Free Dark Space: Origin by Jasper T. Scott Page B

aboard the 100-meter-long Interloper, so they were forced to bunk on cots in the hangar where the Rescue had landed . They’d left the Defiant behind, but that was just as well, since it was now teeming with emancipated Gors. Adram assured them that a salvage team would be sent back for the cruiser and her alien refugees as soon as possible.
    Now, nine hours after they’d left the Defiant , Alara, Gina Giord, and Commander Caldin stood side by side at the forward viewport of the Rescue , gazing down on the men and women below. Dim orange lanterns broke up the perpetual darkness inside the Interloper’s hangar , and Alara sawthat s ome of the officers were huddled together on the glassy black deck, playing card games or talking. Others lay alone on their cots or paced endlessly around the hangar. The crew had spent the whole day cooped up inside that hangar, and it was barely large enough to fit the Rescue, let alone 55 men and women and their personal effects. Captain Adram seemed equally suspicious of the Defiant’s crew as he was of the Gors. They hadn’t been allowed out of the auxiliary hangar bay since they’d arrived. Perhaps it had something to do with the high profile prisoners they’d brought aboard. Adram had whisked them away to whatever passed for the alien cruiser’s brig and they hadn’t seen or heard from him or the prisoners since. Alara hoped that Ethan was all right. With that thought came an opposing flash of bitter anger. Ethan was married. Let his wife worry about him—wherever she is.
    Delayn interrupted her thoughts. “Kavaar . . . Commander, you need to see this.”
    “What is it?” Caldin asked, turning from the viewport to walk down to the gravidar station where Delayn was seated in Tova’s oversized chair. As for the black-armored alien, she stood all alone in one corner of the bridge, leaning against the wall and watching them from the shadows. The glowing red eyes of her helmet seemed to look everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
    Alara shuddered and tried to ignore the alien as she watched Commander Caldin lean over Delayn’s shoulder. “There—” Delayn pointed to something on the gravidar that Alara couldn’t see.
    Caldin leaned closer to the display and the star map cast her features in a blue glow. Alara watched the worry lines on Caldin’s brow grow suddenly more pronounced. “What is that? ” she asked.
    “It looks like the Valiant, ma’am.”
    “What are they doing here?” Caldin asked.
    Alara couldn’t stand the suspense. She hurried down to the gravidar station, and Gina followed her.
    “You think the admiral knows that Brondi stole the Valiant from us?” Delayn asked.
    Caldin straightened from leaning over the console and shook her head. “I’m not sure, but if not, it’s time he found out.” She touched the comm piece in her ear and said, “Call Captain Adram.”
    A moment later the captain answered, and Caldin hurried to explain the situation. The captain already knew most of their story from the explanation Gina Giord had given when the Rescue had been found, but Caldin now re-emphasized the part about the Valiant being stolen by Alec Brondi.
    Alara studied the gravidar intently, eyeing the cigar-shaped green icon of the gladiator-class carrier.
    “Frek,” Gina whispered. “Brondi beat us here. . . .”
    Delayn looked up and nodded mutely; then Caldin exclaimed, “You what?! Ten to one that’s not a vaccine , Captain!” All three of them turned to listen in on Caldin’s comm call. Alara watched the commander begin shaking her head. “So you knew they were here?”
    Alara frowned, watching as Caldin’s brow grew ever more-lined, and her eyes narrowed by degrees.
    “I see,” was all Caldin said. “Well, thank you for being so honest. Goodbye, sir.” Caldin’s jaw muscles clenched as she closed the comm.
    “What is it?” Alara asked. “What did he say?”
    “He said that the Valiant arrived a few days ago. They claimed to have fled