ve been modified with alternate identities to assist you in the mission.”

Abigail picked up the shield and placed it on her shoulder. It glowed briefly with a soft green, then disappeared, blending in with her skin. I was about to ask when it was supposed to start working when Abigail’s face suddenly changed. Her eyes grew slightly thinner, changing from green to brown, her hair turned black, and her skin color was a few shades darker.

I blinked, surprised by how drastic the change had been.

“What is it?” she asked, noticing my expression.

My mouth dropped when I heard her voice. It sounded different, raspier. “Holy shit,” I finally said.

“What?” she asked again, looking at Athena. “Is it broken?”

Athena snapped her fingers and the wall behind her changed, showing Abigail’s new body. “Your new design, Ms. Pryar.”

Abigail gawked at her new appearance, then glanced at her arms, twisting them to get a better look at her body. She bent her ass, trying to see her hips and legs. “Not bad,” she said.

I grabbed the other shield and snapped it to my shoulder. “Let’s see what I’m working with,” I said.

I saw a brief flicker of blue in my eyes, but nothing seemed to happen. “Did it work?” I asked, looking at my hands. They looked pretty similar to my old set.

Abigail covered her mouth, giggling.

“What’s so funny?” I asked.

“You look…different,” she said, after a second.

“Athena, let me see,” I said.

Athena flicked her fingers again and the screen changed, showing a tall man with white hair and bags under his eyes. No, they were wrinkles. He was old. Too old, goddammit.

Abigail laughed. “You’re a grandfather!”

“Athena!” I barked. “What’s the deal?”

“Your disguise,” the Cognitive explained.

“I look like I’m about to keel over,” I said.

“Considering that you are attempting to hide your identity, is this not the best solution?” asked Athena. “You look nothing like your normal self.”

“She’s right,” said Abigail. “Good work, Athena.”

“Thank you, Ms. Pryar,” said the Cognitive, smiling. “I am glad you approve.”

“Enemies, all around me,” I said, shaking my head. I felt around my arm, locating the device and turning it off. The display behind Athena switched off right when I pressed the button, reverting the wall back to the way it looked before. “What’s next on the list?” I scanned the table and noticed a small rectangular box. “Looks like a present.”

Athena took the lid off the small case and set it a few centimeters from the box. Inside, I spotted a small stick about thirty centimeters in length. She picked it up and carefully handed it to Abigail.

The former nun took it, curiously, but I could tell she had no idea what it was or what to do with it.

“Please, touch the white notch on the bottom,” said Athena.

Abigail turned the stick in her hand and found the spot, then touched her index finger to it.

A sudden shock sparked on the opposite end, startling her. “Whoa!” she exclaimed.

“Hey, easy,” I said, taking a step back.

“Yes, please use caution,” agreed Athena. “This is a miniaturized version of the staff you requested this morning. I chose this because it can be more easily concealed.” She reached over to Abigail, wrapping her fingers around the electric half of the object. The sparks went straight through her hand. “Also, if you’ll just twist here…”

She turned the stick and released it, letting the other half extend outward, until it was full length.

Abigail was so surprised, she nearly dropped it.

At this size, it resembled a baton, roughly one meter in length. Still smaller than the staff from this morning, but maybe even more useful, considering we’d be in a building, maneuvering through tighter spaces.

“I would advise you to extend the device before activating the electric current,” said the Cognitive.

“I see,” muttered Abigail. She raised the baton, examining the light on the other end, then brought the weapon down against the floor, letting out a sharp boom. It echoed through the open Armory, taking us both by surprised. Abigail grinned. “Interesting.”

“I’m glad you approve,” said Athena. “Captain, shall I retrieve another for you?”

I glanced at the stick, then shook my head. “I’ll take a pistol over whatever that is any day of the week.”

“Your loss,” said Abigail.

“Once we have Titan at full capacity, I assure you our armaments will be greatly improved,” said Athena. “That is only one of many reasons we must retrieve the tritium core.”

“I think we can handle it,” said Abigail, turning off the electric charge and compressing the stick to its normal size. “Don’t you agree, Jace?”

“You’re asking me if I think we can pull of a heist?” I asked, giving her a sly grin. “Don’t worry, ladies. I was born with a lockpick in my hand. That core is as good as ours.”

* * *

I took an elevator to get back to the deck where my ship was waiting. As soon as the doors opened, I heard someone laughing from down the hall.

It was Lex, chasing Bolin’s daughter, Camilla. “Can’t catch me!” shouted the older girl. She laughed as Lex trailed behind her.

Lex giggled as the two came towards me, almost plowing straight into my hip, when I managed to step aside. “Whoa there!” I said.

Lex stopped, huffing and puffing, out of breath. “Sorry, Mr. Hughes!”

“You kids having fun out here?” I asked.

“We’re exploring,” said Lex.

I looked at Camilla. “That right?”

The older girl nodded. “Lex can get us into all the rooms, so we decided to see what else we could find.”

“That’s fine, but make sure you don’t leave this deck,” I said. “We still haven’t explored the upper floors or anything. I can’t have either of you accidentally wandering into an airlock.”

They both looked at each other. “An airlock?!” said Camilla, suddenly terrified.

“Yep, you better be careful. There’s places around here that are sealed for a reason.”

Lex gulped. “Really?”

“Yeah, but don’t worry, kid. Just stick to this deck and be careful. Camilla will look after you,” I said, looking at the other girl. “Right?”

Camilla ran up and took Lex’s hand. “Right. I won’t let anything happen to you, Lex. I promise.”

Lex smiled.

I watched the two of them run back into the hall and take the next turn, heading toward the cafeteria. Crisis averted, I thought. The last thing anyone needed was for those two to get themselves lost, not that I expected that to happen with Athena around.

But still, I’d only been here for three days. It was hardly enough time to explore every nook and cranny.

For all I knew, Lex’s tattoos might lead her to a bomb with enough firepower to wipe out a small planet. Who knew what sort of crazy shit this moon had hiding on it?

Regardless, I had my work cut out for me tomorrow. If I expected to be at my peak, I’d need a few drinks and a hard sleep.

Time to get to it.

Six

Someday you’re gonna learn, Jacey…what it means to be a man, I heard a voice say. Someday, you’re gonna know…what it feels like to be me…

My eyes snapped open, and it took me a moment to realize where I was, here in my bed. I wiped my arm against my forehead and cheek, trying to clear the sweat off. “Fuck,” I muttered, licking my chapped lips and swallowing.

I sat up, foggy-headed, feeling like I was hung over. I glanced at the table and saw a half-empty bottle of whiskey.

Guess that explains it, I thought.

“Good morning, sir,” said Sigmond. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“What’s the status of Titan right now?” I asked.

“Athena has informed me that we are nearly at our destination,” explained the A.I. “We should arrive in under two hours.”

I contemplated going back to sleep to try and get rid of this hangover, but decided against it. Instead, I went for my cabinet and grabbed one of my remaining pills. Polynex, used for headaches and dehydration. I took it with two glasses of water.

The meds took effect when I was halfway through my shower. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest.

By the time I was dressed, I felt completely reenergized.

“Siggy, tell Octavia to meet me at Alphonse’s cell.”

“Understood, sir,” said Sigmond.

I grabbed a protein bar from the cabinet and scarfed it down in record time, following it up with a swig from my water jug. That would tide me over for a while. My time as a Renegade had taught me never to eat too much before or after a job. Your nerves can’t handle it, and the last thing you want when you’re deep in the shit is to lose your lunch.

That was the thing about this line of work. When the adrenaline kicked in, you had to be ready for it, and having a routine was good for that.

I moved quickly through the landing bay and into the hall, rounding the corner to the elevator. It took me straight up to the deck we had stashed Alphonse.

To my surprise, Octavia was already there waiting for me. “Took your time, didn’t you?” she asked, a second after the elevator doors opened.

I stared at her for a second, wondering how someone in a wheelchair could move so fast. “Mind your business, lady.”

“Are you ready to handle this?” she asked, ignoring my statement.

I walked forward, stopping beside her, just before Alphonse’s door. “I’m always ready,” I said, glancing down.

“If he tries anything,..”

“I’ll kill him,” I said.

She nodded. “Only if he misbehaves.”

“We’ll see,” I said, winking.

Alphonse was standing beside his bed when I entered, his shirt off and Athena’s hand inside of his stomach.

“Uh,” I muttered, looking at them both. “What in the holy fuck did I just walk in on?”

Athena pulled her hand back, removing it from the Constable’s abdomen. “Apologies,” she said. “I was placing the device.”

“The bomb,” he said, matter-of-factly.

“It went well, I take it?” I asked.

Alphonse looked at Athena. “I’m not sure. Did it?”

“It was as you requested, Captain Hughes,” said Athena.

“Good,” I said. “If you try anything between now and when we’re back in this room, we’ll blow your ass to bits. You hear what I’m telling you?”

“I do,” he said.

I holstered my pistol, but kept my eye on him as we moved into the hall. Octavia sat in her chair, still in the same position. “Constable,” she said, tipping her head to him.

“Ms. Brie,” he said, returning the nod.

“You two behave yourselves,” she said.

I flicked my finger up in the shape of a pistol as I passed. “Enjoy sitting around.”

“Funny,” she said, right as we walked into the elevator.

The doors closed as she shot me a thin smile.

Alphonse leaned against the wall as we rode the lift to the lower deck where my ship waited. “I hope you have a plan to conceal your identity when we—”

“Don’t worry about me,” I said, giving him a look. “Just don’t fuck any of this up.”

“If I do, we’re both dead,” he said, then placed his hand on his stomach. “Me, more than you, probably.”

He didn’t seem to be scared or excited, only calm and collected, the way I imagined a Constable would be. Alphonse, for all the distrust I had of him, was definitely something else.

We arrived in the bay and made our way into my ship. Abigail was already inside, holding her rifle and sitting on the couch. “It’s about time,” she said when she saw me, immediately getting to her feet.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” said Alphonse.

“Don’t apologize to the nun,” I said. “Siggy, prep the engines. Alphonse, take a seat.”

“Understood, sir,” responded Sigmond.

“Should we expect any trouble from you?” Abigail asked, staring at the Constable.

“Don’t worry about him,” I said. “Come with me to the cockpit, Abby.”

“You’re going to leave him out here alone?” she asked.

“What’s he going to do?” I asked. “If he doesn’t follow orders, he’ll explode.”

“And I really don’t want to explode,” said Alphonse.

“See? Now, let’s go,” I said, grabbing her hand.

She followed me to the front of the ship, and I closed the door behind us. “What’s wrong?” she asked, leaning in close, like she expected me to tell her some big secret.

I shrugged and flopped down in my chair. “Nothing,” I answered, then reached beneath the console and pulled out a bottle of whiskey, along with two glasses. “I just wanted to have a drink.”

“A drink? Are you seriously going to—”

“I have one before every job. It’s part of how I operate. You gonna lecture me or join?”

“Don’t you think it’s a bad idea to do that before an operation?”

“That’s your problem, Abby,” I said, pouring a small shot’s worth of liquor into both glasses. “You’re calling this an operation. You’re too uptight.”

I offered up the cup to her and she stared at it. “Fine,” she said, after a short moment. “But only one.”

I grinned. “That’s a good nun.”

“I told you to stop calling me a nun,” she said, glaring a little.

We clinked the glasses together, and I raised mine in the air. “Here’s to…” I paused, trying to think of something.

“To us,” she said, holding her own glass up.

I smiled. “A couple of fools inside a ship inside a moon inside a slip tunnel.”

We touched our cups together, then shot the drinks back. It burned, but we didn’t complain.

“Another?” I asked.

She fanned her hand. “Not now. Later, once we’re done.”

I nodded, setting down the empty glass. “Once we’re done.”

* * *

Titan left the tunnel and entered the Navi system. It was largely empty, just inside Union territory. From here, we’d take The Renegade Star and hop through another tunnel to reach Priscilla.

Titan, meanwhile, would create a new tunnel to Priscilla, staying inside until a certain amount of time had passed. At that point, the moon would emerge, pick us up, and get the fuck out of there before the entire goddamn Union fleet arrived.

Athena had suggested I load my ship with some specialized proximity mines. I had rejected them at first, since I had no experience using them, after some insistence on her part, I decided to go along with it.

After the old mines had been swapped with the new ones, I decided to relax in my ship until it was time to go.

“We all set?” I asked, sitting in the cockpit, prepped to depart.

Abigail was beside me, suited up in plated armor, blonde hair in a ponytail, and a rifle at her side. She looked like a warrior woman, built to kill.

I had to admit, I liked it.

“Renegade Star, you are clear for departure,” said Athena, over my com.

“There’s your answer,” said Abby, motioning with her hand.

“If you’re ready, I’m ready,” I said.

“One question. How do we know when and where to meet Titan, once we’re away from the planet?” Abigail asked.

“Sigmond has the info,” I said, gripping the controls. I felt the engine ignite, lifting us off the deck. The ship vibrated for a moment, until the stabilizers kicked in.

“That is correct,” said Siggy. “Athena’s arrival at Priscilla should occur approximately two hours after we land on the planet. You will need to be back aboard this vessel several minutes before that time.”

“Two hours to steal the core?” asked Abigail. “Is that enough time?”

“It has to be,” I said, pushing the control stick and bringing the ship out of the deck. “Titan doesn’t have the energy reserves to stay in slipspace for long. That’s what Athena tells me, anyway.”

“That is correct,” confirmed Athena. “It is essential that you deliver the tritium core before my fuel reserves are depleted.”

“No pressure,” I told Abby.

The Renegade Star pushed out of Titan’s landing bay and into open space. A few moments later, Titan let out a large beam, splitting open a tear in space, creating a new slip tunnel.

We entered first, with the moon-sized megastructure following closely behind.

* * *

It only took ten minutes to reach the other end of the tunnel. We were alone when we emerged. Despite knowing what would happen, I was still surprised that Titan didn’t follow. Despite Athena telling me it wouldn’t, I had never witnessed a ship enter slipspace, but not emerge. Whatever Titan was made of, whatever technology its ancient engineers had used to create it, there could be no argument that it was a marvel.

“We have arrived at our destination,” said Sigmond. “Proceeding to Priscilla.”

“Aside from what we’re after, do you think this facility has anything else worth taking?” asked Abigail.

“I’ve been wondering about that, too,” I admitted. “We won’t know until we’re inside. Our job is to steal the core, but maybe we’ll get lucky and bag ourselves a second prize.”

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed for something nice,” she said, giving me a wink.

The gesture took me by surprise. Was she flirting with me? Was she joking? I shook it off and buried the question. Get your head in the game, Jace.

The holo lit up on the console, showing the planet and our route. The landing site was close to the coast of the largest continent, maybe twenty kilometers away from the sea. We’d be landing there in under five minutes.

“Right,” she said, leaning closer to the floating planet on the dash.

“That’s not to say we can’t steal a few extras while we’re there,” I added with a smirk. I thumbed the Foxy Stardust bobblehead. “You never know what you’ll find when you go thieving.”

We entered the planet’s orbit, positioning ourselves to land. The process wouldn’t take long. Maybe eight minutes.

As we proceeded toward the facility, a voice came over the com. “Incoming vessel, please identify yourself.”

I tabbed the console, opening the line. “This is Constable Alphonse Malloy, requesting permission to land.”

“C-Constable, did you say?” asked the person on the other end.

“That’s right,” I answered. “I’m here to perform a surprise inspection. My authorization code is 66192-883.”

A short pause.

“Authorization code accepted. Welcome to Priscilla, sir.”

I smiled, right as we broke through the clouds, then turned the com off and looked at Abigail. “Ready to be someone else?”

She picked up her rifle, then slapped her shield onto her shoulder. With a soft click, a blue glow appeared around her, quickly transforming her face and body. “Ready,” she confirmed.

I followed suit, activating my shield right as The Renegade Star set down on the landing pad. I glanced at the reflective glass to my left side, spotting my silver hair in the display. “Okay,” I said, glancing back at Abby. “Let’s go steal us a power core.”

Seven

Four men with guns met us at the landing pad, each dressed in a Union military uniform. Behind them, a woman with glasses walked with a serious expression. She had short, black hair and a slender frame. If it hadn’t been for the scowl, I might’ve found her attractive.

Okay, even with the scowl.

“Welcome to Priscilla,” said the woman in a thick accent I didn’t recognize. “My name is Doctor Dressler. I’ve been informed that you’re here to perform an inspection. Is that right?”

“It is,” said Alphonse, giving her a pleasant smile. “I apologize for our impromptu arrival, but my superiors wanted a confirmation assessment on the property.”

Dressler looked at her pad, then at each of us. “May I ask,” she went on. “Who are your associates? They don’t appear in our registry.”

“Constables,” said Alphonse, flatly. “Their identities are masked, due to their recent assignments.” He gestured to me, then to Abby. “I take responsibility for both of them. That is all you need to know.”

“Be that as it may, I will have to ask that they relinquish their weapons until the end of the inspection. It’s a matter of protocol.”

Alphonse looked at me, and I gave him a slight nod. “Very well,” said the Constable.

Both Abigail and I gave up our two primary weapons, but didn’t mention anything about the pistols we received from Titan, which remained concealed beneath our clothes.

“Shall we proceed with the inspection?” asked Alphonse. “I have other matters to attend to and would prefer to keep this brief.”

“Brief?” asked Dressler.

“I don’t expect to uncover anything unusual. Your facility is one of the best, doctor.”

“Thank you,” she said, nodding. “Please, follow me. I’ll be happy to show you the grounds.”

Alphonse started walking and both Abigail and I quickly followed. The Union soldiers remained behind us, trailing until we entered the front of the main building. They didn’t join us, which suggested we were in the clear.

As soon as we entered, a man behind a small counter got to his feet. He asked Alphonse to press his thumb to a small, flat device. The Constable did, and a green light beeped. “Clear,” the man said.

That must have been the blood test, I thought.

The retinal scan came next, just inside the next hall. Alphonse bent forward and a blue line swept across his face. “Identity confirmed,” said the facility’s A.I.

Abby and I proceeded through the door, right after him. When we were finally through the short series of identity tests, the doctor turned and said, “Shall we begin in section six?”

“I’d prefer thirteen,” Alphonse answered.

Dressler seemed surprised. “So soon?”

Alphonse nodded. “As I said, we have little time to spare, Doctor. Let’s begin with the essential properties and work backwards. I want to make certain that we cover the necessary inventory, should I need to cut the inspection short.”

“Cut it short?” she asked.

“There is a situation in a nearby system that may require my attention,” lied Alphonse. “In the event that I am needed, I would rather have already examined your essential inventory.”

“If I might be so bold, Constable, what sort of situation is it?” she asked.

“A classified one,” he remarked. “One that I am not at liberty to discuss. However, I will tell you it is a matter of public safety.”

She paused. “Terrorism?”

He smiled. “You are astute, Doctor. Very good. I’m afraid I can speak no more of it, though. I’m sure you understand.”

“I do, of course,” she said, returning his smile. “Please, follow me, sir.”

I had to say I was pretty impressed with Alphonse’s ability to make shit up on the fly. He had a talent for this sort of thing, which was probably why he’d been recruited to be a Constable in the first place.

Dressler led us to an elevator, using her thumbprint to activate it, and pressed the button for the thirteenth floor. I stood there, quietly, along with Abigail, wondering just what the fuck I was thinking when I agreed to come here.

I thumbed the butt of my pistol, for no other reason than to double check it was still there. I hated being this close to the Union.

The doors opened and I felt a sweep of cold air brush across my cheeks. It felt ten degrees cooler.

“Right this way, Constable,” said Dressler. “You’ll find everything the same as your last visit.”

We stepped into a cross-shaped hall, with a corridor on each side as well as a long hallway directly ahead. It ended with a massive set of double doors, twice my size.

I wanted to ask why anyone needed a door this big, but kept my mouth shut.

Doctor Dressler approached a small scanner on the wall and pressed her eye to it. “Identity acknowledged. Please proceed,” said the A.I.

The doors opened, sliding apart. What I saw on the other side gave me pause.

It seemed to be a massive storage facility, with shelves and crates as far as my eyes could see. There had to be hundreds, maybe thousands, of rows here. A brief glance at the nearest one showed a familiar item casually resting in a small bin—an old Earth-relic, tagged and marked for later reference. It seemed our suspicions had been correct and the Union really was collecting their share of artifacts, probably for decades, if not longer.

If Freddie had been here, I could only imagine his response to all this. Or Hitchens, for that matter. Maybe they could have made sense out of some of these old trinkets, because I certainly couldn’t.

But, that didn’t mean I couldn’t steal a few.

“Straight ahead, please,” said Dressler, staring at me. I’d apparently been so caught up with my surroundings that I forgot to keep up.

Once I was back in line, the doctor continued forward, leading us to the rear of this massive compartment.

There was no door there, but an opening, leading into a small room no larger than the lounge of my ship. It contained nothing but shelves on all sides, with a table in the center.

Dressler walked to the far-right corner. “Verdan,” she said.

“Yes, Doctor,” said the A.I., her voice coming from above us.

“Open Vault 2771,” said Dressler.

I almost asked why anyone needed 2771 vaults, but stopped myself.

“Proceeding,” said Verdan.

The shelves in front of Dressler clicked, pulling back into the wall, then moved sideways. How many hidden rooms do we have to get through? I thought, as the doctor motioned for us to follow.

Inside, the room was largely empty, surrounded by smooth walls. The only object was a single crate at the center of the floor. It was quite possibly the most pristinely designed space I’d ever seen.

I distrusted it instantly.

Dressler tapped a small screen on the surface of the crate, entering what must have been her authorization code. A light click followed, and she took a step back. “There you are, Constable Malloy.”

“Very good,” said Alphonse, walking closer to it. As he did, both halves of the lid separated, pulling up and apart.

I felt for my pistol, staying ready for any unexpected shit that might befall us in this underground deathtrap.

Alphonse leaned over the box, eying its contents. “It appears the item is intact,” he said.

“As you can see, it is still the same as the last inspection,” said Dressler. “Shall we move on?”

The Constable paused, looking at me. “I supposed now would be the time.”

I glanced at Abigail, who gave me a slight nod, signaling she was ready.

“Yes, well, I’ll need to reseal the material,” said Dressler. “Please, excuse me.”

She took a step toward the box.

I took a quick breath. It was now or never.

“That’s far enough,” I said, pulling my pistol out from inside my jacket. “Back up!”

“E-Excuse me?” she said.

“I think you heard him,” said Abigail, lifting her own pistol out from under her shirt.

Dressler looked at Alphonse. “Constable?”

“I’m afraid it’s a robbery,” said Alphonse, frowning. “So sorry, Doctor.”

“Hands up,” I ordered.

“Th-This is outrageous! Do you have any idea what kind of security measures we have in place around this facility?” asked Dressler.

Abigail grabbed the doctor by her wrist and pulled her close to her waist. “That’s why you’re coming with us.”

“Well, that’s not the only reason,” said Alphonse. He reached into the box and lifted up a thin, green object. It looked like a tube of some kind, sealed on both ends and filled with…something. Alphonse handed it to me.

I examined it closer in my hand. It had a cloudy look to it, like there was smoke inside. “This is it?” I asked.

“Were you expecting something else?” asked Alphonse.

“I don’t know,” I said, cocking my eye. “Maybe a shiny gem or a giant orb?”

“They have both of those down the hall,” he said. “Would you prefer it if we stole those, too?”

“Are they worth anything?” I asked.

“If they’re in this building, they’re worth something. In fact—”

“Hey!” snapped Abigail, tightening her grip on the doctor. “Shouldn’t we find a way out of here?”

“Oh, right,” I said, stuffing the ancient fuel cell into my leg pocket. “Which way, Doc?”

Dressler squirmed against Abigail, uncomfortably. “If you think I’m helping you steal that, you can forget it. Verdan! Initiate security procedure Beta-Gamma-Six-Two-Nine!”

“Proceeding,” said Verdan. “Informing Security Forces have been dispatched.”

Alphonse’s eyes widened. “Oh, no.”

I Fucking knew it, I thought.

And here I was, hoping to get out of this place without any trouble.

I pulled my pistol up and cocked the hammer back, aiming it at the doctor’s forehead. “You’d better fix whatever the hell you just did.”

Alphonse reached his hand out at Dressler. “Listen to him, please. That man is a trained Renegade. He’s not bluffing.”

“A Renegade?” she asked. “Constable, what are you doing with this man?”

“I put a bomb in his belly and forced him to follow me,” I said, motioning to Alphonse’s belly. “If he tries anything, those guts of his will end up all over your clean walls.”

“There’s a bomb?” she asked, her eyes widening in disbelief as they fell on Alphonse’s waist. “You brought a bomb into this facility?!”

Alphonse nodded. “You see the situation now, don’t you? I had no choice.”

“If you detonate a bomb in here, do you know what kind of chaos you’ll unleash? The materials on this level alone are—”

I leaned forward and pressed the barrel into her chest. “Then you’d best do as I say, lady, and help us get the fuck out of this place.”

She furrowed her brow at me. “You had better take that gun out of my face!”

I paused at her tone. She had spunk. I’d give her that much.

“We need to move,” said Abigail, shoving the doctor forward. “Those security officers will be here any second.”

“She’s right,” said Alphonse. “Shall we retreat?”

I stared at Dressler, who stared right back at me. “Fine,” I said, after a short moment. “Try anything else and you’re done, Doc.”

“I’m no fool,” she said. “You’re going to kill me no matter what I do.”

“Wrong,” I countered.

“If you help us, we’ll let you go,” said Abigail.

“What’s it gonna be, Doc?” I asked.

She hesitated to answer. I could see the gears turning in her head as she weighed her options. Help a group of thieves or risk getting killed here and now. “Fine,” she said at last. “There’s another lift through the main warehouse, back the way we came. It leads to a second security checkpoint on the surface.”

“How about you call off the guards first?” I asked.

“I can’t,” she said. “Once they’ve been activated, they have to perform a full check on the identified location.”

“We need to hurry,” said Alphonse. I was surprised to sense a bit of anxiety in his voice.

I glared at Dressler. “Where to?”

“If you can get to the lift, the security system won’t stop you,” informed Dressler. “It’s on a separate network, used only for emergencies.”

“What’s the catch?” I asked.

“You’ll need my authorization to use it,” she said.

“Of course we do,” Abigail said.

I crept up next to the doorway, peering through to the previous room with the shelves and into the main warehouse. “Let’s head out,” I said, motioning for the others to follow. “Everyone, stay behind me. Try not to get yourselves shot.”

* * *

We fled into the warehouse at the exact same moment that the elevator opened. Seven soldiers poured into the atrium, fully-armed and ready to stop us.

“Back up!” I barked, as soon as I spotted them.

The lead guard shot a burst in my direction, tagging my shield and causing it to flicker. “Shield at 90%,” said the automated voice inside my ear, a copy of Athena’s, although I knew it wasn’t her.

I ducked behind the wall, back inside the storage room. “Everyone, stay!” I told them, grabbing Alphonse by the shoulder and slamming him against the shelf beside me. The force knocked an object onto the floor, an old artifact of some sort.

Several more shots came through the opening, keeping me from moving. “They’re using suppressing fire to keep us in here,” said Alphonse. “I would expect a second group to move in soon.”

“No shit, Constable,” I muttered, checking my pistol, then raising it beside the doorway. “Abby, stay here and keep these two locked down. I’ll be back.”

“Is he serious?” asked Dressler, peering up at Alphonse.

“Shut up,” said Abigail, still gripping the woman’s wrist. “Let the man work.” She looked at me, nodding. “Go.”

One of the soldiers was moving between two rows in the warehouse, coming toward us. “Be back soon,” I muttered, then dashed into the gunfire.

A bullet struck the shield around my leg, lighting me up for a brief second and draining my energy to 80%. Not a problem, so long as I was through.

I ran to the nearest soldier, between the two rows of artifacts. I shot him twice in the chest before I was even on him, then collided with his body and slammed him into the nearby shelves. He wheezed when I struck him, and I finished him quickly with a bullet to the head.

I sprinted from there and slid when I reached a gap between the rows, firing two shots and hitting one of the soldiers in the leg. He screamed, causing the others to return fire, but I was already behind the second row.

I leapt to my feet and continued running. What I wouldn’t give for some grenades right about now.

I could see the soldiers moving on the other side of the shelves, heading towards me. Immediately, I dropped to the floor and got off a quick couple of shots, hitting two of them in the feet, ripping their boots to shreds and destroying their fucking bones. That’ll slow them down, I thought.

In a quick scramble, I scurried back up and dashed forward before they had a chance to realize what the fuck was going on.

A second later, a spray of gunfire shot up the spot behind me, exactly where I’d been lying, knocking several priceless artifacts to the floor, filling the warehouse with ear-piercing noise.

“He’s on the move!” shouted one of the guards. “Head to the rear!”

I reached another gap in the rows and took a hard right, away from the soldiers. I’d have to lose them if I wanted to keep this going.

Can’t stay in one place for too long, I thought. These bastards won’t stop until they bleed me dry.

Before I could enter another row, I heard a gunshot from behind, followed by the flickering light of my shield and the automated voice, saying, “Shields at 65%”

I reacted with a quick turn, dropping in the process and sliding. I extended my pistol, waiting until I had the pursuing guard in my sights, and then fired.

The bullet struck him in the stomach, and he staggered, but only for a moment. These guys had body armor, enough to protect their abdomen from one or two shots. Before he could react any further, I followed it up with another one, this time at his skull.

He collapsed on his knees, dropping the rifle, and fell forward.

I was already moving, turning back around, toward the room where Abigail and the others were waiting.

Two soldiers came up behind the corpse. “Friendly down!” shouted one of them.

A spray of bullets followed me as I ran.

I took multiple hits, sending my shield into a frenzy, lighting it up so much I thought it might break. “Shield at 30%,” said the voice in my ear.

I reached the end of the row where the first soldier was lying dead, then turned to see Abigail and Alphonse watching me from inside the room.

There were still soldiers in the open area of the warehouse, and they didn’t hesitate to fire when I burst through the rows.

I ran to the room, firing blindly at the guards, less concerned with hitting them than just getting the fuck out. “Shield at 10%,” said the voice.

“Your turn!” I snapped as I reached the room, barely getting inside before my shield gave out.

Several bullets struck the wall to our right, across from the open doorway.

Abigail took Dressler by the hand and pushed her behind Alphonse. “Stay,” she ordered, then looked at me. “Watch them while I handle the rest!”

I was on the floor, back against the wall in a reverse-prone position. “You got it,” I said, wheezing from all the running.

Abigail burst into the bullet storm, instantly taking fire. Her shield lit up, but she was already shooting, popping one soldier in his chest before he had a chance to understand what was going on.

The two men who’d been chasing me arrived from between the rows, charging at her. They fired as they came, managing to get two shots on her shield before she retaliated.

With the pistol in her hand, she reached for her electric baton, activated the charge, and stabbed one of the men in the stomach. He fell to the floor and spasmed like he was having a seizure.

She extended the baton, brought it up above her head, and slammed it across the second guard’s neck.

I heard the crack from all the way inside the room where I was watching. “Ouch,” I muttered with a cringe.

In only a few seconds, both men had been incapacitated.

Abigail turned her attention to the only remaining soldier. He fired his rifle, sniping her shield—first in the stomach, then in the shoulder.

Abigail lifted her pistol, began marching towards him, and squeezed the trigger.

I heard two shots, out of view, followed by the sound of a body hitting the floor.

The nun returned a second later, casually reentering the room. “Everyone ready?”

“Y-You killed all those men?” muttered Dr. Dressler. “How is…how is that even possible?”

Alphonse motioned with his hand toward the warehouse. “I hope you understand the severity of your situation, Doctor. Now, please, show us the way so that we can leave you in peace.”

“You heard the man,” I said. “Al doesn’t want to die today.”

“Death does not agree with me,” he added.

“Dispatching additional personnel,” informed the A.I. over the loudspeakers.

Abigail grabbed Dressler by the wrist. “Let’s go!”

We fled along the nearby wall, passing by several of the formerly living guards. I was in the lead, with Alphonse, Dr. Dressler, and Abigail right behind me. This wasn’t the way I had hoped for today to go, but it certainly could have gone much worse.

When we reached the edge of the warehouse, Dressler pointed. “Through the second door!”

I glanced over my shoulder. “If we walk in there and an alarm goes off, so help me…”

“It’s safe, I promise,” she insisted, running up beside me and letting the scanner examine her eye. It beeped and the door slid open, showing a dimly lit corridor. “Through here, then a left, and it’s straight until you reach the—”

“Contact front!” shouted someone from the other end of the warehouse.

The soldiers fired, causing us to rush inside and forego the discussion. I yanked the doctor into the hall, both of us falling on our faces. Abigail pushed Alphonse ahead of her, taking a shot in the back so he didn’t have to.

The door closed behind her, and we hurried to our feet. “Run!” Abigail snapped. “We need to go!”

I dragged Dressler behind me as we moved. The lights overhead began to come on, one at a time, further into the hall. We ran faster than they could activate, rounding the corner and reaching the far end in under thirty seconds.

I heard voices coming from the previous direction Someone was shouting orders. “Get this fucking door open!”

Dressler ran up to the elevator doors, which were only a few more paces away. She then tapped a code into the touch pad, allowing us to pile inside.

“That was almost bad,” I said, once we were in.

A loud, shattering sound came from down the hall, and I heard footsteps clapping, growing louder.

As the doors closed, shadows emerged from around the corner, followed by men with guns, clad in Union armor.

“There!” shouted the closest one.

I waved, right as the doors shut, the second before they opened fire, denting the elevator metal.

Dr. Dressler nearly fell back into Alphonse’s arms, scared to death.

I looked at her, then at Alphonse, and gave him an obvious smirk. “Save it for later, Al,” I said, turning forward and cracking my neck. “We might have more killin’ left to do.”

Eight

The doors opened behind three men in lab coats. Before they could even turn around, Abigail had a pistol on one and the end of her baton on another. “Don’t move.”

“W-What is this? Who are—”

“Keep quiet!” she snapped, nudging the man with the barrel.

“After you,” I said to Dressler.

The doctor stepped through the lift doors and into what I guessed was a laboratory. “Everyone, please, just do as they say,” Dressler said.

“Where are we?” asked Abigail, still with both her weapons against the two doctors.

“F-First floor, laboratory twelve,” said one of them.

Abigail lowered the pistol, but only to her hip. The barrel remained pointed. “Which way to reach the courtyard?”

The man bent to his right and pointed.

I tapped Abigail’s shoulder and motioned for her to step back, along with Alphonse and Dressler. With everyone out of the way, I asked if there was anyone else in this lab.

“Only us,” said the second doctor.

“In you go,” I said, nodding at the elevator, and they did exactly what I told them. “Press the button for the bottom floor and don’t come back here for an hour.”

They each nodded, fear all over their faces.

We waited for the doors to close and the elevator to descend, just to be sure.

Abigail dragged Dressler behind her, heading in the direction the other doctor had suggested. “Time to go!”

I nodded at Alphonse, and we both followed.

After a short corridor, we found a set of double doors, which opened into a field of finely cut grass. This must have been the side entrance. It was secured with a scanner, so you couldn’t leave without authorization, and there didn’t seem to be any handles or devices on the other side. That meant that once we were outside, there would be no going back.

If we ended up in the middle of a firefight, it would also mean little to no cover.

Nowhere to run, but forward.

“Are we ready?” I asked each of my fellow fugitives.

“I could stand to stay behind,” said Dressler. “Please, you don’t need me anymore, do you?”

“Nice try,” said Abigail.

The doctor swallowed. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

I fled through the door, the others right behind me, my pistol at the ready. A sudden breeze flew across my cheeks and, for a moment, it was nice, like being in a glade near a brook, the total opposite of where I actually was. It was almost like I wasn’t robbing the Union and trying to escape with two hostages at my side and one of the galaxy’s most powerful artifacts in my goddamn pocket.

I could see the entrance to the landing platform straight ahead of us, across the field. It was a wide area with thin towers on all sides, which could have been anything from overhead lights to turrets, for all I knew. I cursed myself for not scouting this location more before coming down, but there hadn’t been enough time, not with General Brigham tracking us, although I certainly couldn’t confirm that he was. I’d been too shortsighted, rushing onto this asshole of a planet. Oh well. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d played fast and—

“Stop them! They’re heading to that ship!” shouted a husky voice to my left.

A group of armed guards filed out of the front of the building. A quick glance revealed it was the same squad that had escorted us into the building after we’d landed.

“Run!” I shouted, taking Dressler’s hand and pulling her into the open grass.

Several shots fired on my position. Dressler screamed, surprising me with how loud her voice could get. For such an angry-looking woman, she sure could project herself.

“Wait! They have a hostage!” shouted one of the soldiers.

“Doesn’t matter! Keep firing!” returned another.

“W-What did he just say?!” asked Dressler.

“Keep up!” snapped Alphonse.

I let go of the doctor and pulled out my pistol, ready to return fire. I got off a couple of shots, hitting the windows behind the soldiers and forcing them to take cover. That would buy us a few moments.

I came to a quick stop, dragging my heel in the grass, and turning around. In seconds, I was facing the soldiers, my arm steady with the gun.

Right as Abigail was about to pass beside me, I raised my other hand and motioned at her to toss me her gun. She tossed it at me and I caught it, wrapping my fingers around the butt as I brought it around toward the other men, along with my own weapon.

Using both pistols, I unloaded a steady flow of bullets, making sure the men stayed down. There were only four soldiers, from what I could see, which meant the others were somewhere else. There had been six originally, when they’d met us at the loading dock.

I began to back up, continuing to fire in a steady rhythm. These guns each carried two dozen bullets, and I only had one spare magazine. If we didn’t get out of here soon, things might not end so well.

“Jace!” shouted Abigail, the urgency in her voice telling me it was time to go. I turned around, replacing my backwards jog with a hard, forward run.

I saw the two remaining soldiers near The Star, holding rifles and waiting for our group.

They looked like they were about to fire on Dressler when I managed to get a shot off, hitting my own ship. This forced them to hit the ground. One of them shouted something to the other, which caused them both to aim at me. Apparently, they viewed me as the larger threat.

That was a mistake.

Abigail pushed Dressler into Alphonse’s arms. The Constable caught the doctor and brought her to the ground with him, while Abigail continued forward.

The nun leapt into the air, taking out her baton and activating it. The pole extended, a spark igniting at the end. In a hard swipe, she brought the object down, hitting the first soldier square in the face, breaking his nose and spattering blood into the air.

The second man raised his weapon, ready to shoot her before she could get any closer.

I squeezed the trigger on both guns, but I’d finally run out.

The soldier stood there with Abigail in his sights. She wasn’t reacting, which made me think her shield must be depleted.

I reached for the last remaining magazine, hoping I still had enough time to get a shot off before that soldier did what he was about to—

Alphonse ran straight into him, knocking the gun to the side, right as the soldier fired. The man turned on him, but Alphonse responded with a kick to his stomach, then a quick tap to the man’s throat. The soldier fell on his knees, gasping for air, like his wind pipe had collapsed. Alphonse took his head in his arms and twisted, snapping the man’s neck before he even knew what was happening to him.

Abigail was gawking at what the Constable had just done. “What did you—”

“I suggest we depart,” said Alphonse, motioning to the ship. “More of them will be here soon.”

I ran over to Dressler and helped her up, then joined the others. “Nice one, Al,” I said as I passed him.

He nodded. “Happy to help, Captain.”

Another burst of gunfire followed, hitting the ship as we ran into the lift. “Siggy, close the goddamn hatch!” I shouted.

“Right away, sir,” answered the A.I.

The lift raised as multiple shots ricocheted through the shrinking opening. “Take cover!” I ordered.

Everyone ducked as the bullets bounced overhead, hitting metal and disappearing into the walls.

“Get us in the air, Siggy!” I shouted, just as the door closed.

“As you wish, sir,” he said. “Activating thrusters.”

I crawled my way to the stairs, but stayed down, knowing better than to move too much or risk a deflecting bullet.

The gunfire continued as we lifted into the air. We all stayed on our faces, waiting for the bulletstorm to be replaced by the silence of space.

The engines activated, rumbling through the entire ship before the stabilizers had a chance to kick in. As it settled, I felt us lift off the ground.

“Everyone okay?” I asked, now that we were rocketing away from the planet.

“I think so,” said Abigail, who was on her knees.

“Constable…are you alright?” asked Dr. Dressler, still out of breath. She edged her way closer to Alphonse, who was lying on his back. “Y-You’re bleeding!”

Alphonse tried to stand, but stopped and clutched his stomach. When he took his palm away, I could finally see the blood.

I sat forward, pushing myself up from the stairs. “Alphonse?” I said, trying to get a better look. He had sweat all over his forehead, strain in his eyes. Something was definitely wrong.

Abigail ran over to him and pushed the kid on his back. “Lie down for a second and let me see,” she ordered, lifting his shirt above his stomach.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered. His eyes fluttered, like he was about to pass out. “I…should have been faster…”

“Idiot!” snapped Abigail. “Why didn’t you run faster?” She looked at me, her eyes fixed with anger. “Get me the goddamn med kit!”

Nine

By the time I returned with the med kit, Alphonse had lost consciousness. Abigail managed to get the wound wrapped, but without the necessary tools, we wouldn’t be able to excise the bullet.

I had to leave him with Abigail and Dressler while I made my way to the cockpit. I didn’t want to, but someone had to man the cannons and fly us out of here, and I couldn’t rely on Siggy to do everything. Impressive as he was, Sigmond could only handle so many things at once.

I entered a command on the console and took the control sticks, leading us away from the planet. Before I could even call down to check on Abigail or bring up the camera feed from the cargo bay, Siggy informed me that we had a tail.

By the look of it, three of them. All Union strike ships.

“Out of the fire…” I muttered. “Siggy! How long before Titan comes out of that tunnel?”

“Approximately eight minutes, sir,” he answered.

“Close enough! Let’s see if we can make it there before those ships catch up to us.”

“Based on their current rate of acceleration, I do not believe that will be possible,” informed Siggy.

I cursed, then activated the holo display to show the system we were in. I looked frantically for somewhere to go, anything with a narrow enough space to—

I paused on the fourth planet in the system, the closest to Priscilla. It had a thin, but wide ring of rocks around it, like many other class-3 planets. A quick analysis revealed that this world also had a whopping seventy-six moons.

“Siggy, I’m taking us behind that ring, close to the planet. Make sure we don’t hit anything,” I ordered.

“Acknowledged, sir,” said the A.I.

If I could buy some time before Titan arrived, I might be able to get away without any excessive damage, but I’d have to stay out of their line-of-sight. I hated not being able to take them all head-on, but I couldn’t risk my crew or my ship, not if there was a better way out.

I brought The Renegade Star within orbit of the ringed planet, then reduced our speed to a slow crawl as we neared the ring itself—a thin spread of ice and rock, twice the size of the planet.

“Time to lay the traps,” I said, sweeping my finger across the console, dropping one of the mines that Athena had given me. “Let’s see if these things are as good as she said.”

I placed six mines, nearly all of them—three below the ring and three above—and brought my ship to the rear of it, nearer to the planet.

I watched the holo as it showed all three ships drawing closer to my position. The centermost strike ship had its shield raised, encompassing all of them. I activated my own, waiting for them.

Any second now, I thought.

The ships neared the ring, heading above and ignoring the bottom.

I backed up, closer to the planet.

The three ships moved together, their shield grazing the ring and causing the particles and fragments to swirl and displace.

The first of the three mines reacted, its sensors detecting the incoming vessels, and it homed itself towards them. The mine ignited right as it reached the shield, exploding in a mess of blue plasma, lighting up the darkness for a brief second, and causing the protective layer to fracture and flicker, like it was about to break. My mouth fell open at the sight. Talk about a bomb! My old mines didn’t hold a fucking candle to these. “That’s what I’m talking about!” I shouted, smacking my console.

The ship closest to the ring jerked slightly as the shield settled.

I dropped The Renegade Star further below the ring, priming my quad cannons as I tracked the ships’ movements.

The second mine reacted as they drew closer to the end of the ring, and it lunged itself towards them, exploding at the same distance as the first. The shield surrounding the ships flickered once again as the blue light encapsulated it. The shield cracked and broke, finally dissolving as the damage became too great for it to bear.

The three ships separated, moving away now that the shield was gone. Since they had no reason to stick together, they could move freely. It was hard to say if things had just improved or gotten worse for me.

Or for them.

I tracked each of the ships, all of them moving in different directions. The first continued along the same path, headed unknowingly toward the next mine, while the second and third broke apart and headed to each side of the ring, no doubt to flank me.

I’d be ready for all of them. I clutched my control stick and began firing a spray into the ring, targeting the nearest of the two that were breaking free. My shots went straight through the ice, obliterating rocks and creating clouds of heavy dust as I continued firing at the moving ship. As it neared the edge of the ring, one of my torpedoes struck it in the side, grazing its secondary engine. The ship spun repeatedly, out of control, going directly into the particles of the ring and displacing them further.

This was my chance.

With another spread, I fired at the ship, missing all but two blasts, which hit the vessel at its center, clear through the cockpit, breaking the ship apart.

An explosion boomed from further down the ring as the first pilot inadvertently triggered the third mine. He was gone, instantly, which left only one to contend with.

I charged forward, right as the last ship came around the other side of the ring. We fired our cannons together at one another.

I missed most of the spread, while his struck my shield. The cockpit shook violently, and I held onto my seat while the stabilizers adjusted. If not for my shield, it would have been far worse.

“Sir, the slip tunnel is opening,” informed Siggy.

“Not now!” I barked, holding the control sticks and trying to target the other vessel. He rolled sideways, out of my spread. “Fuck!”

This ship moved better than the others, adjusting for my actions. This guy was a pro, I acknowledged, but he wouldn’t beat me here. Not after I’d gone through all the trouble of stealing that core.

I targeted the nearest mine, one of the three resting beneath the ring, none of which had been detonated yet, and fired.

The mine triggered, exploding in a wild display. It was too far to actually hit the other ship, but for a moment he stopped firing, probably surprised.

The strike ship wavered, and I fired off his right side, forcing him further toward the other mines. When he was close enough, I shot again, but this time I hit the second bomb, and it lit the ring up, catching the ship with it.

The enemy vessel tumbled, half of its left side gone. Before it could do anything else, I unloaded a string of torpedoes into him, landing two direct hits. He was gone in seconds, turned to dust and scraps.

“Captain Hughes,” came a voice from out of nowhere. I recognized it as Athena’s.

“I’m here,” I answered, trying to pull myself out of my focus. My whole body had been tense, without me even realizing it. I tried to relax, taking a long breath and exhaling.

“This is Titan. Prepare for departure, please. We must leave quickly.”

“Right, I’m coming back now. Hold your position,” I answered, turning The Renegade Star towards the recently opened slip tunnel and the giant moon that had just left it.

My thrusters kicked in and the ship began to move, headed straight for Titan. “Siggy, take us close enough for the tractor beam to grab us. Let me know when we’re there,” I said.

“Understood, sir,” said Sigmond.

I watched as my holo changed to a close up of Titan, with our new coordinates locked in.

With a quick breath, I steadied my calm, and unlocked my harness, pulling it over my head. I got up and headed to the door, intent on checking back with Abigail and the others. I’d left them in the cargo bay, hoping they could handle the situation themselves, but Abby wasn’t a medic or a surgeon. She couldn’t save a dying man, not if it came to that. Taking life came easy to me and her, but saving it…that took another kind of skill, and it was beyond us.

I jogged through the ship, passing through the lounge and into the rear corridor. When I finally reached the cargo bay, I found Abby resting on her knees with Alphonse’s head in her lap. His eyes were closed and I instantly thought the worst.

But no, I quickly noticed, his chest was rising. He was only asleep. The nun had managed, somehow, to keep him alive through all the fighting, through all the death and killing taking place beyond these walls. Somehow, this little prick was hanging on.

And, much to my own surprise, I was glad for it.

Ten

The second we docked on Titan, Athena asked me to head to the elevator. I’d have to get the core to Engineering…and fast.

I didn’t waste any time.

The Star’s engines were still settling when I bolted out of my ship’s cargo bay and into the megastructure, leaving Abigail to tend to the injured Constable and the no-doubt confused Dr. Dressler beside him.

I saw the elevator doors open before I even reached them. Racing through the corridor towards them, I was surprised to see someone already inside. It was Athena, standing tall and vibrant, with Lex beside her, smiling. “Mr. Hughes!” called the little girl, waving at me.

I slowed, stopping when I reached the lift. “What’s this about?” I asked, looking at Athena. “Why isn’t Lex with Octavia or Freddie?”

“I’ve asked Lex to assist us in this process,” explained Athena.

“Assist?” I asked.

She stepped aside, inviting me to enter. “Please,” she said, gesturing with her hand. “I’ll explain on the way. We must hurry.”

I decided to trust her and boarded the elevator. As the doors closed, I felt Lex’s hand touch my sleeve. I glanced down and saw her smiling at me. I couldn’t help but return it. “You okay, kid?”

She nodded. “Did you have fun on your trip?”

“Always do,” I said, leaving out the part where I almost took a bullet in the face.

“I had fun, too,” said Lex, enthusiastically.

“Oh, yeah?” I asked.

She grinned. “Me and Camilla played while you were gone. Athena helped, too!”

I glanced up at the Cognitive. “That right?”

“The children found their way into one of the lower sections of the ship. I escorted them out,” explained Athena.

The elevator slowed as we reached our destination. “You still haven’t said where we’re taking the core,” I said, right as the lift opened. The deck looked dark and dimly lit, from what I could see, like all the life in this place had been drained out.

Lex and I stepped out of the lift, while Athena remained inside. I looked back when I realized she wasn’t with us. “You coming?” I asked.

“You will require the child’s dermal implants in order to gain entry to the engine room,” said Athena. “The emitters on this level are currently inoperable, due to the power shortage we are experiencing. It seems I used too much during our stay in the slip tunnel. I’ll regain control once you insert the core.”

“You’re not making this easy,” I said, but didn’t bother asking any questions. If Titan was losing so much power that Athena couldn’t even display herself in certain areas of the ship, we probably didn’t have much time before the entire megastructure ran out of juice. I took Lex by the hand. “Ready to do this, kid?”

She nodded. “Ready!”

We left Athena and began moving to the far end of this part of the deck. There were seats and consoles sitting everywhere, giving the appearance of a bustling facility where one might expect to see dozens of personnel, only now it was totally empty. I felt like I was running through an abandoned ship, which I supposed was exactly true, since it had been nearly two thousand years since living humans walked these halls.

Lex and I came upon a gray door, taller than me and three times as wide. It had no handles or nearby pads to enter any codes. Nothing to tell me what to do next. I stood there for a second, stupidly ignorant of how to proceed.

The little girl beside me released my hand and approached the door. I opened my mouth to tell her to wait, when suddenly a soft blue light emitted from above our heads. It was a scanner, resting on top of the door, shining down on us. I blinked, watching it curiously before I realized what it must be picking up.

I glanced back down at Lex to see her tattoos lighting up, the same way they had every time she’d played with an artifact. She glowed in the dark, illuminating the area around us.

Lex raised her hand to the door, and suddenly it opened, cracking apart with a heavy grind.

“Nice one, kid,” I muttered, staring at the opening doors.

“Told you I could help,” she said.

I smiled, nodding. “That you did, kid.”

We continued forward, running further into the deeper recesses of Engineering. More empty consoles and seats on each side. I was surprised to find Lex unfazed by this, as so many children seemed to fear dark places. Instead, she was curious enough to explore, to keep going farther.

And so we did, running straight through the final corridor to reach the engine room.

As we arrived, we found the ceiling had opened up, fading into darkness as it stretched high into the ship. Lights blinked on the nearby dash, close to a massive tube, which I assumed must be the engine. It was difficult to know if this was the place or if the core itself was elsewhere, but given the way the tube had been placed—center of the room, surrounded by consoles and lights—I assumed it must be.

Lex began to glow again, only this time she didn’t have to touch anything. Instead, something on the console reacted. I stepped closer to see a slit open, round and about the size of the core, itself.

I reached into my pocket, pulling out the power source. “All that work, just for this,” I muttered, staring at the core. I brought it above the console. “This better work, Athena.”

I slid the container inside, finding a perfect fit. There was a hard click, followed by a humming sound. The machine twisted the core where it sat, rotating it to the left, nearly all the way, then slightly to the right. I waited, my eyes lingering once it stopped. “That’s it?” I asked. “Is it broken or—”

The console sucked the core inside itself, startling me, and the humming noise grew louder, vibrating the floor beneath our feet. “What’s that?” asked Lex.

I grabbed her hand to keep her steady, taking the nearby wall with my other. A burst of green light boomed from inside the tube, illuminating the surrounding area as the glow spread into the upper recesses of the ship, high above our heads and into the vertical tunnel. Another burst quickly followed, and then another. Rapid firing continued until the lights began to blur into one another, until the bursts became a steady stream of glowing light.

The tunnel above us stretched so far into the ship that I couldn’t see the end.

Lex and I stood together, lost in the array of color. If Athena was to be believed, this was one of the most powerful engines in the galaxy, and now it was coming online.

The vibrating floor and the sounds of the core began to slow, like a storm was ending. After a few more moments, the chaos seemed to settle, replaced with the electric hum of an idling engine.

The overhead lights turned on at once, surprising us both. It happened one at a time, with sections of the deck lighting up, bit by bit, until everything was normal. The consoles powered on next, blinking red and yellow dots filling the workstations with activity, despite having no one there to operate them. This formerly dead part of the ship suddenly felt very much alive.

Through all this, the core never lost its powerful green glow, however, and it continued to dominate the room, drawing my eyes like I was a bug.

Athena popped into existence, right in front of us. “Well done,” she said at last.

I was glad to see her emitters back online, the final sign I needed to know the core had worked.

Lex ran up to her. “Did we do it right?”

“Yes, you did, Lex,” said the Cognitive. “Excellent work.”

Lex cheered, turning to me, like I was expected to join in. I conceded a smile, and she seemed to think that was good enough.

“What’s the plan, Athena? What do we do now?” I asked, staring up into the bowels of the core above my head. The lights went deep into the megastructure, and I couldn’t help but be taken aback by it.

“Now?” asked Athena, stepping closer to me, a concerned look in her eyes. “Now, Captain Hughes, I believe it is time for us to run.”

* * *

“Titan’s energy reserves had nearly been depleted when we arrived,” explained Athena.

We were back in slipspace, headed as far away from the goddamn Union as we could get. I stood on the bridge, along with Abigail and Freddie, who’d rushed to meet me here so we could formulate some kind of strategy.

Abigail continued. “We had enough to open a final tunnel, should we have needed it. Thankfully, the mission had been a success, and Captain Hughes managed to get the core back in time.”

“Lucky,” said Freddie.

“Not for Alphonse,” I said. “Speaking of, how’s he doing?”

Abigail shook her head. “Critical. He needs surgery. Octavia is handling it, although I’m uncertain whether she has the necessary tools or experience.”

“She’s a former medic,” said Freddie.

“Hardly the same as a surgeon,” argued Abigail.

“Please, everyone,” interjected Athena. “Soon, Titan’s systems will be back online. That includes more than the engines.”

“What are you saying?” asked Abby.

“This vessel contains a medical bay with multiple regeneration pods. Once the core has fully rebooted and all systems have been restored, all serious injuries can be seen to.”

“What’s all that, now?” I asked. “Are you saying you can heal Alphonse?”

“Certainly,” said the Cognitive, like it was obvious. “Titan was built with the most sophisticated medical equipment available. In addition to the regeneration pods, we also have a complete line of surgical units.”

“Jace, we have to get Alphonse to one of those pods,” said Abigail.

“We can’t,” said Freddie. “The systems haven’t come back yet.”

“Correct,” said Athena. “It will be some time before all areas of Titan are restored, including the medical bay.”

“Athena, can you show us the feed of Octavia and Alphonse?” I asked.

She nodded, then waved her hand, changing the wall to screen behind her to show the landing bay, near The Renegade Star.

“Hey, you didn’t freeze up this time,” observed Freddie.

“A result of the new core,” she explained.

“It’s nice to see something has improved,” I remarked.

Octavia was in her chair, sitting beside an unconscious Alphonse, with Hitchens and Bolin on the other side of him. The two men were handing her equipment, helping with what I could only guess was some sort of surgery.

“Can you open a channel?” I asked.

Athena nodded. “Speak when ready, Captain.”

Octavia currently had a metal object inside of Alphonse’s chest, so I waited a moment before I spoke. When she brought the tool away from him and there was no danger in accidentally nicking an artery, I said, “Can anyone hear me?”

Octavia flinched at the sound of my voice “Captain?” she said.

“Yeah, Athena patched me through. How’s Alphonse? Did you get the bullet out?” I asked.

She relaxed. “Not yet,” she said, shaking her head. “We’re still working on it. I think I’ll have it out of him soon, but I’m concerned about internal bleeding, should we remove it. The bullet is in a delicate position.”

“Is it possible to keep it contained?” asked Abigail.

“He’s stable for the moment, but I can’t promise he won’t bleed out if we leave him this way,” said Octavia.

“Athena says she has a way to fix him, but it’ll take time,” I said.

Octavia looked at Hitchens. “Fix him?” She glanced back at the ceiling. “How?”

“There’s a medical bay on the ship, but power’s still being restored. We need you to keep him alive for—” I glanced at Athena. “How long?”

“Enough power should be restored in thirty minutes, approximately,” said the Cognitive. “However, this is only an estimate. The process has not been attempted in quite some time.”

“Right, we’ll take our chances,” I said. “Did you get all that, Octavia?”

“I did,” she said, wiping some blood from Alphonse’s chest. “I’ll do what I can until you’re ready.”

“Right,” I said, motioning with my hand to Athena. “That’s all for now.”

The screen went dark.

“Things are looking up,” said Freddie. “If the medical bay is operational, of course.”

I nodded. “It will be, I’m sure.”

“You sound positive about that,” said Abigail.

I shrugged. I honestly didn’t know what to expect, but we wouldn’t know anything until Athena brought that department back online. Until then, it was better to hope for the best.

If the plan fell apart, Octavia would have to step up and do the surgery, for better or worse. Those were really the only two options. Either the medical pod saved the Constable…or Octavia did. Either way, there wasn’t much I could do about it, and I hated worrying about things I had no say in.

Better to focus on what I could control. “We need to do something about that woman, too,” I said, changing the subject.

“What woman?” asked Freddie.

“Dressler,” said Abigail. “We brought her back from Priscilla.”

“You did what?!” asked Freddie. “When were you going to mention that?”

“When we had time,” said the nun.

“She’s in Abby’s old room on The Star,” I explained. “I’ll go check on her. She’s probably freaking out.”

“You’ve been back for a few hours now. Has she been there this whole time?” asked Freddie.

I shrugged and got to my feet. “She’s fine.”

“Captain, before you leave,” said Athena. She teleported beside me, causing me to stop, abruptly. “Due to our creating this slip tunnel, we are being forced to use our energy in such a way that Titan’s restoration will take longer than normal. If we stop for only an hour, we can have all major systems back online, including the medical facility as well as weapons and shields.”

“Weapons?” I asked. “Lady, why didn’t you say so? Pull out of this pipe as soon as you can.”

“Captain, are you sure about that?” asked Freddie.

“What’s not to be sure of?” asked Abigail. “Alphonse’s life is on the line.”

I raised my brow. “Since when do you care about the Constable? I thought you hated that guy.”

“I don’t hate him,” she snapped, with a harsher tone than I expected. “He just… he saved me down there. I don’t want him to die because of it.”

“So, you feel like you owe him something. Is that it?” I asked. “It’s your guilt that’s making you care?”

“No, it’s not that,” she said, pausing. “Or maybe it is. I don’t know. I just don’t want him to die.”

I walked closer to her, until I was less than a meter away. “I don’t want him to die, either. Gods know why.” I laughed, shaking my head. “But don’t forget where you are.”

She scoffed. “And where is that?”

“In the middle of a war,” I answered.

Eleven

“What exactly do you plan on doing with me, sir?” asked Doctor Dressler. The woman scowled at me with accusatory eyes. It was the kind of look I used to get all the time, back when I was a kid. Always the vagrant, always the suspect. In this case, I actually was the one responsible, but she wasn’t going to get the satisfaction of hearing me say it. Sure, I had just kidnapped this woman and brought her to my ship against her will, but that was besides the point.

“Listen, lady,” I said, never one to apologize. “I don’t know if you realize it or not, but your own people were down there trying to kill you. They shot at all of us, not just me. Not just Abigail. All of us.”

“That’s because what you stole is more valuable than a single life, including mine,” she said.

“Is that a fact?” I asked, leaning against the door panel with my arms crossed. Unlike Alphonse, who was a trained assassin and spy, I decided not to keep my gun pointed at her face the entire time we talked. That didn’t mean I still wouldn’t keep my distance. There was always a chance she was more than she appeared. Abigail had taught me that. “The union doesn’t give a shit about you, lady. They don’t give a shit about anybody. Doesn’t matter who you are or what your job is.” I started to laugh. “For gods’ sake, you were the lead scientist in one of their most prestigious facilities in the entire galaxy, and they still almost killed you. The way I see it, you don’t owe the Union anything, especially loyalty.”

“Are you seriously giving me a lecture on ethics and loyalty right now?” she asked. “That’s interesting, coming from a Renegade. Don’t you people murder and steal on a daily basis?”

“Well, I do try,” I said, giving her a wink.

She scowled at me again, apparently not liking my charming personality. Her loss. “Just let me go and I promise not to tell anyone anything,” she said.

“I’ll tell you what, Doc,” I began. “Have a little patience and sit your ass in this room for just a bit longer, give me a chance to get my shit in order, then when I have a spare second, I’ll give you a shuttle and send you on your merry way. How’s that?”

She stared at me for a moment, an odd look in her eyes, like she was waiting for me to take it back. “Is this some kind of joke?” She asked.

“No joke,” I told her, speaking only the truth. “I wouldn’t lie about letting you go. Despite what you may think of me, I ain’t the bad guy here. Not this time, contrary to how much I might want to be.”

“Why would you just let me go like that?” She asked.

“Because it’s one less mouth to feed. One less person to take care of,” I explained. “And honestly, lady, you just ain’t worth the trouble. I got a crew to look after, but that doesn’t include you.”

“Good,” she answered, not hiding her annoyance with me. “How long before I can leave?”

I chuckled at her blunt attitude. “Gimme a few days. You can go after we put some distance between the Union and this ship. Fair enough?”

“You kidnapped me and you’re asking if this is fair?” she asked.

“Right,” I said, tapping my chin. “Well, it’ll have to do.”

I shut the door between us, leaving her in the room to marinate on our talk. She’d probably call me a monster in her head, tell herself I was nothing but a dog, and she’d be right.

I’ve always been an animal.

* * *

I received a message from Athena on my way to the landing bay. “We will emerge from slipspace momentarily, Captain.”

“How long until you have the med bay up and running?” I asked, making my way through the corridor.

“Not long. I suggest you begin transporting the patient immediately,” her disembodied voice told me.

I started jogging, winding through the hall and nearing the final turn before the landing bay. The second I entered, I spotted Octavia next to Alphonse, with Bolin and Hitchens wiping their hands. They appeared to have blood on them. “Hey!” I shouted. “How’s he looking?”

“Still alive,” Octavia told me.

“What’s with the blood?” I asked as I approached, nodding to the two burly men a few meters from Octavia.

“I couldn’t use my hands to do everything, and it got a little messier than I anticipated,” she explained. “I was concerned that if we didn’t act soon—”

“Did it work?” I asked.

She nodded. “As well as to be expected.”

I stood over the Constable, watching him breathe. I guess you could’ve called him asleep, but he didn’t look like it. There was a peacefulness to sleep, something he didn’t have right now. With sweat on his cheeks and blood on his chest, soaking his shirt, the poor bastard looked like a mess.

“We need to move him,” I said.

“Where?” asked Octavia.

I motioned at Bolin. “Think you can help carry him?” I asked.

Bolin set the cloth down and, along with Hitchens, came back over to the Constable’s table. “I’ll help however I can.”

“Me, too,” said Hitchens.

I nodded, looking at Octavia again. “We’re taking him to the medical bay, the place I told you about with the pods. Athena says they’ll be online soon, so we need to hurry.”

“That’s good news, but how do you expect to transport him?” she asked.

“Wait here,” I said, then took off toward The Renegade Star’s loading deck.

I returned a few minutes later with my hover cart, bringing it just beside Alphonse. “You want to take him on that?” asked Octavia.

“Why not?” I asked.

She sighed. “I guess it’s fine. Just be careful with him. Too much movement could upset the wound. Doctor Hitchens, would you mind assisting the captain?”

“Of course,” said Hitchens. He walked next to Alphonse’s feet, placing his hands on the Constable’s ankles and giving me a short nod.

I waited for Octavia to move, then got in close beside Alphonse’s right side, near his midsection, with Bolin across from me. Together, along with Hitchens, we lifted Alphonse off the table and moved him gently onto the hover cart.

“Be extremely careful,” cautioned Octavia, rolling further out of the way, once we had the Constable secured. “The slightest bump could dislodge that bullet. If that happens, there won’t be anything I, or anyone, can do.”

“We’ll be careful. Come on, Bolin. You’re coming, too. All three of you are.” I started to move the cart, walking quickly, but carefully, toward the exit corridor. “Let’s go save this kid’s life.”

* * *

We disembarked from the elevator on deck 19, not far from the medical bay. Athena directed me as we went, suggesting that it would still be several minutes before the facilities were back online.

We’d just arrived out of the slip tunnel, which meant Titan’s systems could finally power on. It was just going to take some time, that’s all.

I led the group to the third hall, which we took to the seventh room. It was clear this was the right place, because it was open and didn’t have a door attached, making for easy access. I imagined that whoever built this place must have wanted passengers to be able to come and go as they please.

We pulled the cart inside the med bay, minding the archway so as not to bump the patient and accidentally kill him.

I stopped, turning around to examine the room, and found myself surprised by all the machines. There were large pods all along the walls, ten on each side, with an enclosed room in the center-back, which appeared to have a closed door and glass windows. From a glance, I could see shelves of medical supplies inside.

“Athena, what’s next?” I asked the empty room, glancing at the ceiling.

“Power is being restored to this deck. Please, place the subject in the surgical pod,” answered the Cognitive.

“Which one?” asked Octavia.

“A moment, please,” said Athena.

I heard a small beep to my left. One of the pods lit up, its lid raising to reveal a cushioned interior. “That’s our sign,” I said.

“Proceed when ready,” said Athena.

Bolin and I lifted Alphonse out of the cart and gently placed him inside the pod. He groaned when he was seated, and for a second I thought he might wake up. Instead, his head flopped down against his shoulder and he let out a wheeze. Bolin took the kid’s chin and moved it so his head was facing straight, then we backed away.

The pod door closed immediately, and the entire machine tilted and moved, positioning Alphonse so he was on his back.

We watched as the pod filled with a gentle light. I got in close, as did the others. Several small sticks—no, they were claws, extended from within the pod, each one glowing. One of them drew closer to Alphonse’s chest, hovering momentarily before it finally dove inside of him, phasing through to where the bullet waited.

“It must be hard light,” said Octavia.

“Hard light?” asked Bolin.

“The same thing Athena is made of,” she responded.

“Fascinating,” muttered Hitchens.

I watched as several more claws joined the first, and after a moment, they began to retract, bringing the metal slug with them. It popped free of the hole, sliding out with ease.

Some blood followed, but not as much as I expected. The claws responded by transforming into a syringe. It moved to the side of the pod and withdrew a gel-like substance, which it then proceeded to eject into the wound, filling it.

The blood stopped soon enough, and the claws fully retracted, disappearing completely.

I was about to ask if that was all there was to it when a small tube popped out from behind Alphonse’s neck. It extended itself, directly into his skin. The tube filled with liquid, going into his body.

“The object has been successfully removed and the subject’s tissue will regrow within the hour,” said Athena, her voice coming from overhead. “Vitals are holding.”

I heard Hitchens breathe a sigh of relief, next to me. I turned to see him lording directly over my shoulder. “Hey, watch it!” I barked.

He stumbled back, trying to get out of the way. “M-My apologies!”

“Is he going to be okay?” asked a familiar voice from behind. I turned to see Abigail standing in the archway, watching us.

I paused, surprised to see her. Had she followed us here? Was her guilt still so strong that she needed reassurance?

Athena chimed in with an answer before I could. “He will recover soon. His injury was moderately life-threatening.”

“See?” I said, looking at Abigail. “Only moderately. The kid will be fine.”

Octavia looked at me and Abigail, then wheeled herself away from the pod. “If the Constable is all set, I’d like to see to something. Hitchens, Bolin, if the two of you don’t mind.”

“Oh?” asked Hitchens.

Octavia motioned at the back of her chair.

“Ah, yes, of course,” said the good doctor. He grabbed the handles and began to wheel her away.

Bolin followed with them, and I watched the three head into the corridor, toward the elevator.

Abigail approached, giving me a nod, then leaned close enough to see inside the pod, staring at the boy inside. She touched the glass, and I could see in her eyes how real the fear had been.

Maybe she didn’t even know it herself, but there it was, behind those beautiful green eyes. A dreadful sort of fear that isn’t expected, the kind you don’t see coming. It was a surprise when you felt it, and the shock stayed with you until it was done, and you wondered why you never saw it before. You wonder how you could let it get this far.

Abigail had treated this kid like garbage, ever since she first met him. It was hate that did it to her. Hate for the Union, for the people who did those awful things to Lex, back in that lab.

I knew what it was like to have hate like that…to want a person dead because of what they represented. I knew it better than most, I wagered, and maybe that’s why I could so easily see the remorse that followed.

Because I knew what it meant to be afraid of myself…

Afraid of what so much hate might do to me.

Twelve

Alphonse cracked his eyes open and blinked several times, trying to focus. He licked his lips, swallowing hard.

“Welcome back,” I said, standing beside his pod. I was alone in the med bay, except for the Constable himself. Abigail had left only a few minutes ago, but would be back soon.

“Where…?” muttered Alphonse, clearly confused about what was going on.

“You took a bad hit in the chest. The bullet was lodged near an artery, but we got it out,” I explained. “Congrats. You get to live.”

“That’s a relief,” he said, trying to smile.

“Are you in a lot of pain?” I asked.

He pushed himself up, trying to straighten his back. “It’s manageable. Thank you, Captain.”

“Don’t thank me,” I said, fanning a hand at him. “I didn’t do shit.”

He tried to laugh at my humility, only to cough instead.

“You’re an idiot for doing what you did,” I said, after a short moment of silence. “You almost died because of it.”

“I couldn’t let that woman die,” he said, giving me that same innocent expression I had grown accustomed to by now. Alphonse had never struck me as a Constable, not in the way I imagined them to be. He knew how to fight, sure, but he always looked so innocent, like he was just a kid, confused about what he was doing here. Being next to him had felt familiar, like talking with an old friend. At first, I’d thought it was a tactic to gain my trust, but now I was beginning to believe otherwise. Maybe this was just his personality. Maybe he really was just a kind person.

“You risked your life to save Abigail,” I said, resting my hand on the side of the pod. “She treated you like crap.”

“She had a good reason,” he said. “She was trying to protect a child.”

The way he said it felt genuine, like he really believed it.

“I must admit, I was concerned the bullet might have set off the bomb you gave me,” he continued, chuckling a little.

“There never was a bomb, Al. Didn’t you figure that out already?” I asked.

It was true. As much as I wasn’t sure about Alphonse at the time, putting a bomb inside his gut had simply been a bluff. Athena had explained that such a surgery would be too difficult, especially given how little power Titan had at the time. I figured bluffing would be enough to keep him in line, and besides, I was a quick shot…and he didn’t have a gun.

“I was pretty certain you were lying,” he answered. “Although, one never knows about these things.”

I nodded. “You’re welcome.”

“For what?” he asked.

“Not blowing you up,” I said.

He smiled. “You’re always joking.”

“What’s your deal, Al? What do you have to gain from helping any of us? Tell me the truth now, would you? I know there’s more going on inside that stupid head of yours than you’ve let on.”

He managed a laugh this time, but only a small one. “You have to understand, Captain. While I might have wanted to assist you, I am still a Constable. I couldn’t be certain you were in the right, not until I had enough data.” He cleared his throat. “I read about Lex when I was working in the Red Tower. It’s where the Constables keep all classified records. I’d heard about the experiments from a fellow of mine, someone you might call an associate, but not a friend. She had mentioned some interesting work being done in the Third Laboratory.”

“The Third Laboratory?” I asked. “Is that the name of the place Lex was being held?”

He nodded. “The very same. I located the files, which are on a closed system, meaning you can’t access them outside of the facility. I began to read about the work being done, and as I am prone to do, I became obsessed. I wanted to know everything there was to know about the children.”

“Children?” I asked. “How many were there? Did they all have tattoos like Lex?”

“No, not quite, although it wasn’t for lack of trying,” he said. “Upon their discovery of the child, they began working on a means of replicating the markings. Several children were used as test subjects, each for different reasons. Thousands of tests were attempted, all of which resulted in utter failure, as you may have already guessed.”

“Failure? Does that mean the other kids…?”

“I’m afraid so, Captain,” said Alphonse. “I can’t begin to imagine how many were lost. Even after the girl was taken, the Union continued their attempts at replicating her abilities, none of which has been successful, last I checked.”

“How many?” I asked in a low growl.

He paused. “Hundreds. Maybe more.”

I stared at him in disbelief, trying to imagine so many kids, all of them gone. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. The thought was unimaginable.

“To tell you the truth, Captain, I wasn’t certain whether or not you were any better,” Alphonse added. “Not until I was able to observe you for myself.”

“Observe?” I asked, coming out of my thoughts. “The way I remember it, we took you prisoner and stuck you in a cell. Are you telling me that was all part of the plan?”

“It went a bit messier than I expected, because of Docker, as you’ll recall. I only wanted to see whether you could be trusted with the girl.”

“And if I couldn’t?” I asked, raising my eye. “I seem to recall shoving a pistol in your face…more than once.”

“I knew you wouldn’t shoot me. You aren’t the type to shoot an unarmed man,” he said.

“You make a lot of assumptions,” I told him.

“No,” he said. “I research. You’d be surprised what you can find in the Tower’s database. They have profiles on all of you.”

“Is that so?” I asked with a smirk.

“You’re an honorable man, Captain Hughes, whether you want to admit it or not,” said the Constable.

I scoffed. “Shove it up your ass, Al.”

* * *

I walked out of the lift, on my way back from the med bay, when I saw Octavia. She was alone, wheeling herself along. I gave her a nod and asked, “Where’s the professor?”

“Helping Bolin clear out one of the rooms so that Camilla can have her own space,” she said.

Camilla and her father had been sharing a room since we arrived. We’d all be restricted to using the main deck, but now with power being restored, several rooms seemed to have opened up. “Are you going to check on Alphonse?” I asked.

“Hardly,” she said. “Athena says she can unlock that medical supply closet. I thought I’d have a look.”

“Supply closet? Wouldn’t all that stuff be expired by now?” I asked.

“Not everything,” she said. “This ship was meant to travel for generations. They went through the trouble of securing quite a bit of their medicine in stasis.”

“If the power was out on that floor, how could it maintain the supplies?” I asked.

“Power reserves,” Athena chimed in. Her disembodied voice made both of us flinch. “Pardon the interruption, Captain, but to answer your question, there are several emergency systems tied directly to the backup power supply. There is a priority tree in place to ensure the essentials remain online at all times.”

“Well, there you go,” said Octavia, wheeling herself past me. “I’ll do an inventory and let you know what we have. Hopefully there’s something worthwhile.”

She boarded the elevator and I watched as the doors closed.

“Captain,” said Athena. “If I might have a word.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“I believe we have a situation that requires your immediate attention.” She blipped into existence, manifesting beside me in her physical form.

My hand went straight to my pistol, quickly relaxing. “Goddammit.”

“I’m detecting movement, headed towards our current coordinates. I believe it is a Union ship, quite large, along with multiple other vessels.”

“A large ship?” I asked. My mind went to the worst possible scenario.

She nodded. “We’ve seen it before. The Galactic Dawn.”

My eyes widened at the sound of the name. “The Dawn? Are you sure?”

“I can’t confirm it, precisely, but given its size and shape, it is extremely likely,” she said.

“Shit,” I muttered. “Looks like we’re still not free of this mess.”

“Do we have enough time to run?” I asked.

“They’ll arrive within a few minutes. I apologize for not informing you sooner, but my long-range sensors could not detect them until power was restored.”

I felt heat in my cheeks, a rising tension in my throat. “Tell the others to meet me in the landing bay,” I said. “Prime whatever weapons you’ve got and get ready to make the jump to slipspace.”

“Understood, Captain,” said the Cognitive.

She suddenly vanished, leaving me alone in the hall. I began running, faster and faster, headed to my ship, hoping I still had enough time.

Thirteen

Everyone arrived in the hangar, including the kids. I was already in The Star, prepping the ship to launch if it needed to.

I tapped my ear. “Siggy, patch me through to the others outside.”

“Of course, sir,” said the A.I. “Please, speak when ready.”

I cleared my throat. “In case Athena forgot to tell you folks, Brigham is on his way. He’ll be here any minute,” I explained.

“On his way?” asked Abigail, who was standing beside Freddie and Hitchens.

Bolin tilted his head. “Is this the man who’s been chasing you? The general?”

“That’s the guy,” I said. “He’s coming to get us, along with multiple other ships. Athena’s prepping the slip engine, but she needs a bit of time. The new core hasn’t fully integrated yet.”

“What does that mean for the rest of us?” asked Octavia.

“It means we have to stall,” I said. “Athena, can you hear me?”

“Yes, Captain,” said the Cognitive.

“I’m taking The Star out to drop a few dozen mines, right in front of us. We’ll create a tunnel and they’ll have no choice but to go through the bombs,” I explained.

“What can we do to help?” asked Abigail.

“This is a one-man job. The rest of you stay here while Siggy and I handle shit on the outside.” I strapped myself into my chair and began the engine prep.

“You can’t just expect the rest of us to wait here while you run off alone,” said Abigail.

“Why not? It’s not like I need you to help me drop a couple of bombs,” I said.

“Someone needs to handle the guns while you’re dropping bombs,” she said.

“I can handle both. I’ve done it before.”

She stormed up to the ship. “Sigmond, open the goddamn door!”

“Acknowledged,” said Sigmond.

The lift door dropped slowly to the floor. “Goddammit, Siggy!” I barked. “You aren’t supposed to take orders from anyone but me!”

“Apologies, sir, but Ms. Pryar was rather insistent,” he said.

Abigail climbed inside and began jogging to the cockpit. I closed the lift and primed my engines. “Everyone else, get inside and wait for us to get back!”

“See you in a bit,” said Bolin.

“Try not to die,” said Octavia.

Abigail banged on my door and I opened it. She shuffled inside and took the seat next to me, strapping herself in. “I can’t believe you almost left me here, Jace.”

“I didn’t want you to take the risk,” I said.

She snapped her eyes at me, scowling. “It doesn’t matter what you want. All that matters is what’s best for the team! You running off on your own isn’t that. It’s the opposite. What happens if you get yourself killed?”

I sighed. “I can’t win for trying.”

“And you never will as long as I’m here,” she said.

The Renegade Star lifted off Titan’s deck and made its way into clear space, leaving the others behind. They’d be safe for now, so long as we could plant the bombs and stall.

Long enough so Titan could open that tunnel and get the hell out of here.

* * *

The slip tunnel opened while we were still deploying the bombs, and the first of several ships entered the system. It wasn’t The Galactic Dawn, though, but another Union military ship with credentials I didn’t recognize. “Captain Jace Hughes of The Renegade Star, you are under arrest for the abduction of—”

I cut the transmission off. “Shut the fuck up,” I said, knowing they couldn’t hear me. I dropped the last of the mines in place. The little black bomb slid out of my ship and into open space, bringing itself to a motionless standstill.

“Do you really think this will be enough to slow down those ships?” asked Abigail.

“Without a doubt,” I said, pulling us back from the line of explosives that currently surrounded Titan.

“Sir,” interjected Sigmond. “Please be advised. The incoming vessel is charging weapons.”

“Raise shields!” I snapped.

A blast struck our side, but the shields took most of the damage.

“Idiots,” I muttered. “They’ll hit these mines if they aren’t careful.”

I brought us around, turning my targeting sights on the enemy spacecraft. Abigail grabbed the controls and locked on, firing a spread the moment she had the chance.

The enemy ship came flying in our direction, right as several others began to emerge from the tunnel. Before I could say anything else, another rift formed in the nearby space. It was a separate tunnel from the last, which meant even more reinforcements. “Sensors detect a Sarkonian vessel incoming,” informed Siggy.

I wanted to curse. I hadn’t expected so many of them this quickly. “Start firing!” I barked at Abigail, flying us in a 90-degree angle, away from the mines and the oncoming ship.

We dove, avoiding the shots. The other ship followed, and for a brief moment I considered trying to lure them closer to the mine field, but stopped myself. It wouldn’t do any good to waste the bombs on a ship that small. We needed those for the big gun, The Galactic Dawn itself, which still hadn’t arrived.

Athena’s voice came in over the com. “Captain, engines are online. I’m forming the slip tunnel now. Please, return to Titan immediately.”

“Give me just a goddamn second!” I yelled, pulling on the control stick.

We moved around the other fighter and Abigail kept suppressing fire on it, hitting its shields repeatedly.

“Siggy, what’s the status of that ship?” I asked.

“Analyzing. The vessel is using a standard mid-tier shield. Two direct hits with a quad cannon should disable it.”

“Hear that?” I asked, glancing at Abby. “Make it count!”

She nodded, then turned back and took aim, sweeping her hand over the targeting holo on the dash. She fired the first quad cannon, missing the enemy vessel.

Abby cursed, narrowing her eyes, and tried again. This time, the torpedo struck the ship, and I heard her breathe a sigh of relief. She quickly followed it up with another. The combined strength of the two blasts was enough to crack the shield.

I took us in closer. “Again!” I shouted.

She leaned forward, clutching the stick, and lit the goddamn ship up with a spray of shots. Multiple rounds penetrated the hull, ripping it nearly in half and igniting the engines. The ship exploded in a wicked blast, just as we turned back towards the mines.

Without missing a beat, the other ships began to move towards the field, each one activating shields and weapons. They weren’t about to let Titan leave, not without doing everything they could to stop it.

The lead ship in the fleet—a small Union vessel similar to the one where we’d originally found Alphonse—snagged a mine as soon as it entered the area. The explosion obliterated the small craft, splitting it into hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces. The rest of the fleet stayed back, finally realizing that there were bombs waiting for them.

In seconds, they began firing missiles into the mine field, trying to clear a path. It seemed to work, albeit slowly, as the torpedoes began colliding with the mines, one at a time.

We had created three hexagon layers of mines between the fleet and Titan, which was the most effective area of coverage we could establish in such a short amount of time. It wouldn’t take the fleet very long to break through, but Athena only needed a few moments.

Titan’s beams formed at its center, ripping a tear in space, creating a new tunnel. The process was fast and, within seconds, the opening had been formed.

“That’s our queue,” I said. “Siggy, move us—”

Before I could finish, I felt the entire ship toss sideways, like we’d been hit.

“What the fuck was that?!” I asked.

“Our shields are taking heavy fire, sir,” informed Sigmond. “We can’t sustain this for long.”

“Who the hell is it now?” I asked. The holo switched to show me a Sarkonian ship in pursuit, firing rapidly at us. It was way too close for comfort.

Abigail swiveled in her seat. “Should we run?”

“Not until we take it down!” I barked.

“If we’re not careful, we’ll be stuck without a shield!” she returned.

“We can’t let them follow us back to Titan,” I said.

I brought the ship around and targeted the Sarkonian vessel. Abigail hit the ship with a spread, but it didn’t seem to slow it down. “Sir, I am detecting movement on the surface of the enemy vessel,” said Sigmond.

“What kind of movement?” I asked.

“I believe they are deploying a weapon,” he said.

The holo showed part of the Sarkonian ship sliding back into the hull, revealing some kind of cannon. “What the hell is that?” I asked.

“Firing torpedoes!” snapped Abigail.

The quad cannons landed a direct hit on the other ship, but before we could congratulate ourselves, something struck the side of our hull.

The Renegade Star shook, forcing me into my harness. “What was that?”

“Enemy ship has been immobilized,” said Sigmond.

“That’s not what I asked, goddammit!” I said.

Abby touched the dash and pulled up a sensor analysis of the hull. “It looks like there’s something on the side of the ship,” she said.

I zoomed in on the object, which was glowing red against the blue outline of our hull. “Siggy, run a scan on that thing. See what it is.”

“Analyzing…” said the A.I. “Object appears to be a neutron bomb, primed for remote detonation.”

“Did he just say a bomb?” asked Abigail.

“He did,” I said, pulling the control sticks back and setting us in the opposite direction. “We need to get away from the other ships here, before one of them shoots at us and sets that thing off.”

“Should we dock inside Titan?” she asked.

I shook my head. “We can’t take it inside the ship, not until we get it removed.” I tabbed the control, activating the com. “Athena, you picking this up?”

“Affirmative,” she said.

“Take the tunnel. We’ll be right behind you. Got a little business to take care of.”

“Are you certain?” asked Athena. “What’s delaying your arrival? Do you need assistance?”

“We’re packing a bomb on our back. I can’t risk this thing getting back to you.”

“Captain, I must insist that you not—”

“Just do as I say and go!”

“As you wish,” said Athena. “I shall send our next destination to Sigmond. Please accept.”

“Coordinates received,” said Sigmond.

“Hear that?” I asked. “We got them. Now, get out of here! We’ll meet you there!”

“Acknowledged, Captain. Good luck,” said Athena.

Several of the enemy ships began to move toward Titan. The moon-sized vessel eased its way into the newly-created slip tunnel, gradually disappearing inside, until it was fully immersed. The other ships entered the minefield, determined not to let Titan escape.

While the fleet was distracted with their suicidal mission to reclaim Lex, I set our coordinates on another tunnel, near the end of the system.

The Renegade Star took off away from the fleet, putting as much space between us and them as possible. My ship wasn’t the fastest in the galaxy, but with all of them so distracted, we might actually stand a chance at getting out of here.

I unhooked my harness. “Stay here and keep us on target,” I said, getting to my feet. I hit the switch to open the door and started to leave.

“Where do you think you’re going?” asked Abigail.

“In case you already forgot, we’ve got a bomb on our ass. Somebody has to take care of it.”

“By yourself?” she asked. “How are you going to—”

I took off running down the corridor. “I’ll call you on the com when I’m outside!” I yelled, over my shoulder.

I took the turn in the hall and went straight into the cargo bay. The lockers were already open, so I snagged one of the suits and began getting dressed.

“Siggy, how long before our shields are reactivated?” I asked, sliding my arms through the sleeves.

“The Sarkonian ship used an electromagnetic charge to disrupt the polarity of our shield. The effects are temporary. Partial power will be restored within thirty seconds,” answered the A.I.

“Perfect,” I said, securing my waist. “Establish shields as soon as possible, then drop them on my mark.”

“As you wish, sir.”

I locked my helmet into place, then activated my oxygen tank. The cool taste of air entered my helmet, and I heard the echo of my own breathing. I was suddenly much more aware of how fast my heart was pounding. “Goddammit,” I muttered. “The trouble I find.”

* * *

Once the shield was established, I was out the lift, using my boots to magnetically grip the hull as I moved, one slow step at a time, toward the bomb.

The bomb, which as it happened, was snug and secure inside the section just above my fucking bedroom. If this thing ended up damaging my quarters, I was going to be royally pissed.

“Abigail, do you hear me?” I asked, activating my com.

“I do!” she responded, with hardly any static overlaying her voice.

I took another step, letting the magnet in my boot fully grab the hull before moving again. “I’m almost at the bomb. Stay focused on getting us to the tunnel.”

“We’ll be there in…six minutes,” she said.

“We might have to sit there for a few while I get this detached, but we’ll make it,” I said, taking another step.

I could already see the lump in my hull, resting several meters near the center of The Renegade Star. It looked like a piece of cancer, a foreign hunk of poison that didn’t belong.

I edged my way forward, increasingly more aware of the danger I was putting myself in. Every step brought me closer to a fucking bomb.

I stepped across the airlock, careful not to touch the glass window, since it wasn’t metal and the last thing I needed was to lose my footing.

“Sir, a more thorough examination of the device has revealed a small problem,” said Sigmond.

“What is it now?” I asked. The bomb was only two meters away. I was nearly there.

“The casing itself is standard Sarkonian polymetal, while the locking mechanism and panel is Neutronium-plated, making it difficult to open. It may be best to dislodge the device manually, rather than disarm it.”

“You’re saying I can’t open it?” I asked.

“That is correct.”

I made an audible growl. “You’re killing me, Siggy.”

“Apologies, sir. That is the opposite of my intention.”

I sighed, taking the last step, then bent down so I was half-a-meter beside the bomb. I retrieved a small pack that I’d attached to my side, removing the thermal saw from inside. “Time for some last-minute surgery.”

* * *

Three minutes into this and I was already pretty sure I was going to accidentally blow my fucking ship up.

I used the thermal saw to heat the hull and slowly soften the areas around the bomb.

Sweat dripped down off my forehead, landing inside my suit. It was like a sauna, all of the sudden. Was I seriously this nervous?

My hands kept shaking, so I figured I must be. Still, I didn’t let it stop me from doing the job. It’s not like anyone else was going to come along and save us. It was up to me.

I smirked at the thought. I’d told Camilla the same thing, not that long ago. The universe was a shitstorm, and the only person you can rely on is yourself. Maybe that was true, but Abigail was inside at this very minute, handling the controls. She didn’t have to be here with me on this idiotic mission. She’d chosen to come along with me…to put herself out on the front line.

I rolled my eyes. All that means is that we’re both idiots, I thought, a slight grin on my face. But still, better to be fools together than dead and alone.

I continued to melt the metal around the bottom of the bomb, edging it away from the hull, one centimeter at a time.

“Jace, we’re almost at the tunnel,” said Abigail over the com. “How long before you’re back inside?”

“I’m still dealing with it. Hold on,” I said.

“Understood,” she answered.

I grabbed the side of the bomb and pulled it, trying to yank the back of it free of the ship. One of the blinking lights changed from green to orange, a first since I’d come up here. “What the—”

“The bomb is charging, sir,” said Sigmond. “Please, be advised. The bomb is—”

“Fuck!” I snapped, pulling it off the last of the melted hull. “Siggy, get ready to drop the shield as soon as I tell you!”

“Yes, sir,” he answered.

I gripped the explosive with both hands, pulling it off the hull. It refused to come up all the way, since it was still attached by a thin piece of soft metal. I squatted, pushing against the ship, and pulled the device with every ounce of strength I could muster. The resistance I felt suddenly ended, and I nearly fell backwards.

I twisted where I stood, lifting the bomb to my chest and aiming it toward the rear of The Renegade Star. “Now, Siggy! Drop the shields!”

The area around the ship flickered. “Shields are down, sir,” said Sigmond.

“Here we go!” I shouted, throwing the megaton bomb away from me. It floated away, still headed in the same direction we were currently flying, but slightly off course, thanks to my push.

“Excellent work, sir,” said Sigmond.

“Thanks, Siggy,” I said, letting myself breathe. “Raise the shields as soon as that thing is out of our—”

The bomb exploded before I could finish. The ship tossed instantly, and I felt the force of the blast as it knocked me free of the hull. I went spiraling into the void, away from The Star, unable to right my angle.

I tried to say something…to call Abby and ask if she was okay…to ask Siggy if the ship was still intact.

Most of all, I just tried to keep my eyes open.

Fourteen

I felt a hand around my wrist, pulling me from the bed. I wasn’t surprised, because I could hear my father coming, stomping on the old wood floors as he marched to get me. Even before he was there, I could already smell the liquor.

“Up and at ‘em, Jacey,” said the old man. “I got somethin’ I wanna show ya.”

I hopped on one foot as he dragged me through my bedroom, towards the door and into the main sitting room.

I already knew what this was about. I’d heard him yelling at my mom a few hours ago, before he went to the bar. He wanted to leave and head out to join Uncle Teddy, up on Talos, the nearest colony to Epsy. There were prospects, he had told her. My dad was always talking about prospects.

He stumbled before we reached the couch, his foot catching on the dislodged plank in the floor. “Goddammit!” he shouted. “I forgot to fix that shit. Why didn’t you remind me about the fucking plank?”

He’d been meaning to fix that for three months now, but still hadn’t found the time.

I sat down on the couch, while my dad slammed his big ass down on the stool in front of me. I could see his pistol on his hip, the same one he’d carried at his side since he was sixteen. The same one that, as he’d told me, killed over forty men. “Your momma says I ain’t got what it takes, Jacey,” said the overweight dust miner. “She says there ain’t no more upward momentum for folks like us. Wattayou think about that?”

“Why would momma say that?” I asked, believing him instantly.

“She don’t know nuthin’ about nuthin’, Jacey. That woman is small-time.” He coughed into his fist, gray spit hitting his fingers. “You and me, we got better stuff in us, don’t we? We’re gonna be Renegades and get ourselves a hot life!”

“Yeah!” I exclaimed, excited at the sound of the word. My father had recently started telling me about Renegades and how wonderful their lives were. He said they all had ships and traveled all over the galaxy, doing whatever they wanted. If you were a Renegade, my father would always say, you can have it all.

“Damn planet’s going to shit and I’m smart enough to see which way the wind is headed. You know what I’m saying, Jacey?” he asked.

I nodded. “It stinks!”

He laughed. “Your momma, she’s a simple one. She don’t see it. You do, though, don’t you, Jacey?”

I nodded again. “Yeah, Pop! It stinks bad!” I plugged my nose, trying to demonstrate.

He stared at me, a stupid expression on his face, like he was lost for a moment, but then smirked. “That’s right. You get it. Of course, my kid gets it.” He smacked my knee with his burly hand. My father gave me a grin, his lips crooked and red. “Guess what I got in my pocket, Jacey,” he said, reaching to show me before I could even give him an answer. I heard a rustle of something, then he pulled out a small piece of paper, dangling it in my face. “You know what this is?” he asked. “It’s a ticket. A special ticket, like the kind we always talked about.”

My eyes widened. “You got a ticket to space?” I asked, dropping my jaw. “No way!”

He shoved it in my face, clumsily hitting me in the forehead, although I didn’t care. I was too busy trying to see what the ticket said on it.

CLASS – STD

TICKET TIME – 3PM DAY

ADULT – ONE

FROM – VERNIN, EPSY

TO – ARENSDALE, TALOS

“See it?” he asked, trying to hold it steady. “Now, we can do what we always wanted, Jacey.”

“Whoa!” I exclaimed.

He smiled. “Our times in this shithole are over. Won’t be long before everyone from the Union to Sarkonia is talkin’ ‘bout the Hughes boys. Ain’t that right?”

“Ain’t no one better than a Hughes!” I shouted, reciting the phrase my father would often say when comparing our family.

He began to laugh, but coughed instead. “You’re funny,” he said, clearing his throat and wheezing. All those years in the mines had done my father no favors.

“When can we go?” I asked, smiling. “How long before we get to be Renegades?”

He snickered. “You’re funny, Jacey. I can’t take no kid with me to Talos. I need to get up there on my own so I can get a good job.”

I frowned, but knew I shouldn’t. My father would never leave me behind if he didn’t have to. I knew that.

“Don’t worry, Jacey. You’ll just wait around here for a while. I gotta get a good job first, but then it won’t take me long to get you a ticket too.” He paused for a second. “And your momma. She don’t get our dream now, but she will. Just you wait.”

“Okay, Pop. I’ll wait here and be good,” I said, trying to act tough.

He grinned. “Won’t take me more than a month, I bet! Maybe less if I can work those big wigs on the shuttle.” He tried to wink at me, but blinked both eyes instead. “Gonna be tough, but just you wait, Jacey. I’m gonna make it big out there!”

I heard a knock at the front door, and my father flinched, startled by the sound. “That must be…” He looked at me. “Uh…sorry, kid, but I gotta get going now if I’m gonna make the flight tomorrow. Gotta travel all the way to Vernin City. Remember when we went there a few years ago?”

Another bang on the door. “Hello?” called a man. “Someone call about a ride?”

My father got to his feet. “Be right there!” he barked, and in a softer voice he said, “Sorry to go like this, Jacey, but I’ll see you real soon, got it?”

“Got it,” I echoed, trying to keep my smile.

I watched him head to the door, then pause to look at me. His eyes lingered on me for a moment, a distant expression in his face—one I didn’t recognize. Then, he smiled at me with the same charming grin he always had. “Someday you’re gonna learn, Jacey…what it means to be a man. Someday, you’re gonna know what it feels like to be me.”

He smacked his chest and closed the door.

Off to better prospects.

* * *

“Jace,” a faint voice called.

I stirred in my suit.

“Jace!”

My eyes broke open, and I was suddenly gasping. “Fuck!” I snapped, instantly confused about where I was and how I’d gotten there. “Holy goddamn fucking shit!”

“Jace, are you okay?!” shouted a woman in my ear.

It took me a second to realize who the hell this person was. “Abby?” I said, trying to get my bearings. I turned my head as much as I could, only to realize that I was trapped inside a goddamn spacesuit. Oh, right, I thought, remembering the thing about the bomb.

“Don’t worry, I’ll bring the ship back around to you,” said Abby.

“I’m afraid that may prove difficult,” interjected Sigmond.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Our thrusters were damaged in the blast,” he explained. “We are only operating at 30%. It will take several minutes to retrieve you. I do apologize, sir.”

“I’m not going anywhere, but you’d better move your asses,” I said.

I was still spinning from the blast, so I reached for my arm control panel and activated my suit’s stabilizers, attached on the left and right shoulders. Each compartment only contained a small amount of compressed nitrogen to correct my velocity, which meant it was only for emergencies. I supposed this counted, then tapped the command to activate the unit.

The gas released in spurts, a little at a time, gradually killing my momentum until I was mostly immobilized. No more spinning, no more spiraling in a random direction. I still had enough gas to help me turn around or send me flying in another direction, should I need it.

I couldn’t see The Renegade Star yet, but I didn’t expect to in so much darkness. Space was vast and empty, with only stars to guide your path. I wouldn’t be able to spot my own ship until it was right up on me. Titan might have been a different story, but that ship was long gone now, completely out of reach.

“Sir, I am detecting multiple incoming vessels, breaking off from the fleet,” said Sigmond.

“Strike ships? How many?” I asked, staring in the direction of the fleet. I couldn’t see anything, not even the bigger ships, but that didn’t keep me from trying.

“Eight, sir,” he responded.

“Fuck,” I muttered. The Renegade Star could handle two, maybe three strike ships, but eight? Not a goddamn chance. “How long until they get here?”

“Two minutes,” said the A.I.

“And how long before you pick me up?” I asked.

“Three minutes,” he answered.

I bit the inside of my mouth, twisting my lip as I continued to watch the void in front of me, towards the system’s sun, which shone with an intensity I was only just noticing. A white glow, much like one on Epsy. “Siggy,” I said, after a moment. “Open a tunnel. I want you to take Abigail to the coordinates Athena gave you.”

Abigail answered before the A.I. could respond. “Jace, what are you talking about? We’re not leaving you behind. Don’t be an idiot!”

I ignored her. “Siggy, you do as I say. Understand? Captain’s orders. Don’t make me use the goddamn command password on you.”

“Siggy, don’t listen to that fool! We’re not leaving him here,” insisted Abigail.

“Sir, are you certain?” asked Sigmond. “A quick analysis concludes that there is still an 8% chance of success, should we continue on our present course to procure you.”

I smirked. “I appreciate the optimism, Siggy, but get that fat ass of yours in gear and go. Your priority now is to protect the nun. You got it?”

“Jace!” shouted Abigail. “You can’t just order me to leave you behind! Don’t be such a—”

I cut the com off. She was probably screaming at the console right now, but oh well. It was for her own good.

* * *

The Union squadron of strike ships arrived shortly after I gave the order to leave. The came to a quick halt right in front of me, so close I could see them and they could see me.

I knew they wouldn’t shoot me, not without first dragging me into a prison cell and interrogating me for information. I wasn’t stupid enough to think otherwise.

That didn’t mean I wouldn’t kill as many of these fools as possible in the process, though. If they wanted to take me in alive, it was going to cost them. That was for damn sure.

The nearest strike ship moved in, closing the gap between us, until it was hovering a hundred yards away. It could have been less or more. Hard to tell in space.

The side hatch of the ship opened, its door sliding up to reveal two men, each wearing a spacesuit. One of them pointed toward me, then pointed at the ship. I guessed he was trying to tell me to come inside, but I wasn’t about to make this easy for them. That asshole would have to come and get me first.

After a few fruitless attempts to communicate, he seemed to say something to the person beside him, and the two leapt free of the ship and headed in my direction.

When they were about halfway to me, I reached for my wrist and tabbed the thruster controls, turning myself around. With my back at them, I burst forward, floating away. With my momentum set, I used the last of my nitrogen to twist myself around so I could see them, and then waved.

The two men stopped where they were, doubling back to their ship. “That’s right, you little fuck nuggets,” I muttered. “You want me, you’re gonna have to work for it.”

Three of the ships came closer, gaining quickly on me. Each of their doors opened this time, rather than just one, and I saw several suited individuals emerge, each ready to take me in.

That was more like it.

I continued floating away from them, toward the empty void at my back. It was satisfying, watching them squirm. I expected I’d get the beating of my life in a few minutes, once they had me inside one of their ships…but fuck if it wasn’t worth it.

Right as three of the soldiers were getting close to me, with one angry-looking asshole at the forefront, something happened.

A green glow came over us, which I could see reflecting off their helmets and suits, coming from behind me.

The soldiers stopped where they were, motioning to each other to return to their ships. They scurried like crabs on a beach, a mad panic in them.

To make matters worse, the glow had grown stronger and brighter. It was beginning to encapsulate my own suit. I raised my arm, trying to look at the reflection of the tiny dash on my wrist.

A split in space had formed, creating an opening to slipspace. The swirling emerald shined brightly against my plating.

That was when the ship emerged, its massive circular hull squeezing through the lightning walls. At first, I didn’t recognize it. The panel on my wrist was shit for viewing, with its dents and smudged surface, but after a moment I began to piece together what I was seeing.

It was Titan, coming back to the fight.

One of the strike ships burst forward, towards me, probably in a last-ditch effort to pick me up, but before it could get too close, a ray of blue light overtook us.

Nearly all of the strike ships were caught inside of it, along with me. I began to drift upwards, away from the enemy ships, which seemed to be totally motionless. The ship that had been on its way to me was frozen in place, immobilized and unable to either attack or flee.

Meanwhile, I continued to move at a 45-degree angle, the blue light encapsulating me as it brought me closer to the source.

Closer to Titan.

Realizing my com was still turned off, I switched it back on. “Hello? Anyone reading me?” I asked.

“Welcome, Captain Hughes,” answered Athena. “I apologize for the delay.”

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I asked. “I thought I told you to run.”

“I did as you asked, but changed the plan mid-flight. I shifted the tunnel to curve back to the edge of the system, hoping to assist The Renegade Star.”

“Where’s Abigail? Did she get away?” I asked.

“I sent a command to Sigmond the moment we arrived. He was in the process of opening a tunnel, not far from our present location,” she explained. “Ms. Pryar should return momentarily.”

I let the beam carry me deeper into the megastructure. It only took a minute or so before I was brought inside one of the docking bays—different from the one The Star typically parked in. I floated over the floor, the blue light surrounding me, and gently came to a rest, right on my ass.

I got to my feet and, before I could say anything, a display appeared on the nearby wall, showing the ships outside, still trapped in the beam. “Captain,” said Athena, appearing in the corner of the screen. “What would you prefer I do with these vessels?”

I briefly considered telling her to slam them together, until each of the strike ships was nothing but a piece of metal and flattened Union soldiers between them, but then decided against it.

Not because I didn’t want to. I would’ve loved to watch those assholes get what they deserved. It was just that we had to get our asses out of here before the rest of that fleet caught up with us. They must have certainly noticed Titan by now, so it wouldn’t be long before they were all over us. “Let’s head out. Open a new tunnel, and as soon as The Star is here, set a course and get us out of this godforsaken system.” I twisted my helmet, snapping it off. “And Athena, one last thing.”

“Yes, Captain?” she asked.

“If any of those strike ships tries anything, use one of those heavy cannons of yours and blow them straight to hell. Don’t leave a scrap of metal behind.”

Fifteen

The Renegade Star docked a few minutes after I was back on Titan. The second it landed, we were already pushing into a new tunnel, well on our way to anywhere-but-here.

Abigail found me a few minutes later. I could see she was steaming, before she even got to me. “Jace Hughes! How dare you force me to leave you behind! Do you have some sort of death wish?!” She marched straight up to me, sticking her finger in my face. “You can’t just throw your life away and expect the rest of us to let you do it! What sort of idiot are you? Answer me, goddammit!”

I stared at her as she glared up at me. “You sure let yourself get worked up, don’t you?” I asked.

“Don’t try to change the subject! I could have handled those ships! You can’t just make all the decisions, Jace! So what if I’m in danger? You don’t give yourself up to save me!”

I started to walk past her, towards The Star. “Who said I was saving you?” I asked. “Do you have any idea how long it took me to save up the cash to buy this ship? It’d take ages to get a new one.”

She let out an angry snarl, which made me chuckle. “You’re hopeless!”

I climbed aboard my ship and sealed the lift so I wouldn’t be disturbed.

“Welcome back, sir,” said Sigmond. “I’m relieved to see you’re still alive.”

“Thanks, Siggy,” I said, taking a sip of my drink. It burned the part of my lip that I’d chewed, but I didn’t care. “Athena, you hearing me?”

“Yes, Captain,” she answered.

“I want to be alone for a few hours. Don’t bother me unless you have to.” I paused. “Don’t bother me at all. Bother Freddie or something.”

“If you wish,” she answered.

I grabbed a bottle of whiskey and collapsed in my sofa, pouring myself a drink and putting my feet up.

I raised my cup. “Here’s to nearly getting caught and killed, Siggy.”

“Here, here,” said Sigmond.

I lowered the cup, staring down at the swirling liquid. “Here, here,” I muttered, but didn’t take another drink. Instead, I sat it on the table in front of me and watched it. I stared into it, although I couldn’t say why. I started to reach for it, but dropped my hand to my side instead. For some reason, I just didn’t want it anymore.

* * *

I managed to fall asleep pretty quickly, all the energy drained from me. When I finally awoke, it was the early morning, which meant I’d slept for nearly ten hours.

I showered and pissed, then tossed my jacket on and holstered my gun on my hip.

No doubt, everyone was probably still asleep. It would be the perfect time to take a walk and stretch my legs.

“Enjoy your stroll, sir,” said Sigmond.

I shot him a rude gesture as I exited the ship, then made my way into the nearby corridor.

The sleeping quarters for the rest of the crew were along this hallway and one other, which allowed each of them to stay in close proximity, should anything need their collective attention. The only exceptions were me and Dressler, who was still on my ship in Abigail’s old room.

It had been my idea originally to have everyone’s quarters nearby. We’d encountered an alarming number of emergency situations before now, so we’d be stupid not to expect more of them, as today had proven. The closer their rooms, the faster they’d be able to mobilize, or so the hope had been. You can never predict how anyone will react in an emergency—not until it actually happens.

Titan had a cafeteria, which used long-term stasis pods to keep various amenities intact, including meals and drinks. There were far less now than when Titan had first switched to emergency power, two thousand years ago, and many of the pods had stopped working by this point. Still, we had enough food and water to keep us going for the next three centuries. There were only eight of us, after all.

I entered the cafeteria and walked up to the dispenser, pressing the button I knew produced a hot plate of eggs and bacon. It arrived in less than a minute, steaming and smelling like the real thing, although I knew it was simply reprocessed organic matter, adapted to fit a certain kind of taste and texture.

I took my seat in one of the ten, thirty-seat benches, and had a bite. Not bad for a two-thousand-year-old omelet, I thought.

It sort of reminded me of the food in juvie, back on Epsy. They used to feed the kids there the same meals every week, most of which was disgusting variations of the same soy compilation. Breakfast was different, though, because it was hard to mess up eggs, even the fake stuff. It was one of those foods that they’d somehow managed to replicated and genetically modify without losing the flavor. Some of the kids had doused theirs with ketchup and mustard, but not me. I always ate them plain, no matter what. I took another bite, letting the synthetic yellow egg melt in my mouth, and smiled. This shit was even better.

I finished my meal and set it to the side, then sat there for a while, just enjoying the quiet. No sassy nuns, no noisy kids, no Freddie pestering me with questions. Only the gentle quiet of a mostly empty megastructure, spiraling through a slip tunnel.

Before I could relish in the thought for much longer, I heard the pitter patter of tiny feet running through the nearby hallway. I glanced up at the open door, only to see little Lex shuffling into the cafeteria. "Mr. Hughes?" She asked me. "What are you doing here? How come you're not asleep?"

I could ask you the same thing, kid."

She gave me a mischievous grin, one that told me she was clearly up to no good. "I was just exploring." She walked over to the other side of the bench, throwing her feet over it and dangling them.

"It's a bit early for you to be exploring, don't you think?"

"I couldn't sleep. I don't know why," she said.

I gave the kid a slight nod. "I know how you feel. I've been there." I thought about my own insomnia, back in Juvie. The other kids and I used to stay up late, telling stories about where we'd been before we got there. Most of the time, they were all just made up, make-believe little tales we told to impress the others, and we all knew it. None of us came from an exciting life. None of us had ever left the planet. Personally, I used to say that I was the son of a Renegade, and that somewhere out there my dad was flying around, kicking ass and getting rich; that someday he'd come back for me, and we’d do it all together. Part of me wanted to believe, but the other part knew the hard truth of it. Some nights I stayed awake thinking about the old man, wondering where he was and what he was doing. It was nights like those when I thought too much about it, the possibilities of what might have happened to him, where he might have gone. It kept my mind from winding down.

All that worry fades when you get older, and it stops happening every time you shut your eyes, but everyone still has nights like that. They just happen less often than they used to. For me, I poured myself a glass and the problem took care of itself. Too bad for Lex, because I wasn't about to give her any booze. "Do you go exploring every night?" I finally asked.

"Yeah, almost," she said, grinning.

I laughed. This whole time I'd been passed out, thinking this kid was fast asleep, but all the while she was out and about, wandering all over this giant ass ship. "What areas have you been going to?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Um, I like to go to the 12th deck, mostly," she said tapping her chin, appearing to think about it. “It’s pretty there.”

“Pretty, huh?” I got out from the table, back on my feet. "What say we check it out and you show me?”

She swiveled around and leapt off the bench, quickly running to the hall. I could see the excitement in her face, swelling her cheeks. “Let’s go! Let’s go!” She exclaimed.

I eased myself up and joined her. She was suddenly so full of energy, like a switch had gone off. “Yeah, yeah, settle down, kid,” I said, patting her on the head. “Don’t make me regret this.”

* * *

The 12th deck was unlike any of the other places on Titan that I had seen before now. There was so much more machinery here. Circuitry along the walls, chairs and consoles in every spare corner, and the further we walked the more elaborate the architecture seemed to become.

After a time, we came to a door, sealed like the one in the engine room. Just like that, Lex activated it and it opened with ease. We entered inside and continued walking deeper and deeper. For a while it was just one hallway after the next with a few offshoots and open doors leading to nothing in particular. At least, from what I could see. I tried to stop once or twice, but Lex insisted we continue forward. Whatever we were here to see was still ahead of us.

The ceiling opened up a short time later. It was nearly twice the height of the other decks, which made you feel like a dwarf. Inside each of the rooms, I could see body-sized pods, similar but different to the ones in the medical bay. I wanted to stop and examine them, but Lex kept tugging my hand to keep going, so I let her, and we did.

Directly ahead of us, in the main atrium of what must be the central hub of whatever this was, I saw a large wall sized machine, radiating with the blue glow. Lights seem to pulse, almost like a beating heart, but far slower. “What the hell is this thing?”

Lex giggled, letting go of my hand and running up close to the structure. As she did, her tattoos began to glow the same as the wall. I don’t mean that they glowed steadily, like they normally did. I mean that their glow matched the other’s rhythm, coming and going with the same sort of cadence that the wall seemed to have. I didn’t understand it, but something told me this was normal.

Normal for Lex, that is.

“Isn’t it neat?” Asked Lex. “I don’t know why, but I really like it.”

“But what is this thing?” I asked.

She seemed to think for a minute, then shook her head. “It’s just pretty. Isn’t that okay? To just be pretty sometimes?”

I stared up at the wall, examining it for longer than I could say. I must’ve stared for several minutes, almost getting lost in the light. There were several cracks in the material, where it seemed to get brighter.

I glanced down at Lex, hoping she’d say something else to give me a clue as to what this was, what any of this was, but she never did. She only stood there, staring at the glow, enjoying the moment, or as she’d put it, the beauty of it all.

Part of me wanted to agree with her, that maybe sometimes being beautiful was reason enough for a thing to exist, but I’d never been such a romantic.

This structure had been built, created with hands like mine, and that meant it had a function. A purpose.

Everything artificial always had a purpose.

I left the wall, noticing that there were several open doorways surrounding the atrium. I walked over to one and peered inside, spotting more of those strange pods. They were larger than the medical ones, about twice the size, and uglier, like these had been thrown together without concern for aesthetics.

I walked into the room, going over to one of the pods to get a better look. They were all closed, sealed like the others we found in the medical bay. All but one, I noticed, which I hadn’t spotted until just now. It stood alone, almost isolated, on the other side of the room, its lid cracked to reveal a small bed inside. It was so much smaller than the others, and thinner, too.

“I see you’ve found the hatchery,” said a familiar disembodied voice.

I turned to see Athena appear directly behind me. She gave me a pleasant smile, the way a parent does when the child does something right. I wasn’t sure if it was nice or insulting.

“You know, Captain, if you were curious about this section of the ship, you could have inquired with me about it. I would’ve been more than happy to tell you about it or explain its function,” she told me.

I cocked my brow and glanced back at the pods, then at the glowing wall where Lex was still standing. “Honestly, before I got here, I had no clue where I was heading. Once I was here, the thought to ask you just never hit me.”

“I see you’re interested in the graphing pods,” she said.

“Graphing pods?” I asked.

She nodded. “That is the name of those machines in each of these rooms. I could see by the look on your face that you were curious about them.”

I glanced at the wall again. “I’m curious about a lot of things on this deck. For example, what the hell is that thing, and why is it glowing? Also, why the fuck is Lex glowing with it?”

Lex looked at me, probably hearing her own name, and waved, a big smile across her cheeks.

Athena glanced at the girl and back at me. “That is simply the power converter, which takes energy from the core and prepares it to be used in a very specific way that is unlike any other throughout this vessel.”

“I take it the wall has something to do with these pods here,” I asked thumbing behind me at the room. “What are they for, exactly?”

“You are correct, Captain,” she told me. “These pods draw a special kind of energy from the converters you see there. This is actually something that I have been meaning to discuss with you since your arrival. However, do to the lack of a usable core, the energy output required would have been too great for me to demonstrate the function of this section.”

“And what exactly is the function, as you keep saying?” I asked.

She walked closer to where I was standing, next to the little pod and glanced down at it. “You came here in search of something,” she said. “You came here because you found a little girl who was unlike any you’d ever seen before. A little girl with answers to questions you never thought to ask.”

My eyes drifted down to the infant sized-pod before me. The soft cushion was finely shaped to fit a baby’s head and torso.

“Haven’t you ever wondered where she came from?” asked Athena. “Since you arrived here, had it not occurred to you that perhaps you had found her birthplace already?”

I hesitated to respond. What Athena was proposing seemed impossible, that Lex could have come all that way to wind up on a backwater planet on the other side of Union space. It was a preposterous claim, wasn’t it? But where else could she have come from? Where else in all the galaxy had there been people who looked like her, with tattoos that glowed blue when you touched an ancient device? Even if people from thousands of years ago had looked like that, wouldn’t they all be dead by now? Wouldn’t I have seen more of them, whether on the news or on the net? In the short time I had known Lex, I thought she’d been unique. A fluke accident, created or born by some harebrained scientists in a lab on some planet, probably not far from where the Union had found her. The idea that it all started here, the way Athena was proposing, halfway across the galaxy…it just seemed impossible.

Yet, I believed every word of it, despite the lunacy of it all, because I’d seen enough by now to know that anything was possible.

Megastructure moons, ancient Cognitives, a lost civilization from pre-history. If so many impossible things could be true, why not this as well?

Especially now that I was standing in a room filled with ancient pods, near a glowing wall with a glowing child, talking to a woman made of light.

What was one more impossible thing to add to the pile?

I looked at Athena, at her calm blue eyes, and finally said, “Tell me everything.”

Sixteen

“A very long time ago, before humanity had ventured so far out into the stars, its primary focus was on its own refinement.

“The evolution happened faster than you might assume. A geneticist by the name of Dr. Sheldon Kane, along with his wife, Dr. Sandra Quintell, a nanoroboticist, developed a revolutionary new method to repair and maintain the immune system in such a way that it became increasingly impossible to take ill.

“The process involved a new type of nanobot technology, previously thought impossible. However, Dr. Quintell and Dr. Kane had been working on the technology in secret at their home lab for nearly 15 years. They did this, as they had said, to save their son, a cancer patient by the name of Joseph.

“When the husband and wife revealed their research to the world, it was their son who acted as living proof of their success. In a matter of days, the nanotechnology had swept through his blood stream, refined his immune system, and changed his very DNA. The public was astonished by this new revolution and its potential effects on not only medicine, but all aspects of human life.

Suddenly, anything was possible. If this technology could be used to alter DNA, why not use it to change a person’s physical appearance as well? Eye and hair color, body proportions...everything could now be custom-tailored to fit a person’s ideal self.

“People had always been obsessed with how they looked, but now they really could be anyone, and now it actually would be more than skin deep. It would be real change.

“Of course, scientists the world over had taken interest in these findings, and not just for cosmetic purposes. These groups saw the research’s true potential…that it could lead to a new stage in human evolution, one that no one had previously believed possible.

“A lab under the control of Monolith Industries, a for-profit research company, began development on what would eventually become known as the Immortality Project. As its name implied, the project’s goal was to use nanotechnology to slow and eventually stop the aging process.

It took nearly a decade, but their work was ultimately a resounding success. Within a few short years, Monolith Industries had developed a method to quadruple the average person’s life. Eventually, that number had increased even further.

“It didn’t take long for the company to begin the rollout of their new product, known as Forever Young. Right away, the product was nearly inaccessible to the average person. It was so expensive that only the richest individuals could afford to buy it, and buy it they did.

“A new class of people arose, whose entire distinction was that they never grew old and they never got sick. These became known throughout society as Eternals, while the lower class—individuals who lived only a few hundred years—were known as Transients.

“After a time, anomalies began to appear. Small changes to a person’s physical appearance, largely unnoticed until it became widespread.

The mutation didn’t happen right away, but over the course of a few centuries. Certain children—those descended from other Eternals—were born with unique traits that were very much unlike their parents and ancestors. White hair, deep blue eyes, and snow-white skin. More importantly, these individuals seemed to possess an innate form of immortality, meaning they no longer required the Forever Young supplement. At long last, the next true stage of human evolution had arisen.

“As the years passed, the descendants of the Eternals, these albino offspring, became the new vanguard of the future. Presidents, governors, senators, scientists, lawyers, judges, corporate owners—all of them, Eternals.

“And because the rich and powerful never aged, because they never died, that meant that upward mobility came to a near standstill. The dream of prosperity, of pulling oneself up became nothing more than a distant dream.

“Nearly two centuries after the discovery of Forever Young, the people had had enough. The Transients rebelled against the powerful Eternals, demanding a return to the old ways. They called for opportunity, for the chance to achieve whatever they desired. There was a need in them, you see, to reach beyond themselves…beyond the borders of their stations.

“A deal was struck between the Eternals and those in charge of the rebellion. Several habitable worlds had been discovered in remote systems many light years away from Earth. The Eternals would fashion several colony ships, each one large enough to carry all who wanted to start anew. Colonization efforts had already taken place across the solar system, including Luna, Mars, and Europa, and there had been two successful missions to explore planets beyond Sol’s system. However, this would be the single greatest colonization effort ever attempted, which meant it would require time and focus. Over a century, in fact.

“The Eternals and Transients worked tirelessly to make this shared dream a reality. Humanity entered a new age of shared optimism and ambition that was unlike any before it. For the first time in centuries, the masses believed their future was one of prosperity. They believed they had a chance at a better life.

“Eventually, multiple ships had been created, each with its own cognitive intelligence to guide the colonists to their respective worlds. In total, twelve seed colony ships were dispatched to various star systems throughout the galaxy. Titan was one such vessel, the final addition in what would ultimately amount to the largest mass exodus ever recorded.

“Most of the passengers were Transients, possessing an average unassisted lifespan of one hundred years, with a few Eternals who had volunteered to come along and assist them.

“Over the next century, the twelve colony ships expanded into the galaxy. Many of them were lost, their signals suddenly silenced, without explanation. All but Titan disappeared, lost to either distance or disaster. None of us could be certain.

“In time, Titan’s leaders believed they were all that remained of the expansion effort, and when our tritium core failed, they suspected the same fate had befallen the other colonies.

“While my colonists left and expanded to nearby habitable worlds, I watched and waited, listening for any signs of life from across the galaxy, always hoping for a response, but there was only silence, no matter where I searched.

“It was not until a few centuries ago that the silence finally broke…and I received the message that would change everything.

“Earth has been restored,’ the transmission said. ‘Initiate Project Reclamation. All vessels, proceed to Earth at once.”

* * *

I listened to the Cognitive tell me the story of my ancestors, all my attention on her as the tale unfolded. When she had finally finished, I had too many questions and no idea how to ask them.

We stood there for a few minutes, silence all around us, as I tried to work through the revelations I had just heard.

When I had finally processed most of what she’d told me, I decided I knew what to start with. “Did you create Lex?” I finally asked. After all that talk about Earth and starships, about genetically modified humans and nanobot technology, my first thought was of the girl.

Athena smiled. “No, I did not create her, although I did awaken her.”

“If you didn’t make her, who did?” I asked.

Athena frowned. “She was birthed naturally by two Eternals, but they were both killed.” She paused. “Let me restate. They were murdered by a dissident Transient, holding to a particularly dangerous ideology. The mother had only given birth a few months prior to her death. Shortly thereafter, the third and final Eternal to join this voyage was also killed.”

“They died when she was just an infant?” I asked, glancing back at Lex. She was now curled in a ball on the floor, lying next to the wall, both of them still glowing together.

“Indeed,” said the Cognitive. “The child was hidden away, here in the Hatchery, placed in cryo-sleep and left to her dreams. The Transients never woke her, eventually deciding to abandon the child to my care. It was here she remained until I awoke her.”

I leaned closer to the ancient woman, my voice little more than a whisper. I didn’t want the kid to hear me, not if I could help it. “And why is that, exactly? Why’d you wake her up and send her across Union space to some backwater world?”

“I wanted to lead the rest of you home,” she answered. “I had tried sending messages, but I never received a response, not in all ten thousand attempts. I believe this to be a result of my fading power supply. It was not until your ship drew closer to Titan that I was able to open a channel. Even then, it could only be done with the help of the turn-key you carried in your possession.”

“So, you couldn’t reach anyone because you were too far away,” I said. “And we were using something besides those turn-key things.”

“Correct,” said the Cognitive. “Additionally, the failing power supply on Titan made it difficult to care for the child. The decision was not an easy one, but I believed it to be the optimal solution. The child, along with a data drive of information, was sent to one of the original colony locations, where over one hundred thousand of my former passengers set out to live on. Statistically, I believed it would give her the best possible chance of survival, while also allowing me to contact the descendants of my former passengers.”

I remembered what I knew about where Lex had been found. It was a world called Kaldona, largely made up of farmers and fishermen. On first glance, there wasn’t much to it, but the planet was well known for its ruins and history, highly regarded as one of the oldest worlds in the Union. Scholars and scientists came from all over to visit and study, which is part of how Lex had come under the control of Union scientists in the first place. They’d gone there to study, only to find a little girl with secrets of her own. Unfortunately, from what I remembered reading on the gal-net, most of the original buildings and technology had been destroyed in a weather disaster, nearly fifteen hundred years ago. Hardly the world Athena seemed to think it was. “You said you did this because you finally heard a transmission?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yes, Captain. For the first time in nearly two thousand years. ‘Initiate Project Reclamation.’”

“What the fuck does that mean?” I asked.

“That,” she said, “is a question that I have been asking myself for nearly two centuries, Captain, and it is one I wish to answer very soon.”

“How’s that?” I asked.

“By doing what you came here to do,” she said. “By finally returning to Earth, the place where all of this first began.”

Seventeen

The next morning, I awoke in my quarters, my thoughts still on the night before. I still couldn’t believe the story Athena had told me. It felt so surreal, like a daydream you fantasized about but never expected to be real. How could it be? It was so impossible, so incredibly unbelievable that it went beyond anything I thought I could imagine.

Maybe I just didn’t want to believe it. Maybe I wanted things to be simple again, the way they used to be, back before there were cognitives and megastructure moons. Hell, maybe I was still in shock from nearly getting my ass killed off by a squad of union strike ships. It was hard to say.

In any case, the mission was clear. Get as far away from the government as possible, stay on course, protect my crew, and find Earth. That was a simple plan. That was something I could do.

All this other bullshit was just extra, nothing that truly mattered. If it couldn’t keep me and my people alive and safe, if it couldn’t keep me flying, then it didn’t really matter. I smirked, wondering what Hitchens might say to that. This is all so fascinating, he might bellow out in that voice of his. Such a remarkable discovery. Oh, my!

Shit, maybe I’d tell the cheeky bastard about all this later, once things had settled down. Not today, though. Not when we were in the middle of survival.

I stayed in bed for nearly an hour drifting in and out of sleep, before a voice finally forced me to get up. It was Sigmond. “Captain, your guest is requesting your presence in her quarters.”

I let out a small groan at the thought of talking to that Union scientist. It was just about the last thing I felt like doing right now. “Did she say what she wanted?” I asked.

“She mentioned you telling her during your last conversation that you would let her depart sometime soon,” answered the A.I.

“Oh, right. I forgot about that. Guess I’d better tell her it’s gonna be a while,” I said.

I climbed out of bed and threw a shirt on, and did a quick job of fixing myself up, just so I didn’t look like a total shipwreck.

Alphonse was in the lounge when I left my room, much to my surprise. He was on the couch, watching the galnet news summary for the previous day. I was about to ask him why he was on my ship when he turned to look at me and smiled. “Ah, Captain,” he said, standing to greet me. “I thought that sounded like you.”

I cocked my brow. “Sounded like me?” I asked. “Do I have a bell around my neck?”

He laughed. “Where are you off to? I can tell by your pace that you’re in a hurry.”

“My pace, huh? Those are some good ears you’ve got on you, Constable,” I said, walking closer to him.

“I apologize. It’s the training, you see. The constables learn to use their senses, to always be aware of their surroundings. It makes us good at our jobs.”

“Not that good, considering what happened on Priscilla,” I said.

He nodded. “You have a point, Captain. I suppose even the best training can’t dodge bullets.”

A sudden thought occurred to me. “Say, you abandoned the Union, right?”

He paused. “I don’t know if that’s how I would word it,” he said.

“Oh? Then how would you say it?”

He tapped his chin. “I suppose I might call it a refusal of orders one knows to be unlawful.”

“In that case, you think you can come with me and explain that to our new friend?” I asked.

“Are you referring to Doctor Dressler?” he asked.

“That’s the one,” I answered, motioning down the other hall to the doctor’s room.

He nodded. “I’d be happy to help, Captain. Perhaps we can talk some sense into her.”

Alphonse and I continued through the ship towards Dressler’s room. Before I opened the door, I gave the Constable a brief explanation of my last conversation with the doctor. “I told her I’d give her a shuttle,” I said, right when we approached her door. “I still plan on it, if that’s what she wants, but I was hoping you could give her your perspective. Whatever that happens to be.”

He nodded. “I’d be more than happy to,” he told me, facing the door.

I unlocked it, and we entered together. Dressler stood near the other side of the room with her hands on her hips, like she’d been waiting impatiently this whole time.

Her eyes widened when she saw Alphonse. I could tell she hadn’t expected him to join us.

“Doc,” I said, stepping into the room, along with the Constable, and shutting the door. “Nice to see you. Sorry to keep you waiting in here.”

“Waiting?” she asked. “I’ve been sitting in this room for over a day, with nothing but a pad of—” She reached over to the nearby desk and grabbed the small pad, waving it around. “—of erotic fiction to read. Do you think this is some kind of joke?”

Alphonse and I exchanged a quick look. He walked over to her and took the pad. “I’m so sorry, Doctor. That was meant for someone else,” he said, blushing.

“Who in the galaxy would read such drivel?” she asked, disgusted.

“It was a gift for Al, here,” I said, nodding at the Constable.

“A gift?” she asked. “What sort of person gives such a thing?”

“I believe it was meant as a prank,” said Alphonse, tucking the pad behind his belt.

I snickered. “Saving that for later, Alphonse?”

He gasped, embarrassed, and took the pad out and handed it to me. “No, of course not. Here, please discard it at your leisure.”

I leaned in closer to him, whispering, “I’ll be sure to give this back once we’re gone.” I winked, then turned back to Dressler. “Anyway, Doc, here’s the story. I’m sorry you had to stay in here all night, but we’ve been kinda busy trying not to die.”

She pulled her head back. “I noticed,” she remarked. “I might be stuck in this room, but with all this turbulence, I assumed you had us caught up in something.”

“That’s right. The Union’s been chasing us and I’ve been trying to keep my crew alive as best I can, and incidentally, that includes you. We’ve got an army after us.”

“Did you expect otherwise when you invaded a military research facility? Of course, the Union isn’t going to simply let you walk away.”

“Even still, my point is that we’ve been preoccupied,” I said. “Hell, I nearly died a little while ago. Not that I’m complaining or anything, but cut me some slack.”

“Some slack?” she asked, like I’d just offended her. “You’ve kidnapped me and stuck me in a prison cell. Excuse me if I’m less than understanding of your situation, sir.”

I glanced at Alphonse. “She called me, ‘sir’. Did you hear that?”

“I did,” he said, holding his chin and nodding, thoughtfully. “It’s very respectful.”

“I feel so honored,” I said, holding a hand to my chest.

“If you two are finished mocking me, I’d like to discuss that shuttle you promised,” said Dressler. “I want you to send me on my way.”

“Can’t,” I said, flatly. “Not right now. You’ll have to wait.”

“Why? Because you have people after you? Just stop the ship for two minutes and let me leave. I don’t care where you do it.”

“I care,” I countered. “If we wait around, even for a few minutes, that’s time the Union has to catch up to us, and I can’t let that happen. We’re on the run. Don’t you get that?”

She growled in frustration, turning away from me and balling both her hands into fists. “This is ridiculous!”

I looked at Alphonse. “You talk to her.”

He nodded. “I’ll do what I can, but you must remember, Captain, she believes you to be nothing more than a simple brigand.”

“A what?” I asked.

“You don’t know what a brigand is?” he asked.

I stared at him for a long moment. “No.”

He tilted his head. “It’s a villain,” he finally answered. “A lawbreaker. An outlaw.”

“Outlaw?” I asked, glancing at the doctor. “Now, that’s one thing we can all agree on.”

Alphonse edged his way closer to Dressler, who was still facing away from both of us. “Doctor, if you don’t mind,” said the Constable.

“What is it?” she asked, furiously. “Come to tell me why you betrayed your own government?”

Her words didn’t seem to faze him. “I can see you’re tired and agitated. I had to wait in a room like this one for several days before you met me. I understand how you must be feeling.”

“Do you? Because you don’t seem very angry about it. They captured you and made you a prisoner, so the first thing you do is join them?” she asked. “What’s wrong with you, Constable?”

“A great many things, I’m sure the Red Tower will say,” he told her. “Nonetheless, Captain Hughes did not capture me.”

“Hey,” I said. “Sure, I did.”

Alphonse ignored me. “I let myself be taken, because I learned a dark truth and wanted to verify it. I became a prisoner so that I might understand.”

“You let them take you?” she asked.

He nodded. “I had several chances to run,” he explained. “Even after I was in a cell, I could have fled and gotten free. I chose to remain with these people, to watch them with my own eyes.”

“Why in the galaxy would you do such a thing?” she asked.

He paused, rubbing the side of his chin. “Have you heard of the Old Earth theory?” he finally asked. “Surely, since you worked on Priscilla, you must know of it.”

“Of course, I do,” she said.

“What have you heard?” he asked.

“I’m not telling you. I swore an oath of confidence. The research is classified. All I can say is that I know about the theory,” she said.

“Let me help you,” continued Alphonse. “The Old Earth Theory states that all human life shares a single common origin point—that being Earth. This is very different from the fairytale that parents tell their children, which describes Earth as a fantasy world of magic and dragons.” The Constable cleared his throat. “Instead, the Old Earth Theory outright denies any such story in favor of a more realistic approach, based entirely on evidence collected by the Union. According to such evidence, researchers conclude that Earth was once a thriving paradise of technological wonder. Its people were said to have conquered disease, invented the first slipspace drives, and mastered many other fields of study.”

Hearing Alphonse talking about Earth reminded me of the conversation I had with Athena the previous night in the Hatchery. Everything she had told me had seemed so impossible. Now, Alphonse was saying the same things, although with less detail than Athena had.

Still, the overlap surprised me. The Union knew more than I thought about Earth, which only meant they had even more of a reason to keep pursuing us.

“What does any of that matter?” asked the doctor. “You’re talking about things that have nothing to do with either of us.”

“Ah,” said Alphonse. “But that is where you are mistaken, Doctor.”

Alphonse looked at me, almost like he wanted my permission. I responded with a short nod, giving him the all-clear.

He continued. “The Union is seeking to rediscover Earth, and in doing so, it has expanded its research efforts throughout the galaxy. It has invaded neutral zones on all sides of its borders, slaughtered countless people on dozens of worlds, and abducted hundreds of children to perform experiments on.”

“Experiments?” asked Dressler. “Are you referring to the Blue Ink Experiment?”

Alphonse smiled. “Very good, Doctor.”

She thought for a moment, then shook her head. “No, that’s not right. Those experiments ended from lack of progress.”

“Incorrect,” said Alphonse. “They ended because the lab lost its control subject.”

“Control subject?” she repeated.

He nodded. “The experiments revolved around replicating a certain tattoo on each of the children, which would—”

“Which would give them the ability to control Origin Tech,” finished Dressler. “I know.”

“What you might not be aware of, is that the tattoos were based on an original source. Another child who presented the marks at birth, or so it was theorized. No one knew for certain, since no one knew where the child had originated,” explained Alphonse.

Dressler scoffed. “Are you suggesting that the researchers were only trying to replicate an existing tattoo from another child?”

“Indeed, I am, Doctor, and I mean to tell you that the only reason the trials ended was because the child went missing.” He paused. “Well, she was kidnapped, in point of fact.”

“Kidnapped?” asked Dressler. “That can’t be true. None of it was in the files I read. How have I not heard of this?”

“Because the details of this child are highly classified, beyond the typical blue clearance level,” he said.

She listened to every word he told her, taking it all in, then let out a short sigh and shook her head. “This is all fascinating, Constable, but I have to say, I don’t know what the point of any of it is. What does the Old Earth Theory or the Blue Ink Experiment have to do with you, me, or that Renegade behind you?”

“Everything,” I finally said, taking a step closer to the two of them. “That child he’s been telling you about is here. Her name is Lex. She was rescued from a lab to save her life, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let the Union take her back.”

Dressler’s mouth dropped. “She’s here…?”

Alphonse nodded. “Correct, and now I hope you understand my role in all of this, Doctor. I came here because I wanted to know whether the child was real and worth protecting. I wanted to see the Renegade responsible for her safety and decide for myself.”

“Decide what?” asked Dressler.

“Whether I could trust him enough to join him,” Alphonse said, looking back at me. “Whether he was everything they said he was…or something else altogether.”

* * *

I was sitting in The Star when I got the call. “Jace, get your ass to the bridge. We need you up here,” said Abigail.

The com cut out, before I could answer. “That was rather abrupt,” said Sigmond.

“I think she might still be pissed at me,” I said, sitting on my sofa with my feet on the table.

“In fairness, sir, you did force both of us to abandon you, despite our protests,” argued Siggy.

“What can I say, Siggy? Sometimes I like to go at it alone,” I said with a grin.

I made my way out of the ship and headed towards Titan’s bridge. When I got there, I found Abigail, Freddie, Hitchens, Octavia, and Alphonse all standing there, watching the screen on the wall. They all turned to me, the moment I entered, but I could already see what the problem was before anyone had the chance to speak.

The monitor behind them showed an image that I quickly recognized. It was Gen. Brigham’s flagship, itself, The Galactic Dawn, flying straight through a slip tunnel. Green walls of lightning surrounded it, reflecting emerald light on its hull. The effect made the ship look almost angry.

I stepped into the bridge letting the door slide shut behind me. “Looks like we have a problem,” I said.

Freddie scratched his head. “You could say that,” he said, glancing back at the screen.

“Is that what I think it is?” I asked, walking closer.

“It seems the enemy refuses to quit,” said Alphonse.

“The enemy?” I asked, cocking my brow at him.

He smiled. “I think I’ve made it clear which side I’m on, Captain.”

I glanced at Abigail. “Is it just the one ship?”

“In the tunnel behind us?” she asked. “Yes. Elsewhere? Hard to say.”

Athena materialized in front of us. “Welcome, Captain Hughes. To answer your question…” She waved her hand, changing the screen.

I saw another ship, this one much smaller, with the Sarkonian design on it. Before I could say anything, the screen changed again to show another Union ship. A second later, it changed to another, and then another. In seconds, the screen switched dozens of times, cycling through a list of enemy ships, almost overwhelming me with how fast they were coming.

“Holy shit,” I muttered, blinking at the fluttering display. “Are you saying that we have a small armada coming our way?”

“It’s worse than that,” said Abigail.

“How can it be worse than that?” I asked.

Athena answered me this time. “Each of the ships is pursuing us from a different direction, across multiple tunnels. The tunnel we are now traveling through already has an end point, which means they already know where we will arrive.”

“I thought you could form tunnels with Titan and go wherever you want,” I said.

“That is true,” said Athena. “However, while I did form a new slip tunnel, we returned to retrieve you soon afterwards.”

“And?” I asked.

Octavia smacked the side of my arm. “After we picked you up, there wasn’t enough time for her to make a brand-new tunnel. She had to use the existing one.”

Abigail nodded. “The same one we were on our way to take before you tried to defuse that mine and then take on those soldiers, all by yourself.” She glared at me. “Like an idiot.”

I ignored her and looked at the Cognitive. “Isn’t there a way for you to change directions?”

Athena frowned. “I can break an existing tunnel, but I cannot change course midflight. Its direction is fixed.”

Freddie raised a finger. “So, why can’t we just break out of the tunnel and form a brand-new one?”

“Because that scenario comes with its own set of problems, given where we might arrive,” said Athena. She turned around and waved her hand at the screen. The display changed to show a planet that I instantly recognized. It was a place that I’d made a point at avoiding, and for good reason.

“Isn’t that…?” asked Abigail.

“Maelstrom,” said Alphonse. “One of the strongest military outposts in the entire Union. It’s also home to the Constables.”

“That’s where the Constables live?” asked Freddie.

“Where they convene,” said Alphonse. “Only a few live there. For the most part, it’s a heavily guarded military instillation. Typically, there are less than one hundred Constables on site. The rest are either at the Red Tower or on their own missions.”

I shook my head. “We can’t stop there. We’ll keep going until we reach a better spot.”

“This tunnel’s path leads even further into Union territory,” said Athena. “The next location is Androsia, itself.”

“The capitol?” I asked, spitting out the word like it was toxic. “Are you kidding me?”

“I’m afraid not,” said the Cognitive.

“You heard her, Jace,” said Abigail. “We can either follow this tunnel to its end, get out near Maelstrom, or the point between, which would be—”

“Near the Androsia system,” I finished. “Yeah, I got it.”

I stared at the planet, letting the air around me fill with a long silence. No matter which option I chose, the Galactic Dawn would still follow us. It had set itself along the same path as us, which meant that no matter what I decided, the end result would still be a showdown. “How big are the numbers at Maelstrom?” I finally asked.

The Cognitive zoomed the image of the planet in, showing a small group of ships. “Currently, enemy forces in this region are reduced.”

“That’s because they don’t know we can rip a tunnel open and surprise them,” said Freddie.

“You’re actually correct,” said Alphonse. He crossed his arms. “The Union has every ship in the area heading to the endpoint of this tunnel. They’ll converge on that location and try to surprise us.”

“Which means,” I said, narrowing my eyes at the planet. “All we have to do is drop out at Maelstrom long enough to rip another hole in the sky.”

“Sounds about right,” said Octavia.

I nodded. “How long before we arrive?”

“Up to fifteen hours,” said Athena. “Approximately.”

“Up to?” I echoed.

The Cognitive nodded. “I have slowed our movement to allow us more time. If need be, I can also bring us to a full stop inside the tunnel.”

“No, we’re not hiding out in this tunnel,” I said.

“Is fifteen hours enough time to get prepared?” asked Freddie.

“It will be,” I responded. “We’ll make sure we’re ready.”

“But even with Titan and The Renegade Star, we barely had enough firepower for the last fight,” said Octavia.

She was right. Titan still didn’t have full access to its weapons yet. I also had no idea how many hits its shield could take before collapsing.

“Actually, Captain, now that Titan’s systems have partially been restored, there is one thing that we can do to better our odds of survival,” said Athena. “Do you recall the ship you arrived in, originally?”

“You mean the little triangular one?” I asked, thinking back to a few days ago, when we visited the ruins on that planet, the same day we discovered the truth about this Moon. It felt like a lifetime ago. “What about it?”

“Those ships contain their own weapons systems. Before now, they were inoperable, due to Titan’s power deficiency,” she explained. “However, I believe that now they may prove functional, should you see fit to use them.”

“You’re telling me we’ve got other ships we can use to fight with?” I asked, surprised she hadn’t brought this up before.

“There is only one caveat,” she said.

“Caveat?” I repeated, glancing at Abigail.

“There’s a catch,” the nun explained.

“Oh. What is it?”

The Cognitive took a step closer to me, raising her finger and touching the blue mark on her neck. “You will need to receive your key.”

Eighteen

I was inside the pod, my arms at my sides. There was more than enough room for me, but I still felt claustrophobic. You would think for somebody who had spent half his life on a spaceship, I wouldn’t mind feeling a bit cramped from time to time, but maybe the small space wasn’t the problem.

Maybe I just didn’t want a bunch of needles drilling into my skin.

Yeah, that was probably it.

I had asked Athena if the rest of the crew could undergo this treatment, but unfortunately, as she put it, there wasn’t enough time to synthesize the necessary compounds required to make the marks. There was only enough for one person, since the core had only been online for a short while. Because of time constraints and because I refuse to let one of my crew take a risk that I wasn’t willing to take myself, I volunteered to be the guinea pig. If Athena could manage another batch of whatever the hell this treatment was before Brigham’s ship showed up, Abigail, Freddie, and Bolin had already offered themselves as potential candidates.

But all of that hinged on whether or not the first attempt was a success.

Here goes nothing, I thought.

“Don’t worry, Captain,” said Athena. “The process should be relatively painless. You will experience a strange tingling sensation, followed by something akin to swimming in a cool stream of flowing water.”

I stared up at the Cognitive. “I don’t give two shits what it feels like,” I said, frankly. “It has to be done, so let’s get on with it.”

I hated it when people tried to make you feel better about something you had to do. Nothing they could ever say was going to prevent it from happening, so why not just get the hell on with it?

Athena gave me a comforting smile and backed away, letting the pod hatch close on top of me. I watched while the machine sealed itself, trapping me inside, then waited for the next step in the process to begin.

It didn’t take very long. Strange gas began to enter the pod. It smelled like potatoes, oddly enough, or maybe it was plastic. Before I could argue with myself any further, I felt a small prick in my left shoulder. I turned my head and saw a glowing needle of hard light, injecting a blue liquid into my arm.

The pain was brief, like a small pinch. A second later, I felt a strange coolness beginning in my shoulder and moving along my arm. Before I could react, I felt another prick, this time in my back like before, a soft and almost pleasant coolness followed. Another prick on my lower back, and then my side, and then my other shoulder. I felt all of them at once, a dozen across half my body and all of them happening within a few seconds.

And as fast as they happened, it was all suddenly over. The cool rush of the blue liquid crawled smoothly through my bloodstream, filling me with calmness, like I was in a pool of flowing water.

I began to think I might grow tired, sleepy from the effects, but it never happened. Instead, I only grew more awake as I saw the illumination beneath my skin. It glowed faintly at first, but slowly built. After only a few moments, the light was stronger and more prevalent than before.

The blue glow moved, forming a pattern on my skin, creating an intricate design that I instantly recognized, because I’ve seen it so many times before. It was the same design that Lex had. The same symbols that were on Athena. Somehow, because of this pod, I was beginning to look like them.

The process only took a few more moments, as the cool blue liquid continued to move throughout my body, creating more tattoos. Eventually, the glowing lights stopped radiating and the cool sensation I had felt finally dissipated, returning to normal.

The hatch cracked open, and I leaned forward out of the pod, pushing myself onto my feet.

Athena approached me, a curious expression on her face. “How do you feel, Captain?”

I glanced to my side, examining my arms and noticing the tattoos. They looked tribal, almost, and somehow formal. I couldn’t believe that such strange and detailed markings had been placed on me in a matter of minutes, all over my shoulders, arms, and torso. “I feel good,” I said, after a few seconds. “That wasn’t bad at all.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” said the Cognitive. “If you require time to rest, I will understand.”

I ran my fingers along my tattooed skin, but felt no pain or bumps. It was like they had always been there. “No,” I said, looking back at her. “We need to finish preparing for what’s about to come. Brigham is on his way to kill us all. There’s little time to waste.”

* * *

I sat inside one of the little triangle ships, looking over the controls. They were in a foreign language, one that I couldn’t read or even recognize. I knew this was the language of the ancients, because it was all over Titan. There wasn’t enough time to actually learn it, so I’d have to simply memorize the controls as best I could. “Which button is the ignition?” I asked.

Athena’s voice chimed in over my com. “There is no need for that,” she told me.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Simply put your hand on the interface module,” she said.

I examined the dash in front of me, looking for whatever the hell an interface module was supposed to be. I was about to ask for specifics. When I saw a small hand-sized panel. I reached out and touched it, expecting nothing to happen.

The newly-created tattoos on my arm began to glow, surprising me. Immediately after, the panel followed suit, illuminating itself to match the color of my tattoo. “Excellent work, Captain,” said Athena. “The interface is live.”

“Now, what?” I asked, keeping my hand on the panel.

“You must imagine your commands,” she explained. “Think about the actions you wish the vessel to take.”

Think about the actions, I thought. Sounds like a bunch of bullshit, but okay. Let’s go, you stupid ship. Initiate thrusters.

Nothing happened.

“What’s the deal? I thought this thing was supposed to listen to my thoughts,” I said.

“Apologies, Captain. I should have been more specific,” said Athena. “Try to imagine what you would like the vessel to do, but you must visualize it happening. The interface is built to understand mental images and desires above all else, but they must be focused and at the forefront of your mind.”

“Visualize it, huh?” I asked.

I imagined the ship, igniting its thrusters, trying to visualize how the process might work, even though I knew absolutely nothing about the design of the ships. I imagined the little triangle lifting off the ground and—
the ship suddenly vibrated, humming steadily as its engines roared to life. Before I could react, we eased off the deck and began floating in the air nearly a meter up. The sudden reaction startled me, but in a good way, and I couldn’t help but grin. “Now that’s what I’m fucking talking about,” I said, smacking the side of my chair.

“Excellent work, Captain,” congratulated Athena. “Try to move the ship, but only a few meters. Be very careful. We are still in slipspace, after all. You don’t want to accidentally leave the landing bay.”

If I hadn’t known any better, I would’ve sworn the Cognitive was teasing me.

I imagined the ship moving, slightly to the right, visualizing the process in my mind. As I did, the vessel began to shift, tilting slightly to the right and moving. I felt a rush of excitement, a sense of satisfaction in what I was doing. It reminded me of the first time I shot a gun, back when I was seven. Later, again, when I pulled off my first heist.

Good times.

The ship jerked forward, suddenly, surprising the shit out of me. I pulled my hand off the pad, causing my tattoos and the dash to both stop glowing. The ship fell smack into the deck. My chest slammed into the harness around me, nearly knocking the wind out of me. “Fucking hell!” I snapped.

“You must focus and concentrate, Captain,” informed the Cognitive.

“Are you telling me that if I don’t concentrate, I’ll crash the damn ship?” I asked.

“That is correct,” said Athena. “But don’t worry. Once you master the controls, you’ll be able to fly without hesitation. It will be like second nature to you.”

“And how long does that usually take?” I asked.

“The process varies between users, but you are doing well,” she said. “Please, Captain, do not relent.”

I growled at her for not answering my question, but let it go. I touched the dash and visualized the ship lifting off the ground, and a moment later, it did. The engines reignited and once again brought me a meter off the deck, where it began to hover in place.

I imagined moving to the left and to the right, then forward and backwards. The ship followed my every command, doing precisely as I ordered. Before I knew it, I was flying the vessel around the mostly empty landing bay, slowly maneuvering horizontally and vertically, without much of a problem. 30 minutes into the practice run, I decided I had had enough and was ready to move on. “We don’t have much time, Athena. I think you ought to show me how to use the weapons on this thing,” I said.

“Please, allow me a moment,” said Athena. “I currently have the weapon systems deactivated. Given your inexperience, I thought it prudent to disable them in order to avoid disaster. I will reactivate them, although they will not be lethal.”

“Not lethal?” I asked, slightly confused by the statement. I couldn’t imagine what that might mean.

“The weapon systems on each of the ships uses a variation of hard light technology. By disabling one of the options in the projectors, only the visual effects of the weapon will function.”

“Are you saying that I can’t blow anything up?” I asked.

“That is correct, Captain,” she told me.

“Damn,” I said, floating the ship over to the other side of the bay. “And here I was, thinking the only way to master this would be to blow a hole in something.”

“Perhaps next time,” said Athena.

There went that sarcasm again.

* * *

In only an hour, I had the controls pretty well figured out. I could fly in any direction, perform a small number of maneuvers, and successfully navigate the weapon systems.

A few hours into it, I called the rest of my crew and told them to meet me in the conference room. Once they all showed up, Athena gave me the signal and I set the ship down and went to join the others.

Now that I had a handle on things, it would be good to regroup and discuss the next step.

I entered the conference room and decided to remain standing, while several of the others took their seats. I’d been sitting on the strike ship for a while and my ass was killing me.

“How did it go?” Asked Octavia.

“I heard you crashed one of the ships a few times,” said Freddie.

I gave Freddie a threatening look. “It took me a few minutes to get a handle on the controls, but once I did, it wasn’t so bad.”

“Can the rest of us start?” Asked Abigail.

“That’s up to Athena, isn’t it?” I said.

Athena had already materialized and was standing quietly off to the side, observing the meeting. She took a step forward and gave the group a kind smile. “I will have enough of the treatment ready for one more dosage in approximately eight hours.”

“Aren’t we arriving at around that time?” Asked Freddie.

“That is correct,” said the Cognitive.

I cursed under my breath. It seemed like every time we took a step forward, something else happened to create yet another barrier in our path and slow us down. We now had access to another ship, but I could barely fly it and we didn’t have enough time for the others to undergo the transition. We’ll have to take Brigham on with only Titan, The Star, and one of the little strike ships in our possession, despite there being literally hundreds sitting in the two dozen landing bays on this moon-sized vessel. “If this is the best we can do,” I said, leaving out my own frustration, “then we’ll make it work. We’ve been in tougher scrapes than this, and with fewer options, and we still pulled ourselves out of the fire.”

Bolin raised his hand slightly, cringing a little with his shoulders. “I did lose a finger the day we met. Not that I’m complaining.”

Octavia glanced up at Bolin. “Really? Come talk to me when you’re in a wheelchair.”

“Okay,” I said. “So it wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine. I get that. My point is we survived…and none of you are dead. That’s gotta count for something.”

“Damn right,” said Abigail.

Bolin nodded. “You’re right,” the former merchant said. He smiled. “My daughter is alive because of you. That is a debt I can never repay.”

“All of us are here because of you, Jace,” said Octavia. “You, Abigail, and Lex. We are here because we believed in the cause, so we don’t need a fancy speech about how tough we are or how far we’ve come. All we need is for you to do what you do best. Find us a way out and kill as many as you can in the process.”

“Well, shit, Octavia,” I said, crossing my arms. “That’s a better speech than what I had planned. Straight and to the point.”

She smirked. “Don’t get used to it. I’ve never been the motivational type.”

“I assume you have a plan, Captain,” said Hitchens, who was standing right behind Octavia.

I gave him a nod. “Now that you mention it, Professor,” I said. “I think I just might.”

Nineteen

I sat inside the little triangular strike ship, waiting for Titan to exit slipspace. It would only be a short while now, and then the game would begin.

“Mr. Hughes,” said a soft voice, coming from the chair beside me.

I looked down at Lex, sitting there with her feet dangling above the floor. She stared up at me with curious eyes. “What’s up, kid?”

She looked back down, almost hesitantly, like she didn’t know how to say it…or if she should.

“You’re worried,” I eventually said. “Is that it?”

She nodded. “You said it’s dangerous.”

I’d told her the truth, only an hour ago. I had thought she had a right to know what was happening around her, to the people in her life. “I did, didn’t I?” I asked. “But you know me, don’t you, kid? I don’t go down so easy.”

“Yeah,” she said in a soft voice.

I could see the fear in her eyes. It was the sort of worry you get when you don’t know all the angles, when you can’t make the perfect prediction. It’s the unknowing of it all, like the moment you see the other guy draw his gun, and you don’t know if you’ll be fast enough. It’s that dread you have before the doctor comes in and tells you about your mother…and even though you’ve played the story out in your head a hundred times already, you still don’t know for sure how hard the truth will hit you…because you can’t.

Then, Lex told me what I already knew she’d say. “I just don’t want you to die.”

The words turned my stomach, even more than I thought they would. Not because I hated them, but because I understood where they came from.

That fear, clawing in the back of her mind.

We were both quiet for a moment. “You’re scared,” I finally told her.

She nodded, slowly.

I was slow to continue. I didn’t know how to talk about any of this stuff, especially to a little girl. “It’s okay to be scared,” I muttered. “Everyone else is afraid, too.”

“You’re not,” she whispered.

“You think so?” I asked, straightening up in my seat. I cleared my throat. “I didn’t know you could read my thoughts, kid.”

“You’re never scared, even when the bad people come,” she said, looking at me. “You’re always brave.”

I laughed. “Funny, I thought you were the brave one.” I shook my head. “I get scared shitless all the time, Lex.”

“R-Really?” she asked, a wide-eyed expression on her face.

“Oh, yeah,” I said. “Every time I go on a job. Every time I’m about to get into a fight. Lately, it seems like it happens every day. Point is, everyone gets scared. It’s just a feeling you get, like instinct.” I took a short breath. “But that’s a good thing.”

“It is?” asked Lex.

I nodded. “Fear…keeps you awake, even when you’re tired. It opens your eyes…teaches you what to look out for. In some ways, fear can be your friend, if you let it.”

“A friend? Really?” she asked.

“You just have to know how to listen,” I said, tapping my chest. “Understand what it’s trying to tell you.”

“I didn’t know it was talking,” she said.

“Oh, yeah,” I said, nodding. “There’s always something, like a voice deep down inside, telling where the danger is, teaching you how to stay alive. All you gotta do is open your ears and listen.”

She sat there, staring at the dash for a long while, taking in what I had told her. “So, fear is good,” she finally said, turning to me. “You can be scared and it’s okay.”

“Right,” I said.

“Then, we’re both scared,” she told me. “We just have to listen.”

I nodded. “Scared shitless,” I said. “But don’t tell anyone. I’ve got a reputation.”

She giggled. “Me too! I’ve got a reputator!”

“You sure do, kid,” I said, patting her on the head, and we both laughed.

* * *

“What’s our status, Athena?” I asked. The time for the mission was at hand, and I was sitting in my strike ship, hand on the dash, ready to go.

“Titan is currently passing through the Maelstrom system. We will arrive in empty space, less than a light-year from the planet, in approximately five minutes,” she answered. “Any longer and we will be closer to Androsia.”

“Everyone hear that?” I asked over the com.

“Got it,” said Abigail, who was on the bridge of The Renegade Star, manning its controls. Much as it pained me to let someone else fly my ship, she was the only one I trusted to get the job done. “Frederick and I will be ready.” She paused. “And Sigmond, too, of course.”

“Correct,” said Sigmond. “I am at your disposal, Ms. Pryar.”

“We’ll get this moon to safety, Captain,” said Freddie.

“Octavia?” I said, glancing across the deck from inside my little ship. “How about the rest of you?”

“We know the plan,” said the former Union medic. “Alphonse is getting ready to undergo the same treatment in just a few minutes. If need be, we’ll send him out.”

“Are you sure about that guy?” asked Freddie. “Seems like we’ll be putting a lot of trust in him in case things go wrong.”

“He’s the only one who can do it,” said Octavia. “He has the right training, he can adapt quickly under pressure, and he has experience with flying.”

“Relax, Fred. Let’s just hope it doesn’t get to that point,” I said.

He sighed, but straightened himself and nodded. “Right. We can do this.”

“No doubt about that,” said Abby.

Athena broke in before I could say anything else. “I will require at least twenty minutes to create a new long-range slipspace tunnel. You must do what you can until enough time has passed. You must not fail.”

“I get it, lady,” I muttered. “I won’t fuck it up.” Then, I added to myself, Because if I do, I’m dead.

“We’ll head to Titan’s bridge, while you two finish preparations,” said Octavia. She turned in the wheelchair, rolling away from us. “Good luck.”

Hitchens and Bolin waved, each looking strikingly similar from this distance.

I made a gun with my fingers and pretended to shoot at them, which caused Hitchens to clutch his belly and laugh. They went inside, along with Lex, who was holding Camilla’s hand. Lex’s eyes lingered on me for just a moment before she finally turned the corner.

I let out a short sigh and tapped the com in my ear. “We all set over there, Abby?”

“We’re ready, Jace.”

“Good,” I said, clearing my throat. I was quiet for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts.

“Arriving at destination in 15 seconds,” announced Athena.

So much for taking a moment, I thought.

I cracked my neck, spine, elbows, and knuckles. “Here goes nothing,” I muttered, placing my hand on the dash control panel, and visualizing my strike ship lifting off the deck floor. I felt the rumble beneath me, and suddenly I was airborne, moving toward the landing bay entrance.

I floated there for only a moment before Athena gave me the go-ahead. “Titan has successfully emerged from the slip tunnel. Please proceed. Good luck, Captain,” said the Cognitive.

“Thanks,” I said, bringing the ship out of the landing bay and into open space. “We’re sure as hell going to need it.”

* * *

According to Athena, Titan would need several minutes to recharge its core to near completion and then create a new slip tunnel. To hasten the process, it would need to bring down its shields and avoid any unnecessary combat. Of course, if any enemy ships came close enough to pose an immediate threat, shields would be raised and Titan would obliterate any threats that came to it, but the longer we could go without a fight, the better.

Which is where Abigail, Freddie, and I came into the picture. It was our job to distract and slow down the few dozen small to mid-sized ships in the local systems, should they attack. The Galactic Dawn might end up being a problem once it arrived, but we’d adjust to the situation as it developed. All we had to do was follow the plan.

“Athena,” I began. “Go ahead and begin moving into position. Remember, stay in the upper atmosphere of that planet. Focus on recharging that core so we can get the hell out of here.”

“Understood,” said the Cognitive.

“Sir,” interjected Sigmond. “I am detecting multiple incoming vessels, responding to our arrival.”

“What kind of ships are we talking about here, Siggy?” I asked.

“15 small to mid-size union attack ships,” informed the A.I.

I tabbed the console and mentally told it to run a quick scan of the system, just like Athena had showed me. When I did, the screen on top of the dash changed to show a readout of six planets as well as Titan, The Renegade Star, and my location.

I continued to watch the readout as Titan began to move away from our present location, towards the gas giant on the edge of the solar system. Athena would wait there, until the last possible moment before The Galactic Dawn arrived. She would need all the time she could get to charge that core, and I was going to make damn sure she had it. The more energy we could accumulate, the further away from the Union we could get.

I watched Titan edge its way closer to the gas giant, until it was inside the upper stratosphere.

“Core is at 54% capacity,” informed Athena. “Beginning charging sequence.”

“Enemy vessels inbound. Arrival time is two minutes and counting,” informed Sigmund.

I commanded my little ship to raise its shields, and it did so instantly without me having to say a word. “Abby, you sure you’re ready for this?” I asked.

“Me?” She asked, acting like the question had been a surprise. “I’d be more worried about yourself, flying that weird little ship around after you only had a few hours to train in it.”

“It’s easy once you get the hang of it,” I told her. I imagined the ship performing a horizontal spin, and then it did, followed by a vertical roll. “See? Flies like a dream.”

“No need to show off,” she said.

I heard Freddie in the background laughing. “The captain sure is something, isn’t he?”

“Sit down and shut up, Frederick,” said Abigail. “You’ll give him an even bigger ego if you keep that up.”

“Pardon the interruption, everyone,” said Sigmond. “Enemy ships have arrived. I thought you might want to know.”

I examined the radar, spotting several dots on the other end of the system.

“You heard him,” I said to everyone. “Time to go to work.”

* * *

The blinking red dots edged closer with each passing second.

Abigail activated The Renegade Star’s cloaking device, while I brought my ship around to the back of a nearby planetoid. These ancient Earth ships didn’t have cloaks—fuck if I understood why—but unless you knew what you were looking for, they were nearly impossible to detect with traditional scanning equipment. The same was true of Titan.

If only we could’ve masked the slip tunnel, we might have been able to go totally undetected, but even that went beyond Athena’s abilities.

No big deal, I thought, watching as the first four ships came around the edge of the nearby planet. We’ll just have to play with what we have.

The ships passed by my position, heading to the slip tunnel we had arrived on. As they did, I pulled the strike ship around and targeted the one at the center of the pack.

I imagined my ship firing the same blue blast as before, back in the landing bay, and suddenly it happened. The light burst out of my left wing, traveling rapidly towards the others.

With that, the shield surrounding the four ships cracked apart, dissolving in a quick second, causing the enemy fighters to disperse.

“Now, Abby!” I snapped.

The Renegade Star decloaked on the opposite side of the fighters and began firing a spray of rounds, followed by the quad cannons.

Before the other ships could get very far, Abby had made quick work of the first one, ripping it to shreds. The Renegade Star’s cannons launched a set of missiles, each one aimed at a different ship. They barely had the chance to react before the torpedoes tore through their hulls and sent them to hell.

I set my sights on the last of the four, then ordered another volley from my cannons. The hit plowed through his wing, forcing him into a spin as the metal turned to dust. Abby took the opportunity to follow it up with her own attack, raining gunfire on him. The bullets sprayed diagonally across the hull, cutting through like paper and hitting the engine. The ship exploded in seconds, signaling our success.

“Nice one!” I called.

Before she could respond, I saw the other red dots blink on my dash, telling me the fight was far from over.

“Cloak yourself!” I shouted. “We’ve got more company!”

The Renegade Star faded, blurring back into the darkness of space. I could still follow her position with my radar, which meant I’d know exactly where she was at any given moment, making it easier to maneuver these fighters around to give her an advantage. That was always the key to victory. You had to control the battlefield.

12 more blips made their way towards me. My best guess was that the first wave had been closer when we arrived, which was unfortunate for them. If only they had waited for the rest of their friends, they might have lasted a bit longer.

Not much longer, mind you, but a little more. I wasn’t taking any prisoners today. If you threaten my ship and my crew, you were done.

The remaining 12 ships were fast approaching, their destination being the destroyed ships of their fallen friends. I couldn’t imagine the confusion that must have been going through their minds at that moment.

But they would understand soon enough.

I fired a shot of blue energy directly into the last ship to arrive. It ran straight through the hull and into the cockpit creating a hole so large you could float through it. Somehow, the vessel didn’t split completely apart, but it was well on its way.

The other fighters turned toward me, firing rapidly and unloading a wide spray of bullets. The gunfire swept across my side, largely missing me before several shots struck my shield. I shook it off, returning fire with my beam cannon, targeting the nearest ship in the group.

The squad moved towards me, breaking off into two sets, each with their own shield.

The Renegade Star dropped its cloak and began unloading its quad cannons on one of the groups.

I decided that was my cue to take the other.

Bringing my ship forward, I dove beneath the oncoming squad. I tilted my ship back, firing a blast directly into the center of their shield. They took it, much to my surprise, and the shield remained.

I dodged enemy fire, rolling to my left and pulling up, then to the right. Several shots hit my shield, but did very little damage.

This was one hell of a ship.

I sent another blast into the squad’s shield, finally cracking it to pieces and destroying the centermost vessel. The beam also managed to catch the edge of one of the other ships, releasing atmosphere and sending it careening into another vessel, effectively disabling three of them at once. There were only two left in the squad, making for a quick clean up.

It was a good thing too, because there was no way Abby would be able to handle all six of those other strike ships on her own, even with Siggy and Freddie to help her. As much as I loved The Star, it wasn’t a warship. It could only do so much against that many—

Before I could finish the thought, two of the ships in the other group exploded. The Renegade Star flew straight through the debris, letting the shattered bits of metal deflect off its shield. A blast exploded from the quad cannons, decimating two of the other vessels, leaving only one behind.

The final ship began to run, attempting to make its way out of the system. The Star let out a spray of bullets, following the ship as it made its escape, finally tagging its tail, then moved along its hull, ripping it to shreds.

I whistled. “Damn, Abby.”

“You sound surprised,” returned the nun over the com.

“Maybe a little,” I said, snickering.

A sudden burst of green light sparked nearby, like a manifesting thunderstorm. It was the rift, the slip tunnel reopening. “Jace!” I heard Abigail shout.

“I see it,” I answered. “Athena, what’s the status of that core?”

“Tritium core is currently at 87%,” said the Cognitive.

“Not quite there,” I muttered turning my ship towards the opening tunnel. I wasn’t sure what we could do against a vessel as powerful as The Galactic Dawn, but we’d hold this position for as long as possible.

The tear opened and the carrier ship began to emerge. I could see its hull, massive as it was, with its name etched on the side in gold letters.

A voice came over the com before the carrier had fully emerged. “This is General Brigham of the Union Fleet. Captain Hughes, respond immediately.”

I was surprised to hear the old man speak, since I never accepted the call, but I quickly let it go. I didn’t have Sigmond to filter the coms, I had to remind myself.

I pictured Brigham’s face as he repeated the transmission. How anyone could follow me this far and still have enough fight in them was beyond me.

An image appeared on my console, depicting an older-looking man in a Union military uniform. It was Brigham, much to my surprise. “Captain Hughes, respond.”

“What the hell?” I asked.

Brigham cocked his brow at the sound of my voice. “Hughes? Have you decided to turn yourself in?”

I paused, hesitating to answer. Why was he able to hear me? Had I accidentally opened the com? It must have been triggered by my subconscious. I was still getting used to controlling this ship, so maybe I’d done this accidentally.

I cleared my throat, composing myself. “General,” I said with a monotone voice. “What can I do for you?”

Brigham seemed unmoved by my question. He was stone cold. “You can surrender yourself at once, Captain. Do so immediately and I will ensure your crew survives the day.”

“Let’s not waste time with this again,” I said, thinking back to the last encounter I had with this man. He’d made the same offer and I’d promptly ignored him. “You want the kid. I’m not giving her up. That puts us at a crossroads.”

“Indeed, it does,” said the General. “You must understand that my capabilities far outweigh your own, though. Compare our ships, Captain. The Galactic Dawn is the flagship of the fleet. It has no equal.”

“That’s true,” I said with a nod. “You’re walking around strutting that beast of a ship and I’m over here with The Renegade Star. There ain’t much of a comparison.”

“I’m glad you see that,” he said.

I raised a finger. “It’s a good thing I’m not flying that ship, then, isn’t it?”

He paused, furrowing his brow. “Excuse me?”

“You’ll see,” I said, quickly ordering my ship to begin accelerating. I visualized the com shutting off, and the image of the General disappeared.

The strike ship moved toward The Galactic Dawn, followed by The Star. I unloaded my beam cannon on the first section of The Dawn’s hull, leaving a long drag mark across the metal plating. It looked like a burn, though I was certain it hadn’t done much damage. Larger Union ships had several thick layers of plating, making it difficult to break through the hull and cause serious damage. They could take a beating better than any ships in the galaxy, although I was certainly going to put that to the test before the day was out.

“Tritium core is at 91%,” Athena’s voice rang in my ear.

Abby brought The Renegade Star in and released a volley of quad cannon missiles, striking the same spot I’d hit a second ago, and immediately retreated. She couldn’t sit in the open for very long, not without drawing attention from The Dawn.

The blast opened the plating even further, creating more of a divide in the hull. I followed that with yet another blast, hoping to do as much damage as possible, no matter how small, in the few seconds we had.

The Galactic Dawn’s cannons turned and fired on my general position, but they couldn’t seem to get a lock. Lucky for me they still hadn’t figured out how to target ancient Earth ships.

I dove forward, closer to The Dawn, nearly grazing its hull. An orange light flickered high above my position, which meant their shields had just activated. I was trapped inside, but that only meant I could do more damage.

I flew in close and hovered above the blind spot near the center of the ship, where the guns couldn’t reach, then proceeded to fire several bursts of successive shots.

Brigham would have to make a choice, since he couldn’t hit me from here. He’d have to either drop the shields and release his strike ships or sit here and take excessive damage.

Either way was fine with me.

I ordered my targeting system to aim for the engine section, then fired my beam cannon at the hull, slowly splitting it apart.

As I expected, the shields flickered off in short time. Brigham would send in his fighters to deal with me before I had a chance to fully disable his carrier, but that was ignorant thinking on his part.

There was more to this bird than a simple canon.

With the hull open, I pulled in closer and imagined my ship dropping a mine—the same mines Athena had loaned me during our assault on Priscilla.

The bomb released from beneath me, shooting forward at the exact location I wanted—inside the broken hull.

I let myself grin. “Abby, I’m coming back! Get to Titan!”

“On our way,” she returned.

I checked the radar to see the blue dot that represented The Renegade Star making its way to the gas giant. Titan was on the other side, still letting its core recharge.

While I observed the holo, a flood of red poured out from beneath my position. The strike ships, hundreds of them, were dispersing into open space. They would come for me first, but none of this was a surprise.

I brought my ship above The Galactic Dawn, speeding forward, between two raised canons. Each of them took aim at me, firing torpedoes. I pulled up and then sideways, avoiding the projectiles. Since they couldn’t lock onto me, the shots continued into the darkness, uninterrupted, while I followed the edge of the ship’s hull, sticking close.

The other strike ships began moving after me, following my flight pattern. I stuck as close to The Dawn as possible. Whatever shots they missed would hit the carrier, so I didn’t let myself grow too far from it.

Multiple strike ships came up behind me, finally firing on my rear. Apparently, killing me was more important than the safety of their own starship. I’d take that as a compliment.

My vessel shook from the rear blast, but hardly enough to slow me down. It hadn’t been a direct hit. Two other missiles flew past me and into The Galactic Dawn’s hull. Lucky day, since that meant they still couldn’t get a lock on me.

I cut thrusters and turned the ship so I was facing the attackers and returned fire. I sent a beam of blue energy straight directly into them, decimating six of the strike ships in a single blast. The other pursuing ships behind them dispersed, like a flock of spooked birds.

I turned my ship around again, letting the others go. My enemy was bigger than all of them, and far more dangerous. I brought my ship high above The Galactic Dawn, then leaned forward so that I could get the carrier in view.

I was staring at one of the most powerful vessels in the known galaxy, housing hundreds of smaller ships, and it was helmed by a seasoned general with decades of combat experience. Anyone watching from the outside might have thought this was a one-sided fight and that I was suicidal for even attempting it.

But he who controls the battlefield, wins, and right now I had the advantage.

I had a goddamn moon.

“Athena, status check!” I snapped.

“Tritium core is at 95.6%,” returned the Cognitive.

I grinned. “Good enough! Now, bring that fat ass out here!”

“Understood.”

The cannons on The Dawn fired on my position again, hitting my shields and jerking the entire ship. The blast sent me flying, but I managed to reorient myself in a few seconds.

My radar detected another set of missiles, headed straight for me. The old man must have figured out how to target me, finally.

It was good while it lasted.

I ordered my ship to push forward, away from the torpedoes. They followed me, gaining on my rear as I continued. I pulled around and aimed my cannon, shooting at the two bombs as they neared.

The blast struck the first missile, destroying it, while the second continued. I didn’t have time to hit it, so I’d have to take the blast directly. I hoped my shields could handle it.

Right before the torpedo was about to reach my position, a beam of blue light struck its side and ignited the missile. I nearly fell back in my seat. “Holy—”

“Hey, Captain,” said a voice over the com.

A ship swept across my screen, one that seemed to be identical to…

“Alphonse?” I asked, leaning forward. “Is that you?”

An image popped up on my screen, and I saw Alphonse from the waist up. He gave me a nod. “Sorry for the delay. It took some time to get these tattoos on me.”

“I wasn’t expecting you to make it out here, so I’ll count this as a bonus,” I said.

He smiled. “As will I, Captain.”

“Stick close to me and try not to get shot, Al. We’re heading back to Titan before things get out of hand.”

“I’ll follow your lead, sir,” he said.

I brought my ship around to face The Galactic Dawn. “One last thing,” I muttered, sending a mental command to the bomb I’d left behind.

Instantly, the hull of The Galactic Dawn exploded, ripping metal from metal, splitting a massive chunk of the ship away from the body. The lights of The Dawn flickered as pieces of the ship scattered into open space.

Brigham reacted by raising the orange shields on the carrier, but it was too late to fix what was already broken. He’d be working repairs on that carrier for months.

I turned my craft back toward the distant gas giant, enticing Brigham to follow.

I stared at my holo display and watched The Galactic Dawn, wondering if the old man was actually going to keep coming after me. He certainly hadn’t shown any signs of stopping yet.

The massive red dot blinked, staying in the same position for longer than I felt comfortable with. I was about to turn around and fire on him again when the carrier finally began to move.

I had to admit, even with a large chunk of its hull missing, the carrier ship was still intimidating. Hopefully, Brigham would feel the same when he saw my backup.

As we neared the gas giant, I spotted Titan hovering inside the planet’s atmosphere. The Renegade Star was behind her, waiting for its chance to act.

The Galactic Dawn fired at Titan, using all of its remaining canons. Hundreds of missiles left the carrier at once, filling the gap between the ships.

I approached the Moon with enough firepower following me to glass a small planet. Was Brigham trying to destroy Titan? Either he was smart enough to know what it took to disable that ship or the opposite was true and he was trying to wipe it out completely.

Either way, I wagered it wouldn’t matter. The old man had yet to witness Titan’s true potential. He was about to have a rude awakening.

Alphonse and I brought our ships inside the safety zone of Titan’s shield. Once there, I heard Athena’s voice come over the com. “Activating shield.”

I was barely inside when the blue wall appeared around Titan and multiple bombs collided with it, creating ripple after ripple as the shield absorbed the explosions. Less than a few seconds later, all of the missiles had landed and the shield was still holding.

I let myself breathe a short sigh of relief, then I remembered how close to death I’d just been, and I was suddenly tense again. “Alphonse, dock your ship and join the others. Abby and I will be there soon,” I told him.

“Captain, I don’t think I should abandon you,” he responded.

“I’ll be right behind you,” I assured him. “You wanna be part of this crew? That means following orders.”

“I understand,” said Alphonse.

I watched him enter the orange and red clouds in the planet’s atmosphere, disappearing as his ship drew closer to Titan.

At the same moment, countless strike ships filled my radar, leaving The Galactic Dawn and heading toward us. Titan was still inside the planet’s upper atmosphere, half-hidden from the enemy’s line-of-sight.

The swarm of ships came together in a crowded mass, flying through the void, toward Titan’s position, exactly as I had hoped.

“Now’s your chance, Athena!” I said, ordering my little ship to the rear of Titan, dipping far into the stormclouds. “Let those bastards have it!”

“Moving into position and deploying assault beam,” informed the Cognitive. “Please, stand by.”

Titan moved through the clouds until the incoming fighters were in sight.

The glow of the shield around Titan dropped and several blue beams formed at various points around the ship, each of them several times larger than the one from my little vessel. They shot through the planet’s atmosphere and out across the void, unleashing the wrath of a two-thousand-year-old civilization.

In a single breath, the blue beams tore through dozens of ships, breaking them to dust, and scattering the rest. What few remained were either immobilized or forced into a spin.

I was taken aback by the sheer magnitude of the attack. I’d never seen anything so destructive.

The beam continued through the ships, toward The Dawn, plowing straight into its shields. The blast stopped after a moment, but Athena followed it with another, almost immediately.

Titan struck The Dawn a second time, not giving it a chance to retaliate. Athena followed that up with a wide spray of torpedoes, bombarding The Galactic Dawn with everything it had. The carrier withstood as much as it could before the shield collapsed, breaking apart like orange glass.

As the beam hit, it broke a huge chunk of the hull clean off, splintering the ship, but not destroying it. The Union had built it well, with multiple reinforced layers of protection.

“Siggy, drop the lift,” I sent. “I’m coming in.”

“Of course, sir,” answered the A.I.

I brought the little ship closer to The Renegade Star, right as the cargo bay opened. With little more than a thought, I ordered the vessel to deploy its landing gear and touch down on the floor, sealing its magnetic legs in place.

“Captain Hughes,” said Athena. “Please, be advised that multiple enemy vessels are approaching through the nearby tunnel.”

“What are we looking at?” I asked, waiting briefly for the lift to close.

“Two additional carrier class starships are inbound. Each is equivalent to the estimated size of The Galactic Dawn,” she answered.

I paused at the message, taken back for a second at what I was hearing. “Did you say two more carriers?”

“Correct,” she confirmed.

“Athena, you need to open a tunnel and move!” I snapped, leaping out of my chair. The ship door opened and I ran into The Renegade Star’s cargo bay, heading to the nearby stairs.

“What is your estimated time of arrival?” asked Athena.

“Just go!” I ordered. “Get out of their line of sight and head beneath the clouds again, then open that tunnel. We’ll drop a few mines to slow them down, but we’ll be right behind you!”

I made my way through the upper deck and into the corridor, racing toward the front of the ship. Abby’s voice came over the com as I entered the lounge. “Jace? Where are you? What are we—”

I pulled open the door to the cockpit to see Abby and Freddie look at me. “Swap out,” I said, motioning with my hand.

Abby stepped out of the seat, giving me room. “Siggy, stay close to Titan and prepare to deploy mines!”

“Understood,” said Sigmond. “Welcome back, sir.”

“Jace, what’s going on?” asked Abigail.

“We’re running,” I said, not even bothering to strap myself in. “There’s two more Dawns headed our way and I’m pretty sure we’re fucked if we stay.”

“Even with Titan?” asked Freddie.

“I’m not chancing it,” I said, glancing at him. “And get your ass in the back, Fred! The nun has a better eye for killin’. I need her on guns.”

“R-Right,” he answered, getting to his feet.

Abby sat down in the co-pilot chair, bringing up weapon controls.

Athena’s voice cut in. “Forming a new slip tunnel.”

I was about to ask how long it would take, but I got the answer immediately. The rift began to form, surprising all of us as it split the atmosphere apart. Orange and yellow clouds swirled, turning darker as the green rift collided with them. “Holy shit,” I said. “That didn’t take long.”

“It must be the new core,” said Abigail.

“That is correct,” answered Athena. “Entering slipspace in ten seconds.”

“Is it safe to open a tunnel inside a planet’s atmosphere?” asked Abby.

“We’re about to find out,” I muttered. “Athena, keep going. We’ll be right behind you.” I pulled the controls sticks and brought us out from behind Titan, moving out of the Moon’s flight path. “Siggy, how are those mines looking?”

“Ready for deployment, sir,” said the A.I.

I looked at Abby. “Keep an eye on any strike ships they send at us. If they get close while we’re deploying these things, we’re dead.”

“I’ll handle it,” she said with a short nod.

I took another breath, watching as Titan entered the tunnel. We only had a handful of seconds to get those mines in place before the enemy ships showed up.

So much for having a plan.

Twenty

We deployed about a dozen mines in record time, although that was only a third of our inventory. The Galactic Dawn was immobilized, but we were about to have more firepower at our backs then any of us could conceive.

Hell was breaking loose, and quickly, and I felt the fire on my heels.

Titan had gone through the slip tunnel, expecting us to follow right away. The rift was still open, too, and I knew better than to let it close. It would take far too long for us to get it back, and I honestly had no idea whether we could in this atmosphere. I just had to finish getting these mines—

A tunnel opened right behind The Galactic Dawn. Another carrier emerged, edging its way out of the rift at the same slow speed as its predecessor.

My eyes widened at the sight of another massive enemy ship. Fuuuuuck.

Before I could even turn to Abby and say the word I was thinking, a third ship flew in and arrived near the edge of the system, bringing a beeping red dot onto the holo display.

And there’s number three. Well, shit.

“Uh, oh,” muttered Freddie.

“You said it.” I touched the controls. “Siggy, let’s follow the others. We need to go before the tunnel closes!”

“Understood,” said the A.I.

Abby held the weapon controls in her hand. She had that look on her face, the kind that said she was ready to go down fighting if it came to it. Not that it would. I sure as hell wasn’t ready to die, not here. Not in a place like this.

The slip engine hummed inside the belly of The Renegade Star, and a beam shot from beneath the cockpit, targeting the existing tear as it appeared before us. It only took a few seconds for the tunnel to widen back to its previous size, but it was all the time we needed.

Behind us, several dozen strike ships flew in our direction, headed straight for the minefield. I had played this game before, so I knew full well what Brigham was doing. He would sacrifice every last fighter if it meant stopping me here and now. He was a military man, which meant everything at his disposal was fodder, so long as it built towards his singular goal. All 10,000 of his soldiers would die if it meant he could have the prize… if it meant he could have Lex.

A few of the mines exploded as the fighters collided with them. The bombs didn’t even have to move very far. It was like the ships were trying to hit them, like they knew they were on a suicide mission.

I began to move The Star into the rift, pressing the control sticks forward, easing us inside. “Steady now,” I muttered.

“Hurry, Jace,” said Abigail. “We don’t have much time before they—”

A sudden explosion lit up the display as another ship collided with another bomb. Finally, there was a clean path through the field. That was my fault, I reckoned, since I had only managed to drop a short supply.

I just had to hurry, before anyone else showed up.

“Incoming missile,” said Sigmond.

“Fuck it!” I snapped, pushed the control sticks forward as hard as I could, ignoring safety protocols for slipspace entry.

The radar showed the bomb headed towards us. “Turn the ship!” said Abigail.

I already knew where her head was at, so I didn’t argue. I brought The Star around, cutting thrusters as we continued to move into the tunnel. When we were facing the oncoming missile, she took aim and fired a wide spray.

The bullets flew into the void, missing the torpedo. She tried again, but it was impossible enough to hit an actual ship under this kind of pressure, let alone a missile no bigger than a couple of meters.

Finally, as it drew closer, she landed a hit, tearing the bomb on its edge, sending it careening into the minefield. It drew close to one of the proximity mines before righting itself and resuming its run. The mine followed, closing in to the missile as both headed straight toward us.

Abby fired in a more focused spread, hitting the torpedo again, but this time with more accuracy. The missile was torn apart by the gunfire, exploding some distance from us as we began to ease into the slip tunnel, still facing the minefield.

The proximity mine continued in our direction, however, despite its target being annihilated. It seemed to want to keep going, and I didn’t have the means to stop it.

The bomb flew right past us, into the slip tunnel, disappearing into the green lightning storm, missing The Renegade Star by what must have been ten meters.

A transmission broke across my com, right as the rest of my ship entered the rift. A husky voice that I had grown far too familiar with spoke in a rather commanding tone, “Send everything you have! Follow that ship!”

The General must not have cared about privacy, since I was able to so easily pick it up on my com. Or maybe he simply didn’t care. Maybe he wanted me to hear it.

Either way, we were gone, the tunnel closing behind us. Or was it ahead of us, since we were moving backwards? It didn’t matter. The point was, we were finally moving.

“Adjusting movement to compensate for trajectory,” said Sigmond.

“Does this mean we’re in the clear?” asked Freddie.

“We’re never in the clear,” I said. “Haven’t you learned that yet?”

I let Sigmond make the necessary corrections, since they’d require more attention to detail than any human brain could give. Constant micro-corrections every millisecond. Don’t ask me.

“The Dawn might be immobilized, but those other two ships are going to follow us soon,” said Abigail. She began to reflexively clench her hands. “We need to get aboard Titan as soon as we exit this tunnel.”

I nodded. With a fully charged tritium core at her disposal, Athena no longer needed to stop to recharge. We could run forever, and probably faster than before. That was my hope, anyway. “We can’t contact Titan from here, so we’ll just have to wait and see once we’re out of this,” I explained. “In the meantime, Freddie, let’s you and me check on our other passenger. You know, make sure she’s still alive.”

“You mean Dressler?” he asked.

“Who else would I mean?” I pushed myself out of the chair. “Hopefully she hasn’t starved to death.”

Abigail touched my wrist as I stepped between our seats. “Are you actually going to let her go?”

I shrugged. “She hasn’t done us any wrong. The way I see it, she deserves what was promised. If we make it clear of here, I’ll give her the shuttle and she can hightail it to whatever she thinks freedom is.”

* * *

Freddie and I left the bridge and made our way straight to the Doc’s room. “Open it,” I said, standing before the door.

“Yes, sir,” said Sigmond, and the door slid open.

Dressler was sitting on the bed with her hands across her chest, like she hadn’t expected to see us. She jumped to her feet. “Y-You’re back!”

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Doc,” I said, stepping in.

“What’s going on out there? I’ve been trying to converse with Sigmond for the last thirty minutes, but he isn’t the most talkative A.I.,” said Dressler.

“That’s because he’s been busy focusing on the fight. I’m surprised he had enough time to talk to you at all,” I said.

“It would have been poor manners to ignore our guest,” said Sigmond. “I do apologize for my lack of attention, Doctor.”

Dressler seemed to break a smile before putting it away and narrowing her eyes at me. “Well, then, would you care to explain the situation, now that you’re here?”

“We took out a few dozen strike ships, killed the engines on The Galactic Dawn so they couldn’t follow us, and jumped into a new slip tunnel before the rest of the fleet could catch us. We’re on our way to meet with Titan right now,” I said, fanning my hand at her. “Simple day, simple way.”

She blinked. “You took on General Brigham’s carrier ship? Sigmond mentioned that he had arrived, but what you’re saying sounds…unlikely.”

“Believe what you want,” I said with a shrug. “Either way, it happened, and now he’s sitting on his own tail, trying to figure out how to catch us. Without a working slip engine, he’s going to have a rough go of it.”

Dressler’s mouth dropped. “Y-You’re being serious? If you attacked General Brigham, the entire Union fleet is going to come after you!” She darted her eyes to Fred. “Is he telling the truth?”

Freddie nodded. “The Captain used a strike ship from Titan and penetrated Brigham’s defenses. He nearly took the entire carrier out on his own.”

The doctor cocked her brow at me, and for a quick second it looked like a sign of respect. “I can’t believe it.”

“Affirmative,” said Sigmond. “If you are interested, I can replay the video feed from the encounter.”

The doctor seemed to consider the idea, but then dismissed it. “No, it doesn’t matter. We had a deal for that shuttle, didn’t we?”

I smirked. “Figures, you’d still want to leave, lady. But sure, you can have the shuttle,” I said, then nodded in the direction of the window. Green swirls moved past us, along the slip tunnel walls. “Once we’re out of slipspace.”

“How long?”

“Beats the hell outta me,” I said. “What do you say, Siggy?”

“Based on the tunnel’s current approximate length, I estimate another three hours of flight time before we arrive,” explained the A.I.

“See?” I said to the doctor. “Not that long and you’ll be a free citizen. You can fly back to the Union and tell them all about your evil captors.”

She nodded, slowly, like she was mulling over what I’d said.

I stared at her for a moment, waiting to see if she had any other questions. She didn’t, so I took a step back. I was about to say goodbye when Sigmond’s voice broke the silence. “Sir, if I might have your attention.” His voice was coming through my com, I quickly realized.

I touched my ear and turned away from the others. “What is it?”

“I’m detecting an energy spike in the tunnel ahead of us,” said Sigmond.

“I thought we couldn’t see any other ships,” I responded.

“That is still correct. However, while we are unable to detect movement, energy distortions are still occurring—”

“English, Siggy,” I interrupted.

“Yes, sir. In short, when an object interacts with the slip tunnel’s boundaries directly, it creates a vibration, which is detectable by our long-range sensors.”

“What’s wrong, Captain?” asked Dressler, who was standing a few steps behind me. I’d almost forgotten she and Freddie were there.

I held up my index finger. “Hold on, Doc,” I said, then touched my ear. “Siggy, what’s the most likely cause?”

“Based on the size of the vibrations along the tunnel walls, I would estimate that a reaction has occurred,” said Sigmond. “I believe the source to be the proximity mine that we witnessed entering the tunnel.”

“How bad is it?” I asked.

Both Dressler and Freddie drew closer at the sound of the question. I could almost feel their tension clouding around me. It made me feel claustrophobic, so I threw my hand out to tell them to give me some space.

“The actual damage is unknown,” explained Sigmond. “However, given the magnitude of the explosive, it is possible that the tunnel has taken on severe damage.”

My eyes went wide with the possible repercussions of what I had just heard. “Shit,” I muttered, turning to finally address the other two in the room.

“Don’t tell me,” said Freddie, swallowing the lump in his throat. “We’re not in the clear, are we?”

“Not even close,” I answered.

* * *

The slipspace rupture was worse than I thought.

The shockwave caused by the proximity mine explosion hit us a few minutes after Siggy told us about it, nearly knocking us all on our asses.

I held myself up on the wall, while Dressler collapsed back into the bed. Freddie, meanwhile, stayed on his feet, using the bedpost as leverage.

“Abigail to Jace!” screamed a voice in my ear. “I need you on the bridge!”

I tried to take a step towards the door, but nearly dropped. “Not happening! I can’t move!”

“Siggy says the mine blew up,” said Abby.

“Probably broke the tunnel,” I shouted. “Try to compensate!”

“Compensation is futile,” said Sigmond. “Please, brace for impact.”

Dressler, Freddie, and I exchanged a mutual horrified look of uncertainty. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I said in a tone that suggested we were royally fucked.

Before either could answer, The Star shook even harder, like it had been saving the bulk of its fury up, only to let it all come crashing out. Freddie finally hit the floor, slamming his face into the carpet, while Dressler tossed in the bed. I stayed on my knees, using the wall and floor as leverage. It wasn’t enough, however, and I finally went flying.

I slammed into Freddie, hitting him in the nose with my knee (poor guy). He screamed, and I was pretty sure I saw blood, but I couldn’t worry about that right now. There was a decent chance we were all about to die.

“Entering slipspace rupture,” said Sigmond, his voice as steady as ever. Sometimes I really hated how calm he could be.

The ship continued to shake, throwing both Freddie and me around the floor and into the wall, back where I started.

For a second, I thought the ship might tear itself apart from the inside, but the turbulence stopped before I could express it, and we came flying out of the tunnel in a few short seconds.

With a steady floor beneath me, I eased myself back on my feet, although I still felt like I was half-drunk and disoriented.

I shook it off and, without another word, staggered my way out of the room and toward the bridge. It was time to figure out exactly where the fuck we were.

For better or worse.

* * *

I entered the cockpit to find Abigail looking like she was desperate for a skull to bash. I could sense the frustration, thick as smog. “What’s our status?” I asked.

“What do you think?” she balked, pulling up a holo of the star system we’d just entered. “We’re stranded in the middle of nowhere.”

“Nowhere?” I asked, looking over the seven planets and three asteroid belts. “Siggy, where are we?”

“Unknown, sir,” said the A.I.

“What do you mean, ‘unknown’?” I asked.

“Star layout matches no previous model, nor can I extrapolate our position.”

I heard movement behind me, but I didn’t have to look to know who it was. “How bad is it?” asked Freddie, standing beside the door.

Dressler was with him, but she didn’t say anything.

“Bad,” I muttered. “We’re in unknown space, and since we entered that tunnel without knowing the destination, it’s hard to tell exactly where we are. We could have been dropped off literally anywhere, in any direction.”

“Can’t Sigmond read the star chart?” asked Fred.

“That only works if the stars match what we have in the database,” I said.

“Correct,” said Sigmond. “The layout before us is foreign. No records of it exist, which implies this is a region outside of known space.”

“Outside?” asked Dressler, who had finally chosen to speak up. “Are you saying we’ve moved beyond civilized Union space?”

“More than that,” I said, nodding at the nearby yellow star at the center of this system. “If there’s no record, that means no one has ever come this far. We’re not in the Deadlands, the Sarkonian Empire, or Union space.”

“But we were only in the tunnel for fifteen minutes,” said Freddie.

“Tunnels are funny like that,” I said. “Real space distance doesn’t matter. Only the slipspace inside matters, and no two tunnels are the same. That one was brand new, thanks to Titan, so there’s no knowing how far it actually went. Who the hell knows where we ended up?”

“That’s not very encouraging,” muttered Fred.

“Can we get back inside the tunnel?” asked Abigail.

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” said Sigmond. “According to sensors, there is no longer a tunnel to return back to.”

We all looked at each other. “Siggy, what do you mean there’s no longer a tunnel?” I asked.

“I do not know,” admitted the A.I. “Sensors are no longer showing an entry point for the slip tunnel, and I lack the necessary data to make a determined conclusion.”

Abigail leaned forward and slammed her palm on the dash. “Theorize!”

“It is possible that the tunnel resealed itself moments after the mine detonated,” said Siggy. “Slipspace tunnels have broken before, but they do not always remain so. Additionally, even if I could detect the tunnel entrance, I’m sorry to say that we would not be able to use it. The damage from the turbulence has put too much strain on our engines. Not only is the slipspace engine currently disabled, but so are long-range thrusters.”

“Are you saying we couldn’t open a tunnel even if we had one in front of us?” asked Abigail.

“Indeed, Ms. Pryar,” confirmed the A.I.

“Great,” said Abigail, tossing up her hands. “Out of one mess and into another.”

I had to admit, Abigail was right. We’d escaped Brigham’s attack by the skin of our teeth, only to wind up in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by unknown stars. Without a reference point, there was no way we’d be able to chart the right course, even if we could get our engines back online.

“Should we wait here for Titan?” asked Freddie. He was staring at me with puppy dog eyes, desperate for a solution.

I waited a second before answering, weighing what few options I had. “Siggy, how are your sensors?” I finally asked.

“Working,” he said.

“Scan the system and look for anything that might be useful,” I said.

“Already processing, sir,” said Sigmond.

“Any signs of other slip tunnels?” I asked.

“None within three-star systems,” answered Sigmond. “I apologize, sir.”

Abigail and I looked at each other. “What now?” she asked, all the frustration in her voice finally dissipated. If I didn’t know any better, I might have called it defeat.

“We have no choice,” I said, shaking my head. “We’ll have to wait here for Titan to come find us.”

“You think Athena even knows where to look?” asked Freddie.

“We’d better hope she does,” I muttered, glancing at the holo display of the star system. “As bad as it was back there with Brigham, the last thing you want is to be stranded and lost.”

“You talk about it like you’ve done it before,” said Dressler.

I nodded. “Lady, you don’t know the half of it.”

Epilogue

I waited for the scans to come in, while Freddie, Dressler, and Abigail went to check on the slipspace engine. Dressler was a trained scientist, so I figured if anyone on this ship could get things moving again, it was her. I just didn’t trust her enough to let her go alone.

“Sir, I believe I’ve found something,” said Sigmond.

“Put it on the holo,” I muttered.

A readout appeared with a full list of planets and moons in the system. Most were lifeless or too inhospitable to bother with, except for a class-5 world, resting in the comfort zone around the star.

Class-5 meant that it had a breathable atmosphere, probably contained carbon-based life, and had a fair chance of having edible food, but it wasn’t ideal.

“What am I looking at, Siggy? You know a class-5 isn’t worth landing on,” I said, leaning back in my seat. “We’d be fools to try.”

“Of course, sir,” said the A.I. “However, the planet itself is not what interests me.”

I cocked my brow. “Then, why are you showing it to me?”

“I am detecting a faint transmission, sir,” said Sigmond.

“A transmission?” I asked, perking up. “Is it Union?”

“I don’t believe so,” said Siggy. “The signature is unknown, and it is too distorted to fully uncover, but I believe it is a request for help.”

“Where’s it coming from?” I asked.

The holo zoomed in on the planet, showing a landscape covered in ice, nearly barren. “Here,” said Sigmond, right as a red dot appeared on the globe. “Somewhere beneath the ice. Please, sir, one moment. I am attempting to recover the message.”

I stared at the holo, narrowing my eyes. How could there be a message in a place like this, so far from an existing slip tunnel?

“The message seems to be in another language,” continued Sigmond.

“Which language?” I asked.

The message erupted over the speaker, playing in a broken, static-filled voice. It was a woman, by the sound of it.

“Sir, I believe this is a dialect of a language in my database,” said Sigmond. “The same language that Titan’s original colonists used, although this one is very far removed, with many changes.”

“Titan?” I asked, taken aback by what I was hearing. How could this person be using the same language as the people on Titan from over two thousand years ago? Could some of the colonists have come here, while the other survivors went off in other directions? That was possible, I supposed, but it didn’t explain the lack of slip tunnels nearby or why exactly anyone would land on a planet like this one. There were countless habitable worlds out there that were better than this.

Unless they crashed, of course. “Can you translate it?” I asked.

“I believe so, sir,” said Sigmond.

I took the controls and began flying us closer to the planet, mostly trying to stay busy while I waited for Sigmond to do his job. It only took a few moments to get The Renegade Star in orbit, and then I waited for more answers.

After several minutes, Sigmond finally spoke again. “Playing translation. Standby.”

The female voice came back over the com, but this time she spoke in a language I understood. “Attention, this world is the property of Earth. All Transient vessels should avoid orbit or risk defense network capabilities, per the established colonization agreement.”

“Earth?” I asked, sitting up. Of all the things I had expected to hear, that sure as hell wasn’t one of them. “Siggy, are you positive that’s what she said?”

“I am certain of nothing, sir. This is a completely foreign language. It could be a mistranslation, depending on a number of variables. The word Earth could have multiple meanings for this speaker.”

I cracked a smile. “Fair enough,” I said, then touched the floating globe on my dash and zoomed in on the spot where the transmission was coming from. “You think you could land us near this, Siggy?”

“There is a small field nearby,” said the A.I.

“Good,” I said, reaching up for my harness. I pulled it over my chest and locked it in place. “You know I’ve never been able to walk away from a threatening, ominous voice, Siggy.”

“That much, I know,” agreed the A.I.

“Do you think whoever sent that is still alive?” I asked.

“I am detecting life signs across the continent, many of which are near that location,” informed Sigmond. “Interference from the local snowstorms makes specific analysis impossible, however.”

I grinned, staring at the holo display. “Good enough for me,” I said, pressing the control stick forward. “What do you say, Siggy? Let’s see if we can find ourselves some neighbors.”

Jace, Abigail, and Lex will return in RENEGADE LOST, coming January 2018.

Read on for a special note from the author.

Author Notes

Boy, time sure does get away from you sometimes, doesn’t it? The last six weeks have been filled with chaos. After a writer’s conference in Vegas, a serious bout with the flu, and another book release, I still managed to get Renegade Moon written and published. It was definitely the toughest book to release on time, but somehow it all came together.

Jace and Abigail managed to find the power source they needed to keep Titan floating, which brought them even closer to General Brigham than ever before. They pulled through, however, and managed to best the Union again. Not bad for a Renegade and a nun.

The team also learned about the history of Earth, at least in part. This was something I’ve wanted to share from the very beginning, but I had to wait for the story to get there. I know many readers were wondering how the galaxy (and humanity) came to be this way, so I’m happy to finally share that aspect of the lore.

Finally, there’s something else I wanted to touch on in this book that many of you have been asking for, which is Jace’s history. To date, I’ve avoided talking too much about Jace’s past, because I was more interested in showing him in real time and letting his decisions show his nature. Now that we’ve had a few books to see what kind of man he is, it seemed like the right time to get in there and find out what started Jace on this whole Renegade journey. There’s still a lot more to learn about him, of course, and we’ll visit those memories in due time, but I wanted to share a glimpse of that history with you, because I think it’s important if we want to understand him.

All of that being said, I hope you enjoyed this latest entry in the Renegade Star series. The next entry will be out in early January, so you won’t have to wait very long. Get ready for more secrets and startling revelations as we reach Renegade Lost, part four in this epic, space opera saga.

I’ll see you soon, Renegades,

J.N. Chaney

PS. Amazon won’t tell you when the next Renegade book will come out, but there are several ways you can stay informed.

1) Fly on over to the Facebook group, JN Chaney’s Renegade Readers, and say hello. It’s a great place to hang with other sarcastic sci-fi readers who don’t mind a good laugh.

2) Follow me directly on Amazon. To do this, head to the store page for this book (or my Amazon author profile) and click the Follow button beneath my picture. That will prompt Amazon to notify you when I release a new book. You’ll just need to check your emails.

3) You can join my mailing list by clicking here. This will allow me to stay in touch with you directly, and you’ll also receive a free copy of The Amber Project.

Doing one of these or all three (for best results) will ensure you know every time a new entry in the Renegade Star series is published. Please take a moment to do one of these so you’ll be able to join Jace, Abigail, and Lex on their next galaxy-spanning adventure.

Preview: The Amber Project

Documents of Historical, Scientific, and Cultural Significance

Play Audio Transmission File 021

Recorded April 19, 2157

CARTWRIGHT: This is Lieutenant Colonel Felix Cartwright. It’s been a week since my last transmission and two months since the day we found the city…the day the world fell apart. If anyone can hear this, please respond.

If you’re out there, no doubt you know about the gas. You might think you’re all that’s left. But if you’re receiving this, let me assure you, you are not alone. There are people here. Hundreds, in fact, and for now, we’re safe. If you can make it here, you will be, too.

The city’s a few miles underground, not far from El Rico Air Force Base. That’s where my people came from. As always, the coordinates are attached. If anyone gets this, please respond. Let us know you’re there…that you’re still alive.

End Audio File

April 14, 2339

Maternity District

MILES BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH, deep within the walls of the last human city, a little boy named Terry played quietly with his sister in a small two-bedroom apartment.

Today was his very first birthday. He was turning seven.

“What’s a birthday?” his sister Janice asked, tugging at his shirt. She was only four years old and had recently taken to following her big brother everywhere he went. “What does it mean?”

Terry smiled, eager to explain. “Mom says when you turn seven, you get a birthday. It means you grow up and get to start school. It’s a pretty big deal.”

“When will I get a birthday?”

“You’re only four, so you have to wait.”

“I wish I was seven,” she said softly, her thin black hair hanging over her eyes. “I want to go with you.”

He got to his feet and began putting the toy blocks away. They had built a castle together on the floor, but Mother would yell if they left a mess. “I’ll tell you all about it when I get home. I promise, okay?”

“Okay!” she said cheerily and proceeded to help.

Right at that moment, the speaker next to the door let out a soft chime, followed by their mother’s voice. “Downstairs, children,” she said. “Hurry up now.”

Terry took his sister’s hand. “Come on, Jan,” he said.

She frowned, squeezing his fingers. “Okay.”

They arrived downstairs, their mother nowhere to be found.

“She’s in the kitchen,” Janice said, pointing at the farthest wall.  “See the light-box?”

Terry looked at the locator board, although his sister’s name for it worked just as well. It was a map of the entire apartment, with small lights going on and off in different colors depending on which person was in which room. There’s us, he thought, green for me and blue for Janice, and there’s Mother in red. Terry never understood why they needed something like that because of how small the apartment was, but every family got one, or so Mother had said.

As he entered the kitchen, his mother stood at the far counter sorting through some data on her pad. “What’s that?” he asked.

“Something for work,” she said. She tapped the front of the pad and placed it in her bag. “Come on, Terrance, we’ve got to get you ready and out the door.  Today’s your first day, after all, and we have to make a good impression.”

“When will he be back?” asked Janice.

“Hurry up. Let’s go, Terrance,” she said, ignoring the question.  She grabbed his hand and pulled him along.  “We have about twenty minutes to get all the way to the education district.  Hardly enough time at all.” Her voice was sour.  He had noticed it more and more lately, as the weeks went on, ever since a few months ago when that man from the school came to visit.  His name was Mr. Huxley, one of the few men who Terry ever had the chance to talk to, and from the way Mother acted—she was so agitated—he must have been important.

“Terrance,” his mother’s voice pulled him back.  “Stop moping and let’s go.”

Janice ran and hugged him, wrapping her little arms as far around him as she could. “Love you,” she said.

“Love you, too.”

“Bye,” she said, shyly.

He kissed her forehead and walked to the door where his mother stood talking with the babysitter, Ms. Cartwright. “I’ll only be a few hours,” Mother said. “If it takes any longer, I’ll message you.”

“Don’t worry about a thing, Mara,” Ms. Cartwright assured her. “You take all the time you need.”

Mother turned to him. “There you are,” she said, taking his hand. “Come on, or we’ll be late.”

As they left the apartment, Mother’s hand tugging him along, Terry tried to imagine what might happen at school today. Would it be like his home lessons? Would he be behind the other children, or was everything new? He enjoyed learning, but there was still a chance the school might be too hard for him. What would he do? Mother had taught him some things, like algebra and English, but who knew how far along the other kids were by now?

Terry walked quietly down the overcrowded corridors with an empty, troubled head. He hated this part of the district. So many people on the move, brushing against him, like clothes in an overstuffed closet.

He raised his head, nearly running into a woman and her baby. She had wrapped the child in a green and brown cloth, securing it against her chest. “Excuse me,” he said, but the lady ignored him.

His mother paused and looked around. “Terrance, what are you doing? I’m over here,” she said, spotting him.

“Sorry.”

They waited together for the train, which was running a few minutes behind today.

“I wish they’d hurry up,” said a nearby lady. She was young, about fifteen years old. “Do you think it’s because of the outbreak?”

“Of course,” said a much older woman. “Some of the trains are busy carrying contractors to the slums to patch the walls. It slows the others down because now they have to make more stops.”

“I heard fourteen workers died. Is it true?”

“You know how the gas is,” she said. “It’s very quick. Thank God for the quarantine barriers.”

Suddenly, there was a loud smashing sound, followed by three long beeps. It echoed through the platform for a moment, vibrating along the walls until it was gone. Terry flinched, squeezing his mother’s hand.

“Ouch,” she said. “Terrance, relax.”

“But the sound,” he said.

“It’s the contractors over there.” She pointed to the other side of the tracks, far away from them. It took a moment for Terry to spot them, but once he did, it felt obvious. Four of them stood together. Their clothes were orange, with no clear distinction between their shirts and their pants, and on each of their heads was a solid red plastic hat. Three of them were holding tools, huddled against a distant wall. They were reaching inside of it, exchanging tools every once in a while, until eventually the fourth one called them to back away. As they made some room, steam rose from the hole, with a puddle of dark liquid forming at the base. The fourth contractor handled a machine several feet from the others, which had three legs and rose to his chest. He waved the other four to stand near him and pressed the pad on the machine. Together, the contractors watched as the device flashed a series of small bright lights. It only lasted a few seconds. Once it was over, they gathered close to the wall again and resumed their work.

“What are they doing?” Terry asked.

His mother looked down at him. “What? Oh, they’re fixing the wall, that’s all.”

“Why?” he asked.

“Probably because there was a shift last night. Remember when the ground shook?”

Yeah, I remember, he thought. It woke me up. “So they’re fixing it?”

“Yes, right.” She sighed and looked around. “Where is that damned train?”

Terry tugged on her hand. “That lady over there said it’s late because of the gas.”

His mother looked at him. “What did you say?”

“The lady…the one right there.” He pointed to the younger girl a few feet away. “She said the gas came, so that’s why the trains are slow. It’s because of the slums.” He paused a minute. “No, wait. It’s because they’re going to the slums.”

His mother stared at the girl, turning back to the tracks and saying nothing.

“Mother?” he said.

“Be quiet for a moment, Terrance.”

Terry wanted to ask her what was wrong, or if he had done anything to upset her, but he knew when to stay silent. So he left it alone like she wanted. Just like a good little boy.

The sound of the arriving train filled the platform with such horrific noise that it made Terry’s ears hurt. The train, still vibrating as he stepped onboard, felt like it was alive.

After a short moment, the doors closed. The train was moving.

Terry didn’t know if the shaking was normal or not. Mother had taken him up to the medical wards on this train once when he was younger, but never again after that. He didn’t remember much about it, except that he liked it. The medical wards were pretty close to where he lived, a few stops before the labs, and several stops before the education district. After that, the train ran through Pepper Plaza, then the food farms and Housing Districts 04 through 07 and finally the outer ring factories and the farms. As Terry stared at the route map on the side of the train wall, memorizing what he could of it, he tried to imagine all the places he could go and the things he might see. What kind of shops did the shopping plaza have, for example, and what was it like to work on the farms? Maybe one day he could go and find out for himself—ride the train all day to see everything there was to see. Boy, wouldn’t that be something?

“Departure call: 22-10, education district,” erupted the com in its monotone voice. It took only a moment before the train began to slow.

“That’s us. Come on,” said Mother. She grasped his hand, pulling him through the doors before they were fully opened.

Almost to the school, Terry thought. He felt warm suddenly. Was he getting nervous? And why now? He’d known about this forever, and it was only hitting him now?

He kept taking shorter breaths. He wanted to pull away and return home, but Mother’s grasp was tight and firm, and the closer they got to the only major building in the area, the tighter and firmer it became.

Now that he was there, now that the time had finally come, a dozen questions ran through Terry’s mind. Would the other kids like him? What if he wasn’t as smart as everyone else? Would they make fun of him? He had no idea what to expect.

Terry swallowed, the lump in his throat nearly choking him.

An older man stood at the gate of the school’s entrance. He dressed in an outfit that didn’t resemble any of the clothes in Terry’s district or even on the trains. A gray uniform—the color of the pavement, the walls, and the streets—matched his silver hair to the point where it was difficult to tell where one ended and the other began. “Ah,” he said. “Mara, I see you’ve brought another student. I was wondering when we’d meet the next one. Glad to see you’re still producing. It’s been, what? Five or six years? Something like that, I think.”

“Yes, thank you, this is Terrance,” said Mother quickly. “I was told there would be an escort.” She paused, glancing over the man and through the windows. “Where’s Bishop? He assured me he’d be here for this.”

“The colonel,” he corrected, “is in his office, and the boy is to be taken directly to him as soon as I have registered his arrival.”

She let out a frustrated sigh. “He was supposed to meet me at the gate for this, himself. I wanted to talk to him about a few things.”

“What’s wrong?” Terry asked.

She looked down at him. “Oh, it’s nothing, don’t worry. You have to go inside now, that’s all.”

“You’re not coming in?”

“I’m afraid not,” said the man. “She’s not permitted.”

“It’s alright,” Mother said, cupping her hand over his cheek. “They’ll take care of you in there.”

But it’s just school, Terry thought. “I’ll see you tonight, though, right?”

She bent down and embraced him tightly, more than she had in a long time. He couldn’t help but relax. “I’m sorry, Terrance. Please be careful up there. I know you don’t understand it now, but you will eventually. Everything will be fine.” She rose, releasing his hand for the first time since they left the train. “So that’s it?” Mother said to the man.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good.” She turned and walked away, pausing a moment as she reached the corner and continued until she was out of sight.

The man pulled out a board with a piece of paper on it. “When you go through here, head straight to the back of the hall. A guard there will take you to see Colonel Bishop. Just do what they say and answer everything with either ‘Yes, sir’ or ‘No, sir,’ and you’ll be fine. Understand?”

Terry didn’t understand, but he nodded anyway.

The man pushed open the door with his arm and leg, holding it there and waiting. “Right through here you go,” he said.

Terry entered, reluctantly, and the door closed quickly behind him.

The building, full of the same metal and shades of brown and gray that held together the rest of the city, rose higher than any other building Terry had ever been in. Around the room, perched walkways circled the walls, cluttered with doors and hallways that branched off into unknown regions. Along the walkways, dozens of people walked back and forth as busily as they had in the train station. More importantly, Terry quickly realized, most of them were men.

For so long, the only men he had seen were the maintenance workers who came and went or the occasional teacher who visited the children when they were nearing their birthdays. It was so rare to see any men at all, especially in such great numbers. Maybe they’re all teachers, he thought. They weren’t dressed like the workers: white coats and some with brown jackets—thick jackets with laced boots and bodies as stiff as the walls. Maybe that was what teachers wore. How could he know? He had never met one besides Mr. Huxley, and that was months ago.

“Well, don’t just stand there, gawking,” said a voice from the other end of the room. It was another man, dressed the same as the others. “Go on in through here.” He pointed to another door, smaller than the one Terry had entered from. “Everyone today gets to meet the colonel. Go on now. Hurry up. You don’t want to keep him waiting.”

Terry did as the man said and stepped through the doorway, his footsteps clanking against the hard metal floor, echoing through what sounded like the entire building.

“Well, come in, why don’t you?” came a voice from inside.

Terry stepped cautiously into the room, which was much nicer than the entranceway. It was clean, at least compared to some of the other places Terry had been, including his own home. The walls held several shelves, none of which lacked for any company of things; various ornaments caught Terry’s eye, like the little see-through globe on the shelf nearest to the door, which held a picture of a woman’s face inside, although some of it was faded and hard to make out. There was also a crack in it. What purpose could such a thing have? Terry couldn’t begin to guess. Next to it lay a frame with a small, round piece of metal inside of it. An inscription below the glass read, “U.S. Silver Dollar, circa 2064.” Terry could easily read the words, but he didn’t understand them. What was this thing? And why was it so important that it needed to be placed on a shelf for everyone to look at?

“I said come in,” said Bishop abruptly. He sat at the far end of the room behind a large brown desk. Terry had forgotten he was even there. “I didn’t mean for you to stop at the door. Come over here.”

Terry hurried closer, stopping a few feet in front of the desk.

“I’m Colonel Bishop. You must be Terrance,” said the man. “I’ve been wondering when you were going to show up.” He wore a pair of thin glasses and had one of the larger pads in his hand. “Already seven. Imagine that.”

“Yes, sir,” Terry said, remembering the doorman’s words.

The colonel was a stout man, a little wider than the others. He was older, too, Terry guessed. He may have been tall, but it was difficult to tell without seeing his whole body. “I expect you’re hoping to begin your classes now,” said Bishop.

“Yes, sir,” he said.

“You say that, but you don’t really know what you’re saying yes to, do you?”

The question seemed more like a statement, so Terry didn’t answer. He only stood there. Who was this man? Is this how school was supposed to be?

“Terrance, let me ask you something,” said the colonel, taking a moment. “Did your mother tell you anything about this program you’re going into?”

Terry thought about the question for a moment. “Um, she said you come to school on your birthday,” he said. “And that it’s just like it is at home, except there’s more kids like me.”

Colonel Bishop blinked. “That’s right, I suppose. What else did she say?”

“That when it was over, I get to go back home,” he said.

“And when did she say that was?”

Terry didn’t answer.

Colonel Bishop cocked an eyebrow. “Well? Didn’t she say?”

“No, sir,” muttered Terry.

The man behind the desk started chuckling. “So you don’t know how long you’re here for?”

“No, sir.”

Colonel Bishop set the pad in his hand down. “Son, you’re here for the next ten years.”

A sudden rush swelled up in Terry’s chest and face. What was Bishop talking about? Of course Terry was going home. He couldn’t stay here. “But I promised my sister I’d be home today,” he said. “I have to go back.”

“Too bad,” said the colonel. “Your Mother really did you a disservice by not telling you. But don’t worry. We just have to get you started.” He tapped the pad on his desk, and the door opened. A cluster of footsteps filled the hall before two large men appeared, each wearing the same brown coats as the rest. “Well, that was fast,” he said.

One of the men saluted. “Yes, sir. No crying with the last one. Took her right to her room without incident.”

Terry wanted to ask who the last one was, and why it should be a good thing that she didn’t cry. Did other kids cry when they came to this school? What kind of place was this?

“Well, hopefully Terrence here will do the same,” said Bishop. He looked at Terry. “Right? You’re not going to give us any trouble, are you?”

Terry didn’t know what to do or what to say. All he could think about was getting far away from here. He didn’t want to go with the men. He didn’t want to behave. All he wanted to do was go home.

But he couldn’t, not anymore. He was here in this place with nowhere to go. No way out. He wanted to scream, to yell at the man behind the desk and his two friends, and tell them about how stupid it was for them to do what they were doing.

He opened his mouth to explain, to scream as loud as he could that he wouldn’t go. But in that moment, the memory of the doorman came back to him, and instead of yelling, he repeated the words he’d been told before. “No, sir,” he said softly.

Bishop smiled, nodding at the two men in the doorway. “Exactly what I like to hear.”

*******

April 14, 2339

The Academy, Central

“Stick out your arm,” said the nurse.

The needle pierced Terry’s skin, and he flinched. The nurse filled a small vial of his blood. “What’s it for?” he asked.

“Tests,” the nurse said, detaching the vial and replacing it with another. Once it was full, she handed the vials to a young man. “Mark, hurry and label these. Put them with the rest.”

“Yes, ma’am,” said Mark. He picked up the vials, and disappeared into the back room.

“What kind of tests?” Terry asked.

“Easy, honey,” she said. “We do it for every new student.”

“But why?” he asked.

“Because we just do,” the nurse said plainly. “Now why don’t you go tell the boys in the hall that you’re ready, okay? We’re all done here.”

Terry nodded and went to the door. He opened it to find the same two men who brought him here still standing in silence. Had they been waiting for him this entire time?

“Finished?” one of them asked.

“I think so,” Terry said.

When it was time for sleep, they led him to a room with two beds. “This is your room,” one of the men said.

“When can I go home?” Terry asked.

But there was no answer, only a closed door. They had left him alone. All alone for the first time since he awoke that morning and saw his sister and—

Janice. She must be so confused right now, wondering where he was, why he never came home. She’ll cry, he thought. Cry and plead with Mother until she falls asleep or passes out because that’s how she is. She’s so little, and now she’s alone. Sure, she’s got Mother, but when was that ever enough?

Suddenly there was a loud flushing sound. It came from the other side of the room, behind a wall with an open door where a light shone. Terry walked to the door, staring at the knob, waiting. After a moment, the knob turned and another boy stepped through.

He was taller than Terry, his chin a little thicker. He had short black hair and looked as surprised as Terry to find another person on the other side of the door. “Uh, hi,” he muttered. “What are you doing in my room?”

Terry looked around at the two beds. He felt like an idiot for not seeing them both before. One had a bag at the end of it, with the sheets and blanket already laid out. Of course somebody was already there. How could he not have noticed? “They told me this was my room.”

“Oh, I thought it was all for me.”

“Sorry,” said Terry.

“That’s okay,” said the boy as he walked to the side of his bed and sat. “To be honest, I was getting kind of bored. All the other kids got roommates, but they stuck me in here all by myself with nothing to do.”

“What other kids?” asked Terry.

“You know, the other students. Didn’t you see them?”

Terry sat on his bed directly across the room from John’s. “No, you’re the first kid I’ve seen all day.”

“Really?” asked John. “There’s about twenty of us, I think. Most got here early this morning. You’re kinda late.”

“Am I the last one?” asked Terry. He didn’t like being late.

“Dunno,” said the boy, shrugging. “They stuck me in here hours ago, and sent the rest to their own rooms. Anyway, I’m John.”

“I’m Terry,” he said. “How long do we have to stay here? They told me it was ten years. Is it for real?”

John nodded. “Until you’re seventeen.”

Terry stared at the floor.

“How long did you think it was?”

“I thought I’d be back by the end of the day.”

John didn’t say anything.

“Why didn’t my mother tell me?”

“Maybe she didn’t want to,” John said.

Terry gripped the edge of his bed with his hand, squeezing it. “Well, she should’ve said something. Now my sister thinks I’m coming back, and I’m not. She’s going to think I left her alone.”

“You have a sister?”

“Yeah,” nodded Terry. “Janice. She’s four.”

“I never had a sister,” said John. “Just an older brother. He graduated from the academy last year. When he came home, I got to meet him for the first time, and he told me all about this place.”

“You’re lucky,” muttered Terry.

“Lucky?”

“Yeah, you knew before you got here.”

“I guess,” said John, his voice a little softer. “But I only got to know my brother for a year. I won’t see him again until I’m seventeen. You got to spend four whole years with your sister. That’s lucky.”

“Sorry,” said Terry. Of course John didn’t think he was lucky. He was probably hurting as much as Terry.

“It’s okay,” said John. “And happy birthday, by the way.”

“Thanks,” said Terry. “Is it yours today, too?”

“Sure is. Me, you, and everyone else in our class.”

“Really?” asked Terry. “Seems like a lot of birthdays.”

John paused for a moment. “Actually, yeah, it kind of is.”

“What do you mean?”

“My brother told me before I got here everyone starts school on their birthday. But he also said when you get here, your class is already going on, because different kids are born at different times. The classes are based on what time of the year you’re born in.”

“So?”

“So if all of us have birthdays today, isn’t it kind of weird?”

Terry shrugged. “All my mother said about birthdays was you went to school on them.”

“It’s weird, though,” insisted John. “My brother said kids get here at different times, not all at once. It doesn’t make any sense if we’re all on the same day, does it?”

Terry thought about this for a moment. “Maybe a lot of mothers just had babies all at the same time. Maybe our class is smaller than the other ones.”

“So many maybes.”

Terry sighed and leaned back against the wall. His feet dangled off the side of the bed. “What happens tomorrow?”

“Orientation,” John said. “And we start our classes. That’s what they told me earlier.”

“Nobody told me anything,” said Terry.

“Probably because you were late,” said John. “When we got here, they lined us all up and explained it. Tomorrow’s orientation, then our first class.”

“Anything else?” asked Terry.

“Dinner,” said John, pointing to a clock next to his bed. “Ten more minutes until we eat.”

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Books By J.N. Chaney

The Variant Saga:

The Amber Project

Transient Echoes

Hope Everlasting

The Vernal Memory

Renegade Star Series:

Renegade Star

Renegade Atlas

Renegade Moon

Renegade Lost (January 2018)

Renegade Fleet (February 2018)

Renegade Empire (March 2018)

Standalone Books:

Their Solitary Way

The Other Side of Nowhere

About The Author

J. N. Chaney has a Master’s of Fine Arts in creative writing and fancies himself quite the Super Mario Bros. fan. When he isn’t writing or gaming, you can find him online at www.jnchaney.com.

He migrates often but was last seen in Avon Park, Florida. Any sightings should be reported, as they are rare.

Renegade Moon is his eighth novel.