She didn’t understand what was going on, but she suspected Peter would want to know.
Unfurling, Mrill jumped to her feet and hurried out of her cabin. Peter hadn’t told her where he would hole up, but she could sense him all the same. She made straight for the hold, only turning just before she reached its door. Some of the light bulbs here had burned out, plunging the hall into darkness.
Peter must have heard her coming, because she sensed his heartbeat speeding. She stopped in front of the door and spoke up.
“It’s only me, Mrill. We need to talk.”
She opened the door.
Peter was sitting straight on a metal stool. He relaxed when he saw her, but only slightly.
“You shouldn’t be here. They could—”
“No one’s coming,” she cut him off.
She went on to tell him about the conversation between Val and the so-called dormant AI.
Peter’s eyes went wide.
“You knew about this,” she said blankly.
He nodded as he stood and stepped out of his hiding place. “Are they still talking?”
She cocked her head, as if listening. “It just told Val it has more backups than just the one red box.”
Peter grimaced as he hurried down the hall toward the control room, Mrill in tow. “Can’t say I’m surprised.”
“What are you going to do?”
The rebel leader frowned as he walked. “Good question. Guess I’ll figure it out when I’m there.”
“What does it mean for us?”
He glances at her. “I’m not sure I follow you.”
“It’s been here all along, Peter. It heard everything. Saw everything. Like where our new base is.”
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“If it was in league with the Imperium, Mrill, it’d have given us all up a long time ago.”
“I wasn’t thinking about that.”
“What then?”
“This world is full of Imperials. They can’t get their hands on this ship.”
“I agree. And we won’t let that happen.”
They walked the rest of the way in silence.
When they reached the control room, they found Val slumped on the floor, sobbing. Peter knelt next to her.
“What’s wrong, sis?”
She looked up, but she was smiling through her tears.
“He’s alright. Kaine. He’s alright. Well, at least, as alright as can be for a wanted man stumbling through the streets of Ussan.”
Peter gaped. “He’s on Xovu? How did that happen?”
“Went through the first gateway he found.”
“I see.” The rebel looked at the dashboard. “So you finally decided to speak up?”
“Hello Peter. Hello Mrill.”
“And you know our names.”
“Of course.”
“What does that mean?”
The AI remained quiet.
He turned toward his sister, who shrugged.
“Doesn’t seem to be the oversharer type.”
“Well...” He rubbed his neck as he glanced at the dashboard again. “I guess if Kaine isn’t here, there’s no point in us staying any longer. Do we have a plan to get out?”
“I am working on it,” said the disembodied voice.
“Care to elaborate?”
“The speed at which events unfolded has created much confusion. I am sending reports out to different teams with different messages, telling them the other has already checked on the crew and that you have been cleared to leave.”
“Won’t the Impies want to come onboard again?”
“There is a small contingent of soldiers camped nearby. As we speak, they are receiving a message telling them you’ve been cleared for takeoff. Another message, allegedly sent by this outpost, is informing the ships above that you have been controlled.”
Val laughed. “You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?”
The AI said nothing.
“Makes you wonder,” muttered Peter.
“What is troubling you?” asked Mrill.
“I don’t like machines that spend their time manipulating humans. Sets a bad precedent.”
“My primary purpose is to ensure the safety of humankind,” said the AI.
“Is that supposed to make us feel better?”
“Your chances of survival are 87.4% higher with my assistance.”
Peter was about to say something when a light on the dashboard flashed. Val jumped to her feet and tapped on the controls.
She grinned as she pointed to the screen.
“We just received the authorization to takeoff.”
“Was about time,” muttered her brother. “Thought I’d go nuts here.”
“Where shall we go?” asked Val as she sat and started the engine.
“Drop us off on Pluvios, then you can do whatever you want.”
She glanced at him. “You sound bitter.”
He pointed at the dashboard. “I don’t trust that thing. You should come with me, Val. Leave the...” He trailed off and pursed his lips.
Mrill could read in the rebel leader’s mind what he had wanted to say, but she did not understand why Val would resist abandoning the ship, though that knowledge had clearly stopped him. And the glare she gave him was just as clear. Mrill could have dug deeper into either of their heads to find the answer, but she considered them friends and refused to pry.
“Fine,” he relented. “Just drop us off.”
He turned and left.
Mrill considered the pain written on the other woman’s face, then headed out as well.