Shadows of Mars (Broken Stars Book 1) I.O. Adler (read people like a book TXT) 📖

they completed their trip? She considered trying to tie into the ship herself. Instead she went to check on Agent Barrett.

The wall opened without prompting. She’d have to ask if Jenna had meant to leave it unlocked. But Barrett remained where she had left him on his couch. He was awake. He watched as she examined him. His hand had ballooned.

“I think we’re here,” Carmen said. “Are you going to cause trouble?”

He gave her a hard stare. He winced as she re-wrapped the hand. At least it hadn’t darkened. She’d have to ask She Who Waits if there was anything else that could be done to make him more comfortable.

“Try to relax. We’re getting my mom and going home.”

Barrett began to get up but had trouble steadying himself. “Let me do this with you.”

“No. You’re going to wait here. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

She didn’t wait to see if her faux parent voice she sometimes used with her nephews would work. The wall went solid behind her as she exited his room and entered the curved corridor to begin the walk towards She Who Waits’ ship. She touched each wall as she went. New doorways opened along either side.

Carmen realized Jenna must have changed a setting, allowing her full access to the ship without having to connect. It explained her being able to access Barrett’s room. If she weren’t so groggy the notion of having a place like this under her control might have made her giddy.

So much could be learned with the harvester.

Barrett’s notion to bring the ship home wasn’t crazy. Earth needed technology like this. But stealing it would only bring new problems. Who were these Cordice and the other marooned alien refugees? If their enemy had struck two years ago, was there a chance they wouldn’t come back? Barrett’s mistake was in thinking rescuing her mom wasn’t important compared to keeping the harvester.

But Carmen knew her mother. Sylvia Vincent had been rescued by the Cordice just after the enemy’s attack. She would have learned as much as possible. That knowledge alone would be worth the risk of handing the Cordice their ship back.

She Who Waits stood in the columned chamber just inside her vessel. No couch or seat was in sight. Had she been standing during their maneuver and deceleration?

Carmen wiped sweat from her palms. “I think I’m ready. Can you call the Cordice?”

“I’ve been attempting to make contact during our transit. Designate Cordice caretaker still isn’t answering.”

“What could that mean? Do they sleep or hibernate or is there some protocol we need to address?”

“The caretaker has periods of inactivity, but he wouldn’t fail to answer if able. Your question of protocol is well received and I take this into account with other species. But the Cordice require no formalities. Perhaps the caretaker has experienced an equipment malfunction, as their communication node remains open.”

“They requested your help. So this caretaker must be expecting you. How close are we to their home ship?”

She Who Waits’ sand flashed yellow. “We’ve matched orbits around Mars. But if they aren’t able to receive the harvester, we will need to remain in place until they reply. I will continue my efforts.”

“If I understand correctly, my mom connected to the harvester while on board the Cordice ship by using a bot. Yet she talked to us when we were still on Earth while over there. Is there any way I can try to contact her?”

“If designate caretaker or the Cordice haven’t closed that connection on their end, yes. You will need to connect using the harvester’s interface. The Cordice will undoubtedly see your attempts to communicate with designate Sylvia Vincent. Is that wise?”

“You’re asking me? Is this a polite way of saying you don’t suggest it?”

“My function isn’t to intervene.”

“That’s not an answer. But if the caretaker isn’t responding, then what choice is there? If the Cordice are listening, I’m going to say hello. I’m also going to see if my mom’s okay.”

Diamonds played across the surface of She Who Waits’ skin. “I understand. I will continue to try formal communication with designate caretaker.”

Carmen was left with the feeling that She Who Waits wasn’t telling her something. But the thought of talking to her mom again was too tempting. Had she survived after Peter’s attack? Might she have input on how best to mend relations with the Cordice?

She hurried to the hallway and began to run. She stumbled and fell. The floor’s curve with no horizon and the slightest bounce from the ship’s interior threw her off. She got back up and settled for a fast walk, occasionally using a hand to steady herself. Back inside their sphere, Jenna was still asleep.

Carmen settled into her couch. Thought of the ship. Felt the fire tingle on her fingertips and the lights play across her eyes. Marveled that she could so clearly hear the soft gurgle of the water flowing in the sink.

Seeing the virtual controls pop up again in front of her was a rush.

Had Jenna felt this excited? Carmen forced herself to calm down. Focused on the ship, its location, and then looked for anything else nearby.

The harvester looked like a giant spinning top in its virtual form. All the component spheres had joined together, forming a massive central orb, with sections above and below that corresponded to the power plants and the electromagnetic drives.

At the moment they were passing Mars’s lumpy smaller moon, Deimos, along an elliptical path. The big rock looked like a half-dissolved cough drop, or a grain of sand under a microscope.

Carmen studied an object attached to the harvester that she could only examine externally.

It was She Who Waits’ ship. The vessel looked like a large “X” with a rectangular center. Something glowed at the tip of each “X.” The display marked