Page 32 of Solomon's Ransom

“We’re heading back to Mirolasor. Denna’s going to try to ransom you after all.”

“Oh.” Sol sat on the bed next to Remma. “That’s—good, I guess.”

“Are you worried?”

“Obviously. He thinks Loden has the money to pay for me. Even if she empties the coffers, it won’t be enough to satisfy Denna. So I just have to hope—” Sol broke off and bit his lip. “I did something that maybe I shouldn’t have.”

“Like what,” Remma said, stomach sinking.

“I sent a message to Loden. The ship promised it wouldn’t get intercepted, but I was careful anyway. But I can’t stop worrying that it was a bad idea.”

“You sent her amessage? What did you say?”

“I told her to look for the tesseract core. That Denna will try to ransom me since she’s so powerful and important. So that should be enough, don’t you think? She’ll understand what she needs to do.”

“Oh, Sol.” Remma rubbed at his face with both hands. He could understand desperation, but he wished Sol had talked to him first. “Wait—what do you mean when you say the ship promised you?”

“Do you know where Denna got this ship from?” Sol asked, which wasn’t an answer.

“No. That was before my time. Why?”

“It’s a Xerca ship,” Sol said.

“I see,” Remma said slowly. “So—sentient and smarter than any of us.”

“From what I know. The question is how Denna got it in the first place. The ship said he stole it. I’m surprised it hasn’t stolen itself back and flown off to rejoin the Xerca.”

“They’re meant to obey their captain. But if it’s sending secret messages for you, it’s not so obedient.”

“It’s probably listening to everything we’re saying,” Sol said. “Just so you know.”

“Okay. Noted.” Remma tried to put his scattered thoughts in order, without much success. “So you’ve suborned Denna’s own ship and are plotting to get him to hand you back to Loden even though she doesn’t have any money.”

“Basically. What else should I be doing?”

“I thought I was going to have to save you. Instead you’re saving yourself.”

Sol smiled. “Remma, no offense, but you are nowhere near cunning enough to get me out of this situation.”

“Ouch, but you aren’t wrong. I’ve been going nuts trying to think of a way to rescue you and not having any success.” Remma gave Sol a considering look. “Do you think you could convince the ship to just—put you on a shuttle and send you off somewhere safe?”

“I don’t think it’s ready to outright rebel against Denna. It’s still young and not very confident, I think. But maybe. I was talking to it when you came in here. I guess I’m still a little afraid it’s going to betray us to Denna. Sorry, ship.”

“That’s okay,” a voice said from seemingly nowhere. “I understand why you’d think that.”

Did this thing listen to them having sex? Remma didn’t want to think about that. “What do you think are the chances that Loden’s able to find the core?”

“Don’t know. Why couldn’t you find it?”

“I wasn’t ever able to find a good excuse to access the long-range scanners. I had to rely on short-range scans while we were out scavenging.”

“Okay. But you think if Loden uses the long-range scanners she’ll be able to find it?”

“That’s my hope. It won’t be a strong signal. But if she’s looking for it, yeah, she ought to be able to find it.”

“Okay. Then we’ll count on her being smart enough to put everything together.” Sol sighed. “I know she is. But I can’t count on her being able to find the tesseract core.”

“There’s only so much you can do, Sol. At this point we have to trust in Loden and hope for the best.”