HMS Valediction

Chapter 16.3

Days cascade away. Birgar becomes background noise as he takes up his position in the Nest, commandeering Hayomo's job in an instant. With Hayomo never really doing much in the first place, it seems more like he's stolen Coodi's work than anything. She struggles to stand by while he plants his feet and watches the people with one skeptical eye on the marketplace at all times.

With Birgar on my right and Coodi on my left, I try to be their buffer. I've never seen two people get along so poorly from the gate as these two.

There's a low hum of activity as SCOPE operators give directions to different parts of the ship — a few repairs needed in Quad 1, a prayer service in the chapel in Quad 3 that needs surveillance, a dispute settlement in the racks, and bland bartering among the booths of the marketplace.

Everything is so normal.

Earth night descends. I don't know what to call it anymore as it has become more apparent than ever that our hours are meaningless. When returning to the ship and ascending to space, it was bright, beautiful dawn on the planet we launched from. As I wandered the ship, I realized it was nearly midnight. My whole body has been thrown by the light. The artificial brightness of the marketplace dims as the operator in control of the panel lowers the sun simulator. The people pack their booths and prepare for another night aboard ARC10.

Accepting the descent into darkness, I bid Coodi and Birgar goodnight and head for my cabin.

Each night I settle back into my bed and John is not nestled in the crate in the corner, my loneliness widens. I miss him. I miss Dean. I miss Knuckles. Hell. I even miss Moyra.

Brave New World rises and falls with my breathing. It's a rhythm I'm oddly aware of now that I think about how my breath circulates for the two of us.

"I wish you could read it to me," I say to the bump. "Or at least read it first and give me the highlights. I don't know how much more of this I can take."

I drift in and out of snoozing, lightly reclining in the leftovers of my happy reunion with Dean.

The door to my cabin whirs. I sit up, perplexed. I haven't heard that sound since being in the URE, fighting our broken door to our pod. The sound brings me nostalgic peace.

Until I remember I'm on ARC10 and my door works just fine.

I shoot up. The whirring increases. The door jostles, shaking on its sliding track.

Someone is trying to break in.

Jumping from my bed, I drop as low as my body will let me, fists up, knees bent, coiled to fight. I scan the room. My weapon was checked for the night. There's nothing here for my defense but my own two hands. I level them with my head.

The whirring crescendos. I don't know what I'll meet. Did we pick up stowaways while we were docked? Is this the stray Xani coming to avenge John? I'm clueless. I sway on my toes, ready to meet whatever is out there.

Jiggling doors waver wider and wider until the door clunks into its socket.

Six civilians crowd the entrance. They're each holding the strangest weapons I've ever seen.

This was not what I was expecting.

I can't fight my people.

One woman, a small thing, holds up a jerry-rigged rifle, pointing it directly at my head.

"Lorn," one of the men at her side says, "it's time to go."

The four behind these two lift their weapons and point them at me as well.