Andy woke suddenly as a cramp in his left calf screamed for attention. He launched himself out of the small cabin bunk and, swearing profusely, stretched the offending leg muscles taut.
It’d been a week now since the night raid on the Gabriel and he’d had absolutely no contact with anyone else, apart from the guards who delivered food twice a day and they never uttered a word. He worried about Rayl and hoped she was okay. Had they taken her too, along with the rest of the crew and passengers, or was he the only one?
He was thoroughly bored now. There were three books – well, more like thick magazines really – and although they were written in Lynkas and his internal translation software had made them legible, he’d read them three times.
He’d just climbed back onto the bunk when the door lock beeped. He thought this strange as his first meal of the day had already been delivered only a couple of hours previously.
‘Up,’ said the guard, entering the cabin and jerking the muzzle of his rifle upwards to accentuate the request.
He was hooded and his hands bound, then led out into what he presumed was a corridor. He could hear the murmurs of others being brought out too, voices he recognised.
That’s good, he initially thought, realising he wasn’t alone. But not so good for the Gabriel, and what the hell happened to Cleo?
‘Oh, for fuck’s sake,’ complained Rayl, from somewhere close behind him, making his heart race as it confirmed she was alive and nearby.
‘Where are you taking us?’ he asked, not that he thought he’d get an answer, but to let Rayl know he was also alive and close.
‘No talking,’ one of the guards shouted, as he got what was probably a weapon jabbed in his back.
A hand placed under his right elbow projected him forward as they began moving through the ship. His heart missed a beat as he heard the unmistakable whine of an airlock opening, but the hand on his elbow followed him in and remained there as the airlock cycled. They crossed an area where a cold breeze whipped at his clothing and hands. His hood billowed slightly and he caught a glimpse of a metal grating beneath his feet.
The floor surface changed abruptly a few moments later, not like an artificial hard floor of a ship or space station, but of something more solid. He could smell sulphur and the sound of hammering in the distance, muted like it was emerging from deep inside a cave. Then machinery – he could hear the echoey sound of electric machines rising and falling on the light breeze brushing past his hands.
The walk went on for about ten minutes and he gave up trying to remember all the turns so he could find his way back. The sounds gradually got louder until the guard leading him stopped suddenly and spun him round. He felt the bonds around his wrists being removed and the hood was ripped off.
He stood blinking in a low orange light emanating from lamps high up on the rough ceiling of a ten-metre wide cavern. It seemed like everyone from the Gabriel was there, squinting as their hoods were removed and wrinkling their noses at the sulphurous smell. There were rows of small metal-framed bunk beds lined against the walls going three high, a large refectory table in the centre surrounded by metal stools and a pile of coarse blankets on top.
The guards backed out of the cavern, slammed a heavy metal door closed and slid across a couple of bolts on the outside.
Rayl ran over and hugged him as soon as she saw him.
‘I was so worried,’ she said. ‘I thought I might not see you again.’
‘Same here,’ he whispered in her ear, as he gazed around at the others looking at each other in bewilderment.
‘Where’s Ed?’ he said, suddenly realising he wasn’t amongst them.
‘What?’ asked Bache, as he limped over.
‘Ed – he’s not here,’ said Rayl.
Bache turned as Xutan, Phil, James and Groxl approached.
‘My son and that GDA captain aren’t here either,’ sneered Groxl. ‘I thought that ship of yours was supposed to be impregnable?’
‘No ship is completely secure in dock with its shields down,’ said Bache. ‘But I must admit, we should’ve been safe with Cleo watching over us.’
‘Correct,’ said Phil. ‘The fact that she didn’t intervene worries me for her safety, a lot.’
‘Oh, shit,’ said Rayl suddenly, pacing up and down with her head in her hands.
‘What is it?’ Andy asked, as everyone turned to face her.
‘Pol,’ she said. ‘She was only a day away from rebirth.’
‘Ah, crap, you’re right,’ he said. ‘She was in the sealed birthing chamber; they won’t have found her.’
‘She’ll not only have the trauma of the rebirth itself on her own, but also the shock and unfamiliarity of being in a human body and then, if that’s not all, we’re all missing.’
They all stared at her for a few seconds.
‘Ed could be there,’ said Phil, breaking the silence. ‘Or Cleo.’
‘Not a chance,’ said Andy. ‘Cleo was somehow taken offline and I’m sure Ed will have been taken elsewhere.’
‘You hope,’ said Groxl. ‘Or he fought back and was killed.’
‘No, he’s not,’ snapped Andy. ‘If he was dead, I would know.’
‘Where d’you think we are?’ asked Xutan, speaking for the first time.
Andy dragged his piqued glare off Groxl and shrugged at Xutan.
‘Judging by the time it took to get here, it’s got to be a remote prison or mining asteroid,’ he said.
‘I agree,’ said Bache. ‘The ship didn’t undergo the buffeting of a planetary insertion, so we’re definitely on a moon or asteroid.’
He turned to Xutan and raised his eyebrows.
‘I take it your protection detail didn’t make it?’
‘Who knows?’ Xutan answered, looking forlorn. ‘Couple of those guys had been with me right from the beginning. My kids grew up with theirs.’
A sudden rattling caught their attention as the door bolts were dragged back and the riveted steel door swung open again. Two armed guards stepped in either side of the opening, followed by a short uniformed man with a badly pockmarked face.
‘Welcome to my little holiday cabana,’ he said, making an overly theatrical bow. ‘My employers have insisted that you remain here while the operation is completed. A recent minor change of plan suggests some of you might actually survive this and then again – some of you – might not.’
Deliberately sad eyes picked out Bache for a second, before they brightened again and he smiled.
‘Dinner is served if and when the guards can be bothered. Remember, it’s your fault they’re here too, so don’t piss them off any more than they already are.’
His smile disappeared as he turned and left, followed by the guards, with the door slamming shut and the bolts rammed home.
‘Small man syndrome,’ said Rayl. ‘An acute case.’
Andy turned to Bache and raised his eyebrows.
‘Who have you pissed off?’ he asked.
‘D’you want me to make a list?’ Bache replied, walking to the table and draping a blanket over his shoulders.
‘Are we to understand you were a bit of a rebel then?’ Groxl asked.
‘Quite the opposite actually,’ said Xutan, before Bache could answer. ‘The council, myself included, found Commander Loftt rather apt at problem solving, right from an early age.’
Bache smirked as he lay back on one of the bottom bunks.
‘That’s an understatement, Mr President,’ said Bache, casually putting his hands behind his head and closing his eyes. ‘I believe I was seventeen when I saved the galaxy for the first time.’
Everyone turned to Xutan, who shrugged and nodded.
‘Yup, he did.’
Rayl glanced around the cold solid rock cell they were in and shivered.
‘Any chance you could do it again, anytime soon?’ she asked.