Brightly Burning(18)

“That is neither here nor there. It’s not my job to police Officer Hanada’s time, nor is it yours.” Xiao pursed her lips and looked me over. Then she seemed to soften. “You’re new, so I understand the questions, but there’s a hierarchy of both command and information on board. It’s best to just accept things for how they are and focus on your job.” Xiao offered a smile and patted me on the shoulder. “We’re very glad you’re here, and I for one hope you stay for quite some time.”

I was left with more questions, not fewer, but her parting words had seemed genuine. No one on board wanted to answer my questions, but at least I had George as a sounding board. We wrote to each other every day.


Dear Stella,

It is a bit odd that you haven’t seen this woman, and I agree that she can’t possibly have that much medical work with such a small crew on board, but I doubt it’s a conspiracy. She’s probably just a loner, a lot like someone I know who shall remain nameless.

Or, here’s a thought: maybe she’s the captain’s mistress? Would explain why she’s off by herself and they don’t want you to ask about her.

You’ve stepped into some real drama, Stel . . . maybe you should come home? Joking. Or am I?

Cheers,

George


Dear George,

Not funny. I’m sticking it out here. I finally get to do something I love, and I’ve mentioned all the perks, right? The food alone is worth putting up with loner mistresses and mysterious cargo. I just can’t imagine what they would need to keep in cargo on a tiny private ship all the way out here by the moon.

Let me know what the next movie night is. I can see if Jessa has it and watch it out here. It’ll be like I never left! Now I must go shower. Another reason I’m staying here. (Don’t hate me.)

Best,

Stella


I was far too keyed up to sleep, so I pulled out my reader, opened my wall-length window for the view, and settled down with Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. Hours later, and Darcy had written Elizabeth a love letter, but she was having none of it, and then Lydia went and made a mess of things. My eyes drooped, and I mumbled for the lights to go out. I drifted, sleepy, blinking slowly, trying to hold the stars in my sights.

With a jolt, I was awake. Laughter, in the corridor again. I sat bolt upright in the dark, clutching my sheets, like they would protect me. I listened. There was something outside my door. With my breath held tight, I crept out of bed, across to the door, until my ear lay flush against the metal. All I heard was a mechanical hum, the hollow sound of air moving through machinery. Then scritch, scritch, scritch. I wasn’t crazy—?there was someone outside my door. My heart pounded in my chest. Cats. It had to be cats, right? Wasn’t that what Xiao said?

Nothing to worry about. That’s what they always said. So no harm in checking.

I waited. Counted to ten. Then I opened the door.


Chapter Seven


Large amber eyes glinted in the dark of the corridor. They were round; definitely not human. I blew out a long, low breath. Cat.

It slunk out from the shadows, revealing itself to be the largest cat I had ever seen, body and tail stretching almost as far as my arm span. He was black all over, except for a pink nose and those amber eyes, his fur copious and, I imagined, soft. He mewled, requesting an invitation, which I granted. I couldn’t shake the feeling there was something else out there, someone watching, so I let my new feline friend inside and closed the door quickly behind him.

“Lights on; dim,” I requested, and they turned on in time for me to witness the cat settle himself at the foot of my bed. “What should I call you?” I pondered, scratching under his chin, eliciting a loud, guttural purr. Then he yawned, and as if it were contagious, I did too. “Well, I’ll figure it out in the morning,” I said with a shrug, getting back into bed. The cat resettled himself against my feet, and I commanded the lights off, willing myself to forget the shrill sound in the corridor. The one I was sure had been a human laugh.


I dreamed of the stars. I was swimming in them, on my back, doing a backstroke through black and gold. There was no sound, no air, and yet somehow I was breathing. Laughing, though I could not hear my own voice. I flipped onto my stomach, revealing the moon before me, the Rochester flanking her left side. The ship was a beauty, sleek and silver, her nose full of windows and her arms flung back behind her like folded wings. She flared, something bright sparking in her aft end, and with a panic, I realized she was leaving me. “No!” I screamed, but no sound left my lips. The universe echoed my panic, my fast-beating heart, Klaxons blaring in time with my breath. As the Rochester kicked away from me, the sirens sounded on, and all I could think was Why can I hear them out in the vacuum of space?

And then I woke up and realized the sirens were real. As soon as I opened my eyes and sat up, they stopped.

“Stella, I am sorry to disturb you, but you have an urgent call on comms.” Rori’s voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. It was strange hearing her outside my shower or my earpiece. I retrieved my comms from my bedside table and put it on, immediately receiving a page from Officer Xiao.

“Stella, I apologize for the early hour, but you are urgently needed,” she said while I checked the time—?it was just past six a.m. “There’s an issue in the airlock in the shuttle bay, and I need you to repair it as soon as possible. We’re expecting the captain today, so it must be fixed immediately.”