Hugh Howey - Molly Fyde and the Fight for Peace

“Ryke,” the man said. He accepted Molly’s grasp and pumped it warmly. “Lotsa folks call me Doctor Ryke, but I done nothing to deserve it.”

“I’m—”

“I know who you are,” Ryke said, smiling at her. He continued to hold her hand as he gazed around the cargo bay, appraising it as if he might a home he had once lived in, or helped to build.

“You know my father,” Molly whispered.

“Yup. Good man. And I wouldn’t worry none about him. He’s fond of grand entrances.”

“So he’s okay?” Molly turned to Anlyn. “How’s Cole?”

“I haven’t seen him,” Anlyn said. “I just recently found out where he was.”

“He set off to help Mortimor get out of hyperspace,” Ryke said. “What we need to be working on is getting that rift closed up as soon as he does. Before we get to that, though…” Ryke looked at Molly expectantly.

“I’m so sorry,” Molly said. “Do you guys need food or water? The bathroom? If you need to rest before—”

“Naw,” Ryke said, looking back over his shoulder. “You reckon I could sneak off to your engine room, just to see her?”

“See who? ” Molly asked.

“The hyperdrive,” Ryke whispered.

Cat wrapped her arms around Ryke’s broad shoulders and leaned over to kiss the top of his bald head. “You haven’t changed a lick!” she said.

“Sure,” Molly said. “Help yourself.” She turned back to Anlyn, then realized how difficult it was going to be to explain the presence of all these people to the Navy climbers when they got back.

“Oh, Ryke? I’m gonna need you guys to stash away in the crew quarters in less than an hour. You’ll have to stay there while we fly back to this clearing we’ve set up camp in. I’m with some men in black.”

“Navy?” Ryke looked around like she’d warned him of snakes.

“They’re fine, I just don’t want to have to explain how you got here.”

Ryke scratched his beard and nodded, then hurried off toward the back of the ship.

Walter continued to gab with Edison near the door to his room. Molly flinched when she felt the Wadi scurry up her leg to her shoulder. Normally, the thing wouldn’t leave the back of her seat if she put her there. The animal twisted around her neck and jabbed its tongue out at Anlyn.

Anlyn’s eyes lit up at the sight of the colorful Wadi. She came close to Molly, reaching her hand out to it.

“By the lights of Hori,” she whispered.

“Another reason I’m glad you’re here,” Molly said. “I think there’s something wrong with her.” She removed the Wadi and held it out to Anlyn. “Gods, it feels like there’s so much I didn’t get to say before we left Drenard. I—” Molly watched the Wadi curl itself around Anlyn’s neck. “Exactly what happened after we left? I hear your people are pushing out into Terran space and attacking our planets.”

“She’s pregnant,” Anlyn said, rubbing the Wadi’s head with two fingers.

“She—Wait, what? The Wadi? ”

Anlyn nodded.

“But, she’s getting smaller .”

“Has she been drinking a lot?”

“Kiloliters.”

“Well, she’s laid her eggs somewhere, and now she’s feeding them. Big ones, from the looks of her tail.”

Molly leaned forward and looked at the wisp of a tail as it circled in the air. “How can you tell?”

Anlyn looked around the cargo bay. “I can’t believe you haven’t seen them.”

“I can’t believe you’re standing in front of me! What’ve you been up to? We—Oh my gods I have to tell you about what happened on Dakura, and we got captured by the Navy, and Walter broke us free, and then I nearly got killed here. Oh, and we’re currently inside a StarCarrier that crashed and it’s like sitting vertically in the air and you remember Saunders? That guy from the Academy I told you about? He’s here and not trying to kill me anymore.”

Anlyn beamed and waved Molly down. “Slow down, you’re about as easy to follow as Edison right now.”

“I’m sorry.” Molly went to the galley and filled two cups with water. She glanced over at Edison to see if he needed a drink and saw him studying one of Byrne’s severed arms. Walter had drug the morbid things out to show them off.

“Here.” She held a glass out to Anlyn.

“We just ate about an hour ago, but thanks.” She accepted the cup. “So, you said you had a plan for getting rid of the fleet? I hope it’s a good one, because I had to pull royal rank to risk the hyperdrive trace and have us sent down here.”

“It’s the best we’ve got, but it’ll take a few days to pull off.” Molly nodded to the empty spot in her cargo bay where Anlyn had appeared out of thin air. “I just recently learned that my hyperdrive can do that as well. I’m sending a group of Callites and Navy personnel straight to Darrin, just like how you guys showed up. They’re gonna nab a fleet and then jump back here and put up a fight. Meanwhile, we’re gonna send every missile in this Carrier up to take out that massive ship. We think it’s the one that’s been downing enemy crafts like it’s nothing.”

Molly took a deep breath and winced at how crazy the plan sounded spelled out like that.

“How’re you planning on stealing the fleet at Darrin?” Anlyn asked. Her face had grown quite serious, as if the rest might be workable.

“That’s why we’re here.” Molly pointed to the black duffle bags from the first climb. “We’re raiding the Carrier’s stores for armor, weapons, flightsuits—”

“Not like what you’ll need,” Anlyn said, shaking her head. “At Darrin, you’re gonna come up against personal barrier shields that’ll deflect any kind of bullet or bolt fired at it. Trust me, I know.”

“Albert,” Molly said, remembering the blow Edison had landed to the weapon dealer’s head that the man hadn’t even felt. “Maybe we can just sneak aboard the ships and blast our way out?”

Anlyn shook her head. “The controls for the force-doors are on their belts. You’ll be sending people to their doom, Molly. One-way.”

“Well, hyperspace,” Molly said. She raised her eyebrows. “Maybe there’s enough missiles in here to take out several of the smaller ships before they start jumping away?”

“No,” Anlyn said. “Your plan for the Darrin fleet is a good one. You just need something better than these guns to take it from them.”

“Yeah, I need some of what Albert stocks.”

Anlyn smiled. “Actually, according to Edison, we might have something even better—”

Before she could explain what that was, the portable radio squawked from the cockpit, announcing the return of the Navy climbers.

“We’ll figure it out later,” Molly said. She took the Wadi back from Anlyn, allowing the animal to curl itself around her neck. “Grab Edison and Ryke and hide out in your room. Try and get some rest.”

Anlyn squeezed Molly’s arm and smiled. “Don’t you worry on that last bit,” she said. “I feel like I haven’t slept in ages.”

Several hours later, Molly lowered Parsona into the now-familiar clearing just as Lok’s speedy sun began to slip over the horizon. Yet another brief day on Molly’s alien home had felt like several. The longest part for her had been the flight back from the StarCarrier, tormented by having Anlyn and Edison stowed away in their old quarters and unable to talk to them. Her only solace was in hearing how badly all three of them needed some sleep. Still, there was so much she wanted to tell them and to hear in return.

Their first stop in a long round of flights had been to drop off the climbers and their gear. Molly had then used another supply run to Bekkie as a chance to catch up with her old friends and give her an excuse for how they had arrived. Now that they were returning to the clearing, Molly realized the unthinkable task she had before herself: She needed to introduce a Navy Admiral to a member of the loathed Drenardian race. And with a Glemot crammed in the room for good measure!