The Steel Harvest Read Free

limbs bent at odd angles.
    What fresh hell is this?
    Taking a deep breath, Carter forced himself toward the untouched pod.
    There’s someone inside that thing.
    A young girl lay within the final cylinder. She appeared fifteen or sixteen, with long auburn hair and a slender frame. Suspended by a yellowish, water-like substance, she floated within the confines of the pod, her body completely relaxed. Carter gulped, barely aware of his nose as it rebounded off the glass cover in front of him. The sunlight from the crack in the hull made her bare skin shine.
    Who is she?
    Carter put his hand to the covering. For once, his mind drew a blank. Scavenging often led to wrecks like this, but Carter couldn’t recall ever finding a survivor among the wreckage before. For a brief moment, he watched the girl, her chest heaving slightly as she breathed through a tube, her hair drifting around her. What should he do?
    The serenity within the room shattered as a siren pierced the air. Carter jolted back, his hand slipping off the front of the pod. Inside, the girl’s face contorted, the breathing tube collapsing in on itself. Carter watched in horror as she convulsed.
    Wake up, you idiot! She’s dying!
    Behind Carter, the pulsing yellow light dulled red, pulsing faster and faster as the siren droned on. Scanning the room, he spotted a small terminal against the stairwell leading back to the hallway. Dashing to it, Carter flipped through the commands, heart pounding. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the girl’s neck arc back, her hands twitching as she fought to breathe. His gaze landed on the last option on the board, and he slammed his hand onto the large confirm button next to the console.
    The sirens died, and the fluid within the final pod drained simultaneously. Noting the spinning gears on the side of the metal cylinder, Carter ran forward. The front of the pod promptly slid away, leaving the girl to fall to the deck with a thud.
    Holy shit! Is she okay?
    The girl coughed violently, pushing herself up with both arms. Leaning down next to her, Carter stripped off his hoodie, draping it over her back.
    “Hey, are you okay? Are you all right?”
    After a moment, the girl nodded in response.
    Relieved, Carter ran back upstairs to the crew. “Guys! Get over here, now!”
    He dashed back down into the wreckage. Taking the stairs two at a time, he could see the girl hunched over on all fours. As she gagged and sputtered, a stream of the yellow liquid from her pod dripped from her mouth, coating the floor. Dropping to his knees, Carter tentatively patted her back. Behind him, the sound of footsteps grew louder and louder.
    “What is it, greenho—” Drew stopped short, staring wide-eyed at the young girl in front of him. “Boss, you’re going to want to see this!”
    A few moments later, Marcus strode into the room. He smelled of smoke, his hair littered with ash as he brushed himself off. The others were in similar states, the fire abandoned in light of Carter’s outburst. Marcus walked up behind Carter and the girl, putting a hand on Carter’s shoulder.
    “Good work, but put that damn pistol away. You’re not going to need it here.”
    Marcus’s voiced hinted malice as he leaned down to smile at the girl. He slouched patiently as she coughed up the rest of the liquid and wiped her mouth. When she finally glanced up, her scarlet-red eyes searched Marcus’s face.
    “Hello, miss,” Marcus said. “My name is Marcus Ward. I’m a scavenger, and these are my men. Your ship has been in a very grave accident. Can you tell me your name?”
    “S-Silvia. My name is Silvia,” the girl answered in a quiet voice.
    Carter watched her, momentarily bewitched.
    Marcus’s grin widened. “It’s very nice to meet you, Silvia. Tell me, are you from The Shell?”
    “The-The Shell?”
    “The exoskeleton surrounding the planet.”
    “Oh, yes. I’m from The Shell.”
    The girl named Silvia finally sat up. Zipping up the hoodie around