Unity by Carl Stubblefield (epub read online books TXT) 📕

above and below the plane of the belt, and two flaps consisting of multiple zippers were aligned in series on the material, each having at least ten zippers about two feet wide.

Opening the fourth zipper on the top flap, Yuki stretched the mouth wide and retrieved a small penlight from the open hole. Holding it in place with her teeth, she aimed the small beam inside, and reached in and pawed around the compartment.

Aurora peeked over and saw that it was very organized, but everything was packed in super tight.

Yuki found what she was looking for and set down the light and leaned into the zipper. After a brief tug-of-war, she came back with a handful of silver squares in cellophane pouches. She closed the zipper and grinned like the cat that got the cream.

“They’re space blankets! Have you ever used them?” Yuki huffed in exasperation.

“I’ve heard of them, but why would you have them?”

“Computers are delicate things; you’ve got to protect them from the extremes, both hot and cold. These things can be a lifesaver in the right situations. And we just happened to find one of those.”

They unpackaged the blankets which seemed to have a -5 debuff on stealth with the noisy way they crackled and murmured as the crinkly material rustled against itself as the women bundled up by the fire. They were smaller squares, only about four feet on a side, but Yuki had pulled out six packages. They were able to mummify themselves adequately just before the ambient temperature plummeted noticeably when the sun dropped below the mountains.

Yuki turned back to the zippers and came back with some instant ramen cups and two large bottles of water. She also had some contraption that looked like an oil filter that she added water to and set next to the fire, dropping in some twigs and pulling a tiny hot coal to add to the center of the cylinder of the strange contraption. When the fire was going, Yuki pulled out a narrow teakettle and set it atop the tiny stove. Finally, she set out a line of wood to keep it going. Aurora gave a curious glance.

“It’s a BioLite Campstove. It generates electricity. The narrow kettle heats the water a lot more quickly as all the water is above the flame.” She cocked her head and put her arms on her hips. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You’re much more… prepared than I ever thought you would be, like an Asian Mary Poppins.”

“You can blame my mom for that. She always overpacked, and it must have carried over. Still, these are the best for holding all my gear. I have everything I could possibly need right at my fingertips.”

They stared at the fire as it slowly cracked and popped, occasionally adding in another piece of wood. Yuki plugged a USB into the BioLite and the laptop, being careful to keep it as far away from the flames as possible without tugging on the small cord and tipping the tiny campstove.

When the water was hot enough, they made their ramen and ate quietly, both trying to process the day and what tomorrow would look like. The warm broth helped thaw the chill that Aurora didn’t even know was settling upon her as she wound down from the excitement of the day.

Aurora looked at Yuki, and realized that she really didn’t know her that well. Casual acquaintances that could recognize each other, but she knew nothing of Yuki’s upbringing, how she got her powers or why she had come on this of all missions.

“So what’s your story, Yuki? We usually don’t see a lot of hackers in the field; they like their lairs, takeout, and fountain Mt. Dew. What brings you out here in the middle of nowhere?”

Her eyes pinched in suspicion. She stared a good minute at Aurora, as if assessing her intentions then relaxed. “Might as well tell someone.”

Chapter Thirteen

Break My Stride

“How do you see me?” Yuki asked, lips pressed into a tight line.

“You’re part of the team—”

“No no no!” She violently extended her raised palm, stopping Aurora from continuing. Yuki closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. “Before this mission, how did I fit into the Faction?” She spoke slowly, each word having a slight edge as she carefully enunciated them.

“Well, I knew you worked with computers…”

Yuki opened her eyes and gestured in a circular ‘go-on’ motion.

Aurora struggled to add anything more, and succeeded only in stuttering and stammering.

“…and that was about it, wasn’t it?” Yuki finished as if this was a foregone conclusion. She turned to look at the fire, using it as a focus as she continued. “I could see what was going to happen if I kept doing what everyone wanted me to do. I would be the IT girl, always fielding inane questions and getting the computers to work again. You probably wouldn’t understand since you’ve been in the field so often. But this was my chance to show what I could do. I didn’t really know Tempest’s wife like most of the Crew who volunteered, but I had to do it. I’m not going to let myself get funneled into that job. I feel like I have so much more in store for me. I’m not going to settle for that. It’s not why I joined a Faction and went through all that training.” She turned and looked Aurora in the eyes, and the flames of the campfire were reflected in barely restrained tears.

“My strengths are almost all mental. I probably should have gone Green Faction, but that would be the same as working for a corporate thinktank. Using my abilities to datamine and make money for someone else. All under the guise of helping the Faction.

“My father is watching me like a hawk, waiting for me to fail. His pride was bruised that I did not agree to work for the family business. Seeing my powers as just another asset that he could leverage to