Jack let out a long breath and gathered himself. “It’s even worse than that, Quinn,” he said heavily. “If Aria’s right about when this thing was planted in her, it was around six years ago. That means not only someone unknown but someone unknown who’s playing a long game.”
“Clearly, there is more to Aria Gryffin than meets the eye,” observed Quinn.
“Dammit,” said Jack. “Nothing simple in the galaxy, is there?”
“Would you want it to be?”
“Maybe this once.” He put a hand on Quinn’s toned arm. “You were right to confront me about this,” he said. “Thank you. That couldn’t have been easy.”
“Giles and I flipped a coin.”
“And you lost?”
“Oh hells no.” Quinn flashed a sharp-toothed grin. “Iwon.”
Jack gave her arm a punch as they stepped into the medical bay.
They had never managed to attract a doctor into a life of piracy, so their facility was staffed by a young medical student named Cornish, who operated theMEDICUSprogram that served as diagnostician, medication prescriber, and robot surgeon for the crew’s needs. The young man was sitting at the terminal, a glum expression on his face.
“Well, that doesn’t look like the face of a man with good news,” said Jack, walking over to the terminal.
“Sorry, Captain.” Cornish ran his hands through his straw-colored hair nervously. “This one’s way out of my league, andMEDICUSdoesn’t want to proceed.”
Jack frowned. “What do you mean, doesn’t want to proceed?”
“The program takes all the diagnostic info we have, analyzes it, and makes a decision on next steps. In the Lady Aria’s case, it’s saying to take her to a Class I medical facility, and that’s it. Nothing else will do.”
“So removing the tracking device is not even an option?” asked Quinn.
“Not according toMEDICUS,” said Cornish, shaking his head. “The program predicts that removal could be a potential hazard to the host. Not enough information, it says. If this device is booby-trapped in any way, removing it could kill her.”
“Goddam it,” said Jack, thumping the terminal in frustration. “So we’re supposed to just keep her in the Faraday cage to block the signal, and do nothing?”
“Get her to a Class I facility as soon as possible. That’s the only medical adviceMEDICUSis willing to give,” replied Cornish, shrugging helplessly.
“Fuck.” Jack turned and strode out of the medical bay.
Quinn hurried to catch up to him. “Does the Pleasure House of Tarma have the kind of medical facility Aria needs?”
“It does,” answered Jack, “so that’s our obvious next step. But it’s also a part of what I don’t like. I’m supposed to be bringing my sister Madeline my help, not another potential problem. And the fact that going there is such an obvious next step makes me worried. I don’t like the feeling of being herded in a particular direction.”
“Maybe you’re overthinking things,” suggested Quinn.
“Aye, maybe. It’s hard not to make this emotional, dammit. Okay, set us on course for Tarma. I’ll send a heads-up to Madeline about what we’re bringing with us, as far as we know. Then I’ll talk to Aria about why she needs to stay in the brig for the next few days. I’m gonna love havingthatconversation.” He grimaced.
“How is she doing anyway?” asked Quinn.
“Bless you for asking. She was pretty upset when I went to see her, but I got her settled down.”
Quinn snorted. “I’m not even going to ask how.”
“Sometimes the oldest methods are the best, my dear Quinn,” said Jack. “I’m not so sure how well they work twice in a row, mind you.”
***
Aria wrapped herself in a blanket, perched on the bench, and tried to remember the fall she had taken when she was sixteen.
She had been riding Palos, she remembered. A two-year-old gelding, who tended to be amiable and even-tempered. Something had certainly spooked him that day; she still had no idea what had done it.
