Ry ushered me back to cargo bay where we hopped on a utility vehicle and took the ramp off the spacecraft. “If we have time, I’ll let you drive for a bit. It’s kind of fun.” She gripped the stirring wheel, beaming at me.
Anything motorized was prohibited in the city of Phoenicis. I hadn’t even considered that driving would be a skill needed on this tour. I laughed, sticking my head out the side window. “I would love to. It doesn’t look that complicated.”
I stuck my arms up and let the air brush my face and hair while Ry zoomed over the bumpy terrain. Twenty minutes later, we were almost to the small fishing village when Ry hung a left turn onto a paved road.
“Oh shit. Get back inside.” She pulled on my jacket and shoved me back into my seat.
“What is it?”
“There’s a fire up ahead.” She accelerated until we caught up to the rest of her team.
My chest tightened as if something bad was about to happen. “What’s going on, Ry?”
“Not sure. The locals riot from time to time. But they’ve never set anything on fire before. Those are the Ukruum fields.” She pulled to a stop next to Sierra’s vehicle.
Sierra climbed out and rushed over. “Something isn’t right.”
Ry winced, adjusting her heavy vest. “I know. I feel it too. Go on. I’m going to take her back to the ship.”
“What? We don’t have time for that, Ry. This isn’t nothing. She can’t be here.” Sierra slammed her hand on the hood. “Just drop her off in town.”
“Fuck,” she said under her breath and turned to me. “I’m sorry, Catita. You can’t come with us. We need to contain the fire before it does any real damage to the fields.”
“I can help.”
Shaking her head, she put the vehicle in gear and headed toward the lights in the distance. “You said you would do whatever I asked without question. I’m asking you to wait for me at the local bar.”
“Come on. Don’t do this. I’m a trained solider. Let me come with you.”
“I can’t. I promised Wela I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. Follow the signs to the marina.” She stopped the car in the middle of the dirt path that led to a cluster of small homes. “There’s a shack near the docks. You can’t miss it. The bartender is my friend. She’ll hide you until I can come get you.”
“You gotta be kidding me?” I blew out air.
“Stay out of sight until I come for you. Do you understand?”
“Yeah, I understand. When will you be back?”
“Sunrise.”
“Got it.” I set a timer on my wristband.
“Captain Weston downloaded to the planet tonight too. Make sure he doesn’t see you. I forced my unit not to rat on you, but I can’t do that with him. That goes for any other QEC commando too. If they see you, they won’t hesitate to turn you in. You got that? I don’t want you spending the rest of the tour in solitary. Shit.” She hit the stirring wheel.
In the distance, an explosion followed by bright orange smoke made my entire body jolt. The faraway cries pierced my ears, and my stomach twisted in anger. Why would the locals do this?
“Sierra is right. This riot isn’t nothing.”
Ry drove away in a swell of dust, and all I could do was watch as darkness fell over me like a blanket. I faced the Wharf District lights and forced myself to walk toward it. Ry had enough on her plate. She didn’t need me to be a brat and beg her to take me with her again.
Problem was, I had no idea which way to go.
3
Hide Me?
Catita
I glanced down at my uniform and the Martian tech on my wrist. Blending in with the locals couldn’t hurt. I shrugged out of my jacket and removed my wristband. The black tank top underneath had no insignia identifying my rank or unit and looked less military.
Peering at the dark, desolate alley in front of me, I chose a house with a dark side yard crowded with boxes and other junk. I stuffed part of my uniform in a nearby crate and pulled my hair up into a ponytail. My stuffy nose made a whooshing sound every time I inhaled the thick air that burned at the pit of my lungs.
You’re fine. Don’t be a wuss.
“You can do this,” a small voice whispered in my head. “Just breathe. Short breath. Hold it. One. Two. Three. Release. Short breath. Hold it.” This mantra played over and over in my mind, until my lungs got used to the rhythm and filled with oxygen without the burn.
Once I reached the end of the street, I followed the signs to the marina, meandering through small alleys. Mud and who knew what else caked onto the outsoles of my shoes and strained my footing. The wind carried all kinds of fishy smells and creepy creaking sounds. For a dying world, Earth didn’t look as dead as I’d expected. Hot and dirty, yes. But not exactly dead.
When I reached the docks, lined with boats on the left, I walked down the wooden pier to a set of shops on the opposite side. I peeked into the first window. Inside, the dim-light bathed the bar area where men and women swigged from their murky glasses. This place looked nothing like the pubs we had back on Mars with their loud electric music, sleek furnishings, and walls lined with Ukruum wine.
I shouldered the rusty, old door open and stepped inside. The stale air, a mix of salty breeze and beer, made breathing easier. This had to be the place Ry had told me about. I wasn’t surprised she’d made friends with the locals. That was Ry—kind and caring. It was impossible not to like her.
A hodgepodge of tables and chairs filled the wide space. Old lamps of different sizes and shapes provided what little light there was and cast small and big
