Profit & Peril

by Charissa Dufour

  “What happened, Captain?” Kat asked from the corner of the bridge.

  “It was a trap. Nathyn, once we’ve cleared them fire at their engines. We’re close enough even our little cannon will put their engines out of commission long enough for us to get away.”

  The bridge fell silent as Oden pushed the thrusters to their limits, the ship easing backwards away from their enemy at nail-biting slowness.

  “That far enough?” Jack asked, relying on Oden’s better knowledge of the ship and the damage an exploding engine might make.

  “Sorta.”

  “Fire,” ordered Jack, yelling out the door and up to where Nathyn sat.

  The whole ship rumbled with the power of the laser cannon as it fired at the other ship.

  “Did it hit?” asked Jack, his eyes still glued to the screen displaying the ship before them.

  Oden glanced over more detailed screens. “Yes. One of their engines is out of commission.”

  The ship spun with the use of the thrusters. Once Oden had them pointing away from the other ship, he fired up their primary engines. The entire ship rumbled as the engines struggled. Slowly but surely, they eased away, just as Randal and Bit arrived in the bridge.

  “We made it?” Randal asked.

  “Yeah. With the damage done to their engines, they shouldn’t be able to pursue us,” said Oden, his eyes still on the forward screens.

  “Kat, go get Bit cleaned up,” Jack ordered, catching sight of Bit’s bloody face.

  “I’m okay, Captain. I’m sure…” began Bit.

  “I said go get her cleaned up,” Jack snapped, cutting Bit off.

  Bit turned and exited the bridge, not even worrying to see if the new XO was following her. All this was her fault. Kat followed, and the two women descended the stairs all the way down to the lowest level. They found Blaine helping Forrest to sort the EV suits and store them.

  “Bit, are you okay?” Blaine asked coming to her side and preparing to take her face in his hands.

  “I’m fine,” she said, jerking her head out of his reach. “Don’t mind us.”

  Katrina guided her into the infirmary, giving Blaine a stern look. In the infirmary, Bit went straight for the long sink and switched the water on. She splashed some on her face, which immediately ran red.

  “Oh now you’re just making a mess,” Kat said as she came forward with a cloth.

  She wet the cloth and began to scrub the blood off of Bit’s cheek. Kat had just finished applying a little bandage over the cut—the second one to mar her forehead—when they heard voices from the hallway.

  “Jack! Bit’s in there and she’s been hurt. What happened? She won’t talk to me. Please talk to her. Tell her I’m…” Blaine’s ended abruptly.

  “Blaine, you seem well enough. I think it’s time you sleep in your own bunk again.”

  “Yes, sir. But about…”

  “As to Bit, I don’t think I really need to tell you what you already know.”

  “You gonna be able to forgive him?” Kat asked, drowning out the voices from outside the infirmary.

  Bit shrugged and winced as she found another sore spot. “Forgive and forget are two different things.”

  “You need to. For the sake of the crew.”

  Bit glared up at the other woman. “Then for the sake of the crew, Blaine needs to back off.”

  Before Kat could respond, Jack entered the infirmary, firmly shutting the door in Blaine’s face.

  “Kat,” he said by way of greeting. “I realize we have a few things to work out between us and our leadership of this crew, but when the engines suddenly stop, you gotta show up!”

  “I apologize, Captain. But my last captain didn’t want me on the bridge unless it was my shift. To him I was little more than a babysitter for his ship.”

  “Noted,” Jack said through clenched teeth.

  He motioned for her to leave and she did, nudging Blaine away from the door. From within, Bit heard a heated argument begin. She forced her gaze onto Jack, who was glaring at her.

  Bit felt her bottom lip begin to quiver. She bit down on it, determined not to cry over a scolding. After all, she deserved it. She knew she had screwed up and she deserved whatever punishment Jack came up with.

  “I can’t believe you fell asleep,” Jack began. “I mean, of everyone on this ship, I never thought I couldn’t rely on you.”

  Bit nodded, her eyes glued to the floor and her teeth sunk into her bottom lip until it hurt.

  “Did you really think it was okay to go to sleep when I had just given you such an important job?”

  Bit shook her head, still battling her need to cry. You deserve this and more, she chided herself.

  “I mean, am I just crazy in giving you any job of value? Do you just want to keep helping Vance in the galley?”

  Again, Bit shook her head.

  “Well, what the hell do you suggest I do about this? Anyone else on my crew would be put on bread and water. Is that what you want?”

  Bit didn’t respond, too close to tears to say anything.

  Jack folded his arms across his chest, wincing as it pulled on the gunshot graze. “Bit. Why are you crying?”

  She didn’t respond at first, her throat too constricted to speak. Finally, Jack stepped forward and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him.

  “Why are you crying?” he repeated.

  Bit swallowed the lump in her throat. “Are you going to sell my debt?”

  Jack’s face crumpled and he dragged her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her in a fierce hug. It hurt in the best way possible. Despite her surprise, she wrapped her arms around his body, too tired and hurt to think on what his hug might mean.

  “You foolish girl.” Jack pushed her away just enough so that he could look down into her face. “You’d have to do a lot more than fall asleep on duty to get me to sell your debt. Hell, everyone on this ship has fallen asleep on duty, myself included.”

  Bit swallowed again. “You, sir?”

  Jack chuckled, dragging her back into his arms. “Even me. Don’t tell anyone that, though.”

  Bit nodded against his chest, the tears now flowing with the relief his words brought to her.

  Chapter Eight

  Bit dried her eyes, the relief of her awkward conversation still fresh in her mind. He wouldn’t be selling her debt any time soon. Despite the occasional pirate attack, and their entire visit to Mars, her time with the crew of the Lenore had been the best of her life. With them she felt free, or at least what she imagined freedom to feel like.

  Her whole body ached from the fall she had taken in the other ship when their enemy had suddenly reactivated the artificial gravity. She cringed as she thought of the ten-foot fall she had taken. It could have been a lot worse, she told herself as she pushed away from the infirmary bed and headed toward the door.

  As she reached it, the door swung open and Blaine stepped in. Bit turned her eyes on the ground, perfectly aware that she was taking the coward’s way out as she tried to skirt around Blaine’s hulking body. His hand shot out and grabbed her arm. He wasn’t rough about, but she flinched all the same.

  Blaine released her arm and held up his hands. “Bit. Please.”

  Bit forced her eyes up to his face, a frown puckering her eyebrows. “What do you want to say?”

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  “You’ve said that already,” Bit said, not harshly, but stern all the same.

  “It wasn’t me.”

  “You’ve said that already, too.”

  “I know, but you won’t believe me.”

  Bit sighed. “Blaine, the thing is, for that poison to work, some of those tendencies had to already be part of your personality. Even before you were poisoned you were protective of me.”

  Blaine frowned down at her. “That’s ‘cause I care.”

  “It’s the wrong kind of caring.”

  “How can there be a wrong kind of caring? Caring is caring!”
>
  “You know that’s not true, Blaine,” she sighed. “It’s not caring when you kidnap someone.”

  “That was the poison.”

  “Was it? Are you telling me you wouldn’t do the same thing in the right circumstances?”

  “Well…” he trailed off, at a loss for words.

  “See.”

  “No. I mean, of course I wouldn’t kidnap you.”

  Bit scoffed at his statement. “You hesitated, Blaine. You shouldn’t have to hesitate to the question ‘would you ever kidnap me.’”

  “Can’t you see that I was trying to protect you?”

  “The very fact you are justifying your past actions is why I can’t do this anymore. I don’t think I want to be your friend. I’m sorry.” Bit looked down at the floor, ashamed of the fact she couldn't move on.

  “You don’t get to just abandon me,” he said, a fire lighting he his eyes.

  Before Bit could react, he grabbed her, planting his lips half on her mouth and half on her chin. Bit let out a squeak as he adjusted his aim and drove his tongue into her mouth. His hands wrapped around her waist and he backed her up against the wall as she tried to squirm away from him. The whole action hurt her bruised body.

  “You want this,” he whispered against her lips between fierce kisses. “I know you do.”

  Fed up with him, Bit shoved at him, simultaneously bringing her knee up and into his groin. Blaine shuffled backwards as he doubled over in pain, his hands holding his family jewels. Though his face was turning red and she thought he might vomit, Bit didn’t hesitation to fling the door to the infirmary open and charge out, heading straight for the steps up to where other crewmates would be.

  She found Jack on the living level, talking with Kat over a pad that appeared to have a schedule on its screen.

  “Captain. I just kicked Blaine in the nuts. He’s down in the infirmary if you care,” she said as she walked past, destined for her own room.

  “Wait. What?”

  Bit kept walking.

  “Bit, stop. What happened?”

  Bit turned, knowing her expression was still dark and foreboding. “I made the mistake of staying behind to talk to him. When he didn’t like what I had to say, he grabbed me and kissed me, then pushed me up against a wall.”

  Jack let out a long-suffering sigh, handing the pad to Kat. “I’ll talk to him.”

  “Captain,” called Kat. “I think Bit has given him enough punishment for one day.”

  “Are you suggesting that it is okay for one of my crew to assault another?”

  “Not in the least, sir, but I think Bit will agree with me that she wants to fight her own battles.”

  Bit gave them both a firm nod. “Damn straight. He comes near me again, though, and I’ll cut off his balls and feed them to him—one curly hair at a time.”

  Jack swallowed, clearly nauseated by the image she had stirred. “Okay, then. I’ll leave it in your more than capable hands.”

  Bit gave him another nod and stormed into her room, slamming her door behind her.

  Bit ran through the city, only this time the lights in the enormous buildings flickered and all the pedestrians stopped to stare at her. She screamed at them, begging for help, but they just kept staring. She glanced over her shoulder to find the man from the Commissioner’s office following her. He never picked up his pace beyond a brisk walk, and yet he seemed to always be on her tail.

  The lights flickered again before finally going out altogether. Bit screamed and raced on, barreling into one of the planters--the once lush growth now withered and dead.

  A hand clamped down on her shoulder. She screamed.

  “Bit,” came a worried voice, breaking through her terror.

  She jerked, blinking the haze of sleep from her eyes as she glanced around. Oden stood over her, the door to her room cracked open and the light of the walkway shining into her dark room. Worry lines creased Oden’s attractive face.

  “Just a bad dream, Bit,” he said softly. “Sssshhhh.”

  “What the hell is going on in here?” Jack asked, sweeping the door open as he stepped into her over-crowded room.

  Bit stared at him, still numb from her nightmare.

  “Oden Peek, what is going on here?”

  Bit glanced down her body, realizing she was using her blanket more as a body pillow than a covering. Her bare legs were on display, her rump barely covered by her oversized t-shirt. She hoped Oden didn’t recognize it as one of his hand-me-downs.

  “Nothing, sir,” Oden replied, panic coloring his voice.

  Before Bit could intervene, a crowd formed outside her door, peeking in. The crowd of men erupted, yelling at Oden and demanding action from Jack. Jack held up his hand, ordering the disgruntled mob to be quiet.

  Jack glared at Oden as though the pilot had just killed his little sister. “I’m shocked. I never thought you would be the one to break my rules. How many times have I said ‘Bit is off limits’?”

  Kat appeared in the doorway.

  “Now wait just a minute,” Bit snapped, untangling herself from the blanket and climbing to her feet as gracefully as the hammock would allow. “Do you put such restrictions on Katrina?”

  Jack looked around, his eyes resting on his XO. Katrina had crossed her arms and cocked one eyebrow.

  “I know I screwed up your perfect little balance, but my love life—whether within the crew or not—is none of your business.”

  Oden looked down at Bit, a slightly hopeful look momentarily spreading across her features.

  “You saying you’re with Oden… now?” Jack asked, emphasizing the “now.”

  Bit knew what he was implying—he was referencing to Blaine and the almost relationship they had entertained.

  “No. But who I invite into my room is my business, not yours.”

  Jack glared down at her. “Everyone out,” he spat, his eyes never leaving hers.

  Oden skirted around his captain. The crew mumbled to each other as they shuffled back to their shared quarters.

  “And shut the door,” Jack added.

  This time, they hesitated. Finally, Bit nodded to Kat. The door banged shut and Bit willed herself to look up at her captain without any sign of the fear that pitted her stomach.

  Jack stepped forward, his features an inch from her upturned face. “While you are a part of my crew, you are first and foremost my indentured servant.”

  “In my months since I came to the Lenore, you have never once treated me like property… until now. I didn’t realize you viewed me that way.”

  Bit felt the tears pressing against her eyes, but refused to shed them.

  “What now… Captain. Will you take advantage of me like so many owners have done, since evidently I have no say in my life?”

  “Will you take advantage of me like so many owners have done, since evidently I have no say in my life?” she asked.

  Jack felt his gut tighten at her accusing words. He knew what she meant. She wanted to know if he would take her into his bed. It wasn’t an unusual practice with pretty indentures. But he wasn’t the usual guy. He couldn’t believe she would ask him that. And yet, the more he thought about it, the more he realized he wanted nothing more than to claim her.

  Shit, Jack thought as his self-realization hit home. What have you done, you idiot?

  Jack swallowed the tension forming in his throat—unable to do anything about the tension building below his belt.

  “Have I ever even touched you?” he asked.

  Bit lowered her eyes. “No.”

  “Nor will I.”

  “All the same, I don’t have a say in any sort of love life?”

  Jack ground his teeth together, his jaw muscles working overtime. “Who is it you want?”

  “Dammit, Jack, that’s not the point. I don’t want anyone right now. I just want to be treated like a human being, like you treat all the rest of your crew. With the same respect, but you seem unable to do that.” Tears suddenly spilled over her low
er lids.

  He felt like scum. He’d made her cry. He was scum.

  “For the record,” she went on, “Oden was in here to wake me from a bad dream.”

  Jack continued to grind his teeth, his self-loathing building with each new statement. Without saying a word, he turned and opened her door. Kat stood outside the door, leaning against the far wall. Jack glared at her and marched to his room.

  He had nothing more to say to either of the women aboard his ship.

  Chapter Nine

  Bit trudged up the stairs toward the bridge at the order of Randal. She ached after the last round of hand-to-hand training, this time with the leader of the security team. She knew she had bruises across her back and a truly impressive welt on her thigh, making it painful to sit down. Still, despite the bruises and the sore muscles, she wouldn’t trade her new position for the world, even after five days of travel with nothing to do but help Vance in the galley or train with the security team.

  And they were still barely over halfway to their destination—the space station orbiting Ceres, or was it one of its moons?

  As she reached the turning point in the staircase, Jack’s voice trickled down to her. Even after five days since her nightmare, and the subsequent fight with Jack, things were awkward between them. He wouldn’t look at her if he could help it, and she never knew what to say to her overbearing captain-slash-owner.

  “No, probably two more weeks before we reach Nye,” he said from the bridge.

  Silence.

  “That’s because of planetary shifts. You do understand that planets move, right?”

  Another round of silence as Bit reached the door of the bridge.

  “Look, Douglas, you need to trust me to push my ship as much as I see fit.” Jack’s voice ground to a stop as he heard Bit’s entrance. “Just a sec,” he said into the comm. device.

  “Randal sent me to get something,” Bit said, motioning toward the lockers lining the back wall.

  Jack nodded toward the lockers, indicating she could enter. Bit glanced at Calen, sitting in the pilot’s seat. He shrugged and turned back to his controls.