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She turned back and raised her eyebrows at the ambassador. “Remember what we talked about. If we find out you’re recruiting a slave army, we’ll come back and find you. And we won’t be so sweet the next time we meet.” She shot out the controls of the ramp as it slid shut, effectively sealing everyone inside the ship.
Daisy glanced around, making sure no one was paying them attention, before sliding the gun into her waistband and tucking it out of sight.
Rexx pulled himself upright, groaning as he did so. “Nice job.”
“Thanks. I learned from an expert. We need to find a way out of here. We can’t go through the security checks looking like this. You’re bleeding, and I’m covered in Inkral goo.”
“Then we need to move,” Rexx said. “Security is coming this way.”
Daisy glanced at the tall guard dressed in black who was checking off ships that had just arrived in the large docking bay they’d landed in.
She kept her arm around Rexx’s waist as they turned and walked in the opposite direction, using the ship as cover to avoid detection.
“There’s a maintenance door at the back,” she said. “Can you make that?”
“Of course. Let’s keep going.” He spoke through gritted teeth.
Daisy checked around, waited until another guard had gone past, and then hurried Rexx to the door.
She frowned as she inspected it. “It needs a code to get out.” She backed away and looked around. She could blast it open, but that would draw attention. They had very little time on their side, though. Ambassador Ulut would have guards chasing them. If they were lucky, they had a ten-minute head start.
Daisy backed Rexx behind a ship close to the maintenance exit.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Picking our moment. Someone will come through that door. We can either follow them or encourage them to let us through.”
He closed his eyes and rested his head against the ship. “Then what?”
“Then we get you to a doctor.”
“We can’t risk anyone else seeing us. I just need rest.”
“No, you need help. I’ve never seen you like this. You shouldn’t have given me that energy transfer.”
“If I hadn’t, would you have been able to rescue me and take out all those guards? Which, by the way, was amazing. Terrifying, but amazing. How many Gente did you kill?”
Daisy couldn’t help but smile. She pressed a finger against his lips. “Ten, plus a few Inkral who weren’t being friendly. Now, less talking.”
He grunted. “That’s my line.”
“Yeah, I’ve found our roles keep reversing. I’m liking being the hero in this story. You’re my damsel in distress.”
Rexx snorted a laugh. “You’ll never see me wearing a dress.”
“On Earth, there are guys who wear kilts. It’s hot.”
“What the hell is a kilt?”
“A kind of skirt for guys. There’s a lot of history and tradition wrapped up in kilts. And usually, the guys who wear them don’t have anything on underneath.”
He opened one eye. “You’re kidding?”
“Nope. It’s why women like them so much. Easy access, you see.”
“I’m still not wearing a kilt.”
Daisy’s attention turned to a pale blue, thin alien heading toward the maintenance door. His arms were loaded with boxes. “This is our chance. Stay here. I won’t hurt him unless I have to.”
