She frowned at him, trying not to sound angry. "I'm asking you because we're partners in this, and because you know everything about the Urth ship and what it can do."

"Yeah, but…" Jason shrugged, his expression shifting too rapidly for Kira to follow. "I don't know."

"Yes, you do! Stars above, Jason, you've got a good mind! Why are you afraid to use it?"

He stared at the floor, unhappy. "Maybe because all my life I've been told my mind is below average. Nobody listens to me."

"I'm listening!" Kira insisted. "I need your help on this!"

Jason looked at her, baffled. "Um…okay. Uh…they only have a few drones they can send out to look for me, and you're right about being in crowds being better for hiding my biometrics. Yeah, they'll send the drones out around the ship first, then out here. They can manufacture more drones with the printers on the ship, but that'll take time. And they can't make enough to cover everywhere. If you think up north there is best, we should do that."

"Good. Let's get going," Kira said, standing again and putting on her pack. She did her best to sound confident, trying to reassure Jason and deny the worries tightening her guts when she thought of everything that might go wrong.

But millions of lives. Maybe billions. She couldn't let that happen. Her mother had put herself between the Great Guilds and the world, her father had literally almost given his life to save her mother, and she would either do this or go down fighting.

Speaking of which… "Jason, just so we're clear, we may be partners for getting this done, but we are not partners in any other way. If you ever touch me without permission I will beat you bloody."

Jason shrugged. "Sure. I'm used to that from girls. Most of them are a little more diplomatic when they threaten me with bodily harm, but I understand."

She couldn't help smiling. "Then we shouldn't have any problems." Her smile faded as Jason stepped out the window, where Kira now saw the Urth flier waiting, its big egg-shaped outer surface somehow changed to a dark shade that blended with the night.

A small platform extended out from the opening in the flier, giving Jason something to step onto before he entered the device. Inside, Kira could see a few seats and odd objects fastened to the floor and the walls.

Kira took a deep breath, thought again about whether this was the right thing to do, then with her heart pounding with anxiety followed Jason into the dark.

Chapter 4

"Alain!"

The morning had begun with no sign of immediate trouble, but the urgency in Mari's voice brought him to Kira's room as quickly as he could move.