Figuring out how would not be easy. Maggie had picked up enough basic first aid to keep someone from bleeding out, but brain surgery was just a bit beyond her. She’d need to bone up fast if she were going to make good on her promise to Samara. Rising to her feet, she hobbled out of the compartment, heading for the Mess deck. What she needed was about a week’s worth of rest, but there was no time for that now. A mug of Isi’s brown mystery beverage would have to do.

She barely made it two steps into the corridor before a rough hand grabbed her arm.

“Time for you and me to have a chat,” Remi growled, pulling her away from the hatch. “I want to know what was on that transponder, and I want to know now.”

Maggie sighed. She’d known this conversation was coming, but she’d hoped it would be later, not sooner. “I need some time,” she said. “I’ll tell you everythin’...just not yet.”

“Time is the one thing you don’t have,” he snapped. “I thought I’d made myself clear. You’re all out of free passes. I’ve put my ship and crew at risk for this mission, with the understanding that anything we learned would be shared by all. So share.”

“Look, I’m still not sure I can trust you,” she fired back, “and you playin’ pirate with me ain’t helpin’ your case. I’ll show you what I found when I’m ready, and not one second before.”

Remi cocked his head. “You sure that’s the way you want to play it?”

She swallowed. “Yeah...I’m sure.”

“Fine.” His grip tightened as he dragged her down the corridor.

“Hey! Let go of me!” she shouted. “What the hell do you think you’re doin’?”

“...making good on my promise,” he told her...as she realized in sudden horror where he was taking her.

To the airlock.

“No! Let go!” she shrieked, as she fumbled with her free hand for one of her pockets, only it was on the wrong side and she could hardly stay on her feet the way he was yanking her around. She’d fucked up bad, miscalculated how angry he’d be, and unless she did something fast, he’d do what he said he’d do...toss her into the black and let her suck vacuum. Maggie was a heartbeat away from surrender and telling him everything, when the pirate let out a yelp and released her arm, stumbling away from her as he clutched his thigh.

Diggs stood behind them, his teeth bared as he held the knife she’d given him, its blade smeared with blood. He growled in deadly fury as he placed himself between them, protecting her with his very life.

“You little bastard...you’ll pay for that,” the pirate snarled, as he came at them both with his fists raised, prepared to strike them down...but Diggs wasn’t finished yet. With a war cry he lunged to meet Remi’s attack, and Maggie realized a split second before the Corsair did that the knife wasn’t the only weapon the boy was carrying. In his other hand he held the staff Blye had gifted him, hidden behind his back, but as he charged he whipped it around like a spear before driving it into the side of Remi’s knee.

The pirate howled as the leg crumpled, no longer able to support his weight as he crashed to the deck. Diggs didn’t hesitate, instead moving in to finish the job.

Maggie grabbed him just in the nick of time, pulling him back. “No...don’t kill him,” she ordered, as she pulled out a small electronic box from her pocket. “I got a better way,” she explained, as she pressed the button.

In the blink of an eye...the entire ship went dark.

“...what the...goddamn it bitch, what the hell did you do?” Remi screamed at her. She couldn’t see him, but she could hear him as he started crawling toward them. “When I get my hands on you….”

“You just hold it right there,” she snapped, keeping a firm grip on the boy. She had no illusions about what he’d do if she released him...and the odds were no longer in his favor. He’d disabled the pirate only because he’d surprised him, but now he knew he’d be coming. “I’ve disabled Gyrfalcon,” she informed him, “...shut down the engines, the power plant, the computers...and the environmental controls. This ship is dead in space, til I decide otherwise. So if I was you, I’d think real careful about my next move.”

“You sabotaged my ship?” he hissed. “You’re dead, Maggie. You just crossed the line.”

“Considerin’ I was fixin’ to start breathin’ vacuum, I ain’t shakin’ in my boots,” she snorted. “I can put it all right in a couple seconds…or we can sit here til the air goes bad and we freeze to death. Your choice.”

“I’ll call that bluff,” she heard him sneer. “Mairead will figure out what you did and undo it...and then you both go out the airlock.”

“Maybe,” she admitted, “but will she find it in time? You know her and me been workin’ together a fair amount now. She’s good, sure, but I’m better. Sure as hell I’m sneakier. I figure she’s got…maybe a one in twenty chance of figurin’ out what I did before it’s too late. But go ahead. You might get lucky.”

She could hear the pirate cursing under his breath. “How long have you been planning this move?” he said at last.

“Since the day we met,” Maggie replied. “You almost fooled me, but I then realized I’d need some insurance, sooner or later.” Diggs squirmed in her grasp as she held on tight. If he wriggled free now, he’d ruin everything.

The Corsair was silent for a long time. She was content to wait and let him work through it himself.

“All right,” he said at last, “what do you want?” She could hear in his voice he hadn’t surrendered, he was just playing a longer game. Well, that was okay. She’d deal with it when the time came.

“Not much,” Maggie said, “though me and Diggs not goin’ out the airlock are high on the list.”

“I figured,” he grunted. “What else?”

“You stop buggin’ me about what was on that transponder. I’ll show you...show everybody...but only when I’m sure it’s safe. We found one Mole, how do we know there aren’t more?”

A longer pause, and then, “...agreed. What else?”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Nothin’,” she shrugged. “Might need your help with Samara, but I ain’t sure about that yet. And we still got the Troika out there, lookin’ for us. I said it before, we’re better off workin’ together.”

“That’s it?” he said, incredulous. “Just to not kill you and leave you alone about the data til you’re ready?”

“Like I said, I ain’t greedy.” she explained. “I ain’t looking for much. Mostly just tryin’ to stay alive.”

“All right,” he said, “you got a contract. Now, you want to do something about the lights?”

Maggie pressed the button a second time. Within moments they could hear the sounds of the ship stirring back to life; air exchangers pumping oxygen, generators coming online as the lights flickered back on, the deep thrum of the engines gearing back up to full power...as the intercom squawked with frantic passengers and crew. Remi himself had a tight grip on his thigh to staunch the bleeding...by the looks of it, Diggs had missed the artery...while the knee was already beginning to swell. She nodded at the injured joint. “Broken?” she asked.

“Just sprained,” he answered, “but if you could send one of the Knights around to look, I’d be obliged.” He and Diggs shared a look. “He’s faster than he seems,” Remi admitted. “Stronger, too.” His gaze turned towards Maggie. “I won’t underestimate him again.”

The implied threat was as bare as a naked blade. Maggie shuffled over to the pirate, maintaining her grip on Diggs, as she spit on her palm and held it out. Remi gazed at her hand for a moment, before doing likewise. They shook on it, neither taking their eyes from the other.

“Don’t go thinkin’ that’s the only ace up my sleeve,” she warned him as they let go.

“Duly noted,” he nodded, but there wasn’t a gram of give in those eyes. This wasn’t over, not by a long shot. “Now, if you could send Blye my way…”

“Right. On it.” She took Diggs by the hand and led him away, rounding the corner before she allowed herself to feel all she’d been holding back. Her entire body trembled, shaking like a leaf as the boy looked up to her, knife still at the ready.

“We need to clean that off,” she told him, before kneeling down so she could look him in the eye. “That’s the second time you saved my life,” she said, as the emotions threatened to overwhelm her. “...thank you.”

“...welcome.”

Her head rocked back in amazement. “Did you just speak? Say that again!”

“...welcome,” he repeated, softer this time, his face blushing at the sudden attention. Maggie pulled him to her, hugging him tight, as fear and joy opened the floodgates, the tears streaming down her face.

----------------------------------------

“...I turn my back for two seconds, and you damn near get the both of you killed,” Blye clucked at Maggie, shaking her head. “Do you think you could make it through an entire day without attacking someone on the ship?”

“Hey, I never touched him!” she protested.

“You and Diggs come as a set,” the Knight snorted.

“Diggs saved my life,” she growled, “so you just leave him be.” She glanced over at the boy, who was following the exchange but didn’t seem concerned. He liked the young Chevalier. “Hell, you should be proud...he put that stick you gave him to good use.”

“Yes, I know. I was the one who wrapped our captain’s knee, remember? Not to mention stitching up a rather nasty knife wound.” She too looked at Diggs. “A few centimeters over and he might have nicked the artery. He could have bled out in minutes.”

“That bastard was gonna space me, so I ain’t losin’ sleep over it,” she sniffed. “He got off easy.” The two women stared at each other for a moment before realizing neither would convince the other. “Besides, we got bigger things ahead. How do we fix Samara?”

“We don’t,” Blye mumbled. “If I open her up, I’ll kill her.”

“She’s dead if you don’t operate,” Maggie reminded her. “You heard her.”

“I have no control over her life...only mine. I took an oath, Maggie: Primum non nocere...First, do no harm. I cut into her brain, that’s what I’ll be doing.”

Maggie folded her arms. “And when the Eleexx punch her ticket? Turn her brain into goo? Or when they come after the rest of us? What then?”

The Knight sighed, pinching her nose. “My life was so much simpler before I met you.”

“Yeah...I get that a lot,” she smirked. “Look, I saw you with Diggs, remember? Your hands were steady as a girder, your moves certain. If anyone can do it, it’s you. Besides...she’s got nothin’ left to lose.”

“I don’t have the proper equipment,” she continued to protest. “The surgery you’re talking about is highly specialized, requiring very specific tools. None of which I have.”

“Make me a list,” Maggie replied, “with specifications, if possible. If you ain’t got it, I’ll damn well build it.”

The Chevalier failed to be impressed. “You’ll build me a CO2 and an ultraviolet laser? A surgical halo? A positron scanner? Because that’s what I’ll need at a minimum to pull this off.”

“If I have to cannibalize half the damn ship, I’ll get you what you need,” Maggie vowed.

Blye sat down with a thump. “Maggie...I’ve lost patients before. Everyone does. But they were all cases were their survival was out of my hands, where they’d live or die despite my efforts, not because of them. Short of gross incompetence, that is...which is what this would be. I’m. Not. Qualified.”

“Maybe,” the Tinker agreed, “...but you’re all she’s got.”

“Can’t we at least wait until we’re back in civilized space?” she pleaded. “Someplace where we might find a Primaire?”

“The Eleexx are waiting for us out there somewhere,” Maggie reminded her. “They’re expectin’ a rendezvous with their agent, and if we show up without her, I figure they’ll get to that loose-end tyin’ Samara was talking about right quick.”

“And if she’s dead?” Blye demanded. “What then?”

“Somethin’ tells me they don’t value our lives as much as we do,” she said. “I doubt they’ll kick up a fuss, long as they think their secret’s safe.”

“...I don’t want to do this, Maggie,” she said in a small voice. “I really, really don’t want to do this. What I must put her through...it would be kinder to shoot her. And that’s even if I succeed.”

“Like what?” the Tinker asked, puzzled.

“She must be conscious for the procedure,” Blye explained, as Maggie blanched. “Imagine what that will be like for a moment...having someone dig inside your brain while you’re awake to experience all of it. And the reason she needs to be responsive? So that while I’m poking around in there, I can ask her ‘How does it feel when I do this?’, while I hack and slash my way through her skull.”

She felt a little green around the gills at that graphic description, but she stood her ground. “She knows the risks, Blye...and yet she’s still willin’. What’s that say about her...and about us?”

“You know, it’s bad enough I’ll probably kill her,” the Knight fired back, as her voice grew shrill with ire. “But what’s worse is if she survives. The odds of her coming out of this unscathed are...too small to even contemplate. I could turn her into a drooling vegetable, Maggie, and I don’t want that on my conscience. If that makes me a coward, then so be it.”

“No one’s callin’ you that,” she said, hoping to calm her down.

“At least tell me why,” Blye demanded. “Why are you doing this? Why are you pushing so hard to save someone you neither like nor trust? Why do you even care what happens to her?”

Maggie grimaced. “Think about it...the Eleexx went to a lot of trouble to turn her into a weapon, one they could use against us. We’re nothin’ but playthin’s to them...toys for their amusement. And Samara, she’s had to live with that for years.” A hard look came across her face. “If we can take that leash off her, we’ll have our own weapon...a self-guided missile, pointed straight at the Troika. Just think for a moment what that might do for us.” The young Knight shuddered at the image, as Maggie took a moment to collect herself. “Look...is there any way we can up the odds? Anythin’ we ain’t thought of yet?”

The Chevalier rubbed her temples as she considered the question. “What I’d like is something to better monitor her brain activity,” she said at last. “Even a PET scanner is too crude for what we’re attempting. Something that will really get in there, down to her very core. Something that could read her synapses, if possible...but then I might as well wish to have Earth back, while I’m at it.” She shrugged, helpless.

“Hmm….somethin’ to bridge the gap? Somethin’ that has the speed and power of a machine, but can read a person?” Maggie chewed on that, deep in thought...when a devilish grin played around her lips. She stood up and hobbled over to a monitor, punching in a code. Moments later, the Avatar Alphad appeared.

“And what can I do for you, oh wise and powerful Maggie Al-Hajjah?” the angelic being chuckled.

“I’m so glad you asked,” she smirked. “Have I got a job for you…”