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

Mike got to his feet and dressed into his day clothes. “Please wait here,” he said. “When Captain Aguirre comes looking, she’d be very upset if she has to go searching for either of you.”

“Fine, but you owe me,” said Torsha. “You owe me big!”

“I know I do.” With that, he stood taller and crossed the cargo hold to the door. Stepping out into the passageway, he paused to glance back inside. Torsha snarled and flipped him off. Mike’s shoulders slumped, and he closed the door. With mounting dread, he made his way along the starship’s passageways.

He soon climbed a ladder and exited the hatch leading up from the crew deck. He stood at a nexus of passageways, within view of the chart room. Lighthearted conversation grew closer, and he smiled slightly as he recognized one of the voices. Taking a deep breath, Mike stepped into view with his hands at his sides.

“Mike?” gasped one of the marines. “Mike Santos, is that you?” She wore a red and gold uniform, with a dark brown pixie cut and pale skin. The woman next to her maintained a guarded pose.

“Hey Bianca,” said Mike.

“Without the long hair, I almost didn’t recognize you!” She wrapped her arms around him, squeezing tightly. With an excited grin, she introduced her comrade. “Carmina, this is Mike. Mike, this is Carmina.”

They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

“Oh my god, I haven’t seen you since high school! The captain never mentioned we had royalty on board,” said Bianca. “Where are you staying?”

“Captain Aguirre doesn’t know I’m here,” said Mike.

Bianca stepped back with a worried look. “You snuck aboard?”

“I did,” said Mike. “I’ve been hiding out in an unused storage compartment for the past three days.”

“You were always such a stickler for the rules,” said Bianca. “What happened?”

“Believe me, it was my only option,” said Mike. “I possess mission critical information that the captain needs to hear. Can you get me on the bridge? It’s time sensitive.”

“Even if I can, she’ll throw you in the brig,” said Bianca. “You know that, right?”

Mike nodded. “Probably, but it’s worth the risk.”

“I hope you’re right.” Bianca shook her head. “Sorry about this, amigo.” She moved around behind him and firmly seized his arms, forcing his hands up and behind his back. Nudging him forward, she said, “This way.”

Her comrade in arms took the lead, guiding Mike and Bianca along the passageway to a reinforced door. The other marine waved her wrist over the gene reader, and the door hissed quietly open.

“Capitán, we have an unexpected visitor,” said Bianca. “Lance Corporal Ignacio and I discovered Falcon Prince Miguel Iván Santos, son of Archduke Martin Santos, in a nearby passageway. He surrendered without incident and claims to be in possession of mission-critical information.”

Izel Aguirre, captain of the starship Fox Mendes, slowly swiveled in her chair. “This is unexpected.” Short black hair formed a rounded widow’s peak over her hawkish nose. Flecks of gold tinted her brown eyes, and she regarded Mike with cold anger. “Speak your piece. Quickly.” Her bridge crew manned their stations with increased focus, not one of them willing to steal so much as a backward glance.

Mike cleared his throat. “I have reason to believe Watchtower is no longer headed for the MABAS station. In fact, it’s my understanding she’s now headed for the Rocksaugh asteroid mining complex. At 9:00 PM Galactic Time, this Friday, Watchtower’s captain intends to deliver Orin Webb into the hands of one Ky Rego, a man known to provide clandestine transport services for rogue binaries. I’m told we’ll need to change course to 37-mark-272 to overtake them.”

Izel studied him. “Ensign Rodriguez, confirm Watchtower’s current trajectory.”

“Sí, capitán,” said a young man at the ops console.

Silence filled the bridge and passageways beyond. Mike heard his heart pounding in his chest. Bianca relaxed her hold only long enough to reassert it.

“Sending the report to you now, capitán,” said Rodriguez.

Izel’s eyes danced as she read it. Gracefully, she unfolded from her chair. Red, with gold and white trim, her uniform hung impeccably upon her slender frame. “It seems radio telemetry confirms your story. Watchtower’s trajectory no longer tracks toward the space station. If she maintains her current course, she will indeed reach the asteroid dig site.”

“Oh, thank God,” Mike breathed.

“Your father well be very upset when he hears of this.” She shook her head. “He went to great lengths to keep you safe! You must do better, principito. No one will follow a coyote.”

“I’m doing my best.”

Izel laughed. “Right now, your best isn’t good enough! Your father worries you will never be ready to take his place.”

“He assumes I even want to take his place,” said Mike.

“Your father is a great man. One day, you will see that.” She looked simultaneously disappointed and perplexed. “I must know what you were hoping to achieve by sneaking aboard my ship.”

“When the timing was right, we were planning to make fist contact with the BICOM crew, thereby making this a civil matter instead of a military one,” said Mike.

Izel blinked rapidly. “We?”

Oops. Mike grimaced. “That’s correct. My friends Torsha and Nimbus are here, too.” He described the cargo hold they had been using for shelter and his reasoning for stowing away in the first place. “We were hoping to prevent a war.”

“Your plan wouldn’t have worked.” Izel’s gaze drilled into him. “You must learn to trust others, or there will be no strength to support you. At least now you will have no choice but to trust me and my crew.”

“What harm is there in letting me say hi to them first?” asked Mike.

“You can’t always be the hero,” said Izel. “Although I understand what you’re feeling and what drives you.” In one instant, Izel looked upon him like an aunt, in the next, his warden. “But in this case, it would’ve been better to have stayed home. For your sake and for your father’s sake, I must do everything