Liberty by Annie Laurie Cechini

scrolled back, page after page, until finally we stumbled across an old article on a bright young scientist named Tabitha Dixon.
    “The Northeastern branch of the SUN Laboratories is pleased to welcome Dr. Tabitha Dixon into its ranks. Dr. Dixon has a stunning past and a bright future as the youngest member ever to join our team of researchers.”
    “Whoa,” said Berrett. “Smart lady.”
    “Ye-ep,” I said, puffing out my chest. “Runs in the family.”
    Berrett snorted. “Apparently it skipped a generation.”
    I shook my head and returned to reading the article, skimming past the usual SUN propaganda.
    “You okay?”
    “Yeah. There’s not much else here. Guess she was a pretty big deal.”
    “She must have been to figure out the Eternigen.” He put his arm around me and leaned in to look more closely at the article on my Cuff. I didn’t want it to, but the touch of his arm around my shoulders felt good. Comforting, almost.
    “Why would they have killed her for it?” I wondered aloud.
    “Maybe they didn’t want her to prove it could be done. Maybe they wanted her to ensure it never would. I could see the SUN doing that. Like hiring someone to try to hack your system to make sure you’re safe. It’s hard enough to control the masses when we’re this spread out. Can you imagine if we had access to deep space too?”
    I considered that. It had never occurred to me that the SUN might actually be trying to do anything useful.
    Like prevent an intergalactic war.
    “While we have all this free access,” said Berrett, “maybe we should try to figure out who Eira is.” He took my Cuff and typed in GSP, Inc. Up popped a fabulous looking site, with all kinds of interactive ways to plan a voyage to almost any planet in the System.
    “Touch ‘About Us’,” I said.
    He did, and sure enough, there in all her evil glory was Eira. Below her picture we found a short biography.
A graduate of the Académie on Venus, Eira Ninge studied medical sciences with the intent to become a neurosurgeon. A diagnosis of severe essential tremor at age 15 forced her to change her career path, and at 16 she began to work alongside her father at Galileo Space Pioneering, Inc. On the tragic death of her father in System Year 34, Eira assumed control of GSP, Inc., making it the number one company in space pioneering technology.
    “Ha! That doesn’t cover the half of it!” I cried. “Bet she wrote that herself.”
    “Shh!” whispered Berrett. “Mama’s probably already asleep next door.”
    I winced. “Sorry.”
    “It’s okay.” He gave me back the Cuff and stood up. “Lots to think about, huh?”
    “That’s putting it mildly.” Eira had gone to the Académie. I felt as though I had just stuck my head in a fire hose.
    “Try to get some sleep. We can talk about it more in the morning if you want.”
    “Thanks, Berrett.”
    He turned around in the doorway and looked back at me. As I stared up into his dark brown eyes, electric currents zipped through my entire body. I held his gaze as long as I dared, then looked away and stared out the window. I could hear the smile in his voice as he turned to go.
    “It’s just pajamas, Dix.”

MASTER AND APPRENTICE 10
    B RIGHT ELECTRIC LIGHT STREAMED INTO MY ROOM FROM THE hallway. I swatted at it, wanting it to go away. I pulled my covers over my head and retreated into the warmth.
    “Tabitha? Honey, time to rise and shine,” said Mama B.
    Hmph. No rest for the wicked.
    I crawled out of bed, blinking and barely able to see in front of me.
    “Not used to the lights?” she asked.
    I shook my head. “What time is it?”
    “Six-thirty in the morning.”
    She was fully dressed with a blanket in one hand and a steaming cup of coffee in the other. The smell of it wrapped around my nose and made my stomach growl. Her thick blonde hair was pulled up on each side by a set of barrettes. “Berrett was up an hour ago,” she said.
    I crawled out of bed, she set her coffee cup down, and