Free Paradise 21 by Aubrie Dionne

why his opinion of her mattered so much. Then she followed him.
    His cloak fanned out around his black boots like a shadow. He must have heard her walking behind him, because he said, “A pirate’s life can’t be any worse than a stir-crazy colonist pilgrim’s life.”
    Aries rolled her eyes. At least he could find humor in their situation. “We’re not going to steal anything, are we?”
    Striker glanced back and grinned. “Only an age-old ship from the dead.”
    The thought of stealing a ship from a dead alien species made Aries’ skin prickle, like when she watched the caskets of the deceased Lifers shoot into space. Goosebumps blossomed on her body. She’d put her hair up in a bun because of the heat, and now the back of her neck felt naked and cold. She reached back behind her head and undid the pin, letting her hair fall protectively around her shoulders.
    The goosebumps didn’t go away.
    The corridor spiraled down a central shaft, each level colder and darker than the one above. Striker had long, confident strides, and Aries had to jog to keep up, lest she be left behind in the shadows. They came to a glass door leading into a room nestled in the bottom of the ship.
    Striker traced a dramatic arc of a symmetrical hieroglyph and the door opened, releasing a mist that pooled over their boots. His gaze traveled the contours of her head, as if he noticed she’d brought down her long hair, but he didn’t comment on it. Instead, he gestured toward the door. “Ladies first.”
    Aries took a breath and walked in. The room was as long and wide as the ship, spanning the length of the main deck on the New Dawn . Pillars came down from the ceiling in rows, so many rows it looked like the columns from ancient Rome, only these structures were made of glass.
    “I don’t understand.”
    “Look closer.”
    Aries stepped toward the nearest column. Cosmic dust frosted the glass. She peered through the silver-white at a pale oval-tipped object lying inside. Aries wiped the dust from the case, shedding glitter on the floor.
    “Oh, by the Guide.” She pressed her fingers harder on the glass. “Are they alive?”
    “I don’t know.” Striker shrugged, although there was nothing inconsequential in the gesture. “Probably not.”
    He bent over to take a look for himself, his wavy black hair brushing against her cheek. When he turned back to her, his eyes sparkled like a child at Christmas. “I know of a place to take them to see if they’ll hatch.”

Chapter Seven
Hidden Map
    The tent flaps rustled in the breeze. Barliss guzzled his wheat beer, shifting his gaze around the desert camp. Men guarded all sides, but an attack over the sand didn’t scare him. His eyes strayed to the sand underneath his feet. The big ones attacked from underground.
    “Requesting entry.”
    Smith’s voice startled him. He cursed his jumpy nerves and re-buttoned his shirt. Never could he look less than professional, even in the privacy of his own tent. He was the commander of this expedition, after all, and the commander was never off duty.
    “Entry granted.”
    Smith pushed his way through the tent flaps and bowed. Redness flushed his face, and orange desert sand smeared his white uniform. “Lieutenant Barliss, I have news to report.”
    “Stand up, Skyman.” Barliss waved impatiently. “Tell me what you’ve found.”
    Smith pulled a locator out of his pocket. “While I searched for signs of Miss Ryder’s equipment, my devices picked up a signal for a mineral deposit.” He handed him the locator. “There’s a conglomeration of lithium under the plateau on the southern side of camp.”
    Barliss studied the readings, flicking back and forth between the numbers and a large blob of blue-black dominating the screen. Currently, the New Dawn ’s energy supplies were on conservation mode. The first few generations had eaten away at the provisions faster than predicted. The splotch on the locator represented enough lithium to ensure the