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  “This isn’t exactly news.” Still sounding peeved, Caya flung her arms around Briar. “Don’t talk to me like I’m a complete fool. I know all this.” Her trembling body contradicted her bravado and arrogant words. Briar actually felt better since Caya’s response showed that she did understand and was sufficiently alarmed at the risk of being discovered.

  “Besides, you can relax about your latest vision,” Briar whispered into Caya’s hair. “It already took place, and the babies are safe and so am I.”

  “Really?” Caya pulled back and looked into her Briar’s eyes. “That power outage they mentioned in passing on the news this morning?”

  “Yes. One of the engineers was hurt, but I managed to help her and she’s going to be all right too. I’ll visit her later this afternoon. She said you could come too. If you want.” In fact, Briar found it infuriating how casually the authorities had covered up what could have delayed Pathfinder for a long time and potentially killed an entire NICU ward. If they did this so easily, what else were they lying about? Briar pushed the anger back. She was one to talk, the ultimate fraud.

  “Why would she invite me? Do I know her?” Looking puzzled, Caya reached for her bag.

  “No, not per se. You know of her. She’s the woman we saw on the big screen. Chief Engineer Vantressa. And no, you can’t tell anyone.”

  “Again, Briar, I do realize these things. I’m not a child.”

  “All right, all right. Just making sure.” No, Caya wasn’t a child anymore, and in many ways she never had been. Her genetic makeup provided her with insights worthy of an Oracle of the Creator. But she had led a sheltered upbringing, which hadn’t made her street-smart. Caya could be the brightest person in the room and the most naive one, at the same time. “Now, keep an open mind regarding your classmates, all right?”

  “Yeah. Fine.” Caya pressed a quick kiss on Briar’s cheek and left.

  Briar drew a deep breath as she programmed a fast breakfast for herself. It would take time getting used to living in such a technologically advanced environment. She had raised Caya in their childhood home, a very old house where their traditionalist parents had installed only a very few modern conveniences. Briar and Caya were used to the old-fashioned ways. While having recyclers, food automats, and so on was crucial on deep-space travels, especially one that could last years, such gadgets were still alien to them.

  Briar watched as the matte-gray opening in the wall pulled in the items and heard the faint hum as the dematerializer’s beams dissolved them into atoms. The process was in a strange way unsettling, and Briar made sure she kept a certain distance. She had an eerie feeling her fingertips would be demolecularized as well if she stood too close.

  A melodic signal made her jump before she realized someone was calling her on the in-ship comm band. Briar turned and ordered the computer to put the call through. Surprised, she found herself staring at Admiral Heigel.

  “Good morning, Nurse Lindemay,” Heigel said. “I apologize for disturbing you this early in the morning.”

  “Ha. You wanted to call an hour ago,” a female voice said in the background, which made Heigel glare to the left before she returned her focus to Briar.

  “It’s all right, sir. I’ve not gone to bed yet.”

  “To bed? Oh, right. I should’ve realized your sleep schedule after night shifts.” The admiral actually looked chastised for a moment, but her expression changed when Meija Solimar came into view.

  “I told her that too, but does she listen? I mean, ever?” She smiled at Briar. “You did a great job last night, Ms. Lindemay.”

  “Please. Just call me Briar.” Hoping the two women would get to the point so she could finally get some sleep, she regarded them politely.

  “Of course. Do call me Meija. My wife’s name is Korrian. There. That makes things easier, right?” Meija patted the admiral’s shoulder. “I’ll let the two of you talk while I get ready for work.” She nodded and briefly cupped the back of Korrian’s neck, a gesture that seemed like a well-practiced, automatic caress.

  “Now that we’re on a first-name basis,” Korrian said dryly, “I’ll get right down to business. I like what I saw of you last night. You think on your feet, Briar, and you’re suitably irreverent when it comes to rank and orders.”

  Those were surprising words coming from a high-ranking officer. Korrian was not only an admiral in the fleet engineering corps but also a legend, as she had designed the Exodus ships.

  “I did what any medical professional should do in a crisis,” Briar said calmly. “As for being irreverent—that comes from being a child in a traditionalist family. One of our parents’ golden rules was to never follow a leader blindly.”

  “Excellent.” Korrian’s face, stunning with its dark skin and brown eyes, lit up as she smiled. “I’ll let you get your well-deserved rest now, but I want to set up a meeting with a group of people where I’m certain you’ll fit right in.”

  “What kind of group?”

  “Let’s just say, it’s made up of people from a wide range of professions and backgrounds. I’m sure you’re familiar with several of them. Our next meeting is in ten days.” She gave Briar the necessary information regarding time and location.

  “Cube One?” Briar gaped. “That’s where all the cabinet and the brass stay!”

  Chuckling, Korrian nodded. “It sure is. See you then, Briar. Sleep well.”

  Briar barely had time to answer before the Oconodian Crest began to twirl on her screen, showing Korrian had ended the call.

  “What the hell was that about? And why me?” True to her habit of talking to herself, something Caya mercilessly teased her about, Briar walked into her part of the small area of their quarters. She placed her robe on its hook and crawled into bed. Tugging on the pillow, she found it hard to get comfortable, which was common for her after a night shift. She would be on again for a short stint, a four-hour shift, which made it extra important to get some sleep now.

  Closing her eyes hard, she forced herself to breathe in, hold her breath, exhale, and hold her breath again. This pattern sometimes worked. As she breathed deliberately, scattered images of the previous night played behind her eyelids. Pale infants, flickering handheld lights, the deep wound on Adina’s wrist. The scent of burned garnet oil and skin.

  Half sitting up, Briar tugged the robe toward her from its hook and bunched it into a ball, which she hugged close to her. The robe still smelled of the homemade cleaning solution from their home planet, and she hoped the familiar scent would help her sleep.

  The last images in her mind before she did nod off were not of explosives or wounds, but for some reason just as disturbingly, of Adina Vantressa’s amber eyes.

  *

  Adina found herself staring. Dressed in tan trousers and a crisp white shirt, Briar turned out to be a stunning woman. Adina’s mind had been elsewhere the day before, and dressed in scrubs, everyone looked more or less the same. Now she took in the sight of the strawberry-blond woman who sauntered toward her, sex appeal oozing from her like a broken plasma coupling.

  Then there was the young woman accompanying Briar. Caya was a golden-blond beauty, an otherworldly creature who in turn radiated a sense of being…untouchable? She moved with a special grace as she crossed the floor to greet Adina.

  Briar looked tired. Faint circles under her eyes spoke of too little sleep, which was hardly surprising after having pulled yet another shift after a mere few hours’ rest. Adina had asked the chief nurse about Briar’s duty roster. It was brutal on some days. The chief nurse explained about their shortage of licensed NICU nurses. It wasn’t Adina’s place to suggest they immediately start a training program, but she would make a point of mentioning it to the right person when she was back on duty.

  “Hello there.” Adina greeted Briar and Caya, motioning for them to approach where she sat in a chair at a small table holding her computer tablet and the ship-wide screen transmissions.

  “Nice to see you. Again,” she added
, looking at Briar.

  “Commander Vantressa,” Briar said, resorting back to using Adina’s rank. “This is my younger sister Caya. She’s in the last year of basic school.”

  “Hello, Caya.” Adina nodded. “I owe your sister the use of my arm. According to the doctors, I’m expected to make a full recovery. If a bit scarred.”

  “Briar’s pretty good to have around when something’s going on,” Caya said. “She never loses her head. Unlike me. I’m such a coward.” She shrugged, sending waves billowing through her long, thick hair.

  “I can testify to the former and I doubt the latter.” Adina motioned for them to sit at the table across from her. “So, first day of school after takeoff. Anything special taking place?”

  Caya lit up. “Actually, yes. Our main teacher had us record thoughts, or poems, or even songs, to be put in a special time-capsule container. Some made 2D drawings, and one boy even went around yanking individual strands of people’s hairs out to save for the future.”

  “What?” Briar snapped her head around, staring at Caya. “Did he do that to you?” She’d paled considerably.

  “No. I stayed away from him. I contributed a data-stick. That’s it.”

  Adina watched the color return to Briar’s face. What was that all about? Sure, Caya had long and stunningly beautiful hair, but one strand? “Should prove exciting to bring that out when we’ve reached our destination. And for future generations on our new homeworld to study when they learn of the Exodus.”

  “Yes.” Briar smiled and changed the subject. “What’s your news? How long are they going to keep you here?”

  “Oh, that. As it turns out, I get to leave this place tomorrow morning.” She sat in a chair where she could comfortably access her computer tablet and watch the ship-wide screen transmissions.

  “That soon?” Briar frowned. “Oh, don’t tell me. You’ve talked yourself out of here against medical advice, using your rank.”

  “Exactly,” Adina said, not about to apologize. It had been quite the effort on her part, as the doctors had been far too grateful and awestruck by her actions with the white garnet. They’d wanted to give her a full workup, ordering tests that had nothing to do with her burned wrist, something she put a stop to immediately. Not only did she resent being in the hospital to begin with, but she would not let anyone squander valuable resources. She had made pertinent points in no uncertain terms.

  “Well, as long as you don’t forget—” Briar looked over her shoulder. “What the…?”

  Two security officers entered the room, both armed, but their weapons remained in their belts. “Identification,” the older of the two men said to Briar and Caya.

  The two women produced their bracelets, which together with their subcutaneous chips held all their information. “We’re just visiting. Should we—?”

  “No, stay. I think you’ll be glad you did.” Adina looked pointedly at Briar and then Caya.

  “Commander Vantressa!” A woman approached the table where an additional chair seemed to appear out of nowhere. She wore a light-blue long skirt with a crisp white jacket. Around her neck, at least ten rows of small Ilitorian beads, a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry most people on Oconodos would recognize, glimmered mutedly.

  “President Tylio,” Adina said and straightened in her chair.

  “Commander. Once I was fully briefed of this latest turn of disturbing events, I had to see you in person. Admiral Heigel assured me you were doing much better than what we initially feared.”

  Pity the admiral hadn’t downplayed her wound even more. Adina rather liked the president, but she also hated drawing attention. And having a visit from their highest commander did just that. Hoping to divert the president’s attention, Adina introduced her two visitors.

  “I’m Gassinthea Mila Tylio.” She tilted her head, her eyes narrow. “I remember your name from the after-action report, Nurse Lindemay. I believe the commander owes you the use of her arm.”

  Adina hid a smile as Briar looked at her with panic in her eyes. “Madam President,” Briar said, her voice husky, “I only did what any medical professional—”

  “I don’t believe that,” President Tylio said. “You rescued the tiny creatures in your care first, and when nobody would ever have judged you for remaining outside the safety perimeter, you ran back when you learned someone was in trouble. Lieutenant Dodgmer’s report was very detailed.”

  “Oh.” Briar took her sister’s hand. “Then I’m glad my efforts had the intended outcome, sir.”

  “As is Commander Vantressa, I’m sure.” Tylio extended her hand to the closest of her staff that were lined up behind her. He produced a computer tablet. “I’ve made sure you have extended resources to safeguard the power consoles at all vulnerable junctions, Commander. If you run into any bureaucratic nonsense, I want to know about it.”

  “Yes, Madam President. Thank you.” Adina knew the president wasn’t saying a lot because other civilians were present. Law-enforcement and security officers were going to go after the saboteur on a massive scale.

  “I wish I could do something for you on a personal level,” Tylio said.

  “Actually, sir, you might be able to.” Adina thought fast. “When it comes to resources, sir, I have some information I consider important for the future of the Oconodian people.”

  “Oh?” Tylio had begun to get up but sat down again, her legs folded neatly to the side.

  “During the short time I’ve been so expertly taken care of at this hospital unit, I’ve also learned how grossly understaffed the NICU units are throughout the ship. And, no, I didn’t hear this from Briar Lindemay. I’m well aware this is not my area of expertise, but to safeguard also the tiniest among us, the ones who will inherit our new world at one point, I think having more trained NICU personnel is essential.”

  The president lowered her gaze for a moment, as if deep in thought. Returning her focus to Adina, she nodded slowly. “You’re correct. We have limited resources, but we also have many people who cannot function in their old occupations while we’re in deep space. I’ll give this some thought and consult with my cabinet minister of health. I will get back to you.” She stood and nodded her farewell.

  As she was almost out the door, she stopped, nearly making her closest security guard stumble into her. Tylio turned and looked at Caya. Her light-blue eyes, intelligent and unwavering as she scanned the young woman, didn’t blink. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but something about you is so compelling…I have to. Perhaps it’s those remarkably transparent aqua eyes. Your sister has them too,” the president said, glancing briefly at Briar, “but yours are amazing. I wonder, have we met before?”

  “No, Madam President,” Caya said, standing up. “Thank you for the compliment though.”

  Briar, now pale again, stood as well. “Caya was homeschooled as her health was weak from a young age. Pathfinder’s controlled environment benefits her greatly.”

  “Excellent. Good to hear.” Tylio gave Caya yet another long look. “Well, now, I’ll be in touch.”

  The silence after the president and her entourage left was palpable. Briar and Caya exchanged glances saturated with unspoken words.

  “That—that was amazing,” Briar said, finally. “Explaining about our strained staffing situation, I mean. How did you know?”

  “She needed to be informed. As I said, I heard it from the staff in this unit.” Adina shrugged. She was exhausted now and would’ve given anything to be back in her quarters. Not that they were any cozier than the hospital room, but at least she’d be among her things.

  “You need rest,” Briar said, reading her accurately again. “Caya and I will leave you now. I hope you’re at least planning to take time off and rest in your quarters.”

  “I might.” It all depended on how many crisis situations they threw her way. “Thanks for dropping by. Having you here when Tylio showed up actually took the heat off me a bit.”

  “Creator, that was incredible,” Cay
a said. Her eyes glowing, she looked imploringly at Adina. “Is it all right if I tell some new friends I saw the president up close? I mean, I won’t tell them about you or your arm. Just her. She’s—she’s amazing!”

  “Talk about being starstruck.” Briar groaned.

  “It’s all right. This was hardly a confidential meeting. You can tell.”

  “Thank you!” Caya looked like she might hug Adina, but Briar’s steady grip of her sister’s arm kept her from actually trying.

  “Rest well, Commander.”

  “Adina, remember?” Adina smiled.

  “You sure?” Maybe Briar had thought being on a first-name basis was a temporary thing in the heat of the crisis.

  “I’m always sure.”

  “All right.” Briar looked over at the bed. “Will you be able to manage getting back to bed to rest?”

  “I’m fine.” Adina knew her stubbornness bordered on the ridiculous but stood and crossed the deck to the bed. She wobbled but made it with her pride intact.

  “Just barely,” Briar said and grinned. “Take care, Adina.”

  “You too.”

  The two women left and Adina curled up on the bed, cradling her throbbing arm. For some reason, the room seemed even bleaker than before. Those two, there was something special about them. Briar radiated warmth and strength, not to mention she was hot enough to cause trouble. Caya, in turn, young and innocent looking, seemed quite mysterious. The president was right. Their eyes were remarkable.

  Closing her eyes, Adina hoped the last hours in the hospital unit would fly by. She wanted to return to her meticulously guarded quarters because she disliked hospitals as much as the next person. Also, the Vantressa clan didn’t have high enough security clearance to enter her residential cube since she was a senior officer and chief of engineering. Everyone in her corridor had a level-eight security rating. Adina wasn’t ashamed that she’d personally made sure none of her family members had clearance above level six.