“Look, Lacy, I get it.You’re stressed out,” Burn said.“But if you don’t eat, you might pass out.If you pass out, we might have to abandon the mission.And even if we don’t have to abort, you’ll be out of commission, and we might not recognize your sister.So I think you should eat, so we have a better chance of rescuing her.But that’s just me.”
“Fine,” Lacy said with an exasperated sigh.She didn’t dig in the way the rest of the team did, but she took reasonable bites.
Thank you, I mouthed to Burn.
She rolled her eyes and made kissy motions at me.
I finished my coffee and after enjoying the clatter of silverware and the sounds of a full dining room, I steepled my hands and studied my team.“Once we launch, we’ll have about ten hours in transit.I want to use that time to check our gear and prep for the mission.Mercer and Orion, you’ll be in charge of the equipment, while Burn and I pilot the ship.We’ll rotate through so you can gear us up as well.”
Lacy swallowed the last of the pastry and looked at me.“What about me?”
“You’re in charge of the engine room and the cargo.Whatever we need to make this look legit.”
We’d hammered this all out last night, but it was good to go over it again.
“Pick the least military-looking clothes you have,” Lacy said.“We’re just traders, not soldiers.I picked up coveralls for everyone that sayFortuna.Unless you don’t want to advertise.”
“No names.”Everyone agreed.
“Then try to look more like Blazer than space corps.”
I winced, but knew what she was saying.The man was famous—or infamous—for his high boots, dark trousers, vest, and gun belt.
“We’ll do our best,” I said before anyone could argue.My clothes didn’t look anything like that, but I’d find something.Burn would probably look like a supermodel, though.
“Finally, I’ll need you guys to kit Lacy out with protective gear.”Neither Burn nor I had body armor—I hadn’t even thought it was something we would need aboard—but the guys had brought some for us.Now we just had to cobble together something for Lacy.
“Any questions?”
When no one responded, I continued.“Great, we launch in an hour.”
The breakfast conversation turned to regular topics and my three team members caught each other up on what they’d been doing since leaving the corps.I listened with half an ear, most of my attention on Lacy.When she finished her meal and pushed away from the table, I followed.
We walked side by side in silence to the crew quarters.When we reached the captain’s quarters, I grabbed her hand and pulled her inside with me.
“I love what you’ve done with the place,” she quipped.
I was glad to see that hint of humor return.
As she turned in a circle to study the room, I did the same.My quarters were twice the size of the crew cabins, which meant not only a bigger bed, but more furniture.There was a bigger desk in an alcove, almost like an office.A bigger bathroom.And a bigger closet.
And all I’d brought with me was a duffle bag full of clothes.They barely made a dent in the closet space.“I keep wondering if I should let someone else take it.”
“You’re acting captain, right?”she asked, her gaze on me.
“Yeah.”
“Then it’s yours.If anyone argues, they can step up and captain the ship.”
She was right, I realized.While I was making the decisions, or at least guiding them, the captain’s quarters should be mine.If someone else wanted the job, that was fine.Or if I decided to follow Lacy, they’d need a new captain.
Would I do that?Could I do that?
This wasn’t the time for that kind of decision.Our focus, my focus, had to be on Layla.
I led Lacy over to the desk and gestured for her to take a seat.She took one of the visitors’ chairs and I took the other, shifting so I faced her.
“To what do I owe the honor of being in your cabin?”Her voice was stronger now.Seeing her so quiet at breakfast had unnerved me.She glanced over at the bed.
