Starborne

Chapter 31

When I started talking in the interrogation room, I thought I’d buy us days with my bluff. Unfortunately, instead, in 36 hours I would be expected to lead the mercenaries right to Akara’s village. Where Stefin’s younger siblings were likely visiting for the summer, relatively unprotected and isolated from help. Therefore giving the bad guys unlimited bargaining power for information and hold over the Cynabarrian people.

This was quickly becoming the worst idea ever.

Immediately after going to the infirmary to get my finger splinted, I detoured back to my room. I quickly changed my clothes, glad to be free of the sweat and blood, and headed directly for the prison wing. Well, not directly. I also stopped off in the lab for some random electronic odds and ends. To the people working there, they were scraps for some generic project I was working on.

I wasn’t stupid enough to try to find Stefin. I’d been formulating an escape plan for months, ever since I stepped foot on the ship. I didn’t trust the Terrans to be able to, or even try, to get me out when they finally made their move. I always knew I’d be on my own. But maybe more so now. 

The possiblity of success was tenuous, but I had gotten us into this. It was now up to me to get everyone out. I would consider it an added bonus if Jack finally stayed dead the next time I shot him.

Veering quickly down the ship hallways, ALYX was tucked into one of my knee high boots, a spot I considered less conspicuous and moderately safer than my waistband. One could never discount the possibility of being gut punched around here. 

Detours complete, I arrived at the locked doors housing the ship's most dangerous passengers. Danger, of course was subjective.

The mercenaries in the prison wing only gave me a low-level hard time about being let in. Apparently Jack was feeling some sort of twisted guilt for using me as a pawn.

I knew the allowances were only because I’d actually helped him out, exceeding his expectations for my usefulness. I had a window of a few hours where people had been told to let me do whatever I wanted, within reason. Eventually, his psychopathic tendencies would be back in control, and my privileges would be revoked accordingly. 

Stefin and Koryn were being held in a high security prison cell deep below the bottom decks of the ship. Getting in there would be impossible, which was why I didn’t plan to try. Instead, I went to the cells with lower security, and found exactly the people I was looking for.

To the mercenaries' credit, they did their best not to underestimate the Pilots. Of course there was a lot of propaganda about the Terrans being weak, ineffectual idiots, but after their first few missions ended poorly, the mercenaries beefed up the security and the violence that they used when dealing with the elite Terran fighters.

Unfortunately for them, they were also raging misogynists. Cut to: the interior of the prison wing. The male Pilots are all chained up in individual locked cells. Just beyond, there is a group of young girls, together in a holding cell.

I will never understand how people can be so evil, and yet so bad at doing the evil things.

I sauntered past the one guard at the desk, showing him my sprained finger and then the one right next to it, as he chuckled to himself.

“I’m here on a recruiting mission, Harvey.”

I knew this guard. He was duller than the others, and also hated me less.

“A what? Are you even supposed to be here, little lady?”

“Well, seeing as I’m preparing for one of the biggest missions of all time,” I was talking loudly, cognizant that the Pilots were all listening intently, “I’m pretty sure I can do whatever I want to make sure it goes smoothly. So that brings us here. Recruiting mission.”

“Oh no, you can’t go near the Pilots. They're not being recruited for anything but manual labor on this ship.”

“Well, of course not those Pilots,” I gestured towards the men. “Just, the girls over here.”

Harvey chuckled, “And what exactly are they being recruited for?”

I smiled, squeaking out a chirpy retort.

“I just heard they need some help in the kitchen.”

“That they do!” The dumb guard let out a booming laugh. “If that’s the case, have attem!”

I arranged my face into a mask of thankful amicability, and quickly turned on my heel, shaking off the disgust.

I had little time to waste, and I hoped this would work. 

“Ladies!” my voice syruped out, “It is so nice to meet you all!”  I checked from the corner of my eye that Harvey was no longer listening to us.

“Okay, I’m going to cut to the chase. We only have a few minutes. I was a Terran Pilot and I captured most of you. I guess you already know that. Great."

Off to an expected poor start.

"Well, you don’t have to believe me, but I’m a double agent. Oh, and if you tell anyone, we are all dead, so don’t even think about it, even if you think I’m lying.” 

I paused, looking at their faces. They seemed pissed off.

“These people are incredibly violent and this will be very dangerous. But, they’re also stupid, so this might work.”

“‘This?’ What are you even talking about, traitor?” It was the Pilot from my most recent mission. The one who could have been my sister, except she was missing the telltale birthmark above her left eyebrow, and was also looking at me with pure revulsion.

“Ah, well, catch.” I pulled the hard drive out of my boot and threw it to her. “Be careful, that’s ALYX.”

“ALYX? The ship computer?”

“Yes, that’s right, no more meatloaf, these men deserve steak!” I waved to Harvey, and he looked over, giving a big thumbs up. Okay, he didn’t see that.

“Yes, ALYX, the ship computer. I took her off the mainframe before they hacked it. I also got you this receiver, an old radio, and some odds and ends you’re going to need to patch her up.” I passed the named objects through the bars as I listed them off. “I expect you all know enough to put that together, Pilots.”

One girl in front laughed. “Yeah, you could say that.”

“So you gave us a ship computer, without the ship. Thanks for the arts and crafts project.” Wow, I liked her. I kind of felt bad for knocking her out with a bunch of cans.

“Right. Well, that’s Step 1. I am also here to tell you that in about a day and a half, the mercenaries are planning a raid on a Cynabarrian village.”

Harvey glanced over, and I motioned for the Pilots to give him smiles. None of them looked genuine, but he didn’t seem to notice.

“Better speed this up. So, there are some important people to the Terran cause locked up here on this ship. We are going to get them out, and in the meantime relay some important information to one of the commanders. Also, we need to prepare for when we touch down on Cynabar. That village needs to remain a stronghold, and I don’t expect the mercenaries to ever get there.”

I paused for dramatic effect.

“Because as soon as they step off the ship, into an unforgiving jungle, we are going to stage a mutiny.”