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“We’re just about done here. I was updating Hunter about your new recruits. He can fill you in. And I’ll send over the new work orders shortly.”

“I look forward to receiving them,” Cleo said. “And I’ll make sure I’m here for the next meeting.”

“Very good. Carry on.”

After a short round of goodbyes, Hunter cut the communication link.

“Is there something you need to tell me?” Cleo’s sharp tone made Hunter grimace.

He turned and gave her his most dazzling smile. “Nope. All good here. Did you bring me something to eat?” His gaze ran over her on instinct, taking in the curve of her hips and neat fit of her pants.

“Why did you tell me the meeting had been bumped to a later time? I should have been here.”

“You didn’t need to be here. Commissioner Viewick talks a lot of hot air.”

“I hope you didn’t tell him that.”

Hunter gave her a lazy salute. “I was on my best behavior.”

“Good. You mess around, and it looks bad on all of us. We represent this crew.”

He raised a hand. “I get it. I didn’t act like a jerk.”

Cleo jabbed a finger at him. “Don’t do it again.” She shoved a wrapped sandwich over to him.

“I thought you’d be pleased. You can’t tell me you enjoy all this talking and going around in circles.”

“It’s a part of the job.” She narrowed her dark eyes at him. “So what’s the news?”

“High Command want us in the field.”

Her eyes widened, then her smile grew, making her even more beautiful. “Tell me more.” She moved to a seat and spread the food out in front of her.

Hunter joined her and sat in the opposite seat. “I told them we shouldn’t do it.”

“Go back a step. Why do we need to do it? We’re getting new recruits any day now.”

“Not anymore. There’s been a delay in sending them. Their training won’t be finished for weeks.”

She groaned. “But everyone’s workload is already planned.”

“That’s why they want us out there.” He shook his head. “We can figure out a way around it, though. Maybe some of the other missions won’t take so long. Or we get a team to pull a double shift.”

Cleo shook her head. “The crew works too hard as it is. I don’t think any of them have had a proper break for months. If we give them more work, it could break them. When people are tired, they make mistakes.”

Hunter’s gut twisted. He wouldn’t put Cleo’s life on the line. These missions weren’t always straightforward, and they dealt with dangerous animals in difficult territory.

He toyed with the sandwich in front of him. “We haven’t been out in the field for months.”

Cleo ate some food, her calm gaze on him. “Spit it out. There’s something on your mind, and it’s not just that our skills might be rusty. Which they aren’t.”

He had to play this calmly. If they argued, she’d only dig in more. “Your role is on the ship. You keep control of the crew. And you know what Apexians are like. We never behave ourselves. If you go out there, there’ll be no one looking after things here.”

“I’d be happy to monitor ship protocols in your absence.” The ship’s AI, ELVIS, was always listening, even when he wasn’t supposed to.

“What if there was a problem?” Hunter said.

“I’m pre-programmed with over five and a half thousand emergency situations. And that’s just in my primary databanks. I also have another—”