Polaris (34 page)

Moments later Jeth arrived on the flight deck. He scanned the few remaining ships, and his heart leaped in his chest as he spotted
Polaris
. For the first time the sight didn't hurt him. He was glad that she so closely resembled his
Avalon.

Jeth sprinted across the flight deck toward the open cargo bay. Sierra was waiting for him. He reached it a moment later, flinging himself inside.

“Jeth's on board,” Sierra signaled through the comm. “Get us out of here.”

“ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DO THIS?”

Jeth glanced up from the comm station where he was sitting to see Lizzie staring down at him, brow furrowed.

“Sure you don't want to take some time to think it over?” she pressed.

He froze, hand poised over the screen. Beneath his fingers, the command prompt read:

Are you sure you want to permanently delete all content on this data cell?

“I mean, we just escaped,” Lizzie said. “We might still need the Aether Project to barter with later on, don't you think?”

They'd only made it through First-Earth's atmo and out of the region a few hours ago. It had been tricky, with all the incoming cruisers converging on the planet in a futile attempt to stop the destruction of the Hive, but they made it with the help of the cloak drive and some skilled piloting.

Jeth smiled. He understood her fear. He had felt the same for so very long. But not anymore. The truth was, he'd never been more sure of anything. “We won't need it where we're going.”

Lizzie shook her head. They were alone on the bridge
of
Polaris
except for Sierra, who sat behind the pilot's seat. Aileen and the others had retreated to their cabins, seeing to personal needs or simply seeking solitude to recover from their harrowing ordeal. “I don't get it. We hardly seem better off now than we were before. Mom's gone, and so's
Avalon
. We've got nothing.” Emotion shook her voice and Jeth regretted letting her be a part of this. He should've waited and told her later.

He reached over and took her hand, squeezing it. “It's going to be all right, Liz. We lost a lot, I know, but for the first time we can be sure of where we're going.”

“Empyria,” Lizzie said, skepticism in her voice.

“Empyria,” Jeth repeated, absolutely certain. He hadn't told any of them about what had happened when he'd fallen into the ocean He wasn't entirely sure it had been real. It might've been a dream or vision, but he didn't think so. Not that it mattered. The outcome remained the same—he was determined to take them to Empyria. To fulfill his mother's last dying wish, the one he'd never intended to fulfill. Now, there was nothing else in the world but that.

“But why destroy the Aether Project?” Lizzie said. “It's still valuable.”

“That's exactly why,” Jeth said. “As long as this data crystal exists, it represents a danger to us and to the Pyreans. Destroying it is the one way to guarantee that never happens. Besides, I'm sure Mom would've wanted us to.”

Jeth lowered his hand, selecting the yes button. The next moment it was over. All the data gone. A huge relief
came over him. It would lessen the chance of anyone finding out about Cora, especially now as the ITA would begin its slow, inevitable fall. The predators would be moving in soon. Crime lords, Independent Planetary governments, and who knew what else, would converge on the ITA, taking it down, exploiting its secrets.

But they wouldn't get any from Jeth. Especially not the most important one—the pathway to Empyria.
Not until the Pyreans are ready, and only the chosen will be shown the way.

Lizzie had said she was hours away from decoding the last of it.

“Well,” Lizzie said, puffing out her cheeks. “That's that.”

“Good riddance,” Sierra said.

“Yes,” Jeth said, standing up. “And no regrets.” He stretched, raising his hands high above him. His back popped in several places and he breathed a sigh of pleasure. He'd just given away millions in potential profit—but he'd never felt better. Even his implant architecture wasn't bothering him. The desire for the implant was gone, erased perhaps, by this new focus, his desire to reach Empyria.

“Only one problem,” Lizzie said, sitting down at the comm station. As if on cue, Viggo jumped up into her lap. The cat's presence on the ship was the only thing that had surprised Jeth when he arrived. It seemed Lizzie, against all better judgment, had taken the time to fetch the cat off the
Citation
where the ITA soldiers had left him. “How are we going to get to Empyria? This isn't our ship.”

Jeth slid his tongue over his teeth. She wasn't wrong,
but for some reason he couldn't quite make himself worry too much about this detail. A couple of ideas were already bouncing around in his mind. Sooner or later one of them would form into a reasonable plan. “We're spaceship thieves, Liz. I'm sure we'll figure it out.”

Someone coughed from behind them. “I might have a way for you to get there.”

Lizzie, Jeth, and Sierra all turned toward the newcomer. Aileen smiled at them, the gesture strangely shy. Jeth felt an urge to tease her about it, but he refrained. She seemed too fragile at the moment. Although why she should be feeling that way given their escape, he didn't know.

“How's that?” Sierra asked, arching an eyebrow.

“I'll tell you when we reach Nuvali,” Aileen said.

“Nuvali?” Lizzie gaped. “Why would we go back there?”

Aileen smiled. “Because it's the fastest way to get you a new ship.”

Jeth opened his mouth to press her for more but then closed it again. He shrugged. “Nuvali sounds as good a destination as any.” They weren't out of the ITA's reach yet, but Nuvali was still an Independent spaceport. And this wasn't
Avalon
. As far as Jeth knew, the ITA hadn't put out any Wanted bulletins for
Polaris
yet.

“You think so?” Sierra said, her voice quiet.

Jeth turned to look at her, realizing why the idea of returning there upset her. He nodded, then turned back to Aileen. “I'm not sure Nuvali is the best place for us. That's where Vince died.”

“I know,” Aileen said, her voice sincere. “But I have some friends in high places at Nuvali. Trust me. It'll be worth it.”

Jeth pressed his lips together, thinking it over. He knew he probably shouldn't trust her. But for some reason everyone and everything looked different to him now. Fresh and new. Anything was possible. And this was her ship, like it or not. If Nuvali was where she wanted to make port, then so be it.

“All right,” he said. “Nuvali it is.”

They arrived a few days later, mooring at one of the overnight docks.

“I'll be back in an hour or so,” Aileen announced to Jeth moments after they arrived. “With luck I'll bring back good news.”

“With luck,” Jeth said, trying to hide his growing skepticism. Sierra had been right—coming back here was painful. It made the loss seem nearer. Not just Vince, but Marian and
Avalon
, too. Even Dax. Jeth had no love for the man, but he'd grown to understand him a little these past few days. In many ways, Hammer had done to Dax what Saar had done to Jeth, forcing him to obey and to serve a man he hated, a monster in human flesh. It wasn't the implant that had changed Dax or Jeth. It was the Axis, and the very human tendency to want to exert power over others, those weaker and more vulnerable. The Pyreans were what made that power possible, but the human element of the Axis and the hierarchy was a perversion of what they were, not a reflection, as Jeth had once feared.

When faced with that power, Dax had given in to the temptation. Jeth would've too, if not for Sierra and his crew. His connection to his family had saved him.
We thrive in these connections,
the Pyreans had said. He was beginning to understand.

While Aileen was away, Jeth took the time to seek out Celeste and Shady. He found them in the common room, playing a video game once more. This time they both stopped as soon as he entered, gazing at him with guarded expressions.

“You left this on
Avalon
,” Jeth said, reaching into his pocket. He withdrew the personal comm that he'd retrieved from a crevice in the hallway where he'd hurled it so many days ago. He tossed it to her.

Celeste caught it, surprise registering on her face. “What's this?”

“An apology.”

Celeste examined the comm for a few seconds, then stood up and came over to him. She opened her arms as if to hug him, but then she punched him in the face instead. It wasn't hard, not much more than a tap.

He grinned. “You did that a lot harder the first time.”

Celeste smirked. “I know. Consider it my apology.” Her expression softened, and she pulled him into a hug. “I'm sorry, too.”

Jeth nodded and hugged her back.

When they withdrew a few seconds later, Jeth turned his gaze to Shady. He rolled his eyes. “Don't you dare expect a hug from me.”

Jeth shook his head. “Never. But are we good?”

Shady considered it a moment, scratching at the stubble on his face. “We're good. I did risk my life to save you, after all.”

“So you did. Sorry I shot you with that stunner.”

Shady shrugged. “We all go a little crazy from time to time.” He returned his attention to the game in front of him.

Relieved at the sense of normalcy, Jeth left the two of them to their competition and headed up the ladder to the passenger deck. He found Sierra in the second cabin on the left. She was lying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

Jeth strode in and walked over to her. As she started to sit up, he bent down, cupping her face in her hands. Then before she could speak, he pressed his lips to hers. She resisted the kiss for a second, but only out of surprise. Then she gave in to it, kissing him deeper than she ever had before.

When Jeth pulled away a few moments later, Sierra stared up at him. “What was that for?”

Jeth grinned at the breathlessness in her voice. “For not killing me like you promised you would.”

Sierra's mouth twisted into a reluctant smile. “Well, thank you for not doing something really stupid.”

Jeth laughed. Then he stood up and went to the door.

“Leaving already?” Sierra said, cocking an eyebrow at him.

In answer, Jeth locked the door. Then he turned and came back to the bed, sliding in beside her. “I'm never leaving,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “I might be inclined to do something stupid at any time.”

“Good,” Sierra said. “Because I'll always be here to stop you.” She said it like a challenge, and he answered it with another kiss. And he didn't stop for a long time.

Aileen returned a few hours later carrying two objects with her onto
Polaris
. One was a box tucked under her arm. The other was a data crystal.

“Will you ask everyone to meet me in the common room?” Aileen asked him when he cornered her on the ladder up from the cargo bay. He'd been sitting on the bridge for the last twenty minutes, monitoring for her return.

“Okay,” he said, uncertain, but he resisted the urge to press. Such patience was an alien behavior for him, but he kind of liked it.

Minutes later, Jeth settled down in one of the chairs in the common room. He winced at how uncomfortable it was. He scanned the stark room. Before he said good-bye to Aileen, he decided to give her a few tips on personal comfort. A nice armchair wouldn't hurt anybody, and the walls could use a personal touch here and there.

“Um, thanks for coming,” Aileen said, glancing nervously about the room. She stood in front of the gaming table, the box and the data crystal she'd brought back with her lying on top of it. “I don't really have a speech or anything. So here you go.” She picked up the box and carried it over to Sierra, who was sitting in the chair next to Jeth.

Sierra eyed the box like a snake that might bite her.

“Go on,” Aileen prodded. “Open it.”

Hesitating a moment longer, Sierra took the box and popped off the lid. A murmur went through the room as she pulled out the object inside. Cylindrical in shape, it was made of glass with decorative frosting around the top and
bottom. An ashy substance filled the center of it, completely sealed within the glass.

“Is that a—” Lizzie began.

“Funeral urn,” Aileen finished for her. “Yes it is.”

Sierra sucked in a breath, tears stinging her eyes. “Vince?”

Aileen nodded. “I just barely got there in time. It's standard spaceport policy. Any unclaimed remains are held for a period of time before being disposed of permanently.”

“Thank you,” Sierra said, hugging the urn to her chest. Across from her, Celeste repeated the words of gratitude.

“It's the least I could do,” Aileen said. She offered Jeth a sad smile. “I'm just sorry that I couldn't do the same for your mother.”

Jeth swallowed. He was sorry about that, too, but the victory they'd managed eased the loss. He'd met all of his mother's dying wishes, except for the last one—that he travel to Empyria on his own.

I will, Mom,
he thought.
Soon.
This spaceport would be ripe with a likely ship to steal.

“But to make up for it a little bit,” Aileen said, “I've decided to give you this as well.” She picked up the data crystal and held it out to him.

It was Jeth's turn to stare like he'd been presented with a snake. Unlike Sierra, he didn't accept it. “What is it?”

Aileen shook it at him. “It's papers, you moron.”

“Papers?”

Aileen rolled her eyes. “You know, papers, like ownership papers, the title and stuff.”

“Title? To what?”

“Polaris,”
Aileen said.

“Uh, come again?” Shady broke in.

Aileen glanced over her shoulder at him. “I'm giving Jeth
Polaris
, as in the ship we're all sitting in right now.” She eyed the group at large. “Honestly, have you all gone stupid or something?”

“Or something,” Flynn said, leaning back in his chair.

“Why are you doing this?” Jeth said, even as his hands closed over the data crystal. He couldn't believe it. This had to be some cruel prank.

Aileen shrugged. “You need a ship, and I think she likes you better than me anyhow.” Aileen cleared her throat, apparently embarrassed by the disbelief that had met her gesture. She put her hands on her hips. “Look, it's really not that big a deal, you know. I have another ship docked right here at Nuvali.”