Change Horizons: Three Novellas (21 page)

Korrian ran along the corridor, having checked all the break rooms and restrooms on this deck. She’d tried the communication channel constantly, but no one answered. Her chest hurt as she ran, and she knew it was from keeping sobs of fear from erupting. Clenching her teeth, she hurried to the elevator that would take her to the bridge. Inside, she nearly gave in to the panic simmering beneath the surface, but the ping alerted her in time to get a grip on herself.

“Commander?” A startled lieutenant about to enter the elevator stumbled backward as she barreled onto the bridge.

“Captain,” Korrian barked. “I have reason to think the saboteur is about to strike again. Soon. My social anthropologist is missing and—”

“Commander Heigel. Inhale and exhale and speak in a manner that is distinguishable,” Captain Warro said calmly. “Go to red alert.” The last directive lowered the light on the bridge and sent everyone aboard the space-dock to their duty station. “Commander?”

“Yesterday, Meija Solimar, assigned to my unit as Minister Desomas’s representative and subject-matter expert, was heard by the LEO regarding the attack against the space-dock. This after having risked her life to save another young woman in my unit. Today, she went to retrieve lunch from the dispensers, something that should normally take ten minutes. It’s now been at least fifty minutes, and she’s not responding to hails.”

Captain Warro, a tall, burly man with iron-gray hair and neatly trimmed beard, looked at her with narrowing eyes. “Warro to Nacqui. Report to the bridge instantly.”

“Captain—”

“Give me a moment, Heigel. I know it’s disturbing information, but I need Nacqui here.”

“She’s the one who—”

“She’s obeying my directives. Take a seat, Commander.”

Korrian glared at her commanding officer. He might quiet her for now, but she’d be damned if she’d sit down when Meija’s life was in danger.

*

Meija stared at the display. As far as she could tell she had about twenty minutes before the device exploded and took her and all the vital conduits out.

“Damn it.” She had listened with increasing agony as Korrian had kept hailing her, but as she was unable to reach the sensor, she could only listen. She felt a strange mix of complete agony and comfort hearing the voice of the woman she’d come to care so much for, was perhaps even falling in love with.

“Meija, I’m not sure you can hear me, but I’m going to assume you do. I have to.” Korrian sounded devastated. “I’m on the bridge. I’ve informed the captain and we’re at red alert. Where are you, Meija? Where
are
you?” Murmuring and unintelligible voices in the background took over, but at least she heard other people.

Her heart ached at the frenzy in Korrian’s whispers. If there was a way to press the sensor. If she could press against it for more than two seconds, she’d have an open channel back to Korrian. Suddenly remembering the headband she wore to keep her hair in place, she snapped her head forward. She couldn’t do it with too much force or she’d send the headband flying. Four attempts and an increasingly aching neck later, she held the rigid piece of material triumphantly between her teeth. Pushing with her tongue, she moved it until it pointed downward in a semicircle. She had to aim blindly, as the inner part of her lapel was out of her sight. Pushing and pushing, she prayed for the clicking sound that would prove she was in the right spot. She listened so intently she nearly missed it when it suddenly happened. It clicked once and then it was gone. Meija backed up with the end of the headband, and then she could actually feel the tip of it settle in the little groove in the lapel. She pressed and counted to four seconds to be on the safe side. Tucking the end of the headband into her cheek, holding on to it with the back of her molars, she tried speaking.

“Korrian,” she slurred. “Korrian, come in. Do you read me?”

“Meija?” Korrian was there immediately. “Quiet, everyone. I think I hear her. Meija?”

“I’m here. I hear you.” Meija let go of the headband, her jaws aching so badly now it was impossible to clamp down on it anymore. “A man, I think, a man grabbed me. I woke up here. He placed a bomb on me. A large one.”

“Meija, where are you? Tell me where you are.”

“I don’t know. I think somewhere beneath engineering. It looks like a basement, sort of. Lots of pipes, manifolds, conduits going in all directions. In fact…” Meija forced her head to turn as far it would go to the left and the right. “I think I’m in the center of all these pipes. They lead away from me in four different directions.”

“Then I know. I’m on my way. Keep the channel open.”

“No problem, I lost the headband.” Meija sobbed. “You have to hurry, or not come here at all. The countdown is showing twelve minutes.”

“I’ll be there in less than five.”

*

Korrian ran across the desk and saw how Captain Warro motioned for his security chief to accompany her before slamming his palm against the console next to the command chair. “All hands, this is the captain. Go to the escape pods and abandon the station. This is not a drill. Abandon the station. Proceed to the closest escape-pod facility. This is not a drill.”

The elevator door opened and Nacqui stood there, hands behind her back.

“You’re with Commander Heigel, Nacqui,” Warro said, his voice short.

“Aye, sir.” Nacqui didn’t as much as flinch. “What’s going on, Commander?”

“The woman you all but accused of bombing the station yesterday is now kidnapped and strapped to an unknown device in the culverts.”

“I see.” Nacqui offered no explanation but spoke into her communication device. “We have a lead now. Culverts. Deploy units one to four from all directions to converge on the center nexus.”

Voices called in confirmations as they stepped off the elevator. Korrian didn’t wait. She ran toward the center of the space-dock, where a system of ladders led down to the nexus. “We’re on our way, Meija. Can you still hear me?” she gasped as she pushed people aside.

“I hear you. Just hurry, Korrian. I heard the captain just now. Everyone is leaving, and maybe you should too?”

“Damn it. I’m not leaving you.” Turning the corner, Korrian saw Nacqui keeping an even pace with her. “If I have my way, I’ll never leave you.”

“Korrian…” Meija’s voice was filled with tears. “Darling.”

“One minute and I’ll be there.”

“Does anyone have a knife or something? I’m sort of tied up here.”

“I have my tool belt. We’ll figure it out.” Korrian reached the junction where a large pillar carried the entire center part of the ceiling. She pressed her palm to the sensor and opened the door. With Nacqui and the security officers behind her, she didn’t bother with the steps. She merely squeezed with hands and feet and slid the ten floors down to the lowest level.

“I heard a bang. Is that you, Korrian?” Meija asked, sounding in stereo all of a sudden.

“Yes. I’m here now. Can you yell louder? I’m turning off my communicator now.”

“Oh. All right. Hello! Hello! Over here!”

Korrian heard immediately where Meija’s voice came from and hurried toward it.

“Commander. Careful! He might have set booby traps.” Nacqui yanked her shoulder nearly out of its socket. “Let me scan first.”

“Hurry. Meija. We’re on our way!”

Nacqui scanned and moved toward Meija’s location far too slowly. As much as Korrian realized why they had to use caution, she knew the minutes were passing too fast.

“I think you’re good to go, Commander.”

“Finally.” Korrian pushed past the LEO officer and rounded the corner. Then she saw Meija sitting tied to one of the pipes. A thirty-by-thirty-centimeter box sat on her lap with numbers blinking on a display.

“You’re here. We have six minutes.” Meija was shaking so badly her teeth were clattering.

“Plenty of time,” Korrian lied. “Let me see.” She risked a two-second delay by pressing her lips quickly to Meija’s temple. “Looks like a simple enough timer, but something tells me it’s not.”

Nacqui joined them and knelt next to Meija, who stared at the LEO officer with wide eyes. “What’s she doing here?”

“I’m the investigating officer.” Nacqui scanned the box. “It has two backup circuits. I think our only option is to untie Ms. Solimar, hold the device still while she wiggles free, and then set it down.”

“Yes. And cool it to buy ourselves more time.”

“Agreed.”

Another LEO agent had joined them and was now cutting Meija’s restraints off. Korrian and Nacqui lifted the box a fraction of a centimeter, which was barely enough for Meija to shift backward. The agent behind her pulled her out the last bit.

“My legs are asleep after sitting like that for ages. At least it felt like ages.” Meija didn’t make any attempt to leave.

“Get out of here, Meija.”

“No. Don’t ask me to do that.” Meija’s voice showed beyond anything that this was non-negotiable.

Korrian opened her tool belt and chose a small magnetic screwdriver. Inserting it into the side of the box, she carefully pried the side open. “You’re right. Two circuits. The first one will set the other two off within an additional few seconds. If we cut the first one with the timer, the delay will be about two seconds. With cooling perhaps ten.”

“That’s not enough. It will cripple the station and set the Exodus program back several years.” Nacqui growled. “No matter what, we’re toast since we won’t make it far enough even if we cool it.”

“Wait. Let me see one thing.” Korrian used a small flashlight to shine inside the box. “If I’m not mistaken, this is a fail-safe.”

“What? Where?” Nacqui pushed her face close to the floor and looked where Korrian pointed. “I’ll be damned—”

“Operated via a communication channel.” Korrian yanked her lapel off her uniform. “I think it’s this command. Multi-operator. We rarely use it since the sound quality leaves a lot to be desired if a lot of people use the same channel.” She didn’t wait, since they were virtually out of time. Holding Meija close with one arm, she pressed the sensor six times in rapid sequence and finished with a six-second continued squeeze. “Korrian to engineering staff. You all safely in the pods?”

“Aye, ma’am,” several voices replied, with loads of static.

“Look!” Meija pointed at the slowly darkening display. “Is that a good thing?”

Korrian motioned for Nacqui to scan the bomb.

“It’s turned off.” For the first time Korrian detected emotion in Nacqui. Her voice trembled as she performed the reading twice more. “It’s off. Defused.”

“Oh, thank the Gods.” Meija melted into Korrian. “Oh, thank you.”

“I have you. Let’s get out of here.” Korrian gazed at Nacqui. “Are you comfortable letting your crew deal with that vile thing?”

“Certainly. You go ahead. We still have to figure out who did this. They’re most likely on one of the pods or a shuttle.”

“Probably trying to figure out how to reach the road to righteousness that demands sacrifice.” Meija huffed indignantly.

“What?” Korrian snapped her head toward Meija. “What did you say?”

“The road to righteousness demands sacrifice. That’s what the man said before he took off. Sounded really pompous and weird.”

“And I’ve heard someone say it before. I can’t believe it, but I know who the saboteur is. He said the exact same words to me yesterday.”

“Who?” Nacqui asked.

Korrian helped Meija stand up, keeping an arm around her. “His name is Gessley Barr.”

“Gessley? No…” Meija quieted and something very painful passed across her features. “Oh, no. I should’ve known. But he was, I mean, I thought he was my friend.” She sent a pained look toward Korrian. “When I was moaning and groaning over your stubbornness, he always listened, was always sympathetic.”

“While he plotted to blow us all to pieces.” Nacqui spoke rapidly into her communicator. “No shuttles? All right. Put surveillance on all the returning pods. We cannot let him slip through the net.”

More voices confirmed her commands as they walked toward the ladder.

“This time we can take the elevator. No rush anymore.” Korrian circled the column and pressed another sensor. After a while a barely visible door opened and the three of them stepped inside. “I think you owe us an explanation of why you were so set on Ms. Solimar being guilty.”

“I never thought she was guilty.” Nacqui spoke matter-of-factly. “Our tactic worked. We hoped the real perpetrator would fall for it as well. Seems he did.”

“And this tactic nearly got Meija killed and the space-dock blown up.”

“A calculated risk.” Nacqui shrugged.

“You callous bitch—”

“Korrian. Don’t.” Meija pressed a hand to Korrian’s sternum, holding her back. “Let her deal with Gessley and whoever he works for, or collaborates with. Let them deal with it and let’s go home. Please.” Nearly translucent green eyes gazed up at her.

“Fine. You deal with Gessley and then you stay away from us.” Turning to Meija, she worriedly looked her over. “Do I need to take you to the infirmary?”

“Absolutely not. I want to go home.”

Korrian smiled at Meija’s adorable scowl. “Then home it is.”

Meija had never been more comfortable. She buried her nose in the strong, yet so soft, column that was Korrian’s neck. She had fallen asleep directly after her long, hot shower, exhausted and so relieved she couldn’t even eat. Korrian had lifted her up from the dining-area chair and tucked her into bed. Meija had gone to sleep as soon as she felt the soft bedding, only to wake up briefly when Korrian came to bed, she too dressed only in a towel.

Now Meija glanced at the time and shrugged. So, it was the middle of the night. So what? Korrian had put a privacy lock on their door as well as on their communicators. Unless there was another red alert, nobody would disturb them.

Before Korrian had installed the privacy locks, the captain had expressed his admiration as well as remorse for Meija’s experience. He also told them that Gessley Barr had been sighted on one of the pods and that an arrest was imminent.

“Mmm, you feel wonderful,” Korrian murmured against Meija’s hair. “I could get used to this…waking up like this, very easily.”

“Me too.” Meija shifted and felt the towel fall away. “Oh, my.”

Korrian’s face softened. “Oh, my, indeed.” She ran her hands up and down Meija’s back. “I was right.”

“You were? How’s that?” Meija reveled in the touch.

“You do feel wonderful.”

“Your hands are extraordinarily soft. How can you have such hands?”

“I’m used to handling delicate equipment. Maybe that has something to do with it?”

“Korrian!” Meija laughed and kissed the tip of her nose. “That was kind of cheesy.”

“Could be. Doesn’t make it any less true. You are delicate. Sometimes. Most of the time you’re super strong and tougher than anyone I’ve ever known.”

“Hey, you’re not exactly a weak kitten either.”

Korrian rolled them over, pulling her own towel off. “True.” She kissed Meija softly. “I know it’s soon—”

“Not soon enough.” Meija wrapped her arms and legs around Korrian, much like she’d done with her duvet the previous night. “I may be a little rusty when it comes to making love, but I think we’ll be wonderful together.”

“I don’t doubt it.” Korrian pushed against Meija, grinding their hips together. “I need to feel you. Feel your heartbeat, your breath.” She pushed a hand between them, cupping Meija. “Yes, and feel how much you want me. I need that too. I want you to know how much this means, of how my heart began to break at the mere thought of losing you.”

“I called out for you, I cried for you, and I promised myself if I lived through today, I wouldn’t hesitate a moment longer to tell you how I feel.” Whimpering, Meija undulated against Korrian’s hand. “I’m falling in love with you, Korrian. You’re constantly on my mind.”

“Meija. Sweetheart.” Korrian pushed against her hand with her hips.

Meija couldn’t reach Korrian’s sex, but her breasts swayed so enticingly just in front of her that all she had to do was reach for them and pull one nipple into her mouth. “Mmm. Yes.”

It didn’t take them long. Hardly any finesse, just soaring feelings and so much budding love was all it required. Meija’s orgasm ignited Korrian’s, and they held on so tight to each other that the convulsions seemed mutual. She had never been so in tune with a lover that she couldn’t tell whose orgasm happened first or for how long.

*

Meija giggled and snuggled close. “That was fun.”

“Sure was.”

“I want to do that again. Soon.”

“Me too.”

“And I don’t regret telling you first.”

“You spoke my mind. I’m in love, Meija. Head over heels, which is totally unlike me.”

Meija nuzzled her neck. “Trust me, I don’t lower my guard that easily either.”

“It’s more than falling in love, though. The changes you brought with you are far beyond that.” Korrian hoped Meija would understand. “Until yesterday, I’ve often doubted that the project would be a success. Today, I see working together with you, and later with more people with your expertise, as the Exodus project’s salvation. Because of you this project will stand a chance of succeeding.”

Meija rose on her elbow and ran the back of her curled fingers along Korrian’s cheeks. “You flatter me, but with our joined efforts we will one day leave Oconodos and create a new life and a new home for our people.”

Korrian gazed up at the fairy tale–looking creature who spoke of love and a future as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

Meija chuckled and pressed her lips against Korrian’s. “Mmm. Love you.”

Korrian tossed her head back and laughed.

Easy? Yes, maybe it was.