Three days had passed since Cerridwen Felvennis returned from Jalandhara. All that time she was hiding inside the Annihilator and eating what she stole from the unaware crew members. Energy bars, which looked and tasted like soap, were her spoils most frequently, and once she’d found a bag with yellow powder that when mixed with water turned into a tasteless paste. Her clothes bore dried muddy smudges, and her hair resembled a clump of brown algae. Glued by sweat, dust covered her emotionless face, giving her the appearance of a bilious earthen figurine.

She had no idea how much time had passed, but after an encounter with Devi Kali, she decided it was high time that she realised her revenge plan. The thought that she could have saved her father on that day burrowed in her like a parasite. In every moment of her inactivity, she imagined other scenarios where she held Seth back and prevented her father’s death.

She could have stayed at home instead of sneaking out without his consent. She would have noticed that Seth was doing something questionable on the display. It would have taken her just one moment to peek out of the flat and check what her brother had planned. She could have found the device and notified the suitable services. Then, her father would have been alive.

Cerridwen would have given everything she had to spend one more normal evening with him carrying on as usual. Every day, after the training, she would sit down for dinner. Her father waited for her, asking about her scores and praising her new accomplishments. Sometimes he discussed with her subjects shown in the news, but Cerridwen had not been too interested in them. She expressed her opinions just enough so as to not make her father feel ignored. Usually, she changed the subject right away.

Talking about the newest gadgets, weapons or wildlife on distant planets made her feel in her element.

Before she would leave the table, she always found out how Delian was doing in his work. He would mention some generic information but whenever he could, he tried to cut down the topic to avoid even thinking about those hated activities.

At home, the sound of rapidly approaching steps would be a signal for her to get out of there. Cerridwen avoided all confrontation with Seth whenever possible which was not so difficult. Her brother came back home only for the night, although sometimes he stayed away many days. Anytime Seth stepped into the house, Cerridwen holed up in her room. She’d put her headphones on and watch the scientists’ reports, discuss and share her interests with random people or learn the study materials given by her father.

Her one mistake ruined it all. She thought herself to be a person, adult enough to roam alone through the unknown districts of the vast city. Only due to the fast and decisive actions of the strange Kehrian woman, she’d avoided being captured by the band of kidnappers. This coincidence turned out to be just the beginning of a nightmare, caused by an insane rebellious dictator.

Cerridwen decided to finish it. She rose and sneaked out of the tunnel, looking around. Life on the ship was moving in its normal, swift rate. Clothed in shabby boiler suits or worn coats, the Celestians crossed the corridors, trailing cases and boxes. Some of them stared at their devices, writing or sending data. A young Celestian girl passing them did not arouse any suspicion in them.

She did not want to face the fact that she’d begun to resemble Zetherionians. Her ragged, smeared with dust, clothes smelled like sweat and mustiness. She still differed in appearance from them by her more strapping build and darker skin, but the loose sweatshirt and hood blurred the majority of the differences.

Cerridwen spotted Antares talking with Nadee and Quirinus and stepped back into the corner. All three of them were discussing, gesturing vigorously, but Cerridwen did not understand any of the words reverberating in the wide corridor. She followed them for several hundred metres, waiting for the moment when Nadee would walk away from the Celestians. Cerridwen had a great deal of work to do, and Nadee seemed to be the only person who could help her. Nadee was familiar with technology and at least did not demonstrate active hostility against her.

They turned into the side corridor and entered the room. By their nervous actions and raised voices, Cerridwen thought they were hiding something. She wanted to get closer with a hope she would hear something that she could use in the future, but too many people, who could notice her suspicious behaviour, hung around nearby. After Devi Kali’s visit, Cerridwen was wanted for trespassing in the closed area, so she would rather avoid another trouble. Fortunately for her, Zetherionians did not care too much about such trivial incidents, especially before a crucial battle, and a few hours later, they closed the case.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

She took a look around and hid in the niche in the wall through which a ventilation shaft passed. Cerridwen slipped between the ducts and crouched down low near the cold wall and put her ear close to the tiny grid. She held her breath, trying to focus but could not hear anything except the rustle and unintelligible snippets of conversation. The vicious tone that they used indicated tension and mutual spite. There was a bitter discussion where both sides wanted to prove a point without any compromise.

Cerridwen sat for a few more seconds, then she straightened up. In this manner, she would not find out anything, and anybody could see her hiding and consider her as a conspirer. She ducked back with slow moves, but one sentence spoken by Nadee caught her attention.

“She might know something!”

Cerridwen clenched her teeth and with eyes wide open, she leaned over the grid again. She subconsciously felt they talked about her all the time, but she could not recall anything that the rebels would need from her. The loud howling of the pumped air drowned out the rest of the conversation, even though she narrowed her eyes with a deep concentration and strained her ears to catch some of the words.

The door opened. Cerridwen jumped to her feet and squeezed behind the thick ventilation pipe. She stuck out only her neck to observe the situation.

Antares left the room first, and Quirinus followed him. They halted in the middle of the narrow corridor, turning their heads towards Nadee who was standing in the doorway.

“We were so close,” barked Antares, pointing at her, “but you screwed it all up. We still don’t know who bankrolls the SynthBreed Project because of you.”

“If you had done what you were told to do, we could’ve ended this thing,” growled Quirinus.

“I’ve done it,” said Nadee, spreading her arms. “That Celestian girl had nothing to do with it. They would’ve attacked me anyway!”

“So you admit you’re a weak spy?” Quirinus raised his eyebrow scornfully. “In that case, why should we even have got you outta Eurydion’s mess?”

He took a quick, deep breath to add something else, but Antares scowled at him. Quirinus averted his gaze and snarled, letting the commander continue.

“I ran a serious risk by taking you on trial. I was sure you could handle everything I told you.” Antares lowered his eyes and shrugged. “As you can see, I was wrong.”

“I’ll never return there!” shouted Nadee, frowning. She stepped ahead with clenched fists. “Never!”

“Perhaps that is your ideal place,” mumbled Quirinus under his breath.

“You know I’m not gonna keep useless people on this ship,” explained Antares in a calmer voice.

“You won’t do it, Sir,” growled Nadee. She squinted and tilted her ears back.

“I’ll have to,” he answered, turning away. “And watch your tone.”

Cerridwen backed away and clung to the wall when an expression of real terror appeared in Nadee’s eyes. She felt an inner responsibility to stand up for the attacked Kehrian woman. She needed to repay for Nadee’s help while escaping the kidnappers on Ernef. She would rather not get in Antares’s way, but she was not going to leave Nadee alone against the two furious Celestians. She deserved her support, regardless of all danger.

Cerridwen left her hideaway and stood straight with her arms crossed, like Antares. “I know the person who might be able to tell you the sponsor of that project,” she said.

They turned towards her without hiding their surprise and irritation.

“You?” growled Antares. “What are you doing here, Celestian girl?”

“I wanted to say…”

“You’ve messed up enough,” he said, glancing at Nadee out of the corner of his eyes, “and you eavesdropped on us? Do you know I can kill you for this at any time?”

“I walked here accidentally,” she mumbled and raised the corner of her lips in a smirk, “but I have something you care about.”

“How do you know what we care about?” interposed Antares, frowning.

Cerridwen rolled her eyes and shifted from one foot to another.

“You just said I eavesdropped on you.”

“Speak, then. What’s the point?” He ground his teeth but gave no other sign of his aggravation, even though by imitating his posture and gestures the young Celestian girl annoyed him like an intruder sneaking into his territory.

“I’ll give you the digits of the individual who might be in contact with this Project guy.” She stretched her wrist with the long-dead LiqWatch. “You’ll find and question him, then give him to me.”

Antares narrowed his eyes and scratched his chin. He muttered something to Quirinus and after a moment of consideration, he replied, “I don’t have a habit of believing the first random person, but if you speak the truth, it can be a breakthrough for us.”

“Really?” asked Cerridwen with the astonishment of a child who’d experienced zero gravity for the first time.

“Where is he now?” he asked, approaching her.

Cerridwen wanted to step back on impulse, but she tightened her muscles and restrained her fear. “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I only have his digits in my LiqWatch.”

“Fine,” he agreed and headed towards a room. He swung his hand, saying, “Come on. This is not the right place.”