“Hi, Tiny.”
She froze, her breath hitching.“Vic.”She faced the door, wishing her vision returned for a moment.Seeing was believing, so they said.“I thought you… Nikko said we’d lost you to some freak accident.”
Dragged into a hug, she almost dropped the pot.But the sunbaked perfume that was Vic engulfed her.She succumbed and squeezed back.
“You did.My tether was cut.”
Tiny gaped.As she’d suspected.Oh, Lord, let it not be of Dieter’s doing.She couldn’t be that wrong about the man.“Cut?”
“Yes,” Vic muttered.“Carne’s ship passed us, so I rushed inside to warn Nikko.I was a fool to think he was friendly.To my face, sure, then when he sent me out again, he made sure I didn’t come back.Thankfully, I was rescued by Qaldreth warriors on their own mission somehow tied to Carne.Which leads us to believe there are prisoners onboard theMula Pesada.”
“Us?Wait, did you say warriors?”Tiny angled her head, zeroing in on the breathing.“Three?”
“One at a time, introduce yourself,” Vic said.
Tiny stiffened, drew in a shaky breath, then faced them.Farg, she hadn’t even brushed her hair.At least she’d showered and wore clean underwear.Mom would be so proud.
Someone stepped closer.“I am Meorri aac Drafe Arrak.Vic is my female.”
“Oh.”Tiny gasped then gasped again when he took her hand.“Does that mean what I think it means?”
“More than you can know.”Vic hugged her from the side.“Nenn, you’re next.”
Excitement swelled inside Tiny, summoning a grin.“Describe them for me, Vic.Oh, I do love the way they smell.Like I’m in a biodome on Ganymede, filled with rich soils, succulent plants, trickling water...”She took a long sniff.“Volcanic rock.”
Silence met her request.Tiny frowned.Had she said something wrong?
“Only Drafe and Nenn are near to you; the others...Besides, we’re out of time.Will you help us?”Vic asked in a rush.
Tiny folded her arms across her chest and waited, tempted to tap her foot for good measure.She wasn’t going to budge until she had some idea of who she was helping.
“Fine,” Vic huffed.“They have obsidian skin.Their hair runs from their brows to the base of their spines.All are muscled, strong, and skilled.Drafe’s a warrior guardian.Caah’s a tech guru, I think.Nenn is like you, a medic.”
“He is?”Tiny swiveled, widening her eyes to peer at the smudges.Not that she could tell anything apart, but right then, she wished she could.
“Can you not see me?”Nenn gathered her hands in his, sending a zing up her arms.He was hot to the touch, and the urge to snuggle against him was a little overwhelming.“Loss of sight is no more where I come from.Allow me to heal you.”
She scowled at the offer.Just like that?Let a stranger operate on her?“With implants?”She shivered.“That’s a no, thank you.”
Nenn’s husky chuckle coiled heat in her core.“We regrow your eyes and encourage the optical nerves to reconnect.I will return for you when our mission is complete.”
Tiny leaned toward where she thought Vic stood and whispered, “Is he for real?”
“Yes.”Vic laughed.“Now, will you help us?”
“Sure.What you need is access to the engine rooms.Security was restricted, but last night, Captain just up and gave everyone full-access status.He did sound…odd.Anyway, that means I can appoint you as our new captain.”Tiny giggled.Served Nikko right for kicking her friend off the ship.
Vic arched a brow.“That could work, but won’t Leah notice?”
“Why would she?”Tiny scoffed, ignoring the sliver of fear sliding down the nape of her neck.“She’s probably got her boots up on the console and her nose buried in smut.”Tiny offered a smile at the room in general.“Computer, set all crew to staff access only, and grant Vic full control.”
“Control granted, Captain Vic.”
“See.Easy as that.Computer, locate all storerooms.”Tiny gestured to the console, hoping Computer was showingMula Pesada’sfloor plans.“I would start there.”She raised the pot to bury her nose in the aromatic rosemary leaves.When a thought struck her, she stiffened and peered over her shoulder at the door.“But Vic, what if you’re wrong?”
“Then we leave the ship without bloodshed,” Vic said.
Tiny squeaked.Farg.What had she done?First do no harm, that’s what she’d sworn to do.“Don’t hurt…anyone.”
