“Ziggy?” Honnor’s recognizable armor filled the holographic screen above my dashboard, and I breathed a sigh of relief to see it looked intact.
“We have a problem,” I croaked, uncharacteristically uncaring if I sounded weak and helpless.
I need help.
“We do,” my maker agreed with a nod before flipping open their visor to show me their true form beneath. “It appears that asset of yours is made of karnilian.”
15
MICAH
I got Pedro dried off and put down for a nap as quickly as possible, but I still ended up needing a recap on the tea in the cockpit.
Since I guess they couldn’t wait for me to get started…
“Wait a min…” I spun in the second captain’s chair we’d installed—the one I usually ignored in favor of Ziggy’s lap. “You’re telling me Pedro has agemstoneinside them? Like a… like atroll doll?!”
Unsurprisingly, all Stellarians involved in this holographic video call stared at me blankly.
“The only trolls I remember on Earth were those in ancient legends…”Bron mused.“Then again, I haven’t visited the planet in at least one thousand years, so circumstances may have changed.”
I snorted, imagining the space dads disguised as humans in the Middle Ages. “The trolls I’m talking about weren’treal.They were these little plastic dolls with crazy colorful hair and little gems embedded in their belly that you’d rub for good luck.”
This explanation apparently only confused the issue.“Good luck with vanquishing your enemies?”Honnor asked.“Because that would match why karnilian is so sought after…”
“No!” I cackled before the rest of their statement caught up. “Wait. Karnilianhelps you vanquish your enemies?”
Well, fuck.
The space dads glanced at each other.“Many believe it does,”Honnor carefully replied.“More specifically, many believe the stone bestows courage, strength, protection, and good luck on whoever owns it—or on whoever has a Hydrassian in their pocket to tell them who will be victorious in battle.”
A shiver ran down my spine at the memory of the first Hydrassian Zig had killed at the Muonova—how they hadn’t corrected me when I asked if their rituals could not justpredictbutdeterminewho would win.
“Is that why the Hydrassian was searching every gem stall on Stellaria?” Ziggy asked. “To make predictions for the Irathians’ attack?”
Bron chuckled smugly.“Obviously not. Otherwise, the Irathians would have known not to attempt something as pointless as invading Stellaria.”
“And that Hydrassian claims they weren't working for the Irathians—or anyone else, for that matter,”Honnor added before growing thoughtful.“At least, not in the capacity you recently experienced…”
Apparently, Zig had already told them about the gaggle of mercenaries we’d encountered—and eliminated—at the Muonova.
Since the debriefing started without me.
“Do you have the Hydrassian in custody?” I piped in, stubbornly determined to be included.
“Of course,”Honnor absently replied, distracted by an incoming message on their Celestial Cube.“Although, they haven’t provided much intel—aside from confirming Pedro was most likely the asset the Irathians were after.”
“I’d like to talk to them,” I boldly continued, swallowing the urge to ask for permission or apologize for my demands.
Or to remind them Pedro isn’t just an asset.
Honnor cocked their head at me but then nodded once.“Very well. I’m connecting the feed to their holding cell now.”
Oh, okay…
I hadn’t expected my request to be grantedthis very minute,but I was hell-bent on at least lookinglike I knew what I was doing.
Gotta be useful.
