“Funny how history repeats itself,” mused Fenris. “Here I am, once more holding you to account and fittingly it is to Yuanshi that we are now to return. Did I mention I am once again commandeering your ship? We have a car waiting to take us to the spaceport.”
“You can’t let this happen!” Ravana cried, appealing to Surya’s cyberclone.
“I have my orders,” the clone replied, keeping its pistol trained on Quirinus.
With Dana and the clone close behind, Fenris led Ravana and Quirinus out of the pagoda and across a secluded section of the garden towards a nearby gate. This opened into a deserted service street where a ground car in police livery was waiting. Dana motioned to Quirinus and Ravana to join the two black-clad security guards already inside the car. As Ravana took her seat, nervously clutching her cat to her chest, she tried not to look at the plasma rifles resting nonchalantly upon their laps.
Sirens wailing, the police car sped through the busy streets of Hemakuta. The heavy drone of its turbines somehow made the hush within the vehicle unbearably intense.
They reached the spaceport in a matter of minutes. When Quirinus and Ravana saw the fuel tanker being decoupled from the Platypus they knew Fenris had not acted on the spur of the moment.
“If you get a chance, run back to Ostara,” he whispered. Ravana nodded.
The police car slipped smoothly past the departing tanker and lurched to a stop next to the open airlock of the Platypus. The cyberclone followed Quirinus and Ravana out of the car, keeping them at gunpoint.
Fenris led the way into the freighter’s cargo bay and up the ladder towards the flight deck. Dana was behind them and the scowl she wore as she led the guards into the airlock made it clear that Quirinus and Ravana had little choice but to comply. As Ravana followed her father she kept a firm hold of her cat, not trusting it to be roaming loose in a ship bristling with plasma weaponry.
Ravana followed her father out of the crawl tunnel and up onto the flight deck. Quirinus gave the waiting Fenris a frosty glare. Someone had removed a maintenance panel to gain access to the AI unit, but it seemed any attempt to bypass the security system had failed. The strange tendrils had multiplied considerably in their absence.
“Ship!” Quirinus called. “Status report.”
“Dock safety protocols engaged, awaiting further orders,” confirmed the melodious tones of the Platypus. “Access to all systems remain restricted to registered crew only.”
Fenris scowled. Behind Ravana came Dana and Surya’s cyberclone, Dana by now having relieved the clone of the pistol. Ravana guessed that even if she or her father could somehow get past Dana, the guards in the cargo bay would be waiting.
“My word,” murmured Dana. She looked around the flight deck with the air of someone distinctly unimpressed. “This thing brought you from Barnard’s Star?”
“We have refuelled your ship,” Fenris told Quirinus. He raised his pistol and aimed it squarely at the pilot’s head. “All you have to do is fly us to Ayodhya.”
“What if I refuse?” retorted Quirinus. Just for an instant, he darted his gaze towards the floor near Ravana, then returned his stare to Fenris. “What then?”
“I presume registered crew includes your daughter,” Fenris replied coldly. “If you do not cooperate, I will shoot you and persuade Ravana to do my bidding instead.”
“You’re mad,” Quirinus told him. He settled resignedly into his seat.
Moving slowly so as not to attract attention, Ravana turned her head to see where her father’s glance had been directed, then mentally kicked herself for missing something so obvious. Apart from the cargo bay door and the docking ring in the roof, there was another way in and out of the Platypus. Near where she stood was an airtight hatch in the floor of the flight deck that led to the maintenance bay below. This was where they kept a single-seat extra-vehicular pod used to perform repairs in deep space, but more importantly the bay had a wide door that opened out beneath the beak-like nose of the ship. All she needed was a suitable distraction. On cue, the cat in her arms wriggled and purred.
“Forgive me cat,” whispered Ravana. “You know I wouldn’t do this to a real animal.”
Quirinus activated the navigation console, all too aware that Fenris and Dana both had their guns trained on him. Ravana caught his glance and shuffled towards the floor hatch in readiness for an attempt to escape.
“Ship, run pre-flight checks,” ordered Quirinus. “Prepare primary systems for a short interplanetary hop, coordinates to follow. Confirm main cargo bay airlock closed and sealed. While you’re at it, override dock protocols and open the EV pod door.”
“Confirmed,” said the AI. “Glad to be of service.”
“What was that last order?” demanded Dana.
“Catch!” yelled Ravana.
Dana spun around and shrieked as the ball of black fur hurtled towards her, the reluctant missile hissing violently as it pawed the air with outstretched claws. Ravana had already dropped to the floor and was slipping through the open hatch by the time Dana pulled the screeching cat from her face. Fenris whirled around and aimed his outstretched gun at the fleeing Ravana, but the cyberclone stepped forward to try and intercept the flying pet and instead caught the full force of Fenris’ swing across its face.
“Reboot me!” the clone burbled, falling to the floor.
“Run!” shouted Quirinus.
“Stop her!” yelled Dana.
Ravana dropped down the short ladder into the maintenance bay. She landed heavily, centimetres away from the folded manipulator claws of the giant metallic lobster that was the EV pod. The exterior door was open, leaving the way clear for her to slide across the floor and drop off the edge to the concrete runway two metres below. She fell awkwardly and was just clambering to her feet again when a black shape dropped from above and into her arms. A small furry face looked up at her and gave a weak meow.
“Hullo cat,” murmured Ravana. “Glad to have you back.”
Angry shouts filled the flight deck but the EV pod door was already closing. Quirinus risked a glance through the windscreen and to his relief saw Ravana put down her head and run as fast as she could across the runway, not daring to look behind.
Fenris turned away from the Platypus flight-deck windows and glared venomously at Quirinus. Dana looked equally displeased, but the claw marks on her face gave her good reason to be. Surya’s cyberclone lay on the floor, burbling quietly to itself.
“Try anything like that again and I will shoot you,” growled Fenris. He raised his gun to Quirinus’ face. “Get this thing in the air now!”
Ravana ran through the entrance of the small terminal building, not daring to stop as she hurtled on past the queues of bemused travellers until finally she could run no more. Exhausted, she staggered into the washroom facilities, found an empty toilet cubicle and dropped heavily onto the seat. Only then did she break down and cry, lost in despair, her tears falling heavily upon the electric cat clutched tightly to her chest until she could weep no more.
When she finally plucked up courage to emerge and make for a window overlooking the apron, glancing furtively around for any sign of pursuit as she did so, a gap in the row of parked spacecraft confirmed her fears. The Platypus and her father had gone.
She slumped into a nearby seat, totally at a loss, leaving her cat to wander. Whilst in the washroom she had managed to get her wristpad working long enough to send a message to Ostara and Zotz, but now the screen was dead and she had no idea if they were on their way. On the far side of the arrivals lounge a group of Arab dignitaries were making their way towards her, amongst whom she suddenly spotted the familiar figure of Governor Atman. As they approached, Ravana rose to her feet and gave a hesitant wave.