“You think that will protect you?”I wouldn’t hesitate to leave her on the ship, rather than risk her out on this backwater planet.
“It’ll be fine, Dax.”She rolled her eyes.Then she tugged at the zipper at her neck, slowly undoing it a few inches.
“Whoa, now.”Burn threw a hand up to cover her eyes.“No one said anything about a strip show.”
“I think I liked you better when you didn’t like me,” Lacy said.She tugged the zipper down a few more inches and rolled the fabric out.
“What am I supposed to be looking at?”The outside of the suit was gray, while the inside was black.
“None of your gear fit me, but this flight suit does.I lined it with the material from a couple of your gear bags.”
Burn dropped her hand and reached out to touch the material.“Smart.How did you get it to stay in place?Do you sew?”
Lacy looked horrified.“No.No sewing.I used a bonding agent we use for short-term ship repairs.We’ll have to get more when we’re someplace that isn’t here.”
I still wasn’t happy that Lacy didn’t have a full set of body armor—I’d rectify that as soon as possible—but it was a clever solution.The gear bags were made of heavy-duty ballistic material.It wasn’t battle-rated fabric, but it was tough enough to handle transport, which had been known to include crashes and accidental weapons fire.It would stop energy weapons and knives and if she was very, very lucky, it might stop a projectile weapon.
“Do you remember that guy in our company who could not fucking keep his laser from firing prematurely?His gear bag was beat to shit, but those shots never caused any harm.”Burn paused, then added, “I always felt bad for his girlfriend.”
I closed my eyes and gave a quiet laugh.That damn guy had been the laughingstock of the entire platoon until he got on the battlefield.There he’d been a fucking deadeye.But he wasn’t safe to be around when we were training.
“What about your head?”
“I lined a hat with the material, too.It’s in my bag.”
“You should be wearing it.”My drill sergeant voice slipped out.
“Easy there, Sarge.”Burn put her hand on my arm.“Lacy is perfectly safe while she’s on the ship.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay onboard?”
She tugged the zipper back up to her neck and glared at me.“We’re not having this conversation again.”
The cargo door opened, and Mercer popped his head out.“You guys comin’ or what?Got some guy outside who says he’s here for the cargo.Got a hover cart and everything.”
“On our way.”Burn hurried toward the door.
When Lacy turned to follow her, I put my hand on her arm to slow her down.“I just want you safe,” I said quietly.
Her hand covered mine.“I know that, Dax.But I can’t sit here and worry about my sisterand you.I have to be out there looking for her.”
“Fine.At least tell me why you’re covered with grease.”The ballistic material, once she’d explained it, made perfect sense.The dirt and grime didn’t.
Her smile was bright.“Hiding in plain sight.”I held the door to the cargo hold open for her.“You guys scream ex-military, even with the too-long hair and the personal gear.”
I ran my hand through the offending extra length.
“I don’t look like that,” she said, like it explained everything.
“So?”
“If I look like a regular person, but I’m hanging around with a bunch of mercenaries?—”
“We’re not mercenaries,” I interjected with a frown.
“—they’re going to wonder who I am.Am I someone who might be worth money?I don’t want to become another kidnapping victim.So, I look like a mechanic.”She shrugged.
“And?”I still wasn’t sure what she was getting at.
