Heart of the Nebula by Joe Vasicek Read Free Book Online

found herself at a loss
for words. Lars turned and grinned.
    “ Hey, James,” he called
out. “Long time no see!”
    “ Lars! It’s good to see
you!”
    James dropped his bags and gave him a warm,
brotherly hug, thumping him on the back for good measure. For a
fleeting moment, the two of them looked almost like little
boys.
    “ So how are politics
treating you?” James asked.
    “ Not too bad, considering.
How’s the military?”
    “ Civil Defense Corps, Lars.
We don’t have a formal military.”
    “ Right, the Corps, then. I
understand you’ve made quite a name for yourself.”
    “ Well, I haven’t been
killed yet, so I guess that’s true. Though at the rate things are
going, Commander Maxwell is probably going to have my hide as soon
as we get back.”
    They laughed and slapped each other on the
back, while behind them, Sterling stepped onto the ship and closed
the airlock doors. Captain Jarvis coughed, making James notice
her.
    “ Sorry, Captain,” he said,
saluting.
    “ Not at all, Lieutenant.
Welcome aboard the Freedom
Star. ” She stuck out her hand, and James
eyed it for a moment with some confusion before recognizing the
civilian gesture. They shook, a bit stiffly.
    “ I trust both you and the
ensign have been briefed on our mission before coming
aboard?”
    “ That’s right, though the
patrician said you’d have some more details for us.”
    “ Certainly. We’ll have
plenty of time to discuss them before we arrive. In the meantime,
your quarters are ready—feel free to make yourself comfortable.
Mister Stewart, would you be so kind as to show them
down?”
    “ Certainly, ma’am,” said
Lars. “Come on, James—we’ve got a lot to talk about.”
    As the three of them boarded the elevator to
the lower level, completely absorbed in their own conversations,
Captain Jarvis glanced over at Sara and raised an eyebrow. Sara
didn’t need to read minds to know what she was thinking.
    You’re right, she thought to herself. This does complicate things.
     
    * * * * *
     
    In the darkness of the cargo container,
Kyla’s ears were her only connection with the outside universe. The
groaning and clanging of distant machinery fell into a rhythm,
lulling her into a tentative sense of peace. She curled up with her
knees against her chest and fingered the wire with sweaty hands,
waiting.
    With the hatchway sealed, the container was
starting to get stuffy. She thought about opening the hatch just a
crack to let in some fresh air, but until she was safely on board
the ship, it wasn’t worth risking it. If the authorities discovered
her, she’d be sent to child services for sure.
    Alone in the darkness, with crates on one
side and a wall on the other, there was nothing to shield her from
her troubled thoughts and memories. An image of her mother flashed
across her mind, lying on her urine-soaked deathbed of a mattress.
She remembered the scene as clearly as if she had just been there:
the acrid smell of the electric heating coil in the corner and the
dull, faded colors of the ragged blanket that hung over the doorway
to the small alcove. A family of beggars crouched against the
opposite wall, watching her, but no one offered any help or
comfort. No one really cared.
    After a long while, Kyla sniffed and
clenched her teeth together. Well, if Mother was dead now, then
Kyla might as well be dead to everyone, too. People were cold and
cruel, and she wanted to get away from them all—just get away.
    As if in answer to her silent plea, the
groaning of heavy machinery sounded almost directly overhead. A
loud clang reverberated throughout the container, and the floor
shuddered beneath her. She reached for the walls with spread-out
hands, grabbing for support. The groaning returned then moved into
the distance somewhere behind her.
    That’s probably the
loading crane, Kyla thought. She remembered
all the containers stacked above the one she was in—maybe they had
started to move them onto the ship.
    The