Page 90 of Across The Stars
Seconds later, Atom’s monotone voice spoke into a small earpiece I’d placed before docking. “Data accessed. Three escape pods ejected the ship on 7-17-91.”
“That was just after the day we found them,” I said to myself. “Are there any human readings on those pods?”
“Reading one, but the signature is faint. There is a 22% chance my readings are inaccurate.”
“There’s a 78% chance that you’re right. Download all of the data you can. Now.”
Atom finished siphoning everything he could from the gek’tal ship in record time and, looking out a small, broken window on the bridge, I noticed the nozun getting short with Salukh. I slid the device back into my suit and made my way back out to meet him. As I walked up, I began spilling complaints about the damaged ship and Salukh fed off of it, accusing the nozun of trying to cheat us before we both walked off shaking our heads.
“You get what you need?” Salukh asked as we ventured back through Ranath’s most crowded district in an attempt to get lost in the crowds.
I threw the hood off my head and nodded. “One human signature was detected leaving on an escape pod some time after we found Innifer and Sam on that shuttle.”
“So, their friend could be out there. You still think she’s the one that told the gek about you and Innifer?”
“It’s the only thing that makes sense, which means a few months is far too long for her to be missing. I’m going to upload the data on the Irlos and see if we can find out where the escape pod landed. The ship was wrecked inside. I think it was attacked. Or maybe it was raided by pirates. The walls were torn up. Someone was fishing for parts. Best case, she crashed on a habitable planet and we can track her. Worst case, she died.”
“Or she was sold into slavery. Her Buddy is offline. She could be anywhere.”
“Let’s hope that’s not the case.”
“Well, it’s the biggest lead we’ve had in a while. So, I’ll take it.”
“What now?”
“We head back to Sylos and get the Irlos detailed. She’s been working hard. She deserves it.”
“Should we do that before or after we head to the Nexus?”
I turned to look at him. “Why would we go to the Nexus?”
“Because the Zumos is grounded. Something about the radiation shields needing repairs. I already volunteered the Irlos to go drop off the syfer canisters for their new ships.”
“You volunteered my ship? With what authority?”
“Yours,” he shrugged. “I know all your clearance codes.”
I rolled my eyes, taking a few breaths before saying, “We still need to return to get those then.” My tone sounded just asunamused as I felt, but Solukh didn’t care. “And you do realize I could demote you to a vent cleaner for taking my codes, right?”
“I already loaded them up,” he said. “And yes, I know you could. I know you won’t. I’m doing you a favor.”
“What favor?”
“You’ll know soon enough.”
He skipped ahead with a proud look on his face like he had the whole thing planned a long time ago. I wouldn’t even put it past him to have sabotaged the Zumos so they would need a replacement. I hadn’t visited the Nexus since Innifer was dropped off there and I hadn’t attempted to access her new Buddy and learn what she’d been up to. It was easier that way. All I knew was that after two months, she was still employed on the Nexus.
But the Nexus was a big place, so the chances of running into her were slim… I hoped. I still wasn’t ready for that confrontation. Maybe I never would be. I still had nothing to offer her.
And yet I worried that if I saw her, I’d be unable to control my impulses. I wanted her more every day that she wasn’t with me and if she came within reach, I feared I wouldn’t let her go again, no matter what I knew was best for her.
Mumbling a curse, I followed Solukh back to our drop ship, my mind heavy thinking about where we were headed next.
42: Innifer
I climbed out of the simulator with a giant smile on my face, taking off my helmet as I hopped down from the cylindrical compartment. Omar was there clapping his hands as I bounced toward him.
“I did it!” I squealed. “It was rough, but I did it! I landed the shuttle!”
