《Whiskey Rivers: Far Space》


 Chapter One

    Stars rush by viewports in a blur as Whiskey Rivers FTL hurdles them towards their next drill site. The recycled air has a slightly dusty scent. No amount of air purification can catch all the mining dust.


    The bridge is clean but rusted, with tape holding consoles and controls together. Wires hang from the ceiling, bundled in a messy but organized fashion. There are bucket seats for four people. Sanders leans over the controls, hands moving from a rusted metallic console to a set of handles and knobs older than he is. He enjoys these moments when he¡¯s alone with the stars. Growing up on Titan, he dreamt of life away from the agro domes surrounded by stars.


    He sings quietly to fill the soft drone that is constantly present. ¡°Oh, the corridor we walk¡¯s tired¡¯n¡¯broken/things we do been done before...¡± he continues humming, he can never remember all the lyrics. A control sticks, and the humming takes on a frustrated edge. Sanders¡¯ massive tawny hand wraps around the shifter, veins popping out of his muscular tattooed forearms.


    ¡°Sumabitch, not again.¡± Sanders shakes harder, grunting and grumbling at it. The damn thing always gives him trouble.


    The stick pops off in his hand. ¡°Well, shit.¡± He taps the comms, ¡°Broke a shift again.¡±


    Sanders tries to put the pieces back together. His fingers fly over a set of controls. The stars outside the viewports continue to move faster.


    Sanders taps the comms again. ¡°Ah hell, Xiang!¡±


    Xiang breaks the static with an annoyed, ¡°What!?¡±


    ¡°Broke a shift again! Less you wanna overshoot by a few light years, need a slow.¡±


    Xiang fires off Candarin too fast for the translators to catch. The comm line goes dead.


    Sanders¡¯ fingers fly over the other controls. The ship slows, the stars are no longer rushing by in a blur.


    ¡°Thanks, Xiang! Can ya do the shifter next?¡± he asks.


    There¡¯s a short, groggy laugh. ¡°No!¡± then the link cuts out.


    Sanders continues to try to fix the piece he broke, humming again.


    An alarm¡¯s shrill pulse echoes through the ship and lights the corridors with orange flashes. Sanders is drooling on the console sound asleep, broken shifter clutched in his hand. The alarm causes him to sit up and bang his head on a panel that shifted. He rubs his head, hits three buttons to start scans, then silences the alarm.


    Sanders taps his comms, ¡°Captain...¡±


    Chakrum walks onto the bridge, yawning. ¡°To a bridge,¡± Chakrum mutters, rubbing her scarred face as she walks up behind Sanders. ¡°Ya break a skip?¡±


    She picks up the piece and in less than ten seconds has it fixed. Sanders can¡¯t keep the thing together; she has to fix it for him at least once a week. Probably has to do with the fact he¡¯s from Titan. They don¡¯t grow up on ships but under domes. He¡¯s a helluva a flyer though, and Chakrum¡¯s pleased to have him.


    Sanders rolls his shoulders. A series of cracks and pops sing from his joints. ¡°Ever always, Cap. Sensors read retirement level titanium, tungsten, magnesium.¡±


    Chakrum runs a mahogany hand through her curly black mohawk. ¡°Hm?¡±


    Sanders works the controls, and he grins. ¡°Ain¡¯t it purty? Eye ¡®em readouts!¡±


    The levels are off the charts. Filling the screens like a heartbeat going too fast. Chakrum blinks her rich brown eyes and rubs at the sleep crusted in the corners. She lets out a long, low whistle as she traces the lines on the screen.


    Is a game change. ¡°Any claim?¡± Chakrum asks.


    Sanders reads another screen and shakes his head. ¡°Ever¡¯one know far space ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ but empty.¡±


    Chakrum¡¯s pale finger taps the screen with the readouts and she grins. ¡°Not empty. Raise our flag by book so Feds no stomp¡¯n.¡±


    Sanders started the paperwork the second he got the readings from the first scan. Another screen¡¯s up where he¡¯s filling it out. ¡°Yep, goin¡¯ now.¡±


    ¡°T¡¯anks, Sanders. Am get Carrera prep bay one,¡± Chakrum says, unwilling to waste a second. They need to land and start mining immediately to avoid anyone stealing their load.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    As she¡¯s walking off the bridge, a bloated corpse hits the viewport. Mouth open in a terrified scream, angst frozen on the collapsed face.


    ¡°A fuck!?¡± Sanders shouts, jumping out of his seat, crossing himself.


    Chakrum glances out another viewport as the corpse floats by. She shudders, pounds her chest twice and touches her forehead, heart, then lips. She mouths a quick prayer for the poor bastard. ¡°Floater. Full scan a region debris.¡±


    Sanders widens his scans. The screens are still. He shakes his head. ¡°Just our chunka rock.¡±


    As they creep around the asteroid looking for a landing site, the forward lamps catch a glint of refracted light. Sanders swings the light back and does a focused scan. The screen reacts, and a shaded metal structure comes out of the wiggly lines and static.


    Sanders scratches at his unruly beard and adjusts a knob, trying to clear up the image. ¡°Eye some kinda artificial structure... Scan now.¡±


    Chakrum folds her arms and flicks a snap on the stressed, faded elbow of her oil-stained work shirt. She chews her lip, eyes floating from the window to the screen. ¡°What inna ¡®at?¡±


    Sanders¡¯ hands move over the controls, but there¡¯s nothing but static and blurred lines. Adjusting knobs he shakes his head. He¡¯s never seen tech like this off the colonies or inner planets. ¡°Scans can¡¯t penetrate the door. Hollerin¡¯ now.¡±


    Sanders hits another series of buttons, but there¡¯s only a low beep and static. He shrugs. ¡°Not even auto-response.¡±


    Chakrum rubs her angular chin and sucks her teeth. She folds her arms again, staring out the window at the barely visible door. She cracks her neck, rolls her shoulders, and shakes herself. ¡°Am eye it Reeves.¡±


    Sanders readjusts himself and shakes his head. ¡°A tingle somethin¡¯ bad¡¯s down there.¡±


    Chakrum laughs hard and slaps Sanders on the back. ¡°Ono¡¯ll come, him go stir crazy.¡±


    Sanders smiles ruefully. ¡°Just don¡¯t want none goin¡¯ sideways.¡±


    Chakrum hits the comms, ¡°Reeves, Ono, meet me atta hopper. Ono bring¡¯r babies, Reeves needa full kit.¡±


    A few seconds of static before Ono¡¯s rich baritone comes back, sleep clutching his words as he says, ¡°Sounds good, I¡¯ll be ready for mayhem, Cap.¡±


    ¡°Everything onna up, need any adds onna kit?¡± Reeves asks with a lilting Irish brogue.


    Chakrum loves that Reeves tries spacer speak. She¡¯s getting better at not laughing. She shrugs at the comms. ¡°Floater knock twice. Xiang in charge. Carrera, Endo, prep bay one extraction.¡± Turning to pat Sanders¡¯ broad shoulder. ¡°Get continuous scan.¡±


    Chakrum walks into the shuttle bay, pulling ancient worn space gloves on and snapping them into place. There are patches on the palms where she¡¯s worn through them. The suit is decades old, she¡¯s been using it since she was seventeen, before that it was her mothers. With all the repairs and patches, it looks like the quilt Sanders wraps up in when they have to lower the environmental controls to save fuel and credits. Stepping onto the shuttle, Chakrum clicks her helmet in place.


    Before long Reeves shuffles in causing her dark natural curls to bounce, med kit slung cautiously over her shoulder. She adjusts her old gray environmental suit and lowers herself strapping into a bucket seat.


    Right behind her is Ono running a hand over his bald head before popping his helmet on. Chakrum¡¯s always thought it looks like the stars chiseled him from the sky. His suit is too small and strains at the seams, but isn¡¯t as bulky as the ones Reeves and Chakrum wear; its newer and more streamlined. He¡¯s strapped up with more weapons than any one person should own.


    ¡°What do we know?¡± Ono asks.


    Chakrum shrugs with a sign for nothing or no.


    Easing the hopper out of the small shuttle bay takes concentration. They descend towards the asteroid. It¡¯d be nice to know what they¡¯re flying up on, but she knows it¡¯s not smart to sit on a payload this big. Scavengers, pirates, and slavers are venturing further out. Ono and his guns keep her fear at bay.


    Funny thing is, Chakrum shouldn¡¯t even be flying with either of her companions. Both should be dust returned to the stars by now.


    Terrans iced Ono for a hundred Terran years; one of their first cryogenic prisoners. They jailed Reeves on Terra for fifteen Terran years then added fifty on ice when that didn¡¯t deter her from breaking the law again.


    Chakrum didn¡¯t understand what either did wrong. Ono said the Terrans wanted to make an example of him. Reeves said the same, she healed the wrong people? He helped people live their lives as they should be. All spacers know there aren¡¯t two genders, more like dozens. But Terrans used to force folk into one box or the other. They¡¯d look at body parts after birth to determine the child''s gender, which Chakrum finds hilarious.


    Used to be illegal on Terra to help folk be themselves. Ono did anyway, told Chakrum it was his duty to help his community. He¡¯d been through the transition himself. Had to take shots and do all kinds of things to be his true self. Spacers just spend twenty belt minutes in a med booth if their body parts and true self don¡¯t match. Out in space, no one cares who you are, who you love, or what your identity is, long as you¡¯re a good person. Help others, give what you can, show compassion, kindness, and respect.


    Back in Ono¡¯s early days there used to be all kinds of classifications and distinctions. Aren¡¯t now, at least not with spacers. Reeves is a doctor, healing folk and helping them get necessities. They got problems out in space, but nothing like what Terran''s faced back when their rock was still called Earth.


    Chakrum¡¯s glad to have them, even if communication can be hard sometimes. They tried to adopt spacer speech, but they¡¯re Terran''s and they talk like Terran''s.


    Reeves¡¯ feet tap the floor of the hopper, forcing deep breaths in and out. She doesn¡¯t enjoy being in the space suit. The constrictions trigger memories from incarceration, she¡¯s tried to erase a thousand times. ¡°Don¡¯t all your horror vids start this way, Cap? Drop into VR with something that looks too good and next thing everyone¡¯s in pieces.¡±


    Chakrum gets the gist of what Reeves is trying to say. She rocks her hand side to side and checks her sidearms clip. With a breath she tries to speak slow enough they¡¯ll understand her the first time and she won¡¯t have to repeat herself. ¡°We knock, gonna hope none home. Ain¡¯t no buoy, no claim record.¡±


    Ono glances out the viewport at the asteroid coming closer. ¡°Scavengers, slavers, or terrorists?¡±


    Chakrum shrugs and turns her focus to finding a place to land.

 Chapter Two

    CW: Horror shenanigans happen in this chapter. Mention of violence, bodies, and survivors of said horror shenanigans. I try not to be too graphic or gratuitous. Reader discretion is advised.


    The mystery door¡¯s coloring is similar to the rock surrounding it, nearly impossible to see even from this close. Ono holsters his sidearm and pulls his AutoM, clicking the safety off and chambering a round. He doesn¡¯t enjoy going into situations blind, it never ends well for him or his team. He tries to push the anxiety away and mentally prepares for anything. The hopper lands, and there¡¯s a quiet hiss as the airlock opens. It stops with a crunch and screech of metal on metal, only opening halfway.


    Chakrum lets out a frustrated sigh and hits the red comms button on her holo band. ¡°Xiang! Hopper¡¯s aft door stickin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Nah, fixed it, should be on the up,¡± Xiang responds over the garbled hiss of comm static. ¡°Give a love tap. I¡¯ll look when you get back.¡±


    It takes creative maneuvering for Chakrum, Reeves, and Ono to get through the cracked door and onto the asteroid.


    The trio kicks off and land bouncing through the limited gravity.


    Ono enjoys being off the ship, even if it¡¯s in the tiny space suit. The ability to stretch and move around something other than Whiskey Rivers settles his nerves. They¡¯ve been traveling between mining sites, and Ono isn¡¯t handling it well. He hates being cooped up, reminds him of prison.


    Inactive turrets point towards and away from the door.


    Reeves cocks her head, looking from the turrets to Chakrum. ¡°Why have weapons facing towards the door?¡±


    Chakrum¡¯s stomach tightens as they get closer to the door, half expecting the turrets to come to life and end her. She¡¯s a true spacer, third gen, she''d make it back to the shuttle even with a few bullets through her suit. But she doubts Reeves or Ono would be as lucky. Being an ice lolly in space isn¡¯t the same as living in space. Different effects on your biochemistry.


    Even standing in front of the door, Chakrum half expects it to be a mirage, space playing tricks on them.


    ¡°Should we listen to Sanders?¡± Reeves asks, nervously wringing the strap of her med kit.


    Ono suspiciously eyes the turrets. ¡°Think you may be right with that horror vid thing, Saoirse. Cap, you sure about this?¡±


    Chakrum runs a hand over the door. She pulls two magnetic paddles from pockets and attaches them to the door. ¡°Nah. Stab me, gotta eye all right quick.¡±


    ¡°I think she means she has a bad feeling?¡± Reeves translates to Ono before he can ask for clarification.


    The two paddles lock in place and turn to engage. Chakrum, Ono, and Reeves hoist the door open. Well, she and Ono hoist the door and let Reeves believe she¡¯s helping. She¡¯s tiny, most Terran¡¯s are. Ono towers over Reeves, and Chakrum is head and shoulders taller than Ono.


    They duck under the door, Ono twists his paddle, Chakrum does the same. The door almost crushes them as they shove back into terrifying darkness. Reeves lets out a startled yelp, hand going to her chest. Lights on either side of her helmet catch a large crag that looks like a man leaning against the wall.


    While Chakrum can logic away the ill sense that the shadows surrounding them crawl with sinister secrets. It still causes her to shudder as she lifts her arm and engages her holo scanner. The readings that pop up aren¡¯t promising.


    She chews on her lip. ¡°Life support¡¯n¡¯power offline. Oxygen carbon no surviv¡¯ble. Us find console, eye we can power up.¡±


    The helmet¡¯s lights and glow from Chakrum¡¯s scanner are all that light up the eerie space. Its construction is crude and rushed. Nothing but exposed rock, metal beams, and inactive shield generators visible.


    Reeves trips over a body; its swollen, purple, and bloated. She pulls up her scanner and hits two buttons. ¡°Male, forties, brutalized before he died of exposure. The wounds have patterns consistent with Feds interviews.¡±


    Ono scans the area. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what those monsters call torture?¡±


    Feds are the worst of the Terran¡¯s. Chakrum keeps a wide berth. ¡°Fok, ID?¡± Chakrum asks. She taps her chest twice and puts a hand on the shoulder of the corpse, or what she¡¯s assuming is the shoulder.


    Rest easy in the light of the stars, from dust return to dust.


    Reeves nods, takes a small blood sample, and her scanner flashes as it computes. ¡°That can¡¯t be. Says here this poor bastard died on Earth four years ago. He was a suspected terrorist, worked for a resistance faction.¡±


    Chakrum sucks in a breath and shakes her helmeted head, rolling her shoulders. ¡°Ya get ot¡¯er bio reads?¡±


    Reeves is pretty sure the cap wants her to look for any other life signs, she looks at her scanner. Her inability to scan anything outside of where they¡¯re standing makes her uneasy. The only time she¡¯s run into this issue was when her team on earth stumbled into a black site which led to her first arrest. ¡°Erm, there¡¯s enough lead in the material composition I can¡¯t read through any walls. I am picking up other bio data and DNA that doesn¡¯t belong to this person. Can we go home now?¡± Reeves repeats what she said when Cap gives her a blank stare doing her best to say things so Cap will understand.


    Chakrum unholsters her sidearm and flicks the safety off. ¡°Quicker better. Rubble sink a gut, get gone for ¡®em eye a place.¡±


    Ono shakes his head. ¡°Don¡¯t understand, Cap.¡±


    Chakrum lets out an annoyed breath. ¡°Quicker better. Rubble sink a gut, get gone for ¡®em eye a place,¡± she says again, only slower and louder.


    Ono stifles a laugh.


    ¡°Think she wants to look around and get out before whoever ran this place returns,¡± Reeves translates.


    Ono appreciates the fact Saoirse seems to get around the language barrier easier than he does. Probably because she worked with the unregistered back home. She was dealing with dozens of languages and accents; this can¡¯t be much different.


    Ono nods. ¡°Get that, Cap, I do. Place gives me chills, loads of evil in these rocks.¡±


    Reeves and Chakrum continue their scans as Ono looks for something to shoot. He doubts anything can live in an environment like this, but won¡¯t take chances either.


    They walk down the hall and find another body. Reeves can¡¯t find enough uncontaminated DNA for a match. Chakrum didn¡¯t realize one could contaminate DNA, and Reeves used too much Terran as she tried to explain, Chakrum didn¡¯t understand anything she said. It¡¯s always best to nod in those situations, otherwise Reeves spins precious cycles they never have trying to explain.


    The trio comes to a sealed door and force it open. Chakrum turns away and dry heaves. With deep purposeful breaths, she silently offers a prayer for this body, too.


    Frozen maggots fill the body cavities, Reeves bends to take a sample. Hopefully, they will finish soon, so she can go cry in her quarters. ¡°Another suspected terrorist. This was not a good way to die,¡± she murmurs. Her scanner lists the horrific things that happened to the poor bastard before and after death.


    Chakrum doesn¡¯t know how to feel that a retirement level rock comes with this much death and bad juju. She shakes her head, eyes wide. ¡°A fok we struikel?¡± she mutters translator glitching.


    Ono tightens his grip on his AutoM. ¡°Heard about sites where they torture terrorists away from public scrutiny.¡±


    ¡°First arrest was after stumbling on a black site,¡± Reeves offers. ¡°Could be?¡±


    Ono glances at the body and shakes himself. Then looks up at Chakrum, readjusting his gun. ¡°No one can hear you scream in space? Think that¡¯s the saying. This be perfect, nowhere to run or hide. Can¡¯t imagine them abandoning it, though. Something¡¯s not right.¡±


    Chakrum just gives an exaggerated shrug. The next three doors they force open have bodies in various states. Two died from exposure, one from the gruesome wounds suffered. The horrifying state of the space hasn¡¯t done a thing to help Chakrum¡¯s nerves. She wanted an abandoned mine shaft, not this disturbing hidden torture chamber.


    ¡°We should get out of here. The money can¡¯t be worth it,¡± Reeves says, staring at the readings on her holo.


    An unsettled tightness grips Chakrum¡¯s stomach and chest, driving her forward. They have to check the whole place.


    Ono gives Reeves another reassuring squeeze and a smile. ¡°Bet it¡¯s enough to buy you a ticket back to Cork. Is a trip home worth it?¡±


    Reeves stops and stares at Ono, then glances at Chakrum. ¡°Is he serious? Is that the money we¡¯re looking at?¡±


    Chakrum stares blankly. She was too busy with thoughts of the horrific things they¡¯d seen to pay attention.


    Reeves¡¯ hand goes to the helmet she forgot she was wearing as she tries to run a hand through her hair. Chewing her lip she thinks about the phrasing she needs for the Captain. ¡°Uh, is eye a credit t¡¯ get ¡®em boots terra real?¡± Reeves asks.


    Chakrum chuckles, she loves when Reeves tries to mimic spacer speech patterns, it¡¯s hilarious. She understands what Reeves is trying to say though and nods. ¡°Aye onna up, retire offa load, ever all.¡±


    Reeves takes a deep breath and presses on, walking faster. What she wouldn¡¯t give to sit on the porch of her grandfather¡¯s cottage in County Cork and look out over the Atlantic again (assuming its still there). To grab hold of everything stolen from her: her wife, children, life. She pushes those thoughts fast away, those emotional floodgates never stay closed.


    At the end of the hall, Ono and Chakrum force a rusted metal door open using the paddles, and the trio walk into a space designed for pain. There are various machines and blood encrusted tools in crude holders on the walls. The chairs have straps on them with painful props attached. Slavers do terrible things to others, sell bodies, but the minds that designed these tools of torment had to belong to Feds from the inner planets.


    ¡°Fok,¡± Chakrum mutters.


    A bloated person lies on a table, dead from exposure.


    Chakrum scans the space and walks towards a terminal. ¡°Am tryna lights¡¯n¡¯air.¡±


    She sets her scanner on top of the terminal and hits a few buttons. Nothing happens. She tries again. The software is far too sophisticated for her simple device to handle. She can¡¯t even plug in to do a manual hack.


    ¡°Take more simple hack. Eye a livin¡¯, for ¡®em sake, prayers dead. Exposure seem a blessin¡¯ bednyy fok hier,¡± Chakrum mutters, translator glitching again.


    ¡°Uh, aye, Cap?¡±


    Chakrum sucks her teeth and shakes her head. Instead of repeating herself, she just starts walking out of the room and hopes they follow.


    The trio leaves the torture room and enters a new corridor. It has four doors, the first is easy to force open. Chained to the wall, spread eagle is a person in a pink suit. They¡¯re about the same mass and height as Ono, but with more curve to their body. The suit clings tighter than a standard environmental or space suit. Even the helmet is smaller, and it¡¯s attached to a hose hooked into the wall.


    The traces of oxygen and carbon she read are being pumped into the suit. Reeves finds it fascinating and wishes she had more time to study why its built like this. Even if it¡¯s in a torture chamber, the technology is still interesting.


    The suit is an odd pale pink coloring, and it tickles the edges of Chakrum¡¯s mind. She¡¯s seen a similar suit before, she just can¡¯t remember where. It looks like part of the suit may even fit up into crooks and crevices of the body, which makes less sense.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Reeves does a scan and her voice catches. ¡°They are almost alive. Can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s a pulse or residual currents from the suit. I believe I¡¯m seeing brain activity?¡±


    Reeves takes a small metal piece off her case and hits a button; it unfolds into a full hovering gurney working with the magnetics of the asteroid to float.


    Ono hangs his AutoM off his shoulder and pulls a plasma blade from his belt. It uses a heated blade to slice through the chain without melting it.


    Reeves and Chakrum catch the body and lie them on the gurney. Reeves secures the suited person and pushes a set of buttons. Wires plug into the suit and beep. A med panel pops up on the side, showing a faint pulse, low oxygen levels, and horrifyingly severe trauma.


    Reeves glances at the readouts and pushes a few buttons, starting the gurney¡¯s limited lifesaving measures. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s good or bad, but this poor bastard has a faint pulse, respiratory action, and brain activity. Might save them if we can get back to med bay?¡±


    Chakrum looks at the gurney. ¡°Quick eye last rooms, haul back. You ¡¯em stay here or roll us, khorosho?¡±


    Reeves quickly follows Ono and Chakrum as they continue down the hall. She still half expects a wraith to jump out at them. There¡¯s no way she¡¯s staying anywhere in this place alone.


    The next two rooms are empty, nothing but piles of organic matter. The scanners can¡¯t determine if they were once human or not.


    An unscannable room sits at the end of the corridor. Ono and Chakrum pry the door open with the paddles. Another person in a tight pink suit chained to the wall, a hose runs from the suit into the wall. This one is much smaller than the first. Pale skin seems to have similar pink hues in the cheeks as the suit. Probably Terran, they¡¯re similar in size to Reeves. The controls that were holding the chain to the wall released some slack. The person still has shackles around their wrists and ankles but they¡¯re huddled on the floor instead of tightly against the wall.


    045 knew it was too much to hope they left her to die. She¡¯s unsure how long she¡¯s been in the room alone. Been dark, the lights on the walls cut out and the limited light given off by her suit faded a while ago. ¡°No more, I don¡¯t know. Please don¡¯t hurt me, please don¡¯t!¡± she sobs, scrambling away, putting her hands above her helmeted head.


    Chakrum¡¯s breath catches as she takes in the person¡¯s state and the room. Their voice is hollow but has the telltale cadence of a Terran.


    A prayer to the stars.


    Chakrum steals a glance at Ono and Reeves. Ono crosses himself, Reeves tries to wipe a tear away, forgetting she¡¯s helmeted.


    ¡°Reserve oxygen levels below nominal,¡± the pink suit chirps. ¡°Life support failing."


    Chakrum holsters her sidearm. ¡°No here hurt ya, wanna help,¡± she says as slow as she can. Hopefully, the Terran will understand she¡¯s not part of the group that¡¯s been doing awful things to them.


    045 doesn¡¯t want anyone to help her again. Help hurts too much. ¡°No... No... Last time ¡ª don¡¯t help me again. Just kill me, I¡¯m begging you!¡±


    Chakrum takes a careful step into the room. She looks around at the blood-stained walls and lumpy bedroll. With a grounding breath, she tries to speak slower and clearer. ¡°Am not ¡®em done alla terrible here, am Chakrum a Whiskey Rivers, is Reeves¡¯n¡¯Ono.¡±


    045 continues trembling, wrapped around herself to block unwanted violence. ¡°Tell you whatever you want to hear. What do you want to hear?¡± she asks, praying this time they end her.


    Chakrum doesn¡¯t understand the Terran. Reeves lifts her scanner and takes readouts.


    Ono slings his gun over his shoulder and pulls his blade out to cut the chains and release the survivor. ¡°Don¡¯t wanna hear a t¡¯ing. Let¡¯s get you outta here.¡±


    045 jumps back sobbing hysterically, trying to climb under the small lumpy bedroll. They can¡¯t cut her anymore, doesn¡¯t want the pain. ¡°Please don¡¯t! No more.¡±


    Ono stops moving into the room, puts his knife in its hilt, and steps back out.


    Chakrum looks at Reeves, who has silent tears dripping off her cheeks the limited gravity just enough to pull them away from her eyes. She looks from her scanner to the person in the suit.


    ¡°Oh, you poor dear, what they¡¯ve done to you,¡± Reeves murmurs more to herself than those around her. She turns her attention to the survivor. ¡°I promise we won¡¯t hurt you, love. I¡¯m a doctor, sworn to protect.¡±


    ¡°Life support has failed. Oxygen levels reaching critical,¡± the pink suit chirps.


    045 shakes her head and crumples deeper into the floor, whimpering. ¡°Doctor¡¯s bad, took the others, did awful things. I¡¯m a terrorist, made those bombs and more, destabilize everything, end the hard work. That¡¯s what you want, right? What you want ¡ª Bombs everywhere, put them everywhere to stop progress. Does that help?¡±


    Chakrum takes a deep breath, stuffing her emotions somewhere other than the surface. She can¡¯t cry until she¡¯s alone in her bunk. This person needs someone stronger. Her joints don¡¯t have the dexterity to go down to a knee. But she bends awkwardly, ignoring the pain shooting through her. ¡°Whatchya name?¡±


    ¡°Zero-four-five.¡±


    ¡°Nah, real name,¡± Chakrum states, wincing as she scoots closer.


    045 pushes into the other corner, clawing away from the giant in front of her. ¡°Can¡¯t, just a number now. Just Zero-four-five.¡±


    ¡°For a number?¡± Chakrum asks.


    ¡°Mom, Maggie ¡ª Now, I¡¯m Zero-four-five,¡± she whispers with ragged breaths.


    Chakrum adjusts the suit around her and pulls at the helmet so she can see Maggie. ¡°Maggie. Ya ear am say, uh, my name?¡±


    She shakes her helmeted head, sniffling, her breathing becomes more labored. The one talking is difficult to understand. She has a thick accent that¡¯s not recognizable and even kneeling is a massive person.


    Chakrum taps her chest and tries to speak slowly and emphasize her words, like she does with Reeves and Ono. ¡°Am Chakrum Gravers, cap¡¯n a Whiskey Rivers.¡±


    Maggie chuckles, but her face falls and her eyes get wide. ¡°Not laughing at you, not¡ª¡±?


    Chakrum chuckles. ¡°Nah, ya¡¯llowed laugh,¡±


    Chakrum puts a gentle hand on Maggie¡¯s shoulder. Maggie pulls away, sinking lower, breathing more labored.


    ¡°Maggie, am take ya my ship. Getchya drink, eye on ya need t¡¯ree, eh?¡±


    Maggie struggles as Chakrum cuts the chains. Her translator clearly isn¡¯t working. Perhaps she¡¯s from one of the African or Slavic unions? ¡°Don¡¯t remember. Hard to remember anything else. Hurts, I hurt, don¡¯t want to anymore.¡±


    Chakrum doesn¡¯t understand, but doesn¡¯t need to. She smiles at Maggie and tries to put a gentle hand on their shoulder again. ¡°Almost done. Reeves gurney ready?¡±


    Chakrum takes a hose from her suit and plugs into Maggie¡¯s. There¡¯s a hiss and the lights on Maggie¡¯s suit go from red to green.


    Maggie takes deep breaths for the first time since the lights went out. The air is stale and smells dusty, but it¡¯s nice to breathe right again.


    Reeves pulls a second gurney off her kit and expands it. ¡°Glad I brought both. Ready, Cap.¡±


    Chakrum cuts the last chain and Maggie scrambles further, sobbing harder, almost ripping the hose out. Carefully, Chakrum slides the blade back to Ono. He¡¯s very deliberate in his movements as he bends, picks it up, and sheaths it again.


    Chakrum scoots towards Maggie, readjusting her suit. Her body screams in protest at the prolonged time in the unnatural position. ¡°Hey, now, wanna help ya.¡±


    Maggie wrings her gloved hands and stays with her back against the wall. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt anymore.¡±


    The poor bastard¡¯s broken voice hits at Chakrum. She smiles and takes a deep breath and says the words as slowly as she can. ¡°We no hurt ya, come.¡±


    Maggie tentatively let Chakrum help her off the ground, stumbles, and falls out the door. The massive woman is nearly double her size, there¡¯s no use fighting someone that big.


    Chakrum helps Maggie up onto the gurney, light as a bedroll, Chakrum can¡¯t remember the last time she lifted a person this small. Probably Reeves after they first met?


    Maggie tries to push off, becoming more agitated. ¡°No, not¡ª¡±?


    Chakrum puts a reassuring hand on the Maggie¡¯s suited shoulder. ¡°Whatever ¡®em do not us.¡± Chakrum looks up at Ono and Reeves. ¡°Get ¡®em back a ship. Xiang toss a data. Scrap, melt, move.¡±


    Ono starts to ask for clarification, Reeves taps his shoulder. ¡°We need to get the survivors to the medbay. She will have Xiang come download the files then we will collect the scrap, haul rock, and move on as quickly as we can.¡±


    Ono nods. ¡°Sounds good. I¡¯ll help however and wherever I can.¡±


    Chakrum holds Maggie¡¯s hand as they awkwardly move down the hall. They swing wide to maneuver the gurneys around the corner and towards the front of the building.


    Maggie looks around the crude hallway. ¡°This is wrong, goes out¡ª¡±


    Chakrum nods. ¡°We go out.¡±?


    Maggie shakes her head. ¡°I¡¯m not allowed, can¡¯t leave ¡ª explode.¡±?


    The trio stops.


    Reeves does a slow scan of both survivors. ¡°I¡¯m not picking up any incendiary devices or implants. Although this one here seems to have military grade tech implanted on their brain stem and along their spine. Um... No boom? But is tech¡¯d onna right up?¡±


    Chakrum can¡¯t help but laugh at Reeves, then smiles down at Maggie. ¡°Am t¡¯ink ¡®em speak ya t¡¯ keep ya runnin¡¯. Getta door open, our guests a med bay.¡± She points to the other gurney. ¡°Ya know who ¡®em is?¡±


    Maggie stares blankly at Chakrum.


    Reeves smiles down at her. ¡°She just said they probably lied to you to keep you from trying to escape, though there isn¡¯t anywhere to escape out here.¡± She then points at the person she¡¯s pushing. ¡°Do you know who they are?¡±


    Maggie shrugs, trying to take slow, even breaths. ¡°Zero-three-eight, they fancy zero-three-eight. Zie¡¯s pretty and powerful. Make me watch while they do bad things. Zir watches while they... Hurts. I lied, told them what I thought they wanted. That didn¡¯t work. Didn¡¯t make it better, only hurt worse.¡±


    ¡°How come you two have suits on? We don¡¯t find no one else, just bodies.¡± Ono asks.


    Tears drip down Maggie¡¯s hollow cheeks into her ears. ¡°We are just bodies.¡±?


    Chakrum may not always understand what Terran¡¯s are saying, but she understood the sentiment. She takes a slow breath to keep the emotions from seeping into her voice. ¡°Am sorry.¡±?


    Maggie moans and shifts. Reeves pushes a couple buttons on the side of her gurney. Maggie looks up at Chakrum. ¡°I should have known the answers, then they wouldn¡¯t have to hurt me. He told me unsightly things don¡¯t have to become everyone. Not if they¡¯re good and do what they¡¯re supposed to.¡±


    ¡°Darlin¡¯ I assure you, you didn¡¯t earn a bit of dis hurt,¡± Ono mumbles.


    Chakrum, Reeves, and Ono get the door up high enough to push the gurneys out. Maggie¡¯s eyes get wide as she looks around at the stars. ¡°Oh wow, this isn¡¯t ¡ª Oh my god this isn¡¯t Terra. Where are we?¡±


    Chakrum holds Maggie down on the gurney as they walk towards the small shuttle. She looks over and sees 038¡¯s gurney tighten the straps to keep her down. Chakrum¡¯s always mystified by Reeves¡¯ colony med tech. ¡°Deep slow breath, Mags. Lotta way off Terra, jump ¡®em nuf hoops getchya home.¡±


    Maggie doesn¡¯t understand, but she doesn¡¯t care because she can see stars!


    Reeves and Ono go through the broken door first, the gurneys after them, then Chakrum. She hits the hydraulics and shakes them until the door shuts. She uses a cord to tie the door down. ¡°Hope ¡®at holds?¡±?


    Maggie can¡¯t stop gazing in awe. ¡°So many stars... Went to a space camp when I was six ¡ª Harold leaves Terra all the time. I stay home with the kids. I dreamed of this, always wanted.¡±


    They lift off towards the ship.


    ¡°Heya Cap, should I prep Med? May eyed gurney,¡± Sanders asks over the static riddled comms.


    ¡°Got two, one right critical. Xiang meet a airlock, dunno we getta hatch open.¡±


    ¡°On it, have everything fired up here.¡±


    They make their way back and dock. Xiang tweaks the door, and it opens all the way. She wheels away from the door, yawning. She hates getting up before she¡¯s supposed to.


    Reeves takes the gurney with 038, Chakrum stays with Maggie. Chakrum removes her helmet and in seconds has shrugged out of her suit, letting it hit the deck. ¡°Is my ship, at¡¯s Xiang, our chief engineer.¡±?


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to hurt me either?¡± Maggie asks, timidly.


    The fear in Maggie¡¯s voice cracks Chakrum¡¯s chest further. She smiles warmly. ¡°No one do, no here.¡±


    Xiang looks up at Chakrum. ¡°Anything down there?¡±?


    Chakrum nods. ¡°Am couldn¡¯t hack a scanner. Snag a files, scrap a place.¡±


    Xiang rolls away. ¡°I¡¯ll gear up my legs and grab a kit.¡±?


    Chakrum waves it off. She knows how much Xiang hates doing that. ¡°Can bring a chair, no need.¡±?


    ¡°Nah, I tweaked the hydraulics, need to get used to the damn things.¡± Xiang goes towards engineering as the rest head towards the medbay.


    Maggie¡¯s eyes are wide as she looks around the tight corridor they¡¯re walking down and reaches out to touch the wall.


    Sanders comes out of the medbay holding a pair of gloves. ¡°Heya Doc, whatever Xiang did got a table workin¡¯ again! Loaded nanobiotics. Have ¡®em ready for programmin¡¯. Need hands?¡±


    Maggie whimpers. The burly man isn¡¯t as tall as the captain, but looks like he could hurt her if he wanted. She doesn¡¯t want to hurt anymore, can¡¯t, so she grabs onto the captain tighter.


    Chakrum looks down at Maggie, then back up at Sanders. ¡°Am help Reeves. Want ya, Ono prep go back. Scrub, scrap, mine inna twelve hour.¡±


    Sanders rubs his necks and lets out a low whistle. ¡°Atta heavy order.¡±?


    Chakrum shrugs. ¡°All hands, place ain¡¯t right.¡±?


    Sanders nods. ¡°We¡¯ll bring alla toys.¡±


    Maggie sobs and tries to push off the gurney. ¡°I don¡¯t want to play with the toys. Please, no!¡±


    ¡°Minin¡¯ toys, hon, equipment,¡± Sanders states, putting up his hands.


    ¡°Like am speak, gonna hurt none,¡± Chakrum says.


    Maggie stays curled up on herself. ¡°Can¡¯t take anymore. Broken, just want an end,¡± she murmurs. They¡¯ll start the pain again soon.


    Chakrum pats Maggie¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Fight over, not¡¯in¡¯ bad happen here.¡±


    Reeves gets 038 out of their suit. Parts that were fitted up inside cause fresh blood to spring up when removed. They¡¯re naked, covered in bruises and scars, old and new. Reeves assumes that means they had time in and out of the pink suits. She connects 038 to life support on the table. Her fingers fly over the controls as she programs the nanobiotics.


    ¡°Can help ya out yer suit?¡± Chakrum asks Maggie.


    Maggie shifts into a standing position. ¡°It hurts when it comes off, but you won¡¯t hurt me.¡±


    Chakrum nods. ¡°Wanna help heal ya, getchya home.¡±?


    Maggie lets Chakrum take the helmet off, then the gloves and suit. Chakrum sucks in a deep breath and turns to catch the tears. Maggie¡¯s not wearing anything under the suit, but the scars and unhealed wounds that cover her emaciated body. Chakrum pulls off her work shirt. Her dingy tank top shows off tattoos and work related scars. Maggie¡¯s suit falls to the floor, and Chakrum wraps Maggie up in her work shirt. ¡°No worry Reeves getchya right as dust, eh?¡±


    Reeves shakes her head and wipes her eyes. ¡°Zero-three-eights record is nothing but redacted files. The trauma¡¯s severe, I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll make it.¡± She turns and scans Maggie. ¡°There¡¯s significant damage that didn¡¯t heal. It looks like someone with basic field medicine did this.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if we heal right, just enough. Enough to do it again, and again, until we give the right answers,¡± Maggie whispers. Tears well up, she blinks them away. It¡¯s nice to be out of her room. These people haven¡¯t harmed her yet. Could be an elaborate new game.


    Reeves bites her lip and shakes herself. ¡°We¡¯ll do it right this time. Let me give you something so you¡¯ll sleep through it. Wake up healed and ready to go.¡±


    ¡°Can I sleep? Say liars don¡¯t get the luxury of sleep, only pain,¡± Maggie murmurs, wringing her hands.


    ¡°Here we are love, this¡¯ll help. Just lie back and rest, you¡¯re safe.¡± Reeves gives Maggie a shot, and before she can panic or object Maggie¡¯s head lulls to the side.


    Chakrum shifts her gaze from the battered Terran to Reeves. ¡°Doc¡ª¡±?


    ¡°Ya don¡¯t wanna know, is brutal. Am do I can make ¡®em comfortable. Try t¡¯ circumnavigate trauma, affected neuropathways,¡± Reeves interjects. Doing her best to use words she hopes will register with the Captain.


    Chakrum knows better than to argue with Reeves, she isn¡¯t one to exaggerate. ¡°Do whatchya can for ¡®em.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Reeves turns her attention back to the tables. Chakrum¡¯s emotions bubble up, she pushes them down deeper. No time for them yet.

 Chapter Three

    Sanders finds the perfect landing spot on the asteroid to make the offload of equipment easier. They launch probes to mine sites three and four, while Endo works at site one and Carrera site two. Chakrum and Xiang get the files, then put tools in place to deconstruct the room. The scrap alone will bring more than their last three rocks. Chakrum looks forward to the prospect of decent food in the galley again. They¡¯ve been surviving on protein powder and algae cakes far longer than she likes.


    Sanders and Ono collect the bodies and deliver them to the cargo hold for a proper sendoff. When you die evil, as they did, burial is even more important to give souls a chance at peace amongst the stars.


    Xiang shifts uncomfortably on her mech legs. Since she tweaked the hydraulics and harness, they aren¡¯t as uncomfortable as they had been. She still hates using them, though. Her hands move over a set of controls on a large mining machine. ¡°Cap, we good to start the scrap. I wanna get back and eye the info downloaded.¡±


    ¡°Captain! Zero-three-eight and Maggie came to, erm, they¡¯re in a state,¡± Reeves calls over the comms. Her words punch in and out of the heavy static.


    ¡°Onna way.¡±


    Chakrum turns to Xiang but Xiang waves her away. ¡°Go, am finish,¡± she says dismissively.


    When Chakrum gets to the ship, she doesn¡¯t stop moving. Quickly pulling off her suit: helmet first, then gloves, main body, before kicking off the boots. Leaving a trail behind her as she rushes towards the medbay.


    Reeves is standing outside the door, hands up in a defensive posture. 038 woke while Reeves was running scans and attacked. There¡¯s more to do, but it¡¯s a relief to know 038 is alive.


    A wild, frantic screeching assaults Chakrum from inside the room.


    ¡°Whatta fok¡¯s at?¡± Chakrum asks, covering her ears.


    ¡°Zero-three-eight,¡± Reeves responds, her soft voice raises over the noise coming from the medbay.


    Chakrum rounds the corner and puts her hands up as a tray flies towards her. ¡°Am Chakrum, ya safe.¡±


    The paper gown hardly covers 038. Holding a plasma scalpel in one hand and a steel tray like a shield in the other. Maggie¡¯s curled up in a ball, sobbing in the corner.


    Chakrum looks over at the tiny Terran. ¡°Heya Maggie, ¡®member me? Gotcha onna ship.¡±


    The horrific things done to her clouded her sleep. Maggie opens an eye and peers up at Chakrum. She nods and sits up, wrapping her arms around her knees. The giant space woman helped them.


    ¡°Good.¡± Chakrum turns her attention from Maggie to 038. ¡°Am Cap¡¯n Chakrum Gravers, whata name? Maggie here...¡±


    038 isn¡¯t shouting anymore. Instead, holding a defensive posture between Maggie and the door. ¡°Zero-four-five... Zero-three-eight.¡± 038 forces out.


    Even with the trouble getting the words out Chakrum assumes 038 is Martian, as with Terran¡¯s they have telltale vocal patterns and cadence even when their accents are different.


    Chakrum shakes her head. ¡°Notta number, more an. ¡®Cordin¡¯ a file ya don¡¯t exist.¡±


    038 sneers. ¡°Z--,¡± zer voice catches and head ticks. ¡°Zero-four-five. Zero-three-eight¡ª?¡± zhe asks, gesturing around the medbay.


    Chakrum lowers her hands slowly. ¡°Ya onna ship, safe, pulled ya outta fokkin¡¯ hole. Wrap b¡¯iness, getchya home. Maggie wanna go Terra. Where ya wanna go?¡±


    Error tsk tsk cha tsk Error. Zer head twitches again as zhe sinks against the table. ¡°No, Zero-three-eight?¡±


    Chakrum shakes her head. ¡°Not Zero-three-eight, gotta name. What''s it?¡±


    038¡¯s movement is labored as zhe walks back to Maggie and attentively stoops. ¡°Hurt?¡±


    ¡°Think she¡¯s safe? Rescued us, we¡¯re on a ship in space. Were on a rock in actual space.¡±


    Chakrum relaxes and risks glancing out at Reeves to nod quickly. Reeves cautiously moves back into the room. Chakrum takes a deep breath and pushes it out as she watches Maggie and 038 together.


    038 leans zer head on Maggie¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Real?¡±


    Maggie puts an arm around 038. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s VR, haven¡¯t seen the usual coding errors.¡±


    038 stands up, hoisting Maggie up with zer. Maggie stays where she is against the wall, but 038 walks towards Chakrum. ¡°Captain?¡±


    Chakrum nods. ¡°Am cap¡¯n a minin¡¯ vessel, Whiskey Rivers.¡±


    038 sticks the scalpel in the pocket of zer paper gown. ¡°Lieutenant.¡±


    ¡°Aye on, Lieutenant. Reeves finish? Gotta tick,¡± Chakrum says.


    The Lieutenant looks from Maggie to Chakrum. ¡°Hurt, bad.¡±


    ¡°Fixed you both the best I could. Don¡¯t have the same equipment a colony or station lab does. But I did my best,¡± Reeves responds quietly from behind Chakrum. Her stomach still churns from the horrific things she¡¯s seen on her scanner.


    ¡°Good doc?¡± the Lieutenant asks.


    Reeves smiles reassuringly. ¡°Maggie told us about the doctor. I took an oath, won¡¯t hurt anyone.¡±


    ¡°Glitch, tech,¡± the Lieutenant forces out. Error eeee-oooo-eeee.


    ¡°Yes, I saw the chips and implants during my scans. I¡¯m a doctor, not a tech, but our engineer can look.¡±


    ¡°Engineer good?¡± the Lieutenant asks.


    Chakrum nods. ¡°Ever all¡¯s, ya safe.¡±


    ¡°Bad, look. Bad find. Hurt.¡± Zer head twitches and tongue tuts.


    ¡°Am member innapen¡¯ent minin¡¯corp. Ain¡¯t Feds¡¯n¡¯thority, can¡¯asylum.¡± Chakrum taps her comms link. ¡°Xiang, needa fix medbay.¡±


    ¡°The captain¡¯s translator algorithms are underdeveloped. Did you understand that?¡± Reeves asks when she notices the blank faces.


    Maggie shrugs, fidgeting.


    ¡°We¡¯re members of the Independent colonies and mining corps. Neither Feds nor Authority have any jurisdiction out here. We¡¯ll offer asylum.¡±


    Chakrum taps her comms link again. ¡°Eh oh, Xiang. Guest tech glitchin, needa help.¡±


    A few seconds of static play before the hiss clicks. ¡°Site¡¯s settled, headin¡¯ that way. Need a minute, I wanna switch ah chair.¡±


    Chakrum turns her attention from the comm to Reeves. ¡°Well nuf walk a galley?¡±


    Reeves nods. ¡°Wanna make sure ever all heal proper.¡± Reeves looks at the Lieutenant and Maggie. ¡°I¡¯m going to do one last check. You both had significant internal and external damage.¡±


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The Lieutenant sits down next to Maggie on the table and takes her hand, squeezing gently.


    Reeves grabs a healer. The metallic gray wand reminds her of the security batons they had in the prisons. She can¡¯t allow herself to fall into memories of what was, the pain always overwhelms her.


    The healer works with the nanobiotics Reeves injected into each patient. It beeps as it glides over badly damaged spots on both.


    Chakrum bites her tongue and turns away. The abuse suffered by these women is unforgivable and churns the rubble that still sits in her gut.


    Xiang rolls into the med lab and looks up at Chakrum. ¡°Which one¡¯s chipped?¡±


    The Lieutenant shifts focus from Xiang to Chakrum. ¡°Safe?¡±


    The constant repeat can¡¯t annoy Chakrum, both women suffered. Instead, she just nods.


    ¡°Chair? No heal?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t need healed,¡± Xiang responds flatly. She hates when ables say shit like that. There¡¯s nothing wrong with her. With a deep breath, she shoves the frustration down. The Martian with glitching tech came out of that hellhole and was near death. May not be an intentional prick. Xiang raises her wrist and presses a button on her cuff to open the holographic scanner to see what she has to do.


    Xiang studies the diagnostics and data that comes from the scanner. She¡¯d heard rumors of Martian soldiers retrofitted with tech that interfaces with their weapons and war machines to make them better, faster, and stronger. It¡¯s her first time encountering one, though. Her gaze floats up to the Lieutenant¡¯s blue-green eyes and the way they almost glow against bruised amber skin. Ji¨¡odi¨£n, Xiang scolds herself. She doesn¡¯t have time for the newcomer to distract her.


    ¡°Your file¡¯s corrupted, someone tripped a failsafe to scramble you. Should be an easy fix, standby.¡± Xiang rolls around the table and pulls herself up next to the Martian. She takes the scanner off of her wrist and lays it over the Lieutenant¡¯s head. Xiang presses a few buttons, curses under her breath, and pushes a few more.


    Reeves closes her scanner and sets down the healer. ¡°I¡¯ve done everything I can without a full station grade medbay. Some scar tissue and minor injuries are still healing but I undid most damage,¡± she mutters. She¡¯ll need a drink and a good cry later. Right now, she compartmentalizes and gives her patients a warm smile.


    ¡°There ya go. How¡¯s that?¡± Xiang asks.


    Aro rolls zer muscular shoulders and cracks zer neck. Zer mind isn¡¯t swimming in a dense fog anymore. ¡°Fuzz in my ears and head¡¯s gone. Was like someone stuck me in radio static.¡± Zhe gently knocks Xiang on the shoulder. ¡°Thanks for the fix, Wheels. Can I call you that? Buddy back on base is okay with it.¡±


    Xiang laughs and shakes herself. With a joke like that, she can assume the Martian isn¡¯t a dick. She maneuvers back down into her chair. ¡°Maybe. What¡¯s the name?¡±


    ¡°Lieutenant Aro Snow, Regimen Command Mars Colony. Where are we? I could hear what you were saying, but it was like talking through water. It¡¯s much clearer now.¡±


    Chakrum smiles. ¡°Minin¡¯ skip Whiskey Rivers.¡±


    Aro nods. That means Spacers, they¡¯re good folk. ¡°Ah, am a Zhe/Zer, they/them okay too. Mags here a she/her.¡± Aro turns to the Terran zhe¡¯s spent so much time with. ¡°Mags you okay?¡± Aro asks.


    The concern paints a swath of kindness over zer hardened face. Xiang has to shake off another wave of warm fuzzy¡¯s flipping through her stomach and chest.


    Maggie nods and hugs Aro as tight as she can. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alive, too. We¡¯re the only ones that made it. We were in our suits, guess that¡¯s why.¡±


    Aro whistles and shakes zer head. ¡°I¡¯ll be damned. Fucking rape wraps saved us?¡±


    ¡°Uh what?¡± Chakrum asks, wanting to make sure she heard what she thinks she did.


    Aro shrugs and rolls zer shoulders. Zhe doesn¡¯t want to stop moving now zhe can again with ease. ¡°I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re called. Seen them on slaver ships and in illegal brothels. Enviro suits with pieces that go into, you know, uh, holes, or over parts. Move through a train of folks without washing after each. Real topline ones are thin enough it¡¯s like the suit ain¡¯t there. Fuck if I ever thought I¡¯d end up in one. Said I was a spy. Motherfuckers. Did you find ¡®em dead? Gods, I hope you did.¡±


    Chakrum shrugs and shakes her head. ¡°Dunno ya speak. Just gonna finish a op, turn tail. No want ¡®em find us scrap a torture rock.¡±


    Damn spacers are impossible to interpret. Aro has never met one as hard to understand as Chakrum. Zhe looks at the engineer and doctor in hopes one will help zer out.


    ¡°We¡¯ll finish our mining operation and leave as quick as we can. We don¡¯t want anyone to catch us scraping their torture rock,¡± Reeves offers.


    Aro nods, an arm still wrapped around Maggie. ¡°A couple of skin jobs ran the whole thing, think they were at least. Imagine folks wouldn¡¯t send anyone out here. Talked about a new shipment, after it came, everything shut down.¡±


    Reeves quietly translates to Chakrum as Aro speaks.


    Chakrum¡¯s grateful for Reeves. Martians are harder to understand than Terrans. ¡°Why don¡¯t we getchya a galley?¡± Chakrum asks.


    Aro jumps off the table, understanding the word galley. Zhe glances over at Maggie and sees confusion etched across her haggard face, too. ¡°Understand galley, could use something I can sink my teeth into.¡±


    Chakrum wishes she had real grub to offer. It¡¯s a luxury they¡¯ll be able to afford after finding this rock. She slows her speech and enunciates in a pattern more familiar to colonists. ¡°Haven¡¯t a credit real. Gotta finest protein powders, MREs this side a belt.¡±


    Aro laughs. ¡°We passed the belt, real? Did drills on Titan, but I¡¯ve spent most my career on Mars. Did a stint on Balkan and Luna.¡±


    ¡°Am Balkan. Ain¡¯t even in the solar system no more. With FTL maxed, we¡¯re about a Terran day out from Luna,¡± Xiang says, fiddling with a console.


    Aro whistles again. ¡°No wonder Command never found us, always wondered with all the surveillance tech how...¡± zhe lets the words fall off.


    ¡°Yeah, you was on a rock floatin¡¯ in far space. Wouldn¡¯t¡¯ve found you if our knucklehead pilot didn¡¯t fuck controls up and slow out of FTL early,¡± Xiang explains.


    ¡°When we get somewhere with a bar, I owe you a large one,¡± Aro says with a wink.


    ¡°My kids, if they lied, if they¡¯re still alive, will they be old now?¡± Maggie asks.


    Reeves shakes her head, smiling. "Time dilation doesn''t bother much. You¡¯ve aged less but they won¡¯t be old, unless either of you were on ice.¡±


    ¡°Nah, neither of us are ice lollies,¡± Aro responds.


    Chakrum tunes out the conversation Reeves, Xiang, Maggie, and Aro are having and hits her comms. ¡°Heya, how¡¯s it?¡±


    The comm cracks and hisses. ¡°Got machines up, wait ¡®em do a t¡¯ing. Rigs set t¡¯ box ever all up¡¯n¡¯rover¡¯ll load exto pod ¡®fore gotta pop inna bay,¡± Endo responds.


    He spent his life on the same ship, just like Chakrum had, aside from a few stints on ice. It¡¯s always easiest talking with him. He has the same problems with the translator she does from underdeveloped algorithms.


    ¡°We¡¯ll grab grub our guests. Sanders, am like t¡¯ offer sumt¡¯in¡¯ more a hooch ya make inna hold.¡±


    Sanders¡¯ voice shakes with laughter when he hits the comm. ¡°I¡¯ll eye if I have any left. Endo, what¡¯s a fella name? One broke it off, and ya went through a year¡¯s whiskey supply in a day.¡±


    ¡°Shut it, dick, tore a heart. Love a life!¡± Endo responds gruffly.


    Sanders is laughing harder over the comms. ¡°Yeah, eh oh. Gettin¡¯ autopilot set.¡±


    Chakrum loves the way her crew gets on, she has to suppress her own laughter when she clicks in, ¡°Best up, gotta guest.¡±


    Chakrum turns to Maggie and Aro. She takes a deep breath before talking. ¡°We rustle a bunk while wait ¡®em get here.¡±


    ¡°I can cook, I¡¯m a good... was, when, well before... It¡¯s like I¡¯ve been in that box for a lifetime, but I could try,¡± Maggie whispers, still clutching Aro¡¯s hand.


    Chakrum smiles, she doesn¡¯t want either of their guests to push too hard. After how much damage Reeves undid, she knows rest is important for them over the next week. ¡°Enjoy not bein¡¯ inna shithole. A haul that¡¯ll change livin¡¯ onna real.¡±


    ¡°I say we fix this baby up and move further, get to what lies beyond,¡± Xiang mumbles.


    Aro taps Xiang. ¡°I¡¯m with our favorite engineer here! Maybe land on Titan, a spell? I loved that place, didn¡¯t love the recycled air though, smelled like a stable.¡±


    Chakrum leans into Reeves as she quietly translates what¡¯s being said. With this many colonists on board, she may have to talk to Xiang about modifying her translator.


    ¡°Want to forget this happened. Go home to Harold and the kids. Being a PTO mom, bake sales...¡± Maggie whispers, trailing off.


    ¡°I dunno what PTO is, but how¡¯s a Terran ma end up here?¡± Xiang asks.


    ¡°Thought I was Tamira Zorav, showed me a picture of... Well, I¡¯m not, nor would I do those things,¡± Maggie responds softly.


    Reeves remembers that name. ¡°We were in jail together on Earth before they iced me. There¡¯s no way you could be mistaken for her, chicken. Assuming they didn¡¯t ice her, she¡¯d be in her eighties by now.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really? You knew her?¡±


    Unsure how to answer, she chews her lip. Sometimes the floodgates open and she can¡¯t stop thinking of just how much she¡¯s lost. ¡°We were both nonviolent offenders and became fast friends in jail. She gave up nonviolence and changed tactics. I¡¯m not sure what happened to her.¡±


    ¡°Wait, how long were¡ª¡± Aro stops when zhe sees panicked sadness dancing through the doctor''s expressive eyes. Instead, zhe gives Maggie a gentle, one-armed hug. ¡°Mags and I became fast friends on the tables. Could tell she wouldn¡¯t survive. We¡¯d chat to keep her mind off the torture. Sometimes talked in our cells when they didn¡¯t dampen the sound.¡±


    ¡°When I get to a good enough lab, I¡¯ll reroute your neuropathways and go around the less pleasant memories, avoid any PTSD or traumatic injury,¡± Reeves offers.


    ¡°Helps heaps. Been through it before,¡± Aro states.


    Reeves nods and turns to Chakrum, chewing on her lip, trying to figure out the right way to present her idea on living quarters. ¡°Erm, Captain, a room to mine¡¯s empty? Cramped but fit ¡®em, bunk.¡±


    Chakrum nods. It¡¯ll be smart to keep Maggie and Aro together, and if they¡¯re next to Reeves, she can help with potential complications. ¡°Aye on. Show ¡®em for getta galley.¡±

 Chapter Four

    This must be where the pain starts. Maggie turns, she was stupid to let her guard down. Stupid bitches get special treatment.


    ¡°Oh, no...¡± she whimpers. ¡°Please no...¡±


    the Akbaar Ono? Can¡¯t be, he...¡±


    Can¡¯t believe I¡¯m technically old enough to be in history books, he thinks to himself. ¡°I spent a lot of time on ice,¡± he explains, assuming Maggie will be too polite to ask.


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 Chapter Five

    The other ship stays steady on an intercept course progressively picking up speed. Chakrum has only seen a handful of ships capable of moving like this. It isn¡¯t broadcasting a transmitter which plays into her suspicion it¡¯s off the books Feds. She had a run in with them while still serving on her parent¡¯s rig. They were not kind to anyone onboard.


    Aro helped Xiang boost the bots and probes by twenty percent. Endo and Carrera move product into the bays. Everyone goes as fast as possible. Maggie and Chakrum are pushing crates into place. Both sweat hard, Maggie swipes her hands across her forehead and leans against the crate with a whimper.


    Chakrum reminds herself to over-enunciate and talk slowly. She¡¯s only understood about a third of what Maggie¡¯s said, and she¡¯s positive Maggie got even less of her words. ¡°Take breather ain¡¯t bin outta hole long. Getchya uppa galley for a drink.¡±


    ¡°Cap, ¡®em chargin¡¯ weapons and increasin¡¯ speed, again,¡± Sanders hollers over the comms.


    ¡°Fok. Time?¡± Chakrum asks.


    Sanders huffs and growls through the static. ¡°Was lookin¡¯ an hour but under t¡¯irty ¡®em keep pace.¡±


    Chakrum shakes her head and runs her hands through her hair. ¡°Lock it down! We own a rock. Don¡¯t wanna be idle if ¡®em hostile.¡±


    ¡°I''m workin¡¯ on exterior defenses, got tactical shieldin¡¯ and can modify drill laser for defense,¡± Ono says over the comm.


    Chakrum runs a hand through her hair. ¡°Like t¡¯ be ready ever all. Carrera, how much?¡±


    ¡°Fifty-six percent, slow dig. Collected all scrap, packed a site up, reload drones.¡± She¡¯s disappointed with herself and her machines. Carrera rarely has trouble coaxing minerals from a rock.


    Chakrum shakes her head and sighs. She wanted more, but she¡¯ll take it. ¡°Xiang, go o¡¯er engine. Ever all onna up.¡±


    ¡°Captain, ¡®em hail us,¡± Sanders quickly says.


    ¡°Patch t¡¯rough!¡± Chakrum runs her hands through her hair. ¡°Am Cap¡¯n Chakrum Graver of a Miner Whiskey Rivers.¡±


    Chakrum keeps walking as she¡¯s talking, hurrying towards the bridge. Maggie jogs to keep up. For every step the captain takes, Maggie needs three, her body hurts down to her bones.


    ¡°You are operating without a permit,¡± a sharp voice with the telltale patterning and cadence of a Terran states.


    Chakrum silences the line from the other ship and hits her comm. ¡°Reeves, a Terran prick.¡±


    Maggie stumbles at the sound of his voice and loses all color. All the horrific things he did. The way he laughed and smiled at her pain. Maggie registers Chakrum¡¯s massive callused hand under her elbow, keeping her from crumpling to the ground. Didn¡¯t ask for her to be loud, to beg. She lets silent tears rush down her cheeks, knowing it¡¯s safe to allow that much.


    ¡°Onna way,¡± Reeves states.


    Damn Feds. Chakrum takes a deep breath, pushes it out, and speaks as slow as she can. ¡°Legal claim. Bounce ya papers. Up on why we here, whatchya doin¡¯ gonna out?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand a single word you uttered,¡± the person on the other side of the comms spits at Chakrum.


    Reeves catches up to Chakrum. She notices the state that Maggie is in and takes her hand, squeezing it gently with a warm smile. ¡°You¡¯ll be ok, Maggie, promise.¡± she turns her attention to translating. ¡°Well, you¡¯re a buffoon then, aren¡¯t you? What she said was we have a legal claim to this rock and space. We can send you our papers. We know why we¡¯re here. What are you doing this far from Earth, I mean Terra?¡±


    ¡°Classified,¡± the voice bristles. ¡°We will need to do a full scan of your ship. To ensure you aren¡¯t slavers or scavengers.¡±


    Maggie¡¯s fingers grip Reeves tighter. She whimpers, tears falling faster, body shaking with silent sobs. There¡¯s no such thing as safe. She was stupid to think she could escape the pain. All she¡¯s done is put others in danger.


    ¡°Cap, ¡®em wanna scan ship. Slavers nor scavengers.¡±


    Chakrum and Reeves move onto the bridge with Maggie. They carefully set her down in a chair. Reeves hands her a bottle of water. ¡°Take a drink, love.¡±


    Chakrum glances from the tiny Terran towards the speaker and folds her arms. ¡°Show yers, am show mine. Wrappin¡¯ up, gettin¡¯ ready our next site.¡±


    Maggie shakes her head, shying away from the canteen. ¡°No, not again, no more,¡± she whispers, panicking and scrambling away.


    ¡°Learn to speak properly, or invest in a working translator, Captain. I can¡¯t understand a word of this rubbish,¡± the bastard on the other side of the comm says.


    Maggie puts her head to the floor crying harder, wrapping around herself, protecting her head.


    Reeves smiles at Maggie, pushing her own bubbling emotions a little deeper. ¡°Remember, you¡¯re safe here with us. We won¡¯t let a thing happen, yeah?¡±


    Reeves shifts her focus from Maggie to translating. ¡°You need to show yours before we¡¯ll show you ours. We¡¯re wrapping up our initial processing of this rock and getting ready to survey our next site.¡±


    Reeves tries to bring Maggie back. ¡°Maggie, love, you¡¯re on Whiskey Rivers, you¡¯re with Sanders, Chakrum, and I.¡±


    ¡°You must stay locked down until we can do a full inspection,¡± the voice responds flatly.


    The sounds of agony and stench of decaying flesh surround 045. Pain radiates through her in familiar waves.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do a full inspection,¡± he says, laughing. Rough hands wrap around her broken wrists and drag her towards the blood-soaked wall.


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    ¡°Please stop!¡± she begs through her shattered jaw. The brutality she just suffered pales in comparison to what they do next.


    Maggie screams, sobbing. Sanders takes the wand from Reeves'' administering care so Reeves can focus on translating for Chakrum.


    ¡°We don¡¯t, we¡¯re members of the Independent colonies and mining corps. Neither the Feds nor the Authority has any say on what we do, where we go, or what we transport,¡± Reeves translates.


    Sanders doesn¡¯t know what to do as Maggie¡¯s panicked screams turn to inhuman squeals. It¡¯s the sound his favorite pig made when it got caught in some barbed wire. Human beings shouldn¡¯t be capable of making those noises. Reeves takes a pen from her utility belt and injects tranqs into Maggie. She makes eye contact with Sanders. ¡°Alternate red and blue buttons as fast as you can, for as long as you can. That should help bring her out.¡±


    ¡°We have control of the leagues. You will submit or we will treat you as hostiles,¡± the voice quickly states.


    Reeves laughs. ¡°Him say league down t¡¯ Fed control. Roll o¡¯er or him shoot.¡±


    Chakrum laughs, hands on her knees. She slaps Reeves on the back, unintentionally causing Reeves to fall forward before catching her balance. ¡°Rules am go where, when, ¡®less a member a Tribunal calls on me.¡±


    Reeves wipes at the tears springing up from laughing. It¡¯s a good reset from the horrific things they dealt with earlier, and her concern for Maggie. ¡°You can¡¯t believe we¡¯ll buy your bullshit, dear. We go where we want, when we want, unless we¡¯re called to Tribunal.¡±


    Sanders doesn¡¯t want to, but he moves from Maggie to the controls when they start to flash. He presses a couple of buttons and cocks his head. ¡°We gettin¡¯ a data packet sent by Mian Xao, aut¡¯enticatin¡¯... hm. Can¡¯t tell it¡¯s legitimate? Code¡¯s old, but aut¡¯entic, play on speakers.¡±


    Maggie isn¡¯t in the torture room anymore, she¡¯s with Reeves, Sanders, and Chakrum on their mining ship. Reeves is holding her hand, massaging her wrists, eyes wide with concern. ¡°I¡¯m not there?¡± Maggie asks, dry heaving.


    Reeves shakes her head. ¡°You¡¯re safe, love. I gave you something to help calm and keep you out of the past. We¡¯ll go to the medbay after this to see if I can do more.¡±


    Gunfire fills the background. ¡°Do you surrender, or are you a terrorist?¡±?


    ¡°This is Mian Xao. Dissolved a league, we submit t¡¯ Feds¡¯n¡¯Aut¡¯ority. Is no more.¡±


    ¡°Authenticate the data?¡± the voice asks.


    Chakrum looks over at Sanders, who shrugs. ¡°We member a leagues. Need speak a Tribunal.¡±


    ¡°You have until we arrive to decide if you¡¯re being difficult or smart,¡± the voice snarls.


    Chakrum¡¯s skin crawls, she doesn¡¯t need to understand the words to wish it was possible to punch someone through the comms channel.


    ¡°Cap, ¡®em ear hostile, t¡¯reats us,¡± Reeves says to Chakrum, wanting to go find a hot shower to wash off the conversation. The man on the other end sounds familiar and Maggie¡¯s reaction is enough for her to know he¡¯s not a good person.


    Chakrum ends the call and opens up the ship wide comms quickly rattling off the situation and what everyone needs to do.


    ¡°Sanders contact the leagues. Endo and Carrera lock it down and set the booby traps. Ono everyone needs a weapon. Xiang lock the cores and set the kill switch,¡± Reeves says, translating for the Captain whether it¡¯s needed or not. She knows Ono will not have understood half of what the cap said.


    Maggie shakes with silent sobs, curled around herself again. ¡°He said I was being difficult, asked if I wanted to be smart instead.¡± Maggie can feel the memories fighting to surface, but whatever Reeves gave her keeps them from overwhelming her. ¡°Don¡¯t let them have me, please kill me first.¡±


    Chakrum assumes whoever was talking has a voice Maggie recognizes. By her reaction, it was someone who hurt her. She puts a gentle hand over Maggie¡¯s. ¡°Him take ya off a skip o¡¯er cold dead bodies. Is a promise.¡±


    ¡°Ono gave me two of his babies, it¡¯ll be their dead bodies if they try anything. I can shoot the cap off a bottle at twelve hundred meters,¡± Aro states over the comms. Zhe¡¯s looking forward to having something to shoot at again. Especially if it¡¯s the fuckers that did zer and Maggie wrong.


    ¡°Am want ever all ready. Sanders, time?¡± Chakrum asks.


    Sanders¡¯ hands skip over the controls, turning knobs to get a better visual on the screens. He¡¯s never seen a ship that can move like the one coming for them.


    ¡°Fok, increased speed again, five minutes. Scans show no way t¡¯ outrun ¡®em, faster and pack serious firepower. Like t¡¯ lock us with a jump prepped. Can have us to our next site in twelve minutes, Balkans in a area, said there been troubles, but corps hasn¡¯t surrendered,¡± Sanders responds.


    Chakrum nods, having backup would help her breathe easier, especially if they have Feds barreling down on them. ¡°Be ready t¡¯go. Am need anyt¡¯in¡¯ ya get onna ship, Xiang. Sanders letta Balkan on what dealin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°They sent a message down a pipe t¡¯ Tribunal. Dispatched their gunner. Be here in ten,¡± Sanders responds.


    Chakrum opens the ship wide comms again. ¡°Ono ¡®tect Aro¡¯n¡¯Maggie.¡±


    ¡°Aye, ma¡¯am!¡± he responds quickly.


    Chakrum nods. ¡°Carrera, Endo¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ªtect a load,¡± they both respond.


    ¡°Xiang¡ª¡± Chakrum starts.


    Xiang responds before Chakrum can even ask. ¡°Done.¡±


    Chakrum chuckles, its a nice reprieve given the situation they are about to be in. ¡°Sanders¡ª¡±


    ¡°On it.¡±


    Chakrum takes a deep breath and slowly pushes it out. They¡¯re going to be okay. ¡°Hail ¡®em.¡±


    Haughty laughter and a condescending voice puncture the hiss of static. ¡°Your engines are hot, Captain. Looks like you¡¯re being stupid.¡±


    Chakrum clenches and unclenches her fists, shaking her hands out. She just has to speak clear enough Reeves can translate for her.


    Reeves helps Maggie take a sip of water before she translates. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been an official surrender. We¡¯re still independent and neutral. As a sign of good faith, we¡¯re sending our weights and loads.¡±


    Chakrum nods at Sanders, and he hits a button. The comms link stays active with nothing but an oppressing silence and the hiss and pop of the static.


    ¡°You list scrap?¡± the voice states.


    Chakrum folds her arms. ¡°Debris, might be small shuttle?¡±


    ¡°Hm. We¡¯ll need a scan of the scrap. We lost classified property in this sector.¡±


    ¡°Sendin¡¯ a scan.¡±


    The hiss of the open air has Chakrum fidgeting with the snap on her sleeve.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need a sample,¡±


    ¡°Am leave a¡¯n¡¯getta dig,¡± Chakrum responds.


    Reeves is tending to Maggie, trying to keep her from falling to pieces and present. She doesn¡¯t translate.


    ¡°What?¡± the asshole on the other end asks.


    ¡°She said, we¡¯ll leave a piece for you. We can¡¯t wait, we have to survey our next site,¡± Reeves states.


    Contempt drips from Feds voice, ¡°Not enough. We need to ensure no Fed tech ended up with you.¡±


    ¡°Speak ¡®em need eye on for Fed tech.¡±


    Chakrum hits the headrest of a seat with her good hand and gestures at the comm. ¡°Fok on. Just scrap¡¯n¡¯a body, inna hold. Wanna leave it, too.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have your bloody tech. Just scrap and a body, we can leave it, too.¡±


    ¡°Crew manifest?¡± the voice snaps.


    Chakrum growls and puffs her cheeks out. ¡°Sent.¡±


    ¡°Standby ¡ª We¡¯re reading more bio signs than you have on your roster. We must do a welfare check to ensure you are not harboring any slaves or illegals. Power down and prepare for us to board.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t apply!¡± Reeves shouts, losing her patience.


    A snicker punctures the static. ¡°Sending our authorization codes.¡±


    Sanders receives the codes and looks at them. ¡°Fok, never seen clearance this high ¡®fore. Gotta let ¡®em do a welfare check, part of the Europa pact.¡±


    Chakrum lets out a breath and chews the inside of her cheek. She hits the nearest bulkhead, opening her other hand. Chertov debil. ¡°Aft airlock. Meetchya t¡¯ere our extra guests.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your cooperation, Captain.¡±


    As soon as Sanders ends the call with the other ship Chakrum opens a ship wide comm channel nursing her hurt hand. Reeves takes the healer off her utility belt and waves it over Chakrum¡¯s hand. It stops bleeding.


    ¡°Is boardin¡¯ a welfare check. Aro¡¯n¡¯Maggie if ¡®em hurtchya give a word¡¯n¡¯arrest ¡®em. Take ¡®em in.¡±


    ¡°We need to let them board to do a welfare check. Aro and Maggie, if they¡¯re the ones that hurt you just tell us and we¡¯ll take them to the nearest center for processing.¡±


    Maggie is curled around herself, crying silently. ¡°They didn¡¯t ask for me to be loud, can¡¯t be loud...¡±


    Chakrum carefully moves over to Maggie and puts a gentle hand on her shoulder. ¡°We tect ya.¡±


    Maggie knows there isn¡¯t anyone or anything that can protect her from what¡¯s coming.

 Chapter Six

Stop making a scene, or it will be worse.


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    a ¡ª What d¡¯you call ¡®em?¡±