The Dead Fleet (Juggernaut #3)

Twenty Three

'Tila!' Ellie's plaintive cry wobbled through the air. The chain from which she hung moved inexorably toward the platform. The smaller links below her growled over the metal floor.

'Stop it,' Tila demanded of Typhon. 'We're leaving.'

To her surprise Typhon released the controls. The winch stopped its travel and Ellie swung forward and back on the squeaking, clattering links.

'You can't leave. You can't escape the fleet. You can't escape this ship. You can't escape me. Your story ends here.'

Tila slowed, edged carefully onto the platform. There was space to fight here and Typhon still occupied the control panel, but he was quick and strong and dangerous. She shouldn't - wouldn't - underestimate him. She was still unarmed, and he still had the gauntlets.

'We escaped before. We can do it again.'

'You got lucky before.'

'My father told me once that luck comes from good planning.'

'And where is he now, Tila? Luck runs out.' Typhon stepped away from the console and flexed his fingers before settling them into fists. 'Yours just has. As has the girl on the chain. And your other friend, the boy, will run out too, wherever he is.'

Ellie cried again.

Tila raised her voice but kept her eyes firmly on Typhon and his gloves. 'Just start climbing Ellie. We'll be with you soon. I promise.'

'I can't.'

'Yes you can. I need to you climb Ellie. Now.'

Ellie clung onto the moving chain, afraid to move in case she fell, but afraid to stay in case they were caught. But Tila told her to move. Tila would take care of everything. She started to climb, moving her small feet in and out of the big links.

'I can let her go. More men will find her.

'How many men?'

'They're not all here yet.'

'How many agents have you brought? Why?'

'No more questions Tila. It's time to end this.' Typhon dropped his shoulders and advanced.

'Not yet,' said Tila, louder than necessary.

Typhon's gauntlets crackled as he attacked. Tila made the most of the large platform and stayed out of range. The next flurry of punches forced her away. Tila blocked by slapping his forearms away, breaking his rhythm rather than confronting the attack. All she knew was that the gloves couldn't touch her.

So concerned was she with Typhon's fists, she forgot about his feet. After hitting nothing but air Typhon changed tactics. He half-turned and buried his heel in Tila's ribs. Typhon stepped smoothly into the space he had created and changed legs. His second kick aimed lower, steel toed boots seeking Tila's knee.

For this one she was ready. She shuffled backward just in time to avoid Typhon shattering her kneecap.

But Typhon stepped forward again, always pushing forward, taking the ground from her. His third kick, the knife edge of his leading foot, crunched into Tila's shin.

Tila fell to her knees, waiting for the overhead fist to connect and light the area with white electricity. It didn't come.

Typhon stepped backward and waited for her.

He's enjoying it.

Tila rose to her feet. The pain in her shin was like a knife had been buried deep in the marrow. She tested her weight on it and the knife twisted. Her eyes watered. Tila gasped at the shock.

I need time. Time and a weapon.

'Painful?' asked Typhon.

Tila gritted her teeth, shut down the pain. 'We're getting out of here.'

Typhon walked forward slowly. There was no rush now. His men clearly had the upper hand. The pirates would soon find themselves permanently unemployed.

'What will you tell them if you do? That pirates are hiding in Praxis? It's hardly new information, Tila.'

'I'll tell them about you. About the Cabal. About Conway.'

'Conway? That will be interesting. Tell me, what have you learned about Conway since you left the Juggernaut?'

Tila took another small hop backward. He was coming closer. As much as she hated to concede the open space of the control platform she needed more time.

'We know he was behind the failure of the colony mission. We know he made money from every angle and... and...'

'And?'

Tila flicked her head, a gesture to take in the whole refinery.

'And we know he's behind this place. He's getting rich from the gold and tritinium.'

'Is he?'

'Yes.' She said with all the conviction she could muster. 'And we're going to expose him.'

'You, just you, will stand up to Conway and expose his lust for money in front of the whole Commonwealth? Do you think that will surprise anyone?'

'That's not the point. We have to stop him.'

'Why?'

'What?'

'Why must you stop him? Because he is doing what rich men always do. Have always done?'

'He wants to get richer. They all do.'

'Are you always this sure?'

'It's always about money.'

'It's never about the money!' Typhon chuckled. What surprised Tila the most was that his laugh was heartfelt, genuine. There was no sinister intent, no foreboding doom. It unnerved her. 'Oh Tila. You've come all this way. You've learned so much, and you know absolutely nothing.'

'We're close to the truth. We have proof.'

'You have facts without context, Tila. Knowledge without wisdom. Truth is more than information.'

'So tell me. What don't I know?' she asked cautiously.

Typhon paused by the crane operations console. He wiped his fingers over the dirty surface then dusted his hands. 'Mining is a dirty business, Tila. Not just literally. But it's a business that still requires an awful lot of manpower. Technology can only do so much. If our AI systems were better perhaps we could automate the whole thing and be done with it, and we wouldn't be where we are now.'

'What are you talking about?'

'The colony mission needed raw materials to survive those first few years at Baru. There was no guarantee the beacon would work. There was no guarantee they would come home.'

'So? That's why they had mining equipment isn't it?'

'Correct, Tila. You're so close.'

'Close to what?'

Typhon sighed. Outside of a fight she was not as quick as he hoped.

'Where did all this raw material come from?'

'From Baru. They're exporting it from Baru instead of building with it.'

'They don't need to build anything if they just keep working.'

'Working?'

'Cheap labour.'

Tila finally made the connection.

Typhon smiled, and this time there was nothing funny about it.

'Who do you think does the mining?'