Star Relic by Clara Woods

Author:Clara Woods [Woods, Clara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-08-15T06:00:00+00:00

21 The Data Center

“Help, being followed. Lower level, section 6.”

“That’s all?” Persia asked, craning her neck to read the message off Lenah’s wristpiece.

“Yup.”

“She might just be sensitive to people staring at her cut antennas.”

“And what if she’s not?” Lenah doubted that was the reason. Why would Uz suddenly be more sensitive than normal? “Persia, here’s the money. Go buy all the things on the list, then get the ship ready. Cassius, let’s go to the data center.”

“Why can’t I come?” Persia crossed her arms, tapping a pocket where Lenah suspected she had a weapon.

“Because you didn’t take it seriously,” Cassius grumbled before Lenah could answer. “Besides, Lenah’s a better shot.”

“Thanks for the compliment,” Lenah told Cassius as they made their way to the knowledge terminal.

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

“Oh.”

He looked down at her. “You’re not a hopeless case, and you don’t fight to look pretty. But you’re badly in need of training.”

As much as Lenah wanted to come up with a clever remark, she couldn’t. Cassius was right. The thought to ask him to train her occurred to her, but she wasn’t ready to trust him that much. While he could kill her any time but hadn’t done it, maybe he’d enjoy torturing her in training because of her inappropriate comments.

“The knowledge terminal should be up ahead,” she said instead, and was still looking down at her wristpiece when a metal hand closed around her arm to stop her. At least this time her body didn’t jerk into a full-blown adrenaline rush.

“Someone’s there waiting for us.”

Lenah looked ahead in the same direction as him, but didn’t see anything strange. They were in a busy corridor. Several wide lanes for vehicles and pedestrians led through a high-vaulted hallway. Like a temple, the Lunara Station Knowledge Terminal stood before them. Big stairs led up to a columned entrance. The building itself was a square tower decorated with intricate stone carvings. Large letters in stonework proclaimed it to be built in 198 P.E., Post-Escape from Old Earth.

“How do you know?” she whispered.

“I heard them talking about us.”

“You heard someone out of all these voices?” There were dozens, if not a hundred people around, and Lenah couldn’t even understand the conversation closest to them.

“Hearing enhancements.” He tapped the side of his head, confirming her earlier suspicion. “Let’s turn that way.”

Cassius led her in a big arc around the building. The knowledge terminal was one of the few freestanding buildings on Lunara Station, and had obviously been important in its day.

Before they turned the last corner, Cassius stopped her again, motioning for her to stay back. Then he was gone. A moment later, she heard something clatter to the floor, followed by a heavy thump. Peeking around the corner, she saw that a laser gun now lying on the floor without its owner had caused the clattering, and the thump must have come from one of the two unconscious guards crumpled next to it.

“You know, these are guards, not people trying to murder us. There’s no need to smash them like that.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.