Atrophy (21 page)

Rian said?
Zahli turned her attention to bringing out the crate-moving equipment. For a start, she couldn’t believe Rian had even talked to Ella for longer than the two seconds it usually took him to grunt a mono-syllabic reply. And second, she found it surprising that Ella felt comfortable enough using his given name, when the rest of the crew always referred to Rian as “captain.” Rian expected protocol.

They’d gotten the last of the cargo secured when heavy boot-tread clanged on the ramp way. She stepped out from behind the stack of crates to see an IPC soldier passing by the internal pressurized doors, sending a short, cold burst of apprehension shivering through her. He wore the navy and light blue uniform of a senior officer and carried a duffel bag. His gaze landed on her after he’d taken a brief sweep of the cargo hold.

“Can I help you?” she asked, keeping her tone polite, when she was really thinking
now what?

“I’m Captain Admiral Zander Graydon. I believe a passage was booked on this ship for me?”

Surprise rocked through her. He couldn’t have been much over thirty five, a lot younger than she’d guessed a captain admiral would be. He had thick brown hair and light brown eyes rimmed with thick, dark lashes, a contrast that should have been boring, but were strikingly attractive. In fact, he didn’t look
anything
like she’d assumed. Kira and Lianna would have a great time drooling over him. She could hear their
gotta love a man in uniform
sighs already.

“We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow morning. We won’t be departing until then.”

The captain admiral glanced at Ella, who’d come to stand beside her, his lips lifting into a friendly smile. “I know, but I thought it’d be easier to bunk down here for the night rather than trying to find accommodation near the spaceport. It’s not going to be a problem, is it?”

Yes, actually
. The whole thing would be one huge, ginormous problem. But between Kira not checking the passenger manifest properly and Rian deciding money was more important than staying out of Erebus, what could she do?

“No, but I don’t know how much sleep you’ll get. We’ve got repairs happening in the engine room that’ll probably go through the night.”

She put the container of shifting equipment away as the captain admiral moved farther into the ship. The panel meant to close in the equipment in jammed, leaving the compartment open a crack. She swore under her breath and pushed on it, but of course, it made no difference.

“Engine repairs? Nothing serious I hope.” The captain admiral appeared at her shoulder and gave the section a shove, clicking into place.

She turned to find him standing only a few steps away, his rucksack abandoned where he’d been standing. Though she tried on a calm smile, the expression probably looked strained.

“No, nothing to worry about. Just routine upgrades.”

“I’m sure it won’t be an issue. I’ve probably slept through worse noise. I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

His relaxed charm helped chase away some of the tension she’d carried. This time her grin was genuine. “Smooth. I bet you get all the girls.”

He laughed. “Usually the uniform does it for me. What do you think, is it working?”

He held out his hands, inviting her to look him over.

Shaking her head, she motioned to Ella. “This is Miriella and I’m Zahli. And if you’re flirting, you might want to think twice about it.”

He affected a disappointed expression. “You’re taken.”

“It’s not that straight forward. But it’s more likely my brother will eject you from the ship if he catches you doing that. And he’ll wait until we’re in orbit to do it. He’s the captain. Rian Sherron.”

Surprise flickered over his face and his playful air disappeared. “You’re Rian Sherron’s baby sister? Frecking Christ, you should have told me. He won’t just vent me, he’ll shoot me first.”

“You know him?”
Hell
. She should have realized from her brother’s lack of reaction. The captain admiral must be one of Rian’s war buddies.

“Shite yeah, I know him. Sorry for the language, but I dragged his injured ass halfway across the dead zone on Minnea. And a few months after that, he countered a strike that saved my hide. I’d be dead if it weren’t for him. I didn’t realize this was his ship. Hell, didn’t even know he was on the Rim. If I did, I would have
ordered
him to fly me to Tetsu.”

“He never frecking tells me anything,” she muttered, but not loud enough for the captain admiral to hear. Ella coughed, trying to cover a laugh, very unsuccessfully. “We haven’t had a chance to make up the guest quarters yet. It’s been a few years since we’ve flown any passengers.”

He hefted his rucksack over his shoulder. “Whatever you’ve got will be more than enough. Don’t worry about it.”

“I might go and see what I can put together for lunch,” Ella said as Zahli pointed the captain admiral toward the stairs.

“There won’t be much. I’m going out to get supplies later. If you can cook, you might want to save the effort for dinner,” Zahli replied. It was Jensen’s turn, but with the engine repairs, he wasn’t likely to come up for food, let alone remember he should have been cooking.

Ella shrugged. “I don’t mind doing both.”

Zahli laid a hand on her arm for a moment. “Don’t go overboard, and don’t think you have to earn your place here. I don’t know what Rian said to you, but you’re welcome to stay onboard for as long as you want. You don’t need to work yourself to the bone for it.”

Ella smiled in return, not seeming fazed. “Like I said, it’s good to have something to keep me busy. Cooking is the least I can do.” She continued upward, while Zahli turned to catch up with the captain admiral. He waited at the start of the short corridor leading to the guest section.

So, the captain admiral had turned out to be Rian’s buddy. She felt like they’d dodged another fatal fall. Jensen and Lianna were installing the delta-shield, and before they knew it, they’d be on their way to Kasson Three. However, even with the delta-shield, going anywhere near the derelict space station perched on the edge of a black hole was a kind of insane that even Rian had never aspired to.

Chapter Seventeen

S
omething smelled delicious, rousing Rian’s attention from where he’d been concentrating on what Callan and Tannin were doing. He straightened and pushed his hair back as he checked the time. By the scents coming from the galley, someone had been busy.

“Let’s take a break for dinner, kids.”

Kira, Zahli, and Ella were already in the galley, taking various dishes out of pots from the cooktop and placing them on the table. A feast. Zahli had spent next to nothing on supplies. He didn’t understand how they’d put together something that smelled and looked so good on such plain basics.

As Tannin and Callan sat at the table, Rian walked over to the cooktop and leaned over one of the few remaining dishes simmering on there. It smelled fantastic.

“What’s all this?” he asked as Lianna appeared.

“Ella made dinner,” Zahli answered as she elbowed him out of the way to take the last pot off.

“All by herself?”

The priestess stood a few steps off to his left, but he couldn’t bring himself to look at her. She moved farther into his line of sight, walking over to the table and setting down the utensils. “It wasn’t any trouble.”

Another figure appeared in the galley doorway, saving him from answering.

“Zander Graydon, you uppity sonuvabitch. I heard you were expecting a ride to Tetsu onboard my ship.”

Rian strode forward and gripped Zander’s arm. The captain admiral pulled him in for a quick pat on the back and he returned it awkwardly. It’d been years since he’d last seen Zander, this man who’d been a constant companion, mentor, and friend during the first long years of war. He found himself surprisingly happy to see him. Well, if being happy could be classified as feeling a little less animosity towards his life and that bitch, fate, then this was likely about as cheerful as he got.

Zander returned the greeting and then stepped back, an old, familiar, smart-ass gleam in his eye. “I don’t know, is this junker space worthy?”

“Worthy enough to at least make orbit so I can vent you for maligning her.”

Zander laughed. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

Everyone took a seat around the table, Sen coming in and sliding into a seat just as everyone started serving themselves. The crew mostly all ate together, but it had been a while since Rian could remember everyone being so animated. Even the new crew members and Zander, as a guest, seemed comfortable. For the first time, every spot at the large table had been taken, leaving no empty spaces.

With a mental shrug, he leaned forward and took a mouthful of food, some kind of dish he’d never seen before. The flavor burst over his tongue, delicious and warm.
Goddamn
. He couldn’t ever remember eating anything that tasted this good. Sen was easily the best cook on the ship, but this far surpassed even his best efforts.

Food to him had never really been of consequence. Sustenance kept him going and he’d eat anything, as long as it wasn’t revolting. But this dish was a revelation. He swallowed and unable to help himself, looked over at Ella.

Though Zahli was talking to her, the priestess stared at him and her mossy, hazel gaze sparked a blaze within him before she glanced away. Her food seemed like a reflection of her—rich, luscious, and so damn exotic he wanted to bury himself, get lost, in the luxuriant sensations.

A trickle of resentment slithered through him. The damn woman was taking over his ship. He couldn’t get away from her. Everywhere he went, he caught the faint scent of moon jasmine. More and more, he found his thoughts drifting to her, not thinking of anything in particular, just picturing her in his mind.

Even if he decided not to work out why the Reidar wanted her, he couldn’t kick her off the ship—in fact he couldn’t even let her step foot off the
Imojenna
without him, considering the bounty out on her. He was starting to think it was Ella specifically they wanted, not just any random Arynian. And those suspicions had been confirmed when he’d purposefully taken her out last night. Two million hard credits? Someone wanted her, and it didn’t take more than two brain cells to work out the Reidar were behind the ridiculous bounty. But at least he had a better idea of what they were up against.

The ship’s comms chimed, indicating a transmission had come in.

Lianna put her fork down and stood. “I’ll get it.”

Rian resumed eating, though he couldn’t enjoy it with
her
permeating every mouthful he took. After another bite, he gave up and pushed his plate away. Zahli sent him a questioning glance, but his personal comm pinged before his sister could start grilling him.

He tapped the comm as he sat back. “What is it?”

“I’ve got a guy here who wants to talk to you about a failure to deliver some cargo,” Lianna replied through the comm.

Now what?
This had better be a simple mix up so he could get back to eating his dinner. He glanced at the abandoned plate.
Or not eating
. Maybe he could just go get a beer. Could that be classified as a meal?

He sighed as he stood. “Patch it through to the display in the common room. I want visual, but only return audio.”

The large display flickered to life and a man appeared on screen. He didn’t look like one of their usual clients. He wore an expensive-looking business suit, while the background showed an opulent office somewhere.

“Captain Sherron, my name is Baden Niels, I believe you took possession of some cargo belonging to me. I’d like to know when it’s going to be delivered.”

Baden Niels?
Frecking Christ
.

Rian tabbed his comm and then folded his arms, bracing his feet wide in a belligerent stance. As if things weren’t frecking complicated enough. It took every bit of willpower not to look back at Ella, though he swore he could feel the heat of her gaze on him, expecting him to save her. Since when had he become so damn heroic? Part of him kept repeating that he should have just left her on Arleta, certain death or not.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Niels, but I don’t have any outstanding deliveries. You’ve got the wrong ship.”

Niels inclined his head with a slight movement. “I’d appreciate if we could talk about this issue face to face.”

He touched the comm again, turning audio off for a moment as he glanced at Ella.

“Stay out of visual range. Don’t say anything. I don’t care what you hear or see.” His gaze swept over the rest of the crew, including Zander, who were all looking at him with varying degrees of confusion. “That goes for everyone. Lianna, give me visual both ways.”

Ella set down her utensils and rose to move behind the galley bench. Zahli joined her, sending the priestess a warm smile.

The viewer display flickered, and then Niels’s gaze focused on him. “Now, Captain Sherron, about my cargo?”

“Like I just said, I don’t have any deliveries owing, so I’m afraid I can’t help you.”

Niels laced his fingers on the desk and smiled, but the expression didn’t go anywhere near being friendly. “Arnon Rance told me the
Imojenna
arrived on Arleta and took possession of the cargo.”

Frecking Arnon Rance
. That pissing roach had come long overdue to get what he deserved. Next time he saw the guy, he really would shoot him. And his weapon wouldn’t be set on stun.

Rian shrugged. “I chose not to follow through on that particular run. I’m at liberty to decline cargo if I see it and decide I don’t want to take it onboard. I told Rance as much. Your cargo is probably still on Arleta.”

“I was rather unimpressed with Mr. Rance’s choice in freighter for my cargo. We had a conversation, and I believe we came to an understanding about my disappointment. Unfortunately he met with an untimely accident soon after we parted ways.” Niels dropped the affable appearance, his gaze taking on a hard edge. “I have received reports stating that the cargo was seen on the Rim, where you are currently docked. That’s a bit of a coincidence, wouldn’t you say?”

Rance was dead? Well, the guy kind of had it coming. He sent Niels a bland smile. “I wouldn’t know. The cargo I deal with generally doesn’t go places on its own.”

“I don’t want to play games with you, Sherron. I want that cargo.”

He hooked a hand on his belt and moved back towards the table. “You know, I just happen to have the captain admiral of the
Swift Brion
onboard, an upstanding IPC officer. Maybe you’d like to explain to him all about your missing cargo. You could start with exactly what you’re missing.”

Niels’s gaze moved over to where Zander sat at the table, reclining against the back of the chair. The captain admiral inclined his head, but didn’t say anything.

“That won’t be necessary. I’m sure this matter will be resolved very shortly.”

The transmission cut out, making the screen go blank. With a quiet sigh, because he knew that wouldn’t be the last he’d hear from Niels, Rian returned to the table, ignoring the questioning looks his crew gave him.

Zander sat forward and picked up his knife and fork. “What was all that about?”

Zahli and Ella returned to the table, and Rian shook his head as he sat. “Nothing to be concerned about. Just a misunderstanding.”

His gaze caught Ella’s, almost of its own volition. The strange, warm sensation he’d felt only once before touched him for a brief moment, sending a jolting shock of humming heat through him.

Thank you
. Ella’s voice echoed in his mind, deep within him, in places he didn’t like to acknowledge existed. He glared at her. If they’d been alone, he’d rake her over for doing that damned mind-stuff again, but he didn’t want to say anything in front of the crew. She sent him a serene smile, as if his anger couldn’t touch her, and went back to eating.

He was thinking about going to find his meal-replacement-beer when a strange thumping echoed from somewhere in the bottom of the ship.

Zahli looked up at him. “Did you hear—?”

The incursion alarms wailed through the ship.

Niels’s last words resurfaced in his brain, something about
the issue would be taken care of very shortly
. It didn’t take much to put slimy-Reidar-bastard together with unauthorized-ship-breach-alarm and come up with the conclusion Niels had sent a team to take Ella by force.

“Frecking bastards.” Rian shoved out of the chair, knocking it back as he ran for the bridge. “Start lockdown procedures. We might have to make an abrupt departure.”

“We can’t,” Sen said, making him pause. “The engines are still offline.”

“
Goddamn frecking hell
.” He pushed his hair back with both hands and continued upwards, Lianna beating him to bring up ship-wide parameter information on the viewport display.

“Still want to tell me it’s nothing?” Zander asked him as Rian slid into his chair and read over the data.

“Because sarcasm is really helping right now, Graydon.” The bastards had gained control of the cargo bay doors; they were already half open. “Lianna, get control of those doors. I don’t want any of them getting on this ship.”

Her fingers flew over her crystal display, but she shook her head. “I can’t. I’m locked out.”

“Everette!” Rian stood, pulling out his nucleon gun and checking it over with automatic movements. Tannin arrived on bridge, and Rian pointed to the pilot’s seat. “Help Lianna. Get this ship back in control and locked down.”

Familiar hatred burned through him like acid.
Goddamn bastards
. He’d slaughter every single Reidar that stepped foot on his ship and have the decomposed alien carcasses express-shipped to Niels. See how the asshole liked that cargo.

“You up for a fight?” He looked over at Zander as he grabbed out a second gun.

“Always. But who are
they
and what do they want?”

“They want Ella, but I don’t have time to explain why right now, or who
they
are. There’re weapons stored in my cabin. Callan will show you where and get you holstered up.”

Zander nodded and followed Callan off the bridge.

“I’ve got the cargo hatch back. It’s going up,” Tannin reported. “But we’ve got guests onboard. Six.”

Rian braced a hand against the back of the chair and looked over Tannin’s shoulder at the crystal display. “Can you lock down this entire level?”

Tannin frowned. “I locked down the cargo bay and engine level, but they’ve gotten through and are about to the blast doors on crew level. They must have some kind of equipment that’s cutting through the actual panels, because according to the data, none of the blast doors were opened.”

Like he really needed something else to add to his list of things that needed fixing on this goddamn shite bucket. Blast doors were frecking expensive.

“Crew level breeched.” Tannin’s expression tensed, turning grim.

Rian handed one of his pulse pistols to Tannin and then gave the other to Lianna.

“For what it’s worth, lock down the bridge when I leave. If they breach the blast doors, I want the controls defended with your life. If the Reidar take over, I’d better find your lifeless bodies littering the floor, or I’ll shoot you both myself. Give me five seconds to get across the hall and then lock down the galley as well.”

Neither of them said anything as he turned and jumped over the railing, skipping the few stairs and landing in the passage outside the galley. Above him, the bridge blast doors lowered into place with a clunk.

In the common room, Zander, Callan, Sen, and Zahli had already taken up defensive positions. Kira and Ella stood underneath the large screen viewer. He held out a hand and Callan threw him a nucleon rifle. The galley blast doors came down behind him.

“We’ve got six onboard and they’re getting through the blast doors like the things are made of paper.”

He walked over to the table and grabbed the end, nodding at Zander, who came forward and gripped the other side. Rian dug his toe into the clamp and released the catch. They flipped the table onto its side, sending the few utensils and empty dishes flying.

“Get that couch over here.”

Jensen and Callan repeated the unclamping procedure on the long couch and shoved it forward, reinforcing what little barrier they’d created.