wasn’t really a lie,” Dash finally managed to say. “The people I left in charge of Desolation really would make anyone attacking them pay a heavy price. They aren’t invincible though. I have no idea how big the movement to overthrow me is. It’s certainly possible it was big enough to take Desolation.”
“ You must be keen to get back in charge then,” Ali said in a voice that could only be described as warm if it was compared to Sal’s.
Dash sat for a moment, weighing up his answer, before speaking in a soft voice.
“No. Not at all. It was never what I intended. One thing just led to another, and then I had too many responsibilities to stop.”
“ And now you don’t?” Jess asked.
“ I used to think so but… no. There are other ways I can help people, I can make things better. You’ve reminded me of that. All of you. I don’t know what I’ll do yet, but it will be a clean break.”
“ Won’t they come after you?” Jess asked. He was intrigued now, despite himself.
“ Yeah. I’ll always be looking over my shoulder. Unless you let me travel with you, at least until you make it through the Quarantine Zone. I’ll be safe then. Unknown. I can start over.”
That completely threw Jess. He’d assumed Dash would leave them first chance he got. That he’d pick up where he’d left off, running the powerful pirate organisation. Sal and Ali looked surprised too.
“I don’t know…” Ali started to say.
“ Oh shit!” Jess shouted as a warning chimed in his mind. “We’re only thirty seconds out from Desolation!”
Dealing with Dash had distracted Jess. The others looked shocked, even Dash. Well, the other humans. Sometimes Jess could read some of Teeko’s body language, but mostly the alien was a closed book — as it was now.
“At least we won’t be wondering about our reception much longer,” Sal said darkly.
Jess just grunted as he forced his mind to its maximum acceleration. Only seventeen seconds remained, but that was far more time than he needed with his mind accelerated by his implants. He quickly brought the Wanderer to battle ready status, then reviewed the pattern for dropping out of jump space.
The Wanderer would drop out slightly after the other ships, putting her closer to the base. She was far tougher than the three freighters. If the reception was hostile then Jess hoped to buy enough time for the other three ships to escape before the Wanderer had to jump out.
Ideally he would have been on the flight deck as they arrived, but there was no time now. It made no difference to his ability to control the Wanderer . Everything was done through the implanted interface that meshed with his brain. But the flight deck had chairs better suited to violent changes of direction. Jess mentally shrugged. There was nothing he could do about it now.
Then he settled down to wait. With only a few seconds to go he felt the familiar presence of Ali as she activated her own implants. Sal followed soon after. Neither spoke. Nor did Jess, but he drew comfort from having them near, and knowing they would offer advice if he needed it.
They couldn’t keep up with the speed of his thoughts though. The implants they carried in their heads were nowhere near as extensive as Jess’s own. His implants made him an essential part of the ship. A terrifying prospect when it first happened, yet something he happily accepted now. In fact he found it hard to imagine life without the Wanderer ’s presence. Wherever he went the connection remained.
Jess’s implants were special, the ship had told him. Only one set ever existed at a time, used to link the ship and its captain. Though captain didn’t do the reality justice. Jess felt he was part captain, part navigator, part advisor and part biological computer component. It was a view the ship hadn’t denied.
Sal and Ali’s implants were much simpler,