There was a murmur of approval and anticipation from around the table, but all Eric felt was gratitude for his team.
“So, what’s the plan?” Aria asked.
Dax cocked his brow and nodded to Eric. “Good question. Magi, what’s our plan?”
Eric stood up. “We take the Malora and find Nyx before anyone else does. Someone wants her isolated and vulnerable, and we’re the only ones in a position to make sure that doesn’t happen. I have her basic course and speed, it won’t take us long to catch up to her. I’ll relay the information to the onboard nav-system once we’re done here.”
“Any idea what ship she’s on?”
“None, though given where she’s headed, it’s not likely to be a freighter or a passenger ship. She’s probably liberated a mining vessel. Blink, would you please find out if any ships have been reported missing or stolen in the past hour or so?”
“You got it,” Aria said.
“There’s one more thing I need to tell you. You’re all aware that Nyx has a minor psychic link to her clones. What she didn’t tell you was that there’s still a fury out there, and the last time Nyx had contact with her she was with Absalom – or more accurately, she’s with his younger clone. Nyx hasn’t had contact since we rescued her, but if that fury is still alive out there, she’s our best chance of finding Absalom’s clone and shutting him down for good.”
“Why are we only just learning this now?” Dax asked.
“I didn’t know until a few days ago, and Nyx was afraid that if the information got out, she’d be subjected to more tests. I was trying to convince her that wouldn’t happen, but after today’s events, it’s clear she was right to be worried. If Halverson found out…” He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t have to.
Aria chimed in without looking up from her data tablet. “She’s on the “Double Jeopardy.” It was due for an overhaul, but the owner hasn’t come up with the down payment yet. The ship was unguarded and sitting in a side hangar. The report just came in. It’s a mining vessel, slow, well armored, minimal weaponry. Slower still since it’s got just one working engine.”
“We’ll get her back, Magi.” Dante rose and started for the door. “Send the navigational data. I’m going to warm up the engines and prep for takeoff. Sir, what should I say is our reason for this unscheduled departure?”
Eric spoke up. “That’s easy. Tell them we’re recovering stolen property.”
Dax nodded. “Works for me.”
And with that, the meeting ended and everyone headed to their stations. Eric smiled as he went with them. Things were finally starting to go his way. Now he just had to hope that whatever Nyx was planning, she wouldn’t start until after they’d caught up to her.
Leaving hurt more than she could have imagined. In all the years she’d planned her revenge, she’d never considered that she might have anything, or anyone, to leave behind. She’d existed all that time without friends, a home, or someone she cared about. But now she had those things, or at least she had the potential for them. Eric might care about her because she reminded him of someone else, but he did care for her.
His teammates were kind, and getting to know Tyra had given her insight into what it might be like to have friends. She’d miss other things, too. Simple ones, like ice cream and hot showers, the comforting warmth of falling asleep in someone’s arms. She’d been foolish to let herself be distracted by those things, but she couldn’t bring herself to regret it. At least she’d gotten a taste of what life might have been like. It would have to be enough.
Her anger at Eric had faded a little. His words hurt, but how could she be angry at him for not remembering who she was when she was having trouble figuring it out for herself? She was a mixed-up mess of other people’s memories and experiences. The only thing she was certain of right now was her mission. She needed to get to Absalom. That was her goal, no one else’s.
Eric had let her hear Echo’s final message to him. At the time, she thought she’d understood her clone’s last words, but she hadn’t really, not until now. Echo had said that what she’d shared with Eric had never been meant to be, and that she was dead before they’d even met. Now, she got it.
As Nyx piloted the partially crippled ship she’d stolen farther away from the station and everyone she cared about, she allowed herself to shed a handful of tears for the life she’d never get to have. One way or another, she would end Project Fury. If she didn’t die in the attempt, then she’d end up locked away again, at least until she found a way to end her life and escape once and for all. Echo had been wrong about one thing – Eric couldn’t save her. Not from this. This had always been her destiny.
Once she was certain she’d gotten away without being noticed, she activated the ship’s autopilot and went looking for something she could use to help her keep warm. She’d rerouted power from every system to the ship’s single engine, and with only minimal life support and no environmental controls, the temperature was dropping fast. Her nanotech would protect her from any serious harm, but between the cold and the thinner atmosphere, it wouldn’t be a comfortable journey.
She didn’t find much on board, but her feet were now clad in an extra pair of socks, and she’d commandeered the blankets from the crew’s quarters and made a comfy nest for herself in the cockpit. The ship’s rudimentary AI could maintain course and heading, but her makeshift repairs and overrides were more than it could comprehend. She’d have to stay close and make manual adjustments as needed or she’d never reach her destination.
At least she’d have time to come up with a plan. She’d chosen the ship as much for its appearance as it’s availability. The Double Jeopardy was a mining vessel and wouldn’t look out of place where she was going. Her best bet was to limp into sensor range while broadcasting a distress signal. The ship she’d stolen still had mining equipment on board, including several laser drills and a surprising quantity of explosives. She had the means to take her revenge. She just needed to get herself onboard and find a way to free her clone. That way at least one of them would get the chance to live, to experience everything she’d only gotten a taste of.
By the time she spotted the incoming ship, it had almost overtaken her. Despite her routing precious power to the sensors to monitor the area, there’d been no alerts and no sign of any other traffic until the Malora was suddenly coming up on her port side. How the fraxx did he find me?
The comms signaled an incoming message. She stared at it for a long time before finally giving in to the inevitable and opened a channel, voice only. “I’m not going back.”
“I guessed that much, but you’re not going to get very far in that derelict, either. It’s been reported stolen already.” Eric’s voice came over the line, wrapping around her soul like a warm, soft blanket she wanted to curl into.
She stiffened her spine and pushed the thought away. She couldn’t let herself get distracted again. “They won’t be able to find me. The transponder met with an unfortunate accident.”
Someone in the background sniggered softly. “I wonder where she learned that expression.”