A Lion Among The Lambs by Erica Lawson

Author:Erica Lawson [Lawson, Erica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Affinity Ebook Press NZ LTD
Published: 2014-11-30T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

When Is A Plan Not A Plan?

We were on our way back to Alengola when Sasha hailed me.

“Why aren’t you on Heaven?” That was my first question.

“Gorin wanted me to find you.”

“Why?” I interrupted. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. Things are fine. He wanted the sisters to be immunized before they came home, to stop the disease from re-infecting the colony.”

“Oh, I suppose we can do that.” It sounded reasonable to me. “Who’s looking after the sisters?”

“Dad is.”

“Right.” I could just see Rales trying to control a hundred women who would ignore his every word. Sasha would be lucky to see her dad again with hair still on his head because he would have ripped it out long before then. “Where are you?”

“I’m heading toward Stereng.”

“We’re about two hours out from Exeter.”

“How about I meet you at Jola? That’s another two hours for you on a heading of 173982.001.”

“But you’re well on your way—”

“Never mind that. I can take a short cut.”

“That takes you close to the Consortium border.”

“Do you want the serum or not?”

“Why not….” I was about to suggest that we just meet up at Stereng when I had a thought. “Okay in two hours then. In the meantime, do you have a buddy in the Stereng system that you can call in a favor from?”

“Maybe. Why?”

“I’m looking for a freighter to transport a hundred passengers.”

“Why?”

“Just in case I have to get everyone off the planet in a hurry.”

“Why?”

“Look, just… just… just do it, okay?” If she said why again I would scream.

“Why?”

“Aarrgghhhh,” I bellowed over the comlink.

“I’ll take that as a ‘no’.” The comlink went silent and Malt stared at me.

“I’m thinking it all in my mind.”

And I can hear it.

“Change course for Jola.”

“Why?” When she heard my teeth grind Malt fell silent and changed the heading.

Malt remained quiet for the two hours. I’m not sure what the expression on my face was, but she kept sneaking a look at me. Maybe I should go and talk to the girl.

I stopped at the replicator and requested two drinks, a synth coffee for me and water for Canthi. The girl was sitting in her chair, her fingers grasping the armrest firmly.

“Hey,” I said gently.

Her head shot up and she looked terrified.

“Don’t worry. Malt is an expert pilot.” I handed her the cup and her shaking hand took it. “Are you okay?” It was a stupid question because I saw she was anything but. “Do you want to go home?”

“This is my first flight.”

“No kidding? I couldn’t have guessed.”

Do not insult her intelligence.

But the girl smiled. “That’s better.”

I do not understand. You said something condescending and yet she smiled. Why?

Arrgghhh.

Perhaps it is a question for another time.

“This is new to you, but everything is fine. We’ll be on the Noorthi home planet soon. We are making a small detour to pick something up.”

“Detour?”

“Going somewhere else first before the Noorthi. If you wish, you can go with a friend of mine straight back to my home planet.”

“And not see the… what did you say… the home planet?”

I smiled.

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