Joston
I’ve tried reaching Niya on the comm a few times, just for a second here and there. But her comm’s been off, although I thought I’d almost raised her once. Yet I hadn’t. She’d better still be in that theater, watching the worst vid ever made.
“Joston, you foolhardy genius,” says Nik under his breath as I set transport raft three down on the roof of the palace’s outlying wing. It’s dark here, away from the main action—although there’s very little action so far, but the stage is well set.
“Chlo,” I say. “There’s no chance that your friend would do anything stupid?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Like decide to fly another transport raft down here when she notices we left without her.” For some terrible reason I think that’s exactly what she’s done.
“I don’t think she knows how to fly a transport raft,” Chlo says. “Or anything, really.”
“Does Aymee?” I say to Nik.
“Damned if I know,” Nik says. “But I wouldn’t put it past her.”
“Fuck,” I say.
“I’m turning my comm on,” Chlo says. “I have to see if I can find Lasson.”
“She wouldn’t,” I say to Nik.
“Joston, you’re awfully concerned about someone you’re not all that interested in,” he says.
“I just don’t want anyone else to worry about,” I say, even though now I’m worried about Aeryen too.
“Shhh,” Chlo says. She’s listening to something—to someone.
“I told him to stay there,” Chlo says. She and Lasson are on instant comm, their special open channel. No words necessary.
“Where’s there?” Nik says.
“He’s at the delivery entrance.”
“Where’s that?” I say.
“I have no idea,” Chlo says, “but it certainly isn’t on the roof.”
“Unlikely,” I say. “Nik, you stay here. Chlo and I are going to get Lasson.”
“You seem to forget that I’m your superior officer,” First Officer Niklas Arca says.
“I’m forgetting it until we’re back on the Marinax,” I say, even though I usually forget it there as well. And even though we may never get back on the Marinax, although I refuse to think that’s true.
“I’m coming with you,” Nik says. “More of us to find the delivery entrance.”
I can’t argue with that, since none of us knows where to go.
As the three of us make our way to the roof’s stairwell door, another cannon blast stops us in our tracks for a moment.
I open the door and Chlo walks down the steps. Nik’s next, then me.
“Come on,” I say. I can feel the clock ticking. We have to find Lasson and get out of here before the rebellion, the war, the whatever-it-is escalates beyond a few cannons.
Nik turns on a small torch he’s got and goes first. I follow, with Chlo just behind.
“No!” Chlo says, no longer whispering, and I turn around to see her being held by a guy dressed all in black.
Nik’s too far away to help, so I immediately lunge at Chlo’s attacker.
“Doc,” says the black-clad guy holding Chlo. He lets go of her and she turns around to look at him.
“Doc, it is you, isn’t it?” he says as I peel back my lunge to a commanding forward stride.
“Oh, you’re all right,” Chlo says, and the two embrace. Not the sort of thing one expects in this sort of situation—to see the victim hugging the perpetrator.
“Yes, I’m fine,” he says.
“I think of you often,” Chlo says.
“You saved my life,” he says. “I could never forget you.”
“I don’t know your name,” she says just as Nik rejoins us.
“That’s better for you,” the male says. He’s got a gentle face and a bearlike body.
“Who the hell are you?” I say to him.
“I’m someone who’s fighting for Engra’s freedom,” he says. “For equality for everyone. For the end of the monarchy.”
“I’m trying to find my mate,” Chlo says. “He’s here on business and he got trapped.”
“That’s our intent—to trap everyone inside the palace,” the big man says.
There are a few thousand questions I’d like to ask, right after I volunteer to fly for these rebels, but we’re here to find Lasson, so I ask the most important question: “Where’s the delivery entrance?”
“I’m going that way,” the man says. “I’ll take you.”
In the long corridor, he and I talk as though we’ve always known each other. I like this rebel who Chlo saved.
We get to a place where the corridor branches off and he stops.
“That way,” he says, pointing to his left, then turns away from us, toward the right-hand corridor. “I’ll leave you here. Good luck,” my new friend says as he leaves.
“Our luck’s been good so far,” I say.
Let’s hope it holds.
Niya
“Aymee, are you okay?” When I’ve had a chance to look, I’ve noticed her squirming and readjusting herself. But it might just be the pregnancy.
“I’m fine,” she says. “Keep driving.”
“We’re almost there,” I say.
I’ve taken rarely trafficked streets and am planning on stopping in the back of the palace, near the rear gate, figuring the delivery entrance must be somewhere in that vicinity.
“Wait’ll you have a baby,” she says. “You’ll get to know the joys of discomfort firsthand.”
“That’s a long time from now,” I say. “If ever. And I’ve got Aeryen.” And that dream was just a dream. A nightmare.
“But you and Joston will want a child too.”
“Joston and I will want to never see each other again,” I say, but my words sound unconvincing, even to me. Especially because I’m terrified for him. I’ve tried comming him several times, but I can’t get through to him or Chlo or Nik. Neither can Aymee.
What if they got caught up in the battle and . . . ?
I hightail it through the streets, driving like I think Joston would, only a little slower, since I’m not used to that kind of speed.
When we’re two blocks from the palace’s back gate, Aymee makes a dreadful noise and I stop the s-car and turn around to look at her. Her hands are clutching the dash, her face is clenched in pain, and I immediately know what’s happening.
“Stay there,” I say to her as I flip the back of her seat so it’s lying flat.
“No!” she says. “No. Not now. No. You’re wrong. And anyway, I want to sit up.” She’s doing her best not to cry or scream, but there are tears streaking her cheeks and her jaw is clenched so tight it’s making me clench my jaw.
I put the seat back up and Aymee leans into it a bit.
“I’m fine,” she says. “I’m fine. Fine. Let’s keep going.”
“Are you planning on giving birth while we’re driving around?” I say.
“I hope it won’t come to that,” she says.
“I hope not too,” I say just as I hear Chlo on the comm.
“Chlo!” I say, practically shouting even though Chlo is whispering. Aymee’s first scream emerges.
“What’s happening, Niya?” Chlo says.
“Nothing much,” I say. “We’re two blocks from the palace, we’re going to rescue Lasson, Aymee’s about to give birth, and—”
“You’re two blocks from the palace? Aren’t you on the Marinax?”
“Not exactly,” I say.
“I cannot believe this,” says Joston, who I can hear grumbling in the background.
I guess everyone’s comm is on now.
“What’s going on?” Aymee says. “Nik, are you all right?”
“Everyone’s fine,” Nik says. The comm channels are all open now—why couldn’t they have been before?
Then Aymee screams again. After she’s done she says in the calmest voice imaginable, “I think you’d better stop, Niya.”
As I pull over I hear what sounds like cannon fire. Very close.
“Chlo,” I say. “We need you.”
“Well, the two of you figured out how to pilot a transport raft. I’m sure you can figure out how to deliver a baby,” says Joston, speaking directly to me and not just grumbling.
“I’m a great pilot,” I say, “and unlike some other pilots I know, I wouldn’t sneak away and leave my friends to wonder where I was off to.”
“Yet you’ve found us,” Joston says. “Go back to your house. You’ll be safe there for a while, and we’ll pick you up after we’ve gotten Lasson.”
“You are not ordering me around,” I say.
“Is Lasson there?” Aymee says. She’s drenched in sweat but she looks quite calm.
“Aymee, go back to Niya’s house with her,” Nik says.
“No one’s ordering me around either,” Aymee says.
“Do I have to remind you that I’m your commanding officer?” Nik says.
“It’s your fault I’m about to have this baby, so shut up,” Aymee says, smiling.
“Duly noted,” Nik says.
“Lasson!” Chlo says, and I hear his voice now too.
“What the hell took you so long?” Lasson says.
Then I hear a huge blast, the sound of a thousand cannons exploding, and my comm goes silent.
“Nik?” Aymee says, but there’s no answer. There’s no answer from anyone.
A cloud of impenetrable fog is spreading through the atmosphere. I’m having a harder and harder time seeing anything that’s not right next to me.
“Hold on!” I say to Aymee as I start up the s-car and head for the back gate of the palace, driving like Joston wishes he could drive.