On a Rogue Planet (13 page)

“No, no. You guys had a hairy time there on Rhage.” Lala did a little twirl. “I wanted to do something to help. A home-cooked meal is supposed to soothe the stomach.” Her lips twisted. “Or the heart or soul, or something. I don’t remember now.”

Xander shook his head. “We have work—”

Lala stopped, her eyes narrowing. “You require food, don’t you, Mr. Sexy Cyborg? Not just engine oil?”

Xander’s tone turned wary. “Yes, but—”

Her hands went to her narrow hips. “You need to refuel after the mission?”

“Yes—”

“All those hard muscles of yours don’t just form themselves, right?” She gave a definitive nod. “You can work and eat at the same time.”

Mal covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hide her smile. One deadly cyborg versus one skinny, teenaged explosive expert. Right now, the cyborg was losing.

“The guy’s toast,” a laughing voice whispered in Mal’s ear.

Mal spun with a gasp. “Zayn!” She threw her arms around her cousin. “When did you get back?”

“Just now. Heard you guys were having fun without us.” He shot her a grin. Behind him, an athletic blonde stalked up.

“Hi, Ria.” Mal pressed a quick kiss to the former assassin’s cheek. “I won’t ask how the honeymoon was, you’re glowing.”

The other woman grinned. “Yes, your cousin—” her gaze landed on her new husband and her eyes softened “—is a very creative man.”

Zayn winked. “I aim to please.”

Ria leaned into his side. “As long as you only aim to please me.”

“Absolutely, babe. I don’t want to find myself with my throat slit while I’m sleeping.” His face sobered and he looked across the room to where Lala was still laying into a silent Xander. “Didn’t expect to find a CenSec here. He’s not going to hurt her is he?”

Mal bristled. “Of course he isn’t. I actually think he’s kind of fond of her.”

A funny expression crossed Zayn’s face. “I didn’t think CenSecs were fond of anything but killing.”

“Right, that’s settled.” Lala dusted her hands off, then pointed to the large, battered table on the far side of the room. “Sit your delectable enhanced butt down over there.”

Hmm, maybe Lala was pressing her luck just a little bit. Mal started forward but when Xander moved to the table and sat, she grinned. The man was perfect.

The Phoenix clan all settled around the table. It was laden with plates and platters piled high with various foodstuffs. Some of it Mal could identify and thought looked pretty edible. Some of it—she winced at the sight of a plate of gray, jellied-looking goop—did not.

“I’ve made a selection of food from around the galaxy.” Lala flung an arm out like a game-show host. “Aborian rice from the Devil’s Nebula.” She winked at Ria. “Roasted suka from Zerzuza.” The three Phoenix men smiled at their home world signature dish. “And pickled tetronide from Centax.” She pointed to a bowl of dark blue fluid.

Xander blinked. “Tetronide is a poison. We use it as a chemical weapon.”

Lala’s smile slipped. “Oh, I thought it was a delicacy?”

“No.” His voice sounded just a tiny bit strangled.

Her smile disappeared. “Hmm, I must have gotten confused. I was reading a recipe collection and a Centaxian weapons guide while I was cooking.”

Under the table, Mal gripped Xander’s thigh. He glanced her way, his big hand covering hers, his fingers rubbing across her knuckles.

“I am very…honored you made this, Lala.” He glanced at Mal, then back at Lala. “Maybe I can use some of the tetronide later to make some chemical grenades?”

Mal’s heart melted. She knew there was more heart in him then he gave himself credit for.

Lala’s smile was back. “That’s so sweet. But for now, why don’t you try some Terran chocolate mousse. I’m pretty sure I didn’t get that mixed up with a poison.” She nudged the brown dish forward.

Everyone started eating and soon worked out what was palatable. The other dishes mysteriously disappeared from the table. Lala was beaming, reigning from her chair at the end of the table.

A chime sounded and one of the many screens lining the far wall lit up. “I’ve finished my searches.” BEll’s voice filled the room.

Beside Mal, Xander stiffened.

BEll let out a sighing noise. “I have no record of a planet called Technis in any recorded star system in my databases. I’ve checked current and ancient sources.”

Xander planted his palms on the table, and stared straight ahead. Mal didn’t know what to say or do to help him.

“Technis?” Lala popped a red grape in her mouth and chewed. “Of course you won’t find it in any star system.”

All sound at the table ceased. Mal set her knife and fork down. “What do you mean, Lala?”

“It isn’t in a star system.” The girl licked her fingers. “Is that where the Antikythera was taken?”

“Yes.” Xander leaned forward. “You know where Technis is located?”

“No. But I know
what
it is.”

“Lala!” Mal was worried the tension in Xander was going to explode all over the table.

“It’s a rogue planet.”

Everyone broke out talking at once.

“A planet that doesn’t orbit a sun—”

“They’re also called nomad or orphan planets, right?”

“Can life even survive on a rogue planet? Aren’t they just ice?”

A fist slammed onto the table and everyone went quiet. Xander stood. “I’m searching my databases, but BEll, do you have any information?”

“Coming through now. I had to pull it from the Galactic Institute of Astronomical Charting database.” An image flashed onto the screen on the wall. “This is the last known image of Technis.”

It was a plain, dark-blue planet, almost unremarkable.

“Can it sustain life?” Xander demanded.

“Some rogue planets can. It depends on their size, how they were formed. After being ejected from their sun, the surface usually freezes, but under the thick ice there can be subsurface oceans. Life is sustained by geothermal energy.”

Why would anyone want to live somewhere so harsh? Mal wondered. “Technis is like this?”

“No. Technis is a little different,” BEll said. “It has a thick atmosphere rich in molecular hydrogen. It provides enough insulation and pressure to keep the oceans liquid at the surface and sustain some life.”

“That’s incredible,” Eos said.

“Don’t be fooled. It is still very inhospitable to most humanoid life. Reports are that most of the indigenous life forms are very…primitive. There is a colony near the equator, built underground and fueled by the planet’s geothermal energy.”

“Where is the planet?” Xander demanded.

BEll was uncharacteristically silent for a moment. “I don’t know.”

“What?” Xander’s voice was deathly quiet.

Mal stood, her hand on Xander’s tense back. “Doesn’t it have a…well obviously not an orbit, but some known path?”

“No. It literally wanders the galaxy.”

“What was its last recorded position?” Mal asked.

Another image appeared on a second screen. It showed a ramshackle space station shaped like a large cylinder with various docking arms running off it. It looked like a beaten-up service syndroid floating in space.

“Fuck.” Dathan sank back into his chair.

“Galaxy’s Edge,” Niklas said, shaking his head.

“Yes. Technis passed within fifty million kilometers of Galaxy’s Edge before leaving charted space.”

Mal studied the image. She’d never been to the infamous space station. It had a reputation for being…wild. It literally sat on the border of charted and uncharted space. It was the last stop-off point for deep space convoys headed into the unknown. It was said to be filled with adventurers, explorers, smugglers and missionaries all looking to make their fortunes.

“But that was several months ago,” BEll added in an apologetic tone.

One of Xander’s hands curled into a fist. “We don’t have time to search through uncharted space. It could be anywhere.”

Dathan tapped a finger against his lips. “Someone at Galaxy’s Edge must know where it is. These crazy explorers talk to each other about what they run into when they’re out in the black.”

Xander’s head snapped up. “I have to go to Galaxy’s Edge.”

“
We
have to go,” Mal said.

Dathan straightened. “You’ve done enough—”

“No. My friend was hurt, his wife sent into slavery.” Mal shook her head. “This is my hunt now, too.”

“The people who call the Edge home don’t like outsiders.” Niklas’s quiet voice. “They’ll let you buy them a drink but they won’t talk.”

Mal felt a curl of excitement. Maybe she could help. “I know someone at Galaxy’s Edge.”

Everyone turned to stare at her. She felt Xander’s intense regard.

“Who?” he demanded.

But it was Dathan, Nik and Zayn she looked at. “Our cousins. The
other
Phoenix brothers.”

***

Xander heard the three men curse and groan.

“You don’t like your cousins?” he asked.

“No.” Dathan slammed his chair back. “We don’t.”

Mal snorted. “You haven’t seen them since you were twelve.”

“Yeah, but I still remember the black eye that bastard, Dare, gave me.”

“And Justyn broke my prized model of a Talon fighter I’d spent days making,” Zayn added.

“I thought Rynan wasn’t bad,” Niklas said. “Although he did crack the encryption on my Sync and uploaded a virus.”

Malin huffed out a breath. “They aren’t bad guys.”

“They aren’t good guys, either,” Zayn said.

“True.” Malin raised an eyebrow. “But people say the same about you three.”

The men grumbled under their breath.

Malin turned to Xander. “I’ve kept in touch with Dare, Justyn and Rynan. They sometimes send me salvage. If I ask, I’m sure they’ll help. If they don’t know where Technis is, then they’re likely to know someone who does. Someone far more likely to talk to them then us.”

Xander felt a surge of adrenaline. The trail wasn’t cold. And he had Malin to thank for that. “Can you call them?”

“I can try but they aren’t easy to track down. They stay at Galaxy’s Edge when they aren’t on a convoy, but they don’t have a permanent base there.”

Damn. Xander prayed these other Phoenix brothers were taking some down time.

“If they’re out in uncharted space…”

Malin didn’t have to finish that thought. If the Phoenix cousins weren’t at Galaxy’s Edge, there would be no way to contact them.

“Dare is a convoy master. He’s leader of the Phoenix convoy. He’s…pretty intense,” Malin said.

“Intense?”

“Uh, scary. I think scary is a prerequisite of being in charge of leading people into the unknown.”

“And the others?”

“Rynan runs security for the convoy. He’s pretty solid.” She pulled a face. “Justyn is a bit of a wildcard. Sometimes he works the convoy with his brothers, sometimes he just does his own thing.”

Dathan snorted. “You mean he smuggles back all kinds of shit from uncharted space. Exotic foods, tech, artifacts, weapons, you name it.”

“Well…yeah.”

“Guy’s name is always on the Anti-Smuggling Patrol wanted lists. He’s always trying to outrun the patrols and pissing them off in the process.”

Malin grinned. “He does have flare for pissing off the authorities.” She tilted her head. “Sort of like you guys.”

“Shut up.” Dathan mock scowled at her. “We are nothing like those degenerates.”

“I think there’s an old Earth saying about a pot and a kettle.” She tapped her chin, lost in thought, then shook her head. “It escapes me right now, but I think it’d fit this situation.”

“How long will it take to get to Galaxy’s Edge?” Xander asked.

“Thirty-six hours at interstellar speed,” Zayn answered. “I’ve had the dubious pleasure of visiting there previously.”

“When can we leave?”

The brothers shared a look. Dathan shrugged. “It’s your e-creds, CenSec.”

“Then we leave now.”

Zayn stood. “I’ll fuel up the ship.” He flicked a glance at Dathan. “And smooth out the numerous technical glitches from your rough treatment of my girl.”

Dathan grinned. “You’re talking about your ship, right? Not your wife.”

Xander watched Eos and Ria roll their eyes at each other.

Malin stepped in front of Xander, nabbing his attention. “I’ll try and contact Dare.”

He gave a short nod. “Thank you.”

Leaving them, he made his way back to the room Malin had showed him to earlier. He paced the small space, feeling a need to expend some energy.

He fought back thoughts of his team, Axton and those stuck on Centax. This lead at Galaxy’s Edge would pay off. It had to.

Mal watched as Galaxy’s Edge filled the angular synth-glass windows of the
Infinitas
.

She’d been to space stations before. Generally neat, tidy, organized ones. This station was big and beaten up and if its notorious reputation was true, rougher than steel wool. It had a cylindrical center covered in windows—some lit and others dark. Long arms extended off from the central core. Docking arms for all the ships that stopped here before gathering courage and supplies to head out beyond charted space.

And there were lots of ships.

She listened with half an ear to Zayn talking to Galaxy’s Edge Docking Control for a docking bay. She eyed all the ships like they were candy. Ooh, a Bree’na tradeship with an upgraded hyperdrive. A Luxan freightership. And an old Rendarian cruiser that she knew would have some awesome tech. She would
love
to get her hands on that.

Okay, time to stop drooling over the ships and pay attention to what was about to happen. Beside her, Xander was quiet, all his focus on the space station.

They hadn’t had a minute alone since they’d left Khan. The mission had taken over. Mal sighed. She’d always known his mission came first, time with her a distant second. But she had to admit it rankled.

“We’ll be meeting Dare and the others soon,” she said.

Xander nodded.

She’d thankfully managed to make contact with Dare Phoenix and he’d agreed to meet them at a bar called Moonrakers. Zayn had warned them it was seedy and more than a little wild. It attracted an eclectic mix of adventurers, smugglers and off-duty Patrol officers.

She couldn’t wait to see it.