Jenna’s brow furrowed. Of course, they mined Crillon on Morith—a valuable mineral that was used to power spacecraft. On their approach to the moon, she’d noted the Mir-Brennan cruisers positioned above it.
Morith was close enough to Idral for the governor here to get nervous. Understandably, they didn’t want the Mir-Ferrins stealing their valuable fuel reserves.
Shifting her attention from the vehicles, she took in the surrounding grey hills. They stretched into the distance in every direction and were strangely uniform in shape.
Her gaze narrowed further then. No, they weren’t hills, but huge mounds of dirt from the mines.
Ending their brief exchange, Malik and Jenna turned left and headed toward Morhaven township. The land rose before them into a wide, low hill—this one natural rather than made of mining rubble. The top of the hill bristled with antennae, comm dishes, and protruding ventilation shafts, while a great stone arch spanned the base of it: the town’s entrance.
Morhaven was the largest of many subterranean settlements that peppered the moon.
It was so cold their breathing steamed in clouds before them as they walked. The damp drilled into Jenna’s bones. Pulling her cloak closer still, she marked how Malik scanned his surroundings as he walked. It didn’t matter where he went, her bodyguard was constantly alert, on the lookout for threats.
And not for the first time, she was grateful for his vigilance.
She knew he was just doing his job, yet after Aura Terminal, she no longer felt safe. It was an effort not to keep glancing over her shoulder, almost as if she expected to see figures stalking them.
Jenna quickened her step.I’ll be no good to Cathal, Isla, and Bea if the Widow Makers catch up with me.
The entrance loomed closer, and Jenna spied the Mir-Brennan crest carved into the stone above it: a shooting star above a clenched fist.
Her skin prickled at the sight.
Glory is the reward of valor, Cathal … I’m not giving up on you.
Stepping into the wide entrance tunnel to Morhaven, Jenna and her bodyguard entered another world. A few yards from the archway, warm air feathered over her face. Bright yellow lights, embedded in the rock ceiling, lit their way to a junction where an illuminated map of the town hung.
Pausing, Jenna studied it.
“Gods,” she murmured. “You could get lost for days in here.”
The network of tunnels curved left and right in a haphazard fashion. It was a real warren.
“The central hub looks as if it lies around half a kilometer in,” Malik replied, his gaze narrowed as he mapped their route. “I think we should take the right tunnel.”
Jenna didn’t argue with him.
They resumed walking, making their way through wide tunnels carved out of the white-grey sandstone. Along the way, they passed shops and dwellings dug out of the rock. Unlike on Idral and Aura Terminal, there weren’t many shrines to the Gods here, just the odd neglected alcove to one of thelesser deities, like Bron the Worthy and Eldra the Wise.
There were plenty of residents about, going on errands or lounging on terraces in front of eateries and bars. Vagrants slumped in doorways, and beggars positioned themselves on the busiest tunnels, rattling tins at passersby.
As they approached the central hub, the tunnels grew more crowded. The aroma of roasting meat and the sharp, malty tang of distilling Morith whisky greeted Jenna and Malik as they walked past. The spirit brewed on the moon was almost as prized as the Crillon that was mined here.
The central hub was a wide cavern, festooned with lights, filled with stalls, and edged with a range of shops. A heavy crowd thronged the hub, the excited chatter of voices rising into the air.
“Watch yourself here,” Malik warned. “Morith isn’t known for attracting the best the sector has to offer.”
Jenna didn’t answer, although she minded him. She noted he wasn’t wrong. Many had made their fortune on this moon, but there was a seedy edge to Morhaven. Despite that she and Malik wore hooded cloaks, they attracted far too much attention from the shadowy figures lurking in doorways.
Jenna quickened her pace to keep close to Malik. She was relieved they’d made it to Morith, but her mind was already racing forward. They had a few vital things to accomplish while they were here.
She was keen to get to their lodgings, but Malik had pointed out that they both needed clean, military-style clothing for the mission once they ridded themselves of their green cloaks and face paint. As such, they stopped off in a store on the fringes of the central hub, where her bodyguard selected items with breathtaking speed and precision: black cargos, t-shirts, and padded jackets for them both. Jenna looked on, bemused, as shop-droids trundled around to retrieve the items he rattled off. Laden down with bags, they then went next door and purchased Jenna a pair of heavy black boots.
Jenna watched the droid pack her new footwear before she cast Malik a sidelong glance. “Are you planning for me to kick someone to death?”
He cocked an eyebrow in response. “If it comes to that … those slippers you’re wearing are impractical.”
Jenna glanced down at her scuffed golden pumps. Her toes were freezing, and she had blisters forming. He had a point.
