Transformation Space - Marianne de Pierres [51]
‘In here,’ said Linnea after they’d descended two levels. She pulled Mira into a room where the floor was streaked with grease marks and half-full of crates. ‘Utilities and storage,’ she said. ‘Most of our food and disposables sit here before they get unpacked. I park outside here. Much quicker to the kitchens this way.’ She gave a sly grin. ‘Can nip in and out easily, as well.’
She led Mira across the storage room and out onto a large square of plascrete. A bulky rectangular object took up one whole side of the slab, while a little AiV perched alone in the opposite corner.
Linnea glanced into the sky, then ran across to her flyer and threw the hatch-wings open. ‘Quick,’ she called. ‘’Fore the next lunkey lands.’
Mira climbed in beside her, but more slowly, careful not to fall with Nova in her arms. She strapped herself in as Linnea brought life to the AiV. They lifted straight up and forward, almost clipping the edge of the Mount Clement building.
‘Sorry ’bout that,’ Linnea barked. ‘Needed to keep out of the lunkey’s way.’
As she spoke, a shadow fell across the cabin. A large transporter vehicle descended past them and onto the pad. It hovered, sprouted pads and landed heavily. The shape of it made Mira glance back at the object sitting on the other side of the plascrete. ‘That’s a lunkey as well?’
Linnea nodded. ‘Best food storage containers around. Fly themselves in and out and keep the produce cool and dry. When they’re stationary, they fold down into a big box, more or less. Means you can store them as well.’ She slipped an audio piece over her ear and listened intently for a moment.
‘Where’s your ship?’ she asked.
‘Central landing port,’ said Mira.
‘There’s a helluva traffic jam down there. Sounds like a lot of people are panicking. And those that wanta get in can’t get a clearance to land. I’m gonna have to put down on one of the outer pads. You’ll have to walk.’ She glanced sideways at Nova. ‘You up to that?’
Mira set her jaw and nodded. She’d have to be.
‘Info booths will tell you which way to go,’ Linnea added.
‘My symbiote will help me.’
The galley supervisor’s eyes widened. ‘You mean you talk to it? Thought only men could do that.’
‘That’s what makes me different,’ said Mira honestly. ‘It’s why I am still alive, and why I am … pursued.’
Linnea pursed her lips and didn’t say any more. Mira wondered if the woman thought her crazy – a mother who had not even thought of a name for her child, nor knew how to feed it, and yet had been hunted across worlds.
She set Mira down on a pad that looked to be several mesurs from the main port. Even so, it was crowded and chaotic.
Mira unbuckled her harness and twisted in the seat, ready to step down. Their eyes met and held.
‘You want some advice? Service corridors run alongside the main buildings. Use them to get to the central port. Be quicker than fighting the crowds in the public areas.’
‘Where do I find them? How do I get access?’
‘They’re not hard to find. Look for blind corners. Find unmarked doors. Getting in, though …’ She scratched her head. ‘You’ll have to use your imagination. You’ve been through a lot, so it seems. You’ll think of something.’
Mira nodded. ‘How can I—’
‘Swestrs don’t need thanks. Like the great Villon says, “Unto the universe.” There’re plenty of us here that have got no time for the way the Sophos are running the place. Used to be that they were smart and fair, but lately it’s been different. Sophos don’t care for the people any more. Just themselves. Now they’re telling us we’re safe when we’re not. I wish Villon was still here. Rumours say they had him killed.’
Mira’s heartbeat quickened. ‘You heard that?’
Linnea nodded and pushed Mira gently. ‘I’ll look for you in the stars, Mira Fedor. Do what you can to help us!’
Mira leaned across and pressed a kiss onto the woman’s cheek. They knew nothing