Rivers of Orion by Dana Kelly (a court of thorns and roses ebook free .TXT) 📕

◆◆◆

Watchtower’s thrusters roared to life, echoing up from the engine room, and centrifugal gravity set in. Casey leaned against the bulkhead as her comrades stood across from her. “April, Shona, and Malmoradan, thanks for sticking around. I know you and Orin are going into business together, but I hope you’ll reconsider. At least for now. I can’t shake the feeling we’re being pulled into something big. Having you all back on the crew would make conducting this investigation so much easier.”

“Sounds like the new hires are giving you some trouble,” said Malmoradan.

“Not at all,” said Casey. “In fact, it’s quite the opposite. They’re swashbucklers, Malmoradan! Like we used to be, before we met Ky. I find myself daydreaming of the times we plundered those old space hulks, when we drew down on anyone who dared to steal our rightfully stolen goods!”

“And here I thought we considered ourselves scavengers back then,” he said, and he chuckled.

“You’re both police officers and have been since I joined the crew, so it seems like a moot point,” said April. “At least I hope it is.”

“Just daydreaming,” said Casey.

April crossed her arms. “You’re not famous for resisting your wild urges, dear cousin.”

“All the more reason to re-join,” said Shona. “Look, we can’t even afford a down payment on that Phlogiston, so maybe we’re not ready to do this on our own yet.”

“We can afford a lovely used starship,” said April. “It doesn’t need to be high-end to achieve our goals.”

Malmoradan regarded April sidelong. “Which were what, exactly? Remind me.”

“I can sense you remember them perfectly well, but I’ll humor you by repeating them,” said April. “We all agreed we wanted to do some real good out there, and maybe make enough money to get by in the process. We wanted to be heroes, for a change.”

“Rescuing everyone that got kidnapped from Arsenal Bay would do a lot of good for them and their loved ones,” said Malmoradan. “And only a bunch of foolhardy heroes could hope to stop those things.”

“They weren’t kidnapped,” said April. “They’re gone. Probably slaughtered.”

“But you told Cajun…” said Shona. “You said Hector was alive!”

April took a deep breath. “I told Cajun what he needed to hear to stay sane.”

For a moment, thoughts of Rusty played through Casey’s mind, before anger welled to the surface. “Damn it, April, we agreed you’d never lie about what you sensed!”

“No,” said April. “We agreed I’d never lie about my senses when it came to our fellow crewmates. Cajun’s not part of my crew anymore. I’m sorry, but I just didn’t have the heart to tell him the truth.”

“All the more reason to do this,” said Malmoradan. “If we can’t rescue them, we can at least avenge them.”

“I realize that,” said April, and she plopped down on the bench. “I just wanted to do this on my own for once.”

“You still can,” said Casey. “I just need your help until all of this is over. And when that time comes, if it’s a Phlogiston you want, I can make that happen. Marble River paid me a lot for Blacktusk.”

“Well, it finally happened,” said April.

“What happened?” asked Casey.

April smiled wryly. “You outfoxed me.”

“I did no such thing,” said Casey, and she laughed as she pulled April up into a hug. “So, you’re in?”

“I’m in,” said April.

“Me too,” said Shona.

“Hell, we’re all in,” said Malmoradan.

“Great!” Casey beamed, and she glanced toward the airlock. “Do you think Orin would join?”

◆◆◆

Orin and Mike retired to their respective quarters, where they both grabbed a shower and a nap. With Nimbus standing between them, Cajun and Edison stopped before Nimbus’s room. “Ya right next to Shona,” said Cajun, and he pointed across the way. “Orin’s over there, and if ya follow the passageway past the lift, Mike’s is the first room on the right.” He pushed the latch and opened the door. The lights flickered on. “If ya develop any rapport with the greenhorns, ya can find ‘em all one deck down.”

“Thank you for the information, John LeKay.” Nimbus regarded the access panel. “As Casey Cartwright noted previously, I lack a gene key. How will I access my quarters?”

“Mon Capitaine turned off the lock,” said Cajun. “Don’t ya worry now, I’ll get ya fitted with a gene key at the next major starport, and then ya bound to have plenty o’ privacy. For now, I’ll personally see to it they all know to knock before enterin’.”

Nimbus smiled brightly. “I am not presently concerned with physical privacy, although I am grateful for your thoughtful vigilance.”

“All right, Nimbus, I got you here safely,” said Edison. “Unless either of you needs anything else, I’m going to retire to my quarters.”

“Farewell, Dr. Edison Stone,” said Nimbus.

“See ya for chow,” said Cajun, and Edison took his leave.

“What do we call ya?” asked Cajun. “Ya Mike seemed to think ya had a man’s way about ya, but the body ya landed in is all womanly-like. Or maybe it’s neither, or somethin’ else completely, since ya was born a robotic collective.”

“I identify with this state, John LeKay,” said Nimbus. “I spent several thousand millicycles deliberating the options available to me while assessing the injuries, but ultimately welcomed this human female’s physical trajectory. Although Miguel Santos consistently projected a male persona upon me, I had never previously identified as either male or female.”

“Ya goin’ by she, then?” asked Cajun.

“I am a she,” said Nimbus. “I will inform you if that changes.” She regarded the bathroom across the way. “How exactly and with what frequency do I shower?”

Patiently, Cajun fielded her deluge of inquiries.

In time, Casey arrived and delivered a bundle of fitness apparel. Enthusiastically, Nimbus tore into the plastic and arranged her clothing on the bed. “This looks exceedingly more comfortable than the starched denim I am currently wearing, Casey Cartwright. Thank you for the gift!” Nimbus began to hike down her jeans.

Her visitors hurried out, and Cajun yanked Nimbus’s door shut.

“I’ll