ARC: Under Nameless Stars Read Online Free PDF Page A

pointed to a door in the opposite wall, and she headed for it. “Yes. That way, thank you.”
    Zenn gave the grinning steward a final wave, took a deep breath, opened the door and stepped through.
The corridor Zenn emerged into was narrow, with barely enough room to contain the river of passengers streaming in both directions. They were mostly human, but with a scattering of Asents – Alien Sentients – mixed in, both humans and Asents conversing as they ebbed and flowed around her. The carpeting on the floor was dingy and worn, and the walls could do with a fresh coat of paint. The nearest ceiling light flickered on and off, and the stale air smelled of artificial freshener.
    With no idea how to reach the corridor Liam had entered on the opposite side of the hold, Zenn chose a direction at random and let herself be swept up into a group of about two dozen passengers. There were both adults and children, and she hoped she’d just blend in. From their excited chatter, she decided they were probably Earther colonists from the mining outposts on the moons of Jupiter, Saturn or the larger asteroids.
    Shuffling along with the colonists, she tried to order her thoughts. Her first priority: getting herself out of sight. Next, try to locate Liam, then get word to Otha down on Mars, so he, Sister Hild and Hamish wouldn’t worry. Otha would surely be mad, but at least he’d be relieved to hear from her. Especially when she explained she had been kidnapped from her room. On the other hand, he’d want to know why she didn’t get in touch or come back to the cloister as soon as she escaped. And, like when she first told him about her mental “links” with the animals, there was the distinct possibility he wouldn’t believe her about any of it. But she didn’t really have a choice. If she’d let the ferry blast off without her, she’d have lost her only chance to find her father. She’d also have to carefully time her communication with her uncle so that he couldn’t have her sent back.
    Amid passengers ahead of her, she now saw a small, squat form swathed in a garish array of colored robes, assorted jeweled necklaces and heavy rings on every stubby finger. The Skirni who had abducted her! What had Liam called him? Brokt? Pog?
    Her heart rate galloped at the sight of the alien, and she dropped behind the passengers nearest her, then stepped into a recess off the corridor and watched. The three-foot-high creature’s black-and-white mottled bulldog face and under-slung jaw were thrust forward as he shouldered his way through the crowd, his short, hairless tail dragging behind him as he hobbled along.
    She maneuvered her way through the corridor to what she thought was a safe distance behind him, wrapping the silk scarf up around her head as she went. She tucked her long hair out of sight inside it, then brought the end up across her lower face. Not a foolproof disguise by any means, but it would have to suffice.
    The Skirni veered off into another passage and Zenn followed. A short way on, he stopped and spoke to one of the cabin doors that lined both walls. Zenn was too far away to overhear, but the door responded and opened. After he entered and the door shut, she got just close enough to read the cabin number and turned to leave.
    Intent on following the Skirni, she hadn’t noticed the activity behind her. Another uniformed Gliesian steward had come into the far end of the corridor. He was stopping passengers and asking them something… to show their tickets. She retreated in the other direction, but found herself at a dead-end. Trapped. She would have to pass the steward to get away. He was stopping everyone. Soon she would be the only one left.
    The steward was close enough now to be heard.
    “Boarding passes, please. Thank you.”
    There were fewer than half a dozen passengers between her and him. Zenn spoke to the cabin door nearest her. No response – it was locked. As were the next two. Three passengers remained