Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Scientists and Sabotage

Sevenday 31, Day 7

A driana half lifted her eyelids to the dim light. The sun was rising, the deep blue sky streaked with gold and lavender. One day, she would remember to ask the meteorologists about the causes of the sky tones, so different from the greens of Socraide Prime. She could feel Bran’s warmth at her back, his sonorous breathing as comforting as his presence. Like most inhabitants of the Thirteen Systems, she did not confuse physical passion with love or commitment, but she had never been interested in it as mere recreation. She knew that her growing admiration and affection for Bran increased his physical appeal.

She wondered at her willingness to reveal so much to him. In part, it was that he trusted her with the secret of the Nightingale saboteur, but mostly because she felt safe with him. That he was Serengeti was awkward, but many couples navigated commerce conflicts. As for being a free-trader, she was coming to believe that First System attitudes about those systems might suffer from unfounded bias, or perhaps self-serving bias. What she knew for certain was that his admiration and passionate kisses eased wounds she had not realized still festered.

Bran’s breathing changed and she felt him move. “Are you awake?”

Turning, she met his sleep-heavy eyes. “Yes.”

He was oddly appealing with his hair tousled, his chin scruffy from two days’ growth. He half smiled, a finger reaching to push a curl back from her forehead.

“Is my hair a wreck? Flat on one side, all odd angles on the other?”

His smile broadened. “It is rather adorable.”

She was not certain what to make of that, but at least he was not repulsed.

His expression sobered. “Poor choice of compliment?”

“What say you?”

His forefinger touched the space between her brows. “Your dubious expression.”

“Oh.” She shook her head. “It is only that adorable seems an odd characteristic for a woman past her fortieth year.”

He chuckled and sat up. “You will be adorable at eighty.”

Flustered, she was saved from a response when he rolled from the mattress and rose. Holding out a hand, he said, “I need to finish the repairs. If all goes well, we will be ready to launch by midday.”

Taking his hand, she scrambled to her feet. “Then I have time to set a handful of lures. It will make up for the ones that were empty, yesterday.”

“Plan to return by midday.”

Nodding her agreement, she hastened into the freshener. Her hair was as bad as she feared but she did not linger, knowing Bran needed the facility. By the time they had stowed the bedding and consumed a breakfast of nutrition bars, the sun was well up. Bran was lifting new parts from their crates when she grabbed her equipment cases.

Recessing the door, she scanned the area hoping for a patch of white. Her heart dropped when there was no sign of Blue. It was probably better. She was already too attached to the little creature. Shouldering her cases, she glanced back. Bran was bent over the open floor with a crate of replacement parts next to him. “I am off.”

His head lifted. “Be careful.”

She shifted her hip to display the pistol. “I will be fine.”

“Midday.”

“Midday,” She agreed.

Her feet hit the ground to the sound of an unmistakable yip. Blue stood at the edge of the crushed area, tail waving in welcome.

“I am glad you are here, but this will be our final adventure.”

The terrier’s head cocked as if considering Adriana’s words, and then, with a little bounce, she turned for the west.

“Not that way. It is south for us.” Adriana shared Nickolas’ curiosity about the mountain range, but south would provide a 360-degree sampling of the area around the DOP-C. Not a full grid, but a substantial piece of one. So far, she had replaced all but two of the lost samples, and—including Blue and the snake—identified four more. Whether she filled in the last of the destroyed samples, or found new varieties, the mission would be a success.

Adjusting the cases, she set the direction hoping Blue would follow. The little creature watched her in unmistakable doggy annoyance and then finally capitulated, bounding through the plants to catch up.

***

Bran ran the diagnostics a second time. Propulsion was operating within protocol. Navigation and communications were functional. He was confident he could get them back to the Nightingale , but he would want a thorough maintenance overhaul before letting the DOP-C make another flight. Changing the systems’ status from maintenance to active, he closed the opening in the floor.

Adriana’s voice came from the doorway. “This is good-bye.”

She had set down her cases and crouched before the terrier, rubbing its ears. “I would take you with me if I could. But it is not safe for you.”

The little dog made a happy moaning sound and pushed into Adriana. Bran could hear tears in her voice when she said, “I will miss you, too.”

After a final pat, she stood and picked up her equipment. When she turned toward Bran, her face was tight, and her eyes held the sheen of unshed tears. His heart aching for her, he reached down to lift the cases. Knowing nothing he could say would make her feel better, he carried the cases back to the storage area. Deciding activity was the best course, he asked, “Will you stow everything while I run the prelaunch protocols?”

“Of course.”

Settling in front of the console, he activated the systems. In the background he could hear the storage compartments open and close. Together they used the cargo restraints to secure the extra equipment from the repairs, along with the damaged parts he had replaced.

After a hasty meal of nutrition bars and water, he let her have the first turn in the freshener. When he emerged after his turn, she was standing in the doorway. Coming up behind her, he looked out at the purple plains, where the sun was reaching the mountains. “Blue?”

She touched the controls and sealed the door. “Gone.”

He wanted to give her another hug, but there was no time. If aught went amiss he did not wish to attempt an emergency landing in the dark. “Fasten in.”

Dropping into the pilot’s chair he fastened his restraints with one hand, powering up the console with the other. “You did give her a tracker.”

Her sigh was heartbreaking. “I did, but it is better for Blue if I do not look for her when we return.”

Turning his attention to the controls, he initiated communications. “Hyssop to Nightingale . We are coming home.”

***

For the first half-period of transit, the DOP-C was silent. Bran needed to keep his focus on safely exiting the atmosphere. Once in the expanse, a propulsion failure would be inconvenient, but they had sufficient fuel and air to survive until the Nightingale could collect them.

The sky deepened to dark navy, and clouds hid the plains. The engines hummed, pushing against the outer atmosphere. Stars shimmered into view, and the last of the blue turned to black as they entered the beaconless expanse. He checked the trajectory and made a minute adjustment. The Nightingale was east and a few degrees north, at the edge of the planet’s shadow.

It was safe to shift his attention to Adriana, but words would not come. He knew it would not end well when she named the terrier. She was not even aware of him, her gaze a thousand miles away, or a thousand inward.

“Another period,” he said. He cringed as he spoke, but it was better than the heavy silence. “It will be seventh bell after midday on the Nightingale .” The banalities leapt from his mouth, one after the other. Adriana knew that the Nightingale maintained orbit at the midpoint of the area under survey.

Her chin lifted, dark eyes meeting his as she returned from wherever she had been. “It is well. I want to secure the samples in my office, and it will be easier to do with no one in the lab.”

“Do you fear tampering?”

Her lips twisted. “I fear that the DOP-C might not be the only victim of the saboteur. I do not want these samples turning to goop.”

“How hard is that to do? Sabotage your analysis instruments?”

“It does not require sabotage as such. Simply someone with the appropriate access to reset the configuration and expose the samples to excess scan energy. The trick would be in altering the logs to hide the deliberate recalibration.”

The hair on the back of his neck rose. Whoever was causing their problems had a high degree of systems knowledge to sabotage both the DOP-C and laboratory instruments. “Who do you know with the skills?”

“Any of the zoologists or botanists could turn the sample to goop. But hide their access to the systems afterward?” She shook her head. “I have the command codes for it, and Leonardo’s Botany lead. Other than that”—she held out her hands in a helpless gesture—“nobody I know of on either team has the skills to circumvent the controls.”

“I doubt the botanist could sabotage a DOP-C, but I will look at him.”

She nodded. “From his dossier, I cannot imagine when he would have had the time to acquire engineering skills.”

He could not quite believe she voiced that. “Are we admitting to our respective cartels’ profiling?”

She chuckled without mirth. “It was a ridiculous pretense from the start. Now? I doubt Serengeti has aught that is not known to Matahorn, but if you are willing to share, I will speak with Security Chief Lochan. He is surprisingly reasonable for one dedicated to paranoia and stealth.”

The Matahorn security chief was why Bran, and not Caoimh—the third Phoenix Enterprises partner—was on this voyage. After the disaster of Jarrod-Sadico, Monsignor Horatio would only tolerate a Serengeti captain if Matahorn controlled security. Raleigh would not voyage into the unknown without one of his two trusted partners at his back.

Raleigh wanted Bran for navigator, but Monsignor Hercules of Grey Spear and Serengeti controlled that role and would not yield it. Grey Spear’s function within Serengeti was logistics and supply, but at its core was a vast database of navigational routes. Data they did not share.

None of which would be secret from Adriana with her access to the dossiers built by Matahorn. That did not change Bran’s situation. “Lochan is not above suspicion. As of this moment, only you and Nickolas are above it.”

Her chuckle turned to a glower. She opened her mouth and yipped.

Yipped? That sound had come from the cargo area. It could not be, but it was. Blue, perched on a crate, wagged her tail in greeting.

***

Adriana stared at Blue. The little dog should not be on the DOP-C, but Adriana’s heart did not care.

Bran’s hard voice broke her trance. “Adriana. What did you do?”

His expression was as stern as his voice. It wounded her even as she recognized he could not be blamed for his suspicion. “On my honor, I did not bring her on board.”

His eyebrows rose. “How, then?”

“No notion.” She looked back at the dog. “Where would I have put her? The storage areas are packed. We did the cargo together.”

His expression softened by degrees. “I beg your pardon. But how can she be here?”

Adriana turned back to the dog. “Blue, what is your secret? How did you get past us? Where did you hide?”

With a doggy grin, Blue bounded off the crate, touched the floor and sprang into Adriana’s lap.

She ran her hands over the terrier, finding no sign of injury. “Her fur is surprisingly soft under the rough outer coat. And slick.”

Bran huffed. “Not useful.”

He was right. Adriana continued to stroke Blue, her thoughts seeking an explanation. With a contented sound, Blue snuggled down and curled into a ball. She was a bit large for Adriana’s lap, but not heavy. Adriana adjusted her position and cradled the dog comfortably. “It had to be after we finished with the cargo. She is incredibly fast. Were you at the console when I was in the freshener?”

“I was.” His eyes narrowed. “You cannot think she streaked past me unnoticed. Nothing is that fast.”

“She was a blur going after that snake.” Adriana looked over at the cargo. “If she tucked in behind the crates, she would be easy to miss.”

“I am not so unobservant I would have missed her when I left the freshener.”

“Are you certain? We were within minutes of launch. Your mind would have been on that.”

His eyes narrowed, his gaze dropping to her lap. “Where is the animal?”

“Asleep in my lap?” Amused, she looked down at her hand, resting on her lap. A lap apparently empty of the dog she could feel. “She is here. I can feel her.”

Adriana’s fingers tightened in the fur, the tips disappearing into the gray of her uniform . . . or not her uniform. “Blue?”

Two glowing blue eyes appeared amidst the gray. A ring of white surrounded them and spread outward until Blue was once again a little white dog.

Bran’s voice was a whisper. “Five Warriors and Adelaide. What is she?”

Adriana could feel her cheeks stretch with a grin. “Blue is incontrovertible evidence that the ancients had a hand in the Thirteenth System.” She scratched the creature’s ears. “For her to change color, specialized nanocrystals would have to be introduced to her hair follicles. They are found in some species of lizards, but not in mammals.”

Bran’s eyes narrowed. “A dog-lizard hybrid?”

She considered the implications. “Cross-species hybridization is theoretically possible, but we do not have the technologistics.”

The little creature in her lap closed its eyes and relaxed under Adriana’s absent stroking.

“How does it do it? Is it intentional?”

It was a sound query, but all Adriana could offer was speculation. “I think when she fell asleep it was a survival mechanism. When she hunts, it could be instinct or intent. I would need to run tests.”

Bran blinked his eyes. “You said she was white when she took out that snake.”

“Then, but before that, I did not see her. Yesterday morning, I saw the plants move against the breeze, but not Blue until she was clear of the plants. She seemed to appear out of nowhere this morning.”

Bran’s voice low, he nodded at her lap. “It is doing it now.”

Adriana’s eyes dropped but her fingers never altered their rhythm. Gray matching the uniform formed splotches that grew until there was no sign of white.

Bran shook his head. “Now that I am watching, I can make out its outline, extra mass between your lap and your waist. Incredible.”

She shared his wonder, but it was tempered with fear. “We will need to get her back to the surface as soon as possible. Do you think Captain Raleigh would consider giving me a DOP-C for a camp? We need to study Blue, and we dare not keep her on the Nightingale .”

The DOP-Cs were critical resources for exploration, but evidence of ancients’ genetic manipulation skills was priceless. The console chimed, taking Bran’s attention.

“You can ask the captain yourself. He and Nickolas are going to meet us in the launch bay.”

“Does the captain know about Blue?”

“No. And I do not think it wise to mention her on an open communications channel.”

She nodded at his caution. “Someone was willing to turn genetic samples to goop.” She glanced at her lap. “I will keep her with me until I can return her to Deuce.”

***

The final half period of the flight was as quiet as its start. Adriana had returned to her thousand-mile stare, and Bran did not blame her. She had voiced Blue was impossible, and she could not have been more accurate. For unknown reasons, the ancients had bred a chameleon terrier. A domesticated breed that had somehow survived abandonment when the ancients disappeared at the beginning of the Anarchy.

When the Nightingale came into visual contact, Bran shut away his wonderment and focused on maneuvering the DOP-C through the increasing gravity and into its slot. As hoped, the bay was vacant but for the duty sergeant and a mechanic. If the Leonardo militia sergeant wondered at Bran’s refusal to allow maintenance access to the DOP-C, he was too well-trained to voice it.

As soon as Adriana released her restraints, Blue turned white. Adriana looked at Bran. “We could improvise a leash, but I doubt she would tolerate it. If I tuck her inside my jacket, can you make a sling from one of the cargo ties?”

Why did he find her resourcefulness so endearing? “Give me a moment, but we are going to need something more secure than a sling.”

Blue was surprisingly docile as Bran created an X-shaped harness. Adriana softened under his touch as he bound the tie across her shoulders and around her waist. Was it his hands on her that caused her blush? The bondage that had her swaying toward him? Breathing deeply of the spicy scent that clung to her from the planet, he forced himself to step back. When the time came to explore what was happening between them, he would remember her response.

A deep bass voice rumbled from the doorway. “Should I return later?”

Captain Raleigh leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed, a half smile on his face. Dark-skinned with close-cropped black hair and black eyes above prominent cheekbones, he topped Bran by four inches and had a breadth of shoulder to match. Physically sparring with the captain was challenging. Mentally sparring even more so.

Bran stepped away, embarrassed to be so caught up in Adriana he did not notice Raleigh’s approach. “It is not what it appears.” He moved aside. “The Lt. Commander has a passenger.”

One pointed ear, two glowing blue eyes, and a narrow snout emerged from the opening in Adriana’s jacket.

Raleigh’s amused expression shifted to ire. “Have you lost your wits? You know what occurred the last time you brought live subjects to the Nightingale .”

“It is not what you think,” Adriana said. “We did not bring her. She stowed away.”

Raleigh barked a mirthless laugh. “Bran?”

“It is complicated.” He moved to the area where Adriana’s samples were stored. “The short version is that Blue is an ancients’ artifact.”

***

Bran watched Raleigh and Nickolas go from disbelief to bewilderment to fascination while Adriana explained about finding Blue. Or Blue finding Adriana. Her private office was the securest chamber in the lab section, and she refused to store her precious samples anywhere else. Before she began her explanations, Bran secured the monitors. It was not impossible for Lochan to bypass Raleigh’s and Bran’s commands, but they would know if he tried.

Adriana perched on the desk, giving the desk chair to Raleigh, the guest chair to Bran, and leaving Nickolas propped against a wall. Blue, released from restraint, explored every centimeter.

Stretching out his legs, Raleigh crossed his ankles. “I can justify a DOP-C to study Blue and her environment for a day. Two at the most. Even then, it will be at least a day to prepare. Unless you plan to take your artifact back to the surface in the next bell, it will not remain hidden.”

Adriana rolled her shoulders, expression tight with strain. “I plan to keep her with me. I do not think anyone will try to take her by force. Where would they go?”

Raleigh chuckled. “Keeping her with you could get messy.”

“Nothing I have not dealt with before.”

Bran stifled a yawn. He could see his weariness reflected in Adriana. They were both overtired and stressed from the crash and its aftermath.

She glanced at the terrier who was using a back paw to scratch one ear. “And she should be safe from the plague for a day. It was sevenday before it affected the other samples.”

As if knowing she had Adriana’s attention, Blue settled at her feet, eyes hopeful. Adriana sighed. “I can give you water. But I have no notion what to feed you.”

“What about part of the snake-thing?” Nickolas asked. “She killed it. She might eat it.”

Adriana blinked and then nodded. “I need to take some scans, but that will not take long. After that, I do not need the entire carcass.”

Raleigh pushed out of the chair. “It nears ninth bell. Unless you think she will starve before morning, I would have you and Bran get a meal and some rest.”

Bran’s stomach rumbled. “Adriana?”

“Blue will be fine.” Leaving the desk, she rooted around in a cabinet, emerging with a small sample container and some absorbent pads. “This will work for water, and the pads will provide a decent bed.

Crouching by Blue, Nickolas scratched her chin, his deep chuckle filling the chamber. “I wish I could be there where Katleen learns of this.”

Raleigh’s eyebrows rose. “Is she not enamored of that tree wombat?”

Nickolas’ chuckle turned to laughter. “It only sparkles. This one changes hue.”

At Adriana’s bewildered expression, Bran explained. “Katleen is Lilian Thornraven’s young sister. She made a pet of an abandoned wombat pup.”

Adriana’s expression flattened. “Blue and I will be in my cabin.”

Confused by her sudden coldness, Bran stepped in Adriana’s path. “What is amiss?”

“Naught. Message received.”

“What message?”

Her soft snort held as much pain as derision. “This is a Serengeti vessel and venture. Lieutenant Nickolas is close commerce-kin to Monsignor Lucius and his consort Lilian Thornraven, while I was given a place to placate an important investor. “

Nickolas surged to his feet. “That is ludicrous. Your skills are unquestioned. As for the rest . . .” He motioned with one hand. “Monsignor Lucius was as careful in his placements as Monsignor Horatio. Neither will risk the success of this venture.”

“As Lt. Clarence is so quick to point out.”

Bran was more confused. “Clarence? Your second?”

“My Serengeti warrior second. And only second so Serengeti could control the command crew.”

Nickolas’ eyes narrowed and his friendly tones turned silky. “Clarence voiced that?”

Crossing her arms over her middle, she met his gaze with a defiant tilt of her chin. “Often.”

“Demon scat.” Raleigh’s glower matched Bran’s reaction. “I thought the crew more cohesive.”

Nickolas shook his head. “The flyer pilots are unified. But we had extensive training as a group.” He considered a moment. “I have not noticed such divisions in the maintenance engineers.”

Raleigh rubbed his chin. “The command crew is sensitive to security-privilege, but otherwise work well together.”

If possible, Adriana’s chin tipped higher. “So, it is only my leadership that is lacking?”

“What say you?” Bran grasped her shoulders. “No one holds any such belief. If Lt. Clarence is a lone malcontent, he is readily dealt with before he can spread his poison. The question is whether those attitudes affect other areas. We have enough trouble from the saboteur. We do not need divisiveness undermining morale.”

Adriana’s shoulders softened in his hands. Her chin lowered. “I beg your pardon. I am overtired, and the lieutenant has been more aggravating than usual.”

“How so?”

A blush tinted her cheeks, her eyes going to Raleigh and Nickolas watching in bemusement. She shrugged and Bran released her. “Adriana?”

“His work is lackluster at best. I cannot determine if it is lack of skill or laziness.” She looked past Bran to Raleigh. “I have documented his lack of productivity. I expected a replacement when we returned to Fortuna for repairs. That he remained gives credence to his claims.”

Consternation replaced Raleigh’s bemusement. “We were focused on replacing those lost in battle. Unless a crew member had a disciplinary action or ties to known despoilers, we did not make changes. There was no time.”

Blue crowded Adriana’s ankles, making a soft sound. Her expression easing, she lifted the creature into her arms. “I suppose the result is worth it. If I could trust Lt. Clarence’s work, he would have gone to Deuce to the collect the samples.”

“His work is that that bad?”

“Bad enough.” She looked at Bran. “It gives further weight to his claims. That one so unworthy is on the Nightingale can only be due to Blooded Dagger patronage.”

Nickolas snorted. “Monsignor is devoted to his cartouche, but he does not offer patronage to the unworthy. He has exiled seigneurs for failing to meet his standards of honor and commerce.”

Adriana’s eyes widened. Exiling a signet-bearing warrior was no minor matter. “I have no response to that, Lt. Nickolas, but Lt. Clarence’s behavior is as I have voiced.”

Before Nickolas could respond, Raleigh held up a hand. “I do not doubt you. But we will not resolve this tonight. Let us reconvene at the tenth bell. If it is limited to Lt. Clarence, it is an annoyance. If his attitudes are more widespread, we will need to act.”