The Starlight Lancer

Chapter Forty-One: End of the Line

"Gelhart laughed when the captured pirate, a captain in chains, told him not to trust that it was over. Gelhart didn't listen—now he's dead. Soon the rest of us will be, too. I can see it in their eyes."

—Author unknown; from a recovered journal giving an account of an expeditionary voyage under Captain Gelhart Grell

Reida turned back to face Zaina. "You coming?"

Zaina glanced toward the ship to confirm her suspicions—it was definitely the same ship that had attacked her. She met Reida's eyes again—they turned cold in understanding.

Zaina reached for her phase cycler—it was too late. Reida swiftly outdrew her, aiming her weapon at Zaina's head.

"Ahp, ahp, ahp," Reida taunted. "Don't do anything foolish now."

Zaina scowled. Her arm wasn't even raised. Murder was in Reida's eyes again—her expression filled Zaina's heart with cold fear.

Reida sighed. "Okay, so—don't freak out or anything, but—Zaina, I haven't been entirely honest with you. Drop that weapon and I can explain everything."

Zaina frowned and did as she was told, tossing the weapon. The phase cycler clanked to the floor next to Reida. Then Zaina said, "You're a pirate."

Reida frowned. "See, I told her you'd recognize the ship, but she didn't want to change our exit plan. And after all the work it took to get you here—now, this is how it has to be, huh?"

"I guess so," Zaina said between gritted teeth. Hot anger bubbled beneath her skin. How much of what she'd been told was a lie?

"You know," Reida said, "we could use someone like you. Toughen you up a little, sure, but—come on, think about it. You'll never get rich being a lancer. You'll never have your own crew loyal only to you—why would you ever want to repeatedly put your life on the line for people you don't even know, especially when you won't get anything out of it? You want to be a hero for people who want nothing to do with you. Or, you could come work for me. I'll take care of you, like I did here. We make a good team."

Zaina shook her head. "Never."

Reida growled. "Oh, is that so? Little-miss-hero thinks if she's a good little girl the galaxy's going to forget what she is? You think they'll accept you as one of their own? You're wrong—they're always going to hate you. You could save the whole galaxy and they'd look anywhere else to give credit. You know why? Because to them, you being their savior is worse than dying."

Images of Ilstevor and the lancer flashed through Zaina's mind—all those people suffering below—all for nothing. There was no glorious cause at the end of the tunnel to lift the weight off Zaina's chest. "At least I'd be able to live with myself. I honestly don't know how you do."

Reida's eyes darkened even further. Zaina's hands clenched, expecting this to be her last moment. Instead, Reida's eye twitched. "Are you coming or not? We need to get moving."

"I'm not going anywhere with you. You attacked me," Zaina said. "You wanted to use me all along. This is probably a trick, too—you won't let me walk away."

Reida replied through gritted teeth, "It's not like that."

"Oh yeah? Then how is it?"

"You were in a lancer's ship, Zaina," Reida spat. "We didn't know what to expect. We thought Bilvane was getting more protection for the crystal. But when I followed you, I realized you could be—"

Zaina took a step back. "You—you followed me? How long were you—what?"

"How do you think Sister Tyza found you—you, of all people, on a world with millions of people? I led her to you. I watched your brief little friendship with that old homeless man. I watched you waste your talents working for that washed-up mechanic—and then—" Her expression softened. "Then you saved me. And I thought—"