He and Seth had avoided the catastrophe on Sheol; they had escaped from the exploding bloater cluster out in empty space; they had even, by a miracle, survived the Shana Rei shadow cloud.
But now that the Iswander ships had returned to the ekti-extraction field, assessed the damage, and counted the casualties, Garrison knew that Elisa was going to fight him over Seth. Though Lee Iswander made no threats, he impounded the Prodigal Son so that Garrison couldn’t leave.
During the panicked scramble to evacuate, thirty-seven people had lost their lives through mishaps and the brief robot attack. But Garrison had watched the industrialist during the crisis, how he had responded. Iswander had stayed behind and saved as many of his workers as possible—maybe he had learned his lesson after Sheol. Garrison couldn’t exactly blame the man for not preparing against the Shana Rei. It wasn’t something any operation would have planned for. In fact, no one could understand how they had escaped total obliteration. The Shana Rei had just… left.
But that didn’t solve Garrison’s personal problem.
“Once everything gets back to normal, we’ll figure this out,” said Iswander. “For now, you can stay here with your son.”
“As a prisoner, you mean.”
Iswander folded his hands together, serious, businesslike. “I’ve checked on you. I know what you’ve been doing since you left my employ—minor and unfulfilling work in the lunar rubble around Earth. You’re better than that. Don’t you want something exciting, engaging, and on par with your abilities?”
He didn’t wait for an answer, but continued, “If you’re willing to set the past aside, I’ll wipe your personnel record clean. A second chance for both of us. I could use another good man on my crews here—work any part of the ekti processing you like. That way, you and Elisa both get to stay with your son, so the boy isn’t in the middle of a tug-of-war. Besides, I keep Elisa as a happy and undistracted employee, and I don’t have to worry about you keeping these operations secret. Everybody wins.” He smiled. “You have to agree, it’s the best possible solution. No need for the situation to get any messier.”
“You make it sound so simple,” Garrison said.
Iswander shrugged. “I’ve run the numbers.”
Grudgingly, Garrison said he would review the list of possible jobs at the extraction field, though he was careful not to give a final answer. He knew Seth wanted to stay with him, but would never say he wanted to leave his mother. Garrison wouldn’t force the boy to choose.
Elisa ignored him, as if she assumed the problem was solved. Meanwhile, he spent time with Seth, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be here. He had seen bloaters explode, and he knew they were dangerous—even the green priest had demonstrated that.
During the chaotic evacuation, Aelin had flown to one of the bloaters, following some siren’s song only he could hear. He had immersed himself in it—and then climbed back out of the protoplasm into the inspection pod. He sealed the hatch and somehow found the presence of mind to operate the craft.
Aelin flew back to the modular complex and landed the pod in an available hangar in front of an astonished crowd. The green priest glowed with warmth and an expression of blissful wonder. Now, whenever Aelin looked at any individual, his eyes seemed to have a hypnotic power.
“I have been baptized in the blood of the cosmos. I am rejuvenated.” He didn’t resist as the two flustered doctors led him back to the infirmary…
The following day, Iswander Security forces detected another intruder at the bloater-extraction field and raced out to intercept an unidentified ship. As soon as the unexpected pilot began transmitting, Garrison knew she was no spy come to uncover the secret ekti operations. From the quiet admin module, Garrison and Seth watched the drama unfold. The woman was dying from a plague.
When Orli Covitz introduced herself, Seth lit up with surprise. “That’s the compy lady! Don’t you remember her?”
Seth was right. Although her face was haggard and sickly, Garrison recognized the compy researcher from Relleker who had done so much crusading to support compies. Seth, who watched many of her reports, often showed them to his father in hopes of convincing him to pick up one of her misfit compies. Garrison remembered how beautiful, how intense and animated Orli had been when she spoke in the video recordings about her compies.
Garrison had never expected to find her out here on the edge of a far-flung star system. Yet here she was, with a Friendly compy beside her in the cockpit.
Orli transmitted the files of medical data about the disease, the alien race, the lost derelict city… and the dead Roamer clan. Garrison felt a chill as he realized that this was the same plague that had killed clan Reeves.
He went over to the comm screen. “I need to talk with her. She was at the derelict city where my whole family died.”
The technician frowned at the interruption, but Lee Iswander gave a quick nod, and Garrison nudged the comm officer aside. When he told Orli that Olaf Reeves was his father, that he and Seth were possibly the last survivors of clan Reeves, he watched her expression fall. “I’m sorry,” she said. “They were all dead when I arrived, but I have recordings from your father and some of the other clan members.” Orli’s eyes drooped, and her head swayed. She was clearly in pain. “Olaf Reeves did everything he could to prevent the spread of the plague. The derelict city should have been vaporized before I got there, but it was just bad luck and bad timing. The sickness ends with me. Here.”
Garrison planned to review the records, listen to Olaf’s last words. Though he doubted he would hear any apology, it was still his obligation to listen to what his father had to say. He leaned closer to the screen, and his voice was hoarse. “Thank you for bringing this back.”
When Garrison looked at Orli, everyone else in the admin center seemed to fade away. He concentrated on her, felt her intensity.
“I need you to do me a favor, Garrison Reeves,” she said. “There’s a woman, Rlinda Kett—tell her I’m sorry about losing her ship. I should have just stayed on Relleker.” She heaved a breath, her shoulders shuddered.
Joining his father at the comm, Seth spoke to her. “I like compies. We listen to your reports sometimes. I always wanted to meet you.” Then he smiled. “Is that DD?”
The Friendly compy perked up. “Yes, I am DD.”
Garrison asked, “Why did you leave there in the first place? You had your compy work.”
Tears filled her eyes. “My husband, Matthew… everything broke apart and it was too painful to stay. I wanted something else. I guess I should have picked a different midlife crisis.” Orli let out a bitter chuckle. “It won’t be long now. DD is ready to self-destruct the Proud Mary. He has his orders.”
“Don’t give up yet!”
“That’s what I’ve been telling myself for days.”
Seth’s brows drew together, and he spoke urgently to DD. “A good compy takes care of his master. DD, you need to take care of Orli.”
The little compy turned his optical sensors at the screen. “I promise, I am doing all I possibly can.”
Orli said, “There’s nothing DD or I can do. And I refuse to let anyone else catch this plague. Nothing can cure me.”
Garrison ignored everyone else in the admin module. “We can talk as long as you like. We’ll keep the comm channel open. I’ll be here.” He didn’t even notice the silence that fell in the admin module followed by startled whispers.
The green priest came up to stand between Seth and Garrison. Aelin had a warm smile and bright, intense eyes. “I can cure her. It’s simple.”
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN