“Sempiternity started as a single starport,” Cat explains. “Run by a freebooter cartel. Pirate crews would unload there, sell their spoils, head out for more. But over the past fifty years it’s accumulated more and more extensions. Ships that decide to stay and just attach themselves to the superstructure. Place goes on forever now. It’s as big as a small moon. Hence the name. The World Ship.”
I look at Aurora, still slumped in her chair. “So why does she want us to go there?”
As if she senses that I’m talking about her, Aurora groans and slowly lifts her head. Wincing with pain, she realizes there’s three disruptors pointed at her face. Her mismatched eyes go wide, then narrow as she realizes she’s in restraints. That she can taste blood on her lips.
“Um,” she says. “If this is another vision, I’d like to wake up, please.”
“You call that an apology?” I ask.
“W-what am I apologizing for?” She winces again, slowly rolling her shoulders and neck. “And … why do I feel like I was in … a c-car accident?”
“What, you don’t remember slamming me against the wall without touching me? Or Zila hitting you with half a dozen disruptor blasts?”
A kaleidoscope of emotions cross her face. Fear. Dismay. Frustration. Genuine confusion. Looking around and realizing she’s not in the room she went to sleep in. Licking her lips and tasting blood.
“N-no,” she says.
“Computer,” I call. “Replay bridge security camera footage, 01:29 ship time.”
The computer beeps, the central display begins to play the sec-reel. Aurora watches, going perfectly still as she sees herself walk onto the bridge, lift her hand as her eye starts to glow, and slam my projection back into the bulkhead.
“Ezigolopai,” the recording says in that strange, warbling voice. “Emevigrof.”
“I don’t …” Aurora shakes her head, looks with growing panic to Tyler. “I don’t remember doing any of that.”
“How convenient,” Cat says.
“Very,” I say.
“Auri, why did you mess with the navcom?” Tyler asks, his voice flat and hard. “Why do you want to go to Sempiternity?”
She shakes her head and whispers. “What’s Sempiternity?”
“Wait.”
All eyes turn to Zila. She’s playing idly with the tiny knife on one of her earrings, dark stare fixed on the security footage projection.
“Computer, replay footage in reverse. Real time. Include audio.”
The computer complies with a small beep, and we watch the figure of Aurora at the pilot’s console, typing backward. The rivulets of blood run back up her chin, into her nose. My discarded disruptor springs back up into my hand. And Aurora glances up at me and speaks in that strange, warbling voice. Only this time, the audio file is playing backward.
“Forgiveme,” she says. “Iapologize.”
Zila blinks at the recording. “Computer, replay sequence 02:43 to 02:52.”
The footage skips to Aurora standing in front of me, pointing to herself, her face twisted with concentration.
“T-t-ttrig-ggerrrrr,” she says. “Trigg—”
“Trigger,” Zila repeats, head tilted.
“What does that mean?” Tyler asks her.
Our science officer turns to regard Aurora with her dark eyes.
“I have no idea, sir. But I am certain that Commander de Stoy placed Aurora in our keeping for a reason. In my opinion, we should maintain course.”
“For what it’s worth, I think I agree with the tiny lunatic, Goldenboy,” Finian pipes in over comms. “This is getting kinda interesting.”
“I’m sure the thought of the court-martial waiting for us back at Aurora station has no bearing on your decision, Finian?” Tyler asks.
“None whatsoever, sir.”
Tyler sighs, turns to me. It might sound like a little thing, but this is one of the main reasons my baby brother was the best Alpha in the academy. It’s also one of the main reasons I never smothered him in his sleep. He’s never afraid to ask advice when he needs it.
I think of the peeled-open door to the makeshift brig. Of the thin hull that protects us from the black waiting outside.
“I say we go back to the academy,” I say. “If we talk to Command, maybe there’s some way to salvage this. We’re in over our heads here.”
“Damn straight we are,” Cat growls. “I say give her to the G-men.”
“Need I remind you all of Commander de Stoy’s warning to us?” Kal asks. “She said ‘The cargo you carry is more precious than any of you can know.’ ” The Syldrathi looks Ty in the eye. “Admiral Adams spoke directly to you, sir. He said you must believe. What else could he have meant, if not this?”
Tyler chews his lip in thought.
But it’s Aurora who speaks. “I want to g-go home.” Tears begin