Farli looks at me, uncertainty on her face. I give her a nod, and she smiles at Niri. “All right.”
I settle back against the wall, watching the two women as Niri directs Farli to sit on the med table. After a moment, Niri turns and glances over at me. “You can go at any time.”
“Oh no, I would like for him to stay,” Farli says.
“I’m going to need you to take your top off for at least one scan,” Niri tells her. When Farli continues to look unbothered, Niri shoots me another look.
I get up and head for the door. “I need to work on the engine anyhow. Didn’t finish up yesterday, and something tells me the captain will be wanting to head out soon.”
“You are leaving?” There’s a note of panic in Farli’s voice.
“I’ll just be outside, I promise. You’re safe in here with Niri. If you need me, I’m very close by.” She bites her lip, and another fierce surge of protectiveness rises in me. “I’m not going anywhere, Farli.”
“All right.” Her mouth curves into a small smile, and she starts to purr again. Now that I know what that purring means, it makes me react a hell of a lot differently than before. My cock grows hard, remembering her open-mouthed kisses and her naked body rubbing up against me last night. “I’d better suit up,” I say gruffly, and head out of med bay before anyone can notice how affected I am by Farli’s presence.
Working on the engine allows my mind to focus on something other than Farli. It’s still keffing cold outside, but since I’m expecting it, it doesn’t feel as blisteringly awful as before. I know to suit up in advance, and as I work, I check to make sure no other ‘natives’ show up to say hello. The leak’s an easy fix once I find the leaky hose, and then it’s just a matter of patching it, replacing corroded parts, and then piecing everything back together again. I head back onto the bridge, start the drives, and run diagnostics. Everything’s good. Actually,everything’s running even better than before, which is nice. Shows I’m not a total keffing disaster at this job.
The captain must have noticed the shiver of the engines. My incoming call light flicks, and I tap the button to answer it. “Mardok here.”
“How are we looking, Vendasi?”
“Problem’s fixed, Captain.” I study the diagnostic scrolling across my screen. “Parts have been replaced and everything’s running smooth. Looks like we’re good to resume our journey at any time.”
“Excellent.” I think that’s the end of it, but then a moment later, he adds, “Come to my chambers, would you please, Vendasi? Thank you.”
My mood goes from bad to worse. I have a feeling that whatever the captain’s going to say, I’m not going to want to hear. “Be right there.” I head through the winding passages of the ship, my thoughts dark as I try to imagine what the captain’s going to say. He’s going to insist Farli fly back with us, despite the fact that Farli seems to have no inclination to leave her wintry planet. He’s going to suggest all of her people fly back. He’s going to decide that’s a bad idea and we take off without even attempting to rescue Farli and her people. None of these thoughts sit well in my gut. Farli seems happy, but what if the others want to leave? What if the captain won’t take them with us? I don’t like how wary both he and Trakan have been about finding Farli here. I can’t help but feel like they’re up to something and I’m out of the loop. If I had to choose between Farli and my crew…I’d choose Farli. The answer is instant, but I know it’s the right one. I’ve been with the crew ofThe Tranquil Ladyfor four years now, but we’re not close. We’re all here because we’re loners.
And in the space of a day, Farli has crashed through all my walls and made me think about a life outside of this cold,unfeeling ship. Made me wonder what it’d be like to have someone like her to come home to.
I knock on the captain’s door, burying these thoughts. Chatav isn’t a warm man, but he’s fair. I need to listen to him with an open mind.
The door slides back, and I step inside. Chatav’s apartments are far larger than mine, and covered with memorabilia of his time in the military back on Homeworld. Medals and plaques detailing his honorable actions are lined up like soldiers, and a flag of the regiment he was in is tacked to the wall. His furniture is heavy wood from a forested planet, carved and fitted into his chamber. Mine is the cheap disposable shit that came with the contract. Then again, this is the captain’s home, and it’s just a job to me. I stop in front of the captain’s ‘business’ desk, where he likes to have private conversations with the crew in his chambers.“You wanted to talk?”
“I do. Have a seat.”
I sit in the uncomfortable wood chair across from him and wait.
He is quiet for a long moment, thinking. His hands are linked across his chest, and he gazes at one of the pictures on his ‘wall of valor’ as if he’d rather be back there than sitting here with me. Eventually, he glances over at me. “Tea?”
I shake my head. I was in the same military service he was. I’ve dealt with officers in the past, and I know a diversionary tactic when I see one.
Chatav focuses his attention on me fully, all pretense of politeness gone. “How is our wild friend this morning?”
“The animal will make a full recovery, Captain.”
“I meant the girl.” His smile is frosty but polite.
Oh, I knew he did. I don’t think she’s wild, though. Untamed, yes. Fierce and exuberant, yes. Wild implies that she needs to be broken, and there’s nothing about her thatneeds to be fixed. “Farli is well. She finds the ship strange and has mentioned leaving to go find her people.”
His eyes narrow, just a hint. “She has not talked about remaining with us? Evinced any curiosity about our ship and its cargo?”
I inwardly sigh, because it’s clear he still thinks she’s some sort of icy spy. You can take a man out of the military, but you can’t take the military out of the man. “Not at all. She has no ulterior motivation. I think she was just surprised to see us land and came by to say hello.”
“Mmhmm.” His jaw clenches, but he nods slowly. “I do not sense malice in her, and I would certainly hope she is as innocent as she seems.” He studies me, and then continues. “I have made a decision regarding her.”
I wait. Here it comes.
“We have been put in an untenable situation, I am afraid.” His voice is calm, reasoned, his expression carefully neutral. “If we wait here for very long, we will lose our delivery window. However, being as that there are clearly people here, it is our duty to determine their situation. Are they stranded here against their will? Have they always been here as she claims? Are they the results of a failed colony? Or is there something else at play?”
