Heart of the Colossus_A Steampunk Space Opera Adventure Read online

  Copyright © 2018 by Nicole Grotepas

  Other titles by Nicole Grotepas:

  Novels:

  Feed 1

  Feed 2

  Feed 3

  Feed 4

  Blue Hearts of Mars

  World in Shadow

  Eye of the Colossus

  Hands of the Colossus

  Short stories:

  “Six Shadows”

  “Cry Olly Oxen Free

  “The God Machine”

  “Cities of the Sun”

  “The First Post-Android Buyback Program”

  Thank you:

  Elizabeth B.

  Tim Birmingham

  For Sarah Zoe, the youngest bad-ass I have ever met.

  ONE

  “I don’t know how you guys talked me into this, again,” Charly Stout said, her voice coming over the comms into Holly’s earpiece. “Last time was a bust. Nearly died. And yet, here I am, again, floating outside the ship in space, my life balanced on the brink.”

  “You love danger, that’s why,” Holly Drake said from inside the ship. She was safe and snug, seated next to Trip Taurus, a Centau and the pilot of the Space Cruiser Olavia Apollo. Charly Stout, a human, and Odeon Starlight, a Druiviin, waited outside the ship, clipped in on the underside, out of sight of the Fuel Depot security cameras. There they waited for Shiro Oahu’s distraction to work.

  “At least this time I am with you, Charly. You’re not alone.” Odeon said.

  “Aw man, Odeon. You know you always pull through, for everyone, always,” Charly laughed. “Thanks bro.”

  “If we weren’t parked for the fill, you’d be in here, Odeon,” Holly joked. “I’m barely getting through this without my fix.” The panic attacks about being in space still afflicted her. She could feel the darkness of fear creeping at the edge of her mind, clawing at her sanity. She glanced at Trip who sat silently beside her, watching the instruments on her control panels. The Centau’s head was tilted to the side, the pilot goggles balanced on her forehead, her beautiful pale brown skin contrasting with the white, blue, and orange of her pilot jumpsuit.

  “He’s mine this time, Holly. Sorry girl!”

  Trip interrupted their banter. “The tank is half full. I hope Shiro is almost ready.”

  “Shiro, you in position?” Holly asked, touching her earpiece. The fueling station filled the viewsceen in front of them. Most of what they saw was the giant mechanical arm that pulled in Trip’s ship and kept it secure as the fueling apparatus connected with the ship and filled it with aether. But beyond that there was the central portion of the station where the workers stayed. Inside the station there were a bar, a restaurant, and the people to man those and a few other amenities for commercial ships like Trip’s.

  “Nearly there, Ms. Drake,” Shiro said quietly over the comms.

  “This is going to cost you, you know?” Trip said, turning to glance at Holly before looking back at the instrument panel.

  “We’re going to pay for this fill up, yes,” Holly said. “Don’t worry about it, Trip. You’re practically on the crew at this point.”

  “Am I?” Trip asked, leaning back and studying Holly with her bright eyes.

  “Don’t get too excited about it. You’re mostly in, maybe still enjoying your trial period.” Holly gave her a measuring glance.

  Trip pulled her gaze away from Holly, a smirk touching the edge of her lips like she was disgusted with Holly’s antics. “Just a few minutes more, then she’s full.”

  “Everyone be ready,” Holly said.

  “In position,” Shiro whispered.

  “Ready,” Charly said, followed by Odeon’s affirmation that he too was ready.

  There was silence on the comms and in the control room of the SC Olavia Apollo. Holly could hear the stifled breathing of her crew as everyone waited for the fueling to finish. There was a sound through the ship as the fuel delivery system finished and the fueler disengaged.

  “She’s done,” Trip said.

  “Go.” Holly leaned forward, as though doing so would give her a better vantage point to see around the large arm holding their ship in place. Or she might somehow see inside the station to catch Shiro at work springing his distraction.

  Shiro began speaking. “Excuse me, good man,” Shiro said. “Could you please help me? There’s been an issue on my ship with the fueler. It seems the ridiculous machinery has broken a piece of equipment, and now my ship isn’t working properly.”

  “What? Are you serious?” The answer came from someone else through the comms. “That sounds like a load of bull-shit to me.”

  “I assure you, sir, this is indeed true. Let me show you what I mean. You have security cameras fixed on my ship as it was fueling?”

  Holly continued to hold her breath through this interchange. The key part of the exchange would be for Shiro to get into the area with the cameras, so that he could plant one of Darius’ devices that would loop the security footage. Then Odeon and Charly would be able to navigate closer to the depot and unclip several sealed containers of fuel and get them back to the Olavia Apollo.

  “I do,” came the voice of the man.

  “Wonderful. The damage should be showing up on there,” Shiro said.

  There was silence as Shiro was presumably led to where the footage was. Then Shiro spoke again.

  “Ah, see there.”

  “Yeah,” the other man said.

  “That’s the damage. It wasn’t there when my ship arrived.”

  “How am I supposed to know that’s true?”

  “I imagine you could check the older coverage?” Shiro said, sounding like he was just thinking of it.

  “Maybe I could,” he said. There was a pause, and then the click-clack of buttons, followed by the sound of footsteps receding. “Give me a minute.”

  There was silence for a moment, and only the quick breathing of Shiro as he tried to place the device that would force the security footage to continuously loop the past fifty seconds.

  “Hey, what are you doing?”

  “Oh shit,” Charly said over the comms.

  Holly felt herself tense. Please don’t be a misstep.

  “Hey, what the hell?” This was a new voice.

  “What?” Shiro said. “Oh hello, you must work with Alejandro?”

  “Yeah, I’m here to replace him. Sweep swaps.”

  “He was just retrieving some footage from when my ship locked in.”

  “Whatever the hell you were just doing, you won’t be doing anymore.”

  “What’s the meaning—I assure you this is a misunderstanding,” Shiro said.

  “Nice try.”

  “Please, locking me up? I’m a harmless chap. This is is a mistake. I really don’t recommend locking me up.”

  “Well, I got news for you, buddy, that’s exactly what’s happening. No idea who you are, or what you want here. The Inter-moon Police will find out, though, once they’ve got you.” There was the sound of a struggle and Shiro laughing as though to taunt the guard.

  “Damn!” Charly cussed.

  “Sounds like Shiro has been detained,” Odeon said.

  “Charly, Odeon, get back into the ship. One of us has to go in to get Shiro.” Holly unclipped her restraints and stood up.

  “You don’t mean to go after him, do you?” Trip asked.

  Holly glanced at the Centau. “What else would I do?”

  “Send someone else. Odeon. Charly?”

  “I’m going now. It’ll be a thirty minutes before Odeon and Charly are ready. This seems a bit urgent.”

  Trip nodded. “I’ll wait fo
r you. But we won’t have long before they come check out the ship Shiro came in on, and then they won’t let us leave.”

  She had to hurry. “I’m going for Shiro,” she said, intending this announcement for Odeon and Charly.

  “Holly,” Odeon said. “Take my tools. They’re in the crew quarters.”

  It was a good idea and she told him so as she ran through the small corridors of the ship to the crew area and found the bunk where Odeon had stowed his gear before suiting up. She rummaged through his possessions in a drawer set into the wall, until she found the lock-pick set.

  “Got it,” she announced and then retraced her steps back through the ship, and then went to the hatch that let them into the station. Holly opened the door and plodded through the tunnel, which then opened into another sealed area. Inside that anteroom, there was another door. It opened and she went into the station. She followed the corridor into the main area. The floor vibrated slightly. The air hummed around her. There was a stale sense to it, like it had been recycled and processed numerous times and sent through filters intended to refresh it. Straight ahead was the restaurant. Some kind of fusion of Centau and human food, a logo with an olive on a toothpick and an umeo, a Centau nut. The bar was next to it, and seemed rather busy. A small corridor leading away from the area promised to be the way into the secure area, where she hoped Shiro had gone.

  “Shiro,” she said quietly. “I’m coming for you.” The commotion had died down on the comms. Holly hoped that meant he was simply being quiet. Not something worse.

  When he didn’t answer, her pace quickened until she was trotting through the corridor, passing under the bright lights.

  If someone else had taken his earpiece, they were probably listening. So she couldn't speak to him to figure out his location.

  “Everyone. Radio silence,” she ordered.. The team had a contingency plan for something like that happening, but they’d never had to use it. She said it as much for herself as for them, hoping it wasn’t necessary. Holly paused briefly to pull out the communicator that was connected to the earpiece. She punched in a code that let her into a secure channel. From there she dialed in another code that let her choose which earpiece to exclude. She chose Shiro’s. He was now cut out of the conversation.

  “Back on? You guys there? I just cut Shiro out in case they took his earpiece. Everyone check in.”

  “Here,” Charly said. Trip and Odeon chimed in as well.

  “Good. You guys back on the ship?”

  “Yes, just getting out of our suits,” Charly said.

  “Darius?” Holly asked.

  “Drake, I’m here,” Darius said, finally.

  She breathed a sigh. “Good. OK, then. Darius. Can you spot Shiro’s last known whereabouts? I’m flying blind here. Could use some direction if I’m going to break him out.”

  “Let me get to the desk. I’ll be up in minute, Drake.”

  “Fine.” Holly paused and wondered if she had time for a drink, glancing back at the bar.

  Bad idea.

  However, she moved back in that direction to avoid suspicion and went into the bar. A female Constie bartender manned the area, cleaning glasses, and pouring drinks as patrons milled around the bar. She nodded at Holly, and Holly returned the slight greeting as she reached the bar.

  “Can I get you something?” she asked.

  “No thanks,” Holly said. “Just waiting and watching.”

  “Sure, sweetheart. Let me know if you change your mind.”

  “I will.” Holly looked around. Most of the guests wore pilot jumpsuits.

  “Got it, Drake.” Darius said, suddenly. Holly jumped slightly. She turned and headed out of the bar.

  “Tell me where.”

  Darius guided her through the corridors, which wound around a central stationary hub. She finally came to a locked door. Nearby there was another door that read “Authorized Personnel Only.”

  “This it?” She whispered, her heart racing. This business was getting too dangerous. How much longer was she going to find herself in these shitty situations?

  “Yes.”

  “Great.” She opened Odeon’s tools.

  “Holly Drake,” Odeon’s voice came through on the comms. “Tell me about the door and the locking device.”

  She described the lock to Odeon. And then he told her which tool to use.

  “Now, I’ll guide you in how to trigger the lock.” Odeon detailed the process to engage the lock-pick and how to trigger the mechanism that would release the various tumblers and spring it free. Holly cussed several times and scraped a rivulet of skin from her thumb as she used the tool.

  “This isn’t working, Odeon.” She sighed and leaned against the wall in the corridor. “Maybe you can come do it.” She ran a hand through her hair, then noticed the sound of approaching footsteps.

  “You can do this, Holly. Don’t give up,” Odeon said.

  “Someone’s coming,” Holly whispered.

  “What?” Charly asked. “Hang on, I’m coming.”

  Holly glanced around, looking for something to help her in a fight. She only had the Equalizer beneath her blazer. She slipped the lock-pick tools into her blazer pocket and drew the gun and aimed it toward the bend in the corridor just as a security guard appeared.

  “What the—?” He was a Constie.

  “Don’t move,” Holly said quietly.

  “You think me not moving will prevent you from getting caught?” He laughed. “There are cameras all over. You surprised me, but you won’t surprise the others.”

  He was right, Holly suspected. She needed to get it taken care of before another found them. “Get over here. Now. And open this door.” She shrugged toward the door she’d been working on.

  “Not a chance.” The guard wasn’t taking her seriously.

  Holly hesitated. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You seem like a nice girl. I’m not really worried about it. You’ll be joining your friend in there in a few minutes.” He grinned like he had the upper hand despite the gun aimed at his face.

  Holly lowered the barrel and shot at his foot. A violet explosion singed his shoe and the floor surrounding it and he screeched, and began hopping on one foot. Holly clenched her teeth, feeling a surge of remorse for hurting him, but she was running out of options.

  “Now come over here, and open this goddamn door before I shoot you in the head,” she said through gritted teeth. That was a bluff. She wasn’t sure she could do something so brutal.

  The whimpering guard hobbled toward her, his hands raised above his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. “I have a kid. Two kids. And a clan. Please, just, please…”

  “Shut up. Open the door. And nothing else will happen.” Holly said coldly. Her voice held a chilly confidence she didn’t really feel.

  “I am. I am opening the door. See?” He held his hand up to the lock and inserted a fat gray and black key. The lock sprang and the door slid open.

  “Good, now lead me into the room.” The Equalizer was still aimed directly at the guard’s head as he hobbled into the room.

  Shiro stood behind a set of aether bars. “Ms. Drake!” He grinned and took a step toward the bars. “What took you so long?”

  She glared at him. The arrogance . . . “Let him out,” she directed the guard.

  “But we already have a unit coming to pick him up,” the guard protested.

  Holly shot the small desk in the room. It burst into a violet, hissing fire and splintered before disintegrating where the aether ate through it.

  The will of the guard withered at the display and he thrust the same key into a panel on the wall that turned off the bars.

  “Come on, Jace,” Holly said, using one of Shiro’s aliases.

  He picked up his bowler and lion-head cane and stepped through the opening.

  “Get the key from the guard, Jace,” Holly said.

  “Certainly. Sir, if you don’t mind, the key,” Shiro said, holding out his hand. The
guard reluctantly handed Shiro the key.

  “Now get into the cell,” Holly said.

  “But I’m wounded!” The guard protested.

  “Your friends will be here in no time,” Holly said.

  “I could die!”

  “I have news for you, friend, we’re all dying. Now move.” Holly pointed the barrel of the Equalizer at his good foot.

  The guard yelped and hobbled into the cell. Shiro used the key to turn on the bars then pocketed the key.

  “Let’s go,” Holly said. They went to the still open door and checked both ways then headed back the way Holly had come.

  Behind them, the guard had started shouting for help. “Should have shut the door,” she muttered.

  “Hindsight,” Shiro said with a shrug.

  Charly bounded around the corner ahead of them, running at full sprint. “Guys! Come on, there are more stupid guards coming!”

  Shiro launched into a sprint just as Charly turned and bolted back the way she’d come. Holly ran after them. Behind her she heard the guard still crying for help from the cell.

  As they entered the area where the bar and restaurant were, another Constie guard sprang at Charly—she fended him off with a jab and a hook to the jaw. Two more appeared even as Odeon materialized out of an alcove and swung at them with his Ousaba club, knocking them both back. Holly and Shiro skirted them.

  “Get back to the ship,” Odeon called.

  “Happy to. Come on, Shiro,” Holly said. “Odeon and Charly can handle them without killing them. I can’t.”

  “How many are there?” Shiro asked.

  “No idea. Let’s hope no more,” she said, slapping the switch to open the door into the corridor that lead to the hatch. When it opened, she slipped into the corridor with Shiro right behind her, followed by Charly and Odeon. The four of them hurried toward the inner anteroom that led to the airlock with Trip’s vessel.

  A guard appeared behind them and called out. Holly glanced back him as they waited for the hatch to open. The guard had paused at the opening and engaged some kind of lock. Holly looked back at the hatch to the airlock and saw the aether bars as they appeared.