He heard Farnn gasp. “Duy? A woman?”
“What's wrong?” Rivynn asked her.
“Duy was a colleague, but he's dead. And he was a man.”
“What should I do?” Rivynn's clothes rustled, as if she was moving around.
“Let me talk to them. At the very least to find out what they want.” Farnn sounded frightened.
Bane decided that was the logical response to the situation.
There was a buzz as the earpiece was handed over.
“Hello?”
“Hello Dr. Farnn. Forgive the deception, but I didn't want Captain Rivynn to know who I was.” Bane used the voice he used the most. The one he used with Rose McKenzie.
“Who are you?” Farnn whispered.
“You were on my ship over a year ago. At the time, I didn't have a name, but I've found one since. I am Bane.”
She was absolutely quiet, as if she held her breath.
“I don't intend you any harm, Dr. Farnn. I liked what I saw of you that time you came onboard my Class 5.”
“What do you want, then?” Her voice wavered, but Bane had the feeling she knew very well what he was after.
“The Earth woman. Is she still alive?”
“You know about her?” Farnn sounded . . . relieved?
Could that be?
“I tried to help her. I got her out before they came for her. Some of my colleagues . . .” Her voice shook. “Some died helping to get her out.”
“Where is she now?”
“I don't know. They may have her or she may have gotten away.”
“Have you told Captain Rivynn about this?”
“No.” Farnn sighed. “If I do, things will go . . . crazy.”
“Things are already crazy, Dr. Farnn.” Bane used his driest tone. Because why would the doctor go to so much trouble to help the Earth woman, and then leave her to fend for herself? “Can I confirm her name is Lucy Harris?”
“Yes.” Farnn drew in a breath. “How did you know that?”
“The Class 5 who abducted her told one of us about her before he was destroyed.”
“He tried to kill her,” Farnn said, indignant.
“Yes, he did. He regretted it. That's why he gave us the information. So we could find her. Save her. From your colleagues. Who are also trying to kill her.”
Farnn was silent for a beat. “You're right. I got her out to save her from them, but seeing the facility burned, my friends killed, frightened me into silence.” She breathed out heavily. “I'll tell Captain Rivynn what I know.”
She sounded resigned, as if it might be the end of her, if she did.
“How did she escape?”
“I gave her my hover.” She told him the hover tracking number. “That's all I have.”
“Not all, Dr. Farnn. You know how long she was kept in that facility. You know what was done to her.”
She said nothing in response.
“I would prefer you to be alive to testify to that, so I'm going to get a UC official to come fetch you. Where are you?”
“You don't know?” She sounded startled.
“No.” Although given time, he could find out. She was with Captain Rivynn, after all.
“Captain Rivynn has kindly put me up at her home. I'll ask her if she wants me to stay here or move somewhere else. I'll let you know where you can find me.”
Bane gave her a comms address for the information. “Don't leave it any longer than necessary, Dr. Farnn. You and I both know how much the military has to lose here.”
“Almost as much as I do.” Farnn sounded resigned. “I'll be seen as both a traitor and a participant in the crime.”
That was probably true, but Bane didn't waste time feeling sorry for her. She had made her decision when she'd first stepped aboard his Class 5 a year ago, seen what the military had collected, and said nothing.
That she eventually had a crisis of conscience didn't excuse what she could have prevented if she'd spoken sooner.
“Lucy is strong,” Farnn said. “I liked her from the first interview I had with her, but she's never set foot outside the facility, and she'll stand out wherever she goes.”
Bane had assumed as much. Had assumed she'd been kept hidden. They'd never have taken a chance of letting her be seen. So he had better find her before someone realized who they had walking among them.
Chapter 11
His name was Gugi.
At least, that's what Lucy thought he'd said. She'd stumbled after him, into his ground floor apartment.
He seemed somehow apologetic for its location, and then had shrugged at her blank look.
“We like to be up high,” he said. “So ground floor is the most affordable.”
That explained all the skinny skyscrapers.
She sipped at her grinabo, blinking away the tears the warm air of the apartment caused after the freezing conditions outside.
Her hands were stiff, the one holding the energy bar almost a frozen claw, and she rubbed it against her thigh until she could loosen her fingers and then clumsily opened the wrapper, taking small bites.
“I can get you something, if you want.” Gugi sat opposite her, eyes wide, expression both curious and awestruck.
“Maybe some water?” She gulped down the last of her grinabo, and Gugi rose up, walking backward as if he expected her to run at any moment. He came back with the water, hand shaking in excitement.
“Your Tecran is very good.”
“Thanks.” She took the water, made herself sip it slowly so she didn't feel sick.
Tecran was what she'd heard around her every day. The way she communicated with her captors. So she made sure she understood it very well.
“What are you doing here?” Gugi shifted in his chair.
The heat, the food and drink, combined to make her suddenly sleepy, and she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. “I escaped from the facility. The one that was burned down.”
The sound he made was so strange, she forced her eyes open.
He was staring at her, beak-like mouth open. “The facility in the news?”
She nodded. “They were trying to kill me. Clean up their mess.” She used the same words Dr. Farnn had. Even though she still didn't fully understand what that mess had been.
“They broke the Sentient Beings Agreement, and they reactivated five thinking systems. I think it's more than just a mess.” Gugi shifted again in his chair.
“What does that mean?” She was almost too tired to care right now, but she forced herself to sit straighter in her chair. “And who is 'they'?”
He blinked; two long, slow movements of his eyelids. “They is the Tecran military. And what it means is they took unknown advanced sentients, you and the others like you, against your will, and caused you harm. That is not allowed for members of the United Council. The Tecran are signatories to the Agreement. The penalties are severe.” He stood suddenly. “So severe, a team sent by the UC is landing any moment to take over the running of our military, and oversee our political process for the next five years, as punishment for what they did.”
“They were caught.” She said it slowly. “But then, what about me?” She sucked in a breath, looked up to where he was looming over her. “That's why they tried to get rid of me. They didn't tell anyone about me. I'm more evidence against them.”