Page 29 of Tempting Jupiter
“So we aren’t in immediate danger,” Jupiter concluded. “But we have no way to get away from this place and the other ships will return eventually.”
The woman lifted her head. The circles beneath her eyes had darkened. She needed rest. “Yes and no. All interstellar ships have two drives: the standard drive for short distances within a system and a skipdrive for long distances. The skipdrive may still be functional.”
Jupiter strode over to her and squatted down in front of her. “Why are you unsure?”
“The skipdrive is tied directly into the navigation systems and right now I’m completely locked out.”
Seneca remembered the conversation he’d witnessed on the human ship. “Owens asked Fitz if he was able to retrieve the navigation data and Fitz told him he was unable to do so.”
“Easy to see why.” The woman shook her head as she spoke. “I’ve never seen this kind of encryption on something so innocuous as nav controls.”
Seneca carefully chose his words. He wasn’t sure what information to reveal to her. “Fitz and Owens seemed to think the ship’s crew attempted to protect information about where the ship came from.”
“That fits.” She turned her attention to him briefly, then returned it to Jupiter, still directly in front of her.
Jupiter took one of her hands and cupped it in his. “This is why Fitz was planning to tow the vessel, so better technicians could attempt to break the encryption. We must not let that happen. We have vowed to destroy this ship before letting them retrieve that information.”
It made Seneca uneasy to see Jupiter place such trust in her. She’d helped them. Saved Jupiter’s life—something that had earned Seneca’s gratitude. Despite that, they knew very little about her and her motives.
“Okay,” the woman answered easily. “I can understand that.” She sat straighter, pulling free of Jupiter’s hands. “But I may be able to clear the existing nav charts and load Fitz’s data. That way I could use the computer to do theskipcalculations without actually using the ship’s nav history.”
Jupiter stood, towering over her with his powerful body. “Good solution.”
She looked up to meet his gaze. “Thanks, but it will take me time to implement and once we get where we’re going we’ll be just as dead in the black as we are now.”
“Anywhere would be safer than here,” Jupiter answered.
She rested her good hand on the console as if preparing to get back to work. “I agree. So, I’m going to give it a try.”
Jupiter held her gaze with that look of his, the one that brooked no refusal. “What can we do to help?”
She didn’t hesitate. “You can look around to see what we’ve got. First priority, any weapons you can use in case we don’t get out of here in time. Second priority, locate the engineering section in case we need to do anything down there to get this ship moving. While you’re looking, take an inventory of food and water. I’ll need to plan ourskipso that we don’t run out before we can get off this ship. Take note of anything else you think will be useful, fresh clothes, meds. Whatever. I’ll open ship-wide coms, so we’ll be able to hear each other.”
Jupiter barked for Sen to go and search, but it was clear Jupiter had no intention of going far from the woman’s side as she worked on the computer. She was perilously weak. Jupiter might be restless, but someone needed to make sure she didn’t lose consciousness.
It was the right course of action, even if it did feel all wrong to Seneca. They were a team. They worked together. Or they had. Now Jupiter had the woman and Seneca would search the ship alone.
***
Jupiter wanted to go with Seneca. Something was troubling his pack brother, but it would have to wait. He would have to be content with the reassuring sound of Seneca’s voice across the ship’s com system as he searched and reported back what he found. Fee had closed her eyes, connecting to the ship through her device. She sat eerily still except for the barely perceptible sway or twitch of muscles struggling to keep her upright. He wanted to hold her so she could relax, but that might prove counterproductive. If she relaxed, she might lose her battle to stay alert and do… whatever it was she was doing.
He left her for brief moments to investigate nearby. In the strange square room that he had previously believed served no purpose, he found that pressing on the wall panels revealed hidden cupboards. Some held equipment or unopened supplies while others held what looked to be personal belongings. Several scented of Dog when he opened them and held coats, boots, even pouches of coins or small gems or pieces of plascard with writing on them. All things no Dog on Roma would possess. None contained weapons, so he returned to check on Fee.
She sat motionless as before, but Bug had taken flight. It circled her like a pooch-snake, a common pet of the patrons. The view screen still showed the space outside the ship. One of the distant dots grew larger as he watched.
Jupiter barked a warning. “They’re coming.”
“I know. I know.” Fee’s voice was little more than a mumble. “We’re going to have to try toskip.”
“Fee.” Jupiter shook her shoulder until her eyes blinked open. “How can we help?”
Bug abruptly zipped off down the corridor that led deeper into the ship.
“Follow Bug and take Seneca with you. I have the nav system and skipdrive controls, but it needs a hard reset.” When he frowned, she reached out and pushed at him. “Just go! I’ll tell you as we go.”
The dot on the display was large enough to make out the shape of a bulky vessel. He turned and bolted after her flying machine. He found it hovering over the ramp downward. As soon as he had it in sight, it headed straight down, floor after floor. Jupiter ran, pushing his muscles for maximum speed. Around and around until he could see what had to be the bottom of the ship still a few decks below. Planting a hand on the safety rail as he continued to move, he vaulted over the side and fell down through the center. He hit hard at the bottom, but he let his knees bend, ducked his body into a tight ball and led with his shoulder as he let momentum tumble him to the decking. He managed to roll and come up on his feet. He spared a heaving breath to bark for Seneca, then dashed after Bug.
Jupiter wove his way through an unfamiliar landscape made of metal, hulking blocks bolted to the floor and walls and cylindrical columns that stretch from floor to ceiling. A low mechanical hum rumbled around him and the stench of death hung heavy in the air. Some of the crew must have died down here, then been removed. The smell would be stronger if the bodies were still there.
