Mutiny at Vesta by R. E. Stearns

Author:R. E. Stearns
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Saga Press

CHAPTER 15

Test 02 connection established, calibration initiated

A couple hours later, the Mayhem passed the outer buoy of Jōju Station’s network. The Apparition stopped outside stationspace. Before Adda could investigate why it’d stopped, Pel pinged her comp. The message’s local timestamp was 9:40 a.m., within half an hour of what she expected for Jōju Station’s local time. Less than a minute later he recalled the short message with the word “lonely” in it, as if he’d changed his mind about sending it. This was the signal they’d agreed on to indicate that he’d set the EMP mine and the prototype ship could be shielded from it. Nobody was following him. Nobody was even suspicious.

He was surprisingly on top of that communication, and he’d installed the comms duplicating routine the way it was supposed to be done, so that she’d get anything Jōju Station sent out as a call for help. He was taking his role in the operation seriously.

“He’s ready,” Adda told the crew in the Mayhem. “Go on as scheduled.”

The comms duplicating routine would let her track the ITA’s response to automated notifications the station’s intelligence would send after the EMP went off. Her schedule had the pirates well away from Jōju Station before the ITA’s rescue party arrived to help the station residents repair the damage, but it paid to be informed.

The station guided them to a passenger terminal, and Adda led the way out of the Mayhem’s passthrough with all but Gavran and Chi following. The ring station’s Earthlike gravity was a relief after all the gravity adjustments while they docked, even though the sensation of her internal organs sinking into their usual positions was deeply and literally unsettling. The increased gravity also made the bag of gear she carried heavier than she’d expected, but that was normal for interplanetary travelers’ experience with their luggage. Projected messages on the terminal warned them about nondisclosure policies and various dangers inherent in shipyard experiments.

When Adda was about two steps from the doorway to the rest of the station, Pel burst into the terminal. He threw his arms around her like he hadn’t seen her for weeks instead of days. His eyes were purple with dark blue pupils, because of course he wouldn’t try to make them unobtrusive while undercover. He felt tense and wired in her arms. “Sissy! I’m so glad you’re here, finally.” He lowered his voice to add, “This wasn’t as fun as I thought it’d be. These people kinda remind me of you.”

If she’d never met Iridian, Adda might’ve developed ship intelligences in a place like this. Sloane’s crew could’ve been stealing her years-long project. She hugged Pel tighter and whispered, “Almost over.” If she’d worked for the corporation that owned this place, there would have been too many managerial demands on the intelligence’s development process to do it in a way she’d be proud of.

“Well, let’s have a tour!” Captain Sloane said loudly and with frankly alarming good cheer. “We can settle in later.”

Iridian had rigged up a small, wearable cam disruptor that Adda hid beneath her silver necklace.

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