Star Alliance (7 page)

Zack didn’t say anything.

“You’re too soft, Human. It’s going to get you killed in here,” Etanu said.

Zack clenched his teeth. He didn’t need the Nershal to remind him just how out of his depth he was. He wasn’t a survivalist or a soldier. He was a hacker, and he was trapped here on this moon in an alien star system. The others must have been trying to find him, but how long would they search for him before they assumed the worst? “How did you happen to be in the area?” Zack asked, deciding to change the subject.
 

“I’ve been here for a few days and made it a point to come back and check this area in case the Xiiginns dumped you in the pit. I guess they decided you were too much trouble,” Etanu said.

Zack glanced at the Nershal, acknowledging his mild attempt at humor. “I think they ran out of time,” Zack said, and swallowed hard. “Mar Arden questioned me, but he had to leave. Something about unrest on your home world.”

“If you’ve met with Mar Arden, then you should count yourself lucky you survived the meeting. He’s the same Xiiginn who held Kladomaor captive,” Etanu said.

“Have you been able to find a way out of here?” Zack asked.

Etanu’s eyes returned to the ground in front of him, and he shook his head. “Get some rest, Human. You’re going to need it.”

Zack had more questions but decided Etanu was right. Whatever they were going to do required that they rest for a bit before figuring out just how secure this pit really was.

C
HAPTER
S
EVEN

K
AYLAN
WAS
IN
the room just outside the airlock. Despite assurances from the Boxans that the emergency transit shaft was perfectly safe, she wouldn’t allow herself or any of the Athena’s crew to use the shaft without an EVA suit. She glanced at Katie while they were getting their suits on. Kaylan could see why Zack liked her, beyond the generous curves of her body. Ever since Zack had gone missing, Katie Garcia had been quietly reserved with just about all of the crew, and Katie had hardly had any reaction at all when Kaylan had told her she loved Zack. All of Katie’s attention had been focused on securing the Athena and searching for Zack.
 

Kaylan glanced at the airlock. Gaarokk would be on his way over to them soon.
 

“I think we need to talk,” Kaylan said.

Katie stood up and was adjusting the EVA suit. “About what?” she asked.

“About Zack,” Kaylan said.

Katie looked at her impassively and didn’t say anything.

“I told you I loved him,” Kaylan said.

Katie’s arms came to rest at her sides, the top half of the EVA suit hanging down by her waist. “I don’t see what there is to talk about.”

Kaylan’s brows arched in surprise. “Don’t you have anything to say to that?”

Katie resumed donning her EVA suit by slipping an arm into the sleeve. “What would you like me to say?”

“I don’t know. How about, ‘Go to hell. Zack is with me,’” Kaylan said.

“No,” Katie said. “I won’t do that. My only concern is getting Zack back and the safety of the crew, just like you. If he decides he wants to be with you instead of me, that’s between me and Zack.”

“That’s it?” Kaylan said.

Katie narrowed her gaze, and Kaylan caught a glimpse of Katie’s emotions. “We need to work together,” Katie said.

“Yeah, but if we don’t get this stuff out in the open, it’s going to affect how well we work together,” Kaylan said.

Katie finished putting on the EVA suit and sighed. “Fine. I’m not sure you really love Zack, and I’m afraid it’s going to hurt him in the long run, assuming we find him.”

Kaylan’s mouth hung open for a moment. “There is a history between us.”

“I know. He told me,” Katie said. She slipped her hands into her gloves, and they secured themselves to the suit.
 

“I just wanted to be honest with you,” Kaylan said.

“What do you want me to say? That I love Zack too?”

“Do you?” Kaylan asked.

Katie closed her eyes.

The airlock door engaged. Gaarokk had arrived. Kaylan put on her helmet and inwardly cursed herself for a fool. She shouldn’t have brought it up. It was stupid. She needed to focus on finding Zack, and whatever happened between them would happen.

The airlock door opened, and Gaarokk pulled himself inside. Despite how much bigger than a Human the Boxan was, he brought his feet under him, easily adjusting from a zero G environment to the artificial gravity field they had on the Athena. The Boxan’s head was uncovered, but he did wear a form-fitting mesh suit Kaylan knew would help him survive in space. She’d seen the helmets on those suits retract to the neck area.

“Welcome aboard,” Kaylan said.

The Boxan crouched lower and had to stoop. “Thank you for the invitation. One of my areas of study in the Confederation of species was spaceship designs. We’ve found it remarkably insightful to examine the spaceships a species builds.”

“Well, I hope you share those insights with us,” Kaylan said.

Katie stepped into the outer airlock area, and Kaylan followed. Efren had just arrived and gave them a wave.

“Kaylan,” Gaarokk said. “We’re doing everything we can to try and find Zack. I just wanted you to know that.”

Kaylan nodded. “I appreciate it. We all do.”

The airlock doors shut, and the outer doors opened. The gravity field diminished to zero gravity. They didn’t speak while they went through the shaft that connected the two ships. Kaylan hoped Ma’jasalax would be able to help her find Zack. She didn’t understand why she couldn’t find him, and it gnawed at her. What good were her abilities if she couldn’t use them to find Zack? She constantly tested herself by using her ability to see different parts of the ship and the Boxan ship, which still worked. She’d even used her abilities to help search through the wreckage of the Xiiginn cruiser, and that had worked fine, but she was unable to focus in on Zack like she’d been able to do when they’d escaped the cruiser.

They entered the airlock to the Boxan ship and transitioned back to an artificial gravity environment. Hicks greeted them in the corridor beyond. Kaylan had asked him to stay over on the Boxan ship to watch and listen to what Kladomaor was doing.

“Anything new?” Kaylan asked.

Hicks shook his head. “I would have contacted you if there were. The only thing I noticed was that Ezerah has been speaking with Ma’jasalax for the past hour. Ma’jasalax asked to see you, so it could be that they’ve come up with something.”

Ezerah was a female Nershal who had known Kladomaor when she was a child. She had been serving the Xiiginn until Kladomaor got her to join them after the genetic experimentation at the hands of the Xiiginns was exposed. According to Kladomaor, the hierarchy of the Nershal government had roots in a caste system. Ezerah’s family was powerful. To put it in Human terms, Ezerah was royalty, as was Etanu. Kaylan knew that at the very least the Nershals on Selebus were working hard to find out what happened to Etanu, and since Etanu had been with Zack, perhaps the two of them were together.

“Thank you,” Kaylan said to Hicks.

“I wish there was more I could do,” Hicks said, and looked at her, considering.

“What is it?” Kaylan asked.

“Nothing. I just need to speak with Katie for a few minutes,” Hicks said.

Hicks waited until Kaylan was far enough away to be sure they wouldn’t be overheard.

“Talk to me, Katie,” Hicks said.

Katie leveled her gaze at him. “I’m doing everything I can to ensure we get Zack back.”

“The Athena’s shuttle has been on standby for the past three hours, all prepped and ready to launch,” Hicks said with an arched brow.

“And your point is?”

“I know you. I think you intend to take the shuttle to Selebus to try to rescue Zack,” Hicks said.

“You’ve found me out,” Katie said dryly.

“Come on. Don’t be like that. Why would you start taking steps for a solo mission and not include me?” Hicks asked.

Katie looked away from him. “I thought you’d try to stop me.”

“Maybe. It depends, and we’re not even sure if Zack is there,” Hicks said.

“The Boxans are a half a step away from forcing us to leave with them, and I’m not going to just let that happen,” Katie said.

“So what’s the plan? Take the shuttle and search the entire planet for one person by yourself?” Hicks asked.

“If I have to, but I intended to find the Nershal who helped us before.”

“Udonzari?”

“Yes,” Katie said.

“Katie, we need to stick together. Not one of us is prepared for this. You and I have dealt with high-stress situations, but the rest of them are relying on us to get them safely home.”

“If it comes down to it, then come with me. Or would you trade Zack’s life for our survival?” Katie asked.

Hicks frowned. “You know it’s not that simple.”

Katie’s eyes flared in anger. “I’m done.”

“Hold on a minute,” Hicks said, quickly taking hold of her arm. “If we could find some credible information that Zack is alive and where he’s being held, I would be the first one to volunteer to go get him. You know that. But we can’t go charging off blindly.” Hicks let go of Katie’s arm. “Please,” he said.

Hicks watched as Katie thought about what he’d said. They’d been friends for years, but he’d never seen her like this. If she closed herself off and began taking action on her own that would put them all in danger, it would be his responsibility to stop her.
 

“I can’t promise you anything,” Katie said. “And I’m not acting alone.”

“Kaylan?” Hicks asked.

“She’s starting to question whether we should stick with Kladomaor and the Boxans,” Katie said.

Hicks’s brows drew together in concern. “I think our best bet for finding Zack is to work with them.”

“And if they won’t help us?” Katie asked.

“They will,” Hicks said.

“You’re deflecting,” Katie said.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. There are too many variables to make this decision blindly. You saw what the Xiiginns were doing at the research facility. Genetic experimentation. If that’s what the Xiiginns do to their supposed allies, then what’s to stop them from doing that to us?” Hicks asked.

Katie bit her bottom lip but didn’t say anything.

“I don’t like it any more than you do, but if it comes down to saving Zack or warning Earth about the Xiiginn threat, then the decision becomes very clear,” Hicks said.

Katie squared her shoulders. “Is that your final decision, sir?”

Hicks drew in a bitter breath. Katie going formal was a clear indication that the subject was closed. “We’ll see, Lieutenant.”

“They can court martial me if we get back,” Katie said, and headed toward the bridge.

Hicks watched her go and hated every second of it. Zack was his friend too. The hacker had wormed his way into connecting with all of them. Hicks had hardly left Kladomaor’s side so he would be there in case anything new was learned. He’d led enough operations to know that these things take time. Katie knew it too, despite her feelings for Zack. Deep down, she knew it too. Hicks believed that completely. The real question for him was what Kaylan would do if they had to leave Zack behind. Like it or not, Kladomaor was right to be concerned with the increased Xiiginn presence here. Essentially they were outgunned, and the resources they had available might not be enough to mount any type of rescue. What good would a rescue attempt be if it got them all killed? Or worse.

Hicks had headed back toward the bridge when he heard something behind him. Turning, he saw Dr. Redford coming from Engineering. Something about Redford of late had been making Hicks even more suspicious of the astrophysicist.

“Hello, Major,” Redford said. “One of the Boxans was going over the sensor relay they have here. Truly brilliant. Some of the upgrades the AI had us do will open up a lot of doors for us.”

“That’s good,” Hicks said. “Which Boxan were you with?”

 
Redford glanced back over his shoulder and then back at Hicks, his brows raised as if he’d just heard the question. “Oh, uh, Larx I believe his name was.”

Well, that did make sense. Larx was an engineering specialist, but something was off about Redford, and Hicks couldn’t figure out what it was.
 

Kaylan came around the corner adjacent to the bridge and waved over to them. Katie and the Nershal named Ezerah were close behind.

“We need to head back to the Athena,” Kaylan said, walking toward him.

Hicks turned and walked next to Kaylan. “What’s happening?”

“Ezerah has offered to help us with our navigation information, which will hopefully help us pinpoint where we are in relation to Earth,” Kaylan said.

Hicks noted the slight elevation in her tone and came to a stop. The others filed past them, and Kaylan leaned closer to him.

“We have a way to find Zack,” Kaylan said.

“That’s great. Tell me what it is,” Hicks said.

“No time. We need to get back to the Athena,” Kaylan said, and walked to the airlock.

Hicks followed her and grabbed his helmet. The others were preparing to cross the emergency shaft that connected the two ships.