So, we can either split up and dilute our strength, or we can stick together and give ourselves the best chance of reaching our respective goals.”
Duran shook his head disdainfully, but Zoe seemed to mull over Talia’s words more thoughtfully. Silvestri tried to think of a retort, a counter to the argument, but he had to admit that what Talia said made sense.
“I say we give it a shot,” Zoe said. “For now.”
Duran sighed. “I had a feeling you were going to say that.”
“Do you have a better idea?” she said.
“Why waste my breath? I haven’t won an argument with you yet.”
Zoe gave him a mocking grin and patted him on the cheek. “That’s the spirit.”
There was gunfire at the opposite end of the alley, and people began running in all directions.
“Shit, let’s just get out of here,” Yun said, already backing away. “The relay is this way.”
“Go,” Silvestri said. They required no further urging. As they began to move away, Silvestri fell in beside Talia and lightly touched her arm. “I hope we don’t regret this.”
She gave him a faint smile. “So do I.” She dialled a number on her holophone as they hastened along the alleyway, then began to speak into it. “Knile? Are you hearing this?”
“Are you calling the longwave again?” Silvestri said.
“Trying to. I’m not hearing anything back, so I’m probably wasting my time.”
“There’s a chance he could be receiving you, but isn’t able to talk back. You might as well try.”
She glanced behind them, where more shots were being fired as the dock doors of the Reach began to close.
“Knile, we made it out of the Reach,” she said. “We’re okay. We’re going to try to get in touch with Silvestri’s contact off-world, and then head over to Bagley’s to see if we can get our hands on a dirigible. It’s the fastest way to get to Sunspire.” She paused. “Knile?”
Hearing nothing but static in reply, and with more people entering the alley behind them, she was forced to stow the holophone in her pocket once more as they made it to the next intersection.
Now they began to run in earnest.
The streets of Link were chaotic. Although many of the commoners had seemingly fled, there was still a plethora of armed men and women marauding about. Sometimes they were grouped in threes and fours, but for the most part they hunted in packs much larger. Talia and the others were forced to respond to each encounter on its merits; at times they found cover and returned fire on those who sought to confront them, and on other occasions they were forced to run.
It made for slow going across the city, and a journey that would normally have taken less than an hour ended up lasting far longer. Fortunately, having Talia and Roman’s local knowledge helped them find shortcuts and escape situations that might otherwise have resulted in them being captured or killed.
Eventually they made it to the relay, a nondescript spire of metal and wires that stretched several storey s high, hidden behind an abandoned apartment block. Yun used a screwdriver to open a panel at its base, then began digging around inside.
“What is this piece of junk?” Duran said. “It doesn’t look like it could send a message across the street, let alone off-world.”
“This happens to be a smuggler’s best friend,” Silvestri said, slapping the spire’s metal housing. “I made plenty of deals with off-world contacts over the years through this thing, and others just like it across the city.”
Duran smiled humourlessly. “Good for you.”
Yun secured a thin cable to a slot on the panel, then handed the other end to Silvestri, who connected it to his holophone. Silvestri tapped the screen several times, then shook his head.
“No signal, Yun.”
Yun muttered something incomprehensible under his breath, then turned back to the panel and began checking the wires within. After a moment he
Duran shook his head disdainfully, but Zoe seemed to mull over Talia’s words more thoughtfully. Silvestri tried to think of a retort, a counter to the argument, but he had to admit that what Talia said made sense.
“I say we give it a shot,” Zoe said. “For now.”
Duran sighed. “I had a feeling you were going to say that.”
“Do you have a better idea?” she said.
“Why waste my breath? I haven’t won an argument with you yet.”
Zoe gave him a mocking grin and patted him on the cheek. “That’s the spirit.”
There was gunfire at the opposite end of the alley, and people began running in all directions.
“Shit, let’s just get out of here,” Yun said, already backing away. “The relay is this way.”
“Go,” Silvestri said. They required no further urging. As they began to move away, Silvestri fell in beside Talia and lightly touched her arm. “I hope we don’t regret this.”
She gave him a faint smile. “So do I.” She dialled a number on her holophone as they hastened along the alleyway, then began to speak into it. “Knile? Are you hearing this?”
“Are you calling the longwave again?” Silvestri said.
“Trying to. I’m not hearing anything back, so I’m probably wasting my time.”
“There’s a chance he could be receiving you, but isn’t able to talk back. You might as well try.”
She glanced behind them, where more shots were being fired as the dock doors of the Reach began to close.
“Knile, we made it out of the Reach,” she said. “We’re okay. We’re going to try to get in touch with Silvestri’s contact off-world, and then head over to Bagley’s to see if we can get our hands on a dirigible. It’s the fastest way to get to Sunspire.” She paused. “Knile?”
Hearing nothing but static in reply, and with more people entering the alley behind them, she was forced to stow the holophone in her pocket once more as they made it to the next intersection.
Now they began to run in earnest.
The streets of Link were chaotic. Although many of the commoners had seemingly fled, there was still a plethora of armed men and women marauding about. Sometimes they were grouped in threes and fours, but for the most part they hunted in packs much larger. Talia and the others were forced to respond to each encounter on its merits; at times they found cover and returned fire on those who sought to confront them, and on other occasions they were forced to run.
It made for slow going across the city, and a journey that would normally have taken less than an hour ended up lasting far longer. Fortunately, having Talia and Roman’s local knowledge helped them find shortcuts and escape situations that might otherwise have resulted in them being captured or killed.
Eventually they made it to the relay, a nondescript spire of metal and wires that stretched several storey s high, hidden behind an abandoned apartment block. Yun used a screwdriver to open a panel at its base, then began digging around inside.
“What is this piece of junk?” Duran said. “It doesn’t look like it could send a message across the street, let alone off-world.”
“This happens to be a smuggler’s best friend,” Silvestri said, slapping the spire’s metal housing. “I made plenty of deals with off-world contacts over the years through this thing, and others just like it across the city.”
Duran smiled humourlessly. “Good for you.”
Yun secured a thin cable to a slot on the panel, then handed the other end to Silvestri, who connected it to his holophone. Silvestri tapped the screen several times, then shook his head.
“No signal, Yun.”
Yun muttered something incomprehensible under his breath, then turned back to the panel and began checking the wires within. After a moment he
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