Collision Course (Class 5, #6)

Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

Rose didn’t know how long she slept for, but when she woke, she felt rested for the first time in a while.

She had another shower, enjoying the hard pressure of hot water against her back, and then realized she was lucky she even had hot water, after the number Sazo had done on the building above ground.

She washed her clothes, hung them to dry, and wrapped herself in a spare sheet as she finally made a more thorough examination of the room she had been assigned.

There was a small alcove with some food and water, although no sign of equipment to make a hot drink, and she had to face the fact that the Fisone most likely didn’t drink hot drinks.

It was very disappointing.

She ate the berry gel again. She was getting very tired of it.

As soon as her clothes were wearable, she got dressed, and then she tried the door.

It was still locked, so she knocked.

She heard the faintest scuff of shoes, and hoped that meant whoever was standing guard outside was going to fetch Sartie.

She busied herself by making her bed and straightening up, and when the door opened, without a proceeding knock, she turned with cool eyes and crossed arms to face Sartie.

“You lied.” She kept her voice even. “You didn’t come back.”

Sartie shrugged, her face twisting into an insolent, unfriendly expression. “Your people are very eager to get you home.”

Rose mimicked her shrug. “I would hope your people do the same for their people, when they are taken.”

That tripped Sartie up. She had no sarcastic comeback for that.

“So, what’s up, Sartie? What’s the holdup here?” Rose had thought this was a done deal, but obviously not.

“My bosses want something from your people in exchange for you. Your people say it isn’t possible to give it to us.” Again, she gave a fatalist shrug.

“So what’s the solution?” Rose wondered what it was they wanted.

“We keep you until they provide it.”

“And what is it ?” Rose asked.

“The code for the ship that was stolen. If it was rendered unusable and the people on board killed themselves, then that’s our only way to get something back. That ship was a test subject, and one-of-a-kind.” Sartie shook her head in disgust.

It kept coming back to Irini.

“You do realize that ship is so far away from this solar system there is no way to easily get it?” Rose didn’t even touch the fact that Irini would not be handing over her code any time soon, either.

“So your people say.”

“It’s the truth. Do you have the facilities to help me with the birth of my baby while we wait, then?” she asked. “Because I will be going into labor any day now, and there is no way your demands can be dealt with before I’m due.”

Sartie’s gaze flickered to her bump and then skittered away.

“Also, any message from my convoy to back home will include the information that you are holding me for ransom.” Rose lowered herself onto the only chair in the room.

“So?” Sartie said.

“So, perhaps my people will decide to send more ships. To send a battalion of ships. All as big, and as bad, as the two in your skies right now.” Rose leaned back to meet Sartie’s gaze. “You will definitely be making sure everyone sits up and takes notice.”

“These are not things I have any control over.” Sartie’s mouth formed a tight line. “I am just involved because I learned to speak the language we heard from the people who stole our ship.”

Rose shook her head. “So what now? You’re planning on keeping me locked in this room?”

“You can go and meet with your friends,” Sartie said. “We managed to pick them up yesterday and move them here.” She gestured to the door.

“The Hasmarga?” Rose asked, frowning as she carefully got to her feet.

“Is that what they are called?” Sartie’s mouth twisted. “Yes. They have been put on this floor, too.”

“I hope you have made the temperature warm enough for them.” Rose wondered again whether the ship that had brought her here was Pyre, or not.

Had she given the Hasmarga up? Given Rose up?

It was hard to say.

“They need heat?” Sartie looked like she didn’t much care, either way.

“I can spend time with them, but I can’t speak to them without that translator.” Although, truth be told, she no longer trusted it.

“I have another one for you.” Sartie produced a slim, black wand.

Ah, now the generosity in allowing Rose to move around and meet with the Hasmarga made sense. They wanted to listen in on their conversations.

“Thank you.” She took the translator with a sweet smile and followed Sartie out the door.

The passage was long, and the Hasmarga had been placed in a dark corner of the building, where the lights flickered annoyingly and the cold damp seemed to seep from the walls.

Four armed guards stood at the entrance to a large room with no chairs, no beds, no furniture at all.

“This isn’t warm enough,” she told Sartie, looking around the large room. “They will die in this temperature.”

The Hasmarga were huddled together, and when Rose stepped into the room, they all turned to look at her.

“You seem to be quite the expert,” Sartie said.

Rose rolled her eyes. “They told me themselves when we were at the mine. You call them my friends sarcastically, but they actually are.”

Sartie seemed to pause at that. “I can bring in some heaters.”

“Please.” Might as well be polite, especially if Sartie came through. “Some mattresses, too. Where are they supposed to rest?”

Sartie jerked at the admonition, and seemed to see the room properly for the first time. “They just got here a few hours ago. There were too many of them to fit in a shuttle. We had to bring them in groups.” Her voice was stiff. “The guards will shoot if anyone tries to escape. Just remind them of that.”

Sartie turned on her heel and stalked out, and Rose turned back to the Hasmarga.

Gerna was visible now, protected on all sides by her warriors, but they had moved a little aside so Rose could see her.

“Is Ecdre here?” Rose asked.

The warriors shifted again, and Ecdre regarded her with steady eyes.

She gave him a nod. “Glad to see you made it back to Gerna.” She held out the translator, and pointed to it, then made a gesture she hoped the Hasmarga understood meant to watch what they had to say. “The Kimol have given me a new translator to use so we can speak.”

Gerna stared at her, then at the translator, and nodded.

“Did they take you at the bunker?” Rose asked. She didn’t think that was giving much away.

“We were surrounded, yes.” Gerna shivered, and the warriors pressed a little closer.

“I have told them you need more heat. The woman who brought me here says she will bring heaters and mattresses.”

Gerna stopped and focused on her. “You interceded for us?”

“You are my friends,” Rose said.

“Pyre says you are not,” Ecdre said. “Your own words said you are not.”

“Through something like this,” Rose said, and waved the translator.

“Ah.” Gerna gave a nod, as if things began to make sense to her.

At that moment, the door opened and two guards wheeled in two big heaters, and set them up.

The air around them warmed instantly, and there was a whisper of ruffled wings around the room.

“Friends are known through what they do, not what they say.” Gerna moved toward the heaters and stood between them. The warriors drifted a little away from her, and basked in the glow.

Rose stepped closer herself, enjoying the warmth in the icy room.

“Tell me, is that offer you made to Ecdre when you and he were out looking for a way to communicate with your people an honest one?”

Offer? Rose had to think about it. Then she remembered. She pointed at them, then used her hand to indicate a ship taking off into the sky. “Home?” she said.

“Yes.” Gerna gave a nod.

“It still stands.”

Getting herself out was going to be hard. She didn’t know what the ransom would be for thirty Hasmarga.