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Back Seven Devils
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1.
  4. 2.
  5. 3.
  6. 4.
  7. 5.
  8. 6.
  9. 7.
  10. 8.
  11. 9.
  12. 10.
  13. 11.
  14. 12.
  15. 13.
  16. 14.
  17. 15.
  18. 16.
  19. 17.
  20. 18.
  21. 19.
  22. 20.
  23. 21.
  24. 22.
  25. 23.
  26. 24.
  27. 25.
  28. 26.
  29. 27.
  30. 28.
  31. 29.
  32. 30.
  33. 31.
  34. 32.
  35. 33.
  36. 34.
  37. 35.
  38. 36.
  39. 37.
  40. 38.
  41. 39.
  42. 40.
  43. 41.
  44. 42.
  45. 43.
  46. 44.
  47. 45.
  48. 46.
  49. 47.
  50. 48.
  51. 49.
  52. 50.
  53. 51.
  54. 52.
  55. 53.
  56. 54.
  57. 55.
  58. 56.
  59. 57.
  60. EPILOGUE
  61. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  62. ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Ariadne cleared her throat. “It looks like there are references to other experiments, too,” she said, voice so small. “I can find the files, but it’s risky. If the Oracle activates, One could run a search on our location and find us.” Ariadne swallowed. “I could take the digipad back to the ship—”

“No,” Eris said. “The Oracle has trackers on these pads. One will know the second it leaves the atmosphere. Either we take the information now, or you waste time disabling it. Choose.”

“Okay. Save me the work,” Ariadne said. Her fingers sped across the tablet, fast as lightning. She went still as she found another list and projected the information in front of everyone.

The girl clicked the first file, labeled VESTA REPORT. Eris went numb as she read the first few lines: Ichor administered. Average survival rate: 10 days. Longest survival rate: 12 days. Shortest survival rate: 8 days. Total casualties: 5,673.

Clo’s breath hitched and Rhea reached out to grasp her hand.

Ariadne selected the next file. CERCYON REPORT. Ichor administered. Average survival rate: 9 days. Longest survival rate: 10 days. Shortest survival rate: 8 days. Total casualties: 10,422.

Close to half a dozen worlds. All of them on the outer fringes of the Iona galaxy. Small backwater planets and moons colonized by the Tholosian Empire that were rarely visited because either they were resourceless, they had restricted access, or their colonies never grew beyond the few people randomly assigned at birth to live there. They were places no one would miss.

And since the asteroid hit Charon and took out the Empire’s most productive food source, they were a drain on the Empire.

Too many mouths to feed.

Ariadne scrolled down to the last one, and Clo let out a choked whisper. “I know that one. I know that one.”

She seized the digipad from Ariadne and her hand trembled as she clicked on the words FORTUNA REPORT. The projection flashed. Clo pressed a hand to her mouth to muffle her sob. Tears filled her eyes and the digipad dropped to the floor with a clatter.

“Gods,” she breathed. “Oh, gods.”

Eris’s heart slammed against her ribs as she read the words projected in front of them all.

FORTUNA REPORT: Ichor administered. Average survival rate: 3 days. Longest survival rate: 5 days. Shortest survival rate: 2 hours 22 seconds. Casualties: 15,341. Complete extermination.

Clo snapped her head up and looked at Eris. “This is all your fluming fault.”

Rhea sucked in a breath. “Clo—”

“Don’t,” Clo never tore her eyes away from Eris. “None of you understand what she did. What she’s responsible for.”

Eris tried to keep her features even, composed. “Stop it, Clo.”

“The people on Fortuna saved me and Sher. And the Empire killed them like they were nothing.” She slammed her hand on the commander’s desk. “This mission doesn’t erase the things you did. It doesn’t make you any fucking different.”