Page 81 of Tethered

Her eyebrows shoot up. “Is that an order, Captain?’ But Vee is practically vibrating with excitement, tugging at her arm, and her tone is amused.

“Consider it one.” I gesture back towards the platform where the maglev stopped. “I don’t recommend that you leave the patrolled areas of the hub unless it’s on that train back to the ship. The streets of Novus are dangerous if you’re not used to them, especially for a Tellurian woman with a child.”

“Noted.” Her tone is dry. “And what will our illustrious captain be doing?”

My tone is just as dry in response. “Hoping that my suggestions are being heeded.”

Khrys barks a laugh, and the other two titter amongst themselves. But I don’t want to lie, so I don’t give Marlowe a chance to follow up. Instead, I turn to Beau. “Maybe after the ship is refuelled, you can meet Marlowe and Vee here and head back together?”

“Sure thing, Cap.”

Marlowe scowls. “I’m feeling more and more like a child on a day trip.”

It’s Devyaan who comes to the rescue, thankfully. He tucks a hand into the crook of her arm, towering over her, yet somehow nonthreatening. “There are a lot of kidnappings on Novus. Don’t take it personally, my little lamb leg.”

They share a giggle I don’t pretend to understand.

With that organised, I feel slightly less burdened. The crew know what they’re doing, and I’m confident Marlowe will stickto the hub. You just need to look around at all the armed security patrolling the station to know only a fool would brave the streets if they didn’t have to. With her soft, round body and those big, brown eyes, she’d be a prime target for the miscreants of Novus. That’s not entirely the reason I don’t want her to venture out, but it is the only one I can offer her.

Vee looks ready to burst. “Mum, can we have lunch in one of the biodomes?”

Marlowe slides a glance towards me. I can’t be sure, but I think I see a quiet calculation in it. “Any recommendations, Captain?”

Why does it always sound like an insult whenever she calls me that?

“There’s one called ‘Zon I think you’ll like. It’s a mimicry of the old Amazon rainforest; just follow the signs to find it.”

“Oh, I’ve been there,” Khrys says. “There’s a Brazilian street food restaurant you’ve got to try! It’s authentic cuisine.”

Marlowe, who hasn’t looked away from me once, nods her appreciation. “Thanks, Khrys. Sound good, Vee?”

“Let’s go,” he says, dragging out the word. He’s practically leaping out of his skin.

But his mother and I are still locked in a staring match, even as he tugs at her.

That calculating expression has not left her face. I watch, frowning, until the last second when she turns away. Unease floods me, but I don’t have the chance to dissect it. With several stops to make before the evening falls, I need to get going now if this is going to work. I grit my teeth against a wave of cramping and leave the crew behind.

Fall From Grace

By the time she strides away, I know Tanisira isn’t going to run errands for the ship. She’s being shifty. I want to follow her, but I can’t miss out on spending the day with Vee. So, burning curiosity carefully folded away, I turn all my attention to the bright grin on my son’s face and aim to keep it there for the next few hours.

We have such a lovely day traipsing around the station that it’s almost a disappointment when Vee starts to lag. I manage to wrangle one last stop out of him so I can get a replacement ChronoSkin on Dominik’s dime. With the patch synced, I immediately have access to all my vitals again and it feels like a great weight off my shoulders. The interface that glows againstmy wrist when activated, shows me stats that—in a world where I have my meds— stop me from overdoing it and keep me in an acceptable range of functionality.

Right now, my blood pressure, balance, and fatigue levels are good because I had a shot last night. The patch is tuned to my body, the little angel on my shoulder, and I hadn’t realised just how much I missed it.

Vee and I slump on a bench in the concourse, sweating and achy. Bags wilt at our feet, and the smell of food wafts over us. Lunch in the ‘Zon was great, but I’m a little peckish again.

“I can feel my heartbeat in my legs,” Vee marvels.

“I think we visited every single store in this place.”

He looks at the evidence of our spree with an awe that would make me laugh if the soles of my feet weren’t throbbing. His father is one of the richest men in the galaxy, but he has never acknowledged that. Strangely, I think Dominik’s wealth alienates Vee more than it appeals to him.

“I can’t believe Dad can just walk into any of these stores and pick up whatever he wants without paying for it.”

“Well, no, Vee. He pays for it. Everything gets put on his account, and it’s paid for at once.”

“Oh. Well, I still think that’s kinda fun. I’m gonna play that new game as soon as we—”