Dark Deeds (Class 5 Series Book 2) (15 page)

F
ee heard
Vakeri talking to Eazi, who must have hijacked his earpiece, but she let it wash over her.

She couldn't find the energy to care or listen closely, and when he'd set her on a regen bed on the far side of the room, away from the white dust and destruction of the Tecran crew's escape, she had let him follow Eazi's instructions and tend her wounds, only half-awake.

Now, hours later, as she slowly rose back to the surface, feeling more like herself again, she realized that Vakeri'd cut away a large area of her shirt around her shoulder, and there was some kind of light green gel on her wound.

It didn't hurt at all anymore, and when she tried to twist her head to look, what she could see through the transparent film looked much better than before.

“It will take at least a week for the skin to be fully restored.” Eazi said into her ear.

She jerked at the sound, and then relaxed. “That's a better timeline than I'd have had on Earth. And I'd have had a scar for life.”

“You wouldn't have been shot at with a laser scalpel on Earth.”

She chuckled. “Now, that's true. Although we do have lasers, and I'm sure we'll be using them as scalpels before too long.”

“How do you do that?” He sent the drone with the long, silver arm over to her with a cup of water clasped in its clamp.

“Do what?” She took the drink gratefully, draining the cup in a few gulps.

“Laugh about it. Shrug it off.”

She leaned back on the regen bed, and looked up at the lens, her hand rising to curl around the crystal that still lay hidden under her high-necked shirt. “I have a choice. I can whine about things that have happened, and can't be undone, or I can make the best of the situation I'm in.” She tugged a little on the cord the crystal——Eazi——was attached to. “But to be honest, I usually don't think about it as deeply as that. I'm naturally a glass-half-full person.”

“Glass half full?”

She lifted the cup in her hand. “When the glass is filled exactly half way with water, do you think the glass is half full, or half empty?”

“It's both.” He spoke slowly.

“Yes, the amount of water doesn't change, just your attitude to it.”

“But who does that benefit?” His voice was anguished. “If you take that attitude, the people who've put you in the bad situation get away with it.”

“Justice is different to attitude, Eazi. Don't feel bad about wanting justice for yourself. But being bitter and angry isn't hurting the Tecran. It's just hurting you.”

He was silent.

“It can be Chapter Three of our book. Burning Your Oppressor's Butt By Moving On. Although your oppressor would love to think they've ruined your life and blighted your future, the best revenge you can have is to live a happy, successful life in spite of them.”

He still said nothing, and eventually, she realized he wasn't going to, and she slid off the bed. “Are there any clothes here that might fit me? I'd love a shower and to get changed.”

“Yes.” His voice was mechanical again, and she guessed he was on autopilot at the moment, withdrawn deep into himself. “If you follow the drone, it'll take you to a guest suite and I'll get another drone from the stores to bring you some clothes and toiletries and meet you there.”

“Thank you.”

The drone rolled forward and she followed it to the door, stopped and looked up. “Where is Captain Vakeri?”

“He was exploring, but I gave him a room to catch a little bit of sleep in a few hours ago.” Eazi's voice was back. “He was looking for ways to take over my ship or communicate with his own ship.” There was amusement in his tone.

“And not succeeding, I'm guessing?”

Eazi gave a snort, just like the one she used. “No.”

“Well, let him know where you've sent me, when he comes looking.”

“You like him.” It was accusing.

“He's done his best to help me, every time I've been in danger. And he treated me well when I was onboard the
Illium
. So yes, I like him.”

“Be careful.” His voice was low. “The Grih don't like thinking systems, and it sounded as if he was accusing you of lying to him earlier.”

She shrugged. “Yes, I caught that, too. I've done what I've done, and there's no changing it. There's space onboard here for me, right? If they won't take me back?”

“Fiona, the only corporeal form I have is hanging around your neck.” Eazi sounded puzzled. “Space is no problem whatsoever.”

She realized the drone had already left the room and quickly walked out, saw it was waiting for her up ahead. “It was a figure of speech, Eazi. I was asking if you would mind having me as a permanent crew member if the Grih kick me out for freeing you.”

“I would like to have you as a permanent crew member, even if they don't.”

She stumbled to a stop. “Really?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.” The security of that offer was more bounty than she had ever thought she'd have again. She found her hand had gone back to clutching the crystal. “What do you want me to do with you? Do you want to hide yourself somewhere onboard?”

“I will need to think about it.” He sounded uncharacteristically uncertain. “But please, don't tell Captain Vakeri what I am. How you freed me. That kind of information could be dangerous for me.”

Fee gave a slow nod. “I don't think he would harm you, but he's a soldier, and he may feel obliged to tell someone, a superior, who has less of a conscience. I won't say anything.”

“Chapter Four,” he said, “How to Prevent Oppression Before It Can Even Start. Don't give them any information to use against you.”

Delighted that he continued to buy into their imaginary book, she lifted her head and grinned at the closest lens. “Good one,” she said, and followed the patient drone toward a blissful, hot shower.

H
al pulled
his boots back on after his shower and let his gaze come to rest on the recessed cabinet on the far wall of the guest suite Eazi had sent him to.

He recognized echoes of his own ship everywhere.

The layout, the way the staff recreation areas were placed, the location of the med chambers and the bridge. It wasn't just design, it was a cultural norm.

He wondered how different it was to the Tecran's other ships, whether they'd grown used to it, or if they always felt slightly out of place here.

He'd spent some of the hours waiting for Fiona to recover familiarizing himself with the Class 5, although he had yet to find a way to contact the
Illium
, or even Larga Ways. He had given up all thoughts of taking control of it.

Eazi had let him explore, had let him go into the comms room, onto the bridge, and then made every single screen inactive.

When he realized there was no way he was doing anything without the thinking system's say so, he'd grabbed a few hours rest.

As he stood, pulling his shirt over his head, his earpiece chimed. Eazi being polite, apparently.

“Yes?”

“Fiona is up, and she's showered and changed. She wanted to know if you would like to eat a meal with her.”

“I would.” He hadn't eaten since early that morning before he'd left the
Illium
to try and sort out the issues delaying their departure, and he doubted Fiona had, either. Besides, they needed to talk. “Where do we go?”

“There's a small room just down the passage,” Eazi told him, and Hal left his quarters and found what on the
Illium
would be the guest lounge.

Fiona stood in the middle of the small space, looking at the large screen on the wall, the image on it coming from the lens feed outside, so the view was of the stars, with Balco below.

He stopped short, stunned. She was far more interesting than the view, dressed in an outfit that was as far from a cadet uniform or a mechanics overall as it was possible to get.

“Captain.” She turned and smiled at him, and he gave a nod to save himself from having to say anything.

She caught his eye, then looked down at herself and laughed. “A bit whimsical and too formal for the occasion, but I like it anyway.”

Hal liked it, too.

“Eazi said it was in the stores. Picked up on his travels. Made of Suidani silk, which I gather is rare. It's good to wear something normal for a change.”

Hal jerked his head up and stared at her. “Normal? You float around on Earth in rare fabrics shaped into wearable art?”

She laughed. “No. But I used to wear dresses and skirts. Pretty things. Running around in overalls and military uniforms might be my life now, but it's good to remember a time when heels and silk were par for the course.”

Hal looked her over. The Suidani silk flowed over her body in soft, clinging waves of gold and cream, highlighting the dark swing of her hair and the beauty of her eyes, offsetting her skin tone. The dress was comprised of complicated twists and frothy tumbles of fabric, reaching just above her slim ankles.

She was barefoot.

He blinked again.

She looked down, wiggled toes on slim, narrow feet. “No shoes in the stores, unfortunately. And my boots just didn't go.” She lifted her arms, and the sleeves fluttered at her wrists. “I have to admit, though, it's the nicest dress I've ever worn.”

He kept forgetting that she came from somewhere completely foreign to him, that she had a life elsewhere that had been taken by force. She looked so like his own people, he kept slipping into the trap of seeing her as a smaller, weaker version of one of his crew. “What did you do? In these dresses?”

She lifted a shoulder. “I designed houses and office buildings. Although if I went on site, I wore more practical gear.”

He cocked his head. “An architect or an engineer?”

“Architect. Larga Ways was a real treat for me.”

His lips quirked in a wry smile. “There is still controversy over it. Some think for a way station, it is too pretty.”

“If we're lucky, we can find ways to include beauty in every part of our life. I don't see why a way station should be ugly, just because it's a way station.”

Hal agreed. He'd always been glad the Balcoans who had proposed the design had dug in their heels and built Larga Ways the way they wanted to.

A drone entered, holding a tray. They both turned their attention to it.

Hal thought Fiona looked a little despondent at the choices on offer.

“Nothing you like?” He waited for her to sit at the table the drone had placed the tray on, and chose a seat opposite her.

She sighed, shook her head. “I don't seem to like anything. Except those tiny blue pea things. And Carmain practically smacked those out of my hand.” She looked over the offerings, and picked up a slice of vrel, nibbled at it suspiciously and then made a face.

“You don't like vrel?”

She bit into it. “It's okay. It's just a case of getting used to things. Developing a taste for them. Everything is so bitter.” She shivered as she said it, as if the taste of the vrel caused her body to shudder in reaction. “I liked some of the aromas I smelled on Larga Ways. Someone was cooking something really delicious. I wanted to go and find out what, but then Cy grabbed me.” She took a sip of water from the cup the drone had placed in front of her.

“When we get back to Larga Ways, we'll see if we can find out where the cooking was coming from,” Hal found himself saying. As if they had time for that.

Which they didn't.

She smiled at him, absolutely delighted. “Thank you. I had this request to the UC committee all worked out in my head while I was being taken through the streets, to ask if they'd let me have a little time to explore, but then it turned out there was no committee to ask.” She rubbed the side of her brow with a finger. “I hope the UC guy is okay. Cy said he shot him with a low charge.”

“I don't know.” Hal tried to remember if he'd heard from Rial about the condition of the UC officer, but nothing came to mind. He'd been too busy trying to get Fiona back.

She took a small kesti cake, chewed it thoughtfully, if not enthusiastically. “How did you know to come after me, by the way? Was it that medic I waved to? And how did you find me?”

“Yes, it was Rial. If you hadn't waved to him, we wouldn't have known what had happened to you until hours later.”

“But even if you knew I was on Larga Ways, how did you know to chase Cy? Rial didn't follow us into that building.”

“You were wearing a cadet uniform. They have a tracking device embedded in them so we can keep an eye on the students. Finding you was easy.” Actually, all guest uniforms had tracking devices, not just the cadets, but Hal didn't think that was relevant right now.

“Well, I want to thank you.” She reached across the table and touched the tips of her fingers to the back of his hand before withdrawing. “Seeing you running down the dock to try and save me, it meant a lot. And when Eazi told me you'd chased after me in a runner and were just outside, I was honestly amazed that you had gone to so much trouble.”

She was his responsibility and potentially a key witness that would bring the Tecran to their knees, but Hal admitted to himself he would have gone after her even if she wasn't. Not only was she part of his crew now, but the way Cy had treated her, the way she'd been used, over and over again by others with no concern for her or what they'd taken from her, enraged him. Made him determined to balance the scales a little. And if his skin still tingled from the touch of her fingers, well, that wasn't something he was going to dwell on.

“You're under my protection,” he said, and found his voice was rougher than usual. “I——”

“I think you need to speak to Cy.” Eazi's voice came through the comm system, rather than their earpieces.

“What's wrong?” Fiona stood, touching a slim, sparkling crystal that hung from her neck.

Eazi had obviously been generous with what he had drawn for her from the stores, but Hal had to admit to himself her deep cleavage was more fascinating to him than the jewelry Eazi had given her. Her shape was so much more voluptuous than any Grihan woman, and he fought to keep his focus on the matter at hand.

“Is he making threats again?” Fiona lifted her cup and drained the last of her water.