Outside the viewport, smoke curled across the dock platform. Blue-black smoke with sparks of blue light. Thick robes moved within it and the station enforcers disappeared.
Veyre stood beside the exterior dock control panel, one gloved hand pressed to the screen of the mechanism. Sparks spatfrom beneath his palm and, after a few seconds, the tractor beam released them.
Madelaine stared through the glass. “Who are you?” she said.
Veyre looked up, but his masked visage didn’t convey any answer. Though Jack could not see his face, he felt the man’s gaze land on them.
The masked stranger lifted two fingers in a gesture that was not quite farewell and not quite a warning.
Then smoke swallowed him.
Madelaine hit the thrusters.
Their ship tore free from Crooked Halo Station as warning lights flashed across the dock. The old station fell away beneath them, its warped ring blazing with neon and alarm strobes.
Jack held onto the arms of his chair as they shot into open space.
Behind them, Crooked Halo Station shrank into a disheveled circle of light at the edge of the galaxy.
Ahead, the route to Keirios reappeared on the navigation display. Still waiting and ready to go.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Jack exhaled. “Well. That was a nice little shopping trip.”
Madelaine let out a shaky laugh and leaned back in her seat. “We almost died…again.”
“We’ve almost died before.”
“Several times.”
“At this point, I’m getting used to it as part of every stop we make.” Jack grinned. “And yet this time, we got fuel with the near-death experience.” He pointed proudly at the green readout. “Three beautiful bauxite cubes, one of them named Bert.”
“No. We are not naming the fuel.”
“Too late. Bert saved us.”
“No. Veyre saved us.”
Jack’s smile faded. “Yes. He did. Twice. I wonder who he is, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do.” Madelaine looked out at the stars. “He knew about our mission. I feel like I should be renamed the Clueless Courier. Everyone we meet along the way seems to know more about what I’m doing on this errand than I do.”
“He also knew about me, which was uncomfortable in the moment and right now.”
Madelaine nodded, her eyes round with awe. “Specifically, he knew your name.”
“Yep. In some instances, that might be considered flattering. In this case, less so.” Jack wasn’t so sure he liked any strangers knowing his name. Although, if they ever encountered Veyre again, Jack would make a point of thanking him for the help at The Halo, as the space station inhabitants called it.
Madelaine turned toward him. The cockpit lights softened the worry in her eyes, but did not hide it.
“When the silent moon asks for your name, give it his,” she murmured. “That wasn’t creepy at all.”
“Oh, yes, it was.” Jack swallowed. “Do we even have a silent moon on the itinerary?”
She shrugged. “How should I know? Every new package is an exciting and new surprise.”
“Well, surprises can be good.”
