“What if he was part of the plan to set the bomb?” Bodi’s translucent wings were fluttering so fast they were a blur. Was she aware of it?
“The bomb did almost kill you. And it was meant for The Treasure. What if he snuck on board to finish the job?” Blaize shuddered. Having a murderer on board was as bad as the poisonous spiders. If the cargo didn’t improve, she might have to seek employment elsewhere, no matter how well she might fit in with the crew.
“Then why would he save you?” Veda asked. “If he’s trying to kill the crew or destroy the ship, he wouldn’t have risked injury—or being ejected from the ship—to save anyone. He could have blown us up during the crossing, and any investigation would have written it off as an anomaly in the ER bridge.”
“I sensed no violence from him during our initial meeting or when I escorted him to the cargo hold.” Dez had nearly been killed saving the ship and had lost his hand. If he didn’t think the guy was the bomber, then he was probably correct.
Captain Cyra raised her arm, and everyone shut up. “I think we should take a vote.”
“Yes, my captain.” Dez nodded in Cyra’s direction. “Should we keep the stowaway in cargo until we reach Cassan? Or eject him?”
“Keep him.” Veda’s voice was the loudest Blaize had ever heard.
“Eject.” Bodi hung her head after her quiet vote.
“Rhysa?” Dez asked.
“Keep him. I’m sure we can find some use for him.” Her tone said exactly how she could imagine using him. A twinge of jealousy caught Blaize unexpectedly.
“My vote is to eject. The security risk is great. It’s my job to protect the captain, the crew, and this ship.” Dez’s vote surprised Blaize. She’d expected him to go easier on the guy based on the discussion.
“Blaize?” At Cyra’s call, the entire crew turned to focus on her.
She took a deep breath. Her vote would break the tie. No pressure. Just a person’s life. A person who had saved her life. “I think we should keep him in the cargo hold. I’m not convinced he isn’t a criminal, but I can’t be responsible for the death of a living being if I’m wrong. And, although stowing away is sufficient justification to eject him based on the law, it just doesn’t seem right to me. But no matter how we vote, it’s the captain’s decision, not mine.”
Cyra tilted her head back and rubbed her throat, exposing her gills. She sat quietly for several minutes. No one moved or hardly breathed. This was serious. A life hung in the balance.
The bile built in Blaize’s stomach the more time passed without her captain’s decision. Killing Cifer didn’t seem right. It made her head hurt to think about it.
Veda stood, and Blaize flinched at the unexpected movement. The tiny woman placed her cup in the sterilizing unit. She faced the captain with her hands fisted on her hips. Cyra made eye contact with her, and they must have had a silent conversation. Cyra gave a quick nod. “Keep him in holding. Let him know I will expect payment for his transport when we arrive in Cassan, or I will alert the authorities about his unauthorized presence on the ship and his possible involvement with the bomb on Kolben. Although, I think we all know that was Varik.”
“Yes, Captain.” Dez rose from his seat and held out his hand to Cyra.
She took it, but she released him as soon as she was standing. “I’m going to my tank.”
The ship had a specialized water chamber just for the captain, who was born on a water planet and needed the immersion to remain healthy. She often went there in times of stress.
“I will speak to the…guest and then meet you in our quarters, my captain.”
Cyra left without another word.
Blaize didn’t miss making those kinds of decisions. Being captain was a huge responsibility. Keeping the systems running was enough of a challenge for her.
Bodi left silently too. Blaize hoped they hadn’t made the wrong decision.
Blaize swiped the large data screen in front of her seat on the bridge. She’d been rearranging the same data for three cycles, data she’d already submitted to the captain.
“Are you okay?” Rhysa loomed over her, inspecting her like a bug. Blaize hadn’t seen or heard her leave her chair at the helm.
“What?” Blaize did her best innocent look.
“Uh-huh. That’s what I thought. You voted to keep him, but now you don’t want to go by the cargo hold.”
Blaize stiffened her spine and tilted her chin up. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Scared?”
“Hardly. I had reports to do.” Blaize stepped into Rhysa’s space, and the navigator took a step back. “And now I have to check the systems.” Even though she didn’t want to.
