Free Nightmare by Steven Harper

and maybe she’s still on the station or the ship she’s on is still close by." He paused for breath, heart pounding, tension singing along his veins. Every second they spent here was one more second further away. "Please, oh please can you find out if she’s—"
      Ara spun and ran out of the bay without a word. Lizard and the others stared after her. Jeren was the first to recover.
      "Come on!" he said, and ran after her. Lizard and the others hurried to catch up. The corridor beyond the bay was well worn, with beige walls and a gray floor. It smelled faintly of disinfectant.
      "Chan, open intercom to the bridge," Ara yelled as she ran. "Tora, get on the horn to the station. I want their general manager right now. Anna Kay, all stop. How far are we away from the station?"
      Their footsteps echoed off the ceramic tiles. The group passed occasional doors, corridors, and ladders, but they didn’t have time to look at them in detail. Ara didn’t slow a single step and Lizard was surprised at how quickly she could move.
    "Not even two thousand klicks," came Anna Kay’s voice.
    "Ara, what’s going on?" Michel asked.
      "I’m almost at the bridge, Father Adept," Ara replied. "I’ll explain there."
      The doors at the end of the corridor snapped open when Ara approached, and Lizard and the others followed her onto what he assumed was the bridge. It was a fair-sized room, brightly lit, with several workstations and a large view screen that took up most of one wall. Currently it showed a live picture of the station, all white circles and straight lines. A readout in the corner indicated the magnification. Half a dozen humans worked the stations, and keys chattered like teeth beneath their busy fingers. Every one of them wore around his or her neck a round gold medallion the size of Lizard’s palm. A rangy man with dark hair and blue eyes sat in a chair at the center of the bridge.
      "I have the manager’s office," said a small Asian woman in a black jumpsuit. Lizard assumed she was Tora.
      Ara gestured for Lizard to come with her. "The rest of you stand by the door and stay quiet."
      "Ara, what’s up?" the rangy man asked. He looked to be in his fifties.
      "Got a line on another Silent slave, Father, but we have to move fast," Ara said, dropping into a chair near his. Lizard realized with a start that Father Michel must be the captain. He nervously took up a position next to Ara’s chair, wondering what she was up to.
      "Open the link, audio only," she ordered, and a short burst of static hissed from hidden speakers. "This is Trader Araceil Rymar of Galaxic, Incorporated. Who is this, please?"
    "This is Assistant Station Manager Kent," came a deep voice. "How may I help you?"
      "I have just received word that you sold a Silent slave named—" she gestured at Lizard.
      "Bell Blanc," he murmured. His heart was pounding again.
      "Bell Blanc," Ara repeated. "Earlier you told me that there were only four Silent for sale on the station. Bell, however, wasn’t one of them. Was there a ...misunderstanding?" She added a hint of menace to the last word.
    "One moment, Trader Rymar. I am accessing the records." Pause. "The slave Bell Blanc was put into a lot that went up for auction before you arrived, Trader. My sincere apologies."
      "Manager Kent, my corporation has charged me with finding every Silent slave I can get my hands on. Would you be so kind as to tell me who the buyers were and perhaps how I can contact them?"
      Another pause. "Again my apologies, but that information is confidential. We cannot under any circumstances short of a government mandate release that information."
      Lizard staggered, but Michel made a halting gesture.
      "Manager, this is Senior Trader Michel Granger," he said, his deep voice taking on a strangely oily tone. "Is there anything we can do to persuade you? My corporation is very generous to people who aid us. We can arrange—"
    "I’m sorry, Senior Trader,"