Page 50 of Veiled Vixen

He doesn’t even glance up at me when I enter. Just stares at an old-fashioned screen.

“What the fuck is that?” I ask, pointing to the screen.

“What?” Crux asks, barely glancing at me. His fingers just keep tapping away like he’s in the middle of important business.

“That screen.”

“Air screens have been offline for weeks. I’m just trying to get shit done.”

I pull a chair up to his desk and take a seat. “What shit?”

He sighs. Loudly. Looks at me. “You know. Shit like keeping everyone fed and breathable air in the fucking atmosphere. Which isn’t easy to do since the only air we’re getting up here is being piped in from down below through the ventilation system. But the last thing I need is another riot on my hands.”

I want to ask about the previous riot, but figure this is probably a sore spot. Besides, I can use my imagination on that. And I want to get more information about the air, because that’s a disaster waiting to happen. Even if Veila doesn’t turn off the ventilation fans like she threatened, the air will get thin soon and everyone will notice when they can’t breathe right.

This situation is a shit show of epic proportions.

But I push that away and get down to business. “I saw Luck.”

“You did?” And now I’ve got his attention. “When?”

“Veila took me down there. Or actually, she forced me to go down there. He wasn’t very happy to see me.”

“Can you blame him?”

“I guess not. But none of this is really my fault. I was just…”

“Doing what Tray told you to?”

“Right.”

“How’s that working out?”

“Not so good. He…” But I don’t know if I really understand what Tray did. I mean, I get it. He sold me out. But Brigit sold him out, and no one really knew they were selling people out. It was pretty much Veila’s secret, evil plan. So… I don’t know what to do with that. “I think he’s probably dead,” I finally conclude.

Crux is silent for a few moments. Then he shakes his head and looks down at his desk. “You sure?”

“No. But things got weird. And I don’t really think there’s any other way. So. I think he is.”

“Did you find ALCOR?”

“No,” I say. “I don’t really know what happened. I was… out of it near the end. I’m not even really sure how I got here. How did I get here?”

“Veila brought you.”

“Right. I need to talk to her but she’s on her ship. I have the Baby sending her a message but I had to promise him I’d come talk to you about the security beacons to get him to do me that favor.”

“Forget it,” Crux says. “He wants access to the security beacons so he can give Veila access to Corla. And she’s the only one who’s safe right now, so. Yeah. No. I’ve already told him I’m not going out there.”

I slouch down in my chair, lean back, and look up at the ceiling. Start counting the xenon lights above my head as I think.

Crux goes back to work.

After several minutes of this Baby says, “Veila has given you permission to enter her ship, Valor.”

“Great,” I say. “Crux has refused my request.”

“I heard,” Baby replies.

Crux says nothing.

“Well,” I say, getting to my feet, “I guess I’ll report back when I can.”

“You do that,” Crux mumbles.