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

Malmoradan snorted. “Of course, he did. All right, then let’s say we call Hector a cab, and let’s say the cabbie makes it to Arsenal Bay. Let’s even say the information’s current, and he locates the good doctor. What makes you think he’ll say yes?”

“I’ll offer him twice his base salary to come here,” said Mike. “Plus expenses.”

“He’s a doctor who runs his practice out of a residence tower on a countdown planet,” said Malmoradan, and he regarded Mike expectantly.

“And?”

“He’s not doing it for the money.” Malmoradan frowned somewhat. “Ask yourself if he’d be willing to abandon his patients for two and a half months—because he’d be spending two weeks in the nightmare and three weeks in space just to get here. So he can maybe save the consciousness of a stranger’s DI. Then it’s three weeks back, another two weeks in the nightmare, and it could take months to even book a flight. Most likely, he’ll have to wait for Taranis to pick him up.”

Mike sank in his chair. “I hadn’t considered that.”

“While we’re on the subject, let me tell you about his patients,” said Malmoradan. “If Taranis is like the rest of the galaxy’s mega-manufacturers, they work their employees to death. Literally. Sickness, accidents on the job, malnutrition, and exhaustion is everyday life for these people, and I’ll be damned if every nullie I met didn’t end up sterile. Nullies, by the way, is what the folks from countdown planets call themselves, because they’re treated like they’re less than nothing.” He leaned back in his chair, and it creaked.

“That sounds horrible,” said April.

“Wait until you hear about the spin-down,” said Malmoradan. “When countdown planets get used up, it comes time to move, but it takes time to set up the next site. While the survivors are waiting around for moving day, supply drops get less and less frequent, and when the oxygen starts to run low, that’s when things get ugly. Hector took an oath to help others. His services are lifesaving, and if Arsenal Bay’s spinning down, they’d be critical.”

“Okay, fine, but Hector’s not the only expert in bioelectronicals,” said Torsha. “I’m sure we can find someone else.”

“It’s bioelectronics, actually,” said Mike, and he looked dismayed. “Unfortunately, I’m not sure of that at all.”

“Then what’s the plan?” asked Orin.

“It sounds like hiring Hector to make a house call isn’t realistic,” said Mike. “I’m tempted to accept Casey’s offer. What do you guys think?”

“I think you should,” said April.

“I agree,” said Malmoradan. “One last job together.”

Shona smiled demurely at Mike. “I’d love to show you around Watchtower.”

“You three don’t get a vote,” said Torsha.

Shona laughed. “Why don’t we?”

“You just don’t,” said Torsha.

Mike breathed into his hands. “Even though I hate the thought of it, I think the right thing to do is to book transport to Arsenal Bay with Casey and the Watchtower. Even if it takes a couple months to get back here, it’s our best shot at saving Nimbus.”

“You’re coming with us?” asked Orin.

Mike smiled slightly and nodded. “I am.”

Orin cheered. “Then let’s call Casey!”

Torsha got in Mike’s face, giving him a start. “We need to talk, just you and me.” They excused themselves from the group and adjourned to Orin’s old room, where she slammed the door.

“What’s up?” asked Mike.

“You’re going back up there?”

He tapped his jacket pocket. “I have to. He’d do it for us.”

“You’ve lost your mind,” she hissed. “We haven’t even tried anything else! I already helped you save Orin, and we know exactly how that turned out! I love Nimbus, but… please don’t ask me to go back up there.”

Mike hugged her close. “I wasn’t planning to. You should take the van to Cavern Lake. Take it easy. Say hi to everyone for us.”

She stood back and regarded him suspiciously. “Really? This isn’t some reverse psychology guilt trip, right?”

“It definitely is not,” said Mike. “Don’t worry, we got this.”

“You all got something, that’s for sure,” said Torsha, and she prodded Mike’s shoulder.

He chuckled. “I guess since you spent all that time with us, you must have it too.”

“Ha, you’re so funny,” she sneered.

Mike pulled open the door. “Shall we?”

She sighed and shook her head. “Not yet. There’s a lot of memories in this room, and I think I’m going to spend some time with them.”

“Cool.” For a moment, he lingered in reverie. Turning away, he rejoined the others at the table.

April retrieved her phone and dialed, but Casey didn’t answer. She left a detailed message. Shaking her head, she tapped her phone against her palm. “She always picks up. I wonder why she isn’t answering.”

“Maybe she’s living it up with the Marble River folk,” said Malmoradan.

April quietly laughed. “You know, I’d wager she’s doing exactly that.”

◆◆◆

Bilious green neon light bathed everything inside a local dive bar. Towards the back door, people played pool, and a very drunk cullthoun repeatedly proclaimed through his vocoder that he was sober enough to throw darts, despite there being no target or even any darts. A live band murmured old country songs from behind a rusty security cage, their stage presence as rundown as the rest of the establishment.

Seated at the counter, Casey downed the last of her beer and signaled the bartender to bring another. Nearby, Cajun hunched over a sticky table, nursing a drink someone had purchased for him an hour ago. A defeated paper umbrella jutted out of it; it was pink, but the green lighting turned it gray.

Suddenly, Cajun perked up. “Mon Capitaine, they called, they did!”

Unsteadily, Casey craned around to regard him. “They what?”

He listened to the message. “Our friends are lookin’ to book passage with us.” Cajun reviewed a proposed transaction: a certain Skyler Stern offered one galactic credit in exchange for transport to Arsenal Bay. With a smile, he tapped the “Accept” button. “Joie de vivre, ya April called it right!”

The bartender set an ice-cold lager before Casey, and she cheerily thanked him. As soon as he left, she returned her attention