Stormcrow: Book Two: Birds of a Feather

by N. C. Reed

  “Nice,” Lucia sounded almost disinterested. At least she thought so. Sean shot her a questioning glance which Lucia chose to pretend she didn't see. Talitha saw it though, and again had to fight off a laugh. Lucia thought she was so sharp, but nothing much got past Galen it seemed. Antonia Delgado had been right about that as well.

  They made a short, sharp turn and suddenly the passageway opened up into a wider area that very nearly spanned the width of the ship.

  “This is the bridge,” Sean said without fanfare. “Pilot's seat,” he pointed to each chair in turn, “co-pilot, navigation, engineer.”

  “You have a seat here too?” she asked.

  “It's for the bridge crew to see repeaters of the engine stats,” he explained. “The crew chief on a larger crew, one using the ship as an ore hauler for example, would sit there and watch for trouble as the ship hopped in and out of atmosphere. No one really uses the seat anymore, but the repeater gauges are good for the bridge watch.”

  “I see,” Lucia nodded as if that meant anything to her and Sean barely managed not to snort in laughter.

  “What's so funny?”

  Or thought he had, anyway.

  “You are,” he replied to Lucia's question honestly. “Trying to act like you know the first thing I've shown you. What it's for or what is does either. That's not really unusual, since most people who don't work on a ship know almost nothing about it other than it goes into space. But you're doing your best to act like you do and it's funny to watch.”

  “Stop making fun of me!” Lucia demanded, arms crossing beneath her breasts. “I'm just trying to show interest in what you do, that's all!”

  “Why?” he asked her. “You're never see this again anyway.”

  “That doesn't mean I can't try and show interest in it now,” Lucia grumbled, barely catching herself from shooting her mouth off. Again.

  “I guess that's true,” Sean sighed. “Well, that's actually about all there is to see, really,” he added. “You came up through the cargo bay. I can show you the infirmary on the way out if you want, since that's where Tony works when someone's injured. Other than that, it's all service panels and pathways, none of which are accessible the way you're dressed, and not safe to prowl in anyway.”

  “That didn't take long,” Lucia's voice was both disappointed and accusatory at the same time.

  “There's not much to see,” Sean raised his hands in a gesture of helplessness. “It's just a small freighter, Lucia. It's not a liner or yacht. It's purpose built for deep space work and not creature comforts. Every inch of space on this ship is utilized in some way, even if it's just to hold air.”

  “It's different than I expected,” the girl sighed. “I thought it would be bigger.”

  “That's what they all say,” Sean managed to say with a straight face, but sent Talitha Jameson into a fit of coughing just the same.

  “What does that mean?” Lucia asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously at her 'attendant'.

  “Ships always look bigger from the outside,” Sean shrugged, careful to keep the grin he was feeling off his face.

  Lucia knew she was the butt of some kind of joke, and that Tal had gotten it when she didn't, but her pride refused to allow her to ask any more.

  “Well, lead on to this infirmary,” she decided to say imperiously, as if she were doing Sean a favor by following him through the ship. “We can look at your room on the way down.”

  “That's not going to happen,” Sean's joking manner left him at once. “Not even the Captain sees my bunk, and she owns the ship.” His tone left no room for argument, and Lucia's 'adorable pout' mode bounced off him as if he were a bulkhead.

  “Well,” Lucia tossed her head. “Be that way then.”

  “C'mon,” he told the two, leading them back down toward the aft of the ship and the infirmary, which was on the landing behind the passenger bunk rooms. The room was antiseptically clean, sterile and bright, just like a hospital room.

  “Poor Tony,” Lucia said softly. “He makes it as much like a hospital as he can,” she sighed.

  “We're lucky to have him,” Sean said honestly. “Most ships this small do good to have a medic at all, let alone someone with his training. If he hadn't been here when Linc got hurt, I don't know if even surgery could have saved his sight.”

  “He always does everything as best as he can,” Lucia nodded. “He doesn't know any other way.”

  “Like I said, we're lucky to have him,” Sean nodded. “And this is pretty much everything there is to see,” he ended the tour. “You can actually get a better idea of the cargo bay from the landing on your way out. Come on and I'll show you,” he led them back to the small landing overlooking the bay.

  “Larger than it looks from down there,” Talitha spoke as they looked out over the cavernous bay.

  “Yeah, it is,” Sean agreed. “When you see it full, you realize just how much this ship can haul, despite her size.”

  Thump. Thump.

  “What's that?” Lucia asked, frowning.

  “Probably Jess practicing with her knives,” Sean told her. “That's what we were doing when you got here. Training.”

  “Sounds like she's throwing?” Tal said, looking at Sean.

  “Yeah,” he nodded. “She found a really nice pair of blades at a mall in town last night and is trying them out.”

  “You were at the mall?” Lucia asked. “Out on a date?” she tried to sound like she was teasing.

  “Something like that,” Sean said absently, not wanting to give away Jessica's odd quirks to someone outside the crew. He didn't notice the chilly look that came over Lucia at his reply.

  “How long you two been together?” Talitha asked, noticing her primary's look and trying to disarm the situation.

  “Together?” Sean frowned. “Me and Jessica? We aren't together at all, other than we work together. What made you think that?”

  “You said date, so I assumed it from there,” Tal shrugged easily. She was far better at lying than Lucia was.

  “Oh, no, it was just a dinner date kind of thing. Away from the ship on leave. We've all been working hard last week or so and we'll be shipping out in less than forty-eight hours. No one wanted to stay on the ship so we decided to get something to eat and just look around. Ended up at this big mall, and they had a knife shop and first thing you know she's bought a knife. Knives, really,” he added as they heard the thunk, thunk, of knives impacting a target again.

  “Ah,” Talitha nodded, hoping Lucia would appreciate what she'd just done for her.

  “So you and Jess aren't an item, huh?” Lucia asked, back to trying to feign disinterest.

  “No, Lucia, we're not an item,” Sean gave a long-suffering sigh. “Who even says 'item' anymore outside a bad romance novel?”

  “Read many bad romance novels, have you, Sean Galen?” Lucia gave as good as she got when she wasn't off keel. Her smirk was actually kind of cute, he had to admit.

  Dammit, why did I think that?

  “A few, when I get the time,” he shrugged. “You talk like you've read most of them.”

  “Hmmph,” Lucia grumped, looking up and away to hide her grin. Talitha fought again not to roll her eyes. This was worse than watching one of those cheesy telenovelas that were all the rage again on the HD. Lucia was deliberately trying to amp Galen up. Talitha wondered if Lucia realized the fire she was playing with, then remembered the story of Galen and the Delgado brother returning with her, Galen covered in blood. She had watched him kill at least one man to rescue her.

  She probably had at least some idea the fire that was lurking there.

  “Anyway, you've seen the ship,” Sean mentioned again.

  “So I have,” Lucia gave a long-suffering sigh of her own. “You aren't going to do this the easy way, are you Sean Galen?” she said plainly, pretense gone. Sean was instantly wary and it showed.

  “What does that mean?” he asked. In near trepidation if Talitha was any judge. Smart man.


  “I've given you every chance to change your mind about getting to know me better,” Lucia told him flatly. “For me to get to know you better. I came here today to try one more time to do this the easy way. The simple way,” she stressed. “But you aren't really one for doing things the easy way, are you Sean Galen?”

  “Why do you use both my names every time?” he asked her, temporizing. Her sudden change had thrown him a little.

  “Don't change the subject, Sean Galen,” Lucia didn't bite. “Fine. I'll go, since I did say I would probably leave. You haven't completely talked to me like a grown up but I sort of pushed you by not acting like one to see what you would do, so I'll let that pass.”

  “That's awfully gracious of you,” Sean's sarcasm wasn't really biting, but more teasing. Playful even, Tal decided.

  “Yes, it is,” Lucia was more serious. “Just remember Sean Galen, that I gave you this chance. I gave you the opportunity to do this the easy way. Whatever happens now, it's on you.”

  “What the hell does that mean?” Sean's bewilderment was in no way feigned.

  “Just remember,” Lucia repeated, shaking her head as she walked down the stairs followed closely by her attendant. When she reached the bottom of the stair into the cargo bay, she paused, looking to where Jessica stood watching, blades in hand.

  “I apologize if I was short with you when we came aboard,” she said earnestly. “I admit I had hoped to catch Sean here by himself so that I could have him all to myself. I was disappointed that I didn't and I took it out on you. That was wrong and I am sorry. Please don't hold it against me, and I promise not to let it happen again.”

  “Okay,” Jess nodded. “No problem. What did you think of the ship?” she asked, working to be friendly.

  “It's beautiful,” Lucia replied easily. “I can see why all of you enjoy it so much. And it must be invigorating to have that kind of freedom, moving from planet to planet all the time.”

  “I never thought of it in those exact terms, but. . .yeah, now that you mention it, it is,” Jess nodded. “Of course, Sean does a lot more work than I do,” she smirked. “I'm just a pilot.”

  “You are?” Lucia asked. “That must be exciting, too,” she said.

  “At times, especially when Lincoln is driving,” she chuckled.

  “Lincoln?”

  “Her brother-in-law,” Sean cut in smoothly. “Jess is Captain Simmons' younger sister.”

  “Oh, that must be great!” Lucia smiled. “Working with family!”

  “Working for family,” Jessica corrected with a smile. “She's owns the ship. And never lets me forget it, either,” she laughed.

  “You make her sound like a tyrant,” Lucia frowned comically.

  “Oh, it's not me that makes her a tyrant,” Jessica grinned. “Meredith does that all on her own!” The two girls shared a laugh and Tal had to fight off a smile yet again. Lucia was much nicer to the girl now that she wasn't a rival.

  “Well, we have to be going,” Lucia said to no one in particular. “Lots to do and what have you. I'll see you later, Sean Galen,” she waved serenely as she and Tal headed for the airlock. He followed them, opening the hatch to let them step outside.

  “What kind of threat are you making, Lucia?” he demanded once out of Jessica's hearing.

  “Threat?” butter wouldn't melt in the heiress' mouth. “Why, I'm not making any threats, Sean Galen,” she placed a hand against her bosom in best melodramatic fashion. “I made you a good old fashioned promise,” her fake tone dried up in an instant. “You won't be rid of me so easy, and you won't put me off forever. From now on, we do things the hard way.” With that she spun on her heels and started for the car.

  “She's not making any threats,” Talitha felt honor bound to tell him. “She's not. Don't misunderstand her determination to get your attention as a threat, okay?” She didn't want to hurt this man that Lucia was so fond of.

  “Oh, she's got my attention,” he told her flatly. “And that's not always a good thing,” he added darkly.

  “Don't say something you'll regret,” Talitha semi-warned and Galen did something then that caught her completely by surprise.

  He laughed right in her face. It was a harsh, flat sound that had no humor in it at all.

  “You must not have spoken to her mother about me,” he told her.

  “She mentioned you,” Talitha frowned. “And I remember you, too,” she added.

  “Thought you might,” he surprised her again. “Do yourself a favor and don't do or say anything you'll regret,” he added firmly. “You don't know me, miss, or the first thing about me. Now your charge is waiting on you,” he nodded behind her.

  “She's not threatening you,” Talitha tried once more. “She wants your attention and is determined to get it. In a good way. At the least she's infatuated with you and it could be more than that. Don't read more into what she said than that.”

  “Good day, miss,” Sean told her before slamming the hatch in her face, his voice betraying his anger. Shaking her head, Tal joined Lucia at the car.

  “What was that all about?” Lucia demanded at once.

  “You basically threatened him, whether you realized it or not,” Talitha said at once. “I was trying to smooth that over and ensure that he doesn't see you as a threat, Lucia. He's the type to come after you if he thinks you are. I don't want to hurt him when he does.”

  For the second time in five minutes, someone laughed in Talitha Jameson's face.

  -

  “Where did you meet her?” Jessica asked as soon as Sean came back inside.

  “I met her after Tony and I left the restaurant where we saw you guys that first night here,” he said truthfully. “She's a handful,” he added, shaking his head.

  “She really likes you, Sean,” Jessica told him seriously.

  “Yeah, I suppose,” he said absently, then realized what he'd said. “I mean, don't take it too seriously,” he avoided stammering. “She's just used to getting what she wants, that's all. I'm probably the first person to ever tell her no other than her parents. And they apparently didn't tell her that often enough.”

  “It's just an act,” Jess told him. “She's prodding you, that's all. She wants some kind of reaction from you and is doing anything she can think of to get it. Proves she likes you more than a little, too,” she added slyly.

  “Jess, you know why that can't be,” he said tiredly.

  “I know why you think it can't,” she nodded sadly. “But you might be wrong, too, Sean. Ever think of that?”

  “I've prayed for it,” he told her bluntly, and immediately wondered yet again why he found himself being so truthful with her and telling her things he normally wouldn't admit under torture. “Doesn't do any good, though,” he continued, having started. “My family is still dead, I'm still hunted, and there are a lot of dead people behind me.”

  “How many?” she asked suddenly. He sensed there was more to her question than morbid curiosity.

  “I don't know, exactly,” he replied honestly. “I'd have to count.”

  “How can you do that?” she asked, truly interested.

  “I'd have to count them up,” he tried to evade her, but knew it was doomed to fail.

  “So you do remember them, then?”

  “Something like that,” he nodded. “And it's not something I really enjoy talking about, either,” he told her, his voice colder than he'd intended, but conveying his message clearly.

  “Sorry,” she said softly. “I was prying, but really didn't intend to. My point was that maybe no one really cares about that so much these days, that's all.”

  “There was a hundred thousand cred bounty on my head at the end of the war, Jess,” Sean said softly. “Largest war bounty ever offered they tell me. No one forgets something like that.”

  “Time moves on, Sean, and people do too,” she shrugged.

  “People remember what was taken from them, too,” he told her. “Look how long Faulks carried all that hate for me o
ver her friends,” he reminded her.

  “Yeah, and look how she changed when she found out the truth,” she shot right back. “I'm not trying to change your mind,” she raised a hand to ward off any more ripostes. “I'm just saying that maybe you don't have to deny yourself something you really want, that's all. Just. . .allow yourself to think about it at least. You deserve that if nothing else.”

  “I have thought about it,” he told her. “In my culture, a man raising a family is one of the most important things he can do. Man or a woman. Carrying on your lineage, passing your traditions down to the next generation. Leaving your name for your sons and daughters. All of that was taken from me, though,” he said softly. “There's nowhere for me to raise my sons and daughters, and no heritage to leave them. Nothing is left except me.”

  “I am truly sorry,” Jessica said gently. “Why don't we quit for today?” she offered. “It's not like we won't have a long trip to do this kind of thing during, right?”

  “No,” he shook his head. “No, I don't need this crap running around my head right now, and this is the best way to get rid of it. Show me what you can do,” he forced a smile on his face.

  “Okay,” her reluctance was plain, but she agreed. “Check it out.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  -

  The crew of the Celia spent the last night of their leave in different ways. Lincoln and Meredith left the privacy of their hotel only once the entire day, for Lincoln to take Meredith to eat and then to a movie. The rest of the time they spent alone, enjoying the privacy that married couples often craved but couldn't always find on a ship in space.

  Faulks spent the rest of her leave with Nita Callaveri, surprised at how well she got on with the other woman. They were nothing alike, and yet. . .for some reason that was okay. Faulks actually found herself dreading the time when the Celia would depart, knowing the odds were short that she'd be back this way. For the first time in many years, Carolyn Faulks began to think about a future that didn't include Captain Simmons. Or even being in space.

  Tony visited with his family one last night, including a family meal with his sister and parents, missing only their brother Luka to make it all of them now that Roberto was gone.