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No matter how hard it is, I won’t leave him behind. Either he’s getting off this ship, or none of us are.

“I thought they’d execute me,” Theme says, his eyes darting back and forth in the room.

I run my hand over the plasticky grey material of the table. The computer port is an ancient touch screen, with an actual button for the doors. It’s bloody old. I press my finger against the screen, and it flickers to life. You can even order from the mess hall through it. Fancy.

“They didn’t. Tasha kept you safe. I told you she would. You saw she was willing to take your punishment. She’d do anything for us, because we’re loyal to her. You do what she says, and you’re going to get out of here alive.”

He nods and takes another sip, not learning from his mistake as he screws up his face in distaste. I try the tea. It’s bitter. Gods-awful. “Why’s the replicator so shit, huh?”

“It’s not just the replicator. All of the AI on this ship is…uh…” He looks away. He couldn’t help himself from blurting it out, but he regrets it instantly.

Interesting. Very interesting.

“Come on, out with it.”

Theme sighs. “Promise you won’t do anything crazy?”

I raise my eyebrows but don’t answer. He screws up his face like he’s taken another sip of the tea, then runs his hands through his hair. “I think theInstigatoris a discontinued class. Aelon must have gotten a bargain for it.”

“I’m not surprised. He’s cheap as hell. You saw how many lights he let burn out. So, what’s wrong it with? Why is it out of production?”

He bites his lip. He doesn’t want me to know, but it’s too late. He knows I’m going to get it out of him, one way or another. “Well…you know I love ships. Not all information is reliable, so I don’t know if the schematics are correct. And I don’t even know this for certain, okay?”

“Okay. What is it you know?”

He sighs. “The AI. There’s a vulnerability. It can’t be hacked remotely, but it has problems with security from the inside. I mean, it’s not like boarding parties would know how to hack it. But I guess the Aurelian Empire doesn’t always trust its own troops.”

I remember how nearly a third of Aelon’s men looked like they were about to snap and turn on him. Maybe there’s a good reason the Aurelian Empire put this ship out of commission. My eyes go wide as hope fills me. “Theme, you beautiful bastard.”

He shifts uncomfortably in his seat. “I mean, I don’t know if it’s true. And it doesn’t help us, anyways. We’d have to get to the control bay.”

“And where’s that?”

He looks away. He doesn’t answer, and I tap my fingers against the table. “Sawoot, please don’t get excited. It’s only a thousand meters from this room, but that might as well be an entire other sector. There’s three big fucking Aurelians on the other side of the door and there is no way we’re getting past them.”

I can see his regret painted on his face. He’s never been good at hiding his knowledge, and he’s scared I’m going to drag him out, fight Garrick and his men bare-handed, and make a mad dash to the control room. I take another sip, feeling my caffeine headache leaving. “I’ve never been so glad for piss-poor tea,” I say, changing the subject, trying to look as calm as possible to keep Theme relaxed.

Inside?

My mind is racing.

Just what are the vulnerabilities?

Could they help us with an escape?

I consider pressing Theme further. If I do, he’s going to clam up. He’s intimidated by me, but he’s more scared of the Aurelians who are jailing us.

I remember how he looked when Tasha was getting punished. The rest of the crew was practically drooling as she was brutally spanked in front of them.

Only Theme looked guilty. If he’s ashamed that Tasha had to take the punishment for him, then she should be the one to interrogate him.

There’s a knock at the door, heavy and strong.

I like that a hell of a lot better than having Aurelians barge in. I press the button by the control panel, and I hear the bolt pull back before the door hisses open.

Tasha steps in—and I press the button to close and lock it before the Aurelians follow her. I don’t want to be near Aurelians right now…

And I don’t want Tasha to see how those three affect me.