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“I fell through Halla’s atmosphere in a malfunctioning escape pod a few years ago,” she shrugs. “Could be worse.”
“I don’t know how you humans manage,” I say. “Flight on azephtanis far more enjoyable.”
“Eyes on the target, Taraven,” she says. “Frankie. Malix. Everything else will fall away.”
The walls shake. It’s a short ride, and it feels like the shuttle is going to fall apart as we move into orbit, then pass into the atmosphere. I don’t like the idea of a ship without sentience. When we’re on Jaya, I know she wants to protect us. This lifeless husk of metal, on the other hand, has no interest in our safety.
“You’re much more likely to die on Liatra than you are in this ship,” Mai says. “Trust me.”
Reza’s lips curve in a sardonic smile. “Stop—I think you’re scaring him.”
I bark out a laugh. “Oh no—I’m already scared.”
The rattling increases to a fever pitch, and I feel the bottom fall out of my stomach as gravity drags us in toward Liatra. I fling my arms out as if to catch myself, and Mai and Reza watch me with amused smiles when I realize we aren’t falling.
“The lack of artificial gravity is…primitive,” I say, cocking an eyebrow.
“Them’s fightin’ words,” Mai scoffs. “You’d better be careful; humans are scrappy.”
“Breaching the water’s surface in thirty seconds,” a human voice says over the intercom. “Make sure seatbelts are buckled and get ready to pop your ears.”
“What?” I ask.
But the human pilot is back on the intercom. “At least the ride will be smoother under the sea,” she says. “Ready…ten, nine, eight…”
I hold my breath, though I know it won’t do any good.
The shuttle rattles like we’ve smashed into something, then we shift from the sensation of flying to gliding. There are no windows, but I know we’re underwater; my ears ache like I’ve just dove down to the deeps, and I pop my ears as the pilot suggested.
Mai leans forward and looks toward the cockpit. “What’s the status, pilot?”
“Good news,” the pilot says, glancing back at us. “Radar and heat sensors are picking up activity just north of us—looks like some ships are leaving the vicinity.”
“Heading to the other side of the planet; the distraction is working,” Reza says. “Take us in.”
“Aye-aye,” the pilot says. “Keep your seatbelts on, though…it might be bumpy.”
I can feel everything now—the acceleration toward the tunnel, the water streaming around us. And there’s something else there…an increasing proximity to a force that feels like it’s been calling my name for millennia.
Maybe it’s my imagination, or maybe it’s the power of divine symmetry…but I know that Frankie and Malix are here.
And they’re alive.
“Looks like there’s only one way in and out,” the pilot says. “They’re going to know we’re here as soon as we get through the damn tunnel—and we’ll have to wait for another ship to leave to use their clearance to enter.”
“The shuttle is armored,” Reza cuts in. “We can withstand fire, and they probably won’t fire on us at risk of damaging one of their only ways in and out. We’ll be ready when we get inside.”
“Taraven,” Mai says, meeting my eyes. “You need to break off from the group and head inside; don’t wait up for us. We’ll follow you when we can.”
“But I can—”
“It doesn’t matter what you can or can’t do,” Mai says. “You’ll be more useful heading inside and keeping to the shadows. In the chaos of a joint Lyran and human attack, they might not even notice a fellow Skoropi. Just act like you’re supposed to be there.”
“Are you…” I shake my head. “Mai, we don’t all look the same.”
She rolls her eyes. “That’s not what I’m saying,” she says. “Me and Reza have gotten out of more than a few situations by fitting in. Just…do what I say and we’ll reconvene after we’ve taken care of the soldiers in the docking bay, okay?”
“We’re going in!” the pilot interrupts over the intercom.
