“Can you tell me what I’m missing? Can you tell me my name?”
Sharp and Boss look at one another. “We always called you pet,” Sharp says. “You did not bring up your name, and we did not ask for it.”
“Wow. So we really got to know each other super well then,” I say sarcastically. “This is so ridiculous.”
I have some memories of them now, so I know it’s true that we met on a station and they sort of saved me a couple of times, but I am still really taking them at their word in assuming they’re not evil aliens. Part of that is how attractive I find them all. They ooze sex appeal almost all the damn time. Even now, while Boss gets himself a bowl of wheat flakes for breakfast, I can’t help feeling a twinge of excitement.
I feel like I’m sort of getting to know them. Sharp isn’t as grumpy as I thought he was. Kronos isn’t nearly as nice as I thought he was. And Boss? Well, Boss is exactly what he seems to be so far.
“What’s on the agenda today?” I ask.
They look at one another, and I have a little flash of discomfort, as if something is happening that I am not aware of, but should be aware of.
“What’s going on?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Sharp says. “We have to make our way back to safer space. There’s a lot of conflict at the moment, and we are not being paid to take part, currently.”
“So you’re out of work?”
“Mercenaries are never really out of work, only between jobs,” Sharp says. “I imagine we will find employment soon enough. It seems hard to avoid…”
“I’ve taken a contract,” Kronos says, striding in right on cue. “There’s a Sligtonian freighter that needs escort through this space. It pays well, and will give us some reputation increase with them. We’re on thin ice. It’s time to be diplomatic again.”
If I were an animal I would growl at seeing him. My body tightens just looking at him. I am on edge, and alert for terrible things. Sharp notices the change in my posture and frowns.
“We’re not going to fucking help Sligtonians,” I say. “They traffic humans.”
“They’re not trafficking humans today,” Kronos says. “And you do not get a say. You are a pet. Do you need to be reminded of your place?”
He needs to be reminded of what a human is capable of, that’s the truth.
I slide off the chair and leave the room—or at least, try to. Sharp catches me by the collar as I try to slink away.
“What do you think you are doing?”
“Going somewhere that doesn’t have evil Sligtonian bootlickers in it,” I mutter.
“That’s it,” Kronos growls, putting his plate down sharply.
I squeak and dive into Sharp’s robes. I don’t want Kronos to get his hands on me.
“You know that wasn’t a smart thing to say,” Kronos says. “And nobody here is going to save you from me.”
“Sharp punched you in the face a couple days ago,” I say. “I don’t think everyone is on your side as much as you think they are.”
“You don’t remember us, allegedly,” Kronos says. “And yet you presume to tell me what the dynamics on my ship are?”
“Our ship,” Sharp reminds him. Oh, good. I am getting under their skins. If I can make them bicker and squabble, they will have much less chance of dominating me ruthlessly.
“Yes, our ship,” Kronos corrects himself. “We’re all needed on the bridge in the next few minutes, so eat up fast.”
“Don’t you ever get tired of him bossing you around?” I don’t address the question to either Sharp or Boss, but it hits both of them anyway. I bet they really are completely sick of his bullshit. Kronos is a captain with no real captain status.
“Alright, that is enough,” Sharp says. “You can’t stir up trouble here between us, though I appreciate the effort. Very cute.”
“I’m just wondering if everybody on this ship is happy being his bitch?”
Kronos gives me a good belt with the collar, and I can’t help but yelp. But I don’t let it subdue me. Seeing him has put me in the mood to choose violence.
