Destiny Abounds (Starlight Saga Book 1) (43 page)

“I ain’t been exactly honest with you, Cap’n.” Zimi shuffled a little from foot to foot, but then suddenly looked up at her, seeming almost alarmed. “Not that I exactly lied to you or nothin,’ I don’t want ya t’ think that. It’s just… I got this thing that I, well…”

Watching Zimi shuffle awkwardly as she tried to confess her issue, Branwen was suddenly struck by their age difference, and had to clamp down her will to keep the familiarity of the scenario from sending her back in time, to memories now laced with the pain of loss. “Whatever it is, it will be all right. Take your time.” She clasped the girl’s shoulder firmly, both for Zimi’s comfort and to anchor herself to the present, where she could actually make a difference.

Zimi calmed, taking in a deep breath and releasing it slowly. “I feel like I need to bring it up now ‘cause it might be about to come in handy.” She hesitated again, using Branwen’s friendly grip and the pause to settle her nerves. “Y’ know how I was talkin’ about how I kept runnin’ across people who had a habit of takin’ advantage of bad-off folks, out in the outer reaches of different worlds?”

Branwen nodded. “Aye.”

“Well, truth is, I got fed up with watchin’ it happen. Seein’ people starve or suffer or live all sick just because somebody else wants to line their own pockets, or not do what they’re supposed to? It burns me up, Cap’n.” Her voice rose as she spoke, not getting loud, but rather resolute. Angry, even; Zimi’s embarrassment seeming forgotten, burned away by the momentary heat of her words. “So I decided kinda early on that maybe someone should take that stuff back from them, y’ know?”

Branwen’s eyebrows shot up. “You robbed those people?” It wasn’t really what she’d expected this talk to be about at all.

Zimi’s embarrassment seemed to creep back in. No, Branwen realized; it wasn’t embarrassment. “I don’t want you to think bad of me, Cap’n.” That was it. Her head rose to meet her Captain’s gaze, and though her eyes shone, it was as much with resolution as anything else. “But I don’t regret it none, either. I had to do somethin,’ ‘cause somebody had to do something. So I went from place to place, and I helped people with my medicine, and taught them stuff… but if they were bad off because they weren’t gettin’ what they shoulda been, I went and helped take it back. Where I could.”

“Because if no one stands up and helps, no one ever will.”

Zimi nodded. “Somethin’ like that, Cap’n. You make it sound all… I dunno, noble or something.” Her face was still reddened, visibly warm from the mixed emotions underneath. She wiped the wet rims of her eyes on the sleeve of her loose grey shirt.

“I will not deny the inherent nobility in risking oneself to make things right for others. You should not either.” Branwen gave her a level, friendly, look.

After a few moments Zimi smiled, like the sun breaking through an overcast sky. “You make it sound awesome when you say it with your Fade accent an’ all, Cap’n.” She broke into a giggle, but it dissolved too quickly. “I guess I feel better, but it ain’t all I need to get off my chest, Cap’n.”

Branwen glanced up and down the hall. She heard a momentary noise, a door sliding open and closed, but Sirrah did not yet reappear. “It seems a good time for it.” As before, she gave her young medic her most reassuring expression.

“I’m th’ reason y’ almost died back on Pireida.”

Branwen just blinked her sapphire eyes back at the girl for a moment. “I am afraid I fail to follow.”

Zimi sighed, guilt eclipsing the other emotions that warred for territory on her face. “Back where we met, I’d already been stealin’ supplies back for a couple of months. In response, th’ local overseer started throttlin’ supplies even more, and hirin’ mercenaries to distribute medicine and stuff to th’ other places willin’ to line his pocket.”

“So, he hired us to make the delivery, instead of just the drop-off.” She nodded her assent to the sensible reasoning. “But that whimsy of chance hardly puts you at fault for my misfortune, Zimi.”

The girl shook her head insistently. “I ain’t buyin’ it, Cap’n. Things went bad there, worse than they ever had before. The Overseer pressured the outer settlements, knowin’ that somebody out there was behind it. So he kept on makin’ stuff even worse for the out-lyin’ towns, and then they started gettin’ all desperate.”

“And you think that the blame for this lies at your own feet?” Zimi hesitantly nodded. Branwen snorted sharply in response, shaking her head forcefully. “Let me tell you something, Zimi.” Branwen leaned back against the wall, purposefully cutting down on the difference between their heights. “There is only one way to deal with terrorism: never give in.”

Zimi sniffed a little wiping her eyes again, but nodded and listened as Branwen continued. “You did the right thing, every step of the way. When those in charge stole, you evened the odds, providing what was needed, what was right. When they responded to the thefts without compassion, you stayed with the people and helped them through it. When the townsfolk tried to harm others to get what they needed, you tried to talk them out of it.” She made sure she captured Zimi’s gaze before making her final point. “And when they nearly took my life, you saved it. This is not something any of us will forget, Zimi Praff.”

The slip of a girl darted forward, abruptly hugging Branwen against the wall and burying an undoubtedly tearful face against her ample chest. “Still, I’m so sorry, Cap’n.”

“If we add the burdens of villains to our own, we will never be able to rise to our feet.” After a moment, Zimi looked back up, starting to smile once more. “If you do the best you can, the right thing, every step of the way, there is no room for regret.” It was good advice. It had been good advice when it had been given to her as well, so many years ago.

“Captain?” Sirrah’s voice from nearby made Branwen blink; she’d been so absorbed with the issue at hand that she hadn’t heard the approach of the Kala’s delicate boots on the
Destiny’s
carpeted hall. “Is everything alright?”

Branwen looked down at Zimi, who gave her another squeeze before nodding and releasing her, wiping her emerald eyes a final time. “Well, just to say, I’m here if you can use me, Cap’n. For what we’ve been talkin’ about.”

“I may well take you up on the offer.” She cut her gaze from Zimi to Sirrah. “You have news, then?”

“Yes, Captain.”

Within a couple of minutes, everyone had filed back into the dining area and rearranged themselves about the table, Branwen once again sitting at the head. Some habits were hard to break, she supposed. She watched for a moment as Mr. Leonard hovered concernedly about Zimi, the residue of her emotional stress still visible. But she didn’t linger long on her crew, instead directing her attention back to Sirrah. She couldn’t see it on her face or in her movements, but she could practically feel the tense energy coming off of the Kala. “What did you find out, Kala?”

Sirrah took a gentle breath and began. “Oran Yustari contacted the Kalaset about Kala Tiala’s disappearance.”

Merlo leaned in sharply, obviously excited. “So,
was
it him?” A plate of food resting in front of Merlo slid subtly to the side, sheathed in a quiet glow of Kinetic energy, coming to rest before Prisoner 286 instead. Distracted by the promise of new information, Merlo failed to notice the theft.

“No.” Sirrah shook her head, to Merlo’s palpable disappointment. “He opened his accounts and private records to the Kalaset, proving he had nothing to do with Tiala’s disappearance.”

“Damn! I was sure it was him.” Merlo sat back, looking for her food, which was by now halfway into Prisoner 286’s mouth. She glared at the woman in exasperation. 286’s food-stuffed mouth split into an incorrigible, theft-confirming smile.

“There may have been some… disquieting facts revealed in his data, but Lumina Kienna is satisfied with his lack of involvement. But,” Sirrah said, raising a hand for emphasis, “He also provided us with some valuable assistance.” Sirrah continued, catching Branwen’s eye in particular from across the table. “It’s unfortunately not information that comes through any official channels or reputable sources. But Lumina Kienna says it checks out as far as we can tell.”

“So it’s from his criminal connections.” 286 grinned up from over the remains of Merlo’s food.

After a moment’s hesitance, Sirrah nodded. “It seems likely.”

286 grunted dismissively, shaking her head. “Nothing likely about it. I’ve been on Odesa’s streets. I know who Oran Yustari is.” She carved off a piece of egg and meat and stuffed her mouth dangerously full while everyone eyed her.

“Anyway,” Sirrah continued as if she’d never been interrupted, “I don’t have the full details, but Lumina Kienna says that the information provided points fingers squarely at Jori Stone as the last person to see Tiala before she disappeared.”

“Which means he lied to us.” Branwen thumped the table lightly for emphasis.

“Yeah, well, that works. I didn’t like him either.” Merlo commented with a shrug, having given up the struggle for control of her plate in favor of paying attention to the discussion. “So what now, Captain?”

Branwen once again found everyone looking to her for answers, but this time Sirrah spoke first. “We still don’t have any incriminating evidence, nothing of the legal caliber that would make the Urzran authorities act. We’re not even sure about the level of Stone’s involvement, just that he indeed saw Tiala before she disappeared, and thus that he is hiding something.”

Mr. Leonard finally seated himself, sliding a chair in next to Zimi. “What about the Altairan authorities? They may not have any jurisdiction here, but certainly they would take the issue seriously, and put pressure on the Urzran government to act. Right?” He glanced around the table hopefully.

Sirrah shook her head as if that were unacceptable. “But after how long? Long enough for Tiala to disappear completely and her abductor to cover their tracks? I cannot allow that.” Even 286 looked up at the sudden steel in her voice, but the Kala smoothed her tone immediately with the emphasis of a small, gentle smile. “I trust in the Legion's justice, but we have reason to believe that Urzra will not play by the rules, and if that is the case, then neither can we.”

“Indeed.” Branwen stood. “We must act. We cannot stand by and simply do nothing, ignoring the peril Kala Tiala may be in.” She laid her large datapad down on the table and exchanged a look with Mr. Leonard, and he flicked some information to it with a minute gesture. Information streams scrolled for a moment, then coalesced into a map of Kharvid, highlighting where they had met Stone previously. She noted the feeling of relief around Sirrah, as if perhaps the Kala was glad to have the decision and call for action taken on by someone other than herself. Leaning over the table, Branwen tapped the pad experimentally. “This is where we met him before, and seems to be…”

Branwen trailed off as Zimi also stood, leaning over to get a good view of her datapad and looking a little nervous, but shaking her head. “That ain’t how we should do it, Cap’n.” Mr. Leonard and Merlo, in particular, gave the girl perplexed looks, but Branwen privately applauded her courage. “We gotta find where he lives. If he’s got secrets like all that, he ain’t gonna have ‘em out at a public place. It’s gonna be private.”

Mr. Leonard shook his head. “Jori Stone’s residence isn’t a matter of public record; I already checked. I’m sorry.”

Prisoner 286 nodded, swallowing the last of her ill-gotten dinner with an audible gulp. “She’s right, though. You go where he lives if you want more clues.” She gestured indicatively toward Branwen with the sharp end of her utensil. “But how are you going to find out where he is, if he doesn't want you to? If he’s been hiding his tracks so well the Kalaset and all these other assholes can’t find whatever he’s been up to?”

Branwen shared a look with the rest of her table, an undeniable consensus of grim uncertainty despite the seeming lack of care from Prisoner 286.

Then Sirrah looked up, the inspiration on her face a ray of light in the darkness of the conundrum. “Forona Medlava.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Direct Contact

Branwen

“I need her.” It was the first thing out of Captain Hawke’s mouth once she and Sirrah were alone in the dining area. Everyone else had been sent off with a task or request to further their current goal, save of course for Prisoner 286, who had followed Merlo to the bridge anyway.

The Captain didn’t need to elaborate; she knew Sirrah would understand what this was about. “I understand, Captain. But there are complications.” Sirrah had been hesitant on 286’s involvement from the very beginning; the Altairan officers with whom she’d dealt had taken it for granted that a member of the Kalaset wouldn’t find herself in or near violent situations very often, and there had been few plans on how to deal with her obligations with 286 otherwise. She’d begun by simply trying to keep the woman clear of any altercations, but that seemed impossible now. Even with the heavy worries of Tiala’s welfare looming ever darker over her head, she had reservations about committing 286 to a possible combat scenario.

She’d already seen firsthand how asking the Prisoner to assist with a relatively simple task could result in ubiquitous collateral damage; who knew what she would do if involved in a more serious scenario.

“No offense intended, Kala, but it needs to become uncomplicated, and quickly.” Sirrah blinked. She knew it was likely Branwen’s unfamiliarity speaking, but people didn’t talk to the Kalaset that way, so it took her briefly aback. “We have less than three hours until we can act, and much we need to do to be ready. Furthermore, I have only myself and Merlo who are highly combat capable, should something occur. Governor Medlava specifically mentioned that Stone has a habit of hiring private guards. Prisoner 286 is strong. I need that insurance should something go wrong.”