Alex and Aoife groaned simultaneously. Harvey’s good eye widened and he looked me up and down, like he could see the truth in my skin. “You’re a von Hasenberg?”
People generally reacted one of two ways when they learned who I was: greed or anger. I was interested to see which camp Harvey fell into, so I answered him simply. “Yes.”
He glanced around, but the drunks hadn’t moved. “You shouldn’t be here,” he hissed.
“I didn’t have much choice, so you’ll have to clarify what you mean. Do you mean here in the bar or here in general? Is there some specific threat to me?”
He leaned across the bar. “This is a Syndicate station.”
I casually took another sip of my beer when I wanted nothing more than to freeze. “What do you mean?”
“The station master is running weapons, drugs, and worse for the Syndicate. It’s why all the mercs who can have cleared out. And word on the street is that Riccardo Silva wants any von Hasenberg detained for pickup.”
That was far too specific for him to be making it up. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you’re going to make it worth my while.”
I toasted him with the terrible beer. “So there’s nowhere to get supplies?”
“No. You need to leave as soon as possible. The station master was drunk as hell last night, but sooner or later someone is going to wake her up with the news that your ship is in the landing bay. Then you’ll be stuck.”
I didn’t tell him that my ship wasn’t registered to me. Someone would have to recognize me first, and I didn’t look anything like my father. Plus, Harvey’s idea of stuck and mine were probably different, but I let it go. “Are passenger ships running to Andromeda?”
“Twice a week. The next one leaves in a few hours.”
“You sure you don’t want to escape the drunks?”
He shook his head. “I’ve got family on BAP Eight. I have to stay and keep an eye on them.”
“Close out my tab.” He did, and handed the credit chip back to me. I swapped it for a chip with two thousand credits on it, then slid the new chip across the bar and tapped it twice. “If I make it out alive, I’ll send you five times this much. And if anyone asks, I told you my name was Luisa.”
The credit chip disappeared into his pocket. “Good luck.”
My silent shadows stood with me and we left the bar. Once we were out of sight, I turned to them. “Think there is any chance I’ll find supplies?”
“Unlikely,” Alex admitted. “This station is dead. You saw the market.”
I had, but I wasn’t ready to give up just yet. “I’m going to do a quick search of the upper levels while you get your seats booked for the flight to Andromeda. I’ll meet you back at the ship in thirty minutes.”
“It’s a bad idea,” Alex said.
“Understood. I’m doing it anyway. See you soon.”
“Wait, I’ll come with you.” He turned to Aoife. “We’ll meet you in half an hour. If we don’t, come find us.”
She nodded and disappeared down the corridor leading to the passenger ships. Alex and I took the elevator to the third floor. The hallways were deserted. I entered what appeared to be the only shop on the floor.
The shopkeeper looked up in surprise. She was around my own age, and she flinched when she caught sight of Alex. “I already paid this month.”
“We’re here to buy, not collect,” I said. “I’m going to war and I need supplies. Do you have anything?”
She frantically waved her hands. “No, of course not.”
I pulled out the silencer and set it on the counter. I clicked the middle button, turning it on. The shopkeeper stared at it with wide eyes. “Do you know what this is?” Her head dipped in a barely perceptible nod. “I am Catarina von Hasenberg and I need weapons. So I’ll ask again: do you have anything?”
“I don’t, my lady, but I know someone who might.” She looked around like people were going to jump out of the walls at any moment. “Go down to negative five. Someone will meet you at the elevator. Hurry.”
“Thank you. Do you need help? I’ll pay your way to Andromeda on the next ship.”
“No, I’m okay. I have family on BAP Eight. This isn’t such a bad gig, most of the time, but the Syndicate has been leaning on us harder than usual lately.”
“I need sturdy, dark clothes for someone who is slightly shorter and thinner than me. Do you have anything?”
She pulled out a few items and I bought everything in Ying’s size. We often shopped together, so I knew all of her sizes, just as she knew mine. The total was under a hundred credits but I tripled it before I paid. “Thank you,” I said. “Negative five?”
The shopkeeper agreed quietly, but she wouldn’t quite meet my eyes. Alex grabbed the bag of clothes before I could reach for it, so I swept the silencer back into my pocket, though I didn’t bother turning it off.
Once we were out of the shop and down the hall, I asked, “Think it’s a trap?”
“I’d give it even odds.”
“Not ideal. What do you think?”
“If they’re running weapons for the Syndicate, then they might have something useful. But they could also be leading you into a little-used part of the station to rob you or worse. Aoife will find us if we don’t return in fifteen minutes, but a lot can happen in fifteen minutes.”
I could control many less-than-ideal situations because people routinely underestimated me. But I also had to worry about Alex and Aoife. I had no doubt that they both could take care of themselves, but I was no longer just risking myself.
And based on what I’d seen so far, the weapons I would find would not be worth the delay in getting off-station. “Let’s return to the ship.”
Alex didn’t bother hiding his relief. “I think that’s smart.”
I nodded and clicked off the silencer. The elevator took us back to the main level. It remained as empty as it had been before. “Well, that was a waste of time. Hopefully Aoife was more successful and got you booked on a flight back to Andromeda. Let’s go get your stuff.”
Alex walked beside me, alert and light on his feet. “Will you go to Earth without supplies? Or will you attempt to go back to Andromeda?”
I sighed and ran a hand over my face. “I don’t know.” Both options had downsides. I wished Ada were here. She’d always been better than me at tactics. And if she were here, then she wouldn’t be anywhere near the smoking ruin that was her house.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been cut off from all of my siblings. Even on missions where stealth was a priority, I’d always had the option of sending a distress call or asking for advice. I didn’t realize how much I’d depended on that support network until it was gone.
Now I had to make my own decisions and live with the consequences.
“Unless Ying objects, we will head directly to Earth. Both of our Houses have hidden caches of supplies. I should have enough firepower onboard to keep us safe until we can claim one of them. And once I’m in the solar system, I can communicate with our security staff and the RCDF.”
Alex shook his head, but he didn’t say anything. I pulled him to a stop and handed him a credit chip. “This chip has ten thousand credits on it. I know it’s probably not what Bianca promised you, but it should be enough to last until my transfer goes through. Tell me how much she owes you and I’ll initiate the payment before I jump.”
“You don’t owe us anything. Our agreement was with Bianca.” Alex tried to return the chip, but I held up my hands and backed away.
“Bianca is my sister and she’s unavailable right now. I don’t mind settling her debts.” I smiled. “Don’t worry—I’ll be sure to charge her interest on the loan.”
Alex stared hard at me. “Aoife and I are going with you.”
My heart leapt before I realized what must’ve changed his mind. “No matter what your debt, Bianca would not expect you to risk your lives on a suicide mission,” I said, my tone gentle. “Whatever you agreed to do, your promise has been fulfilled. Go back to Andromeda and wait this one out. Aoife already bought you tickets.”
“She didn’t. She went searching for supplies. Whoever is behind the attacks on Earth also attacked Rhys,” he said. “That makes it personal. And we can’t get to him until the gates come back up. So Earth is it. And you’re going to need the help.”
He wasn’t wrong.
WE WERE NEARLY BACK TO CHAOS WHEN A DISTANT alarm began to wail. I glanced at Alex. “What are the odds that doesn’t have anything to do with us?”
He grimaced. “Let’s hurry.”
The hatch to the landing bay squeaked open, revealing Chaos just where I’d left her. The rest of the bay was, thankfully, empty. We entered the ship and found Aoife already onboard. I settled into the captain’s chair on the flight deck and requested launch permission. It took over a minute, but eventually the request was denied without a given reason. The heavy blast door protecting the landing bay remained closed.
I keyed the ship’s com to the flight controller’s channel. I was the daughter of a High House, and I sank all of the command and icy hauteur of my status into my tone. “If you do not open the bay door, I’m going to blow it open with my blast cannon.”
They didn’t respond. A few seconds later, they tried to override my ship’s controls, but Chaos was immune to such control unless it came from a High House or the RCDF directly. And still they didn’t open the blast door. If the station master wasn’t awake yet, she would be soon. I needed to move.
“Will you really blow the door?” Ying asked.
“Not unless I have to.” Several thousand people lived on the station. And while the loss of pressure in a single, sealed landing bay should be a nonissue, the maintenance level of the station didn’t give me great confidence about their ability to weather an emergency. “I’m going to try to override it from the console in the landing bay first.”
“Let me do it,” Alex said.
“I would, but I have only two nonemergency space suits on board and they are both sized for me. I didn’t expect to be hosting a party.” Ships were required to carry enough emergency space suits for the max passenger capacity. They were big and shapeless, designed to fit nearly everyone, but poorly. Moving around in one was a nightmare.
Quality space suits were thin, light, and sized for a snug fit. They had a little give, but not nearly enough for Alex’s broad shoulders to fit into my suit. And it would be faster for me to do it in a proper space suit than wait for him in an emergency suit.
“Chaos, promote Ying Yamado to first officer.” A chime acknowledged the command. “If things get dicey, get us out of the landing bay and I’ll come through the airlock. And don’t wreck my ship.”
Ying inclined her head in agreement.
“I’ll go with you,” Aoife said.
“Are you trained for zero-g?”
She nodded.
We were similar enough in size that she could wear my second suit, so I waved for her to follow me. It was faster than arguing.
We suited up in record time. My helmet’s heads-up display showed my oxygen level and the status of the suit, including the maneuvering kit. Everything was green. The built-in com would allow me to communicate with Aoife and the ship.
I strapped on a belt with a pair of holstered blasters as well as a combat knife and a can of foam sealant. I hoped none of it would be needed, but the universe was currently kicking my ass, so I wasn’t taking any chances.
Aoife looked alien in the white suit and sleek white helmet with its darkly tinted visor. I knew I looked very similar. It would be hard to tell us apart from a distance.
We exited the ship and headed straight for the manual override console. We were halfway across the landing bay when the hatch to the corridor opened and a quartet of soldiers entered. We had exactly zero cover, but they didn’t have Aoife. She took down two of them before they got shots off. A blaster bolt winged by far too close for comfort, but then I hit one and Aoife hit the last one.
“I’m going to secure the hatch, you deal with the override,” Aoife said. She didn’t wait for confirmation before loping off toward the hatch. She didn’t make it before the power was cut and the landing bay went pitch dark.
The override console was no longer an option. The outer door should be wired with emergency charges and a detonator that would work even without power. But without power, the atmospheric shield wouldn’t work. Blasting the emergency charges would also decompress the landing bay and potentially send Chaos, Aoife, and myself jettisoning into space.
There should also be an emergency vent to slowly decompress the landing bay, but it would take at least ten minutes. Once the pressure dropped low enough, the hatch to the corridor would seal shut, but until then, we’d be vulnerable to attack. “Aoife, how long can you hold the door?”
“There’s a manual turn lock, and I’m holding it closed. The soldiers on the other side haven’t figured out how to open it. Unless they want to risk an explosion or cut through the wall, I can hold this all day.”
“I’m going to vent the landing bay. Ying, retract the ramp and close the cargo door. We’ll come through the airlock.”
She acknowledged the request while I looked for the emergency controls. Usually they would be on an exterior wall away from the blast door, so that if something went wrong there was a good chance of remaining inside the landing bay instead of hurtling through open space.
I found the controls behind a stack of heavy crates. The detonator and air vent controls were locked behind a sturdy metal cage. I broke the cover protecting the lock. If the power had been on, an alarm would’ve sounded. Without power, the rest of the station wouldn’t know what I was doing until they saw the air being vented.
The detonator consisted of two flip switches protected by metal covers that individually locked in place with twist locks. It was designed so the chance of accidentally blowing a hole in the side of the station was as minimal as possible. Next to the detonator, the large, circular air valve handle did not budge when I tried to turn it. I checked the labels just to make sure that someone hadn’t installed it backward, but no, it was still lefty loosey to open it. The valve had seized up and routine maintenance hadn’t caught the issue.
Surprise, surprise.
I gripped the handle and heaved, using every ounce of strength I possessed. For a long second, nothing happened, then, finally, the valve broke free with a metallic squeal. The vents along the top of the landing bay opened and the air began to flow.
A peek out the window revealed the escaping air, so I spun the valve wide open. I hoped the vents themselves had gotten more safety checks than the rest of the station or our gradual decompression might be more energetic than desired.
I gave the others a status update. “The vent valves are open. Don’t leave the ship without a suit. When the bay pressure drops below seventy-five percent, the inner hatch will seal closed. Assuming they’ve maintained that safety feature.”
“It may not matter because we don’t have that long,” Aoife warned. “The soldiers look like they’re getting ready to plant charges and blow the hatch.”
“Are they in space suits? Does it seem like they’re bluffing?”
“No and no.”
By now, they had to know I was venting the bay. Maybe they thought they would get through the hatch before the pressure dropped low enough to kill them, but even if they did, I could just blow the outside blast door and they would all die. Horribly.
“Ying, is the flight controller talking?” I should be able to hear it over my com, but I asked just in case I’d somehow missed it.
“No, nothing.”
I had two options: blow the outer door now and risk Chaos, Aoife, and myself, or wait until after they blew the hatch and risk killing everyone in the hallway. The second option would also cause all of the air from the corridor outside to vent directly past Aoife and Chaos. And if the main airlock between this arm and the station failed, the whole station could collapse.
“I’m blowing the landing bay door now. Aoife, hold on. Ying, be prepared for the pressure change.”
Both murmured their agreement. I twisted open the detonator covers and flipped the switches before I could second-guess myself, then grabbed on to the metal cage. A series of small pops seemed to last forever, then the door creaked and banged open on rusty hinges.
Normally the door slid open and closed, but with no power, trying to manually slide open a door was a sure way to end up in space. But station designers had built in an emergency hinge so the door could be explosively separated from the track and swing open in an emergency without becoming a several-thousand-kilogram projectile that could hit the rest of the station.
Unfortunately, the lockout that was supposed to lock the door in the open position failed and after swinging all the way open and then rebounding back, the door ended up half-closed.
At least the rest of us fared better. Chaos had shivered as the air rushed out of the landing bay, but Aoife and I were far enough away from the door that we were okay. However, that wouldn’t remain true for Aoife if the soldiers outside blew the hatch. The flow of air from the corridor would sweep her out the landing bay door. “Aoife, get to the ship. I’ll get the door because I’m closer.”
I sprinted for the landing bay door without waiting to see if she would argue. Standing on the edge of a station, staring into empty space was always a trip. I knew as soon as I left the landing bay, I’d leave the artificial gravity, so it was impossible to fall—if I stepped out the door, I would gently drift until I used the maneuvering thrusters to return. But mere knowing didn’t reassure my lizard brain. It insisted I was IN DANGER.
And sadly for my lizard brain, I was going to have to go out there because in here there wasn’t a good angle from which to push the door. I’d have to rely on my maneuvering thrusters to provide the force to open the door. I did not have time to panic, no matter how much I wanted to.
I clipped an emergency autotether onto my belt, pulled out a few meters of line, and stepped into space. The transition from gravity to weightlessness always fucked with my head as my inner ear tried to figure out what the hell I was doing.
The partially opened blast door slowly drifted into reach. It had plenty of handholds, so I pulled myself out until I was at the very edge. The farther away from the hinge, the easier the massive door would be to move. I tightened my grip. “Artemis,” I said, addressing the suit by nickname so it wouldn’t transmit the command over the com, “move forward at five percent.” The suit chimed its acceptance of the command and I felt the thrusters come on, barely moving me.
I wanted to slam the door open, hop into my ship, and get the hell out of here, but this was one instance where patience truly was rewarded. If I moved too quickly, the door would just bounce closed again—and smash me in the process.
“Cat, you need to get inside, now,” Alex said, his voice somehow both calm and urgent.
“I’m almost there.”
“You’ve got incoming. The door is open enough. Chaos’s hull shielding can take the hit to nudge it out of the way.”
I looked out over my right shoulder and saw a space troop transport approaching. It was basically an open shuttle that carried the soldiers in space suits to their destination. Because it wasn’t pressurized, or even enclosed, the soldiers didn’t have to wait on an airlock. They also wore specially designed, armored combat suits made to fight in a vacuum.
My space suit was nice, but it wasn’t space-combat nice.
I activated my reverse thrusters for a split second and let go of the door. Once I was clear, I jerked the tether twice. It should’ve activated the return reel. Instead, the first pull caused me to drift toward the landing bay, but the second pull caused the tether to go slack in my hand.
A moment later, the end of the tether drifted past.
The goddamned emergency tether had broken and left me drifting in open space.