Chapter 9 #3
With a sigh, she pinged Quinn. He appeared on screen with his typical boyish grin. “What are you doing?” She asked.
“Getting ready to play cards with Liam and Amelia,” said Quinn. “Why? Do you want to join us?”
“Yes.”
“You sure you wouldn't rather be entertaining your guest?” He smirked with a mischievous gleam in his golden-brown gaze.
Annoyed, Kendra snapped at him, "You are an ass. If I wanted to entertain our guest, why would I be pinging you? Now, tell me where.”
Quinn’s amused grin widened. “The observation deck. If you bring Tia’s rum I may let you win.”
“No you won’t.” She grabbed the heavy bottle.
Odin stormed into the bridge and pounded the wall so hard, pain shot up his arm.
Tia jumped, startled by the unexpected bang. “Odin, what is going on?”
Wondering if he had broken any knuckles, he cradled his fist in his opposite palm. “Do you know how badly I want to kill him right now?”
“I don’t, but the wall certainly does,” Tia pointed out with a tsk. “Why not kill him then? Although, it would be rude to kill someone who just paid us a tidy sum for an easy tow. And besides, Kendra likes him.”
Odin grunted. “He has her fooled. Just like he fooled me all those years ago. For two years, I treated that bastard like a friend, a son even, and he was a plant all along. Damn.” His voice lowered in anguish. “How could I have been so fucking blind?”
He pounded his clenched fist into the wall again.
“Odin, stop,” Tia pleaded as she rushed to him and grabbed his arm. “Please. You are going to injure yourself further and I’ll be the one who will have to fix you up. So, please. Stop.”
Odin pulled away with a frustrated oath and stalked to the front of the bridge, where he stood, unmoving, peering into the darkness of space.
“We reach Elorex tomorrow. You will be rid of him soon enough.”
Odin turned to Tia, his expression turning serious. “Do you still have the full scan from when he came aboard?”
“Of course, why?”
“Pull it up,” Odin ordered.
Tia bristled at his demanding tone but moved to her station. After punching some keys, a three-dimensional image of Reyne’s skeletal system appeared, slowly rotating on the screen.
“There.” Odin pointed to the metal implant in his arm. “Zoom in.”
The screen began enlarging the x-ray of Reyne’s arm, where the implant was located. As the image grew larger, the simple piece of metal turned into an intricate symbol created from twisted metal. “What is it?” Tia asked, intrigued by what she was seeing.
“Mark of the Order of the Ramachii. On Talear, they are known as the Bringers of Death. The overlord’s loyal lackeys. There are twelve. Always twelve.”
“He said it was a piece of shrapnel,” Tia frowned.
“Of course, he did,” Odin muttered, fingering his beard. “He was trying to hide his identity.”
“Why would he need to hide it? Especially out here?”
“Honestly, I don’t know, but I need you to find out exactly what kind of metal it is made of, and how to replicate it. Down to every tiny detail.”
“That doesn’t sound difficult.”
“Maybe not for you, not on this ship. Not with all the technology the Dracarians possess. But on Talear, we didn’t have any of this.” He waved his arm around, gesturing to the entire bridge. “Many rebels died trying to duplicate that metal. Most were my friends. One my brother.”
Odin could recall that fateful day like it was yesterday. He groaned as all the hate and anguish he felt came back in a rush of emotions. He clutched his wrists, restraining himself from slamming the wall again. “They all knew the risks. Reece, especially.”
“I’m sorry,” Tia said with gentle understanding. “How did he die, exactly?”
“The Ebony fortress is protected by a shield matrix. There are only two unguarded entrances. They exist strictly for the personal use of Ramachii. That implant,” he pointed at the symbol to the screen.
“Is the reason they are unguarded. The check-in scans for the implant, verifying authenticity. Once inside, you either pass the scan and live, or you fail.”
“What happens if you fail?”
“The room fills with lethal gas.” Taking a deep breath, he continued with a haunted expression.
“Our best forgery was inserted into Reece’s arm.
We thought it would be good enough to fool the scanners.
We were all so confident.” Odin lowered his head in shame.
“So damn confident, I didn’t even say goodbye. ”
Tia felt his sorrow. “Why can’t we just remove the implant from Reyne’s arm?”
Odin let loose an audible sigh. “Impossible. The druids cover the implant with some kind of substance when they insert it. Once the wound is closed any attempt to remove it, will trigger a toxic acid that dissolves the metal into nothingness, killing the bearer instantly.”
“Interesting,” Tia arched her brow. “Acid that eats through metal…kills the bearer…hum. I’m assuming air is the trigger.” She spoke to herself and began punching keys with purpose now. “I will replicate this for you.”
Odin leaned over her shoulder, watching her screen with keen interest.
“But it could take a while…so shoo.” She waved him off. “I don’t need you hovering over me.”
He held up his hands in surrender, then backed away. “I get the hint. I’ll be back. I’m going to go have a look around Reyne’s ship. Just because I can’t kill the bastard, doesn’t mean I can’t arrange a way for someone else to do it for me.”
Odin stopped at his comm. center and pinged Garrett. “Are you there?”
With a mass of tousled blond hair, Garrett appeared on screen, looking annoyed at having been disturbed. “I’m here. What is going on?”
“What are you doing?” Odin snapped. “Never mind, I don’t care. Get to the bridge now. I want this ship on the way to Valeria. We need to be in her orbit by morning. Burn as much fuel as needed to make it happen.”
“Valeria? Kendra’s Valeria?”
“Did I stutter?” Odin snapped with irritation. “Yes, that Valeria.”
“Alright.” Garrett’s brows snapped together. “Be right there.”
“Good. One other thing. I don’t want our passenger to realize we deviated off-course, so be creative when you enter her orbit. I need him to think we have reached Elorex.”
“Not easy, but it can be done.” The screen went black.
Odin paused by the door before leaving and spun to Tia. "Don't tell Kendra about this."