<<SHIP AUTO DESTRUCT—
“Done!” Hike steps back from the access panel. Every part of him shakes like a leaf in a Solax Mountain wind. “It’s done.”
<<SHIP AUTO DESTRUCT ABORTED>>
We both sink to the floor, but there isn’t time to waste.
“Okay. Set a course for—”
“I don’t know how to fly the ship.” He turns, weariness in every line and wrinkle.
“How is that possible?”
“I never learned.” He has the decency to look ashamed. “It has a nav-bot. Why would I need a pilot?”
He makes a point, but not a good one. Many private-class ships are flown by a bot, alleviating the need for a trained pilot. It’s as simple as inputting a destination, and it plots the course, communicating with other ships along the trajectory as needed. That’s fine, but if you don’t know where you’re headed or need to, oh I don’t know, evade detection, a nav-bot is not your best option.
“Malik knew a little, but…” Hike looks down now, his hands running through his graying hair, making it stand on end. “He’s gone.”
I remember the computer notification. Deceased. I feel bad for the captain, but there are more pressing things than mourning a lost crew member.
Take a deep breath, Ren. The calming voice in my head is Talie. I can feel her smooth palm against my cheek, and it does something to focus me. I need information to make a plan.
“Tell me what happened with Brownus. Tell me everything.”
Hike shuffles to an observation chair. “I swear to you by The Moons of Elysi, I didn’t know he was a smuggler.”
“How long had you been carting him around the galaxy?”
“Perhaps not as long as I let on.” He looks down, studying the computer console. “I like to make people feel welcome and tend to overstate my connections.”
“How. Long.” My words are laced with iciline.
“This was his second trip with me.”
I’d pressed Hike at first because, as much as I trust Talie, I don’t trust others easily, and he led us to believe he and Brownus had gone all over the galaxy as good friends for cycles.
“He told me he felt like we were old friends. It’s best out here to be like that, you know? Making friends whenever you can.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Outlier Rim isn’t friendly to outsiders. It matters who you’re connected to and who they are.”
“And just what type of man is Brownus?”
“A skimper, apparently. Though maybe also a skin trader.”
An icy ball of worry hardens in me. Why wouldn’t he have taken me, though? I’m the one with the warrant. “What happened?”
“He said he wanted to move to a new ship.” Hike rubs his face then shakes his head as if clearing away stray thoughts. “He said it was for his next big sale, and it wouldn’t take us too far off course. I’m no pilot, so I let him input the coordinates. It was only supposed to deviate us a little.”
“That clearly wasn’t the case.”
“I see that now.” He gestures to the map. “I can at least read that. We’re here,” he points at a blinking speck, “but we should be here.” He points at a glowing circle that looks several parsecs away.
“A little off course?” I’m unable to keep the bite from my words.
“Brownus said the ship would rendezvous with us, and he’d transfer off. I believed him.”
“And when his ship arrived?”
“I was on the bridge—Eben too. I’ve got cameras in the hold that caught these hulking men coming aboard and—” Hike swallows. “They shot Malik. I should have been there. It should have been me.”
“You couldn’t have known.” As much as this whole situation can be cursed to the black, I don’t think Hike could have foreseen such violence.
“But I could have done something.” He meets my gaze. “Instead, I hid in my panic room like a coward.”
I don’t know what to say. I wouldn’t have hidden, but I have skills and training. And there’s no use taking on the weight of guilt now.
“Who was on the ship?” I ask.
“Men associated with Brownus. The ship must be his, and he saw an opportunity when Trilla came aboard. I don’t think he even realized you were going to be with her until you showed up. He…he took your wife and Eben and corrupted the nav-bot. I assume that’s when he set the auto destruct. I’m sorry, Rex.”
I grind my molars. It sounds like skin traders, but I can’t be totally sure.
“There was something else.” Hike looks up like. “He mentioned the rings to one of his goons. Heard it on the playback.”
The rings. My gut clenches. I assumed her kidnapping had something to do with her persona as the Soaring Starress or her status as Gravless, but this is worse. He’s taken her with the intent of either having her fight on his behalf or selling her to someone else who will make her fight. I suppose it’s possible he could know her true identity—I’ve heard rumors that notable fighters get top creds.
I have to find her before she’s sold or forced to fight. She’s talented, but the rings are not a place for fair fights. My jaw clenches so hard, my head aches.
“We have to find Tal—my wife. I won’t let that space scum get away with this.”
“How?” Hike sends a wary eye toward the useless nav-bot.
I slip into the pilot seat and flex my fingers. Hike blinks, and I grin. I could tell him I’ve spent hundreds of hours in simulators and have passed my flying proficiency for most space craft, but I figure letting him sweat a little is fair payback.
“How hard can flying a ship be?”