Rogue Mate, page 18
part #1 of Rogue Star Series
“What?” I demanded.
“You look ridiculous,” he chuckled.
“Just open the door already.” I stomped impatiently. I heard Dejar laughing as the door opened.
“Walk forward,” he instructed.
“Am I going to hit something?” I asked.
“Why would I ask you to walk forward if you’re going to hit something?” he asked.
“I don’t know!” I exclaimed. I heard Dejar’s footfalls as he walked back to me. I flinched when he took my arm.
“And here we have one of the bravest, most capable women I’ve ever met reduced to a jumpy pile of nerves when she can’t see,” he muttered.
“Humans like being able to see,” I replied. He led me approximately the length of a room before stopping me.
“You can uncover your eyes now,” he said.
“Thank you,” I sighed dramatically. I lowered my hands. My entire field of vision was engulfed by the breathtaking sight of more stars than I’d ever seen in my life. My mouth fell open. I thought of a flower field in full bloom. If every flower were replaced by a glittering star and all of the stalks, stems, and grass were replaced with iridescent space dust, that still wouldn’t compare to the beauty of what I saw.
“This is the Elaysian Star Field,” Dejar explained. “No planets, cities, or space stations. Just stars.”
“I’ve never seen something so beautiful,” I gasped. It was so beautiful, it almost hurt to look at. A longing ache I couldn’t fully explain formed in my heart.
“There used to be a race who worshipped the stars,” Dejar explained. “They’d travel here in groups of hundreds for ceremonies throughout the year.”
“What happened to them?”
“They wanted to travel to all the star fields, not just this one. The Dominion forbade it, so they left Dominion space.”
“Oh.” I don’t know why, but the thought made me sad. Something out in the star field caught my eye. Because of its silver coloration, it was hard to differentiate it from the celestial clusters. I thought I’d imagined it, but then I saw another. And another. The whole starfield was filled with them.
“What are those?” I pointed excitedly to the large silver shapes gracefully weaving between pools of starlight.
“They’re called Celestriads,” Dejar explained. “They’re not intelligent, you can’t speak to one. They live their whole lives in open space. Every year, they migrate from here to another star field just outside of Dominion space to have their young.”
“Like whales,” I replied.
“What?” Dejar asked.
“Whales are huge animals that live in the oceans of Earth. They spend their whole lives drifting through the open ocean, like Celestriads do in space.”
“Do they ever come out of the water?”
“They aren’t supposed to. Sometimes they end up on the shore by mistake. If enough people find them quickly enough, they can be pushed back into the ocean,” I explained.
“If a Celestriad breaches a planet’s atmosphere, it’ll likely die,” Dejar replied. “That’s only happened a handful of times. These out there will be fine.”
As if it heard us talking about it, a Celestriad larger than comprehension drifted past the ship. For a moment, its huge eye swiveled in my direction. I swear it looked right at me.
“Captain, we’ve got to move,” Qal said through the intercom. “The Celestriads are going to think we’re a new playmate if we hang around much longer.” Dejar walked to the back of the room and pushed the intercom button.
“Do what you need to do, Qal,” he said.
“Yes, Captain.”
“They must be in their mating season,” Dejar said when he returned to my side. “They usually don’t care about passing ships.”
“Being in the mood made them want to play,” I laughed.
“Isn’t that how it is for most lifeforms?” Dejar winked and I blushed. The ship shifted as Qal distanced us from the frolicking Celestriads and the star field.
“We’re like the Celestriads now,” I mused.
“Oh?”
“They can go wherever they want. They don’t take orders from anyone,” I explained. “We can do that, too.”
“Lucky for the Celestriads, no one’s hunting them,” Dejar said dryly. “But you’re right, in a way. As long as we continue to evade the Dominion, we can do whatever we want. Truth be told, I’m glad to be out from under the Dominion’s thumb.”
“Even if it means work will be harder to come by?” I asked.
“That’s a downside,” he admitted. “But living a Dominion-sanctioned life isn’t what I wanted. Most of the crew don’t want it, either. We put up with it because it was the easiest and safest way to earn a living, but now we don’t have to. We can make our own rules now.”
“Maybe one day we can follow the Celestriads to the other star field,” I suggested. Dejar turned to smile at me.
“Maybe.”
“Though I think the crew might be angry if you stopped feeding them in order to chase space whales.” I nudged his shoulder.
“True. However, if Katzul is as lucrative as I imagine it will be, there’s always the possibility of a vacation.” Dejar waggled his brows at me.
“Really? Where do Shein like to vacation?” I stepped closer to him so he could tuck me under his arm.
“There’s a planet with a crust composed entirely of rubies,” he described. “The locals carved their buildings down into the crust. Everything looks like it’s been set ablaze when the sun sets.”
“That sounds incredible.” I let my head rest on his shoulder.
“There’s also a planet completely covered in water. The locals wear special breathing masks and their ships can function underwater,” he continued. “Dominion space is vast. There are hundreds of unique planets. We’d never run out of places to explore.”
“If we don’t get arrested, that is,” I added.
“As Aavat would say, that just makes it more exciting,” Dejar chuckled.
“We could only visit the dullest places in Dominion space and I would still love every minute of it because I’d be with you.” I smiled up at him.
Dejar pressed a kiss into my forehead.
“You’re my favorite adventure yet,” he grinned.
The Rogue Star drifted away from the shimmering star field, revealing the wide expanse of space.
We were hiding, stranded in an alien galaxy.
We had hidden enemies, and didn’t know why.
I’d never go back to Mars again.
“I love you, Captain Dejar.”
He laced his fingers with mine. “I love you, too, Commander Kalyn.”
From the soaring feeling in my chest, that was all I needed.
I’d found an unexpected home, and an even more unexpected love.
And for the first time in my life, I looked forward to the future.
Letter from Elin
Buckle up, because the ride on the Rogue Star is going to be a bit bumpy!
This has been such a fun new world to play in, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we have.
Keep reading for a sneak peek of Rogue Hunt, or grab your copy now!
XOXO,
Elin
P.S. I’ve just added the first chapter from Given, the first book of my Star Breed series, and Vrehx, the first of Conquered World.
Give them a try and let me know what you think! You can always reach me at elin@elinwynbooks.com
Rogue Hunt
Aavat
“I don’t think Katzul is the answer to our problems,” I announced to Dejar as I entered the office.
I’d never seen the point in dressing things up. It was a waste of my time and the time of the person I was talking to. If I had something to say, I said it.
“I’m aware,” Dejar nodded and turned his attention back to his pad.
“Aren’t you going to ask me why?”
“I’m sure you’re going to tell me,” he chuckled.
“Don’t be an hurg,” I rolled my eyes. “It doesn’t suit you.”
“It doesn’t suit you either, yet here we are.” He looked up again, and we stared each other down for another moment before he broke away, laughing.
“You almost had me going there,” I chuckled.
“You looked ready to stage a mutiny,” he grinned.
“The thought crossed my mind,” I admitted.
“Have a seat.” He gestured to the chair opposite him.
“You’re inviting me to sit in my own office? How generous.”
“Could’ve fooled me. I’ve never seen you in here for longer than five minutes,” he replied. I strode over to the chair but didn’t sit down.
“Katzul-”
“I know,” Dejar sighed. “It’s dangerous, unpredictable, and we’ll have no allies. You’ve said it all before.”
“Then why doesn’t it concern you?” I asked.
“It does,” he admitted. “But I still believe it’s our best option.”
“Our situation can’t be so dire that Katzul is the best option,” I scoffed. “That place is despicable.”
“I thought it was nice when I last went,” Dejar shrugged.
“That’s because you didn’t really go into Katzul. You vacationed on the glittering surface,” I replied.
“It’s a planet for the ridiculously wealthy,” Dejar objected. “The entire thing is the glittering surface.”
“Tell that to all of the people who live there as servants,” I replied. “Spend a day with them and then tell me how glittering Katzul is.”
“We’re not going to evaluate work conditions.” Dejar threw his hands up. “We’re looking for jobs off the Dominion’s radar. Tell me there’s a better place.”
“Yes, it’s a hub of unofficial trade,” I agreed. “But there’s no enforcement whatsoever.”
“Isn’t that the point?” Dejar asked.
“Without the Dominion backing the contract, chances are high we’ll have people backing out of payment.” I really, really didn’t like this. Even if I didn’t have another option in mind, I didn’t like it.
”We’ll have to go by the honor system,“ Dejar said, “And insist on some of the payment up front.”
”You think a planet filled with the wealthiest citizens of Dominion Space use the honor system? Dejar, you strike me as many things but naive isn’t one of them,“ I barked a laugh.
”I’ve considered the risks,“ he insisted. ”Why do you think I’m holed up in the office all the time? I’m in here trying to sort out our futures. Someone has to do it since you can’t be bothered.“
”I’m busy managing the day to day operations of the Rogue Star so you’re able to sit here and fret,“ I replied.
”You’re right,“ Dejar admitted. ”But can I ask you one question?“
”What?“
”You never really minded the shady jobs. In fact, you showed an obvious preference for them. If that’s all that Katzul is, why the sudden hesitation?“
”That should tell you there’s something seriously wrong with Katzul if I’m shying away from it,“ I replied.
”That doesn’t answer my question,“ Dejar pressed.
”Katzul is nothing more than a bunch of wealthy citizens who believe they are above any law. Should we make a wrong move, every single one of them has the power to destroy us. Hell, one of the wealthy could murder us and no one would bat an eye,“ I grumbled. “No, they’d just order it done. None of them would get their hands dirty.”
”I doubt it would ever come to that. We aren’t going to Katzul to make trouble,“ Dejar replied.
”Has Kovor even heard my argument?“ I asked. ”He’s the owner of the Rogue Star, after all. He should know about all possible outcomes regarding the safety of his ship.“
”He knows the risks.” Dejar leaned back in the chair, eyes closed. “We all do.”
“Bring him in,” I insisted. “I want to make sure he knows exactly what he’s sending us into.”
With a sigh, Dejar pushed himself away from his desk and strode over to the intercom.
“Kovor, have you got a moment?” he asked.
“Always,” Kovor’s chipper voice crackled through the intercom speaker. The wires for the intercom system would need replacing soon.
Fantastic. Another expense to add to the growing pile.
Kovor swept into the room moments later.
“Is there a problem?” Kovor never looked bothered by anything. In that regard, I was envious of him.
“Aavat is expressing concerns about Katzul that he thinks you should hear,” Dejar explained. I shot him a look.
“I’m listening,” Kovor grinned. I quickly explained the same points I previously discussed with Dejar. Kovor was silent for a few moments, pondering everything.
“Can you think of a better solution that will guarantee income?” Kovor turned to me with an expectant look on his face.
“We can pick up jobs anywhere,” I replied.
“From pirates and smugglers,” Dejar added.
“You say that like we’re law-abiding citizens,” I shot back.
“I don’t want to add anything more to the bounty already on our heads,” Dejar replied.
“I think that’s wise,” Kovor nodded. “Katzul isn’t ideal, but if something goes wrong it won’t be reported to the Dominion. It’s the best course of action for now.”
And that was that.
It wasn’t often that Kovor pulled rank on us. He usually signed off on whatever we thought was best without giving it a second thought.
He trusted us that much.
And as much as I wanted to argue, I knew a direction from the ship’s owner was something you couldn’t oppose.
Under most circumstances, I liked Kovor. He was always good for a laugh and a drink. However, sometimes he behaved like he knew more about the ship and its condition than Dejar or I did. Kovor lacked the experience we did. To his credit, he was learning quickly.
But when he got high and mighty about things, it took restraint on my end to keep my temper under control.
“We’ll be there in a few hours. Taking Aavat’s concerns into consideration, we shouldn’t dock until we have a job set up,” Dejar said.
“It’ll only look suspicious if we take up space at the port and then stay on the ship,” I said.
Kovor nodded, then looked thoughtful. “And what about the women?”
“What about them?”
“Their unusual appearance is bound to attract attention,” he said. “Surely some of the citizens here know about what happened at Outpost Nine.”
“No one on Katzul cares about anything happening off-world,” I scoffed.
“You’re probably right but I don’t want to take that chance. At the moment, we’re quite low on options.”
“I’d actually realized that,” I snapped.
Dejar shot me a warning look and I took a steadying breath.
My temper was my biggest flaw. Years of living in open space made a Shein a little rough around the edges.
Maybe more than a little.
Kovor looked at me with one lifted brow.
“Well, if we’ve reached a decision then you no longer need me.” He nodded to both of us before exiting the office.
“I think you offended him,” Dejar said.
“How could I have? He knows we know how strained we are,” I replied. “He’s likely eager to get back to playing cards and flirting with the females.”
“He did raise a good point,” Dejar admitted. “We can’t have them walking around the way they are. They’ll attract attention as an unknown species, even if no one knows about what happened on Dominion Outpost Nine.”
“There’s no reason for the females to be walking around in public,” I replied. “No one would see them unless they came into the ship and we would stop them before they saw anything.”
“We can’t confine the women to shipboard every time the Rogue Star docks.” Dejar shook his head. “None of the crew would put up with it.”
“If the alternative is drawing attention to our operation, they’ll see they don’t have a choice,” I replied.
“Have you bothered to meet any of them?” Dejar demanded. “If you thought about them as crew members, instead of inconvenient cargo, you’d realize you’re being unreasonable.”
“I speak to Kalyn all the time.”
Dejar rolled his eyes. “Any of the others?”
“I’m going to speak to them when I give them their permanent work assignments.”
Aside from Lynna and Maris, most of the females didn’t have specialized skills. Dejar granted me the ‘honor’ of figuring out what to do with them.
“Directing them isn’t getting to know them,” Dejar laughed. “They’re part of the crew now.”
“Yes. And I’m glad for the extra hands. We’re going to have to do most of the upkeep ourselves now since no shipyard will have us,” I nodded.
“Get to know them,” Dejar repeated. “You might be surprised.”
Shenna
“Thanks for letting me take Kalyn’s old bunk,” I said. “I think Maris was getting ready to exile Persephone to the galley.”
Upon hearing her name, the skinny calico chirped at my feet. I reached down and gave her a pat.
“What about Aryn?” Lynna asked.
“Aryn’s hardly ever in the room. I don’t know where she goes,” I explained. “Though, I don’t think she’s fond of the cat either.”
“No need to thank me. I like cats,” Lynna extended her hand for Persephone to sniff. “I’m so used to bunking with roommates, it’s difficult for me to sleep in a room alone now.”
“I know what you mean,” I nodded. “I haven’t had a room to myself in my entire life.”
My sister, Alista, and I had shared a room since we were little. Even when we had the option to sleep in separate rooms, we declined.
On Persephone Station, all of the lower level workers like me slept in one long room filled with bunk beds. If I were to have a room completely to myself, I think the silence would keep me awake. I’ve grown too used to the sounds of another person breathing and shifting in their sleep.
“You look ridiculous,” he chuckled.
“Just open the door already.” I stomped impatiently. I heard Dejar laughing as the door opened.
“Walk forward,” he instructed.
“Am I going to hit something?” I asked.
“Why would I ask you to walk forward if you’re going to hit something?” he asked.
“I don’t know!” I exclaimed. I heard Dejar’s footfalls as he walked back to me. I flinched when he took my arm.
“And here we have one of the bravest, most capable women I’ve ever met reduced to a jumpy pile of nerves when she can’t see,” he muttered.
“Humans like being able to see,” I replied. He led me approximately the length of a room before stopping me.
“You can uncover your eyes now,” he said.
“Thank you,” I sighed dramatically. I lowered my hands. My entire field of vision was engulfed by the breathtaking sight of more stars than I’d ever seen in my life. My mouth fell open. I thought of a flower field in full bloom. If every flower were replaced by a glittering star and all of the stalks, stems, and grass were replaced with iridescent space dust, that still wouldn’t compare to the beauty of what I saw.
“This is the Elaysian Star Field,” Dejar explained. “No planets, cities, or space stations. Just stars.”
“I’ve never seen something so beautiful,” I gasped. It was so beautiful, it almost hurt to look at. A longing ache I couldn’t fully explain formed in my heart.
“There used to be a race who worshipped the stars,” Dejar explained. “They’d travel here in groups of hundreds for ceremonies throughout the year.”
“What happened to them?”
“They wanted to travel to all the star fields, not just this one. The Dominion forbade it, so they left Dominion space.”
“Oh.” I don’t know why, but the thought made me sad. Something out in the star field caught my eye. Because of its silver coloration, it was hard to differentiate it from the celestial clusters. I thought I’d imagined it, but then I saw another. And another. The whole starfield was filled with them.
“What are those?” I pointed excitedly to the large silver shapes gracefully weaving between pools of starlight.
“They’re called Celestriads,” Dejar explained. “They’re not intelligent, you can’t speak to one. They live their whole lives in open space. Every year, they migrate from here to another star field just outside of Dominion space to have their young.”
“Like whales,” I replied.
“What?” Dejar asked.
“Whales are huge animals that live in the oceans of Earth. They spend their whole lives drifting through the open ocean, like Celestriads do in space.”
“Do they ever come out of the water?”
“They aren’t supposed to. Sometimes they end up on the shore by mistake. If enough people find them quickly enough, they can be pushed back into the ocean,” I explained.
“If a Celestriad breaches a planet’s atmosphere, it’ll likely die,” Dejar replied. “That’s only happened a handful of times. These out there will be fine.”
As if it heard us talking about it, a Celestriad larger than comprehension drifted past the ship. For a moment, its huge eye swiveled in my direction. I swear it looked right at me.
“Captain, we’ve got to move,” Qal said through the intercom. “The Celestriads are going to think we’re a new playmate if we hang around much longer.” Dejar walked to the back of the room and pushed the intercom button.
“Do what you need to do, Qal,” he said.
“Yes, Captain.”
“They must be in their mating season,” Dejar said when he returned to my side. “They usually don’t care about passing ships.”
“Being in the mood made them want to play,” I laughed.
“Isn’t that how it is for most lifeforms?” Dejar winked and I blushed. The ship shifted as Qal distanced us from the frolicking Celestriads and the star field.
“We’re like the Celestriads now,” I mused.
“Oh?”
“They can go wherever they want. They don’t take orders from anyone,” I explained. “We can do that, too.”
“Lucky for the Celestriads, no one’s hunting them,” Dejar said dryly. “But you’re right, in a way. As long as we continue to evade the Dominion, we can do whatever we want. Truth be told, I’m glad to be out from under the Dominion’s thumb.”
“Even if it means work will be harder to come by?” I asked.
“That’s a downside,” he admitted. “But living a Dominion-sanctioned life isn’t what I wanted. Most of the crew don’t want it, either. We put up with it because it was the easiest and safest way to earn a living, but now we don’t have to. We can make our own rules now.”
“Maybe one day we can follow the Celestriads to the other star field,” I suggested. Dejar turned to smile at me.
“Maybe.”
“Though I think the crew might be angry if you stopped feeding them in order to chase space whales.” I nudged his shoulder.
“True. However, if Katzul is as lucrative as I imagine it will be, there’s always the possibility of a vacation.” Dejar waggled his brows at me.
“Really? Where do Shein like to vacation?” I stepped closer to him so he could tuck me under his arm.
“There’s a planet with a crust composed entirely of rubies,” he described. “The locals carved their buildings down into the crust. Everything looks like it’s been set ablaze when the sun sets.”
“That sounds incredible.” I let my head rest on his shoulder.
“There’s also a planet completely covered in water. The locals wear special breathing masks and their ships can function underwater,” he continued. “Dominion space is vast. There are hundreds of unique planets. We’d never run out of places to explore.”
“If we don’t get arrested, that is,” I added.
“As Aavat would say, that just makes it more exciting,” Dejar chuckled.
“We could only visit the dullest places in Dominion space and I would still love every minute of it because I’d be with you.” I smiled up at him.
Dejar pressed a kiss into my forehead.
“You’re my favorite adventure yet,” he grinned.
The Rogue Star drifted away from the shimmering star field, revealing the wide expanse of space.
We were hiding, stranded in an alien galaxy.
We had hidden enemies, and didn’t know why.
I’d never go back to Mars again.
“I love you, Captain Dejar.”
He laced his fingers with mine. “I love you, too, Commander Kalyn.”
From the soaring feeling in my chest, that was all I needed.
I’d found an unexpected home, and an even more unexpected love.
And for the first time in my life, I looked forward to the future.
Letter from Elin
Buckle up, because the ride on the Rogue Star is going to be a bit bumpy!
This has been such a fun new world to play in, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we have.
Keep reading for a sneak peek of Rogue Hunt, or grab your copy now!
XOXO,
Elin
P.S. I’ve just added the first chapter from Given, the first book of my Star Breed series, and Vrehx, the first of Conquered World.
Give them a try and let me know what you think! You can always reach me at elin@elinwynbooks.com
Rogue Hunt
Aavat
“I don’t think Katzul is the answer to our problems,” I announced to Dejar as I entered the office.
I’d never seen the point in dressing things up. It was a waste of my time and the time of the person I was talking to. If I had something to say, I said it.
“I’m aware,” Dejar nodded and turned his attention back to his pad.
“Aren’t you going to ask me why?”
“I’m sure you’re going to tell me,” he chuckled.
“Don’t be an hurg,” I rolled my eyes. “It doesn’t suit you.”
“It doesn’t suit you either, yet here we are.” He looked up again, and we stared each other down for another moment before he broke away, laughing.
“You almost had me going there,” I chuckled.
“You looked ready to stage a mutiny,” he grinned.
“The thought crossed my mind,” I admitted.
“Have a seat.” He gestured to the chair opposite him.
“You’re inviting me to sit in my own office? How generous.”
“Could’ve fooled me. I’ve never seen you in here for longer than five minutes,” he replied. I strode over to the chair but didn’t sit down.
“Katzul-”
“I know,” Dejar sighed. “It’s dangerous, unpredictable, and we’ll have no allies. You’ve said it all before.”
“Then why doesn’t it concern you?” I asked.
“It does,” he admitted. “But I still believe it’s our best option.”
“Our situation can’t be so dire that Katzul is the best option,” I scoffed. “That place is despicable.”
“I thought it was nice when I last went,” Dejar shrugged.
“That’s because you didn’t really go into Katzul. You vacationed on the glittering surface,” I replied.
“It’s a planet for the ridiculously wealthy,” Dejar objected. “The entire thing is the glittering surface.”
“Tell that to all of the people who live there as servants,” I replied. “Spend a day with them and then tell me how glittering Katzul is.”
“We’re not going to evaluate work conditions.” Dejar threw his hands up. “We’re looking for jobs off the Dominion’s radar. Tell me there’s a better place.”
“Yes, it’s a hub of unofficial trade,” I agreed. “But there’s no enforcement whatsoever.”
“Isn’t that the point?” Dejar asked.
“Without the Dominion backing the contract, chances are high we’ll have people backing out of payment.” I really, really didn’t like this. Even if I didn’t have another option in mind, I didn’t like it.
”We’ll have to go by the honor system,“ Dejar said, “And insist on some of the payment up front.”
”You think a planet filled with the wealthiest citizens of Dominion Space use the honor system? Dejar, you strike me as many things but naive isn’t one of them,“ I barked a laugh.
”I’ve considered the risks,“ he insisted. ”Why do you think I’m holed up in the office all the time? I’m in here trying to sort out our futures. Someone has to do it since you can’t be bothered.“
”I’m busy managing the day to day operations of the Rogue Star so you’re able to sit here and fret,“ I replied.
”You’re right,“ Dejar admitted. ”But can I ask you one question?“
”What?“
”You never really minded the shady jobs. In fact, you showed an obvious preference for them. If that’s all that Katzul is, why the sudden hesitation?“
”That should tell you there’s something seriously wrong with Katzul if I’m shying away from it,“ I replied.
”That doesn’t answer my question,“ Dejar pressed.
”Katzul is nothing more than a bunch of wealthy citizens who believe they are above any law. Should we make a wrong move, every single one of them has the power to destroy us. Hell, one of the wealthy could murder us and no one would bat an eye,“ I grumbled. “No, they’d just order it done. None of them would get their hands dirty.”
”I doubt it would ever come to that. We aren’t going to Katzul to make trouble,“ Dejar replied.
”Has Kovor even heard my argument?“ I asked. ”He’s the owner of the Rogue Star, after all. He should know about all possible outcomes regarding the safety of his ship.“
”He knows the risks.” Dejar leaned back in the chair, eyes closed. “We all do.”
“Bring him in,” I insisted. “I want to make sure he knows exactly what he’s sending us into.”
With a sigh, Dejar pushed himself away from his desk and strode over to the intercom.
“Kovor, have you got a moment?” he asked.
“Always,” Kovor’s chipper voice crackled through the intercom speaker. The wires for the intercom system would need replacing soon.
Fantastic. Another expense to add to the growing pile.
Kovor swept into the room moments later.
“Is there a problem?” Kovor never looked bothered by anything. In that regard, I was envious of him.
“Aavat is expressing concerns about Katzul that he thinks you should hear,” Dejar explained. I shot him a look.
“I’m listening,” Kovor grinned. I quickly explained the same points I previously discussed with Dejar. Kovor was silent for a few moments, pondering everything.
“Can you think of a better solution that will guarantee income?” Kovor turned to me with an expectant look on his face.
“We can pick up jobs anywhere,” I replied.
“From pirates and smugglers,” Dejar added.
“You say that like we’re law-abiding citizens,” I shot back.
“I don’t want to add anything more to the bounty already on our heads,” Dejar replied.
“I think that’s wise,” Kovor nodded. “Katzul isn’t ideal, but if something goes wrong it won’t be reported to the Dominion. It’s the best course of action for now.”
And that was that.
It wasn’t often that Kovor pulled rank on us. He usually signed off on whatever we thought was best without giving it a second thought.
He trusted us that much.
And as much as I wanted to argue, I knew a direction from the ship’s owner was something you couldn’t oppose.
Under most circumstances, I liked Kovor. He was always good for a laugh and a drink. However, sometimes he behaved like he knew more about the ship and its condition than Dejar or I did. Kovor lacked the experience we did. To his credit, he was learning quickly.
But when he got high and mighty about things, it took restraint on my end to keep my temper under control.
“We’ll be there in a few hours. Taking Aavat’s concerns into consideration, we shouldn’t dock until we have a job set up,” Dejar said.
“It’ll only look suspicious if we take up space at the port and then stay on the ship,” I said.
Kovor nodded, then looked thoughtful. “And what about the women?”
“What about them?”
“Their unusual appearance is bound to attract attention,” he said. “Surely some of the citizens here know about what happened at Outpost Nine.”
“No one on Katzul cares about anything happening off-world,” I scoffed.
“You’re probably right but I don’t want to take that chance. At the moment, we’re quite low on options.”
“I’d actually realized that,” I snapped.
Dejar shot me a warning look and I took a steadying breath.
My temper was my biggest flaw. Years of living in open space made a Shein a little rough around the edges.
Maybe more than a little.
Kovor looked at me with one lifted brow.
“Well, if we’ve reached a decision then you no longer need me.” He nodded to both of us before exiting the office.
“I think you offended him,” Dejar said.
“How could I have? He knows we know how strained we are,” I replied. “He’s likely eager to get back to playing cards and flirting with the females.”
“He did raise a good point,” Dejar admitted. “We can’t have them walking around the way they are. They’ll attract attention as an unknown species, even if no one knows about what happened on Dominion Outpost Nine.”
“There’s no reason for the females to be walking around in public,” I replied. “No one would see them unless they came into the ship and we would stop them before they saw anything.”
“We can’t confine the women to shipboard every time the Rogue Star docks.” Dejar shook his head. “None of the crew would put up with it.”
“If the alternative is drawing attention to our operation, they’ll see they don’t have a choice,” I replied.
“Have you bothered to meet any of them?” Dejar demanded. “If you thought about them as crew members, instead of inconvenient cargo, you’d realize you’re being unreasonable.”
“I speak to Kalyn all the time.”
Dejar rolled his eyes. “Any of the others?”
“I’m going to speak to them when I give them their permanent work assignments.”
Aside from Lynna and Maris, most of the females didn’t have specialized skills. Dejar granted me the ‘honor’ of figuring out what to do with them.
“Directing them isn’t getting to know them,” Dejar laughed. “They’re part of the crew now.”
“Yes. And I’m glad for the extra hands. We’re going to have to do most of the upkeep ourselves now since no shipyard will have us,” I nodded.
“Get to know them,” Dejar repeated. “You might be surprised.”
Shenna
“Thanks for letting me take Kalyn’s old bunk,” I said. “I think Maris was getting ready to exile Persephone to the galley.”
Upon hearing her name, the skinny calico chirped at my feet. I reached down and gave her a pat.
“What about Aryn?” Lynna asked.
“Aryn’s hardly ever in the room. I don’t know where she goes,” I explained. “Though, I don’t think she’s fond of the cat either.”
“No need to thank me. I like cats,” Lynna extended her hand for Persephone to sniff. “I’m so used to bunking with roommates, it’s difficult for me to sleep in a room alone now.”
“I know what you mean,” I nodded. “I haven’t had a room to myself in my entire life.”
My sister, Alista, and I had shared a room since we were little. Even when we had the option to sleep in separate rooms, we declined.
On Persephone Station, all of the lower level workers like me slept in one long room filled with bunk beds. If I were to have a room completely to myself, I think the silence would keep me awake. I’ve grown too used to the sounds of another person breathing and shifting in their sleep.
