Stormcrow: Book Two: Birds of a Feather

by N. C. Reed

  One such interested party was Terase Falcone and her two remaining sons as they and what remained of their entourage prepared to head into space, fleeing from the disaster of a few days past. Learning of who was visiting was almost more than the old woman could stand, and it took all her willpower not to rush the procession and kill the girl and as many of her people as she could. Instead, she merely asked to be informed of where the procession carried the Delgado Princess.

  -

  “This is it, miss,” the driver said as he stopped the car in the area behind the Celia. “Do they expect us?”

  “No,” Tal sighed. “We'll have to go up and introduce ourselves I'm afraid. C'mon Lucia,” she opened the door.

  “I go alone from here,” Lucia shook her head, but Talitha responded to that by simply closing the door and locking all doors to the vehicle via remote.

  “What are you doing?!” Lucia demanded, sputtering.

  “My job,” Tal said simply. “There is no way you're going anywhere out in the open or anywhere else alone,” she said flatly. “Not. Going. To happen. The chase car has already moved to the far side of the ship to provide security, the rest are here, and I'm going with you, with them,” a finger jabbed at the front seat, “for back-up. They won't be close enough to hear or interfere, but they are going, or you're not. And I'm not going to argue about this, or 'make a deal'. I go, we go, or we all go home.”

  “Once we leave the grounds I'm the one in charge,” Lucia told her, “and I say you aren't going.”

  “Your mother said once we left the grounds that we still work for her, and if you tried to go solo we bring you home. She told you the same thing and before you try to deny it please remember that I was standing there when she did.”

  Lucia deflated abruptly at that, her pout remaining.

  “Fine!” she grumped. “Let me out, then.”

  Talitha nodded to the men in front who got out and formed a small barrier at Lucia's door. Talitha followed her out, straightening her suit as she did so.

  “Left and right, but give her some room,” Tal ordered, and the two men nodded, spreading out to cover the flanks as Talitha accompanied Lucia to the airlock entrance of the Celia. Lucia looked at Tal as they approached the hatch.

  “Do you have to be right here on top of me?” she all but demanded.

  “Yep,” Tal's response was simple, not bothered in the least by her primary's attitude.

  “Fine,” Lucia grumped and hit the buzzer by the airlock door.

  -

  “Wonder who that is?” Jess frowned as the airlock alarm sounded. “Anyone from the crew would be able to open the door on their own.”

  “I'll check it,” Sean shrugged. “Go ahead and start,” he nodded toward the target. “See if you can repeat your performance at the shop. It's a handy talent to have, sometimes.”

  “Okay.” Jessica turned back to the target as Sean moved across the bay to the airlock. Even as he did the buzzer sounded again.

  “Someone's in a hurry,” he murmured.

  -

  “What the hell is taking so long?” Lucia demanded to no one in particular.

  “You know, there might not be anyone here, for one thing,” Talitha reminded her. “And whoever is here might be well forward. It may take a minute or two for them to get down here.”

  “There should be someone at the door to greet visitors!” Lucia protested.

  “I would imagine ships like this one get very few visitors, Lucia, and none of them without prior notice. It's a freighter, not a liner.” Talitha's voice was calm and reasoning, which just made Lucia that much more put out.

  “Still, when you're in port you should expect visitors!” she grumped again. “What if someone wanted to hire them for instance?”

  “Then they would go through a broker,” Talitha pointed out. “That's how it's done, Lucia. People with freight hire a broker, who then negotiates with ships for good rates and scheduled delivery.”

  “That's no excuse to not have-” Lucia's words were cut off as the airlock began to cycle. It was clear that the inner door was open already since the ship was on the ground. They heard the locks disengage on the outer door and suddenly Sean Galen was standing there.

  “Can I help. . .you,” his question trailed away as he realized who was standing there. “Lucia,” he sighed, managing not to shake his head.

  “Sean Galen,” the girl smiled sweetly despite her ire from only seconds before. “How are you?”

  “I'm fine,” Sean replied flatly. “How are you?” he asked, just to be polite and give himself some time. He recognized the woman with Lucia right away as the security officer who had given him a ride into the city the night he'd killed Lucia's brother, Roberto.

  “I'm great!” Lucia smiled brightly. “Aren't you going to invite me in?” she asked, hands going to her hips.

  “Why would I do that?” Sean asked her, though politely. “Why would you want to be on the ship?”

  “Well, I did come to visit you,” Lucia mock pouted, refusing to let Sean Galen's attitude get to her. “And this is the ship my older brother works on, so why wouldn't I want a tour?”

  “Do you realize that no one else on this ship besides me knows he's your brother?” Sean asked her gently. “He doesn't use his real name here, Lucia. Doesn't want anyone to know who he is. You want to ruin that for him by announcing you're his sister and this is his home planet?”

  “Why wouldn't he use his real name?” Lucia looked shocked.

  “Doesn't want the attention, I guess,” Sean shrugged. “And you letting his secret out might make it hard on him, too. You should think about that.”

  “Well, just tell whoever else is here that I came to see you, then!” Lucia beamed. “That is the truth, after all.”

  “And how do I explain knowing you to the others?” Sean asked reasonably. “Can you think of a single reason why the heiress of the most powerful family on this planet if not in this entire sector would know the engineer of a small time independent freighter? Let alone visit said freighter to see him?”

  “It's not really any of their business, is it?” Lucia huffed, beginning to get angry.

  “It's not my ship, so if I bring someone aboard, then yeah, it's their business,” Sean tried to keep his voice calm and reasonable.

  “You don't seem happy to see me, Sean Galen,” Lucia all but accused. “Why is that?”

  “I'm not happy or unhappy, Lucia, just surprised,” he replied evenly. “Why would you want to come here anyway?”

  “To see you, of course!” Lucia scowled. “I told you that you wouldn't be rid of me so easy, Sean Galen, and I meant it!” She might as well have stomped her foot on the ground to emphasize her point, such was her petulant tone.

  “I wasn't trying to be rid of you, Lucia,” Sean sighed. “You make it sound like I threw you away and that's not what happened. I was completely truthful with you from the start. Nothing I said was wrong or inaccurate. The last thing a girl like you needs is someone like me around her.”

  “Stop calling me girl!” Lucia all but yelled, her patience at an end. “I told you I'm a grown woman!”

  “Then act like it for the Spirit's sake!” he shot back without thinking. “Stop acting like a spoiled princess who wants her way no matter what. You do that and I might start treating you like a grown up!”

  Talitha was having to bite her lip to keep from laughing at how casually Sean Galen was dealing with Lucia. Anyone else would be kowtowing to her because of her family's influence, but not this man. She revised her opinion of Galen upward, as well as her opinion of Lucia (yet again). The fact that Lucia was going after a man that she couldn't brow beat said something about her maturity that her behavior didn't show. Or at least didn't allow to be seen.

  And Sean Galen just might good for Lucia, she decided suddenly. Maybe Antonia Delgado had the right idea after all.

  “I am not spoiled!” Lucia shot back even as Talitha's thoughts ran through her mind. “I
am determined! There's a difference!”

  “Like the difference between breaking into someone's room and using a key to get inside without asking, you mean?” Sean shot back. “That kind of difference?”

  “That's not fair!” Lucia's face reddened, her voice falling softer. “Using that against me! I told you I was just scared!”

  Sean stopped short at that declaration, realizing that he had perhaps hurt the girl.

  “Sorry,” he murmured. “Look,” he tried to sound calm. “This isn't the place for you, Lucia. Even with all these guys with you, it's not a good place for you to be. You know that, I'm sure, and I'm equally sure she explained it to you,” he indicated Talitha, who silently nodded her agreement.

  “Stop telling me that,” Lucia's voice was suddenly deadly calm. “I will not allow those people to dictate how I live my life, Sean Galen. I might have been scared, I might still be scared, but I'm not going to let that fear drive me under a rock to live my life. If I do, then they win regardless. I won't allow that.”

  He quiet declaration brought Sean up short yet again. Every time he thought he had her figured out, Lucia Delgado managed to surprise him. Every time. There was something unsettling about that.

  “If I give you a tour of the ship will you go home?” he asked her, trying to keep the defeat he was feeling out of his voice.

  “I'm not here to make any deals,” Lucia told him flatly, using Talitha's line easily. “I'm here to see you. To talk to you. If you give me a tour, and talk to me like a grown up, then I might leave, yes. But I won't promise not to be back tomorrow. Or anything else for that matter,” she clarified as Sean started to speak again.

  Sean looked at Talitha with a look of helplessness on his face that she well understood. Her only reply was a helpless shrug of her own. The message was clear.

  You're on your own, buddy.

  “Then come on in,” Sean caved in. Letting her inside was easier than leaving her standing outside where she was an easy target, at least. “But remember that no one knows you're Tony's sister, or what his real name is. I want your word you'll keep it that way, or else you can stand here until we leave and I won't speak to you again, like a grown up or anything else. You agree to that?”

  She was tempted to repeat her 'no deals' line, but thought better of it after seeing the look on his face. She was getting what she wanted, at least partly. That would have to do for now. And it was better than she had expected after all.

  “Agreed,” she nodded. “They won't find out from me. We'll tell everyone we met the first night you were on planet. That is the truth, after all.”

  “All right,” Sean agreed. He slid the hatchway open further to allow Lucia and Talitha to enter the ship. Tal motioned for the others to stay put and then followed Lucia inside.

  -

  Jessica looked back without thinking when she heard the hatch shut.

  “Who was. . .it?” she paused before finishing, surprised to see two smartly dressed young women entering the bay behind Sean.

  “Jess, this is a friend of mine, Lucy,” he waved to the youngest and sharpest dressed, “and her assistant,” he indicated the woman in the business suit. “I forgot that I had promised Lucy a tour of the ship if she wanted it, and she does. Why not keep working on your skills while I see to this, and then we'll pick up where we left off?”

  “Sure,” Jessica nodded, her mind filing away the two women's faces and features without conscious thought. “Enjoy the tour,” she smiled at the two women in a friendly manner. The older woman returned the smile, albeit reservedly, while the younger woman, 'Lucy', looked far less friendly despite her attempt at appearing to smile back.

  “Thank you,” 'Lucy' managed not to bite her words off as Sean took her by the arm and led her toward the steps.

  “What was that about?” Jessica overheard, though Sean's voice was so low that she doubted he would think she had heard him.

  “Nothing,” 'Lucy' shot back, just shy of short.

  “So you're just normally rude to people you've only just met then. Is that it?” was the last thing she heard before they moved out of hearing. Jessica shook her head and went back to her target.

  You met all kinds of people traveling in space it seemed.

  -

  “I wasn't rude,” Lucia insisted as she climbed the stairs with Sean, Talitha following.

  “Yes, you were,” Sean insisted. “For no reason, either. Jess was very nice to you. She's one of the nicest people I know, especially considering how tough she's had it of late.”

  “'Jess', is it?” Lucia demanded, eyeing him strangely, Sean thought. “I thought her name was Jessica.”

  “And how would you know that?” Sean asked, frowning. “It is, but she prefers Jess, so that's what we use.”

  “Tony must have told me,” Lucia shrugged, feigning indifference.

  “You promised not to mention that,” Sean stopped short, looking at her. “Are you breaking your promise already?”

  “No!” Lucia barely managed to keep from sputtering. “Won't happen again,” she crossed her chest with her index finger, prompting both Talitha and Sean to roll their eyes at the childish gesture.

  “That was the cargo bay,” he told her with a sigh. “Through here is the galley,” he led the two women through the hatchway off the landing and into the passageway toward the galley. “These are passenger rooms,” he indicated the hatches to either side of the hallway as they went. “We rarely use them, truthfully, but these bunks are separated from the crew quarters by the galley and the lounge.”

  “Why?” Lucia asked.

  “These were originally crew quarters too,” Sean told her. “The Celia was built to have a larger crew but doesn't need one as a freighter, so all the crew bunks forward.” They exited the passageway into the wider galley.

  “This is our galley, and over there is the kitchen,” he pointed to an open doorway. “Tony works there, he's the cook as well as the medic aboard ship. And through there,” he pointed to the left, “is the lounge.” He guided them toward the lounge area, allowing them to see the ship's recreational area.

  “Crew and passengers use this area, when we do have passengers,” he told them. “There's a fairly large digital library, as well as the exercise machines and the screen is for watching vids and playing a few games we keep. There's a common head and shower area over there,” he pointed to the small alcove off the lounge.

  “This is pretty small,” Lucia mused. “Must get awful crowded around here out in space.”

  “We don't spend a lot of time in here because we're usually working,” he reminded her. “It's plenty big enough for the down time we do have. More than serves its purpose,” he assured her.

  “Where do you work?” she asked suddenly, smiling brightly.

  “That area's off limits to everyone but crew,” he told her. “So is the bridge.”

  “Oh, come on, don't be that way!” Lucia cajoled. “It's not like you're in space at the moment, right? Show a girl where you earn your money!”

  Sighing, his head shaking ever so slightly, Sean led the two women back out to the landing and down the passageway to the engine room.

  “See?” he pointed to the sign that clearly stated the area was dangerous and therefore off limits. “It's not like I made that up.” He opened the hatch before she could respond and stepped inside. For some reason he was very glad he'd spent the time on the ground cleaning the engine compartment until it gleamed. He knew it would make a good impression.

  As soon as that thought crossed his mind he almost kicked himself. Why did he care about making a good impression?

  “Nice,” Lucia looked around her, clearly not recognizing a single thing she saw but faking it rather well, she thought. “This is very nice.”

  “It looks very ship shape,” Talitha spoke for the first time, and she was clearly not faking her recognition of a well-run engine room. “Well done,” she complimented.

  “Thanks,” Sean's reply was
almost a grunt. “I spent the time we've been grounded here getting things in good order. Once we're back in the black it will start looking like an engine room again in short order.”

  “I'm sure,” Talitha raised an eyebrow at him, politely accusing him of lying. She could tell when someone had it together in one sock, and whatever else Galen might be he was clearly a first-rate engineer.

  “I guess you spend a lot of time back here, don't you?” Lucia was saying, walking slowly around the compartment but at least being careful not to touch anything.

  “I do work here,” he reminded her, “so yes, I do. This isn't my only duty but it's by far the most important.”

  “What else do you do?” she asked.

  “I stand a bridge watch when we're in deep space,” he told her.

  “Oh, well let's see that, then!” she brightened.

  “That's off limits,” Sean tried, knowing it was doomed to fail.

  “Are we going to have to go through that every time?” Lucia mock pouted. “You aren't in space so where's the harm?”

  “Fine,” Sean sighed, leading the two out of the engineering spaces and securing the hatch once more. He then led them back through the galley and up the forward passageway to the bridge.

  “Are these crew quarters?” Lucia asked as they traversed through the hatches in the forward passage.

  “Yes.”

  “Which one's yours?” she asked, in what she fondly imagined was innocent interest.

  “What does it matter?” he asked her. “You won't be here to break in.”

  “I didn't break in,” she huffed quietly. “You make me sound like a criminal. And I was just curious.”

  “That one,” Sean pointed to his hatch in resignation. “That's Tony's,” he added, pointing to one further on.