Atmo Burn
Devil Town, Spate
Throttle woke with a jolt in the middle of the night. She could've sworn she heard the door open, but she could see nothing in the darkness.
When someone touched her hand, she nearly tumbled out of bed.
"Sh," a little girl whispered. "They're always listening."
"Lily?" Throttle asked softly. "Is that you?"
The girl didn't answer, though Throttle suspected she was nodding.
"My father said your father killed my grandmother. Is that true?"
Throttle frowned, not quite sure how best to respond. The wrong answer could send running the only hope Throttle had of escape. She decided to answer simply and honestly. "Yes."
"Did you know her?"
Throttle shook her head. "No. I only heard stories about her."
"Was she like my father?"
Again, Throttle struggled for the right answer. "Yes. I suppose she was."
A long silence followed. "Then, your father can't be that bad."
Throttle nearly smiled. "No, he's not bad at all. He's a pretty good guy."
"I saw what my father did to my mother."
"What did he do?"
Silence blanketed the room for several seconds before she answered softly, "I don't want him to do that to me."
Throttle heard the little girl pad across the floor, and the door opened to a dimly lit hallway. After the door closed, Throttle lay in bed reliving their short conversation over and over. She was never quite sure what to make of it until Lily snuck into Throttle's room the next night, and the five nights after that.
* * *
Throttle walked across the room with Qelle's help. It was the sixth day in a row Axos and Qelle had stopped by Throttle's room—the sixth day Axos had turned on, and then off, her spinal implant. Each day, she opened up a little more to him. The arrogant stationmaster was so sure of his superior intelligence that he fell for Throttle's change of heart hook, line, and sinker.
Though, she had to admit, giving someone the power to walk was pretty damn persuasive.
"Excellent work. Now, try it on your own," Axos said. "Qelle, release her."
Qelle let go of Throttle's arm and stepped back.
Throttle wobbled, and nearly fell on the first step. Each step after that was slow and tentative. It took her nearly five minutes to walk the room. Once she completed a full circle, she looked up and grinned.
"You did it," Axos said.
Throttle took another step, but tripped on the rug and fell to her hands and knees. "Damn it."
Qelle rushed over to help her.
"Get away from her!" Axos stormed, knocking his chair over.
Qelle cowered in the corner.
Throttle remained on her knees, keeping a wary eye on Axos in the tense silence that followed. Qelle made herself as small as possible.
Axos reset the chair and took a seat. "Give it time, Halit," Axos said, as though he hadn't just had an outburst. "You've made great progress this week. At this rate, you could walk the station on your own within a month or two. Imagine Reyne's face if you walked up to him."
Throttle gave him a thoughtful look. "I really appreciate what you've done for me, but I don't know where he is. He came to Spate with me, but I haven't heard from him since we split."
"I know," Axos said. "But I think that once your legs get stronger, you can reach out to him. Perhaps call him to come pick you up."
She stared at her legs, then back up at Axos, and gave a small nod. "Yeah, I could do that."
He smiled. "I think we've made good progress. How would you like to have full use of your legs tonight?"
She beamed. "I'd like that."
"Enjoy the evening." Axos stood to leave.
"Can I get my clothes back?" Throttle asked, then added, "If it's not too much to ask, I mean. I feel a bit naked in these hospital gowns."
"I had those rags burned." He looked her up and down. "I imagine you're about Qelle's size. She'll bring you something to wear."
Qelle nodded from where she stood in the corner.
"Thank you," Throttle said, but Qelle made no comment.
Axos left with Qelle trailing behind him.
Throttle plopped down on the bed and ran her hands down her legs, savoring every sensation. Every few minutes, she'd stand, walk a few steps, and then rest again.
Some time later, Qelle arrived with dinner.
"Hello, Qelle," Throttle said with a welcoming tone. She'd learned to treat the mouse gently, and Qelle had let down her guard. Throttle, on the other hand, knew to never let her guard down around the other woman. Axos had picked a woman with a naturally subservient personality, and he terrified Qelle. Throttle had no doubt Qelle went to her master each night after visiting Throttle to tell him everything.
"You doing okay?" Throttle asked.
"I'm fine. And you?" came Qelle's auto-response.
Throttle didn't answer, and Qelle didn't seem to expect her to. The woman set the tray down at the foot of the bed, lifted the bag she'd carried over her shoulder, and pulled out a bunch of iridescent blue material. "You're a little smaller than me. I think this dress will fit you."
Throttle cringed inwardly as she reached out and took the dress. "Thanks, I love it."
"How about you try it on? If it doesn't fit, I can find something else."
Throttle turned her back to Qelle, slipped off the hospital gown she wore, and slipped the gown over her head. She tugged up the low neckline. She felt even barer in this than she had in the hospital gown. She remembered that her legs worked, and she stood to finish dressing. The slinky gown slid down to her ankles, and she took a moment to savor the sensation of delicate fabric brushing against her skin.
Qelle seemed disappointed. "It's a bit loose and a bit long, but it's the smallest I had."
"It's perfect," Throttle said, reaching out and clasping Qelle's hand. "Thank you."
Qelle beamed, and then she looked down. "I'm afraid I had no undergarments or shoes that would fit you."
"It's okay. This is better than before."
"You look nice. I could do your hair sometime if you'd like."
"I'll think about." Throttle tried not to roll her eyes. What's next? Have pedicures together?
"Oh, I have your dinner," Qelle said, turning her attention back to the tray.
"Is it okay if you leave it?" Throttle asked. "I'm hungry, but it's just that I'm so excited to have time with my legs, I don't know if I could keep food down right now."
Qelle looked at the food as though trying to figure out what to do.
Throttle chuckled. "It's not like I could kill myself with a spoon."
"Of course not. It's just that it's lights out in another hour. I don't know if I can make it back tonight. Your room will smell if I leave the tray here all night."
"I'll be fine," Throttle said.
"All right," Qelle said. "I'll leave you be. I'm sure you're anxious to walk around your room more."
"You've got that right," Throttle said.
As Throttle watched Qelle leave, she felt sorry for the woman. Qelle Delta must have a horrific life, but there was nothing Throttle could do for her; not without risking her own life.
For the next hour, Throttle took small steps. In between mild exercises, she nibbled at her food and sipped her drink. When the lights went out, Throttle found herself in total darkness. She sat on the bed and reached out until she found the bowl of black hash.
Axos Wintsel was a Myrad. He never ate hash, let alone would have any idea it had more uses than for food. It was also the hair color of choice across the fringe, used to cover the most resistant grays. Throttle grabbed a handful of the hash and ran it through her light blonde hair. Without a mirror, she moved slowly to make sure she covered everything without staining her face. Her palms would be stained, but nobody looked at those. By the time she was finishing, the door unlocked and opened.
A young girl's silhouette stood in the doorway.
Throttle pushed to her feet, unsteady in her first steps, and then moving more smoothly across the floor. She'd exaggerated her clumsiness and weakness earlier. While she was in no way ready to jog, she felt somewhat steady on her feet now.
When she reached Lily, the little girl took Throttle's hand while clutching a teddy bear in her other arm. They walked down the empty hallway. She'd never been outside her room, and was counting on Lily to know where she was going. After several turns, Throttle was exhausted. Her legs burned at the unfamiliar use, but she pushed through. If they failed, she'd be dead by morning. Walking required all of Throttle's concentration and strength, and kept them at a slow pace, giving Throttle far too much time to begin doubting the escape plan.
"Qelle? Lily? What are you doing out past curfew?" a male voice called out behind them.
Throttle froze.
Lily looked over her shoulder. "I'm hungry. Qelle's getting me a snack, Mugsy."
"All right, but be quick about it. You know your father doesn't want you out and about after curfew."
Throttle exhaled, and they continued down the hallway. In the dim light, she could vaguely resemble Qelle from behind, with the dark hair and Qelle's gown. But if anyone got close, it'd be obvious she was no Qelle.
They reached the kitchen without running into a guard. The light suddenly dimmed. A feminine figure rose from behind the counter. Throttle tensed.
"We need to hurry," the woman said. "It won't take them long to realize something is up."
"This is Bree," Lily said. "She's coming with us."
Throttle nodded at the other woman, who returned the motion. Bree was dressed in a skin-tight dress with a deep neckline and high slit. Wearing too much makeup, she looked like every other prostitute in Devil Town.
Bree pulled out three breather masks and handed them out. "I have a cab waiting."
They put on their masks and rushed forward. Throttle tripped when she tried to walk faster, and Lily tried to steady her. Bree grabbed Throttle's other arm, and they headed out the back door.
Sure enough, an auto-cab sat outside. The trio piled into it. Throttle let out a sigh as soon as her weight was off her legs. Bree used her wrist comm to pay, and the cab pulled away from the curb.
Throttle looked at Lily. "Did you get the device?"
Lily frowned. "No. He carries it on him. He never puts it down."
Throttle forced herself to not look disappointed. "It's okay. You did good. You did a very brave thing back there."
Lily hugged her bear. "I just want to feel safe."
Bree wrapped a protective arm around the girl. "You'll be safe from him soon."
Throttle didn't voice her thoughts. Axos was obsessed with Qelle—at least the visage of Qelle—and Lily was the only true remaining piece of Qelle. Not to mention his only daughter. She doubted he would ever quit searching for Lily.
When the docks grew near, Throttle felt hopeful. The stationmaster had the authority to shut down all cabs within Devil Town. That Axos hadn't, meant he didn't yet know of their escape. She didn't relax until the cab stopped and they exited. They couldn't be locked inside.
The trio hustled onto the dock, with Bree assisting Throttle. Excitement built within Throttle as they entered dock Hilo, the same dock she'd landed on when she'd first arrived on Spate. Would the Gryphon still be there? She craved to be behind the pilot panel again.
"It's in bay Nine," Bree said through her breather mask.
Disappointment lurched. The Gryphon was in bay Two, but bay Two now sat empty. What had happened to it? Had Axos already turned it over to the CUF? The Gryphon had been her legs for nearly her entire life. Knowing she was well and truly separated from it felt akin to Axos turning off her implant.
Bree pointed. "There it is."
Throttle saw the small ship, and bit back her disappointment. It was a Chital model, too small to even have been christened with its own name. Chitals were small cruisers, one of the cheapest ships one could buy. Its small navigational engine would have to work hard just to break out of Spate's atmosphere. If the CUF chased them, they wouldn't stand a chance.
At this time of night, the dock stood nearly empty. They came across a couple of dock personnel who were busy working on a ship a few bays down.
When they reached the Chital's ramp, a guard from the bay next to theirs noticed them. "Bree? That you?"
As he headed toward them, Bree patted Lily's shoulder. "Hustle inside, sweetie."
Bree let go of Throttle and walked toward him.
"What are you doing on Shane's ship?" He wagged his eyebrows. Making a lascivious expression wearing a breather mask made him look foolish. "Having a little rendezvous, are you?"
She gave a sensual shrug. "You know how he likes to try new things. He asked me to meet him here, so here I am."
"You naughty girl," the man said. When he noticed the little girl running up the ramp, he stomped toward Bree and grabbed her by the neck. "What're you doing with Mr. Wintsel's daughter?"
Bree couldn't speak, since she was being choked. She kneed him in the groin and he dropped her. She lay coughing on the ground, trying to push herself up.
He stayed bent over for a second or so, giving Throttle time to close the distance. When he returned to full height, he glared at Bree. "I'm not done with you." He turned toward the ship. He was so focused on Lily that he ignored Throttle.
Big mistake.
She hit him square in the temple. The man dropped instantly, and she fell on top of him. Spending a lifetime in a wheelchair had given her upper body strength few women possessed, but using her legs would take some practice.
Bree picked herself up and pulled a photon gun from his holster. She took a step back, pointed the gun at him, and fired.
At such close range, his chest cavity became a burned black hole. Death was instantaneous.
Bree glanced at Throttle. "Trust me, he deserves worse." Then Bree assisted Throttle up the ramp and into the ship. As Bree helped Throttle into the pilot's seat, she held out the ship's keycard. "I hope you're as good as your reputation."
Throttle took the card and slid it into the panel. "Don't worry. I could fly this piece of crap with my eyes closed." The systems came to life. She threw Bree a quick glance. "I'm guessing I shouldn't ask how you got the keycard?"
Bree jut out her chin. "Shane sleeps like a rock after he finishes."
"Oh." Throttle turned her focus back to the ship. "Make sure you're both buckled in tight. This model isn't exactly known for comfort."
She opened the comm channel.
"Dock control, this is Chital..." She had to look down at the panel to read its N-number. "...Myr-Five-Five-Bravo-Five-Four. Ready for departure."
"Chital Bravo-Five-Four, launch approved. Launch commences in sixty."
As the countdown numbers flashed in the upper right corner of her panel, Throttle ran full system checks. Several indicators flashed yellow. Throttle pursed her lips. Shane had been neglecting maintenance on his ship for way too long.
At ten seconds to go, she fired up the engine.
When the countdown hit zero, dock control reported, "Chital Bravo-Five-Four, launch upon your command."
"Dock control, launch Chital Bravo-Five-Four. Have a great day."
The dock's launch system shot the Chital upward at seven Gs, and the trio was thrown back in their seats. Throttle could handle thirteen Gs, so she had no problem maintaining manual control of the nav engine.
The ship vibrated and sounded like it was going to fall apart as it flew upward through the Spaten atmosphere. Hold together, hold together, hold together, Throttle thought to herself as she looked at the space above them for any signs of CUF ships.
When the Chital broke through the atmosphere and entered the calm blackness of space, the ship's vibrations smoothed out, and Throttle exhaled and patted the panel. "Good job."
She pulled up the scalar chart and scanned for CUF patrols, finding one four thousand clicks off her stern. Far enough away it couldn't have a visual, but close enough it could run them down if needed. She would've preferred it to be twice that distance out.
She turned to her two passengers. Bree had her eyes closed and still clenched her armrests. Lily had her eyes wide open as she stared open-mouthed out into space. She still clutched her teddy bear.
"How're you holding up, Lily?" Throttle asked.
The girl turned to her, and for the first time since Throttle had met her, she smiled. "I'm safe now."
Throttle returned the smile. She flew the ship at max speed, burning its juice, in order to put more distance between them and the patrol ship. They'd just passed between Spate's two moons when Bree asked, "Where are we going?"
Throttle thought long and hard. Playa was her first choice. It was the emergency rendezvous point and where Reyne would go. She glanced at Lily. Many of those refugees at Tulan Base had been abused by the CUF, and Myrads in particular. Lily's bluish skin was a bulls-eye for anyone with a vendetta, though she knew Reyne would protect the girl. On the other hand, Sixx was on Myr right now. He'd return to Terra, and who knew how long he'd be there. He'd been searching for Qelle, and needed to see Lily. Throttle didn't like heading in that direction, but it was their best option.
"We're going to Terra," she announced finally.
Bree sat upright. "Terra? But that's where the war is!"
"It is. But it's also the one place where we can protect Lily from Axos." She was about to elaborate, when a terrible burn spread down her spine and into her legs, followed by familiar coldness.
"What's wrong?" Lily asked.
Throttle exhaled. "He knows."
Bree and Lily both bore the same expression of wide-eyed terror.
Throttle eyed the smaller moon and cranked the ship into its orbit. "Don't worry. I have a few tricks up my sleeve."
Once the moon's dark side enveloped the small ship, she cut the engine, turned off the comms, and lowered the life support system to minimum. "Bree, find us some blankets. It's going to get chilly in here."
When Bree looked at her, confused, Throttle elaborated. "Patrol ships scan for energy signatures. We're not broadcasting enough of a signature for their systems to pick us up."
"But what if they see us?" Bree countered.
"They'd have to get within a couple hundred clicks to get a visual on us. And as long as we stay on the dark side, nothing will reflect off the ship. They'd have an easier time finding a needle in a haystack."
Bree thought for a moment, and then seemed to snap back to attention. She unbuckled and moved around the small cabin. The only blankets were on the ship's two fold-out bunks. The trio huddled together as the temperatures quickly dropped.
"How long do we have to wait?" Lily asked in a soft voice.
Throttle shivered. "As long as we have to."
Her implant went on again, only to be shut off a few seconds later. Each time, she bit through the pain. She knew Axos was torturing her on purpose, taking out his anger on her from a distance. That temper of his had killed Sixx's wife, along with how many other innocents. Throttle clenched her teeth. He could torture her all he wanted. He wasn't going to kill her. But she sure as hell was going to kill him.