HMS Valediction

Chapter 24

"I could ask you the same thing. From the sound of it, doesn't seem like it got any better when you went underground. Why did you fight so hard?"

There's no answer that immediately comes to mind but the inane response, "Because I was told to." I'm shocked when I say it out loud.

"That can't be all of it"

I sit on the cot and unwrap my hands. Underneath the wrappings, the skin flares bright red with irritation. "Honestly? I didn't want to be underground anymore. There was this science group, the Human Hope Project—"

He raises his hand to stop me. "You have your reasons. I have mine."

"Which are?"

"Because fighting is all I know. And I do it good." He switches arms and faces the opposite direction. "I fight because that's who I am. It's why I've been down here so long."

"Moon can't keep you down here forever, you know."

"Wouldn't be surprised if he tried. I bet you he rues the day he brought Gunnery Sergent Falcon Elias aboard his boat."

A deep voice interrupts our calm. "Not the worst decision I've ever made, but it has definitely scaled to the top twenty. Right below making a deal with this one."

Moon leans against the door and nods in my direction. I stalk to the fizzing barrier of my box to get as close to his face as I can. I want to look him in the eye and spit at it. There's no reason to leave me here for so long. I need to get out now. "Have I adequately served my time for my terrible transgression against your honor?" My bite of sarcasm is hard to hide.

"Not quite. I'd be happier if I could throw you through the airlock, but Nuna refuses to allow it. Still."

The mention of Nuna sends little pricks of anticipation over my arms.

Moon grins. "You seem quite tense. Nuna will be pleased."

"What do you want?"

"My First Mate has been scheming." He steps closer, only the thickness of the electric wall separating us. "She has devised one of her demented seven-part strategies and requires your assistance."

I try to hide my gulp of saliva down my suddenly dry throat.

Moon's malicious grin deepens.

Moon and I walk down the passageways. I don't feel nearly as dirty as I did when I first boarded the HMS Valediction, but it has been a while since I had a full shower in privacy. The birdbaths I've had to take while in Elias' presence were fine enough, but I wanted so much more. It's been maybe two weeks since I threw the glass at Moon's head and got thrown in the brig. Two weeks is pretty standard fare for me, but my need to act has kept me antsy. Now that I'm out, all I want to do is get back to business. Get back to my son.

And Nuna has a plan.

The passageways seem friendlier. No one hides their words behind their hands. They openly gawk and smile. Their reaction doesn't bother me as I feel that these people are familiar with me already. I'm no new commodity. They know I've been a prisoner here for a while.

We board an elevator and rise swiftly. For a few seconds, I'm trapped with a thousand dirty versions of me staring at myself. Completely surrounded by mirrors in here, there's nothing I can do but finally confront my face. "I look awful." I rake my hand through the grassy stubs of hair sticking straight out of my head. I run my finger along my prominent cheekbones and dry lips.

"It's no worse than when you first arrived. I don't see what the problem is."

I roll my eyes and return facing the door, avoiding eye contact with my sallow reflections. When the doors slide open, we step into another passageway that seems to be as busy as the ones below. We cut left and enter a room that's large enough to hold two drop ships. It's enormous and empty, glittering in its silvery cleanliness. On the far wall, a huge, ship-sized porthole gives me my glimpse of the universe I've missed so much. Nuna sits at a bench in the corner, a welder's mask down and sparks flying from her tool.