Chapter 17 - Lethal #2
At first, I don’t understand—as a team, we worked really well together.
After clearing our respective sides of the warehouse, we converged on the same floor and approached as one body.
It was hardly the work of a well-trained, experienced squad, but I thought Vee did an excellent job.
I’m snagged by Marlowe’s incredulous gaze, and it hits me: I was so invested in the game that I naturally slipped into soldier mode.
“It’s possible I was a little... zealous,” I say slowly.
Khrys coughs. “I’ll say.”
“What the hell kind of training have you had?” Liz asks.
I hang my headset and step away from the screen, smiling sheepishly. “I was in the IAF for a time. I guess it’s like riding a bike, huh?”
That seems to appease everyone because comparisons of the two teams start flying around the room. Marlowe hooks my arm and pulls me flush against her side.
“Didn’t I say?” she whispers with intensity. “Lethal.”
Yes. And once the adrenaline wears off later, I’ll suffer for it.
I don’t experience PTSD like a few of my old comrades do, but coming down from moments of high adrenaline can still affect me.
I think it’s more that my body still remembers, and the muscle memory triggers actual memories.
Hopefully, if I can convince Marlowe to sleep in my cabin tonight, it won’t be too bad.
“That’s Novus?” Marlowe asks, awed.
It’s colossal. A rotating, cylindrical structure looming ahead.
Dozens of docking pylons extend in a mockery of starbursts, illuminated brightly and bustling with activity.
The outer surface of the station is covered with solar panels and thermal radiators, half in shadow and half gleaming in the sunlight.
It’s gridded with energy shields and small defence turrets, making it a formidable sight.
But in direct contradiction to this are the numerous transparent biodomes which shimmer like gems, bursting with greenery.
We align with one of those docking arms and, once attached, the ship is shuttled along.
Beau, in comms with a dock operator, follows instructions to ensure we easily proceed through the grav shift.
Whilst they take care of that, the junction’s safety AI relays information through to the bridge that Kit broadcasts onto the rest of the Midas.
“...in the event of an emergency...”
My nerves rattle my teeth.
Docking at Novus is always the smoothest part—it’s everything else that can go to shit in an instant.
By the time we’ve been assigned a bay and the ship is secured, everyone’s gathered in the main cargo area.
We disembark together, taking the ramp down to the metallic, pocked surface of the arm.
It looks as though a stiff breeze should send it flying into space, but it’s sturdier than it appears.
In the daylight, the air tastes faintly like dirt. More pylons stretch out to either side of us for miles. The people, when they’re not coming and going, are to the north.
Julian turns to me. “Where to?”
“You’ve never been to Novus before?”
It’s surprising because if the brothers only ever take small ships, those usually have to stop off and refuel at least once mid-journey. Novus is the biggest way station in the system. Perhaps the brothers stay onboard whilst the refuelling is being done.
“This way.” I take lead of the group. “We’ll go to the central hub. From there, you can decide what you want to do once you’ve seen all your options.”
We pile into a carriage on the maglev train that’s preparing to leave.
It’s sleek and shiny, and Marlowe and Vee press their faces to the window as we shoot towards the hub.
We pass biodomes filled with forests and farms, public parks, and living art installations.
Markets pop up on either side of the tracks, rising and falling until we approach a huge open space with towering ceilings and multilayered platforms. By now, the markets have trailed off, replaced with gleaming, expensive surfaces.
The train spills its passengers at a platform lined with benches and immediately disappears back the way it came.
Advertisements rise everywhere, and as I lead the group into the central hub itself, I have to warn them to keep an eye out for the holo-ads with a tendency to pop up out of nowhere.
It’s easy to get spooked and misstep right into a maglev.
Marlowe tugs on my arm, looking like she’s had too much caffeine. “What is this?”
“Think of it like a really, really big airport.”
She shakes her head. “No, I’ve seen those. This is nothing like an airport.”
I muse. “Okay, it’s more of a hybrid: airport meets shopping centre meets town.”
“You’re no help.” She snorts, swatting my arm. “Is it crazy that I wish they didn’t have to leave?”
We glance behind to peer at Maximus and Liz, discussing the sights, and Julian, who walks very close to Devyaan.
Maybe Marlowe has lowered one too many of my defences, but the brothers have grown on me.
I wouldn’t be mad if they wanted to stay on to Red Horizon.
I know Devyaan and Khrys certainly wouldn’t mind.
I’m not sure if there was anything between Khrys and Maximus—Marlowe thought Khrys had wanted there to be—but she does a good job of appearing neutral.
The brothers and Liz don’t stay, though, and we say our final words at one of the dozen concierge booths in the Novus hub.
It’s a quick and painless goodbye, but it’s hard to miss the disappointment on Devyaan’s face or the disquiet on Marlowe’s.
Intentions are made to stay in contact, but we all know an empty promise when we hear one.
I try not to think about the next time goodbyes will be said.
Marlowe, throwing an arm around Devyaan’s shoulder, kisses him on the cheek. “Wanna take your mind off it? I heard someone say there’s a zero-gravity sports arena, and it’s amateur night. I’m extremely bad at sports but I’ll happily cheer you on.”
“Julian likes sports.” Devyaan sighs, a touch dramatically.
I shoot him a sceptical stare, for no other reason than it’s still hard to believe Julian has a personality. Marlowe meets my look with a warning one of her own, and I keep my mouth shut. Apparently, she’s become adept at predicting when I’m about to say something less than diplomatic.
“Or,” she coos, “there’s a space casino. We can play some tables, join some games. I bet you’ve got a mean poker face hidden in there.”
A cold wave passes through me. Even now, talk of gambling sends that chill skittering over my bones. My father gave me few things, and this everlasting reaction is one of them.
“Cap? You alright?” Beau asks.
I wave them away, blanking my mind and my expression. Now, I figure, is a good time to split up. The crew know this isn’t a holiday and are expecting tasks. It’s only Marlowe and Vee I’ll need to convince to stay busy so I can slip away without a fuss.
“Khrys, source anything you need for the med bay. Can I also ask you to find a mechanic to give the Midas a tune-up whilst we’re docked? Beau, you oversee refuelling. Devyaan, you stock up on supplies and anything else you deem necessary. We also need more uniforms.”
Nods all around. When I turn to Marlowe, she looks expectant.
“There’s a lot to see in the hub, and we’ll all be busy for some time; why don’t you and Vee go exploring?
Gryphon has an account for pretty much the whole station—you can get a lot of shopping done if there’s anything you need.
Maybe some clothes that fit.” I spare a smile, glancing down at her rolled-up cuffs.
Her eyebrows shoot up. “Is that an order, Captain?’ But Vee is practically vibrating with excitement, tugging at her arm, and her tone is amused.
“Consider it one.” I gesture back towards the platform where the maglev stopped.
“I don’t recommend that you leave the patrolled areas of the hub unless it’s on that train back to the ship.
The streets of Novus are dangerous if you’re not used to them, especially for a Tellurian woman with a child. ”
“Noted.” Her tone is dry. “And what will our illustrious captain be doing?”
My tone is just as dry in response. “Hoping that my suggestions are being heeded.”
Khrys barks a laugh, and the other two titter amongst themselves. But I don’t want to lie, so I don’t give Marlowe a chance to follow up. Instead, I turn to Beau. “Maybe after the ship is refuelled, you can meet Marlowe and Vee here and head back together?”
“Sure thing, Cap.”
Marlowe scowls. “I’m feeling more and more like a child on a day trip.”
It’s Devyaan who comes to the rescue, thankfully. He tucks a hand into the crook of her arm, towering over her, yet somehow nonthreatening. “There are a lot of kidnappings on Novus. Don’t take it personally, my little lamb leg.”
They share a giggle I don’t pretend to understand.
With that organised, I feel slightly less burdened.
The crew know what they’re doing, and I’m confident Marlowe will stick to the hub.
You just need to look around at all the armed security patrolling the station to know only a fool would brave the streets if they didn’t have to.
With her soft, round body and those big, brown eyes, she’d be a prime target for the miscreants of Novus.
That’s not entirely the reason I don’t want her to venture out, but it is the only one I can offer her.
Vee looks ready to burst. “Mum, can we have lunch in one of the biodomes?”
Marlowe slides a glance towards me. I can’t be sure, but I think I see a quiet calculation in it. “Any recommendations, Captain?”
Why does it always sound like an insult whenever she calls me that?
“There’s one called ‘Zon I think you’ll like. It’s a mimicry of the old rainforest; just follow the signs to find it.”
“Oh, I’ve been there,” Khrys says. “There’s a Brazilian street food restaurant you’ve got to try! It’s authentic cuisine.”
Marlowe, who hasn’t looked away from me once, nods her appreciation. “Thanks, Khrys. Sound good, Vee?”
“Let’s go,” he says, dragging out the word. He’s practically leaping out of his skin.
But his mother and I are still locked in a staring match, even as he tugs at her.
That calculating expression has not left her face.
I watch, frowning, until the last second when she turns away.
Unease floods me, but I don’t have the chance to dissect it.
With several stops to make before the evening falls, I need to get going now if this is going to work.
I grit my teeth against a wave of cramping and leave the crew behind.