“A lot,” Tata agrees, turning her gun over. “Enough that we need to keep these out of sight until we know what to do with them.”
I nod. “Yeah.”
They’re silent for a minute as they investigate their uniquely rare weapons, Tata murmuring facts about Lurker steel under her breath and how fascinating it is. “Some believe that they have telekinetic technology infused within the metal.”
Annora looks up at me, wiping once more at her tears. “And the bodies?”
“Still underground.” I shuffle my hand through the few belongings on the table. “I wasn’t going to get them out alone so I took what I could in case I found you guys. I’m really sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Tata says, setting her weapon down on the table gently, her eyes still wide with curiosity. “It’s good that at least one of you made it out. It’s good to see you.”
Annora stares at her gun quietly. “I’m glad you survived. I begged them to come back to search for you once more…” she whispers, taking her gun and abruptly standing. “I need to be alone.” She walks out of the kitchen and lounge and into the back of the ship toward Weston’s quarters.
Tata and I watch as she leaves. “Don’t worry about her.” Tata turns back to me. “Damn girl, you look like you’ve been through hell. Four weeks underground, you actually look better than what I’d imagined even with your makeup clear off your face. You’re a damned ghoul.”
I wince. I knew I had to look bad, but a ghoul?Ouch.“I had some light, though not much. How’s it been here?”
Surveying the area, the kitchen and lounge are entirely too clean and too quiet, this area of the ship usually being a place of noise and work. Noticing the lock to the pantry storage shelves is off, I walk over to it and slide the door open, findingThe Wreck’sstores depleted.
Tata follows me. “We’ve been managing. After Mickie and Weston left and didn’t come back, I had Annora remain with the ship and I’ve only been leaving it long enough to do quick perimeter checks. We can’t stay here for much longer or we’ll go hungry as you’ve noticed. So, as much as it’s great to see you, I hate to say we don’t have much hope to offer.”
Shifting through the remaining rations, I try estimating how much time they have before they’re all gone. Maybe a week, two if they halved their meals. It wasn’t much at all.
Adding me into the mix? They’d be out by the end ofthe week, for sure. I shut the door and face Tata. “You need more food. Did you guys go to the Forest?”
Tata is silent for a moment before she peers down at her hands. “Yes.”
I arch a brow, moving away from the pantry and heading back to the table. “And?”
“It’s… a mess. There are numerous encampments and the military that’s here is completely overwhelmed. People are scared, searching for loved ones, dying from their wounds… There was nothing for us there that we couldn’t trade for that someone else didn’t need. The fact that we have enough fuel to fly between encampments is far more than most who still have their ships. We got the coordinates on the radio to an encampment north of the forest, and there were at least several dozen ships with hundreds of people on them when we arrived. It’s run by some of those that were rebelling onThe Dreadnaut.There was no military leadership in sight and people were acting desperate.”
“And Mr. Whicker? Any news on him?”
“He doesn’t want anything from us except our remaining fuel, which Weston wasn’t going to give up, at least not yet. Whicker’s a piece of shit, using everyone’s trauma as a business tactic. His prices are high and he’s actively extorting, not caring a whit if he gets caught. He wouldn’t even consider trading us grain when Weston took our fuel off the table.” She scratches the back of her hand. “Since I can fly the ship with Annora’s help, we discussed only last night about what to do next since coming back here wasn’t only about finding you…”
I cross my arms when she levels her gaze with mine. “I know. Weston made that clear when he saw the guns.”
“I’m sorry, girlie.”
“I’m used to it. I’m lucky enough you came back.”
Am I lucky, though? If they hadn’t come back, Weston and Mickie would still be alive and I’d still be lingering, bored, underground.
I’d be with Darolus, without any stress in the world.
Feeling a tendril of hurt weed its way inside me, I staunchly push out the emotion.
Part of me wants to leaveThe Wreckand return to him, in hopes of talking it out, and convincing him I never wanted him or anyone else hurt. Though I was leaving him, I didn’t necessarily see it as saying goodbye forever…
But I was leaving… And now…I look around again, feeling less at home now than ever before.
“Lucky,” Tata harrumphs. “Right. We haven’t had any damn luck since we broke down onThe Dreadnauttwo years back.”
I tilt my head and push my hair over my shoulder. “What’s the plan now you think? You can’t stay here. I know you can pilot back to one of those encampments, are you considering it?”
“You? Don’t you mean we?” she asks, squinting up at me. “You just got here.”
I press my lips flat, having already decided I’m not going to eat from their remaining stores. “We,” I amend softly, and it feels like a lie.
