Planet Eaters: Galaxy Mavericks, #8

1

Grayson McCoy steered the escape pod toward the old warship in the distance.

The escape pod, barely bigger than a closet, was cramped and stuffy, and he'd only been in it a few minutes.

Gonna come in nice and slow, he said through the radio. Eddie, you better get ready to receive.

I’m waitin’ for ya, big guy, a voice on the radio said.

Someone giggled behind Grayson, and he turned to Michiko Lins, who was seated behind him. She petite and pale in her spacesuit.

Is it just me or did that sound really inappropriate? she asked.

Grayson thought about what he had just said. It hadn't occurred to him.

He laughed. Guess you're right.

He turned to Devika Sharma, who was sitting next to him, glancing quietly at the warship. Her face was serious, heavy.

What's wrong? he asked.

She ignored him.

He knew better than to probe. Some people were just troubled, and if you could do anything right, the best thing was to leave them alone.

After what they had just been through—a gunfight on Florian Macalestern’s ship that nearly ended in the self-destruction of the ship—some deep silence was expected.

Apparently Michiko didn’t get that.

Michiko grabbed the back of Devika’s seat and waved a hand in front of Devika’s face.

Hellooo….are you alive?

In an instant, Devika grabbed Michiko’s forearm and twisted it.

Ouch! Hey, stop—

Leave me alone, Devika said coldly. I'm not here to make friends.

Devika let go, and Michiko rubbed her arm, fighting back a pout.

What's the matter with you? she asked, hurt.

I told you to leave me alone, Devika said.

You can't just sit there and internalize your emotions, Lara St—I mean, Devika, Michiko said. "I just cannot remember to say your real name."

Grayson shook his head.

Devika turned and looked out the window. The warship, old and gray, loomed closer now. Several beacons flashed on top of the ship. Devika put on her headset and opened the radio.

Keltie, she said, were you able to trace Florian?

Negative, Keltie Sheffield said through the radio.

It had been a while since Grayson heard Keltie’s voice. Over the radio, it sounded sweet, feminine. He wondered what she would say when he told her everything that happened on Florian’s ship.

A sputtering sound exploded behind them.

A black cloud with a single red eye shook and made a slurping sound.

Clark, Michiko said, wagging her finger. We had an agreement. You promised not to cause any trouble.

The alien sputtered again and splattered himself against the windshield. He looked at the exhaust coming from the warship.

Must be hungry, Grayson said.

He didn't care for any alien that could swallow him whole in a couple of seconds, but Clark had been pretty quiet and obedient for the whole ride.

"I guess you are hungry, Michiko said, her eyes wide. You're like a dog."

A dog that will get left behind in space at the first sign of trouble, Devika said.

Clark shrunk away from the window. His eye, which was full of excitement, faded to sadness.

Grayson scratched his head. How'd he understand you?

Devika shrugged.

It's her tone, Michiko said. Like the Crystalith, this alien apparently understands the tone in our voices. That's why it's really important to watch what you say.

Or don't say, Devika said.

The radio beeped.

We’re ready for ya, Eddie said as the airlock doors on the warship opened. And not in a sexual way.

Gotcha, Grayson said, pushing up on the throttle.

Keltie Sheffield waited in the airlock as the escape pod cleared the outer doors and the inner airlock doors opened. The escape pod was a circular ball of metal that looked painfully uncomfortable to travel in.

She wrinkled up her nose.

It smelled like space, too. Like burnt rubber and popcorn.

Smells pretty bad, huh? she asked.

Silence.

She turned around. Eddie Puente was at a control panel, entering some commands. He ignored her.

She scoffed.

Ever since they had been left alone, he didn't acknowledge her. He seemed nice enough to start, and they even chatted for an hour. But it must have been something she said, because he stopped talking to her. Like a switch got flipped and she couldn't figure out why.

He avoided eye contact and acted as if the pod hadn't even entered the airlock.

The pod touched down on the ground with a clang.

Grayson piloted, and seeing him, she laughed. He was so tall his head was almost touching the ceiling. He was laughing, too.

Devika was frowning. But then again, Keltie had never seen her smile so that was nothing new.

There was someone else with them in the pod, but she couldn't see who it was.

The pod doors opened, letting out a large whoosh of air.

And then Keltie heard it.

A crazed, revving-like sound.

Weeeeerr!

Keltie ducked as a small black cloud darted over her head. A red eye glinted in the center of the cloud. Seeing it, her heart jumped, sweat beaded on her forehead, and she balled her fist.

No, she whispered. And then she yelled, No!

A Planet Eater. The alien race that started all of this, the race that killed her best friend before her eyes!

She ripped a crowbar off the wall and banged it as hard as she could.

The alien winced.

Go away! she shouted. Go away!

She banged the crowbar harder and the Planet Eater flew away, sputtering as if the sound were hurting it.

Eddie, open the airlock! she shouted.

Eddie watched with his mouth wide open.

Eddie! Keltie said.

CLANG! CLANG!

The alien sputtered again.

I'll do it myself, Keltie grumbled, running for the airlock controls. You killed Claire. You'll pay, I swear to God—

She heard gunshots in her mind.

Then she was back on Kepler.

In her spacesuit.

People were screaming.

Her best friend, Claire, was running next to her.

Bullets were flying everywhere. Planet Eaters covered the sky like ink.

A hand on her shoulder pulled her from the flashback.

She kept swinging the crowbar, denting the pod.

Keltie, someone said.

Somebody help!

Keltie, the voice said.

The alien retreated to the corner of the airlock, and it shrunk to half of its size.

Someone grabbed her crowbar.

She tightened her grip. But soon the crowbar was gone and it clanged against the floor.

Grayson had grabbed her.

Keltie, it’s all right, he said.

What do you mean it's all right? she yelled. Do you remember what they—

He's not gonna hurt you, Grayson said.

He's telling the truth, Devika said. It seems to be docile.

Keltie shook her head at the alien. She pushed herself away from Grayson.

A petite Asian woman stood behind Devika. The encounter had scared her.

Hi, the woman said. I'm Michiko. And that's Clark.

Clark swirled in the corner of the ceiling and hovered under a skylight, almost disappearing in the blackness of space outside.

Keltie backed out of the room. Took one last look at Grayson, Eddie, Devika and Michiko.

She thought she knew these people.

Now they were harboring evil aliens!

She ran out of the room.

Well, that was a disaster, Devika said.

Guess we should've warned her, Grayson said, rubbing his head. Definitely didn't think that through.

Devika walked to the airlock access panel. Eddie was standing near it, frozen like a statue, staring at Clark.

It's not going to eat you, Devika said.

She didn't know who was worse—Keltie’s burst of anger or Eddie’s fear.

Eddie stammered and said something unintelligible.

Move, Devika said. She took him by the shoulders, pushed him away from the panel, and pressed a couple of buttons on it.

The airlock hummed to life and the inner doors opened. Metal arms pushed the escape pod toward the outer bay doors. Then the inner doors shut, the outer doors opened, and the pod rolled into space.

W-W-Why did you bring that thing on board? Eddie asked finally, pointing to Clark.

He's harmless, Devika said.

Eating a moon constitutes harmless? Eddie asked, his face hardening.

Devika frowned. Not you, too.

Eddie didn't take his eyes off the alien.

Look, Devika said. If you don't like it, then you can leave. The same goes for Keltie. I don't need unnecessary drama, so if you want, I'll drop you off at the next space station so you can figure out your life, and maybe go see a psychiatrist.

Psychiatrist? Eddie asked, offended. "I'm not loco, lady. I'm just trying to find my family. How do you think I feel when I see the aliens that ate my home, eh? And you’re the one that needs to see a psychiatrist, walking around wearing black all day and—"

Devika approached him with a menacing look. He stopped talking and retreated.

Michiko crossed between them.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, she said. You guys have a lot of pent-up anger. It's not healthy.

I didn't have to bring you along, Devika said to Eddie. I'm sorry for what happened to your family, but arguing like this isn't going to get us anywhere.

Eddie leaned against the wall, folded his arms and closed his eyes.

Guess you're right, he said quietly.

Why don't we all take ten or fifteen, Grayson said. Let's regroup on the bridge.

Devika nodded.

See you all soon.

Devika settled into the pilot’s chair on the bridge. The warship was nice and quiet as it floated in space. She could only hear the gentle hum of the ship’s ventilation.

She rested her head against the back of the leather chair and breathed in deeply.

Her feet were sore.

Her neck hurt.

She felt pressure in her forehead.

But somehow, she'd only noticed the pain now.

Hell, this had been the first time she'd been able to sit down in several days.

She'd been through so much.

She'd chased Tavin Miloschenko to Coppice. Miloschenko shot her down. She fled through the rainforest, running for her life. And now she had a crew with her.

Not what she expected.

She could have done this alone.

All of it.

She closed her eyes, visualized Florian Macalestern. In his white suit, he grinned evilly.

She couldn't wait to arrest him.

On the dashboard, her phone rang once and vibrated.

She glanced at the screen.

Two messages.

Messages?

Who would be leaving her a message at a time like this?

She pulled up her message app and played the first.

A familiar voice calmed her.

Hey, Devi. It's your mother.

Mary.

Her adopted mom.

I haven't heard from you in a week, and I'm just checking to make sure you're still alive. Call me, okay?

Devika felt the pressure in her head growing stronger.

She couldn't concentrate.

If Mary really knew what she was doing…well, she wouldn't have been happy about it.

Devika reached into her shirt pocket and pulled out three blue pills.

Pain relievers.

She took them, massaged her temples.

Should she call Mary back?

Her finger hovered over the return call button.

No.

It would have to wait.

Mary would be able to sense the worry in Devika's voice. Even if she tried to hide it. She could never hide her emotions from her mother.

Instead, she sent a text message.

Everything’s fine. I'm on a mission and won't be able to talk for a while. Will send you another message soon.

She sent it.

Disaster averted…for a little while.

She checked the second message.

It was from a number she didn't recognize.

Restricted area code.

Strange.

She played it.

The message was from a man. He didn't speak at first, as if he were trying to figure out what to say. Then the message began.

Hey, uh, Agent Sharma, this is Agent Ryan Miller from the Short Arm Crimes Unit. I need to talk to you about a few things, namely some Internet database searches. Call me back at this number.

Another GALPOL Agent.

She didn't recognize the name.

From the sound of his voice, he was probably older, maybe in his forties. But voices could be deceiving.

Database searches.

He wanted to talk