Transformation Space - Marianne de Pierres [59]
Nova, Mira and Insignia thought simultaneously.
Mira felt the recognition like a pouring of warm honey. And the orb that represented her child’s presence in their mind meld contracted and expanded and flickered as though it was dancing.
Thoughts poured forth from the orb, but Mira couldn’t quite grasp them.
She is speaking to you, said Insignia.
I c-can’t understand it. What is she saying?
Loving things, and …
And?
The biozoon paused for a moment, as if deliberating whether to share the information. She agrees with you. We should go to Araldis.
Mira struggled to assimilate the fact that her infant child was able to communicate with Insignia about such a thing. It should be impossible. It should.
She cuddled the baby closer and kissed the top of her soft head. Th-then let us not waste time.
BALBAO
The rescue ship’s umbilical connected with the life-ship, sending a shudder through the frame. As soon as the vibrations settled, the tyros and Balbao released their restraints and scrambled for the hatch.
With the hiss of pressure change came a sight Balbao hadn’t expected – armed soldiers waiting on the other side.
‘Is that all of you?’ one barked.
Balbao did a quick head count. ‘Five. Yes.’
‘Through!’ the soldier ordered. ‘Quick.’
Miranda tripped on the hatch lip as she hurried. The soldier stepped forward and pulled her up roughly, shoving her on through.
‘Stop—’ Jise began to protest, but the guard grabbed his shirt and pulled the tyro hard against him, so their faces were almost touching.
‘We’ve got minus time to get out of here before we get turned to gas. So get your arse in here or be left behind.’
The rest of them hurried, Balbao pushing Connit along.
The soldier didn’t even blink at Ra’s strange appearance; he just sealed the hatch and talked into his comm.
‘Take them to the buffer in the cargo hold. We’re going to res-shift soon.’
Balbao and the others were bundled down several levels and thrust into a containment room already filled with unkempt deckhands wearing standard ship overalls.
‘Strap in, we’re moving.’ The soldiers followed them in and took their places on the fold-downs near the door.
‘’Bout time,’ one of the deckhands replied.
Jise helped Miranda to the one remaining vacant seat, and tried to compress her swelling ankle with his hands. Ra and Connit gravitated towards them, but Balbao stayed near the door, shoulders set. He could feel the antagonism bristling from the deckhands. No one knew if their next breath would be their last, yet the ship had gone out of its way to rescue them. This clearly hadn’t been popular. Which captain, Balbao wondered, had made the call?
A tremor ran through the walls, and he heard the whine of the buffers initiating. He squatted down and leaned back against the door. Even the best buffers could get you thrown about if you weren’t strapped in.
He clung to the deadlock handle as the cabin began to shudder. A quiet descended on the chamber. Jise grabbed his belly and doubled over.
The vibration got worse, and Connit, who hadn’t taken hold of anything, bounced across the chamber to tangle in the feet of one of the deckhands.
The dekkie lifted his feet clear and pushed Connit away, sending him over towards Balbao.
Balbao thrust out his foot for Connit to grab, and gradually pulled him in. There were dry laughs from the deckhands as Connit clambered over him to get a hold on the deadlock. Blood poured from the tyro’s nose, spattering about, and his eyes were already blackening.
The soldiers ignored it all, leaning back into their seats, eyes narrowed and faces grim as they listened to their comms. Balbao wanted to ask them what they could hear. Was everything all right? Would they make it? They were stupid, unanswerable questions, and he bit them back.
Instead, he let go with one hand and fished in his pocket, finding a plaskerchief and handing it to Connit. The man nodded gratefully and held it against his nose.
Balbao tried to relax, tried not to think of the hundreds of things that could be happening.
The vibration got even worse,