The Ruins of Karzelek (The Mandrake Company series Book 4) by Ruby Lionsdrake Page B

as he knew, Karzelek didn’t even have a government, just an office on the nearest space station that issued claims. If Ferago Enterprises wanted to pursue legal action, it would likely hire a bounty hunter to deal with Kalish. That information probably wouldn’t comfort her. Sedge decided to keep quiet and let her mother handle the comforting.
    “ I was afraid something like this would happen,” her mother said. “I told you this wouldn’t be as simple as you thought.”
    Sedge frowned. That wasn’t very comforting.
    Kalish’s shoulders slumped further, and Sedge resisted another urge to get up, this time because he wanted to place an arm around her, offer her a hug if she needed one. But he was nothing to her; what solace would she take from his embrace?
    “ I know,” Kalish said. “I was envisioning being caught and having to escape if things went bad, but not blowing up buildings and killing people. Dad... wouldn’t want this.”
    Sedge made a note to look up her father and try to find out what had happened to him. Get him back, she had said. From where? From whom? And how could prospecting amongst alien ruins achieve that?
    “ I know. Are you sure you don’t want us to come back for you?” A few spats of static interrupted the words, and Sedge wondered where her mother was calling from.
    Kalish rubbed her face. “Are the mining ships still after you?”
    “ Two of them turned back, and two are looking for us. Tia is certain we can lose them in the nebula.”
    Ah, her ship had left the planet.
    “ Be careful. Go farther out if you need to. I want them to think we got what we wanted—or maybe that we didn’t get what we wanted—and that we’re gone. The mercenaries promised me that their ships have sensor shielding and that the miners wouldn’t be able to tell they’re still down here unless they’re right on top of them. There’s nothing that fancy on the Divining Rod, I’m afraid, so you’ll have to stay away until they’ve stopped looking.”
    “ If we get much farther out, we’ll lose our ability to communicate with you. The nebula is already making things patchy.”
    “ That’s all right. I’ll be fine down here. There’s a lot of data to go through here, and I sent the mercenary shuttles out to look for cave entrances.”
    That explained where Val and Commander Thatcher had gone then, off piloting the two shuttles. Had they taken Striker and Tick too?
    “ I already told you,” Kalish’s mother said, “I don’t like the idea of you alone down there with them. I know Dad is at the forefront of your mind, but if you locate those ruins, and you find something even half as valuable as we anticipate, those mercenaries might suddenly forget what we’re offering to pay them, make us disappear, and take what they want for themselves.”
    Kalish glanced toward Sedge. He didn’t have time to close his eyes fully, but they had only been open to slits. He kept his breathing slow and steady, hoping the dim lighting would not let her see his eyes through his lashes.
    “ We’re a long ways from having anything valuable,” Kalish said, “if there even is anything. Look, they’re around down here, so let’s not talk about this further. I need you and Tia to stay away until the miners have gone back to their regular schedules. Then only come back once the main mercenary ship is attacking them, and they’re too harried to notice you. The miners have more advanced security technology than we thought, so be careful. If you can’t make it back... I’ll continue with this team of mercenaries. Their little shuttles will be better equipped for going into the caves anyway. I expect some tight spaces down there.”
    “ Did you talk to the Mandrake Company captain about the attack yet?”
    “ Not yet. I will. We have to find a way into the cavern complex first, or there’s little point in the diversion.”
    A patch of static came over the comm. “Are you sure you don’t want to abort?” her