Page 38 of Lover from the Waves

Without looking directly at the recording device, he lifted his hands briefly, palms to the ceiling. “I realized that for all the times I’ve talked about Hera, I’ve never really described her. Sure, I’ve talked about her beauty. I’ve mentioned her eyes—they’re violet, so vibrant and deep. But all that is the surface. It’s not all she is. She’s so,somuch more.

“Hera’s strong. I mean, not just physically. She’s strong willed and confident, and she hasn’t let any of these assholes break that spirit—she never will. She’s also…gentle. She doesn’t use her strength to attack, only to protect, to uplift. And she’s so intelligent, so inquisitive, so eager to learn and discover new things. She’s not afraid to look upon the world with almost childlike wonder because it’s all new to her, it’s all amazing. And sometimes, the way she looks at me…it makes me feel like I’m the most amazing thing of them all. But that’s not right.Sheis the most amazing, most wondrous thing in the world. In any world.”

Ector held Kat just a little closer, drawing her more fully into his warmth. She melted against him.

Luke laughed again; much of the bitterness was absent from the sound now, but a dissonant note remained. “It’s on record now, anyway, so if I end up doing something stupid, this will be here for them to find and use against me. Guess I should say if I do somethingstupider, since this is already so dumb of me. But that’s really the ultimate outcome, isn’t it? This whole situation leaves me no choice but to do something stupid and drastic to change it, and who am I kidding with that? This is a secret military research facility. Theywillkill me.

“And even knowing that, I can’t do nothing. I want to help the kraken, want to help all of them, but Ineedto help her. It’s important enough that I’m willing to risk getting shot…which maybe doesn’t say much seeing as I voluntarily enlisted with the IDC knowing there’s a war brewing in the fringe worlds.”

Luke sighed again and leaned back in his chair. “Anyway, my temporary suspension is finally over in a few days. I can start figuring all this out once I can talk to her again.”

When the recording ended, Kathryn remained still, nearly overwhelmed by all she was feeling. Ector’s presence—his solidness and heat—was all that kept her anchored to the present, but even that tether seemed tenuous at best.

“Are you all right?” Ector asked, his deep voice rumbling from his body into hers.

“I am,” she replied after a few hesitant moments. “This is just…a lot. I’m almost scared to continue, as silly as that sounds.”

Ector gave her upper arm a gentle squeeze, and his tentacles settled more firmly over her legs. “It does not sound silly, Kathryn. What we know of history says this story does not end well, but it is impossible not to hope for a happy resolution regardless.”

“That’s exactly it. I mean…this was left out here, so far away from your home. Someone must’ve brought it here, right?”

He nodded. “And there’s only one way we might find out.”

Kathryn took in a steadying breath, turned her gaze to the icon screen, and selected the next recording.

Luke appeared, hands braced on a table very close to the unseen recording device. The look on his face made Kat’s heart freeze for a few moments—his skin was terribly pale but for frantic red splotches on his cheeks, his eyes were wide, his brow knitted, and his mouth hung open. Even with his holographic image displaying at perhaps a sixth of his actual size, beads of perspiration clearly shone on his forehead.

He snapped his mouth closed, and his lips peeled back to reveal clenched teeth. There was undeniable anger and aggression in his expression, but there was a certain quality to the light in his eyes that pronounced his obvious worry and suggested fear at his core.

“Don’t have long. We’re entering emergency lockdown,” he said, voice wavering. “Situation unclear, but… Sounds like one of the other guards got too rough and might’ve beaten a kraken to death. Don’t know who was involved on either side. But the kraken are angry, and no one in command knows how they’re going to react. Right now, it’s all hands on deck.”

Luke swallowed thickly and shook his head. “Fuck. This is so…Fuck.”

He reached forward, and the recording ended.

Kathryn didn’t say anything; what could she have said? The moment felt too heavy, the air too thick, her chest too constricted. She played the next recordings—each of which was brief—in quick succession.

“Still in lockdown,” he said in the first. “Kraken are quiet. Going back on duty after sleep.”

In the next, his words were clipped, his breathing heavy. “It was Theseus. He’s dead. It’s still quiet, but…too quiet.”

By the third, Luke looked haggard. His eyes were bloodshot and cradled by purplish bags, and his chin, jaw, and cheeks were lined with stubble. “Five days. No retaliation. I think they’re going to give theall cleartomorrow to start getting the kraken back to work. Command is stupid, and what’s worse is their stupidity is born of ignorance. The kraken haven’t just forgotten.”

In the next log, he looked a bit better rested, though no less distraught. Easing down into his chair, he drew in a deep breath, raked his fingers through his hair, and shook his head. “Saw her today, but we only had a few seconds. She seemed off, like she wanted to say something but couldn’t, not while there were other humans around. Something’s going to happen, and—”

A strange chiming sound cut him off. He shifted, leaning to one side, and raised his arm to touch a small device on his wrist. A holographic screen appeared in front of him. His eyebrows drew together, slanting down toward the bridge of his nose, as he muttered, “Communications compromised?”

Luke pressed his lips together, and his jaw muscles ticked. Without another word, he reached forward and ended the recording.

“That was the start of it,” Ector said, tentacles flexing.

Kathryn licked her dry lips. “The start of what?”

“The revolt. Other records indicate that our ancestors prevented the Facility from sending or receiving communications when they rose against the humans. They isolated the inhabitants.”

That sour feeling in Kat’s stomach resurged; it felt like a lead weight was sinking through her belly. “And Luke knew it would eventually happen.”

“I would guess that many of them would have known had they seen my people as more than animals or tools. But if that had been the case…perhaps it wouldn’t have happened at all.”

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