by L. H. Davis
Jax sat. “Is this the part where you chew me out for nearly getting you killed?”
Nina smiled. “No. This is the part where I have to admit that it was me…that nearly got you killed.”
“How do you figure?”
“They got into the ship because I shut down the security system.”
“But your intentions were honorable.”
Nina laughed. “No…they were definitely not.”
Jax ginned. “I only meant you didn’t even know that there were people like them on this planet. Seriously, how much value does a security system actually add on a planet with less than three hundred people?”
“It keeps people out who have no legitimate business being inside the ship. Like me…and those two smelly assholes.”
Jax laughed. “They were pretty raunchy.”
“It’s not funny,” Nina said. “If anyone finds out I overrode the security system, which let those men inside, I’ll lose my pilot certification.”
“No one’s going to find out,” Jax said. “Their bodies are in the Vortex and I cleaned up the mess down stairs. Worst case, they spank us for breaking a transport.”
“Shit,” Nina said. “I swiped my ID on the console.”
“And I had to borrow another one to clean up, so they got me too if they hold a formal investigation.”
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“It’s no big deal,” Jax said. “So we were goofing around after hours on a couple of transports and broke one. They’ll dock our pay, but what the hell; we’re alive.”
Nina grinned. “You have such a way with words.”
“I feel bad they had to die,” Jax said, “but lady…it sure feels good to finally have those jerks off my back, and out of my life.”
“How long have they been on Arcus?”
“Almost a year,” Jax said. “I spotted their wreck about eight months ago, and have been dropping food to them for the last…sixteen weeks.”
“Why?”
“They were starving.”
“No, why didn’t you just report the wreck and let the security team handle them?”
“They still had the original hull numbers on the ship, so I checked it out. The ship was stolen on Abydos, about two years ago, so those idiots would have been executed. I just couldn’t do that.”
“Why were they even here?”
“They claimed they were just trying to catch up with their mother ship, the Karnak…which I learned was also stolen from the Imperium. And maybe they were, but I suspect they were probably just delivering a hot cargo. I never pushed it. I guess I didn’t want to know if someone on Arcus was dealing on the black market, but honestly…I don’t care.”
“But if the Karnak was stolen, why would it come here…to an Imperium outpost?”
“There wasn’t an outpost on Arcus back then,” Jax said. “The captain of the Karnak was here scouting the planet for some reason, got stranded, and ordered the Karnak to come pick him up. Rastus and Orin didn’t make it back to the ship in time and got left behind on Wadi. If you ask me, they were lucky; the Karnak never made it back. But I guess pirates are pretty much useless without a pirate ship, which I suspect is why the brothers never stopped looking for her.
“How long had they been looking?”
“Rastus said he thought they were about three and a half years behind the Karnak, so she must have disappeared about four and half to five years ago.”
“Then there was an outpost here.”
“Not back then,” Jax said. “They’ve only been mining Arcus for three years. It took two years to fill the holding tank of the Icarus, and the Titan’s been here just about a year.”
“This outpost has only been here three years,” Nina said, “but there was an earlier one…which disappeared five years ago, along with the Hyperion…and my parents.”
“Shit,” Jax said.
“They didn’t tell you about the Hyperion when you signed on?”
“No, but I’m not surprised,” he said. “Missing ships are considered bad luck, and they’re definitely bad publicity. The Council buries information like that as fast as possible. Did they ever close the investigation and post the official findings?”
“They said my father committed suicide by flying the Hyperion into the sun…with my mother…and the crew aboard.”
“Shit,” Jax said.
“Did I ever tell you that you have a way with words?”
“I believe you did.”
“Jax…what are the odds of two ships disappearing at the same time, in the same solar system?”
“Actually not that high if you assume they were going to the same place…and happened to collide.”
“I think I can live with that,” Nina said. “What about a ground structure…as big as the Compound? How could something like that disappear?”
“You need to see the Vortex. The Compound is big, but it’s just sitting on the ice that forms the core of this planet. Ice melts, especially when something huge and hot falls on it…like a couple of burning spacecraft.”
“I think I can live with that, too,” she said.
“Can you live with me?” Jax asked.
His question caught her off guard. She wasn’t certain what Jax was asking, which he apparently sensed.
“I mean…considering the questionable things I’ve done lately.”
She stared at him for a moment, and then grinned. “Questionable? You mean illegal, don’t you?”
He did not reply.
“Don’t you?” Nina prodded.
“Okay, that’s what I mean…illegal. Jeez, don’t get your panties in a wad.”
Nina reached down beside the couch and pulled her torn lace panties from the pocket of her soiled jump suit. She shook the tattered panties, and held them up. “Wad-less.”
Jax rolled on the couch with laugher.
Nina sensed he was releasing several months of bottled up stress. She smiled, and tried not to laugh, although a chuckle did slip out…but just one. She moaned.
“Maybe I should go to the infirmary,” Nina said. “I think I cracked a few ribs.”
Jax stood. “What’re you going to tell them?”
“The truth,” Nina said as Jax helped her up. “We fell off the bed having sex and you landed on top of me.”
“Makes me sound kind of clumsy,” Jax said.
“I think it makes you sound like a hell of a lover.”
“I guess it does…in a way. I can live with that.”
“I just wish it wasn’t a lie,” Nina said.
“Which part?”
“Oh—,” Nina said, trying not to laugh. “Damn it, Jax.”
“Sorry.”
Jax helped Nina into his coat and walked with her to the elevator. He was prepared to catch Nina if she fell, but couldn’t help her walk, or even support her, without causing additional pain.
“Maybe we should say you slipped while climbing the docking ballast,” Jax said. “When those toe holds get packed with ice—”
“No,” Nina said. “That’s too close to the truth. We don’t want the accident report to involve your ship. That would trigger an investigation and—” Nina stopped, and turned to face Jax. “The toe holes in the ballast had just been cleaned. Why? You always use the lift.”
Jax grinned. “I got worried you might fall?”
“You knew what I was doing?”
“I knew you were sneaking up on me, but I had no idea why. I was just hoping you’d come out…you know…to talk. But after it got dark I figured you were doing something else…and I got curious.”
“You used my locator chip to find me…and see if I was alone.”
“That sounds terrible, doesn’t it. I’m sorry.”
Nina smiled. “Don’t be. That’s how I knew you were alone in the tug.”
The door of the elevator opened. Jax and Nina stepped inside. “Ground floor,” he said. “I was glad to see you were alone, but it took me a few minutes to figure ou
t what you were up to. Nobody goes out on the ice, on foot, after dark. That’s just crazy.”
“Well let’s pump you full of female hormones and see how crazy they make you…Lieutenant Jackson.”
“Elevator hold,” Jax said. The car came to a gentle stop between floors. Jax kissed Nina’s ear, and then her neck.
Nina moaned. “Jax…you’re not helping. Okay, you are…but why now?”
Jax kissed her mouth, caressing each lip with the tip of his tongue.
“What changed your mind…about us?” she asked.
Jax cupped her face in his hands. “Because no one is crazy enough to go out on the ice sheet…on foot…after dark…except you.”
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Table of Contents
Copyright
I - Ice
II - Pirates
III - Lace
Other titles you will enjoy
Table of Contents
Copyright
I - Ice
II - Pirates
III - Lace
Other titles you will enjoy