Page 86 of Mutant Mine

I take a deep breath, and shove all my dumb anxieties right down into the bottom of my boots.

Today is a good day,I tell myself decisively. I woke up in Roth’s arms. I’m getting out of here alive, which I’ve barely dared to believe was possible. And Roth… Roth is free. He won’t go to Chronus. His punishment is over, at long, long last.

He has people who love him. He’s wanted. He’shappy. So I’m happy for him.

And… he seems to want me here with him. If he’s willing to have me, I’ll follow wherever he’s going.

I just hope I won’t get in his way too much.

Those last weeks on board the Hades were the scariest of my whole life. I was so desperate to escape that I didn’t think any further beyond that. All I wanted to do was survive.

Now, suddenly, that’s done — and reality is beginning to dawn on me. This shuttle isn’t just a wayoffthe Hades; it’s the waytosomewhere else. Another life. A whole future that I can’t even imagine is stretching out at my feet.

What will a life with Roth and his brothers be like? How do I fit into it? Will there really be a place for me, wherever we’re going? With my lack of technological skills — less than you’d expect the average child to know — I’m going to have to learn a lot, and fast, if I don’t want to be seen as a burden.

I can’t be the only one looking down at our old lives disappearing, and feeling trepidation mixed with my relief. Reginald speaks up from the back of the shuttle, polite but blunt:

“We are grateful to you for getting us off that ship. But we need to know: where are you taking us?”

“I am hoping that we can drop you off at the closest space station,” Roth explains. Then he turns to Weaver: “That is, if you don’t mind sacrificing an escape pod?”

Smart. If we put the crew in an escape pod, their ship won’t have to go close enough to the station to be detected.

“It’s replaceable,” says Weaver, nodding, “And a small price to pay.”

“You will have to contact the authorities, so that they cantransport you back to Earth,” Roth informs the surviving crew. “And you will have to offer to make full, official reports about how you escaped, so that you do not fall under any suspicion yourselves.”

“Don’t worry,” says Reginald. “None of us are going to be in any hurry to give them anyreallyuseful info. And I hope that you’ll be long gone by then anyway. You saved us. We thank you for that.”

Roth bows his head in acknowledgment.

So, the crew will be okay. But something else is still weighing on my mind.

“What will happen to the Hades?” I manage to ask. I’ve been hovering on the edge of the conversation, barely speaking since I was introduced on the landing dock. “And… everyone on board?”

As terrifying as the prisoners are, they’re still human beings. We can’t just abandon them with dwindling supplies.

“I have set the autopilot for Caster-391, as I promised them I would,” Roth tells me softly. “It is programmed to land on a habitable planet that has not yet been colonized.”

“Will they be okay, do you think?”

“They will not have enough luminum fuel to make another interstellar flight, but they will be able to travel within the solar system using the smaller emergency shuttles. The Hades will provide shelter and electricity, and other resources to use or trade.” Roth looks thoughtful. “They will need to figure it out themselves… But yes, they do have a chance of surviving. It will be far more pleasant than Chronus, at any rate.”

“But when the Hades doesn't arrive at Chronus on time, the authorities will realize that it’s missing,” says Reginald, frowning. “They may be able to track it down — especially if anyone reports a sighting out in that system.”

Roth nods. His expression is solemn.

“Yes. If they can work together for the common good, make sound decisions, and avoid succumbing to violence, then they may well get a second chance to build a worthwhile life. But it is just that: a chance.”

“This far away from Earth, space is pretty lawless,” says Selene, the human woman. “People mostly don’t give a damn who you are, as long as you’re no trouble to them. They’ll be able to get by, if they’re lucky.” After a moment, she adds: “And aren’t idiots.”

She’s very confident. She speaks just like she’s one of them — and they all stop to listen.

Weaver makes a noise of agreement.

“That’s how we’ve managed to carve out a life for ourselves: by keeping our heads down and not bothering anybody, except to make ourselves useful.”

“So the authorities have not attempted to re-capture you?” Roth asks sharply.

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