Saturn Night Fever by Diane Vallere

Author:Diane Vallere [Vallere, Diane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781939197511
Publisher: Polyester Press

22: Next Victim

Neptune grabbed my arm and pulled me up. “It could be a trap,” he said.

I shook off his grip. “He needs help.”

“Call Doc.”

“Kentaro could be in Medi-Bay.”

“Call Doc.” Neptune unsheathed his space gun. “I’m going to the bridge.”

I understood. As bad as the scene down here was, if there were loose greys on the ship, then who knew what they wanted. Divide and conquer. It was our only chance to get ahead of whoever wanted to keep us from arriving at Saturn.

I radioed Medi-Bay. “Security section to Medi-Bay. Code Navy Blue. Repeat, Code Navy Blue.”

“Who is this. Sylvia? Don’t challenge me on this. I know he’s your dad but he’s an escaped convict. I’ve already contacted Federation Council and arranged for them to meet us on Saturn.”

“Doc!” I said sharply. “There was a breach. My dad—the prisoner—needs medical help.”

“But—”

“Now, Doc. Confidential. Come to security section. Please hurry.”

“I’ll be right there.”

I knew Neptune was right. We didn’t know what had happened. We—I—hadn’t even admitted if I was ready to trust my dad. He could be faking, or collaborating with the greys, or booby-trapped, or positioned to release a toxic gas in security, or ready to attack—

“Sylvia,” he said. His eyes opened and closed, opened and closed. “Is that you?”

“Dad,” I said. Everything I’d just thought melted away. I dropped back down on my knees and sandwiched his hand between mine. “Doc’s on his way. Hang on. He’ll fix you.”

“It’s not what you think,” he said.

“Shhh. We’ll have time to talk when you’re better. Relax.” What was taking Doc so long? My dad coughed. I recognized the sound. He was struggling to get breathable air. I pulled a sublingual oxygen tablet out of my pocket and slipped it into his mouth. He closed his eyes and the tablet dissolved. He was all Plunian, not half like me, and it would be harder for his system to equalize in the thin air down here. The oxygen tablet would help.

The elevator arrived, and Doc stepped out. I held my breath until I knew he was alone. “Stand back. I need room,” he said.

I eased myself away from my dad’s body and stood. “He’s low on oxygen. I gave him a tablet. He’s drifting in and out. Neptune and I found him bleeding on the floor of the cell.”

Doc held his infrared thermometer an inch from my dad’s temple. The device beeped. Doc’s face twisted into concern when he checked the reading.

“I need this area quarantined,” he said.

“Why? What—what’s wrong?”

“This man is extremely sick. I can’t move him. Tell that security ape masquerading as the captain that his holding cell is off limits. I’m using it to operate. Get Kentaro.”

“No,” I said.

“That wasn’t a question, Lieutenant, and the last time I checked, your rank was below mine. Now get Kentaro and tell him to bring that robot of his. I’m going to need help.”

I stood with my feet rooted to the floor and not because the magnetic paint was interacting with the soles of my gravity boots.

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