by Jaleta Clegg
“What about the Patrol?”
“What about them?” Clark pasted an innocent look on his face. He was stonewalling me. I wasn’t going to get him to admit anything he wasn’t going to admit anyway. He wasn’t going to sabotage the ship and he already had ample time to pass messages. If he was going to.
I shrugged. I may as well trust him. For now.
To my surprise, he followed me outside. I stood in the mud and drizzling rain watching the bug-eyed men load the last of the cargo. Clark stood next to me, hands shoved into his pockets as he stared at the mud wall and lumpy buildings beyond.
He took a deep breath of the muggy air. “This is why I chose to be a pilot. New worlds, new experiences. Why did you choose piloting?”
I cocked my head, thinking. “I enjoyed it and the tests said I’d be good at it.”
“Why fly a cargo ship, Dace? Patrol ships would be much more challenging.”
“And have someone telling me where to go? No thanks. I wanted my freedom.”
He squished a muddy spot on the ground. “What’s Jasyn’s story?”
“Why don’t you ask her?”
“She’s not here. You are.”
“It isn’t mine to tell, Clark.”
“Why choose her for your partner?”
“Because we both wanted the same thing. We get along. She’s a good navigator.” I wiped rain from my face with one hand. “And she doesn’t ask lots of questions.”
“Yes, she does. You’re just avoiding answering mine.”
“Why do you want to know, Clark?”
“Idle curiosity.”
I caught sight of Jasyn across the field. She waved one arm. Her other arm was loaded with packages. An automated hauler trundled after her, stacked with boxes.
“What did she buy? The whole store?”
Clark shook his head. “Credit extended on Dru’Ott is only accepted—”
“On Dru’Ott. I heard the spiel.”
“The prices here are low and the credit chit had a lot on it. The fleece we hauled from Viya was worth a bundle. I was there when Jasyn checked the prices. If the payment on Shamustel is anything like what you got here, you’re going to be rich.”
“If you’re suggesting I make Dru’Ott a permanent stop on a trade route, I’ve considered it. But it’s too close to Targon. Maybe later.”
Jasyn squelched through the mud to the hatch. She wiped her feet before entering the ship.
“I’ll let you know when they’re done loading,” Clark offered. “Go find out what Jasyn bought before the curiosity eats you alive.”
“Thanks, Clark.”
“No speech about betraying you or who I work for?”
“If you were going to kill me, you would have already. If you are selling me to Targon at the first opportunity, I’ll find a way to get revenge. And if you work for Lowell, you’ll be sorry you ever set foot on my ship. Is that a good enough answer for you?”
“You’re perfectly clear, Captain.”
“Good. Go ahead and sign the manifest once they get it sealed. I trust you that far, Clark.”
I turned away from his measuring stare to hurry inside the ship.
Jasyn had stacked boxes on the table and all over the floor of the lounge. “Dace, you won’t believe what they sell here. Anything and everything. Look at this.” She opened a box and pulled out a froth of flame colored fabric that danced on every breath of air. She thrust it into my arms.
“Jasyn, I’m all wet and covered with mud. Is this partha silk?” I couldn’t help shaking out the dress and holding it up. Strands of silk in shades of orange, red and gold twined around my hands. “We can’t afford this.”
“Good imitation, and yes, we can. That credit chip you gave me had over two thousand credits on it. But, and it’s a big one, they’re only good at the store here. The prices were unbelievably low.”
“Then let’s buy something we can trade.” I fondled the strips of silk while I talked. Even as an imitation, the fabric soothed and caressed me with every touch.
Jasyn shook her head. “You have to have a special trading license to do that. With just our ship, we can’t possibly afford the fees. We’d never be able to haul enough cargo. So I spent the credit on personal items, including shipsuits for Clark. And underwear for you.” She pulled a pair of lacy green panties from a box.
“I’d rather die than wear those.”
She laughed. “Clark said you’d say that.”
“Those are his? That explains a lot about him.”
She set the panties on top of a box and pursed her lips. “That would explain things, but no, these aren’t his. Or yours. I bought them after he left.” She opened a different box, rummaging through the contents.
“I caught him in the cockpit doing something on the com. He was very evasive when I asked about it. I can’t figure out what he was doing there, besides digging through personal files. Who would he pass messages to here? Dru’Ott isn’t a hotbed of criminal activity. Or Patrol.”
“Maybe he’s exactly what he says he is—a pilot down on his luck looking for a solid berth. Why do you have to suspect everyone, Dace?” She lifted a frosted white tray from the box. Multicolored pieces of crystal rattled inside.
“Survival habit. What’s that?”
“A game. Yulan Crystals. Clark said it was a good strategy game. I got this for you.” She opened yet another box and pulled out a wooden instrument with a rounded base, long neck, and multiple strings. “It’s called a lute. There’s an instruction vid for it.”
I draped the silk dress across a chair as she pushed the lute my way. My finger caught on the strings as I took it, creating a mellow tone. “Why do I need this?”
“You need a hobby, Dace. Fixing the ship and building secret compartments are fine for a while, but you really need something else to keep you busy.”
“Like you and your nail file?”
“It won’t kill you to take care of yourself, Dace.” She opened several more boxes, removing various items of clothing and jewelry.
“I do, Jasyn.”
“You know what I mean.” She pushed a pile of clothing into my arms, draping the flaming silk dress over the top. “It won’t hurt to wear something other than shipsuits sometimes.”
“But I like shipsuits.”
“You’re going to wear that dress. Look, I’ve got one to match.” She held a dress against her, all blues and purples. The imitation partha silk danced on every breath of air. “You should see the outfit I got for Clark.”
“I’m not sure I want to. When am I going to wear the dress, Jasyn? When I’m fixing the engines?” I ducked into my cabin to avoid her angry retort.
Chapter Six
We lifted off Dru’Ott an hour before sunrise. Jasyn put away her purchases while I did preflight with Clark. The ship was fully loaded and wallowed as we lifted. I’d never filled the cargo bays completely with heavy merchandise. I goosed the engines once we cleared atmosphere and shut down the maglev drive.
“I’m going to have to check the maglev field,” I said as Jasyn entered our course. “It should have had enough power to lift us.”
“Have you checked our mass readings?” Jasyn tapped a final set of keys. “We’re over the limits. Those crates were heavy and they filled both holds completely. We’re set when you reach jump point.”
“Good thing your engines have that extra power,” Clark said, his face set in innocent lines.
“That’s exactly why I installed them,” I said. “So we could haul extra heavy cargoes.” I didn’t say anything about running away from people with them, which was the real reason I’d installed overpowered engines for our mass rating. Either way, the Phoenix handled like a fully loaded ore tug. I tweaked the stabilizers, trying to compensate for our cargo.
Clark caught my eye and gestured to the scanner behind me. “That’s the ship.”
“The one that pinged us?” I asked.
He nodded.
Jasyn frowned
. “More trouble, Dace? Why didn’t you tell me Targon had a price on your head?”
“Because you would have worried about it. We’re headed away from them, Jasyn. We’ll be fine once we get far enough away. Cygnus Sector is supposed to be safe.”
“We’ll see when we get there.”
“Jump point,” Clark said.
I gave the engine more power. The transition through the transect boundary was rough, but once the nausea passed, we were fine. The hyperdrive came online, purring quietly. I checked the boards. The lights were still green. I shut down the sublight engines.
“Who wants to play Yulan Crystals?” Jasyn asked. “We’ve got several days until Shamustel.”
We settled in the galley. Clark explained the rules as he set up the multilevel boards and the colored pieces. I listened, but they didn’t make much sense.
“The goal,” Clark said, “is to protect your base while capturing as much territory as possible.”
“And we do that by moving pieces between boards?” I fingered a bright blue chunk of crystal.
“No,” Clark said. “Let’s just play a few rounds, so you can see how it’s done.”
We played a practice game, though I could tell I stretched Clark’s patience. I finally figured out how the different pieces moved, but I still had no idea what I was doing. Jasyn, however, caught on quickly.
When we played for real, I was eliminated by the fifth round. I sat back, frustrated by the game I didn’t understand. “Can we play Comets now?”
“You could try out the lute I bought you,” Jasyn suggested, her forehead furrowed as she contemplated her next move. She shifted a purple piece from the bottom board to the top. “Five points up, plus a bonus for the scout.”
Clark shook his head.
“What? It’s a legal move, isn’t it?”
“I can’t believe you pulled it off. I thought I had a better block in place.”
I left the two of them to the game. I checked the ship status on my way to my cabin. Everything was still green. The systems functioned normally. The engines were fine. I leaned on the pilot’s chair, feeling at loose ends. A corner of a sheet of mem paper tucked under the cushion in Clark’s chair caught my eye. I pulled it loose, unrolling the paper and pinching the bottom corner.
The lurid cover of a novel showed on the mem paper. The woman in the picture had most of her clothing falling off. The man behind her had chest muscles that would put any vid star to shame. He didn’t seem shy about showing them off; his shirt rippled loosely around him.
I settled into my chair, my cabin forgotten, tucking my feet into the copilot’s seat. I wondered why Clark would have such a book. I didn’t wonder why he’d try to hide it. I’d be embarrassed to be caught reading such a trashy romance story. I squeezed the corner, turning to page one.
“Something wrong, Dace?” Jasyn called.
“The ship’s fine,” I answered. “I just found Clark’s book, that’s all.” I couldn’t resist sneaking a glance at the two of them.
Clark’s face reddened, but he pretended it hadn’t, concentrating on the game as if his life depended on it.
“Destiny’s Secret, Clark?” I teased. “I didn’t think you were the type.”
Jasyn laughed.
“Don’t read chapter four,” Clark said. “Six points left, Jasyn.”
“That was mean,” Jasyn answered. “But it gives me both your scouts.”
I tuned out their game, turning to chapter four of the book. It was very informative and left me blushing, although I couldn’t figure out if what they did was anatomically impossible or not.
Clark pulled the mem sheet out of my hands.
“Hey, it was just getting interesting.”
“I told you not to read it,” Clark said, his face deep red.
“And you expected her not to?” Jasyn entered the cockpit behind Clark. She pulled the book out of his hand. “Romance and passion among the stars. I didn’t think you were the type, Clark.”
“Isn’t there any privacy on this ship?”
“Not when you leave it in the cockpit,” I answered. I pulled the sheet away from Jasyn. “Go play your game. I’ll give it back when I finish reading it.”
“Clark lost,” Jasyn said.
“Then play another game.” I slouched in the chair with the book.
“Beginner’s luck,” Clark said. “This time I won’t play nice.”
“Is that a challenge? You’re on. Loser does dishes?” Jasyn followed him back to the galley table.
“I thought I was doing all the dishes this trip,” Clark said.
“Since you’re going to lose anyway, it won’t change anything.”
I tuned out their conversation and the clinking of pieces on the boards. Chapter four was the only interesting chapter in the book. I fell asleep somewhere in chapter eight, while the heroine was being rescued from brigands who threatened her virtue.
Chapter Seven
Luke Verity arrived at the restaurant a fashionable forty minutes late. The planet Kimmel boasted some very glamorous night spots. This wasn’t one of them. Luke could barely conceal his disdain for the dusty decor and bland food. He tried to be civil to his dining companion, but even that was difficult. The man dressed with no sense of style or fashion. He looked like an accountant. He smelled of sweat.
Ortel leaned forward. “I’m telling you, Hom Verity, this sector is ripe for the taking. You find a way to get the governor in your pocket and no one can stop you.”
Luke pushed rubbery chicken across his plate with his fork.
“You hear what I’m saying? With one move you could own Cygnus Sector.” Ortel wiped sweat from his forehead with his napkin.
“What of Targon and Gemini? They say Cygnus isn’t worth the risk. The Patrol is too strong and the governments refuse to tolerate any hint of graft or corruption.”
“They don’t live here. They don’t know the real story. I’m telling you, this could be your golden opportunity.”
Luke patted his lip with his napkin. His blue hair caught the light as he leaned back and rested his arm across the back of the booth. His black silk shirt rippled. Elegant and poised, he raised one eyebrow in denial of Ortel’s reasoning.
Ortel forked a bite into his mouth and chewed. Gravy dotted his lips.
“This trip was a waste of my time,” Luke said.
Ortel swallowed. “Aren’t you tired of running errands for the big boys? You’re smart. You should be your own boss. Things are changing in Cygnus. Ripe for the picking.”
“And what do you want in exchange for your help?”
“Not much. A hundred thousand should do.” Ortel smiled, certain he held the upper hand.
“A hundred thousand? You haven’t provided enough for me to cover the cost of this atrocious meal.” Luke’s fingers plucked a frayed spot. His other hand was out of sight, under the table. “Convince me not to kill you, Ortel. Give me something useful.”
Ortel paused in the act of sawing off another chunk of meat. His face paled.
Luke smiled. “You’re out of your league, Ortel. Don’t try playing with the big boys unless you’ve got the balls for it.”
“You kill me and you won’t make it off Kimmel. I took precautions.” Ortel grasped his knife like a weapon.
“You’re threatening me with flatware?” Luke chuckled. “You have no idea what weapon I’m holding, do you?”
Ortel dropped his gaze to the table, as if he could see Luke’s hidden hand.
Luke withdrew his hand from under the table. It was empty. He held both hands up, palm out, then resumed his previous position. “As I said, Ortel, you don’t have the balls. Or the brains.” He picked up his wine glass by the narrow stem and gestured towards the door. “My man, Lopei, will make certain you don’t live through the night, if I decide you need to be killed. Now, have I utterly wasted my time and resources coming to meet you or do you have something worthwhile to tell me?”
“Miya,” Ortel blurte
d.
Luke raised his eyebrow again.
“Arramiya Daviessbrowun. She’s the daughter of the sector’s richest businessman. You get her and he’ll do whatever you want him to, including buying off the Patrol. He tells the governor what to do. And they listen.” Ortel babbled nervously.
“Kidnapping?” Luke pursed his lips as he toyed with his glass. “Messy business. Why should I risk it?”
“I got it all figured.” Ortel dug in his pocket, retrieving a much folded scrap of paper. “You buy a place on Burundia. Nobody bothers anybody there. I’ve got guys who’ll snatch her for you. Take her to your place and demand a ransom from Daviessbrowun. Give him a choice between his daughter and his money. He’ll do whatever you tell him to.”
Luke took the scrap of paper from Ortel’s shaking hands.
“It’s foolproof, Hom Verity. You get Daviessbrowun in your pocket and Cygnus is all yours. No more working for someone else. You’ll be as powerful as any of them.”
Luke smoothed the paper, taking his time to press out the wrinkles with one finger.
“One woman, and it’s all yours for the taking. I swear.”
“And all it will cost me is a hundred thousand credits.”
“Nothing compared to the millions you’ll make.” Ortel dared a smile.
“Do you have a picture of this woman?”
Ortel shook his head, his smile collapsing into a worried frown. “She’s a recluse. Daviessbrowun keeps her locked up tighter than a virgin in a space port bar.”
Luke gave an exasperated sigh as he slid to the edge of the seat. “Enjoy your date with Lopei, Ortel.”
Ortel dared to grasp Luke’s flowing sleeve.
Luke’s face pinched with anger at his audacity.
“It’s him, not her. Rumors are that she’s a wild one, always trying to escape her leash. Daddy doesn’t want her out in public. She’ll embarrass him with another scandal.”
Luke brushed Ortel’s hand from his sleeve. “Bring me Arramiya Daviessbrowun and I’ll consider your proposal. Until then, you’re living on borrowed time, Ortel.” He stalked from the restaurant.
