“I’m leaving now, so you keep taking care of your sister,” she told Able, then she swung the sack over her shoulder and carried it out into the main room.
Seth was still sitting there, staring sullenly at Sarai. The slight woman continued to hold the blaster on him steadily. Her face was still pale, but the look on her face was determined. Bragan remained in his corner, standing. He was still tied, but they had loosened the bindings to make him more comfortable.
“How are you doing, Sarai?” Calla asked cautiously. The woman was so tense she looked as if she might break into a thousand pieces at any minute. Her husband’s lifeless body still lay on the floor between her and Seth.
“I’m fine,” she said. “Just keep moving, because I want to get this over with.”
“All right,” Calla said. “I’m going to get the food and water packs now.”
It took her about twenty minutes to build a little pyramid of supplies sufficient to feed and water Seth and Bragan for several weeks. Help should arrive long before then, she kept telling herself. Seth would be just fine.
Once all the supplies were ready, she walked over and let Bragan out of his bonds.
The man grabbed her suddenly, causing her to gasp in shock. Sarai’s voice came anxiously from across the room, “What’s wrong?”
Bragan gave Calla a smacking kiss on her cheek, then let her go.
“Nothing to worry about,” he said. “I just wanted to wish her luck. Now what do you need me to do?”
“I want you to drag Calvin’s body and the supplies into the airlock,” Sarai said.
“My pleasure,” he said, grinning broadly. Then he spoke to the angry man across the room in his sing-song way, “Oh, Seth, we’ll become great friends in our time together. You’ll see, you’ll see.”
The tone of his voice alarmed Calla–would Seth be safe with Bragan? The man was definitely unhinged. She made a snap decision to cuff Bragan before allowing him off the ship. Seth deserved that much at the very least. She glanced over at him quickly, afraid to meet his eyes. He sat there, hands above his head, staring at her steadily. There was a promise of retribution in his eyes.
It only took Bragan a short while to load all the supplies, but Calvin’s body was too much for him to handle by himself.
“Seth, help him,” Calla said. Seth stood slowly and deliberately, flexing his arms as he rose. His hands were clenched into fists tight with anger. Calla shivered, backing up a couple of steps.
“I won’t hesitate to shoot,” Sarai said. “I’ve already done it once, I’ll do it again. I have nothing to lose, so don’t tempt me.”
Seth believed her, because he turned to grasp Calvin’s body under the armpits.
Bragan took the feet, then together they lifted the man and carried him out into the airlock. The Seth spoke for the first time.
“Leave the Jansenite here,” he said. “It’s too dangerous to take with you.”
Calla was startled, and she looked to Sarai, unsure what to do.
“He’s right,” Sarai said. “Calvin always handled it very carefully. He could use it to blow up this ship, though. Do you think he’d rather die than let us escape? It would be a suicidal move.”
Seth merely glared at them, but Calla spoke.
“I don’t think he’ll do that,” she said, hoping desperately that she was right.
“Remember, Seth, the children are completely innocent. They don’t deserve to die, no matter what you think of us.”
“I give you my word I won’t use the Jansenite against you,” Seth finally said. “But it’s very important that you leave it behind. I don’t want it out there on the open market.”
“I thought you were going to sell it,” Calla said, startled.
“I thought you were going to trust that I knew what I was doing,” Seth replied pointedly.
“Just get the damn Jansenite,” Sarai said, confused by their exchange. “No, have Bragan do it. I don’t want to let you out of my sight.”
“I’ll get it,” Calla said, breaking in quickly before things got out of hand. “I’ll bring it out here, then Seth and Bragan can take it off the ship.”
“Be careful,” Seth said, trying not to look at her. “If you drop it, we’re all dead.”
Calla carefully dragged the boxes out into the main room, then Seth and Bragan placed them in the airlock. Sarai’s gun never wavered.
When they had finished, Sarai gestured toward the pressure suits hanging in the airlock bay. Seth was still wearing his, but Bragan needed one. Seth pulled on his helmet, then he and Bragan quickly checked each other’s suits.
“Bragan, come over here,” Calla said. Sarai looked at her in surprise, but gestured with the gun that the man was to follow her instructions. “Hold your hands out in front of you.”
Calla quickly clasped a pair of restraints around the man’s wrists. She had been concerned he’d make a fuss, but he simply cocked one eyebrow at her.
“Afraid I’m going to hurt your lover?” he asked with a smirk. “Don’t worry about it.
I don’t hold it against you.”
“Just go out into the airlock,” she said, unable to meet his eyes. Then she tossed the restraint key to Seth, who caught it in one gloved hand. “You, too. Into the airlock.”
Seth turned and stalked into the airlock, then turned back to face her.
“I won’t forget this,” he said coldly. “You’d better start running, because Goddess help you if I catch you.”
“We’ll send someone for you,” Sarai said tightly. “You have all you need to make it until they arrive. Once the airlock cycles, we’ll give you twenty minutes to get everything out and get away from the ship. Then we’re leaving.”
“I’m sorry, Seth,” Calla said. “I don’t have a choice. I won’t go back to slavery.”
“Your husband has a new girlfriend,” Seth said with disgust. “You might want to think twice about trying to join him.”
His words sent pain shooting through her.
“He’s not my husband,” she said. “I just said that to get rid of you at the hostel.
You’ve got to go now.”
Seth’s eyes widened, but before he could say anything Calla punched the button that shut the airlock. The door swung closed, and the light went red as the ship started pumping out air.
Twenty minutes later, Seth had unloaded the supplies and was standing with Bragan at a safe distance. Sarai checked to make sure the children were strapped into their chairs, then joined Calla in the cockpit. Seth had left the autopilot set to take them back to Discovery station. Together, they pressed the key to initiate their takeoff sequence, then braced themselves as the ship lifted away from the asteroid. Calla forced herself to watch Seth’s still figure for as long as he was visible from the ship’s window, then turned to Sarai.
“I guess it’s time to start working on re-programming the auto-pilot,” she said. “The last place I want to go it Discovery station. I have the codes and manuals in my hand-held computer.”
“When will we send the rescue message?” Sarai asked quietly.
“I think we should clear the asteroid field first,” Calla replied after a brief pause.
“We’ll send the message before we make the leap to light speed.”
Chapter 11
“Fifty thousand credits. That’s my final offer,” Karinvass said, eyeing the two women standing before him. Their ship was worth at least 150,000 credits, but they obviously didn’t have any idea what they were doing. Clearly, they’d never been out of their home systems. Every time they saw an alien, their eyes widened. As he watched, the little one–the one with the brown hair and freckles–bit her lip, and looked at her friend for guidance. If he wasn’t careful, he might lose the sale…