Mace ordered two servings and took them to the nearby table. While they ate, Nia couldn’t help but overhear the conversation between the other couple.
“We can hide them until the maintenance crew leaves,” Justice said, his tone rational.
“You know it won’t work. The crew always scans. They’ll be found within ten minutes. And how would we hide the fighter?”
“The Condor won’t make it to Saturn or another Tellusian settlement on one charge,” Justice countered.
There was a beat of silence, then Lexi asked, “What do you suggest?”
“We can send Mace’s message through the new encryption program. I know we haven’t tested it yet,” Justice added quickly, “but we don’t have a lot of other options. This way, at least they’ll have a heading.”
Nia flicked her gaze to Mace, who was listening as intently as she. Swallowing his mouthful of food, he turned to meet his sister’s eyes.
Lexi squinted at him. “You can make your long-distance communique. We have an encryption we’ll bounce through about fifty hubs before it reaches your destination, hopefully keeping us in the clear.”
“That sounds like it’ll take time.”
“It’s a downside, but safer.” Slapping her thighs, she stood. “Which means we should do it now, or you won’t receive a response before we need to throw you out.” Her lips pressed together, she led the way to a terminal on the far side of the lab, Mace following.
Nia watched for a moment, then focused on the man still sitting on the couch. Justice stared at her…strangely, his face expressionless, but his eyes full of calculation. A shiver of apprehension raced down her spine.
“It sounds like you’ve had quite a journey,” he said after a time.
She cleared her throat. “You could say that.” Not wanting to talk more, she stared at her meal and tried to finish.
But after the Tellusian food she’d eaten, it tasted like bio-matter in her mouth.
Chapter thirty-five
Lexigrumbledthewholetime they used the long-distant lascom to send Mace's message. He kept the communique short, using encoded information to verify his identity and guarantee the message wasn’t being sent under coercion—a precaution both Grey and Cache would expect. Mace counted on at least one of them receiving it. His chest panged. If neither of them had survived the siege, he didn’t know what he would do.
When the message was finally sent, he took hold of Lexi’s elbow and turned her toward him. “I wouldn’t have come here if I’d had alternatives.”
“I know.” She exhaled a long breath. “Idounderstand that. And I wouldn’t want the pair of you drifting and running out of air. But with everything…” Her voice trailed off, a grimace marring her features.
“It’s the bio-weapon stuff, isn’t it? It’s got you on edge.”
She tossed her hands in the air. “How can it not? I wake up in cold sweats, wondering what the hell we’re doing out here, if there’s even a purpose to it all anymore. I think, ‘What if we destroy it all?’” A mirthless laugh shuddered through her. “But there’s no point. The information won’t be lost, they’ll have backups. And we’re replaceable. Another CORE outpost would get built. Another batch of CORE scientists would take our place. And if we’re not here, then Tellusians become uninformed. I know we save lives.” Fingers twisted together, she hung her head. “But I’ve been here so long, I sometimes forget I’m Tellusian.”
“Ah, Lex.” Mace wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her close, his cheek pressed to her hair. Against her ear, he spoke his next words in Tellusian. “Your courage inspires the stars.”
A small sob left her, then she straightened quickly, shrugging off his arm. “You’re so sentimental.” Turning to the terminal, she tapped on the glossy surface.
He grinned at the deflection, then became serious. “It’s time for you to come home.”
Her fingers slowed.
“You’ve done your duty,” he continued. “Don’t let Cache or anyone else convince you differently. You finish the time you’ve promised here, and that’s it. You’re done.”
Mace thought she would refuse and insist she was handling it, but she surprised him when she swallowed and agreed with a nod.
Tension eased from his spine. His big sister would come home. Even ifOrionhad been taken, she’d return to Tellusian territory, to safety. Too long had she put herself at risk with no thought to her own happiness. He couldn’t begrudge her whatever contentment she’d found with her colleague.
Lexi cleared her throat and refocused on the terminal. “I’m going to download everything from our last months here for Cache. The Condor should be able to hold a file that size.”
Leaning a hip on the terminal, Mace watched her work. After a while, Nia joined him, and he pulled her into his embrace. His sister shot her a glance, but otherwise didn’t stoop to her earlier hostility.
It took three hours, but they received a response, Grey’s ID embedded in the code. Relief his friend had made it to the rendezvous lightened more of the load on his shoulders. But what of Cache? The message was a set of co-ordinates, but it would have been foolish to expect anything else. It gave them a target.
