“I have to…” Before she could finish her sentence, Rhysa was shaking her head.
“No. We’re going. We need to have fun as a crew before we’re locked in again, and you skipped out on the team dinner.”
“I need to take care of something,” Bodi argued with Rhysa as always.
“Do it later. We have two cycles. Tonight. Bar.”
Blaize had seen her like this before. It would be easier to just go along. She’d talk to Captain Cyra and Dez before they went. “Fine, I’m in.”
Veda put the fork down on her empty plate. “I’d like to go.”
“Of course you’re going.” Rhysa tilted her head with a jerk.
“Cyra and I will remain here to watch over the ship now that the new fuel has been loaded.” Dez’s deep voice invited no argument, even from Rhysa.
Cyra blushed, turning a faint shade of lavender.
“You’re out of excuses.” Rhysa pointed to Bodi. “Unless, of course, you want to take us to your club?”
Bodi had a club? How did Rhysa know that?
“What?” Bodi was swiveling her head, looking at each of them. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’ll come tonight. For a little while.”
Rhysa grinned hugely, having gotten her way. “That’s fine. You don’t have to share…yet.”
Bodi stood and took her plate and Veda’s to the sterilizer. “I’ll be ready in two hours,” she called over her shoulder as she strutted out of the galley.
Blaize wondered how a female learned to move like that. If she tried to roll her hips like Bodi, she’d look like she needed to relieve herself.
“Be ready.” Rhysa pointed a finger at Blaize. “No coveralls. Sexy clothes.”
Blaize rolled her eyes. “Fine.”
“I’ll be ready too.” Veda cleaned up her place and darted out.
As soon as Rhysa had cleared the doorway, Dez pinned Blaize with his yellow-eyed stare. “What do you want to talk about?”
How did he know she wanted to talk to them?
“You’re usually the first one out with excuses about work.”
He even answered her questions without her speaking them. She swallowed her doubts. “It’s Cifer. I don’t think… I’m not sure he’s who he says he is. I think he might be up to something.”
“Any evidence?”
Blaize tried to figure out a way to explain that he’d disappeared with Elaya and that Varik had been at his rooms. But every way she rearranged the facts, it still led to her admitting that she’d been in his rooms. She wasn’t ready to confess she’d been intimate with Cifer. “I think he might be using the orphanage for nefarious reasons.”
Dez gazed at her, unblinking.
Cyra asked, “What makes you think that?”
“I followed him after he left the ship and…” And saw nothing that would sound bad. Shit. She didn’t like that he was going off with Elaya, but there was nothing criminal about it.
“I’ll keep your concerns in mind. I’m glad you brought them to my attention.”
Blaize stood. “Right. Okay.”
Unless she uncovered something heinous in the next forty hours, she would be traveling with Cifer to Hiargus for galactic months. Ugh.
