In the Void

by Sheryl Nantus

  Sam shifted her position on the floor with a gasp as April finished binding the thick pad to her shoulder wound, tying it off with a tight yank of the gauze. “We’ll be fine. Just do your job and cover our asses.”

  Kyle laughed. “Aye, aye, Captain. Hold your course and we’ll be home soon enough.” The communication link went silent.

  Sam grabbed Daniel’s arm and forced herself to stand. “Okay, let’s get this organized before I fall over.”

  She looked around the circle of waiting crew members. “Bianca, you and Kendra work cleanup here. Any survivors, tag them and bag them for transfer to the authorities as soon as we land.” She scowled. “Especially that smart-ass leader. If you find him still alive, make sure he lives. Get the rest secure and stabilized, tie the assholes to the stretchers if you need to. I don’t need any of them bleating we didn’t take good care of them after they almost killed us.”

  Sam looked directly April. “We’ll need someone to stand guard over them. You’re the best for that, I think.” She shot a look at the hole leading to the pirate ship. “Belle, any life signs from inside? Any stragglers waiting to jump us?”

  “Nothing,” the AI replied. “I have been able to access their records and deduced their employer. Employers.” She corrected herself. “I am transmitting the data to the Justice base and the UNS escort. Global Transport board members along with a handful of UNS personnel and some in the legal system are mentioned.”

  Catherine covered her face with her hands. “I can’t believe they did all this to stop me. All this death—”

  Sean took hold of her wrist and tugged her hand down. “Not your fault. They’re the ones who took this to the next level. They could have taken their lumps like real men and women and done the honorable thing.” He nodded at the carnage around them. “Instead they caused all this and more. It’s on their hands, not yours.”

  Harry nodded. “Bastards wanted to cover blood with more blood. That wasn’t going to work forever.” He waved a hand at the nearest body. “They started it and we finished it.”

  “Yes.” Catherine smiled at him. “Max would be proud of you.”

  Harry swallowed hard and for a second she thought he was about to cry. Instead he put on a brave face and looked at Jenny. “Want to go see what we can salvage from the ship?”

  Jenny grinned. “Yes. Let’s strip this sucker down before they pry it off at the base.”

  “Is the connection secure enough between the two ships for them to do it safely?” Sam asked. “Belle?”

  “The docking port is secure.”

  Sam waved the pair off. “Go. Salvage anything and everything you can. We might as well see if we can get something good out of all this. Put the bodies into one of the containers and get Belle to lower the temperature to create a sort of cold storage until we can get rid of them at the Justice base.” An odd expression passed over her face. “I won’t begrudge the families a chance to get their bodies back. More than the assholes deserve.”

  “I understand.” Kendra touched Sam’s uninjured arm. “Why don’t you and Sean go to the galley and rest?” She scowled at the nearby bodies. “We’ll clean this mess up.” The courtesan gestured toward the hatch behind them. “You’ve done enough, Captain. Let us carry the load here.”

  Sam slumped against Daniel, the weariness on her face clear. “Good idea.”

  Kendra looked at Catherine and nodded. “You too. This isn’t anything you should be dealing with.” Her tone left no room for negotiation.

  Catherine stood up and extended her hand to Sean. He took it without speaking and staggered to his feet, his face pale.

  She bent down and picked up the shillelagh in her right hand. The brass knuckles she tucked back into her pocket.

  He didn’t move to take it from her, instead turning to follow Sam and Daniel as they limped toward the door.

  “You’ve got a nasty swing,” he remarked.

  “Learned from the best,” Catherine replied. “I always loved golf.”

  Sean began laughing, then cut himself off with a grimace as he staggered through the hatch. “Remind me to discuss cricket with you later.”

  * * *

  The galley seemed like the middle of a supernova compared with the darkness they’d come from. Sean put up his good hand to shield his eyes from the whiteness as he headed for a chair.

  He choked back a gasp of pain as he sat. The pills were good but they weren’t that good. Catherine was at his side, hands all over him as he shifted to find a comfortable position.

  Another time, another place he’d be pulling her into his lap. Right now all he could think of was how many stitches it was going to take to close the gash.

  “Drink,” he demanded. “Beer please.”

  Catherine paused on her way to the dispenser. “Won’t it react with the meds?”

  “God willing.” He watched Sam collapse into the chair across from him, Daniel hovering over her.

  “Make it two. And give me two of the blues, as well. We deserve the good stuff.” She managed a laugh at Daniel’s pained expression. “Guess you’ll be on top for a bit.”

  “I’m good.” He tugged the multicolored scarf out of one pocket. “Guess we’ll have to put this off for a bit.”

  “What?” Her eyes widened as she focused in on the scarf. “Where did you get that?”

  Daniel waved it in front of her. “Let’s just say I have my resources.”

  “And what were you going to do with it?” She winced even as a devilish smile spread across her face.

  “Let me tell you.” Daniel leaned in and whispered in her ear.

  Sean turned his attention to Catherine, who was returning from the drink dispenser. She discreetly slid one tube in front of the couple before retreating to Sean’s side.

  “Are you going to be okay?” Catherine placed a cold tube of beer in front of him. “Sam’s hurt badly too.” She stole a quick look at Sam’s reddening face. “Although she seems to be distracted at present.”

  “The dressings and our meds will keep us stable enough for the next few hours until we get to the medics.” He smiled, seeing her expression. “Let me guess—how the hell are we getting to the base so fast?”

  “The escorts took longer to get to us, right?” She frowned. “So how can we get back to the base in less time?”

  “The Belle keeps moving forward, don’t forget.” He drew his finger along the table. “We’ve been closing the distance while they’ve been coming to us. Not to mention now we can go the direct route and not have to swerve and dodge through debris fields.”

  Catherine held up her hand. “Space magic. I get it. But what if you or the captain had needed urgent attention?”

  “Then we’d have died.” He resisted the urge to chuckle at her shocked expression. “It’s part of the risk we run out here, love. The Belle can only do so much and as I told you, I’m more of a combat medic.” He waved his good hand at Sam and Daniel, busy in their own little world and cooing to each other. “The Belle could walk me through something more serious but it’s a rare time I have to worry about more than cramps and muscle aches.” He smiled. “Maybe a rope burn.”

  She shook her head, her lips pressed into a tight line. “That’s not fair. It’s also not good business to let your crew die. And you should be doing more with your medical training than this.” Catherine looked around the room, a brief moment of panic on her face. “Not that your friends aren’t worth it but—”

  He grimaced at the pain shooting up his arm. “The Guild is cheap but it’s efficient and practical based on what we’re expected to be dealing with. Pirates and hired killers aren’t exactly the norm.” He tapped the bandage. “Knife wounds are not listed among the norm for ship’s medics. Don’t worry—when we get to the Justice base the medical staff will fix me up fine and bil
l the Guild.”

  Catherine’s tongue flickered out to wet her lower lip. “Ah, I wanted to talk to you about that.”

  “What?”

  “I—” She paused for a second.

  He motioned her on with his good hand.

  “I want you to leave the Belle. I want you to be with me. I want you.” She fell silent.

  Sam looked up from her whispered discussion with Daniel, obviously overhearing Catherine’s confession. She glanced at Daniel.

  He nodded and tugged Sam to her feet, snagging the beer as they headed to the cockpit and probably the captain’s quarters.

  Never let it be said they couldn’t sense trouble a mile away.

  “Catherine.” The pain in his arm diminished, replaced by the ache in his heart. “I can’t leave the Belle. I’ve got a contract with the Guild.”

  “I can buy it out,” she said. “I can pay them off and you can leave.” She gestured toward the quarters. “It’s been done before. I’ll finish testifying and we’ll disappear.”

  He took her hand in his good one, trying to memorize the touch of her soft silky skin. “And then what? I become your boy toy?”

  She flinched at the phrasing. “What?”

  “If you buy out my contract I’m just trading one owner for another.” The harsh words grated on his ear but the pain made it impossible to soften his point. “At least here with the Guild I can pay off the debt in time and walk away clear and free. How could I ever pay you back?” He squeezed her hand. “What sort of salary does a sanitation engineer or an actor make? Let’s say I pursue a career in the medical field, get more training and get a job as a medical assistant or even a nurse. It’d take years to pay the debt off. I can’t do that to you.”

  “That wouldn’t come between us,” she blurted out.

  “Yes. Yes, it would.” Sean shook his head. “You may not admit it to yourself or to me but it’ll fester and when we least expect it the damned thing’ll burst forth and devour us both with the hate and anger.”

  Tears sprang to her eyes, ripping him apart. “I thought you loved me.”

  “I do. God, I do. So much.” He sighed. “But I can’t let you do this. One day you’d wake up pissed at me and wonder if you paid too much and I’d be nothing more than a broken-down old appliance in your mind. We can’t have a relationship built on a debt, a receipt and a bill. It wouldn’t work out.”

  “No,” she whispered.

  “You think this hasn’t happened before? You think the Guild hasn’t foreseen this? That’s why we don’t make connections. That’s why we don’t fall in love.” He drew a sharp breath trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his chest. “I’m yours until we reach the base but after that it’s over.”

  He blinked back his own tears, watching her expression as the truth hit home.

  She got it. Of all people, she got it.

  “I understand.”

  He knew she did.

  It didn’t make it any less painful.

  She stood up. “If it’s okay with you I’ll return to my quarters and pack.” Catherine gestured at his bandaged chest. “You’ll be fine here until we reach the Justice base.”

  “Yes, yes I will. I can call Belle if I need anything and I’m sure the crew will be back soon enough after cleaning up. You need to get ready for the media—they’ll be chomping at the bit to get pictures of you when you exit the Belle.” He reached out and gripped the shillelagh lying on the tabletop. “Thank you for the beer.”

  He hadn’t even opened it yet.

  “Thank you for everything,” she said in a flat, emotionless voice.

  The invisible wall between them was solid and hard.

  He nodded. “You’re welcome.”

  Catherine turned her back on him and walked to the hatch. She yanked it open and walked into the corridor, passing Kendra who came into the galley.

  The courtesan looked at Sean’s face and scowled. “Tell me you didn’t do what I think you did.”

  He held up his good hand. “Kendra, you know these things don’t work. Her ex-husband’s with a Mercy woman out on the rim somewhere.”

  She folded her arms. “And?”

  “And you know that arrangement’s not going to work out. He’ll tire of her and trade her in for a newer model in a few years, maybe earlier if she starts complaining about something. You can’t pay off a Guild contract and not have it hanging between the two of you forever.”

  “True.” She moved to check Sean’s bandage, tugging at the gauze. “Jenny’s having a grand old time tearing the merc ship to pieces. If she had her way she’d strip it down to the bare bones. Belle’s already had to warn her twice about hull integrity.”

  Sean paused, confused by the change in their conversation. “You agree? With my decision, I mean. Not about Jenny.”

  “Of course I do.” She went to the panel and punched in a request for white wine. “Your logic is flawless.”

  “Don’t fuck with me, Kendra,” he snarled. “You have no idea—”

  She spun on him with barely-disguised fury, startling him into silence. “I know a lot more than you’ll ever learn. So don’t even try to take that tone with me.”

  He knew when to shut up.

  Sean snatched up the tube in front of him and ripped it open with his teeth.

  The cold beer tasted sour.

  “Where’s Sam?” Kendra asked.

  “She and Daniel went through to her cabin. Give them a bit of privacy until we dock. I don’t think her wound is so bad, considering the look she was giving him.”

  Kendra nodded. “She’s a tough one, she’ll be fine. This might be good for her mental health.”

  He didn’t have the energy to pursue that line of questioning.

  Kendra sat down and pulled the tab on her tube. “Looks like everyone else came through okay. Bianca’s nose isn’t broken but she’s still bleating about asking for a danger bonus because of it. Need a bit of time with the Guild medics and a bit of cosmetic surgery for a few cuts on Harry but nothing that won’t be done in a few hours.” She sipped her wine. “He’s talking about having a few left on to brag about. Seems he thinks the ladies will appreciate a scar or two.”

  Despite himself, Sean chuckled. “Rookie. He’ll be singing a different tune the first time some young thing screeches when she sees them.” He took another drink and tried to focus. “Good he’s thinking like that, though, looking toward trying to get some sort of angle to gather more customers.” Sean tapped out a tune on the tabletop. “Shouldn’t take too long to clean up, weld a new hatch on and we’ll be on our way soon enough. Get to our next stop and get back on schedule.” The words choked him but he had to move on.

  Kendra studied him for a minute before nodding. “Onwards and upwards.”

  He knew she knew he was lying.

  He knew she knew he was right.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The son of a bitch was right.

  He’d laid out his case with precision and efficiency, better than any executive presentation she’d seen or done herself.

  The scenario had played out in her imagination over and over and over again. In her heart she wanted to believe love conquered all but her mind, her damned efficient professional mind, walked through the likely outcomes and agreed with Sean’s assessment. At some point the debt he owed her would come between them.

  A single credit or a thousand—she’d seen marriages break up over money. There was no doubt the same would be true between a Mercy man and a civilian who bought his or her contract.

  Part of her rejoiced at the probability of Mike’s relationship dying on the vine.

  The larger part wept at the irrefutable logic smashing her in the face.

  She didn’t have to like it.

 
Just accept it.

  Catherine looked around the empty cabin. In the past few hours she’d showered and changed into fresh clothing, cursing Sean Harrison left and right.

  The media was going to be there when she stepped off the Belle and they didn’t need to see blood-splattered clothing on their star witness.

  Belle had run the last of the A Thousand Nights marathon as Catherine finished up, letting her see Diego drop to one knee and propose marriage to Monica as he embraced their child.

  It hadn’t improved her mood.

  She’d tidied up the suite out of habit, making sure it was as barren as when she’d first walked in.

  Everything had gone into the laundry chute or into the incinerator and she’d sent a note to Kendra telling her to send a bill for the clothing. Aside from what she wore there was nothing she needed to take from the Mercy ship.

  Nothing at all.

  “Ms. Rogers?” Sam’s voice came from the speaker. “We’re about to dock. Are you ready to go?”

  Catherine looked at herself in the mirror. The cream-colored top was a size too big and the jeans loose at the waist and she’d had to scrub blood off the sneakers, but she looked as presentable as she was going to get.

  She hesitated, not wanting to reply. She wasn’t ready to go. She wasn’t ready to leave him behind.

  “Ms. Rogers?”

  The reality of the situation pressed down on her until she had to answer.

  “Yes,” she replied.

  “Please wait until Belle calls for you. There’s lots of business that’s going to go on before they get to you. You can watch on the exterior monitor if you’d like.”

  “Thank you, Captain.” Catherine sat down at the receiving table. “Belle, please hook me up.”

  “Primary docking finished,” Belle announced. “Please stand by.”

  It was entertaining, if not downright hysterical at times to watch the outside activity. Belle had been quite helpful at providing information as to what was going on, providing ongoing narration as the workers scrambled to and fro.

  It’d taken a bit longer than planned for the Bonnie Belle to settle into the docking bay on the Justice base with the pirate ship still attached to her backside. At almost the same size as the Belle it’d been a major problem to drag the craft into the bay without destroying something along the way.