Part 10 (1/2)
Mica shared a nod and a knowing look with her. There was no need to mention how freedom had been an illusion in the empire and how that had chafed them both. They knew why they had signed up to fight.
”Me too,” Mica said.
”I don't think we're going to have to leave immediately,” Alisa said, thinking of Yumi's breakfast date with her mother and Alejandro's research, ”but in the morning, why don't you spend some more time contemplating those clamps and how to release them in case we need to leave in a hurry later on?”
”I've already contemplated them with a screwdriver and a laser knife. Further contemplation would likely involve explosives.”
”I'm not opposed to explosive contemplation, so long as it doesn't harm the Nomad.”
”That would be the challenging part.”
”It's a good thing my engineer enjoys challenges.”
Mica only scowled at her.
”I better head back out before that guard comes looking for me,” Alisa said. ”Have there been any other problems?”
Mica glanced toward the corridor outside of NavCom. It was empty.
”Not big problems, but I went out to get some of Beck's food earlier. He's been chatting with the Sta.r.s.eers, making friends over chargrilled duck.”
”That's a problem? I'm actually impressed if he's making friends with those people. I've been looking for someone on the crew that has a diplomatic streak, since neither friends nor enemies appreciate my bluntness or my jokes.”
”I'm not sure he was being diplomatic when he was discussing your cyborg with them.”
Another chill went through Alisa as new concerns instantly popped into her mind.
”What do you mean?” she asked, though she could already make some guesses.
”I only heard a small portion of the conversation before they noticed me walking down the ramp. The Sta.r.s.eer man immediately stopped talking, and Beck looked guilty too. Beck had been explaining in detail the warrant out for Leonidas's arrest.”
”I see.”
It was possible the Sta.r.s.eer had come to extract information on Leonidas from the crew, perhaps using mind manipulation talents on Beck to do so, but it was also possible Beck had instigated the conversation. Back on Perun, he had tried to entice Alisa into helping him turn in Leonidas to collect the two-hundred-thousand-tindark reward. All she had done was point out the reasons why subduing a cyborg for a trip to the government seat on Arkadius, the place where the bounty originated, would be next to impossible for the two of them. Maybe Beck had realized that things would be easier now that they were actually on Arkadius. A Sta.r.s.eer ally could make it even more feasible.
”Turning Leonidas in for a bounty would be a poor way to reward him after he helped improve Beck's recipe,” Alisa murmured.
Mica's eyebrows rose.
”Freighter captain,” the guard called from the cargo hold. ”Your chickens have been fed. It's time to return to your quarters.” His words were not hostile, but his voice was cool. Maybe he had an inkling that he had been fooled.
”Comm me if Beck and his new buddies go off for a chat, will you, Mica?”
”Yes, but I might be distracted by my explosive contemplations.”
”Do your best.” Alisa patted her on the arm, then hurried to the cargo hold, not wanting to give the guard reason for further suspicion.
Yumi was already waiting, nothing but her purse draped over her shoulder, the same one she had worn on the way into the s.h.i.+p. Good. The guard surely would have questioned her if she had dragged her entire trunk's worth of supplies into the temple. Yumi gave the slightest of nods when Alisa approached.
”I'm ready any time,” Alisa told the guard. ”I was just checking with my engineer. It seems our s.h.i.+p acquired some unexpected attachments.”
The guard grunted and headed for the ramp.
”He's a chatty fellow,” Alisa muttered to Yumi.
Yumi followed him, not responding. She fidgeted with a flap on her purse as she walked. Nervous about the idea of drugging her mother? That was understandable, and Alisa felt guilty for making the request, but she would not retract it. She wasn't going to leave here without finding out where those men had taken her daughter.
Beck whistled cheerfully as they walked past him. Because people were enjoying his food, or because he was contemplating his two hundred thousand tindarks?
Alisa wanted to warn him not to do anything foolish-or greedy-but in addition to the guard, there were three Sta.r.s.eers in front of his grill now, enjoying skewers of meat. This wasn't the place to bring up Leonidas. She shouldn't even be thinking about him when these people could read minds. But she couldn't resist saying something, making a quick attempt to persuade Beck not to do anything that he would regret-or that she would regret.
”I really like the new spice recipe,” Alisa said, meeting his eyes. ”You're a good cook, and I think that with someone's help, you could become even more successful. I'm sure you'll make it eventually and earn far more than two hundred thousand tindarks in the years to come.”
One of the diner's eyes closed to slits at the specific mention of the money. That disturbed Alisa for more reasons than one. First, because that amount meant something to him-Beck likely had been out here discussing specifics. And second, because the man knew she was trying to dissuade Beck... and it seemed he did not like it.
Beck only scratched his head. ”I'll keep that in mind, Captain. Glad you like the food.”
As the guard led Alisa and Yumi away, Alisa vowed to comm Leonidas and warn him about this development as soon as she had some privacy. She knew he was already on guard, but he should know that Beck might have given the Sta.r.s.eers more information on him. She hated to put a further rift between Leonidas and Beck, but if Beck had volunteered that information without coercion, he was bringing this on himself.
”I always thought that my life would be simple after the war ended,” Alisa muttered to herself. ”Apparently, pilots are delusional.”
Chapter 9.
Four hours and a nap later, a different guard came to the guest quarters to collect Yumi. Yumi informed the man that she had invited Alisa along for the breakfast date. Alisa filled her mind with images of Leonidas's naked chest again, hoping to dissuade the male guard from surfing in her thoughts. Instead of curling a lip in disgust, his eyes widened, and he smiled slightly. Maybe he found the idea of ma.s.saging muscular men attractive instead of repulsive. Either way, he did not object to Alisa's presence, nor did he demand to search the purse that Yumi was once again fidgeting with.
Alisa shut the door to the guest quarters on the way out. Neither Leonidas nor Alejandro had been back since Abelardus had taken them to the library, but that was not surprising. Given his obsession with the orb, Alejandro might spend days researching without eating or sleeping. And since he had often been a soldier out in the field, Leonidas was probably experienced at spending days without eating and sleeping, too, with the added discomfort of drone bombers sh.e.l.ls and artillery rounds sailing overhead.
”I don't know if I can do this,” Yumi whispered as they turned into a corridor they hadn't been down before and the guard stopped to talk to another robed Sta.r.s.eer.
Everyone here seemed to be a Sta.r.s.eer, at least going by the robes. Alisa wondered what happened if children were born here and did not display talents. From her brief chat with Sylvia, she had received the impression that was more the norm than not.
”Just hope for scrambled eggs or porridge,” Alisa whispered back. ”It ought to be easy to mix something into that. Or juice. Can your stuff dissolve in juice?”
Yumi nodded and wiped sweat from her brow.
”If you want, give it to me, and I'll do it.” Alisa had no idea what the penalty was for trying to get a Sta.r.s.eer high, but since she had no relations.h.i.+p to Ji-yoon, she doubted she would be as nervous about it as Yumi.
Relief blossomed on Yumi's face, and she dipped into her purse.
”Did you get any of that other concoction you mentioned?” Alisa murmured, standing in front of Yumi so the guard would not see what they were doing if he turned. Right now, he was busy talking to his buddy about the earthquake she'd heard about on the news the night before. She hoped they couldn't talk to each other and mentally probe prisoners' minds at the same time.
”Yes, but I don't think we should use it,” Yumi whispered as she pressed a small sealed bag into Alisa's palm. A couple tablespoons of a fine brownish gray powder were tucked inside. The color made it look about as appealing as takka, maybe less so.
”Why not?”
”If she's not able to read us the way she usually would, she'll know something is blocking her, and then she'll wonder why we're blocking her. She'll think we have something to hide.”