Page 11 of Spectral Seas (Spectral Worlds #2)

A BBY OPENED HIS eyes to a field of emerald augments. He squinted and blinked to correct his vision. Then someone bent over him, someone wearing a visor.

“Abernathy Squire is waking.” It was the digitized voice of Uhggwa. “Are you awake, Abernathy? Can you hear me?”

Abby opened his dry mouth to speak, but there were no words and no breath to push them out.

“He needs water,” he heard Leta say.

Abby felt Uhggwa’s fingers slip under his head and something cool touch his lips as a stream of water poured into his mouth. It was flat and warm and tasteless. His throated tightened and the flow stopped.

“Take your time,” Uhggwa said before offering more.

This time, Abby was able to drink. When he finished, he took a huge breath in through his nose. There was a tickle to the back of his throat and a hint of the metal taste. He sat up and cleared his throat.

Uhggwa handed Abby the bottle of water so he could drink on his own .

“It wasn’t a breach,” said Abby, his voice gruff. He cleared his throat again. “On the bookcase. Look on the bookcase.”

“We did,” said Uhggwa. “And this is what we found.” He handed Abby a thick leather-bound book with a thin remnant of foam sealant still layered the bottom half of the cover.

“Go ahead,” said Uhggwa. “The device has been neutralized.”

Abby opened the book. The paper interior had been neatly carved out into the shape of the device hidden inside—a simple piece of crystal electronic tech adhered to three thumb-sized canisters, and a jet nozzle stuck through the binding.

“It’s so small,” said Leta.

“It’s syndicate tech,” said Abby. “Uhggwa, who was the last resident of the habitat?”

“The syndicate representative you passed at the neutral point,” answered Uhggwa.

“Looks like he left us gift.”

“Why—” Leta asked hoarsely, then cleared her throat and tried again. “Why would the syndicate do that? It makes no sense.”

“I agree,” said Uhggwa. “Especially since the syndicate prompted your invitation.”

“I admit,” said Abby. “I was surprised that your father reached out. He has the Viridian Guard at his disposal.”

“Yes. My father is confident that the Viridian Guard will ultimately find the source of the mining issues, but my father’s true concern is satisfying the syndicate.”

“But,” said Leta, “that doesn’t explain why the syndicate would want us dead. We’re lucky you came along when you did. ”

“Actually,” said Uhggwa, “it was quite by chance that I was coming to the habitat at the same time as the breach. I was coming to inform you that there has been another incident.”

“Another incident?” asked Abby.

“The miners have reported another disruption and again,” said Uhggwa, “the phantom has appeared.”

“Phantom?” said Leta. “That wasn’t mentioned in the report.”

“The workers are simple of mind. They blame the disruptions on this figment of their imagination. Since they have not seen the saboteurs, they’ve decided the culprit is a phantom.”

“But,” said Leta, “the report mentions illegal mining activity, not sabotage.”

“Sabotage is illegal, Captain Serene.”

“Of course, it is,” said Abby. “Give us five minutes and we’ll be ready to go.”

~*~