Page 89 of Bound By Stars
“ILSA, override the lock and open it.”
She moves toward the panel, an ellipsis running across her face screen.
The little round window is black, complete darkness.
An exclamation mark flashes on ILSA’s face screen.
“End silent mode.”
“Inaccessible. The security level is impassable.”
“Passengers aren’t supposed to be down here.” At the end of the hall, a porter I’ve seen before with a thick beard and long ponytail leads a tow-bot carrying a pallet of boxes.
“And yet, here I am.”
“Excuse me?”
ILSA pivots toward him. “She said, ‘And yet—’”
“We were just leaving.” I shove off the door.
He sighs loudly like I’ve ruined his day. “I’ll have to escort you back up.”
“I got it, Spence. Take the load to the kitchen.” Reve appears from around the corner, tucking a key fob into his vest pocket.
The other porter nods, eyeing me, as he waves the bot to follow.
“Always in places you aren’t supposed to be.” He shifts his focus to ILSA, raising one eyebrow. “I expected this from Weslie, but ILSA, I figured you’d keep her out of trouble.”
“Weslie’s listening skills seem to be damaged. She is unable to process my warnings.”
I glare at ILSA. Traitorous bot. If I didn’t know better, I would think she had a crush on Reve herself.
He hits the button next to the door to the white hall. “Let’s go.”
“Hey, do you happen to have access to this one?” My voice is so overly sweet I’m even suspicious of myself. I point my thumb back at the door behind me, straining to keep my eyes off his vest pocket.
“No. That’s a private hold.” He waves toward the open door impatiently.
“I supplied this information two minutes and sixteen seconds ago, Weslie.” The white dots on her face screen both move in a circle as she spins toward Reve and moves through the exit.
I follow, glancing back at the locked bay one last time, imagining the rows and rows of ILSAs. And there’s nothing I can do about it. Even if I found a way in, we’d be on Mars before I got through dismantling half of them on my own. And they’d only repair the bots and get rid of me like I’m sure they plan to. I could tell anyone who would listen, but what will it help against a multi-trillion-dollar corporation? “I wish I’d just stayed on Earth.”
Reve hums a reply, staying a step ahead of me.
“I always thought I wanted to be on Mars, but if it’s anything like it is upstairs with all the rituals and traditions, ruled by hierarchy, business deals instead of personal relationships… You should see the way people act around Sabine Dalloway like she’s a god.”
“I’ve noticed.” He rounds a corner.
I have to scramble to keep up. “It’s disgusting. All those first-class Elysian snobs.”
He laughs, shaking his head, gaze flicking back at me for a millisecond, but long enough to see there’s something more to it.
I take longer strides, keeping pace beside him.
His jaw is set, eyes focused forward. There’s a strange tension in every movement, unlike the relaxed and casually confident way he usually carries himself.
I’m talking about myself too much. “How was the rest of the party?”
