Ennui had turned to despair aboard Gyrfalcon.

Despite her best efforts, despite her warning, the crew had believed. Believed in the dream of New Terra, of finding a home for their people, of an end to the running and rusting bulkheads and air alarms. They’d dreamed, they’d prayed, and most of all...they’d hoped.

Learning the transponder was only a mirage broke them.

As the ship altered course and left Earth’s orbit, glad to put that dead planet to their stern...after a brief ceremony to dump the two bodies they’d found...the passengers and crew dragged themselves through their responsibilities, but whatever spark in their eyes that kept them going had been snuffed out. Diggs sensed the mood change immediately; his questioning looks as he watched those around him turn into zombies were impossible to ignore. Maggie tried explaining it to him, though she wasn’t sure how much got through.

During the evening meal Maggie pulled the transponder from her pocket, turning it over and over in her hands. Had there been any conversation, bringing out that item would have brought it to a crashing halt. Instead, all eyes turned to her, watching her fidgeting with sick fascination.

“Why do you still have that thing?” Genvass asked her, breaking the silence. “Hasn’t it done enough damage?”

“I dunno,” she shrugged. “Came all this way for it, just seems weird how damn ordinary it is, you know?” She held it up for all to see, a plain metal case, its surface pitted and dull gray. “A lot of trouble, for a piece of junk.”

“It always was a longshot,” Remi said. “We all knew that.”

Nods around the table, but they were halfhearted at best.

“Are we sure it has nothing useful on it? I mean, really sure?” Sergeant Kai asked.

“Sure as we can be,” Mairead answered. “We checked it seven times, and the results all came back the same way.”

“I still can’t believe it,” Alphad said from the monitor, his wings drooping as they brushed the virtual ground.

Maggie toyed with the device, until Blye’s hand came down to cover hers, ending her efforts. “That’s enough,” she said, though it came out harsher than she’d intended, as if she were addressing an unruly child. She grimaced, pulling her hand away, but didn’t apologize. Diggs glared at her, though she barely noticed.

“Yeah...you’re right,” she sighed. She looked across the table to Mairead. “Here,” she told her, tossing it to her. The engineer caught the box with ease, a curious look on her face. “Put it in Stores,” she told her. “Might be able to cannibalize the parts down the road.”

“Probably for the best,” Mairead agreed, setting it off to one side. No one seemed to have much appetite after that, as the meal broke up and they went their separate ways. The engineer dropped the device in the scrap bin on her way to give the engines one last check, before calling it a night.

Late into Mid Watch, a lone figure flitted through the ship, slipping from one position to the next. They paused for a moment, waiting, and listening, before moving once more, as silent as a breeze. Making their way through the sleeping ship, they halted outside Engineering, before turning left and entering the storage compartment.

Bins and boxes and crates of every size and description filled the space, as the ghost-like figure began their search. They examined each container without making a sound, then returned it to its original condition before moving on to the next.

“...lookin’ for this?”

The lights came on with a snap, throwing the two figures into the harsh glare. Maggie held up the transponder as she stared at the interloper, before shaking her head. “Somehow, I figured it’d be you.”

Samara stood up, smirking back at her. “Clever girl,” she purred. “I knew there had to be more data on that device than you were letting on. How d'you manage it?”

“Switched it out with the one I took from the other corpse when Mairead’s back was turned,” the Tinker told her. “I learned the hard way to keep your cards close and save an ace for when you need it.”

“Indeed.” The Protean’s smile was brilliant. “So...let’s talk deal. What do you want?”

Maggie wasn’t smiling. “What do I want? Answers, to start.”

The other woman tsked back at her. “Can’t help you there, I’m afraid.”

“Then we got a problem,” she replied, her voice low and dark.

“It doesn’t have to be like that, Maggie, I have no quarrel with you. Name your price. Money? Position? Power? Whatever it is you want, I can make it happen.”

The Tinker rolled her eyes. “Your boss Jibril said the same damn thing to me, back when this whole mess started. I ain’t for sale.”

Samara sighed. “Maggie, I’m trying to be reasonable here. I’m not looking to be your enemy.” The smile disappeared as her eyes narrowed. “But I will have that data...one way or another.”

“Why?” she demanded, “What’s so damn important about it? What’s your angle?”

“Questions I’m afraid I can’t answer,” the Protean said. “Last chance Maggie, I won’t ask again. Hand it over, and I’ll make you a rich woman.” She took a step forward as her body tensed. “Think carefully...do you believe for an instant that you can keep it from me?”

Maggie shook her head. “Nope, don’t reckon I do. You’re half my age, trained, and packed with God knows what alien goodies. Hell...I ain’t even armed. If you try to take it, I can’t stop you.”

“Then why play out this foolish charade? Because if I have to take it from you, things become...messy. Neither of us want that.” She held out her hand. “Give it to me, Maggie, or I will come over there and take it.”

The older woman shrugged. “Like I said, don’t figure I can stop you.”

“...but I can,” a voice said from behind. Samara whirled around, freezing as she saw Rúna blocking the exit, her sidearm trained in a shooting stance.

The grin came back with a vengeance. “I really underestimated you,” she chuckled. “Well played, Maggie...well played indeed. But I’m afraid it changes nothing.”

“Oh? Cause this 11.7mm autoloader begs to differ.” The corporal gestured with her weapon. “Hands. Let’s see ‘em.”

The Protean shook her head, as if she were tutoring a slow learner. “My dear, I’m certain you’re skilled in your own area. But we’re not on your battlefield...we’re on mine.” In a heartbeat she bounded from her position to Maggie’s, appearing at her side as a weapon of her own filled her hand, the barrel stroking the older woman’s cheek. “You’re good, I know,” she continued, not missing a beat, “...but you’re not that good. Now lose the gun.”

Maggie struggled as Rúna hesitated, earning her a sharp rap on the side of her neck. Pain exploded in her skull, rippling down her body like an ion storm. “Vagus nerve,” Samara explained. “A tap to cause pain, a stronger blow to cripple, a full strike to kill.” The Tinker kept from crying out only by sheer force of will, as Samara’s eyes flashed dark and deadly. “The gun, corporal. I won’t ask again.”

“Not. Happening,” she said through gritted teeth.

“...take the shot, damnit!” Maggie shouted.

“Oh yes, by all means…take the shot, corporal,” Samara hissed, as she screwed her own weapon into Maggie’s ear, “and then I’ll take mine.”

Maggie saw her friend waver, as she recognized the stalemate for what it was. “No...I don’t think so,” she said, though the barrel of her weapon didn’t move. “But then I don’t need to, do I? You’re boxed in, Samara. Nowhere to run. All I have to do is make a call.”

“If you take a step away from that hatch, I pull the trigger,” she snapped. “You don’t want to see her brains decorating the bulkhead, now do you?” The barrel swung towards the redhead. “Or I could just kill you from here.”

“Samara?” Maggie said quietly.

“Yes, what is it?” she smirked. “Begging won’t change things, I’m afraid.”

“Wasn’t plannin’ on it,” she told her. “Just wanted to say somethin’.”

“Go right ahead. I could use the distraction.” The Protean didn’t sound concerned.

Maggie took a deep breath. “Never screw with a Tinker.”

She shifted her foot, closing the circuit...sending one hundred thousand volts into both their bodies.

Maggie ran in a blind panic, desperate to find some way to escape. But where? Katabasis wasn’t that big, and if someone was hunting her, they’d find her. She came to another intersection and turned right, heading down a side passage towards the Bridge. Surely that had to be safe! She congratulated herself on her cleverness...only to yelp in terror as a hand clamped over her mouth and dragged her into a side compartment.

“Hush, I won’t hurt you,” a voice whispered, as her eyes darted about in fright. Someone moved out from behind her, while still keeping her mouth covered. Maggie froze as she recognized Ha-Yun, one of the Corsairs.

“Now I’ll take my hand away if you promise not to scream. Can you do that?” She nodded in a convulsive motion, and true to her word the woman released her. “You should have stayed in your compartment,” she hissed, “you’d have been safer there.”

“...what’s happening?” Maggie got out, sounding more like a squeak. “I saw Xavier and Zajiddi and they were...they were....” Her words trailed off, unable to finish horrifying thought.

The older woman grimaced. “Damn it.” She shook her head, warding off the news for now. “I’ll tell you what’s happening...someone’s killing everybody. We barely got a warning from Sead before he…” She closed her eyes, his fate all too clear.

Maggie winced and looked away. She’d liked the cook; he’d always make something special for her if she asked. “Who?” she whispered, “Who’s doing this?”

“I don’t know,” Ha-Yun answered, as she held up a compact pistol, “but if they come for me, I’ll be ready for them.”

Her eyes fixated on the weapon. The Chief would keep them both safe. She let out the breath she’d been holding, only to have another thought intrude. “...Master Schnoebelen! Have you seen him? He wasn’t in our compartment.”

“Sorry.” The woman took a risk and craned her neck, peering into the corridor before darting back inside. “All right...we make for the Bridge. We can fort up there and hold them off.” Maggie nodded, happy to let her take charge. “You stay behind me and do what I say. Understand?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Good.” Ha-Yun took another look into the passage. “Coast is clear. We move on three. Ready?” The young apprentice nodded once more. “All right then. One...two...three.” The Chief peeled off and stepped into the hallway, checking her flanks with the pistol at the ready, before inching her way towards the ship’s bow, with Maggie right on her tail.

They came to a halt at a T-junction, with Ha-Yun holding up her free hand. The young Tinker stopped, waiting for a sign from the Corsair, as she once again peeked around the corner, pulling back a moment later. With a wave she motioned for them to keep moving, crossing the open hallway as quickly as they could. They spoke no words for fear the wrong ears might listen in.

Minutes later they came to a halt ahead of another junction. The Chief motioned for her to hold fast while she looked, with Maggie watching anxiously as she checked the passageway….only to see her head explode in a fountain of gore, the shot echoing as Ha-Yun’s body crumpled to the deck.

She screamed, and kept screaming, even as she turned tail and ran. The only thought in her head now was to escape, to get as far away as she could, to run and run and run until she was safe...except there was only so far she could go. Maggie stumbled to a halt when the hull blocked her path, leaving her gasping for air and her limbs trembling, as she looked around and realized her subconscious must have guided her to the one place she might have a chance.

Engineering.

She spotted Radoslav’s toolkit, the ship’s engineer, yanking it open and looking for something, anything she could use to defend herself…only every tool she grabbed seemed inadequate, paling compared to the devastation she’d just witnessed. She needed a gun, damn it! An enormous gun, with lots of ammo, and…

Maggie froze as an eerie calm came over her. A gun? She’d never even held a gun before. She was more likely to blow her own head off.

“You’re no Valkyrie,” her brain snapped, “you’re a Tinker…so start thinking like one.”

...right.

Ideas and possibilities began coalescing, only to be quickly dismissed. They’d take too much time, and that was the one thing she didn’t have. She needed something she could use now. Maggie cast about for inspiration...only to have her eyes fall on the dynamo.

Perfect.

In a rush she began throwing switches and closing breakers, rerouting the current, sending it in directions it wasn’t meant to go. The plan she’d hatched was born of desperation; something only a fool apprentice, one without experience or a sense of self-preservation, could conceive.

Someone with just enough knowledge to be a hazard to themselves...and to others.

A shadow moved in the hatchway as she disabled the final safety interlock. Grabbing a wrench, she clung to it for dear life...as a figure stepped into the compartment.

“...Master Schnoebelen? Thank God!” The wrench clattered to the deck as she sagged in relief. “I was so worried...”

Time came to a stop as he raised the weapon.

“...no...oh no…” she whimpered. “Please...it’s me! It’s Maggie!”

Her Master paused, his head twitching in small jerks. “...Maggie…” he rasped, “...can’t...can’t...can’t…”

He fired, the heavy slug whanging into a console as she dove for cover, narrowly avoiding the follow-up shot that ricocheted off the bulkhead. “...can’t...can’t...can’t…” he kept uttering, as if he were stuck on the word like a glitched playback, before firing yet again. Sparks flew as a backup generator ground to a halt...when Maggie staggered back to her feet. Their eyes met for a moment...and in that instant, she knew.

Her Master, her mentor, her surrogate father...was gone. What was left was something that only resembled him. Maggie closed her eyes, bowing her head in defeat.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered...before throwing the switch.

The transformer exploded; all the pent-up energy she’d directed to it released in a flash. Master Schnoebelen disappeared, torn to shreds in the blast, as the shockwave threw her back against the hull, before sliding down to the deck. Her ears roared in muffled cotton while novas blasted apart before her eyes. Maggie struggled to sit up, only to scream in agony as she felt something tear into her guts.

A jagged piece of metal the size of a dinner plate, part of the transformer housing, protruded from her stomach.

“...well...fuck…” she mumbled, before losing consciousness.