The monitoring officer, Birdie, was braiding her hair with the dried flowers she had picked in Omega. Nadia said that was nothing — that the beauty of the flora on her planet was so much more than sad, faded petals. While she braided, Birdie gazed into deep space, her face distant.
"They say if you stare at a star too long, it can steal your soul," Nadia warned her.
"Oh, is that what they say. The soul doesn't transfer in this material world."
"I can't believe I'm going to spend my birthday here."
"Really?" Birdie's distraction broke. "What are you going to do?"
"Girls," Samantha stopped them. "Focus."
"Did you see the announcements for the Astrea carnival?" Nadia asked.
"I don't need to," Samantha said. "You're going to tell me everything anyway."
"Prince Siderion turns—" Nadia counted slowly on her fingers; math was not her strong suit— "twenty-seven this year. Three years left to choose a bride."
Birdie blushed faintly.
"What's wrong with you? Do you have a crush on the prince?" Nadia said.
"No."
"It's perfectly normal."
"Normal?" Samantha asked.
"Did you leave a boyfriend behind somewhere?" Nadia continued.
The monitoring officer stopped braiding her hair.
"The prince already has a girlfriend," Samantha said, narrowing her eyes. "And no one's seen him since he was twenty-four. I'd recommend working instead of believing in fairy tales."
"If he doesn't marry, he won't be king," Nadia explained. "He's running out of time. But he has to marry well."
"Which one of you drew a symbol on my door?"
The girls looked at Nero, who was as agitated as if someone had scratched his face. They exchanged glances, unsure at first how to react.
"Me," said Birdie.
"Would you care to explain why?"
"I was drawing a sigil… and lost my balance," Birdie apologized.
"Don't mark my door. Understood?"
"We need to think about the safety of the ship. Death is—"
"Birdie, I don't think he's listening," Nadia said. "Tell him something he can understand." She mimicked primitive speech. "Drawing good, death bad. Drawing protection."
"He was attacking us. We could have died. That's a significant energetic imbalance, because—"
"Where do you even get all this…?" Nero was genuinely bewildered.
"The sign of your destiny, the one you carry on your forehead, is very powerful. Has anyone ever told you that?" Birdie continued, entirely unintimidated.
"It says 'kick me' in neon letters," Samantha said.
Nero looked at the girls and realized he was at a serious numerical disadvantage.
"Thank you. I don't think you want to know what yours says."
"I don't have one, Nero. I'm not that special," the navigator replied.
The pilot smiled.
"I don't believe in anything. Does that answer your question?" He turned back to Birdie.
"You defended the ship."
"Because I want to reach the desert before I shrivel up in the jungle. Doesn't this tin can have air conditioning? I almost miss the damned void," he said, heading toward the cabin.
"Act concerned," Samantha told the girls. "Ugh, I forgot to do that last time."
The girls fell silent as Katherine descended from her personal cabin, pulling off an enormous pair of headphones with a slightly tired expression.
"Good afternoon, thank you for coming," Katherine said to Nero as he arrived late to the meeting. "On your screens you'll find a mass broadcast from the Cult. They're saying that as of today, the human tribute will be collected — retroactively."
She crossed her arms and studied her crew carefully, while the darkness of space surrounded everything and the recycled air circulated lazily. Nero propped his feet up on the console, under Samantha's disapproving gaze. She was cleaning her glasses with great concentration, as if entirely removed from what was happening.
"I feel sorry for those people," Nadia said. "They make them suffer, and humiliate them. Humans—"
"Your planet is also a colony of Naësu, Nadia," Nicholas interrupted sharply. "You're not so different from me."
"Maybe, but Omega doesn't have extraction centers or Cult temples. That's because people there have more critical thinking," she said, examining her nails and delicately resting them on her communications headband. "We're more independent."
Nero smiled. Alex noticed this reaction but said nothing for now.
"The Cult's plans include Omega. You'd better prepare," the pilot said, watching the exchange between the ship's youngest members.
"The human tribute is a tradition, but it's degrading, because—" Katherine began, with the air of a speech.
"It's the only way some people can escape poverty," Nicholas said, past caring about consequences. "We could study, and somehow get out of Sigma."
"Getting out of Sigma shouldn't be the goal. We need to improve conditions there, to stop the brain drain to other places," Nero said, in a way no one quite understood.
"You don't know what it's like on my planet, in my country, in Tulum—" Nicholas took a breath to continue.
"The human tribute has been illegal since 292 G.M., by royal decree of Naësu. Do you have any ideas for changing that, Nicholas?"
"Okay, so now the tribute is illegal, but the system wasn't entirely bad, because—"
"I think the most alarming thing is the word you're using. Human trafficking has been prohibited since 292 G.M. Calling it a 'tribute' is like calling urine ambrosia."
Nicholas didn't answer, and couldn't understand why the subject seemed to bother Nero so much — a nyasuk mercenary who had boarded the Naetilus at the last minute.
"Strong opinions, as always, new guy," Alex said, conciliatory. "The only thing the captain and I need to know is whether you're staying with this Confederate mission or going with the Cult. Without getting worked up," he added, finally.
"What they need is a history lesson," Nero muttered.
"I woke up in a good mood today, new guy. Take a deep breath and think before you speak. Count to ten," Alex suggested. "Look, I'm not in favor of the human tribute either. When we had to evacuate Asur—"
Nadia reacted with weary impatience.
"Please, not the story again."
"Alex," said Katherine, "I don't think this is the moment for—"
"It's a good story. We left Asur because of the radiation. The nyasuk helped us get off the moons after the water turned toxic. We tried to find a solution using minerals from the Belt, but—"
"They were a very small sector and the Confederation cut their funding. We all know what happened," interrupted Samantha, the manouk navigator, hybrid between nyasuk and human.
"Exactly, Sam. We only made it out because humans and nyasuk worked together — that's why the Cult can't be right; we all have to help each other, people. Then when I got to Omega—"
"And they all lived happily ever after," the navigator said again. "I don't care what the Cult or the Confederation does. To them, we're nothing. The Asteroid Belt has no rights. The only thing I care about is being able to pursue my scientific research in here."
"I'll make sure you have the conditions to do that. Birdie, did you have anything to add?" Katherine asked.
"Humans are our brothers," she said, restating a certainty. "Life is only possible when we support each other. That's why I'm here. I had a dream where the Naetilus appeared. That's why I came. I want to help people, with whatever they need."
"That's all very well," Katherine said, sighing. "I'll give you eight hours to let me know your decision in private."
They all stared at her in silence. Nero lifted his feet off the console.
"The crew wants to know what decision you'll be making, Captain."
Katherine realized no one had ever questioned her on that before.
"This ship is Confederate. I uphold those principles."
"Don't speak into the void. You could say anything and be working for the Cult."
"Since you're so interested — I was assigned this ship because it was a lost cause. No one believed it could work, and I said I could make it happen with the right people. I'm going to prove it."
"You want to prove yourself as a soldier. Is that it?"
"As a woman. As a professional. Maybe you can't understand that."
"That's true, I can't. Do you have children, Captain?"
"Do you feel your appearance affects how people treat you?"
"What? Where did that come from?"
"You feel entitled to ask me if I have children; I ask you whether your appearance influences how people behave around you. That's enough with the sexist questions."
The girls began laughing under their breath. Nero wasn't entirely sure he understood what had just happened.
"The Confederation requires everyone to read the document. Any questions?"
Nadia, the communications officer, spoke immediately, brushing the hair from her face.
"Have they reached Omega yet?"
"They must be on their way."
Nobody asked whether they'd reached Sigma. Nicholas's presence there alone — a bundle of nerves — was evidence enough. He spoke after an uncomfortable silence.
"Captain… do we know yet what happens to tributes when the Cult—?"
Katherine tried to hide the sharp pang of worry she felt in her stomach at seeing him so exposed. She exhaled all the air from her lungs and tried to gather her patience, to lead without losing control. They had this same conversation every time the nyasuk supremacists issued a communiqué.
"Nicholas, if you need to talk about Chahel we'll do it privately. I've already told you everything I know. Nothing has changed since this morning. Anyone else have questions?"
The mechanic looked down, and was preparing to close the hatch to lower engineering as he left, opening a panel that would have gone practically unnoticed.
"Why don't you tell them the truth, Captain?"
Alex raised his eyebrows. It was Nero, of course. Nicholas froze with his hand still on the door. Katherine tried to continue.
"The Confederation—"
"Don't talk to me about the Confederation. You know."
"I don't have any more information than what's on your screens. Do you have something to add?"
"They give them neuroadsentol, Nicholas," Nero said bluntly — ostensibly to Nicholas, but addressing the whole crew. "They turn them into obedient humans, for the nyasuk. They force them to inhale it day and night. They don't feel hunger, or sleep. They just produce, like bees in a great hive."
"That m-must be exhausting," Nicholas answered.
"They collapse from exhaustion. When they fall dead, they bring in others and replace them."
"Those are rumors," Nadia interrupted. "It's impossible that something like that could happen, not since Prince Siderion—"
"Is that what's going to h-happen to my brother?"
Nero's expression changed. Alex watched him and passed silent judgment.
"Easy, little grasshopper," Alex said, before the pilot could get another word in. "Be patient. The captain—"
"I'm tired of being told what to do and how to feel. Nobody understands me. They say to be patient because the Confederation is doing something, but it's lies. I miss my brother… every day. The Cult took him from me."
"I'm sorry, Nicholas," Nero managed to say, this time.
"That doesn't mean anything. I had to leave because I c-could have been next. Now leave me alone," he said, slamming the hatch.
Everyone fell silent for a moment.
"Did you get the effect you were after, Nero?" Katherine called out. "Take the opportunity to apologize when he brings you the damage report for Cobra."
"I'd never seen him like that," Birdie said.
"You're so rough," Nadia told Nero.
"Understood," the pilot said to the captain, grudgingly.
"You have a formal warning pending, and I want you to sign it as soon as possible."
"Understood," the pilot repeated.
"Now out of my sight," Katherine said. "Do what Alex tells you. Think before you speak."
Somewhat incredulous, Nero got slowly to his feet and went where the captain directed. He felt like being in Cobra, really. He could have a couple of drinks and put all this behind him.