Desert Bound (eBook)

ShadowTech Book 1

TW Iain (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2022 | 1. Auflage
336 Seiten
TW Iain (Verlag)
978-0-00-035893-6 (ISBN)

Infos

Ryann never wanted to be a commander. Nor did she want to be a fugitive, on the run from the company that trained and enhanced her. And she definitely didn't want to end up in a lawless desert city, hunting an ancient tech relic for a double-crossing crime boss.

The relic is the key to untapped power, and others hunt it with ruthless determination, willing to kill any who get in their way. As enemies close in, as the company watches from the shadows, and as her crew crumbles around her, Ryann must fight like she's never fought before.

Desert Bound is the first book in the sci-fi/adventure series ShadowTech.

Textauszug

Ryann

The mood in the Proteus’ cabin was sombre, but Ryann couldn’t have expected anything else.

They all sat around the table, and they’d listened as Ryann recounted the meeting with Fay. Brice, seated opposite her, kept his head down and his thoughts to himself. Deva and Piran, both to her right, had wide eyes and open mouths, Deva shaking her head slowly. And Keelin, to Ryann’s left, sat stoically, her face a mask.

At least she’d joined them. At least she’d left the bridge. Spending too much time alone up there wasn’t good for anyone.

“Five thousand?” Piran choked on the words. Colour rose in his cheeks. “Only five thousand?”

“We were lucky to get that,” Ryann said.

“He said we’d get a round hundred! Five thou’s nothing! How could you let him get away with that?”

“Nothing she could do,” Brice said, his voice a monotone. He glared at Piran.

Piran slunk back into his seat and glared back. Ryann felt a knot in her stomach. The last thing she needed was squabbling.

“We always knew he’d find some way of crossing us,” she said. “Five thousand’s far less than we could have expected, but it’s better than nothing.”

“Apparently,” Brice said.

He met her eyes, and his gaze was cold.

“You still believe we should have walked,” she said‌—‌a statement rather than a question.

He shrugged. “You checked Martell’s records. Nothing about a dodgy heart. Fay killed him, put the blame on you. Should’ve seen that coming.”

“If he wanted Martell dead,” Piran said, leaning across the table and pointing a finger at Brice, “then why get us to bring him in alive?” The tech turned to Ryann.

She nodded, giving him the back-up he desired. “He has a point,” she said.

“And you already know my thoughts.”

He’d talked, far more than normal, on the long walk back to the landing pad. He’d told her everything he felt was wrong with the operation, highlighting all the opportunities they’d missed to salvage the situation.

No‌—‌all the opportunities she’d missed. Even though he could’ve brought his concerns to her at any point, Brice had remained silent. And now that Fay had short-changed them he laid the blame on her shoulders.

But he needed to take responsibility too.

“The rest of the crew don’t. They need to hear your ideas.”

His mouth twitched, because he knew exactly what she was doing, and he didn’t like being manipulated. But he nodded, glanced around the table, and spoke.

“Martell was a test. Fay never intended to give us the full reward. He was only checking us out. Way I see it, we passed. So we get the new job.”

“New job?” Piran frowned. “He wants us to work for him again?”

“That would appear to be the case.” Ryann sighed. “Brice’s assessment feels correct.”

“And there’s no guarantee he won’t stiff us again,” Brice said.

“Never any bloody guarantees,” Keelin muttered.

“So what’s the new job?” Piran pulled out his palm-terminal and opened a blank note-sheet. “Might as well hear the details. Can always pull out if it looks too dodgy. Right?”

He turned to Deva. The girl shrugged. “No harm in talking it through.”

Brice shook his head. “Can’t trust him. I say we get out while we’re ahead.”

“Ahead?” Piran smacked a hand down on the table. “You call five thousand ahead?”

“Better than nothing. Not like we haven’t got enough in the tank. Right, Keelin?”

“Always keep her escape-ready. Still need funds, though. Going to need decent idents to get off this rock.”

Piran frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean? You reckon you can get better false records, be my guest. Take a wander into the city, hack a couple of systems, set up a trail of records. Shouldn’t be a problem, yeah?” He shook his head. “Oh, that’s right‌—‌you can’t leave, can you? And even if you could, you wouldn’t have a clue how to crack systems.”

<‍You sure he needs both his arms?‍> Keelin sussed, tight to Ryann.

She might’ve smiled, but the light-heartedness in Keelin’s tone was a front. The pilot tensed as she stared across the table at the tech.

Ryann raised her hands. “That’s not helping,” she said. “Piran, you know that checks will be stricter getting off-planet. We’re going to need more funds.”

<‍And Keelin? Stop winding him up.‍>

<‍He didn’t need to have a dig.‍>

<‍He’s worried.‍>

<‍Terrified, more like.‍>

She had a point. The old Piran, back in Haven and on Metis, had been confident. He’d been cock-sure and annoying, true, but he’d always believed in himself.

Not any more, though. Now, Piran looked to others for assurance. Especially Deva.

She gave him what he needed, but her patience was wearing thin. Too often Ryann caught that strained look on her face.

She couldn’t let her crew fall apart. They were all she had.

“Fay’s offered a round million for this new job,” she said. “We should at least consider it.” She raised her eyebrows as she shot Brice a glance. “We can’t afford to judge too fast.”

He eased back, just a fraction. It was as much of a concession as she could expect.

“So what’s the job?” Piran asked. “He want another rival brought in so he can kill them?”

“The target’s not a person this time. He’s asking us to retrieve an ancient artefact.”

“Ancient,” Deva said, “or Ancient?”

Piran shook his head, turning to Deva. “You believe all that crap?”

“It’s not about what I believe.”

“She has a point. Whether this artefact did come from some millennium-old race or not, Fay believes it exists, and he’s determined to get his hands on it.”

“And he wants us to do his dirty work for him?”

“He does.”

Piran’s mouth twitched. “Fine. Let’s hear it, then.”

Ryann paused, and looked to each of her crew in turn. When she was certain she had their full attention, she spoke.

She told them everything Fay had told her, and the scant information she’d been able to pull up through the downloaded records they had in the Proteus.

The Cyastone was rumoured to indeed be of Ancient origin, an object from that mysterious, long-departed race who might be human or might be something else. It was supposedly some kind of key, although whether this was physical or metaphorical was open to interpretation.

The Cyastone was about the size of a hand, and resembled a plain box of stone. Reports varied on the type of rock, if indeed it was rock and not something artificial.

“It definitely exists?” Piran said. “Thought half these Ancient artefacts were myths.”

“Most myths have roots in the real. Fay’s convinced the Cyastone exists, and the records I’ve seen so far would back that up.”

“So we’re looking for a box. Doesn’t narrow things down. Could be anywhere.”

She nodded. “But it’s important‌—‌to the right people, at least. That means it won’t simply be laying around. It’ll be somewhere secure.”

“Which makes stealing it harder.”

“It also limits the possible locations it could be.”

Deva’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve got an idea, right?”

“One or two. Fay said it would take us time to track it down, but he seems convinced it’s in the city. So our first task will be to research. It might be in a private collection, but I doubt it. It’s more likely the artefact is in the hands of an organisation, possibly protected by local governance.”

“Like a museum?”

Ryann smiled at Deva. The girl was quick. “That’s definitely a possibility. But as I said, we need to know more. I need to visit the library to check on their records.”

Piran snorted. “Right. Because this place is a hive of intellectual activity. Might find some nice picture books, though.”

Deva thumped him, hard enough that he shot her a mean glare. “Do you ever pay attention? There’s all these digs, all this history. The city’s home to criminals and archaeologists. Right, Ryann?”

She nodded. “There have been archaeological digs all round the city for years, and that’s drawn a powerful academic contingent. Hence the library and museum.” She turned to Deva. “How do you fancy being a tourist tomorrow?”

“You want me to check out that museum?” She rolled her eyes. “Sure. That’ll be fun. Nothing I like better than stomping round rooms of old pottery and crap.”

“I heard they’ve got a whole wing on mechanics.”

Deva shrugged. “Might not be too bad. Be good to have a walk, anyway. Sure.”

“You want me to go with her?” Piran asked.

“Doubt I’ll get attacked in a museum.”

“Got to get there first. All kinds of degenerates round here.”

“I can take care of myself.” Deva reached into her jacket and pulled out her screwdriver.

“Not like you’d be much help anyway,” Keelin said. “First sign of trouble, you’d fall apart.”

Piran glared. “Not my fault I’m not built for strength. Got other skills, haven’t I?”

Keelin reached forward and snatched up Piran’s palm terminal. “Not without this, you haven’t.”

“And that’s why you’ve got a different job tomorrow,” Ryann said, before things got out of hand.

Piran’s brow furrowed as he turned to her.

<‍Keelin, give him back his terminal.‍>

Keelin...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 23.5.2022
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Science Fiction
• ISBN-10: 0-00-035893-2 / 0000358932
• ISBN-13: 978-0-00-035893-6 / 9780000358936