Carrion Crew

17

“I don't like it,” Ash said.

“I don't think 'it,' whatever 'it' is, cares if you like it,” Twist said.

“I want to know what they're doing,” Ash said. “Why are they here?”

“They're fixing their ship,” said Twist.

“Because they crashed their ship here,” said Ash. “But why did they get close enough to Earth to crash here in the first place? And why did they crash at this location on Earth? It's kind of convenient that there was a battle and they were able to salvage the wreckages. And this place is nice and secluded, too. I mean, what are the chances that a ship will crash and remain unseen.”

“One-hundred percent,” said Twist, “because it happened.”

“You know that's not what I mean. Whatever is going on here, it isn't right.”

“Sure,” Twist said, “but what are you going to do about it?”

“I don't know.” Ash checked the position of the guards. “I imagine there's something on this ship that can't be fixed with salvage.”

“Ash, I don't know what kind of trouble you're looking to stir up here, but remember those fifty armed soldiers? I think they're a good indication that we should take the diplomatic approach.”

“I don't.” Ash glared at the ship and its crew. “I don't like the idea of people abandoning us, then coming back to steal what little we have left. I especially don't like them doing secret stuff in my country, on my world, and thinking they don't answer to anyone.”

Twist looked like he was going to protest more, but he bobbed his head and winced reluctantly. “Alright. Let's just try to get a closer look for now, and not do anything too crazy. It's pretty dark out. Just stay low.”

“Don't tell me to stay low,” Ash mumbled. She thought about Twist's noisy climb down the hill and wanted to make him stay behind. Twist was already moving, though, and again she was chasing after him.

Up close to the ship, Ash looked at the repairs and was surprised. What she expected to be rough patches of plate armor raggedly welded together turned out to be well-fitted panels. And where sensors and other components were still exposed, she saw the salvaged materials replaced identical components. The old parts were discarded in a near-by bin, and Ash knew a name for every single part she saw.

“How do you explain that?” Ash asked. “It's like these things were made for this ship, and didn't come from salvaged mechs.”

“Because...” Twist said. His face contracted, and Ash knew whatever he was going to say, he was making it up. “This ship must have been made on Earth.”

Ash pointed to the strip of sky made visible by the ship's descent through the trees.

“It was a failed launch,” said Twist. “They made the ship out of salvage, but the launch failed. They crashed it here, and...”

“The Drifter?” Ash asked.

“Hmm,” Twist said.

A loud squeal beside them made the pair jump away from the ship. A thin line of light appeared at the base of the ship and was growing brighter.

“It's taking off!” Twist yelled.

Ash didn't waste time with correcting him, but instead grabbed his arm and yanked him toward the disappearing shadows. They ran in a bright square of illumination, its edge gliding away faster than they could run. Behind them, a voice called out, and Ash pushed harder toward the black. Finally, the light stopped moving and they were in the darkness, but the voice from behind was calling for lights.

“Keep running,” Ash hissed, and pushed Twist forward.

With stealth abandoned, they threw themselves onto the fence which rattled loudly as they climbed. Circles of light danced around them, casting their silhouettes before them in sharp relief against washed-out evergreens. Twist's shadow crouched, then flung out its arms and dropped suddenly. Ash prepared to fling herself over the top of the fence when a sharp tug on her shirt pulled her down.

Her lungs were emptied as her back slammed into the hard earth, and bright light blinded her. Twist shouted for her, and other voices shouted at him. She managed to suck in breath enough to add her own voice to the chaos.

“Run! Leave me! Run!”

Twist didn't respond, and Ash hoped that meant he was getting away. Other voices were still shouting. Whether they were shouting at her or Twist or someone else entirely, she couldn't say. All thought had left her save for Twist's admonishment. What kind of trouble was she stirring up?