“Until you got dragged into a government war,” Caj disagreed. “But if you— Do you really want her speaking for you in this?”
Shank raised his head and stared right at Caj. “Yes.”
Caj seemed a little taken aback by the bluntness of the answer, and he looked toward Allie.
She stood and moved back to the arm of the couch. She could see Caj’s worry. “I just want a viable plan to try to help rescue two men who didn’t deserve to get left behind,” she said. If he was afraid of her trying to take his ship, he was way off base.
“Left behind?” Caj narrowed his eyes. “Your ship left people behind?”
Allie could tell she had hit a nerve. Shank had loathed the idea that Command had abandoned two soldiers, so she could well believe the families had a moral rule about not leaving people behind. That was rather ironic for a group that didn’t seem to have a problem with stealing anything worth the time and effort it took to steal it.
“They abandoned crew on a bat planet,” Shank admitted slowly, and only now did Allie realize that he’d been avoiding getting into specific details with Caj. She had possibly just complicated their situation, but Shank hadn’t warned her to keep their mission secret. She gave him a hard look, but he kept his gaze on Caj. “Two friends gave up their berths to try to get more kids out.”
“Motherless whores,” Caj muttered. He turned and slapped his hand against the wall.
“We aren’t going to sit back while they die,” Allie said, “which might be too little too late, but we’re going to try to save them.”
Caj nodded. “I understand that. But, Chankoowashtay,” Caj said, his voice soft and almost musical as he used Shank’s full name, “think before you put her in the difficult position of speaking for you.”
Shank lifted his chin. “She speaks for me,” he said firmly.
Clearly speaking for someone was a commitment of some sort, and Allie watched the silent battle between the two men. Caj had turned to stare down Shank, his body leaning in and his fists clenched as if he wanted to grab Shank and shake him. Shank had his arms crossed and his best “fuck off” expression. Allie held her breath, half-afraid the situation might turn physical. Each of the men seemed to stiffen by millimeters. The corners of Shank’s lips drew down, and Caj’s brows lowered until he was glowering, but finally Caj threw his hands up.
“Your mother is going to kill you,” he announced.
“Yeah, well she’s wanted to for years. This will just be one more excuse.”
A huff of laughter slipped out of Caj. “I’m not hiding you when she comes hunting your skin.” Caj turned toward Allie. “Come on then; let’s go talk strategy with Anpaytoo.”
Allie recognized Shank’s mother’s name. “You have long-range communications?” That required satellites and power stations.
“We have electricity and running water too,” Caj offered.
Allie started toward the door. “Very funny.”
“I think I am,” Caj agreed. “Shank, don’t try and escape while we’re gone. You would not like to see the secure holding areas.”
Shank held both hands up. “I’m playing nice. No need for threats.”
“Unless you’re an asshole who likes threatening people,” Allie said as she passed both men and headed into the corridor. Caj followed her and closed the door before running his finger over the manual lock.
“I don’t like threatening Shank, but I would like it even less if he decided to do something stupid and I had to stop him. He’s not known for his discretion or common sense.”
Allie snorted. She had seen Shank’s version of planning, and it was a little short on sense of any kind. She still couldn’t believe it had worked. Sort of. “So, why is it so important that I’m speaking for him?”
Caj glanced over at her. Allie really wished she had a few more inches so she could stare him right in the eye, but genetics conspired against her. She had to look up. “He hasn’t talked to you about it?”
“About why this is so important to you? No. But I’m guessing this is something more significant than one decision or one conversation with his mother.” Not that talking to her lover’s mother wasn’t a big deal. Allie rarely reached the meeting-the-parents stage in a relationship.
“Maybe.”
Allie stopped. Caj continued for several steps, but he had to turn around when he realized he was walking alone.
“I don’t like games,” Allie said. “I’m straightforward. You ask me a question, and I’ll either answer or I’ll tell you it’s none of your business. I’m asking you to do the same for me.”
Caj crossed his arms and studied her. Allie waited. If a little awkward silence got her some answers, she could handle that. “Why are you with him?” Caj asked.
“Because I like to be with him. Because he’s a good man. Because we got through hell together, and I’m terrified of losing him again? Take your pick, because they’re all true.”
