“I’ll go talk to the staff and see if they’ll help get us off the outpost. It should be easy enough to fake an issue with enviro-controls. Lorse would rush to the shuttle.”
“How would that work?” Myrum asked. “He’d expect me to go with him. Do I fight to get free?”
“The emergency won’t happen until you excuse yourself to use the elimination room,” Gis said, his expression growing more excited as he talked. “Yes, that could work. The traditional feast will take up most of the night. No one can sit for that long, so Lorse won’t think it’s odd that Myrum would need to leave the table.”
“Wouldn’t it be simple to get into the elimination room and grab me?” Myrum asked.
Gis let out a loud breath. “I’ll think of something else.”
“Wait, it’s still a good plan,” Myrum said. “I have some ideas, but are you sure the staff will help me also?”
“All of them, except the security personnel, are loyal Annexers," Gis said. “If I tell them that you and Amina are in a relationship, they’ll be eager to get you both away safely.”
“If Lorse is in the shuttle, how do we get on my ship?” Amina asked.
“There’s a second, older shuttle for the staff to use when supply ships arrive,” Gis said. His expression turned disgusted. “Lorse wouldn’t ever want to travel on something that was meant only for practical use. He must have his special seats, rugs, and drinks.”
“I need to talk to my ship,” Amina said. “We might look like a helpless cargo freighter, but we have some surprises. I don’twant to end up dead because my cousins were trying to keep themselves safe.”
Gis startled. “Cousins? That can’t be right. The rest of the crew and the captain are all Ugarians.”
Amina huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, yeah. I know we don’t look a lot alike, but Ugarian families are diverse.”
“Oh, it’s through marriage,” Gis said with a nod.
“Mostly,” Amina said with a cheeky grin. She was feeling much better now that there was a plan to leave.
“Can I send a message to Helmen for you?” Gis asked.
“No, she needs to hear from me,” Amina said. “She doesn’t trust any of this.”
Gis thought about it for a moment. “We can’t access the comms from this room, but I can sneak you into the control room. No one should be in there. Everyone will be busy getting ready for the feast. But, ah, you should, uh….”
“Spit it out,” Amina demanded.
He lifted his eyes to the ceiling and spoke so quietly she almost didn’t hear. “But you should bathe first. You have a strong scent right now.”
The whole thing was so ridiculous, Amina burst out laughing. Gis looked at her as if she’d lost her mind, and Myrum sounded a worried rumble.
“I'm not going crazy,” Amina said. “But if you were me, you’d find it hilarious that we’re all risking our lives, but that it’s important I be squeaky clean for our escape.”
She pulled free of Myrum’s arms and took her robe off. “See if Ruby wants any food. She’s going to need to stay with me, and I don’t want her peeking out because she’s hungry.”
Once Myrum took the robe, she walked off to the cleansing unit, proud of how steady she was. The moment the door closed, she leaned against a wall and sank to the floor, shaking badly.
Lorse’s sudden violence and threats scared her. Sure, her anger was there, but only after the fear made her want to run away.
She hated that he made her feel that way.
And she succumbed to the fear before her anger kicked up. For her, that was so much worse. It was okay to be afraid, but only in the context of caution. Lorse had barely touched her. There was no excuse for letting his terror tactics get to her.
Unsurprisingly, the cleansing unit door slid open and Myrum stepped in. She kept her eyes down. She was conflicted. She wanted him here but didn’t feel like she deserved to be comforted.
He didn’t say a word. Sitting next to her, he picked her up and settled her between his legs, purring softly.
She didn’t cry, but she couldn’t make herself stop shaking.
“I’m not weak,” she whispered.
