Space for Growth (Spire Station #3)

Chapter 40

40

T hey’re coming.

It worked.

My idea worked.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” I mutter as I send the pings to Hadrell.

Rema grabs my shoulders. “Nope. Not happening. Keep it together, human.”

Unlike Hadrell, her touch doesn’t help calm my riot of nerves as reality sinks in.

Consortium forces are on their way and the fate of Hadrell and his crew rests in my hands. As does my own. I’d like to think the Coalition embassy would at least save me from going to prison, but I’ve been absent from work for over a month with no explanation, so probably not.

If this doesn’t work, we’re all screwed.

“How long do you think it will take for them to get here?” I ask, futilely staring out the window at the metal wall of the docking bay we’re currently sitting in. It would’ve been too suspicious for us to stay out in orbit instead of joining Hadrell, so I can’t watch for incoming ships.

Rema squeezes my shoulders and steps back, leaning against the wall. “Not long. They seemed to take your invitation seriously.”

Val smiles, all of her eyes scrunching as she does. “I’ll be able to tell when they jump into sensor range. Tari, you’re ready in case we need to employ the emergency exit strategy?” she asks brightly, looking at her nexxit lover affectionately.

“Phaser cannons are on standby,” Tari says, gesturing to the panel she’s sitting by. “A fresh jump charge is also ready, should we need it.”

Thank god for that. When we jumped to get within range of Frea’set’s satellite, I worried that we’d have no way to jump away again. But apparently Tari won multiple charges in a card game when we stopped back at Gryxyx to drop off the people we rescued.

I slump in my chair, trying to breathe through the anxiety as I repeat all the kind, wonderful things Hadrell has said to me. Knowing he believes in me makes it a little easier to believe in myself, but I’m still pretty damn stressed.

“You look like you did after you did that space walk,” Tari says, peering at me. “If you’re going to be sick, please move away from the console.”

“If it’s that bad, Bret’u can bring up some meds for you,” Rema adds, narrowing her eyes in concern.

“I’m fine. I’m not going to barf. ”

Val shoots me a sympathetic look. “It’s alright if you do, dear. It happens to the best of us. Before my debut performance, I was so nervous, I couldn’t keep anything down.”

“Thanks,” I reply with a weak smile. I know she’s trying to make me feel better, but all this talk of getting sick is making my nausea worse.

I swallow hard. “Do you think Hadrell is alright?” They said they’d comm if they could, but I didn’t get a reply to my signal. “Rema, what if they’re hurt? They’re all alone in there with Frea’set. Why did they go in there alone? You should’ve gone with them. Ugh, they’re so stubborn!”

Rema shakes her head. “Yes, they should’ve brought me. But don’t worry too much—they’re not alone.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Since Hadrell refused to let me go, I asked Yaz to sneak in once he and Bret’u finished unloading the cargo. As a little insurance in case Frea’set gets the drop on Hadrell.”

“Oh, thank god.” The knot of stress and fear in my stomach eases a touch. “Wait, why didn’t Hadrell tell me that?”

“Because they don’t know. I didn’t want them to tip off Frea’set that they have a hidden aespian assassin following them.” Rema laughs at my shocked expression. “That’s the exact look I hope that fa-shar prick has on his face when he realizes he’s screwed.”

“Sensors are picking up a ship approaching. Approximately two minutes until they arrive at our location,” Val says cheerily.

My stomach flips at her words and I stand, smoothing my jacket as I pace back and forth.

“They’re hailing us on a secure channel. Shall I patch them through?” Val asks, and all eyes on deck turn to me.

I freeze and for a long, shameful moment, I have the urge to flee like I did when I first woke up and found myself kidnapped and on the other side of the galaxy. I could run down to the escape pod and deploy it and hope no one notices me in the coming chaos.

But I’m not that weak, terrified Paul anymore, dammit.

I grit my teeth and nod. “Yes. I’m ready.”

My comm buzzes as Val sends the communication to it, and I swipe to expand the incoming vid feed into a holo projection in the air. A scowling lavender ankite in a black uniform appears on the screen.

“Agent Ixi?” I ask, forcing the neutral expression of welcome onto my face. It’s something I perfected working at the Coalition embassy.

They don’t bother to hide the flash of surprise that crosses their stern visage when they see me. “Well, I’ll be damned,” they say with a wry chuckle. “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Argiros.”

Their strange reaction throws me for a loop. “Is it?”

“Apologies, Mr. Argiros. I truly wasn’t expecting to be greeted by a human. When we got your comm, we thought there was no way a human would be contacting us from way out here.”

Ah, so they thought the message was fake. Which means they didn’t take my proposal seriously at all.

Shit. What do I do?

My mind races, and I channel my best haughty bureaucrat, not smiling back at them. “Well, here I am, Agent Ixi. Forgive me for not laughing, but I don’t find the breach of the security agreement between the Coalition and Consortium to be a laughing matter.”

Agent Ixi’s posture stiffens and their amorphous features shift to better resemble mine in instinctual appeasement. “No, sir. I apologize for my inappropriate behavior.”

On the other side of the holo projection, Rema’s eyes go wide, her flat-lipped look of concern curving into a smile.

I’m doing it. I can fucking do this.

A surge of excitement floods me and I fight against gleefully smiling back at Rema.

“Since we’re starting from a place of skepticism, I’d appreciate if you’d send over your credentials so I can confirm you’re not the one ‘making things up’.”

“Of course.” The ankite nods, looking thoroughly chastened, and a moment later, their identification is sent to my comm. I pretend to scrutinize it for a while, but really I’m trying to get my racing heart to calm down so I don’t fumble this.

“Thank you, Agent Ixi.” I fold my arms over my chest and level my best commanding stare at the ankite. “Let me remind you of why you’re here.”

I take a deep inhale and pray the next words that come out of my mouth sound convincing. I want to rush through them to get them out, but force myself to maintain a measured, slightly disdainful tone. “As a senior member of the Coalition’s ambassadorial staff on Spire, one of my tasks is monitoring any potential violations to the security agreements between my people and the Consortium.”

The agent nods in understanding.

“This task has led me to enlist the assistance of Captain Hadrell and their crew to investigate a substance rumored to have severe effects on humans. A substance which the Consortium failed to inform us of, despite what is outlined in section 153.3 of the security treaty. This is grounds for dissolution of the treaty, should the Coalition be informed of this breach.”

Their eyes widen in alarm. “Mr. Argiros, surely that is unnecessary. I’m certain that if this substance you speak of is as you say, the Consortium was not aware of these dangerous properties and therefore cannot be held liable for not informing the Coalition.”

I sigh and nod. “That is what I hoped to be true when I heard from Captain Hadrell that their crew had been hired to liberate a few crates of this product from a customs warehouse on Spire. A warehouse they’d been languishing in for cycles on end. However, Spire Station security’s use of force and the corresponding alert the Consortium put out on Captain Hadrell’s ship upon noticing the removal of these crates would be quite extreme for something that wasn’t already known to be a dangerous substance.”

Agent Ixi’s jaw sets in a mirror of my own grim expression. “I have no authority to speak on this matter.”

“Given what was listed on your credentials, Agent, I don’t believe that to be true.” I smile for the first time, but don’t let it reach my eyes. “However, I understand your caution, and as I detailed in my message, I have a proposal that should resolve this situation amicably.”

“May I have a moment to review your proposal again, Mr. Argiros?”

I sigh. “I believe that would be prudent. I’ll be here when you’re ready to discuss things in earnest.”

They nod. “Thank you. I will be in touch shortly.”

I end the comm, barely able to swipe the holo screen closed before my shaking legs start to collapse on me.

Rema rushes forward and steadies me before I crumple to the ground. I stare up at her, and a laugh bursts out of me.

Rema’s eyes glow brighter. “Are you okay? That was…”

I laugh harder, the sound slightly maniacal. “This is going to fucking work. Holy shit, it’s working.”

She chuckles, relaxing a bit. “Like there was any doubt.”

I glance over at Val and Tari, who wear twin expressions of excitement and awe.

“I knew you could do this,” Val says with a broad smile.

“I didn’t,” Tari says, eyes wide. “You’re kind of scary! ”

I snort at the nexxit’s assessment. “Thanks.”

“Paul, there’s an incoming comm from Agent Ixi,” Val says a moment later.

The elation inside me evaporates. “That was fast. Is that a bad thing? Oh god, I fucked it up! What are we going to do?”

Rema releases me and stares into my eyes. “Breathe, Paul. You’re doing this, and it’s going to work.”

I take a deep inhale, letting everyone’s faith bolster me, and swipe open the screen again.