“The Tecran didn’t tell the Garmman about how to do it?” Fiona asked. “How rude of them.”
Vira held her gaze for a long beat, then pushed Fee ahead of her onto the small bridge of the runner and attached her restraints to the arm of a chair. Bart took up a spot behind her, hovering.
It seemed as if they didn’t trust her not to try something.
The Balcoan who’d met them at the door eyed her, and went to sit down at a console. Caran pushed past to sit down next to him and Vira settled into the captain’s chair.
“Henric, check where we are in the line-up to leave.”
The Balcoan tapped at a screen. “In the top quarter,” he said.
“We need to be higher.” Vira pulled out a comms unit.
Fee watched her carefully. When the comms came back on, she had to hope Eazi connected to her first, before he did anything in the system. Otherwise Larga Ways would take a hit.
That was, if there really was a Garmman battleship hiding behind one of the moons.
It was just possible Vira was bluffing.
She also didn’t know how Vira would know if Eazi was back in the system. Maybe she expected him to talk to someone. Except he only ever talked to her and Paxe.
Vira tapped her ear, and stood. “They’re shutting down the jammer,” she said. “Starting . . . now.”
Henric tapped his console again, shook his head, and then went still. “Something’s happening.”
“Take off,” Vira ordered, and Caran reached over and uncoupled the runner from the dock. Fee heard the faint thud as the connecter slid back into its housing.
Then they began to rise.
Henric began murmuring to someone—Fee guessed it was flight control—as they continued upward.
She could hear her heartbeat thundering in her ears. Eazi would leap into action the moment he had a connection to his system. If he made himself known . . .
“They say we need to wait our turn.” Henric looked over his shoulder at Vira.
“Pretend to misunderstand them. Thank them for allowing us to exit.” Vira paced a little, full of nerves.
“They might blacklist us if they think we’ve flaunted their orders,” Caran warned.
“They can blacklist us all they like, they won’t be in control of this way station much longer.” Vira shrugged.
Fee’s hands were still restrained, and she wished she could lift a hand to her ear, make sure her earpiece was activated.
It was silly. She always left it on, but the silence was weighing on her.
“We’re nearly at the top of the dome,” Caran said. “There are three runners ahead of us.”
“That’s good. I don’t want us to stand out,” Vira said. “Being the third or fourth runner to leave works.”
The minutes stretched out, and Fee realized her whole body was stiff with nerves.
“We’re out.” Caran’s relief was clear.
Vira turned to Fee. “It looks like you were telling the truth.”
“I don’t want the way station destroyed. I’ve already risked my life once to keep it safe, why would I endanger it?” she asked.
“I have to admit I had serious doubts that that cylinder would be able to contain the thinking system,” Vira said. “I’m glad it has, though. It would have been very inconvenient to damage Larga Ways in order to get it back.”
