Chapter 9
“Three months, Major, and you have nothing to show for it.”
Vice Admiral Felix Brandt’s voice scraped down Kael’s spine like sandpaper.
“On the contrary, Sir, Captain Raine is completely cleared for Inbetween Tunneling, and we have proof that at least two of the other Ghosts are alive.”
“We turned that cesspit over with no sign of Spook, Major, and Phantom hasn’t been sighted in months. That’s not a point in your favor.”
Kael kept his mouth shut.
“And as for your pet traitor, she may be up to Tunneling, but my reports state that you are the one holding her back. Perhaps we should have Tethered her to a more suitable candidate.”
Kael’s fingers curled, but he kept his voice and face calm.
“Chief Ortega is confident her Void Shield enhancements will help with that, Sir.”
“Well they haven’t yet, have they Veyne? And every day we’re losing more good people. Military and civilian.” The man paused, eyes penetrating through the vid screen.
“I vouched for you on this, Major. You need to deliver and soon. Or I’m going to have to shut this little experiment down. And make no mistake, it will be my finger on her kill switch.”
Brandt cut the signal and Kael found himself staring at a blank screen with a sinking stomach.
The worst part was, Brandt was right. Kael was the problem right now, not Wraith.
But if he disabled the Tether to let her Tunnel without him, she’d disappear. And then the High Council would remote deactivate her regardless.
She wasn’t going to get weaker. So, he had to get better.
It made no sense. His DNA profile screamed ideal candidate; his test scores backed it up. But still, the Inbetween treated him like prey.
Years of research, billions in funding, and while they still couldn’t recreate navigators like Wraith, they’d been able to predict Travelers with near perfect precision. He was the one datapoint screwing the curve.
He sighed and wiped his hand over his face. He was already sweating at the prospect of the next scheduled Tunnel. He’d just have to get over it. Somehow.
Helios was pale when he walked towards her on the flight deck. Patch’s team were finishing up her latest tweaks to the shielding.
She could have told her it wouldn’t make a difference, but the woman wouldn’t have listened, so why bother.
Patch was checking things off on a clipboard as the Major joined them.
“I swear to the Void, Major,” Wraith told him, “If you vomit on me again, I will strangle you and damn the consequences.”
“Save a piece for me and my engineers,” Patch chimed in. “Do you know how long it takes to clean these birds up after you’ve been in them?” She paused. “Sir.”
He let it pass.
“How’s the shielding?”
“I’m confident.”
“I’m not,” Wraith muttered under her breath, and he turned to her as if he’d heard her.
“Let’s get going then.”
He climbed the ladder and shifted into the rear seat, pulling his helmet on once he was in.
Wraith looked at Patch, who handed her the hooded, plastic poncho she’d requested.
The look Helios gave her was withering, but she ignored it and vaulted into the front seat, pulled on her helmet, and positioned the cloak over it to protect her back and neck from any unexpected expulsions.
The engineers tightened their harnesses and closed the hatch.
The fighter swiveled towards the launch tube.
These two-seater birds weren’t around last time she’d flown, but they were based off a similar design to her old Wasp. They called it a Banshee. She hadn’t been able to put it through its paces yet, so she couldn’t comment as to the efficacy of its name.
“Any tips?” Helios asked from behind her.
She sighed. “Stop thinking. Start feeling.”
“The only thing I’m feeling is nausea.”
“That’s anxiety and that’s because you’re thinking too hard. Close your eyes. Pretend you’re in a regular shuttle. Let it all go.”
He grunted and the Banshee rattled into life.
“Banshee One, systems check,” the voice sounded in her helmet.
She eyed the dash, flicked a couple of switches, “Green across the board, Eventide.”
“You’re cleared for launch. Good luck.”
The you’ll need it went unsaid, but she heard it anyway.
There was a jarring sensation as they were hurtled forward and then they were in space.
Free.
“Eventide, I’m going to fly a bit. Give the Major time to find his space legs.”
“Roger than, Banshee One.”
She flipped the outgoing comms to mute.
“How are you doing back there, Major?”
“I don’t appreciate you undermining me with the crew,” he muttered.
“I’m helping you, Major. You do the undermining all on your own.”
She tilted the bird to the side, and for a moment could pretend that it was just her and the stars.
No Tether. No mission. No war. No nauseous passenger.
Of course, his loud, controlled breathing disabused her of that particular fantasy.
She rolled her eyes.
“Tell me about the first girl you banged.”
“What?!”
“Or the first guy, let me not make any assumptions.”
“Why the hell do you want to know? And by the Void, please tell me you’re not broadcasting.”
A grin spread on her face, “Although tempting, no, I’m not broadcasting. I’m distracting you. So, come on, Helios. First person you banged. Close your eyes, remember, and tell me about them.”
“I think that’s the first time you’ve used my call sign.”
Was it?
“You’re stalling.”
He sighed heavily. “Hayley Carter. Just before I enlisted.”
She gently maneuvered the Banshee into position.
“Tell me about her.”
Kael didn’t think it would work, but he closed his eyes and let himself remember.
“It was after our farewell school dance. I was shipping out the next day. We were friends, I didn’t think there was anything more there. So, I was pretty surprised when she jumped me.”
Wraith chuckled, “I can tell you had to fight for your virtue.”
“Hardly.” The memory was warm, if faded with age. “I’d never thought I had a chance with a girl like her. Warm, funny, everyone’s friend. So, yeah, it was awkward and fumbling, like most first times. She told me I kiss too apologetically, like I was waiting for permission. But we laughed, and both enjoyed it so, I’d say it was pretty good.”
“Better than most, I’d say.”
He paused only a moment. “What about yours?”
She was silent. He kept his eyes closed, just to savor not feeling the anxiety of the upcoming Tunnel for a little longer.
“I shared. What about you?”
“Bootcamp,” she said eventually. “I can’t say it was good, but it was quick.” She laughed then, “The drill sergeant walked in on us. Kind of spoiled the mood.”
He smiled, “I can imagine.” Opened his eyes. Blinked.
The space around them was wrong. A riot of colors bursting from the black and fading to nothing as distances twisted and bled. It felt like a memory trying to erase itself.
“How long have we been Inbetween?” he asked in a whisper.
“Three and a half minutes. Congrats, Major. That’s your best time yet.”
The Banshee flew effortlessly through the Fold. Being there was as natural to her as breathing. Flying on wings of carbon steel.
She heard wonder in Helios’s voice.
It was a good start.
“I didn’t feel you Tunnel.”
“I know,” she said smugly. “That was the point.”
“So Patch’s shield works.”
“Wouldn’t know. I didn’t switch them on.”
“What?” She could hear the splutter and suppressed a grin, then shrugged, even though he wouldn’t see the motion.
“You know, if you had told me up front that you were afraid of the Inbetween, we could have gotten over this a lot more quickly.”
“I am not—”
“Yeah, keep telling yourself that.”
He fell into silence. The noisy kind full of unspoken commentary and curses.
There was a slight pull to port.
She turned her head, squinted. She couldn’t see it, but there was a change in the darkness. A barely perceptible hollowness to the way it felt that had adrenaline hitting her system.
In the back, Helios said, “I don’t know whether to thank you or throw you in the brig.”
“You’re going to have to hold that thought for a bit.”
She pulled on the yoke, changing direction. The pull moved with them.
Shit.
“Major, it seems that I may get some use out of this poncho after all. Now hold on and shut the fuck up. We have a problem.”