The reentry alarm sounded. I tried to get out of the bunk. It was pure habit. I jolted to a stop, held prisoner by the chains on my feet and the cuffs on my hands. I fell back, cursing myself. I wanted out of the nightmare, even if it wasn't so bad as some I'd lived through. At least I had food regularly. Matthias only hit me if I said something he didn't like. Or if he was in a bad mood.
Change that. He hit me whenever he saw me. I had another black eye and a split lip. He usually only smacked me once or twice before leaving again. I could live with it. I still tried to find a way out every chance I got. Matthias didn't give me any more chances. He kept me chained except when I was in the bathroom and then I knew someone was always just outside the door, ready to beat me senseless at the first excuse.
I lay on the bunk in my underwear and wondered idly where we were this time. We'd made two jumps since Tireo. With each jump we got farther from the Phoenix. I hoped Jasyn was on my trail. I hoped she hadn't given up completely on me. I would owe her my life, again, when she rescued me. I had to keep saying when, not if. If would kill me.
The ship slid through the jump point, downshifting to normal space. At least the ship was in fairly good shape, I thought halfheartedly. It wasn't as good as the Phoenix, but I was prejudiced.
The door slid open. Matthias crossed the room and glared at me.
"What now, Matt?" He hated it when I called him that. I did it deliberately.
He slapped me. I winced appropriately.
"How did you tip them off?" he growled.
"Who? I've been chained up to this bunk for what, five days now? Or has it been longer? How did I tip who off?"
"I don't know how but you did." He unlocked the cuffs on my wrists and ankles. He grabbed me and pulled me off the bunk. He dragged me across the cabin and out into the main room. "How long?" he shouted at Kolly.
"They'll be in range in less than ten minutes," Kolly answered. "What are you going to do with her? They know about the compartment. I got that much before they cut off the com."
Matthias yanked me by my arm into the last cabin. He slammed me into the wall face first. He ground his hand into my back, holding me in place.
"Stay there," he ordered.
"What are you going to do with me?" I asked.
"Don't worry, it won't hurt. Much."
He jammed a needle into my arm. The whole room started to spin around me. He let me go. I fell to the floor, staring at nothing. His face was going fuzzy. I tried to blink and couldn't get my eyes back open. It was weird. I was completely aware of everything but I couldn't have moved if my life depended on it.
Matthias picked me up and shoved me into a medunit. The machine reacted just like it was programmed to do. Wires snaked out, attaching to my arms and chest. A mask snapped over my face. Air brushed past, pushing its way into my lungs. Matthias draped a blanket over me.
"Sleep well," he said. He patted my leg as he left.
I tried to move, to get out of the bunk. I couldn't. Whatever drug he'd given me had knocked me for a complete loop. I was hyperaware of everything around me but I couldn't move. I could barely breathe.
The ship was quiet for a moment before the loud clanging of a grappling hook attaching echoed through it. The ship creaked and groaned. Another moment of silence was ended by a docking clamp locking on the ship. The machine above me hissed and gurgled.
I heard the airlock cycle. Boots marched into the ship.
"This is harassment," Kolly objected. "I cooperated with you. I sent you the full manifest."
"You have three outstanding convictions for smuggling. Your ship is subject to search and seizure," an official voice informed Kolly. "You and your crew will assemble here. And captain, for your sake I hope we don't find anything we shouldn't."
There was a confused sound of many feet before it got quiet enough for me to hear again.
"This is your full crew?" the official voice asked.
"Just like it lists on the manifests," Kolly said.
"You are supposed to have six crew total. He isn't on the list. Who is he?"
"A passenger," Kolly said. "There isn't anything on my license that says I can't carry passengers. He's paying and it doesn't cost me more than the use of a bunk."
"Then where is your last crew member?"
"She had an accident with a coolant hose. She's in the medunit. Another day or two and she should be fine."
"Do you wish medical assistance?"
"No. Like I said, another day or two and she'll be good as new. She's always been a bit clumsy."
The door to the cabin slid open. Their voices were suddenly much louder. Someone crossed the room and poked the medunit.
"Your identification?" the official voice asked in the other room.
"Ren Matthias," Matthias answered. I was surprised at his candor. "I'm a businessman from Kaylonna."
"And your business at Zerinas?"
"Setting up a new business here. Looking into prospects. If I tell you more, it might sour the deal. Check it if you want."
I heard paper shuffling. The person poking the medunit started looking through bins and storage lockers.
"Your ship will be searched," the official voice said. "You will remain here."
Boots thundered through the ship. I heard them opening everything. They searched through every bin and locker.
"Sir? You should see this."
I heard a latch click. I could imagine them opening the smuggling compartment. I wondered what the official voice would have to say about that. I didn't have to wait long.
"And what explanation do you have for this?"
"Protection for sensitive cargo," Kolly said. "Do you have any idea how bad piracy is anymore?"
"Piracy or smuggling? Which side are you working?"
"I have legitimate cargo to deliver," Kolly answered. "There are no rules against hidden compartments on ships. There is nothing in there. You can't charge me."
"They had no time to dump anything, sir, we were watching them."
"Then I guess this time you got lucky. Clear the ship."
Boots moved through the ship again. I heard the airlock cycling.
"We'll be watching you, captain," the official voice said.
I heard more boots and the airlock cycling again. The docking clamp was released. The ship drifted free. Someone let out a long sigh.
"Good thing they aren't checking id records," one of Kolly's crew said.
"Even if they did, they won't find anything," Matthias said. "I took the liberty of fixing your records. Call it part of my payment."
"You could have told me," Kolly said.
Matthias chuckled. "It worked, you can thank me later."
I heard general muttering in the main room. Matthias came into the cabin. He stood over me and poked the medunit. It shut off, retracting the mask and wires and tubing. I felt a sting in my neck.
"Wake up, Dace," Matthias said. He slapped me.
The new drug he'd given me interacted with the first drug. My muscles twitched. I suddenly couldn't breathe.
The medunit beeped urgently. My chest convulsed, trying to draw in air. My muscles were fighting each other. I struggled, feeling myself begin to float away.
Matthias swore and slapped me again. It didn't help. He rolled me onto my side and pounded on my back. He rolled me onto my back. I flopped like a dead fish, hands twitching feebly. My fingers tingled. He pried open my eyes and stared at me. I saw panic in his face. He was about to lose his big paycheck.
He raised his hands over his head and brought his fists down on my chest. It was hard enough to crack my ribs. It was also enough to break whatever spasm his drugs had caused. I gasped in a breath. My ribs creaked. Pain shot through my side. I gasped in another breath then coughed.
Matthias leaned over me. He grunted and punched buttons on the medunit. I heard it beeping. Nothing attached itself, though.
"Bring me the cuffs," Matthias ordered.
"You didn't kill her?"
"Just bring me the cuffs, Kolly."
Kolly sauntered away. Matthias hovered over me until he came back, carrying both sets of cuffs. Matthias locked me up to the medunit bunk. I was limp, unable to resist. It was as if my body were asleep but my mind was wide awake.
"It's set to monitor her," Matthias said. "That stim should have woken her back up."
"Should have, it just about killed her."
"Shut up, Kolly."
"I will when you pay me the rest. You get off on Zerinas. I'm not taking you any farther."
Matthias smashed Kolly against the wall.
"I paid for you to take me to the sale on Galveston. You are going to do that or you are going to die, slowly and painfully. Is that clear or do I have to make an example of one of your crew?"
Kolly gargled something unintelligible. Matthias let him go.
"How long on Zerinas?"
"Two or three days, maybe," Kolly said. "I have to deliver the cargo or it will look suspicious, especially after the Patrol already stopped us once."
"You make any wrong moves and I'll make sure you die. And your family, what there is of it, Kolly." Matthias moved to stand over me again. "You take me straight to Galveston. I pay you the rest and you can go to Hades for all I care."
Kolly scuttled out of the room.
"Just think of the payday," Matthias muttered. "You're worth too much to too many people, Dace. You'd better be worth it to me."
He left the room.
I drifted for a while. The ship landed and it grew very quiet. I slowly slipped into sleep.
I woke when someone punched buttons on the medunit. My eyes snapped open. One of Kolly's crewmembers stood over me. She glanced down at me while she turned the medunit off. She looked old and mean, but she also looked bored.
The ship was shut down. We were landed somewhere. Now was my chance. I lay as limp as I could while I hoped she was there to unchain me.
She was. She unfastened the chains on my legs before unlocking the cuffs. She grabbed my arm and pulled me up from the bunk.
"Time to move," she said.
I stayed as limp as I could, waiting. She turned away, dragging me towards the door. I did a good impression of barely being able to walk. I sagged in her grip. She turned impatiently to me. My knee caught her in the gut. My fist connected with her face while she was curling around her middle. She crumpled to the floor. I stepped on her as I ran for the door to the cabin.
It was open, but the hatch wasn't. I didn't stop. I didn't care that I was only wearing my underwear. Anything was better than staying here. I hit the controls for the hatch. It was locked.
I hit them again. I was too close. I could almost taste the air on the other side of the hatch. I pried at the control panel with my fingers. If I could pop it off, I could have the hatch open in seconds. I didn't have seconds.
Matthias grabbed me from behind and threw me on the floor. I landed in a heap. He followed me, kicking me wherever he could reach. I crawled away, trying to squirm under the tiny galley table. He grabbed my arm and yanked me to my feet.
"That was stupid, captain."
He slapped me. I spit at him. He hit me again. And again. And again.
I did my best to pass out and finally succeeded.