"I... do." Lysa nodded. Her brain fogged up; the edges of her vision went blurry. A metallic taste in her mouth made her sneer. Vertigo gripped her gut, making her arms and legs feel heavy. "I feel... strange. Kind of terrible actually."

  "You're likely hungry," Jok said, "the process can take quite the toll on the body. But you're totally clear. There will be no side effects to what happened." He let her go. "Don't scratch your arm. I have a subdermal implant providing you with fluids that were leached from the body during the process."

  "I got it... how much longer?"

  "I'll take it out before we finish talking." Jok sat beside her. "We need to discuss the key you have and the information."

  Lysa stiffened. "Oh?" She wondered if these people would let her go. If they'd meet up with the others to let her leave their ship, to rejoin her own. The fact he wanted to talk about it filled her with dread.

  They wouldn't have helped me if they wanted to do something terrible. That didn't mean letting her free, though. Especially with the information and knowledge she possessed. Their resistance likely needed it and that meant keeping her around. Even if I'm not particularly interested.

  "Your pilgrimage... the data you've been collecting, it may well be exactly what we need. My group has been seeking this type of thing all over the galaxy. If you can provide us with aid, it would help your cause too."

  "By stopping the war?" Lysa asked. "Or just causing chaos within the Kahl infrastructure?"

  "Likely, a little of both." Jok touched her arm. "Please know, I fully intend to get you back to your people. When we're out of warp, you can send word to your battleship or to the Brekka or even to your home planet. We will pursue the rest of the path. We can even take you and your friend if we link up."

  Lysa looked into his eyes, studying him. He seemed sincere... and honestly, throughout their time together, she hadn't mistrusted him the way Niva did. They must be on our side or this is the best interrogation technique ever. It seemed far too elaborate to be a trick. Not when they could just start hurting her... or take the key and dump her body.

  "I'll help you," Lysa said, "though I should let you know my military thinks of this as classified."

  "We'd like to work with them," Jok replied. "We already have friends within the Prytin armed forces. They provide clandestine support from what I understand. That isn't my particular area of focus. But we are desperate to get as many allies as we can to save the galaxy from Kahl aggression."

  "Why?" Lysa asked. "What led to this group's formation?"

  "A desire for change started it," Jok said. "Then a sense that we were destined for something besides killing. The Prophet brought with him a message from our past, a promise that our ancestors did not believe in this expansionist nonsense spouted by our church... our Lord Marshal as well."

  "So... your leadership caste corrupted information... to what end?"

  "Constant external warfare," Jok replied, "means we do not fight amongst ourselves. It also means a constant influx of resources, reduction in our population to keep the numbers low enough to not require colonial expansion. That, and we're trained to constantly be seeking glory even as we undermine our enemy with propaganda and horror."

  "That's... dramatic." Lysa rubbed her eyes. The blurry sensation was lessening. "How successful is your group?"

  "We've performed a number of operations that have proven successful. And we continue to act all the time. Some of the highest-ranking members of Kahl society, the government, the military, have joined our ranks. They want to put an end to the killing. Live differently than the Crusade dictates."

  "Is that part of the religious drive? This crusade to attack other cultures?"

  "Not only attack--destroy. It wasn't until somewhat recently that the military even took prisoners. A few amongst them realized they might weaponize such individuals, show their plight to the forces to lower morale while putting them to some use." Jok rubbed his eyes. "I'm ashamed of my people."

  Lysa flexed her hands, tensing the muscles in her legs. She felt as if she might stand finally. "What do you want me to do specifically? How can I help?"

  "Show me everything you've learned. Download the data from your key if you know how. Share with us and in turn, we'll do everything in our power to help you realize the end of the journey." Jok smiled. "You're a researcher. A scholar. I know you prize knowledge above all else. I will give that to you."

  "Not above everything," Lysa corrected. "Lives matter more than any discovery. Yes, I want to know about the ancient Kahl. Hopefully, we find that along the way, but your resistance sounds like where we need to put most of our efforts. Help them achieve their ends. Perhaps I can even convince my people to join."

  Jok furrowed his brows. "Then we'll have to introduce you properly. Give you something to take back with you." He grabbed a medical scanner. "Let me just double-check that you're okay now. That we've dealt with the radiation." The device beeped as he clicked it on. "I'm surprised the criminals in that area lived so long."

  "I know, right?" Lysa wrung her hands. She worried they waited too long, that irreversible damage had been done. Everything she'd been told about radiation exposure suggested it needed to be addressed right away. The corrupting influence of a strong enough blast meant death.

  "You're nervous," Jok said, "I'm sorry. Let me ask... you were in the military for a long time?"

  "Not long," Lysa replied. "Regulated amount of time before Kyle and I checked out."

  "You didn't like it?"

  "I can't speak for him... but for me, I wasn't cut out for being told what to do all the time. I had goals. They weren't being met in that environment."

  "But alien cultures..." Jok met her gaze. "Your people never encountered anything? Not a single piece of evidence to convince them?"

  "Oh, there are a lot more people besides me who believe. And yeah, we had clues. Just not hard evidence. I haven't pressed them for this information, but I suspect some of our earliest alien sightings came from when the Prytins visited our home planet. Pretty sure, in fact. Anyway, stories about those experiences led me on."

  "And here you've discovered something that at least four different factions want their hands on." Jok smiled as the device beeped three times. "Congratulations. Not only are you clear of radiation and all the negative effects, but you will also go down in history as a true explorer."

  "Oh, I don't know about that." Lysa smiled. She looked away. "Thank you... for helping me." She pursed her lips. "Quilla?"

  "Ah." Jok's expression darkened. "I'm afraid he crossed the line. He won't be with us anymore."

  "Did you have to..."

  "Milna did," Jok said. "She finished him off after he tried to cut you in line for the treatment. And in any event, he seemed to have other ideas about what we should be doing for him. Up to and including where we should go. We, understandably, took exception."

  "I see."

  "I'm sorry if it's upsetting."

  Lysa wrinkled her nose. "He kinda... seemed like... he had a bone to pick. I guess the experience on the planet pushed him over the edge."

  "Those who want to get back to their criminal ways are not the type of people I want to associate with. I would've dropped him off if he would've remained calm. Though I'm not sure precisely what he said to Milna. He may have been insulting. And if that's the case, he took his life in his own hands."

  "I'll take care not to push her."

  "You don't have anything to worry about." Jok took her hand. "You've behaved with honor. We'll do the same right back to you. Besides, we're allies. Men and women who belong to causes we believe in. That fool was little more than a thug who happened to be on our side for a time."

  "And pirates," Milna said from the door, "always show their true colors eventually."

  "You startled me," Lysa replied. "Are you okay? Did the treatment work for you too?"

  Milna nodded. "We're both fine. We'll be emerging from warp inside of four hours. I recommend you have some food. get a little more rest."

  Jok said, "It's alright. Even when we arrive at our destination, we'll have plenty of time to fully recover. Eat at your leisure... take some sleep. When we are out of warp and near a buoy, we'll let you know. You can send your message to your allies at that point." He stood. "I'm going to check system status right now."

  Lysa watched him go, turning her attention to Milna. "I'm sorry you had to deal with Quilla."

  "I'm sorry you had to find out about him." Milna leaned against the wall. "But I'm not particularly worried about having to execute the bastard. His selfishness would've gotten us into more trouble than it was worth. Anyway, if you're fully recovered, I'd like to escort you to a room where you can eat and sleep."

  "Sure." Lysa stood. She grabbed the bed to right herself. Milna helped. "Sorry, I thought I was steadier."

  "The medication you took can impact equilibrium." Milna assisted her out of the medical bay and down the hallway. "We cleansed your clothing and armor. The protective gear is in your room if you want to don it. Though I recommend waiting until it's necessary again. That Prytin stuff isn't the most comfortable."

  "I'm good without it. Especially if I'm going to be working with the key. Can you direct me to a computer I can use? I'll start adapting my software to ensure a clean download."

  "I'll have Jok send that to you. I'm not exactly the technical one." Milna brought her through a small lounge then down a hall to a small room with a bed and table. "The waste facility is behind this panel. It's small so I hope you don't mind. I've laid out these rations for you." A bowl sat on the table with a spoon. "They aren't good but will help."

  Lysa chuckled. "That's very honest."

  "Yes. We'll have to get better when we stop." Milna narrowed her eyes at the food. "One more time, I wish to thank you... and with that, I'll give you some space."

  "You're welcome." Lysa watched her go. She's odd. Like she spent too much time alone. I wonder how long she's worked with Jok. I'd be willing to bet their arrangement is new.

  She closed the door, turning to the gruel on the table. Chunky, white, she thought it must've been little more than a protein paste. A taste told her Milna had not been wrong. The stuff tasted foul. But her stomach growled so she ate it anyway.

  Even military rations came out better than this crap. Milna figured they got the supplies from some Kahl ship. If this is what the enemy eats, no wonder they're so full of rage. The religious aspect intrigued her. Jok and Milna likely knew more about it than anyone they'd encountered thus far.

  Personal point of view into the whole hierarchy. Lysa's mind raced as she started compiling questions to ask. I can piece together answers about the pilgrimage. The key. Figure out what's changed between the ancient times and now. This is the kind of conversion tools I needed.

  With that, she hoped to discern exactly when the religion changed and why. That might be something we can use for negotiations or tactics. A wealth of opportunities presented themselves with her new allies. And providing it took a while for the next warp jump, she'd have a captive audience. This should be worth it after all.

  But first, she needed a nap. Her eyes became heavy. She shifted to the bed, letting herself relax... then passed out moments later.

  Chapter 8

  Triss cradled a tray in her left arm while knocking on the door. A moment passed before Andrews opened it, peering out. He let her in, stepping back as she entered. Some of the pilot's quarters had been vacant, which gave him a private place to stay. He looked odd dressed in a white, Prytin duty uniform.

  "How're you feeling?" Triss asked. She set the tray down. "I brought you something to eat. Fortunately for you, it's something close to what you're likely used to on the Triton. All that time we spent at your shipyard left an impression. Can't say I'm surprised. You people definitely know how to eat."

  Andrews took a seat at the table, stabbing at the chunks of food. He didn't seem all that interested, didn't say anything either. Medical technicians already dealt with his radiation poisoning. After a little downtime and getting cleaned up, Triss hoped he'd be in the mood to chat... or even need some company.

  "I can just... go..." Triss backed toward the door.

  "No." Andrews gestured to the seat beside him. "You should stay. I'm sorry, I'm thoughtful."

  "About?"

  "Everything that happened to us." Andrews tried the food. His brow furrowed. "This tastes... like potato."

  "I can assure you it isn't really." Triss bit her lip. "Oh. I shouldn't have said it like that I assume."

  Andrews chuckled. "Probably not. Do I want to know?"

  "Protein and nutrients turned into something that tastes like a particular dish?" Triss shrugged. "The preparation stations are kind of ingenious. What do you do on the Triton at this point?"

  "There's a galley with a person who actually prepares food." Andrews dug in. "I'm not going to think about it. I'm just starving."

  "So you're feeling better? Do you want to talk about the events on the Flotilla? On the planet? That whole situation seemed wild."

  "More than you know. I don't know what to say about the Kahl resistance people." Andrews rubbed his eyes. "If that even exists."

  "I'm sure Lady Niva told the commander about them," Triss said, "but they have not confided in me. Did you not think they were genuine?"

  "They helped us," Andrews replied. "Though I kind of got the impression their assistance came down to self-preservation. Safety in numbers. That kind of thing. I don't know. Maybe I'm unfair. Jok at least seemed cool. The lady, Milna... wow. She and Niva didn't seem to get along."

  "Lady Niva doesn't care for shadiness."

  "Is she a noble?" Andrews asked. "Niva, I mean."

  "Yes." Triss nodded. "Quite so. Her family are prominent members of the nobility though we don't technically treat them as leaders anymore. Their titles are..." She paused in thought. "Honorary. That's the word."

  "Oh. I see. So they tend to work for a living?"

  "I don't know what that means but if you're suggesting they must take on jobs in order to survive, the answer is no. They are quite wealthy. Leftover from when they basically ruled everything. Not to mention the fact that they're kept in a higher state than others as sort of... I don't know the term. Representatives?"

  "Role models?" Andrews offered. "People others aspire toward?"

  "Yes, I suppose that is the most accurate way to describe them. They tend to offer a great deal of charity. Helping whenever the need arises. Lady Niva in particular has always been generous to the female crew as an example. I've received some assistance from her myself when she first came aboard."

  "What was wrong?"

  "My commanding officer carried some prejudices against my gender."

  "You guys have that too, huh?"

  "Is it prevalent through your culture?" Triss asked.

  Andrews frowned before answering. "Not as bad as it used to be. But yes, it happens. Anyway, what did she do?"

  "Had the person reassigned. There are too many women here to have that sort of problem on top of everything else we deal with. Honestly, no one complained. He just proved to be a total bastard to her once and that was it. She dove into it, saw some footage from some of his briefings and a few days later... gone."

  Andrews fell silent again, plowing through his meal. He didn't speak for several moments and when he did, he didn't look at her. "When do you think we'll link up with the Triton again?"

  Triss leaned to get a look at his face. "Already tired of my company?"

  "It's not that." Andrews turned to her. He took her hand. "Please believe that. I'm just... concerned about my friends. That's all."

  "Of course." Triss squeezed his fingers. "I'm sorry to give you a hard time. I know we're working on finding out where they are. Seems we warped to different systems. But I don't think it'll be long before we have some word. When we're done here, I'll ask about it for you. See what we can come up with."

  "Please don't bother anyone too busy," Andrews said. "Just in case... you know... they might have better things to do."

  "Oh, a quick question won't bother anyone." Triss stood. "Can you try to get some downtime? Maybe a little rest?"

  "Yeah... I think I need it. After whatever they did at the medical center... I have to take it on faith they were doing the right thing?"

  Triss smirked. "Come on, do you think we wouldn't treat you properly?"

  Andrews finally smiled... then lifted his shoulders. "Hard to say?"

  "Now you're just being unkind." Triss pulled him to his feet, staring into his eyes. "I don't know how your culture deals with... attraction. But I feel like the language and social barrier might require me to be slightly blunt. I do find you intriguing. And I hope you're under the same compulsion."

  "That's... an interesting choice of words." Andrews touched her cheek with his free hand. "Yes. I'm intrigued too."

  Triss's cheeks burned. "You know how it is. I'm still learning the nuances. Lord Griel... Commander Griel is incredible at languages. He's been kind enough to teach some of us a few tricks. I guess that's the benefit of having a Vorka tutor from a young age. And Lady Niva..." She shook her head. "I envy her."

  "Well, you don't have to. You're pretty amazing yourself." Andrews motioned for the bed. "I'm going to fall unconscious now. I'll talk to you in a few hours, huh?"

  "Indeed." Triss hugged him. "Be well and safe. I'll come back with dinner." She grabbed the tray, heading for the door. "Bye!" Back in the hallway, she dropped the tray off in the floor's refresher. Then she made an appointment to speak with her CO for more information about the Triton.

  I wonder what's next for us besides finding that ship. Triss didn't have any appointments, no new briefings, no messages requiring her attention. I feel a bit lost right now. Like we need something to do. With a commander like Griel, she figured they wouldn't have to wait long.

  The question is how intense the fighting will be... and whether or not I'll be sitting around throughout.

 

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