The girl I hold at gunpoint smells like sweetened flaxon blossoms and vanilla. It’s an odd thing to note at a time like this, but my power suit hones my senses, and I’m hyperaware of everything. Like the way her cheeks flush beneath sparkly makeup and how her ice blue eyes would shoot laser bursts at me if they could.
“Are you insane?”
That wasn’t the response I was expecting. Fear. Cowering. Silence. Those would have been understandable, but her defiance warns of a stubborn streak. Grinding my teeth, I move to press the gun against her neck, though not too hard. I don’t miss the way her eyes widen.
“Take me to your quarters. Now.” I bite back the please.
“I—I can’t.”
She’s lying. There’s a slight up-tick in her pulse. “Do it now before I knock you out and drag you there myself.”
“You don’t know where my berth is.”
I smirk, but my partial face shield hides it. “Second deck, aft on the portside.”
“Who are you?”
“I’ve got a gun to your throat. Is that really the question you want to ask me right now?”
“What do you want?”
“That’s better. But we’re not having this conversation now. Tell me the back way to your quarters.” Please. You can take the boy out of the unit but not the manners his mother instilled in him.
Her brow creases in worry, and I lessen the pressure of the gun enough to show her I’ll cooperate if she does.
“There are sec-units. You’re not going to—”
“I’m not asking you because I need directions. I just thought it would be more fun if you cooperated. You know, me not having to pick you up and carry you the hundreds of meters to your quarters. But if you insist…” In one swift motion, I holster my gun, bend, and pick her up in a dead man’s carry like they taught me in Basic.
“Put me down!” She sounds mortified, her fists uselessly pounding my armored back.
I grin. I’ve got a good grip on her legs, and I think I know the best route to take. It would have been easier had she come willingly, but if she won’t cooperate—
“I’ll tell you where to go.”
I’ve only gone fifteen meters, and she’s like carrying a sack of feathers with the suit’s enhanced strength, but I think my point is hitting home.
“I’m not sure I believe you.” I keep walking.
“Please.” She sags against me. “Just put me down. I’ll take you there.”
My options are limited at this point. I need to be hidden when this ship disembarks, or—I don’t want to think of what will come if I’m caught. It can’t happen, and it won’t.
Gently, to make sure I’m only applying minimal pressure, I set her on her feet. I’m moving to stand upright when she full-on kicks me in the stomach. There is a thin window of space between my chest armor and the belt that attaches the leg plates. The space is covered by plyweave so as not to leave me vulnerable from a laser blast, but with skill I didn’t anticipate, she’s managed to slide her foot directly into that space. Her kick is decidedly stronger than seems right for such a small frame, and I hunch over, gasping for oxygen.
I gasp. “Seriously?”
She turns and sprints down the passway, but I’m faster—thank you, suit. I catch up in four long strides and wrap an arm around her middle, pulling her back against me again.
“Not so fast, Le’è,” I whisper into her ear.
She stills before her efforts to free herself redouble. “Let me go!”
“I thought we had a deal.” I can’t help my smile at her gumption. Her frustration is showing, and I must admit, it’s cute.
“I don’t deal with criminals.”
“I’m no criminal.” My voice goes hard. “But I do need a way off this planet.”
I spin her around and press a button so the rest of my face shield retracts. The air feels cool without the cover, and I can tell she’s surprised by the move. I can’t read anything beyond that.
I need to convince her.
“I’ll tell you everything”—most everything—“if you’ll just help me hide until the ship leaves. I’ll hop off at the next dock. I promise.”
Her mouth opens, pink lips parted.
“Please.”
This time, when she stops resisting, I let her go. Whether it’s something I see in her eyes or I’m just a fool for a beautiful face, it’s the right choice. One must give trust to earn trust.
“Let it be known, I do not trust you.” Her lips curve down. “But it would seem you are in need of help, and you got a very dangerous weapon past security, so I don’t see as I have much choice. Promise me you won’t harm any of my friends—any member of this crew—and I’ll hide you.”
She thinks I’m a threat. Perhaps it’s better she does.
“I promise.” I make a point to hold her gaze so she can see the truth, but she looks down.
“This way, criminal.” She tosses the word at me.
“As you say, Le’è.”
I follow her down the passway until we reach the end. I know there’s a door to the main hallway here. I’ve studied the schematics of this ship inside and out, and I could call them up on my heads-up display, or HUD, if needed, but something tells me to wait. To see what she does.
“We have to get up there.”
I follow her line of sight and see the imprint of a circular panel above us. It must retract to allow access for the crawl space.
“Boost me?”
My wary expression must show, because she rolls her eyes.
“I assume your suit can get you up there with a jump. Right?”
“Right.” Interesting. The circus girl knows about military suits. “Okay, here.” I lean over and interlace my fingers. She places one foot there, and I lift her like I am hoisting a child thanks to the suit’s mechanics. Her sweet scent hits me again, and I remind myself now is a time to focus. Not to think about the fact her flowy dress is swaying back and forth around my shoulders as she maneuvers the hatch open.
Her weight, what little I felt, leaves my hands as she pulls herself up in an impressive show of strength. I didn’t see the show tonight, but her fame as the Soaring Starress is legendary throughout the galaxy.
Her slim form disappears from view, and I bend my knees then propel myself upward. Thankfully, I’ve got aim-assist and easily slide through the narrow hole into darkness. My hands shoot out and connect with the walls on either side of the tunnel, holding me in place.
“Now what?” I ask.
“We climb.” There’s a hint of amusement as she turns on the narrow platform and reaches for the first rung in an impossibly long ladder that ascends straight up until the curve of the ship hides it. A quick access to the visual map, and I see where we’ll come out. I wouldn’t have picked this as the easy route to her cabin, but it’s certainly the most well-hidden. I wonder if she’s used it before or just knows the ship well.
“It’s six decks.”
“I thought you wanted the back way.” She looks down at me, issuing a challenge. “Is it too far for you?”
“Not at all.” I return her acerbic words with a smirk and gesture for her to keep climbing. I fall in behind her, and we climb. And climb and climb.
My mistake comes several minutes later, when I glance up to see her progress. Keep your head down, Renner. Head down! The folds of her dress shroud slender legs and make my heart pound faster. The sight is enough to cause me to lose my grip, and I slip away from the ladder, one hand gripping the metal rung while the rest of me dangles.
“Careful,” she taunts. “It would be a shame if you fell.”
“Ha ha. Very funny, Le’è. Keep moving.”
“I know what that means.” Her breaths are slightly labored since we’ve already made it up two decks.
“What?”
“Le’è. It’s what the Drawx call their princess, yes?”
“Sort of.” Has she been to Drawx before?
“So, you’re Drawxian. And clearly a soldier. I assume you work in the palace?” She’s also got me there, but she doesn’t need to know that.
“Less talk. More climbing.”
“And if you’re part of the palace guard,” she continues as though I haven’t said anything, “you don’t get much free rein. Why would you be here on the Midway? Unless—” She gasps, but it’s obviously contrived. “Your princess has sent you to observe the Phenomena for her. Perhaps she fancies coming to the show herself.”
It’s terrifying how close to the truth she is, and yet still how far.
“And how do you repay her? By deserting.” Her words are a bitter slap.
Let her think what she wants. I don’t reply, and she climbs on in silence. I can only assume she’s holding more accusations for when we’re back on solid ground, but it won’t matter. I can’t tell her—or anyone—what I’m doing or where I’m going. My mission is too important.
We pass the marker for the sixth floor, and I release a sigh. She opens a side access panel, and we climb out into an empty hallway.
“This way.”
I’ve checked the map and know she’s not taking me to a sec-unit station, but her quarters. I’m surprised she hasn’t tried something else—I didn’t take her as one to give up so quickly.
She stops at a door and looks back at me. Stars, she’s pretty. Long silver-gray hair is twisted into a thick braid that falls over her shoulder, interwoven with sparkling silver cord. Her stage makeup does nothing to mask her natural beauty, but it makes me wonder what she looks like underneath the paint. If her skin is as soft as—
“Come on,” she says, as if she’s sized me up and found me wanting.
At her touch, the door slides open to reveal a berth, massive in terms of space travel. It must pay to be the top billed act. To the left of the door, a floor-to-ceiling, sio-glass viewport looks out at the stars. A large bed takes over one wall, a couch covered in plush synth-fab the other, and a metal bar hangs from one corner. That’s odd.
I’m no stranger to observing wealth, so I can spot the original paintings, lavish decorations, and imported materials, but there’s something extremely pleasing in the way everything is arranged. The textures are chosen for comfort, and the muted color palette leaves the wall of stars as the main focal point.
I’m about to assure her my time here will be short, my thoughts forming words, when I see the thin silver bracelet she holds.
It’s a sec-bracelet.
“Don’t—”
But it’s too late. The red light blinks, indicating it’s been turned on. I have less than a minute to convince her to hide me and the secret I protect.