ARC: Under Nameless Stars by Christian Schoon Page A

the last of the room’s occupants slipped out into the corridor. “We don’t wanna be here when they find out it’s a false alarm.” He reached up to help Zenn down from the crate she stood on, his strong hands on her waist. Lifting her down to the floor, his hands stayed in place as she looked into his eyes. Zenn wasn’t sure how to read what she saw there, but the moment seemed to call for something from her.
    “That was… quick thinking. Thanks.”
    “Hey, just trying to make amends.”
    He continued to hold her close, his body warm against hers as the icy water sheeted off them.
    “Please, come with me now,” Yed called, peering in from the passage outside. Zenn pulled away from Liam’s grasp.
    “That’s Yed. He brought us down here.”
    “We must go. And quickly,” the steward said, waving them on. “I cannot be noticed here. I will summon the lev-car.” He padded on ahead of them, disappearing into the throng.
    “Liam, this is Jules Vancouver,” she said as they walked. “He has a suite on the upper decks.”
    “Nice,” Liam said, his usual smirk returning. “If you’ve got the credits.”
    Ahead at the lev-tube, Yed was holding open the door.
    “We must go back now, yes, please? It is close to curfew, and we cannot be down in steerage after curfew.”
    Zenn and Jules entered the car. Liam remained in the corridor.
    “Coming?” she asked.
    “No, please,” the steward said, holding one webbed hand up to keep Liam from boarding the car. “This ticket does not allow him to pass above steerage level.”
    “Yeah, I’m stuck in purgatory,” Liam said. “But don’t worry about it. I’m adapting. And the Reticulan stew –” he jerked one thumb toward the alien fussing over her bubbling cauldrons a short distance away “–is almost edible.”
    “Please! I must return to my duties. It is late. And getting no earlier.”
    It occurred to Zenn that Yed was right – it was late. And despite all the excitement, she was getting punchy from lack of sleep, not to mention being soaking wet and freezing.
    “I’ll come back soon as I can,” she said. “We’ll figure out… a plan.”
    “A plan. Good idea. I’ll look forward to it.” He slicked his wet hair back and gave her a grin. “And Scarlett?”
    “Yes?”
    “I lied about the stew. Not really edible. Bring some decent food with you.”

 
    NINE
     
    The next morning, she and Jules discussed developments over a hasty breakfast eaten in their cabin.
    First, there was the appearance of Liam down in steerage. There was no denying how seeing him again had lifted her spirits. But what to do now? She felt sorry for him, forced to survive in the conditions of the lower decks. Should they try and smuggle him up to Jules’s rooms? Maybe he’d be more use moving about freely down there. No. It wasn’t fair to just leave him there. She’d have to think of something.
    Then there was the mystery of what Zenn had just learned about her father. Even after she and Jules examined the problem from every conceivable angle, it still made no sense. How could a full-grown man be held in a starliner’s main sickbay and go unnoticed? Was she certain it was the Helen’s sickbay? It had to be, didn’t it? When the Skirni was talking on the com in the warehouse, it was clear his unknown accomplice was waiting for him up on the Helen . He also said he was going to bring Zenn up to the ship. It seemed logical to Zenn that they had taken her father there as well. And from what Zenn remembered from her linking with her abductor, the Helen’s sickbay had exactly the same layout, contained the same equipment, all in the same positions, down to the ornamental designs decorating the walls. But if this was true, then what had become of Warra Scarlett?
    Any further dithering over what to do about either puzzle was prevented when the cabin’s door announced the arrival of a visitor. It was the little steward.
    “Greetings,” Yed said. “I bring you several