Chasing the Stars (33 page)

‘Or?’ I prompted.

‘She’s not telling the truth,’ said Anjuli.

I frowned, unimpressed by Anjuli’s attempts to be witty. So Vee was out by a couple of seconds. So what?

When she saw the look on my face, Anjuli sighed. ‘Nathan, I’m not trying to stir up trouble between the two of you but, believe me, she’s either lying or hiding something.’

‘Like what?’

‘If I knew that, I’d know as much as her,’ Anjuli replied. ‘I like Vee, I really do, but something is rotten in the state of Denmark. There’s something Vee’s not telling us.’

My frown deepened as I listened to Anjuli. I wanted to argue with her but how could I when I was beginning to reach the same conclusion?

‘And another thing,’ said Anjuli, warming to her theme. ‘Have you notice how Aidan has changed since we got here?’

‘Changed how?’

‘His voice has got deeper.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous. Of course it hasn’t.’

‘I’m telling you, his voice has changed since we first arrived,’ Anjuli insisted.

OK, Anjuli was definitely losing the plot.

‘Don’t look at me like that,’ Anjuli protested. ‘It’s true.’

‘No need to bite my head off. Look, if there is something going on, I’ll find out what it is,’ I said. ‘But you’re not to go round spreading gossip and rumours.’

‘Of course not. But whatever it is, Nathan, be careful,’ said Anjuli. ‘I suspect it may have something to do with the reason people are dying.’

We’d been travelling through Mazon space for a while now and the tension on board was so thick I could almost taste it. Two days had passed since the accident in the engine room and even in the mess hall, the talk was subdued rather than the raucous chatter it had been a week ago. In a little over seventy-two hours, we’d reach the wormhole which would take us out of Mazon space, but it felt like irrevocable damage had been done. Everyone was watching everyone else. Suspicion walked the corridors of the ship. And it had entered the sleeping quarters that Nathan and I shared. Conversation which had been unforced and easy before was now strained. More than once I caught him watching me, a strange, brooding look in his eyes.

‘Nate, what’s wrong?’ I asked him, more than once.

‘I’m waiting for you to talk to me,’ he replied.

I didn’t know what that meant and I told him so. But that’s as far as the conversation went. It hadn’t taken long for our joining to hit its first hurdle. I was desperate to figure out what it would take to get us back to where we’d been. For the life of me, I couldn’t think of a single thing. I couldn’t figure out what Nathan wanted from me and he wouldn’t – or couldn’t – tell me.

Eating in the mess hall had become an ordeal. As I sat down, others would get up and go to another table to eat. Conversations stopped when I drew near and started again once I departed. As a consequence, I took to eating alone in my room when Nathan was working or eating in Aidan’s quarters when Nathan wasn’t on shift. I learned it was possible to have people all around you and to still be alone. In fact, having people around just made it worse. Before, in my loneliness I’d had a whole ship to roam around in. Now, if I went anywhere except the bridge I felt I was looked on as an intruder. On my own ship.

The previous night, when Aidan and I had been eating alone in his quarters, he said out of nowhere, ‘Vee, I don’t want to worry you but . . . you need to be on your guard. Now, more than ever.’

‘Why?’

‘Too many people on board believe you had something to do with the deaths that have occurred,’ Aidan replied. ‘You’re the topic of most conversations.’

‘Why haven’t you figured out who’s really responsible for all those deaths yet?’ I asked sharply.

‘Why haven’t you?’ asked Aidan evenly.

‘Believe me, I’ve tried,’ I sighed. ‘So what are people saying about me?’

‘Maybe you should ask your husband that?’

‘We haven’t had a proper conversation in days,’ I admitted. ‘We never seem to share the same shifts any more.’

‘At his request,’ Aidan said.

‘What?’

‘He requested different shifts to you.’ Aidan frowned. ‘I thought you knew that.’

Just for a moment, my heart stopped beating. I swear it did. Just for a moment.

‘That’s news to me,’ I replied quietly.

So Nathan was beginning to believe the gossip too? Why else would he request different shifts so we never had the chance to be together?

‘Vee, you should have a conversation with Anjuli,’ said my brother carefully.

I frowned. ‘Why?’

‘Speak to Anjuli, but not with Nathan present,’ said Aidan. ‘Or better yet, I’ll speak to her and you can be hidden in the background listening to our conversation. That way you’ll hear the truth.’

‘About what?’

‘Just trust me, sis. All right?’

‘No. Not till you tell me what this is all about,’ I said.

‘Vee, you need to know what everyone else on this ship already knows and it’s best you hear the truth from Anjuli,’ said Aidan. ‘I’m asking you to trust me. You know I’ve always got your back.’

‘So you want to speak to Anjuli and you want me to be somewhere where I can eavesdrop without being seen?’

He nodded.

My gut was telling me this was a really bad idea but Aidan wouldn’t have suggested such a thing if it hadn’t been necessary, not to mention urgent.

‘So when and where will your conversation take place?’ I asked at last.

And Aidan told me exactly what he had in mind.

‘Nathan, this is the second time in three days that you’ve been in here,’ frowned Doctor Liana. ‘What’s going on with you?’

I shrugged, shuffling to move further along the bed. I just wanted Doctor Sheen to patch me up, preferably without the inquisition. The medical bay really wasn’t my favourite place. ‘It’s just gym aches and pains. I like to work out for a while after each shift.’

‘Nathan, this is me,’ said the doctor as she scanned my leg, also checking my prosthesis for damage. ‘What’s wrong?’

I sighed. ‘The accident in the engine room is just preying on my mind, that’s all.’

‘Corbyn and Ian . . . Yes, that was tragic,’ the doctor nodded.

‘It was also deliberate,’ I said.

The doctor’s head snapped up at that. ‘What d’you mean? The rumours are
true
?’

‘Hasn’t Mum told you?’

Doctor Liana shook her head.

Why on Callisto wouldn’t Mum tell the ship’s doctor what was going on?

‘Well, Mum and Vee haven’t broadcast this so keep it to yourself, but someone hacked into the ship’s computer and reset the plasma arcs knowing there were people still inside those conduits. I was one of the people who was supposed to be in there, so I think someone wants to see
me
dead.’

Deep creases ruled lines in Doctor Liana’s forehead and around her mouth. ‘No, that can’t be right.’

‘I’ve gone over it and over it. Someone tried to kill me along with Corbyn, Ian and Anjuli. Anjuli only just made it out, and if Darren hadn’t reassigned me at the last moment, I would’ve been on the list of those who’ve died on this ship.’

‘Why on Earth would anyone want to kill you – or anyone else on board for that matter?’

I sighed again. ‘No idea.’

Doctor Liana resumed her scan.

‘The thing is, if someone does want me dead then I don’t want Vee anywhere near me. I’d never forgive myself if she got hurt because of me,’ I admitted.

Doctor Liana frowned. ‘Have you told Vee that?’

‘Of course not,’ I said. ‘She’s got enough on her plate without me adding to it. I’m just trying to stay out of her way to keep her safe.’

‘But you two share quarters,’ Doctor Liana said. ‘You’re sharing a life now. I would’ve said that was impossible.’

‘Not impossible, but bloody difficult,’ I replied. ‘I’ve changed all my shifts so that we’re working at different times and, like I said, I try to stay away from her as much as possible but it’s so hard. I want to be with my wife. I didn’t join with her to live like this.’

‘Ah! Now I get the reason for the bruises and sprains all over your body,’ the doctor said. ‘You’ve been taking out your frustrations on the gym equipment?’

Damn it! I was blushing.

The doctor’s grin broadened. ‘And using the training bots no doubt. Have you been running a few attack and defend scenarios? You against how many?’

‘I’m up to eight,’ I muttered.

‘Eight! Are you serious?’ The doc’s eyebrows shot up. ‘And you’re still standing? Nathan, you’re lucky you haven’t broken something, or worse. As it is, you’ve sprained your right ankle and you have severe contusions all over your body and up and down your left leg in particular.’

‘Well, if you fix me up and give me a painkiller I’ll be on my way.’

‘Back to the gym?’

‘Well, yes. Vee’s shift has just finished and mine doesn’t start for another hour and she rarely goes to the gym.’

Doctor Liana’s frown was back with a vengeance. ‘For heaven’s sake, Nathan. You need to have a conversation with your wife. Tell her why you’ve been avoiding her or she’ll assume the worst.’

‘What worst?’

‘That you don’t want to be with her, of course.’ The doc sounded exasperated. ‘That maybe you believe, as do others on this ship, that your wife has had something to do with all these incidents that have been happening.’

‘That’s crap. Vee knows I don’t believe any such thing.’

Doctor Liana shook her head at me. ‘Your joining will fail if you and Vee don’t find a way to communicate and I’m not just talking sexually.’

‘Doctor!’

‘Oh, please. I’m a doctor and a married one at that. D’you want some advice – from one joined person to another?’

Something told me I was going to get her advice whether I wanted it or not. ‘Go on then,’ I said churlishly.

Doctor Liana glared at me, her lips pursed at my rudeness.

‘Sorry,’ I muttered. ‘What I meant was, yes please, Doctor Liana, I’d love to hear your advice.’

Doctor Liana smiled reluctantly. ‘Don’t overdo it, Nathan. My advice to you is to talk to Olivia, share the good and the bad stuff, and more importantly, listen – that’s if you want your union to last.’

‘Of course it will last.’ I frowned. ‘I’ll make sure of that. I’m not going to lose her.’

The doctor gave me a studied look.

‘What?’ I frowned.

‘You sound like you mean that.’

‘Of course I mean it.’

‘Just as long as you’re not a fair-weather lover. Olivia deserves better than that,’ said Doctor Sheen.

‘A fair what?’

‘I mean someone who stays around when things are going well but then disappears when the going gets tough.’

‘How can I disappear on a ship?’ I asked.

‘Don’t pretend to be dense, Nathan. It doesn’t suit you,’ the doctor said impatiently.

‘Doctor Liana, I’m really uncomfortable with this conversation. I’m not into all this emotional touchy-feely stuff,’ I said. And certainly not with the ship’s doctor, for goodness sake.

‘You’re human, Nathan, therefore you’re into it whether you want to admit it or not,’ said Doctor Liana. ‘Stop excluding Olivia from what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Talk to her.’

‘I’m not avoiding Vee because I like it, Doc. Far from it. I’m just trying to keep her safe. Besides, I’m not the only one keeping secrets.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘Nothing,’ I sighed.

Doctor Liana looked thoughtful for a moment. ‘On the day of the accident, why were you down in the engine room? I thought you were permanently assigned to the bridge.’

‘I was, but Mum got the hump with me for being late and sent me down there to work with Darren,’ I said. ‘Nothing I do pleases her at the moment.’

‘When you got to the engine room, had you already been assigned to the conduits?’

‘No, of course not. Darren didn’t even know I was coming. He just told me to take his place in the conduit and help Corbyn, but then he changed his mind and told me to sort out the engine coolant flows—’ A light had finally switched on in my head. ‘Oh my God!’

Doctor Liana raised an eyebrow, looking at me pointedly. ‘The crew’s assignments are usually entered into the ship’s computer twenty-four hours before they’re given out.’

‘So I wasn’t necessarily the target,’ I realized.