Chapter 31 Dax
Dax
With two more crew on board, we’d been able to implement round-the-clock watches. I didn’t expect trouble, but handling it would be a whole lot easier if at least one person was running on a good night—or day’s—sleep. Once we had a full crew, we’d reevaluate and reassign.
I grabbed a cup of coffee and what looked like fresh pastries from the mess hall and made my way to the bridge.
“Morning,” I said as I entered.
Burn turned around and flashed me a smile, then turned back toward the monitors. Her shift was just ending. “Morning.”
Curious what held her attention, I glanced out the windshield, then looked at the monitors. A handful of men and a number of loaders waited outside the cargo hold. “That the cargo?”
“Yep. It arrived a couple of minutes ago.”
“You’re not dealing with it?”
Burn spun around in her seat. “Me?” She shook her head. “They asked for the cargo master. I decided that meant Lacy, so I went to wake her. But she was already up.” She gestured at a plate that held a few crumbs. “I think she’d already gone out to get us breakfast too.”
I’d wondered where the pastries had come from. “So what’s the holdup?”
“Relax, Sarge. There’s no holdup. Lacy just took a few of the workers into the cargo hold.”
I bit into the flaky pastry while I pondered Burn’s words.
So far yesterday’s realization still held.
I trusted Lacy. Trusted her to make the right decision for the ship and the crew.
But I also needed to know how this worked.
As much as I’d like her as a permanent asset, I should know how to load cargo on my ship.
“You okay to hang out here, while I check things out in the cargo hold?”
“You think there’s a problem?”
I shook my head. “Not at all. First cargo load for Fortuna. I need to see how this works.”
Burn nodded. “We had no fucking clue what we were getting into, did we?”
My laugh was heartfelt. “I’m still not sure we do, Burn.”
I shoved the last of the pastry in my mouth and waved at Burn as I turned to leave. Coffee in hand, I made my way to the cargo hold. The closer I got, the more I could hear voices.
Lacy was in the hold with a couple of men. “Mornin’.” I lifted my cup in greeting as I joined the trio.
“Good morning.” Lacy sent an apologetic look toward the delivery team. “Need something?”
I shook my head. “Just observing.”
She sighed. “Fine. Just stay out of the way. This is dangerous cargo.”
“Be careful,” I said.
Her smile was fleeting. “Thanks,” she said. Then I was dismissed as she and the others returned to their conversation.
I stepped back so I was along the wall. Everyone’s warning about the cargo rang in my ears as the cargo loaders started entering the hold.
Each and every box that was placed in our hold was stamped with multiple warning labels.
The delivery crew worked quickly and quietly.
There was none of the jovial chatter that I expected.
Its absence made me feel both better and worse. Better, in that these men were professionals who took their job and their safety seriously. Worse, because what the hell had I gotten my ship into?
In the middle of the delivery ballet was Lacy. Her coveralls looked fresher and cleaner than usual. Maybe she’d gotten a new one. It fit her well, highlighting her curves. But they were barely noticeable under the air of authority she wore like she’d been born to it.
She was in charge and every single one of these men knew it. Knew it and respected it.
Watching Lacy work was a lesson in cargo handling. And coming from someone who’d been cargo, it was damn impressive.
And it raised a lot of questions.
“That’s everything, boss.”
She rewarded the speaker with a big smile. “Thanks. You guys did a great job.”
“It’s a pleasure to work with a pro. Let us know next time Fortuna’s in port.”
“Will do,” she said with a bittersweet smile. Was she thinking about not being with the ship?
Just the thought made me unhappy.
Frowning, I studied the cargo hold while she escorted the dockworkers off the ship. It was tidily organized. The straps lashing the boxes to the base were anchored through bolts in the flooring.
The stupid shooters took up three quarters of the cargo hold. The warning labels caused me a few heart palpitations, but I reminded myself that Lacy and the dockworkers were pros. The cargo was as safe as it would get. It was up to me to deliver it safely.
No pressure.
Lacy closed the external cargo-hold door. The hold was darker with cargo, with deeper shadows.
“Problem?” Lacy asked as she skirted the stupid shooters and made her way to me. Even the sounds in the hold were different, muted.
“What’s all that?” I pointed to a small stack of boxes near the door that led to the rest of the ship.
“Supplies,” she said. “Fortuna wasn’t stocked for a full crew. I picked up shelf-stable supplies that should last you a while and fresh food that will need to be consumed over the next few days. The perishable stuff is already in the mess.”
“Sounds like you’ve thought of everything.”
A blush tinged her cheeks and she looked away.
I slipped my finger under her chin and gently lifted until she faced me again. “Thank you. We wouldn’t have gotten this far without you. We’ll learn, but I appreciate you picking up the slack.” I shifted my hand so my palm cupped her cheek. “I couldn’t have asked for a better ship thief.”
“Borrower,” she said with a laugh.
My thumb ran over her cheek and she leaned into it.
The door to the corridor opened and someone stepped heavily into the cargo hold. Lacy stepped away from me. I dropped my hand to my side.
“Everything’s locked down,” she said, her voice slightly husky. “You want to check it out?”
I shook my head. “I trust you. But while we’re in transit, I’d like you to walk me through the process. We’ll need to know in the future.”
If I had my way, it would be nice to know the process, but we wouldn’t need to know because we’d have her. Now I just had to convince my crew.
“Anytime,” Lacy said.
“Well, I want to check her work.” Finn’s belligerent tone and combative words came from the shadows.
I’d known he was there. His heavy tread gave him away, but I hadn’t expected the vitriol.
“Knock yourself out.” Lacy curled her fingers into fists. “The stupid shooters are tied down as required. If you do anything, if you touch them, anything that happens is on you.” She pointed at him in emphasis.
He’d stomped toward the cargo, but at her words, he tucked his hands in his pockets. I exhaled the breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.
“C’mon, Finn. Let’s go. We’ve got a departure time soon.”
Ignoring me, Finn walked from one end of the stacked boxes to the other and back again. Thankfully he didn’t touch anything, but my worry didn’t stop until he was back at the door.
“He doesn’t do well with change,” I told Lacy quietly as I followed Finn to the stairs.
“He doesn’t do well with me,” she countered.
“You’re new,” I said.
“Pfft. Make as many excuses as you want. That won’t stop him from being an asshole.”
“No, he’s definitely being an asshole.” This wasn’t the Finn I knew. The one I trusted to have my back no matter what. If I didn’t find out what was going on with him, this trip was going to be a nightmare. I changed the subject. “Are we ready to leave Rigel Naught?”
Lacy stared at me like she was going to say something. Then she nodded and looked away. “Yeah. The cargo is secured. We can stow the supplies while we’re underway. You have the delivery coordinates?”
I nodded. “All that’s left is to request a departure time.”
“Great,” she said.
Silence fell heavily between us. Finn’s presence—Finn’s anger—had effectively killed the ease between us.
“You should go to the bridge. Get the ship ready for takeoff. I want to take one more pass through here and then make sure the engine room is secure.” She turned to go.
I caught her hand and she faced me reluctantly. “Are we okay?”
She sighed but didn’t look away. “My sister is missing, your crew hates me, and we’re surrounded by deadly cargo. We passed okay a long time ago.”
I tucked an errant hair behind her ear. “Everything will sort itself out.”
“I hope so, Dax. I really do.” Lacy tugged her hand free. “You’re needed on the bridge, Captain.”
“Let me know when the ship is secure.” She wanted distance, so I’d give it to her. For now.