Elder War by Clara Woods

Author:Clara Woods [Woods, Clara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-11-21T22:00:00+00:00

23 Lion’s Heart

Lenah took a moment to look at the controls of Diam’s ship. It was more modern than the Star Rambler, but Lenah had studied and flown simulations of many ships and quickly found what she needed. Throttle, speed, proximity screen, even a single laser mounted to the ship’s aft. She initiated the starting sequence.

“Uh, no,” Diam said. “Stop right there. I’m not risking my ship.”

Lenah turned her head. “I don’t see you having a choice,” she said.

“My ship, my choice,” came the immediate answer, and even though Diam was still laying flat, her voice carried fierceness.

“There’s a battle going on outside, and we just lost contact to the ship with our last laser bundler. My crew, who went after them, is missing too. We need your ship to get to them.”

“I said no way,” Diam groaned and tried to roll herself off the bed. All she managed to do was fall off. Cassius caught her and put her back into a horizontal position.

The mercenary didn’t look pleased, but she didn’t struggle.

“Not even to save humanity?” Lenah asked.

"Humanity? Look, Lenah Callo,” Diam said the name as if it was a curse and tried to sit up again, this time succeeding. “I’m a mercenary; I do assignments for money and this is not an assignment. I’m grateful you saved me, but since you got me into this mess in the first place, I’ll take it. For free. Now, I’d like you off my ship.” She eyed them all, her gaze lingering on Cassius. “All of you.”

Lenah shook her head. “I can’t, Diam. I’m sorry.”

They stared at each other for a long minute in which Lenah refused to give in. She didn’t want to take Diam’s ship against her will, but she would if she had to. At last, Diam broke eye contact first, closing her eyes. “Fine.” She growled. “But I’m coming with you.”

Lenah shook her head. “We may get into a fight. You’re staying here, and I’ll bring your ship back to you.”

Diam protested again. Lenah caught Cassius’s eyes, and she gave him a nod. He moved toward Diam without hesitation.

Lenah focused back on the ship’s controls and viewscreen. “Someone also needs to get out there and open the station’s hatch.”

“I’ll do it!” Mishu said, louder and more urgent than the small space required.

Lenah glanced at him over her shoulder. He was shivering almost as badly as Diam.

Diam, meanwhile, was glaring daggers at Lenah, held down by Cassius, who with one hand was capturing her wrists over her hand and with his other hand lifting her up. The mercenary couldn’t do much, but it didn’t keep her from trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

“Fine with me,” Lenah said. “Mishu, stay here with Diam. Cassius, please accompany them out. And open the hatch on your way back.” Cassius didn’t argue, instead carried Diam toward the hatch. Her blanket fell, but Martello bent down to put it over her. “Don’t worry, girl. Lenah will bring your ship back, and you’ll be glad you had some part in today’s fight.

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