Chapter Sixteen — Part 3

“Your reputation as a pirate precedes you. There’s even a reward out for you. The Lenitians want you dead, of course. If they wanted you alive, I’d turn you in, collect the reward, and bust you out.”

“You’re so ornery.” I said, pouting.

Tiffany smacked Grandpa on the arm.

“What? I’d split the reward with her.” He said, then mumbled, “60/40,” under his breath.

“Papa, stop teasing her.” Tiffany said, finishing her work on the ship. “How are you doing? Do you need anything?”

Jodiah gave her a loving hug, and set her down next to him on the bench. “Business is booming. Every insurance company on Friol is bankrupt, though, so I don’t expect to show a profit for at least another two years.”

“Hope you show a profit much sooner,” Kotian said, “but we can spare some resources, if you need any help.”

Grandpa, as always, ignored the offer.

“Where’s the colony headed toward now?” Tiffany said.

“Using sub-teselar modulation drives, it’s currently pushing its massive self on a course straight for Earth.” Jodiah inhaled deeply on his pipe, and I started to succumb to the flavor of the tobacco.

“It’ll take years to reach Earth at that rate.” Kotian exclaimed.

“I don’t think time’s a concern for them. The colony will pass three worlds rich in the same materials they took from us. My guess is they’ll take what they need to get to Earth. They won’t get there for at least seven years.”

“What planets do you think they’ll go after?” I said.

“We’ve been watching them closely. The flight path is all over the news. But we aren’t sure if they’re really headed for Earth, or if they intend to change course for another world. My guess is that the colony can’t support itself in space, and needs to attack worlds to stay alive until it reaches its final destination.”

“Thus the rather long flight path. I’m going after them.” I hugged Grandpa and left with a speedy good-bye.

“Why the rush?” Grandpa said.

“The fate of the Human Race is at stake. Even Seven years may not be enough time.”

Captain Reed had already brought up the path of the colony on screen when we entered the bridge and set out to find Captain Reed’s people. “I listened carefully to your father, and it appears our Central is using our original Harvesting technique on a galactic scale. It’s strange that this Central showed mercy, however. It implies that the colony sees humans as equals, and not as prey.”

“Is this a good thing?” I said, studying the incomprehensible data that Captain Reed used for navigation.

“Yes,” Tiffany said. “If we were prey, Grandpa would be food.”

“Oh.” I thought about it for a moment.

I was about to issue an order when a small boy materialized between the command seat and me. He was dressed in a loincloth, his skin covered in painted red dots, each forming designs that made a mask of his face and a pattern across his chest and back. Adding to my confusion, he sat down in my command chair. His tiny teeth, strung like pearls behind his lips, were the most distracting part of his smile. His face was that of a pixy, and his hair had been combed by the wind.

“Hi, pretty Governor. It’s a good thing you’ve finally gotten around to the mission you’re on.”

Tiffany was quick to scold the boy, taking him by the ear and dragging him out of my seat. “If you want to sit in the Captain’s seat, you really should ask her first.”

I sat down, and he crawled in my lap, smelling like honey and dirt. “I’ve never had an angel for a Governor before.” He said.

“Why are you here?” Tiffany said.

“How do you pop in and out of reality like that?”

“You can do it — angels can do it any way — and humans, though I’ve only seen a few who’ve actually tried.” He looked at my confused face. “Don’t you remember?”

“I remember doing it — I just don’t remember how.” I admitted. “Why are you here? What’s your name?”

“I’m Squire Lucas. I was supposed to give you something a long time ago, Level Ringbreaker wanted you to have it. I forgot.” He pulled something out of mid air and handed it to me, his green eyes flashed in the sunlight, two green gems of uncertain clarity. “It’s a clue, I think.”

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