Nemesis Games

“Well, we haven’t had any new messages since their radio cut out, but if that was an intentional message, this looks like about the worst definition of ‘in control’ I’ve seen in a while. This mystery ship’s not quite on the tumble, but she’s damned close. The way she’s chasing her tail, it’s not going to be easy making an approach, but I’m working on an idea. The Razorback wasn’t built for airlock to airlock. This here’s the kind of ride you land in a hangar. But we’ve got EVA suits for me and Nate. That’s the prime minister. I call him Nate now. Don’t be jealous. Anyway, I figure we put the Razorback at the center of the circle Naomi’s making with our nose up and our ass down, then match roll to the circle she’s making. Then as long as no one pukes in their helmet, we can send someone over to the airlock. Not sure it’ll work, but it’s the best idea I’ve got so far.”

He leaned forward while the tightbeam laser flew the four light-seconds out to the Rocinante, then the four light-seconds back. To judge from the shape of Holden’s face, he was probably at more than one g. Even if the Chetzemoka hadn’t gone into its surprise spin, the Razorback would have been the first to reach it. Holden’s temporary pilot was going to be buying Alex a beer, provided nothing new and unexpected blew up on them. Not that he’d have given good odds on that.

Five seconds in, he remembered that he’d wanted to mention that Bobbie had power armor. He didn’t say it, though, since it would just interrupt whatever Holden was saying right then that wouldn’t be back to Alex for a few more seconds. Light-delay conversations were all about etiquette and taking turns.

“Why don’t we try that as proof of concept?” Holden said. “If it looks like something we can do, I can have the Roci take your place when we get there. Then if we need to cut in through the hull, we can. Have you had any sign from Naomi?”

“Not yet —” Alex began, but it turned out Holden hadn’t been finished, just pausing for breath.

“Because that whole ‘Tell James Holden I’m in control’ thing was weird on a lot of levels. I checked the vocal profile of the message coming off the Chetzemoka – well, actually Fred did. It wouldn’t have occurred to me. Anyway, the way she said James Holden in the first warning message about the bad bottle drivers and the way it was in this new one? Exactly the same. Fred thinks the new message may have been faked. Only then the way it got modified before it shut off… I’m seeing something here, Alex. But I don’t know what it is.”

This time Alex waited until he was sure Holden was done before he started talking. “We haven’t had any sign at all, but it seems to me that someone on the ship’s been trying to raise a flag. And this flying in circles bit makes it seem a lot less like a Trojan horse. Nothing to gain by doing it, other than make everyone inside feel powerfully like throwing up. Honestly, I don’t know what we’re looking at here either, Cap’n, and I don’t think we’re going to know until we get someone inside.”

Eight long seconds there and back again. “I’m just worried that if she is in there and the ship’s out of control, we’re going to be sitting out here dithering while she needs us. I can’t stand the idea that we’ve come this close, and now we’re going to lose her. I know it’s a little crazy, but I’m a little crazy right now. I keep thinking of her being smashed up against the wall by the spin, and me out here where I can’t do anything.”

“Yeah, thruster misfires don’t work like that,” Alex said. “You don’t get any sideways impulse unless the thruster’s actually going. After that, you’ve got a little spin station action pushing the folks behind the center of spin down and the folks forward of it up, but all that is gonna be in line with the thrust from the drive, so all you actually get is —”

“Alex!” Bobbie said. “We’ve got something.”

He twisted on his couch, then turned it to face her. Bobbie’s eyes were on the wall screen. A panel was there, opened to the view from the upper camera. The Chetzemoka was still in its mad spin, but something had come off, floating now across the clear, empty void, stars behind it like the glittering pupil of a vast eye. The eye of the storm. Bobbie tried to zoom in on it the same moment Alex did, and the system made a confused, upset chime, the focus fluctuating wildly before coming to rest. A figure in an EVA suit. There were no lights on the suit, and its back was turned to them, the intense sunlight making the gray material shine almost too brightly to make out details.

“Is she alive?” Alex said.

“She’s moving.”

“How long ago did she come out?”

“Not long,” Bobbie said. “Seconds.”

The figure in the EVA suit lifted her arms, crossing them over her head. The Belter signal for danger. Alex felt his heart speed up.

“Alex!” Holden said, from four seconds ago. “What’s going on?”