Page 87 of Mutant Mine

“At first, yeah — but not since it became obvious that we were just going to get as far away from civilization as we could, keep quiet, and stay out of their way,” says Weaver. “We’re just a failed lab experiment to them, right? And a PR embarrassment. We’re not worth anything anymore.”

Tommy and Ellis exchange a blank look. Even though I’ve reassured the crew that they can trust Roth and his brothers, they have no idea what really happened at Watergap. This must all be gibberish to them.

It makes me so angry, thinking of all the terrible lies they still believe. I hate that I ever believed the same things, too.

“I’ll explain later,” I whisper to them.

I won’t, of course. I’ll have to tell them something, but it won’t be the government’s darkest secrets. I suddenly understand how Roth must have felt, choosing to let me believe the worst about him rather than put me in dangerwith the truth.

Sighing, I settle back into my seat. Out of the viewing port, the Hades is finally fading out of sight.

Roth’s right about the prisoners. He’s given them a shot at something better. If it doesn’t work out, then the worst case scenario is that they end up back on Chronus — which is where they would have been anyway, if none of this had happened.

But… I remember the crowd jeering in the canteen as I was dropped at Roth’s feet. The pair who dragged me from his room again, planning to take me for themselves. And all the men who killed my crewmates, leaving only this small, bloodied huddle of survivors.

“If they do get away,” I think out loud to Roth, “Bad people will go unpunished.”

“They can never go home, Rory,” says Roth. “That’s punishment enough.”

His look is so grave. I realize that’s true for both of us, now. Roth can never go home — and neither can I, for as long as I want to be with him. Maybe we’ll make our way back to Earth one day, but it would have to be tochangeeverything. To burn it all down in a blaze of truth.

At least I don’t have a family to miss. My home is anywhere I lay my head. But Roth does have a family somewhere, doesn’t he? Parents, siblings?

He must have already accepted that he’ll never see them again. He’s always having to say goodbye to things, over and over.

I clutch his hand hard, my chest tight. All at once, I’m desperately grateful for his brothers, strange and intimidating though they may be. One day, hopefully a very long time from now, they’re going to do me a huge favor: they’re going to take care of Roth after I hurt him in the worst way possible.

He’s got me now — and for as long as I live. But then I’ll have to go.

At least now I won’t be leaving him completely alone.

41

Roth

MY BROTHERShave done well for themselves. Their starship is spacious and comfortable, as well as being equipped with all the latest technology — some of it so cutting edge that I have never seen it before.

“This is not the government cruiser I saw you leave in,” I comment to Weaver. We are walking off their landing deck, up the first of many immaculate corridors.

He laughs.

“You’ve got that right. This here is the Starbound, our pride and joy. We found her as a wreck, abandoned after some shoot out at the edge of the Pyrite Zone. Fixed her up ourselves, and now we call her home.”

“I am glad,” I say, “that you have all been safe and well these past years. And… together.”

“And we’re gladyousurvived.” Weaver grasps my shoulder as we walk.

Ahead of us, Rory is walking between her two old bunkmates. Weaver looks at her, then back to me. “And we’re glad that you haven’t been alone. Roth, I’m so sorry that we had to leave you. We’ve never forgotten your sacrifice. We spoke of you often.”

“It was necessary,” I say.

“It was,” Weaver says with a smile. “But let us thank you anyway.”

“You are not alone either,” I say quietly. His woman, Selene, is leading the way with our other brothers, talking with them easily.

I remember her, down in the tunnels of Watergap, all those years ago. At the time, I found their relationship… bewildering. In such a place, how could they have felt anything pure and good? And afterwards, how could she bear to stay with him when it meant running from everything she knew?

“No,” Weaver smiles again. It is an expression I have never seen on his face before today — but now, it is near constant. It reminds me that I do not really know him, in some ways.

---