“Did you see anything that might make sense of the ‘put your head to the ground’ thing?” Fallon asked.
“Not yet,” Brak said. “I need to study that implant.”
Jerin finished her work at the techbed controls and moved to join them. “You should stay here and work on that.”
Brak clicked her teeth in irritation. “I’d planned to go with you. I’m sure the planet has numerous people in need of cybernetics adjustments and recalibrations.”
Jerin nodded. “I know. But we’ll make our way back there again soon. This is important to the well-being of the entire PAC. You need to stay.”
“You’re right,” Brak agreed. “But please have nurses document the people who need my help.”
“Of course.”
“All right.” Brak looked to Lim. “I’m going to compile a series of tests that I want you to take, so I can get some functional data on the performance of that implant. Can you return this afternoon?”
“Sure.” He seemed relieved. “Taking some tests is no problem.”
Fallon asked him, “Would you like me to walk you back to your quarters?”
“No, thank you. I’m starved. Didn’t eat breakfast. I think I’ll go to the boardwalk for an early lunch.”
Fallon checked the chronometer on her comport. “Very early. Have a good meal.”
“Thanks. And thanks for coming here with me.” He gave her another of his sheepish smiles, which she had begun to find endearing. “It’s nice to have a friend to count on.”
His sweet statement hit her hard. She remembered being in his position. She knew how much it meant to have someone in her corner when the entire universe seemed like a giant question mark.
She clasped his hand in both of hers and looked into his green eyes. “I’ll be here whenever you need me.”
He brightened, then surprised her with a hug. “Thank you. I’ve been wandering around for a year and haven’t felt like I could trust anyone. It’s a relief to finally have someone.”
She returned his hug and he stepped back. “Right. I’m off to get some food.”
After he left, Jerin shook her head regretfully. “He has a lot ahead of him. He’s going to need a great deal.”
Fallon wasn’t daunted. “We’ll work it through. I did, with the help of friends. I’ll make sure he does, too.”
Despite her attempts to handle business on the station as usual, Fallon found that her mind kept wandering. She felt like she’d regained her seat at the helm of the universe and was ready to navigate. All she wanted to do was drive.
She was glad when Kellis called on the voicecom and asked to visit. Fallon gave her a temporary passcode to get onto Deck Four and responded to a non-urgent message while she waited.
“How are you?” Fallon asked when Kellis arrived. She guided her to the sitting area of her office.
“Great. Excited. I’ve been waiting for the chance to do more ever since we hit the Tokyo base.”
They engaged in more small talk before Kellis got around to asking what she really wanted to know.
“What’s going on with the PAC? It’s bad, isn’t it?”
Fallon had to think about how much she should tell Kellis. She deserved at least a general idea. But she couldn’t tell Kellis anything of strategic importance.
“PAC command is at war with itself. There are two factions battling for power. My team and I are working to keep the would-be usurper from getting control, but the actions already taken may be enough to plunge us into war. We believe we know who is at the heart of it all, and we’re working to contain him.”
“What if you can’t?” Kellis didn’t look as upset as Fallon would have expected. But Kellis was from a planet torn by war. She’d seen more greed and tragedy than most people.
“I’m guessing all of our treaties will be dissolved, and the PAC will splinter into hundreds of sovereign planets. Allegiances will undoubtedly form, while existing governments and economies will collapse. From there I’d say we’re looking at a few decades of mass chaos, war, and poverty. Eventually, new governments and leaders and alliances will emerge. But not soon enough for the billions who will be long dead.”
Kellis frowned, but her gaze stayed steady. “I guess we have to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“That’s the plan.” Fallon was impressed with the nerve Kellis had. It reinforced her feeling that she could handle this kind of work. Kellis was green, but she had a certain quality that Fallon recognized. A hunger to do more, to be more.
“Until the Onari returns, I have no duties to attend to,” Kellis said. “Arin only has so much time to work with me. Is there a way I can do more?”
Fallon smiled at the idea. “A spy boot camp?”
“What’s a boot camp?”
“Never mind. Historical reference.” Fallon thought about what else she needed to get done that day. “I need to do my rounds on the boardwalk. How about you walk with me? I’ll show you what I’m looking at, how things appear to me. It will help you start thinking tactically. When we’re done with that, we’ll begin with some hand-to-hand combat. Sound good?”
Kellis nodded so hard her curls bounced. “Sounds perfect.”
“Watch my weight shifts,” Fallon advised as she circled Kellis in a security staff training room. “Smaller people like you and I can’t rely on brute strength. We have to fight smarter. You must know how to throw them off balance and use their strength against them.”
“What weight shifts?” Kellis asked, turning slowly to keep Fallon in front of her. “You move like a cat.”
“You’ll learn that too. Keep your guard up. Be ready.”
“It’s a lot to remember.” Kellis frowned in concentration.
“It will feel awful at first. Awkward, ungainly, and just plain impossible. But it will become natural. Eventually, you’ll have a hard time not thinking and moving that way.”
“If you say so.”
Fallon lightly shoved Kellis’ left hip, causing her to stumble. “There’s your weight shift. Smooth your
