I didn’t understand whatever she was trying to tell me.“Here, as in in this moment?Or here, as in on the spaceport?”
“Both.”
“That makes no sense.”
She looked at the ship for a moment, seeming to consider her words.“Did you have superstitions in the space corps?Things you didn’t do?Things you never said?”
I nodded.“Of course.There’s a long rich history of those in the military.”
“It’s similar here.Asking about payment is considered disrespectful.The explosives we brought here—the ones he joked about vaporizing ships—those things cost lives.You don’t talk about money when the cost can be so much higher.”
I rubbed my forehead.There were so many nuances to this business that I never would have guessed.“Then how do we get paid?”I winced as I asked, her words already having taken root.
“Someone, probably the crew leader but maybe not, will bring out a tablet.He’ll enter the amount; you enter the account.The money will be transferred without anyone saying a word.”
“What would have happened if I’d asked?”I needed to know the worst-case scenario.
Her serious gaze met mine.“You would have still gotten paid.But they would have taken note of the question, the ship.Maybe you stop here again, but it doesn’t go as smoothly.There’s no joking around.”She shrugged.“And maybe it’s more widespread.Someone leaves the mining colony, they remember the ship, mentions the question to someone on another station.Word spreads.”
I stared at her, hoping she was kidding.Seconds ticked by as I realized she was dead serious.
Fuuuck.That would have been a disaster.“Thank you.”
She smiled then and her whole face lit up.“You’re welcome.”
There had to be a way to keep her on the ship and keep Burn and Finn happy.“How am I going to learn all this without you?”
“You’ll figure it out.”
Whatever she said next was drowned out by the sound of unloading cargo.
The crew leader led the way, with his team and their cargo lifters staggered behind him.I shuddered as I watched the highly dangerous cargo leave my ship.The risk would be well worth the payday, but I’d sleep easier at night with the explosives off my ship.
Burn and, finally, Finn followed the crew down the ramp.
The first pallet of stupid shooters rolled past Lacy and me, the crew members carefully guiding it from the ship to the loaders.
The rattle on the ramp got louder and faster.I looked up in horror as the figure in the back lost control of his cart.“Fuck!Watch out!”he yelled.
Gravity and the angle of the ramp pressed it down against the man at the front.No matter how strong he was, there was no way that he would be able to stop the cart full of heavy explosives.
I shoved Lacy behind me.Even knowing I wouldn’t get there in time, I raced toward the ramp.
Vaguely aware of everyone around me stopping what they were doing, I prayed someone would stop the tragedy about to happen.
I didn’t see how the other man could survive.
37
Dax
A battle crytore through the loading dock.My head whipped up and everything appeared like snapshots.
Finn shoving past Burn.
Finn bracing a hand on a cargo pallet.
Finn vaulting over the pallet.
