by Elin Wyn
Accent and I both turned to see an arm wrapped around Gruffy’s chest and a knife pointed at his throat, his head lifted as high as he could make it go.
My human girl peeked her head around to flash a lovely, feral, and entirely infuriating grin. “Evening, boys. Can I join in on the fun?”
Mission not accomplished.
“Now, maybe the two of you want to leave this man alone and walk away,” she continued in remarkably fluent Shein. I made a mental note to send a bonus to the programmer.
“Why we gonna do dat?” Accent asked.
She shrugged slightly. “If you don’t, this one here ends up with a hole in his throat.” Gruffy smiled a bit, his hood slipping back, and I finally got a glimpse at what he was, a Gevvuk.
“Uh, pretty lady?” I interrupted. “He’s a Gevvuk, a nasty race of cutthroats, thieves, and idiots. They’re nearly invulnerable from the chest up. You need to go lower,” I said with a look down. She caught on to my meaning and shifted her knife from his neck to in between his legs.
Gruffy looked at me in rage.
“Then again,” she said, “I could change his religion instead.”
That made no sense to me, but I had never seen a Gevvuk get so wide-eyed before. He was on his tiptoes, doing his best to hold his position to avoid the edge of the knife.
“Oh, ho, ho.” Her grin got a bit wider. “Looks like I picked the right spot. Now, are you going to leave or not?”
Gruffy was nodding emphatically, but Accent tried to call her bluff. “You not gonna cut ’im. You just a dumb woman. You ain’t gonna do it.”
I sidestepped towards him, leaned over just a bit, and whispered, “Do you really want to risk your friend’s life and happiness on that? What if she isn’t bluffing?”
“I’ll leave. I’ll leave,” Gruffy was saying. I found it amusing to hear the high-pitched fear in is gruff voice. It was such a contradiction to what I had heard earlier.
“Look at him,” I said. “He’s terrified. He knows that she’ll do it, and here you are, risking his happiness to show your bravado.”
“Brav—what now?” Accent questioned as he tilted his head in my direction.
“Bravado. You know, when you try to be tough,” I answered.
Maybe it wasn’t so as much a problem with the teeth interfering with his words, as his lack of intelligence. “You’re risking your friend’s little toys just to show how tough you are. Do you really think he’s happy about that right now?”
“Ahhh!” Gruffy was screaming as she lifted the knife higher.
Accent moved faster than I thought he could, but I was still able to throw my leg out to trip him up.
Aryn jumped to the side as Accent fell into Gruffy and they started fighting one another as they detangled.
I grabbed her arm and started running, dragging her behind me. We stopped about a block away and I took a hard look at her. Now that we were away, she was safe, and my brain seized up.
Was I supposed to know her name? Would that mean I was stalking her, or just interested in the welfare of all the members of the crew?
Not stalking her. Of course not. Just interested. Very interested.
“I’m Kovor,” I said. “You’re Aryn, right?”
“No shit,” was her response.
Fantastic. First hurdle crossed, in a fashion.
“Want to tell me what you’re doing out here?” I forced another smile, one that came easier just by being in her presence.
“Taking a walk, learning the local customs, seeing the sights,” she shrugged. “You know.”
“Fine,” I shrugged in turn, putting my arm around her shoulders and starting us walking again. “Let’s go learn things together.”
She stiffened slightly, but that was fine. We could take as long of a walk as she wanted, but Aryn wasn’t leaving my sights again until she was safely back on the ship.
Now to convince her of that.
Aryn
“I feel just terrible that you felt the need to jump in the way you did,” Kovor called over his shoulder as he swaggered through the streets.
That was something I’d noticed about him. He didn’t walk, he swaggered. Even though he’d obviously had a few drinks, he didn’t seem off balance as he moved. Odd and annoying, graceful, considering how large he was. “I had everything well in hand.”
“They had you well in hand,” I snorted. Don’t get me wrong. Kovor was a nice guy. Hell, a great guy, making sure we had whatever we needed on the ship.
And, now that I had a chance to study him a little more closely, a rather good-looking Shein.
But I had a job to do, and playing babysitter wasn’t on the agenda.
“That’s what I wanted them to think.” Kovor waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “I didn’t expect you to be pulled into my act as well.”
“I wasn’t pulled in because you were in over your head,” I replied. “You were in over your head the moment you stepped out of the station center.”
“I’ve managed perfectly fine in worse places than this,” Kovor scoffed.
“I don’t believe you,” I replied. “Do you have anything on you worth taking or did they just go after you because of your lack of common sense?”
“They probably wanted this.” Kovor drew a cloth drawstring bag out of his coat pocket, twirling the string around his finger.
I heard the unmistakable clink of currency.
“Put that down!” I hissed. I made an attempt to snatch the bag from him, but he tucked it back into his jacket with surprisingly fast hands. “Did you learn nothing? You were literally attacked not five minutes ago. Were you swinging that around then, too?”
“No. I was just minding my own business,” Kovor replied.
“What’s your business out here, anyway?” I asked. “The fancy establishments that cater to your type are in the station center.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kovor asked.
“Fancy drinks, food that costs more than a week’s wages, overflowing with beauties. You know, your type of place,” I prompted.
“I don’t appreciate the generalization.” Kovor straightened his jacket with an air of hurt dignity.
“You didn’t say I was wrong, though,” I replied quickly. “So, tell me what you were doing walking through a shady neighborhood with a jangling pocket?”
“Being a good crew mate, if you must know.” Kovor lifted his hands. “I saw you walking, and I decided to make sure you didn’t come into harm’s way.”
“You mean you were following me!” I exclaimed.
“Yes,” Kovor nodded once. “You could put it that way.”
“That’s not minding your own business,” I pointed out.
“You live and work on my ship. That makes you my business,” Kovor said.
I gritted my teeth. “Gee, that’s not at all condescending.” I rolled my eyes.
Kovor acted like he didn’t hear me. Maybe he really didn’t. He was too busy looking around the station, playing the airheaded tourist. We’d wandered closer to the station center. More people walked the streets. I could hear music again.
As we passed a well-lit establishment with glittering crystal fixtures and lively music pouring through the open windows, I noticed several women craning their necks to get a better look at Kovor. Their longing couldn’t have been more obvious if they’d written it across their foreheads.
“Friends of yours?” I nudged him and jerked my chin in the direction of the women in the window. A charming smile that might’ve worked on me once upon a time appeared on Kovor’s face. He waved to the women but kept walking with me, earning me nasty glares from his admirers.
“It’s time to go back to the Rogue Star,” he announced. “I’ve got a meeting in the morning and I want plenty of time to sleep this off.”
“I’ll walk with you to make sure no one else goes after your purse,” I rolled my eyes. “But I’ve still got some things to do.”
Kovor stopped short an
d gave me a hard look.
“You know you’re going to have to tell me what you’re doing out here, right?” he asked, rolling his head to look at me.
A light breeze picked up a few strands of his hair. The station’s lighting altered the naturally metallic sheen of his skin so that it looked like parts of him glowed gold. Once we got closer to the station center, the light would turn harsh again and he would go back to looking like a white gold sculpture.
“I didn’t realize I was a prisoner.” My shoulders tensed, ready to run. I needed to flip this on him. If he knew what I was doing, he’d be involved.
The more people involved, the higher the risk. I didn’t want to drag Kovor into this.
“You’re not.” Kovor seemed genuinely insulted that I compared living on his ship to being held captive. Good. I needed to distract him from what he wanted to know.
“Could’ve fooled me,” I spat, forcing venom into my words. He was after a good time, some fun, right?
Then I needed to make sure that hanging out with me wouldn’t be worth it.
He spun on his heel to face me head on, moving so quickly that I almost ran right into his broad chest. When I looked up at him, his golden eyes glinted coldly in the light.
“Don’t try to start a fight,” he said sternly. “You will tell me what you are doing. You will tell me why you feel you have the right to disregard the safety of everyone else on the ship to disembark without permission. If you don’t, I will have no choice but to report your actions to Captain Dejar and Aavat. I will advise them that you should receive a most severe punishment for your insubordination.” His chiseled jaw was tight. “Your choice. Make it quick.”
I blinked in surprise. One look at Kovor’s steely expression told me he wasn’t bluffing. If he reported me to Captain Dejar, I’d be confined to quarters, and we’d never figure out who kept coming after us.
It was only a matter of time before some other goon tried to kidnap us or kill us.
And next time, they might succeed.
“You can’t tell anyone.” My voice was as sharp as a knife’s edge.
“Can’t I?” Kovor lifted a brow. “Dejar is the captain, but I own the ship. I have the final say on everything. There’s nothing I can’t do.”
Typical.
Kovor reeked of privilege. Of course he felt he could do whatever he wanted. Ordinarily, I’d tell someone like that to screw off, but I was smart enough to know that wouldn’t do me any good this time. I needed to pacify him somehow.
“I’m asking you not to tell Dejar,” I said through gritted teeth. “Please.”
“Tell me what you’re doing, and we’ll see.” He folded his arms across his chest.
I could tell that was the best offer I was going to get. I didn’t want to push him too far. I was fully aware of the fact that he could throw me over his shoulder and drag me back to the Rogue Star whether I wanted him to or not.
And nothing about that was attractive, I told myself, letting my eyes roam over his figure for just a little longer than necessary while I took a deep breath.
Decided how much I could trust him.
“Fine,” I groaned. “I’ll tell you. But let the record show that I tried to keep you out of this for your own good. Can you acknowledge that?”
My words apparently amused him, if the small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth was anything to go by.
“I willingly acknowledge that you tried to protect me from whatever beastie you’re hunting,” he said.
“What makes you think I’m hunting something?” I demanded.
He stared at me as though it were obvious. “I followed you for the better part of an hour. I know what a stalking predator looks like.”
Huh. Not nearly as stupid as I’d thought. And I hadn’t noticed him. That was... interesting.
“I’m looking for traces of that mark.” I unclenched my fists again, willed myself to try to trust this one, just a tiny bit. “The one on the bounty hunter.”
All amusement dissolved from Kovor’s expression, leaving that same cold stare behind. “Of all the stupid...” he muttered, raking his hand through his hair. “What would possess you to do such a thing?”
“For starters, I’m not too keen on sitting around waiting for someone else to come after me,” I snapped. “The Dominion sent officials to kidnap me and the others on the outpost. The bounty hunter admitted he was sent to find human females. When do you think the next one is coming?”
“I know,” Kovor sighed. “But why do you think going after the group we know is targeting you is possibly a good idea? That just sounds like a quick way to get killed.”
“It’s not like I was planning on charging in there, ready for battle,” I replied. “I simply want information. It’s easier to fight the known than it is to fight the unknown.”
“Why didn’t you tell Dejar about this? He’s reasonable. He might’ve come up with a less risky endeavor.” Kovor shook his head.
“No offense to the captain, but it’s obvious he doesn’t have a clue what we’re up against. No one does. He can’t come up with a better plan without information,” I argued.
“Why are you so sure you can do better than he can?” Kovor asked. “I chose him to captain my ship for a reason.”
“Gathering information is a specialty of mine,” I replied coolly.
“How mysterious,” Kovor replied. “Care to elaborate?”
“That’s not information I’m inclined to share with anyone.” I gave him a warning gaze. “I can’t be bought, either, so don’t try.”
Kovor’s eyes hardened. “I wasn’t going to,” he said. “If you don’t wish to divulge your past, I won’t force you. I’m not a complete ass.”
“That remains to be seen. Are you going to report me to the captain?” I asked.
Kovor rubbed his chin as he considered it. “No,” he said.
I released the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “On one condition.” My face fell.
“What?” I asked.
“That you put a stop to this immediately,” he replied. “No more sneaking out. No more prowling the streets. No more putting yourself in danger against something you can’t fight alone.”
If I didn’t know better, I’d think he sounded genuinely concerned for my well-being.
Kovor
Yesterday had been an interesting experience for me.
Good food, good drink, some promising activities, and then it had all ended with a near mugging and my finally getting to be introduced to Aryn.
If I remembered correctly, she was one of Maris’s friends, not that I knew much of Maris. All I knew about her was that she was as good with machines as Orrin, and that they were constantly rubbing on one another.
Not that I could begrudge Orrin. Maris was fairly attractive, for a human.
But Aryn...her long, fiery red hair was matched by her temper and attitude. She sincerely believed that I had been in trouble last night.
To think that two ruffians would have been able to damage me.
It was laughable, but I was grateful for her interference. The look on Gruffy’s face when she moved the knife down low, still amused me. I don’t think I had ever seen anyone that terrified before.
And watching her move, seeing that fire in her eyes...
Worth it. Even if they’d taken my purse, it would have been worth every moment with her.
Unfortunately, that didn’t deal with the more important issue. Aryn had been sneaking out of the ship. Everyone might think I ignored the day-to-day operations of the Rogue Star, but there was nothing about this ship I didn’t know, no maintenance vent I hadn’t been through, no schematic I hadn’t pored over.
There were only two places she’d have been able to slip off. I doubted that she knew of the one inside the weapons compartment, so I headed to the other one.
When she showed up to her little escape hatch carrying a small bag and hit me with a well-practiced you-have-got-to-be-scroing-me l
ook, I couldn’t keep my smile off my face.
I must have been absolutely beaming, because she snarled a bit before she spoke. “What are you so happy about?”
“Nothing,” I said, the smile still on my face. I couldn’t help it, I was in a good mood. I loved being right. Especially when it came to this little human. “Just wondering what you’re doing here.”
“Maintenance,” she said, her voice in a monotone.
I nodded, even though I knew she was lying.
“Really. What kind?” I flashed her my widest grin.
She let out a huff of air. “What do you want?”
“I want to come with you.”
She looked at me, a hand on her hip as her other hand shifted the bag on her shoulder. “Come with me where? I’m doing maintenance, or are you deaf as well as stupid?”
I let her insult slide. It simply meant I’d been doing a good job, letting Dejar and Aavat run around being in charge. “Oh, please. There’s no scheduled maintenance to be done in this section of the ship. I do actually see the reports, you know. You’re trying to sneak out again. You know it, I know it, you know that I know it. Why try to deny it?” I cocked an eyebrow, tried not to let my gaze roam all over her enticing form. “Especially when you have on skin dye.”
Her eyes narrowed. I would have given a ridiculous number of credits to know what she was thinking.
As long as she didn’t want to be found out by the others, I was winning. “Well?” I asked as she continued to hit me with her icy stare.
I swore she was trying to kill me with a look, she really must have been.
“‘Well,’ what? Are you trying to tell me that either I let you come with me or you’ll turn me in?” she asked.
I nodded and wiggled my eyebrows.
She was hating this.
I was loving it.
“Fine,” she snarled as she turned away from me. “On one condition,” she added, looking back at me.
“What?”
She stomped over, stuck her finger into my chest, and stabbed me with it on every word she said. “You do exactly what I say, when I say it. Understand? You don’t, I’ll leave your ass behind to die. Capisce?”