Chapter 10

“We’ll dock at Stellan Port once we’re back in the quadrant,” Raylay said from the cockpit.

His volume increased, and his yawn triggered one from Relda.

Relda glanced at the closet wall. It was deactivated, and she relaxed. Exhaustion overtook her. Images flashed in her mind. She was at the Temple gate, aiming her blaster at the security cams threatening her cover. The cams smoked and collapsed, and she concealed her weapon again. She wrinkled her nose at the gold plated door. Ancient voices echoed from beyond the door. She gulped, and, ignoring the nausea, swung one foot--then the other--over the gate. Her heart palpitated. Adrenaline coursed her body. She rubbed her palms together and grabbed her blaster again.

She waved the butt of the blaster at the door, and with a running head start, she applied force to the door. Deadness met the force, and she slammed the blaster into the gold plates again. The second time, she threw her body against it.

The door caved, and fell flat on the ancient paneled flooring--taking her with it. She lay flat on the floor for a few instants, and stood up to gaze down stretches of panels, long, jeweled boxes and crystal cases that lined the gold walls. She walked on the tips of her toes, taking in the view. The floor ended at a jeweled box as long as she was tall. She ran her hand down the lid and rammed her blaster into the lid until a hole tore that she could fit her hand through. She cringed at the fleshy texture on the other side, but grinned at the feeling of a cool metal followed by cloth. She drew her hand back, and gasped at the compass medallion of Qor in her palm.

Relda sat up. Cold sweat moistened the inside of her garment. It was real. It had happened, but she was in the women’s bunkroom, and the medallion--the most precious possession in the galaxy--had slipped from her possession. She rested her head on the cushion, still out of sorts.

The abrupt unsealing of the doorway jolted her alert. A liquid crystal viewing screen flashed in her direction, and Raylay spoke from behind it.

“Have a look at this,” he said.