The captain seemed to deflate, and he almost stumbled as he walked to Brink’s table.
She’d never moved back to sit with Linao, she’d stayed seated with Ritter, and the three of them bent their heads together.
Ethan was surprised to realize he could make out most of what they were saying, even seated where he was.
He locked eyes with Velda, and thought maybe she could hear them, too.
“Everness is dead,” the captain was saying. “So’s Hime. Only Rico and Tansy are with me on the bridge, and they’re also injured, but it’s minor.”
“Do you know where we are?” Brink asked.
“No, but wherever it is, they used the pinch coordinates Sylvester sent us after they made me send him confirmation of a successful ore drop.” The captain sounded shattered.
“So that’s why they took us. They’re desperate to find Sylvester, and they blew up our agreement to get him.” Brink shook her head.
“How could they have known we were going to Sylvester after the drop? We could have been headed back to the mine to pick up more ore,” Ritter said.
“Because we didn’t have a full hold of ore as it was. I told them when we docked that the seam had run dry and we had to move deeper to find another one to explain the half-empty hold. I told them we knew they needed ore fast, so we had brought them everything we could, and we’d go back for more, but either they knew I was lying or they just didn’t believe me.” Brink looked around the room as she spoke. She caught Ethan watching her and narrowed her eyes, then skipped over his shoulder.
He turned, saw that Linao had been watching them, too, and he slumped lower in his seat and closed his eyes, shutting them both out.
This increased hearing was certainly a useful skill.
The captain leaned in even closer. “The Caruso are white hot about their ship being blown up. Apparently it was full of the ore from the Demeter warehouse. The pickup crew confirmed the load with the Caruso mothership, then it was just wiped out.”
“That’s not our fault,” Brink said.
“They don’t seem to be sure about that. They don’t think it was a military strike.” The captain blew out a breath and leaned back in his chair.
“What do they think it was, then?” Brink sounded confused.
“They didn’t share their views with me,” the captain said. “I get the feeling that’s what they want to discuss with Sylvester. I’m only getting a break for a meal while we wait for the warship we brought the ore to to pinch out from the black and join us.Then I’m guessing we’ll head for the coordinates. Rico and Tansy will each get a break after me.”
“Sylvester won’t let anyone near him if he sees a Caruson warship tagging along.” Brink sounded very sure of that.
“No. But I wasn’t going to tell them their strategy is wrong,” the captain said.
“They’re very interested in the silver balls.” Ritter spoke for the first time. “I’m worried about how quickly they discovered them.”
“You mean you think they already knew about them?” Brink asked.
“Yes. I think they were either listening to us for a few days before they ‘met’ us at the ore transfer point, or they have a spy onboard.” Ritter turned and eyed Linao as he spoke.
“Not her.” Brink dismissed it. “She’s poison, but she’s Cores through and through.”
“Yes,” the captain agreed. “She’d knife you if she thought she’d get something out of it, unless you were useful to the Cores.”
“Everyone else is from Garmen or Lassa, they haven’t had a chance to get turned by the Caruso,” Brink said.
“The Caruso were working on Garmen and Lassa before both breakaways fell. They could have turned someone, and that someone could be on this crew.” The captain sounded listless, like he didn’t actually care.
He thought it was all over, Ethan realized. He didn’t think any of them were getting out of this alive.
“I never thought about that.” Brink sounded stunned. “But you’re right. The first Raptor was built on the deck of Felicitos on Garmen. The Caruso came in more than once to help with the construction.”
“It’s more likely they were shadowing us, listening to us talking,” Ritter said. “But whatever the answer is, they know about the silver balls, and I don’t think we’re getting them back.”
“Maybe Sylvester can work a deal with them.” The captain didn’t sound like he believed that.
