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I nodded. “Where the fuck did it come from?”

A seam close to Monica’s head split with a crack, and a wave of dark liquid poured down onto her. The smell hit half a second later, sweet and rotten underneath, like sun-spoiled fruit.

She screamed, then swore. “You bitch! You gunked me.”

Doc lost it laughing, one hand braced on the wall.

“Quit laughing! This stuff burns.” Monica flicked the sticky goop off her hand.

Doc ran over, all laughter gone. “How bad?”

Monica chuckled. “Ha! Got you. It doesn’t burn, but don’t laugh at my slimy misfortune.” She flipped goop at her.

“It’s hard not to. You look like a sperm whale jizzed all over you,” I said.

“Eeewww. And gross. How the fuck do you know what whale spunk looks like?” Monica sniffed her hand. “It doesn’t smell like spunk. It’s fruity. If actual spunk smelled like this, I’d be much more likely to swallow.”

“For fuck’s sake!” Tambi gestured at Rennick. “Client!”

He lifted a hand. “I’m happy my ship’s... spunk doesn’t offend you.”

“She’s done this to you?” Doc was still checking on Monica, who gently shoved her away.

“This is new,” he said. “Monica, are you harmed?”

“She’s good.” Doc shoved her back. “Disgusting, but good. Although that smell ain’t so hot from where I’m standing.”

“Then move away,” Monica grumbled.

Rennick eyed the ceiling, his jaw tight.

“Where the hell did that spooky voice come from?” Monica wiped her face with a towel Rennick handed her. “The more I see of this ship, the more I think we need a priest, not the planet’s finest-ass repair crew.”

I nodded. Maybe she wasn’t wrong.

Chapter 4

Rennick

“That wasn’t a voice.” I said it too fast, the lie wanting to choke me. The corridor lights guttered, like the ship had taken offense. I’d been hearing those damned voices for weeks.

Monica glanced at the light show as she swiped goop out of her hair, flicking it at the deck. “Your ship’s basically screaming liar, liar.”

“Show me the environmental controls.” Fury lit Cass’s blue eyes, and that fury was aimed at me. She’d seen straight through my bullshit. “And do it before she does that again, and it’s not just space spunk raining down on us, but acid or toxic gas.”

Monica groaned. “I feel so dirty. Fuck. I need to shower.”

“You need a buddy to double-check the controls?” Tambi asked Cass.

“I’m good. Rennick knows not to screw with us anymore.” Cass didn’t even look my way when she spoke.

I’d seriously pissed her off. And I was screwing with them, but I couldn’t afford to have them walk off the job. How did I explain the weird shit happening on this ship without them thinking I was crazy?

“This way,” I said.

The corridor hummed under the deck plating as I moved, passing the weirdest damn room on this ship without so much as acknowledging its existence.

I made it four steps past the door before Cass caught up. I turned, and there she was, arms crossed, still mad at me. Still fucking gorgeous.