Chapter 37 Dax #2
“Wasn’t sure about your team when you got here.
Working with a bunch of first-timers is always a crapshoot.
But you’ve got good crew members since they know how to transport these damn stupid shooters.
Jumpin’ in to save others? That’s above and beyond.
Feel free to put Harrier on your route any time.
” He paused. “We’ll have your guy back on his feet, next time you’re here. Might even try to keep him.”
I managed a slight smile. “Thank you.” My feelings about leaving Finn here—trusting complete strangers with his care—were complicated, but if they could get him whole and healthy? I’d be forever grateful.
“Safe travels.” We shook hands, then he headed toward the medical ship.
I stayed where I was, staring at the sky all around us. From here I could just barely see the stars through the atmospheric shield. Beyond that, the planet floated in a sea of darkness.
When we’d first planned to come here, I’d just wanted easy money.
Now we’d made connections. It would be both easier and harder to come back in the future. Easier because we knew the protocols and harder because we’d always be wondering about Finn.
“You okay?” Lacy asked.
For a moment, I’d forgotten she was there. Forgotten I wasn’t alone in the vastness of space.
“Not really.” When the adrenaline rush wore off, the shakes would begin. So far I’d staved it off. Hopefully I’d keep them at bay until I’d plotted our next course. Damned if I knew where that was going to be, though.
“That was— What Finn did was amazing. I hope he’s okay.” Her voice was soft.
“Me too.”
We stood there in mostly comfortable silence until Burn returned. The tear tracks on her face shimmered, reflecting the pale light around us. I opened my arms and she stepped into them, pressing her face against my shoulder. Fuck. I knew exactly what she was feeling.
“I’ll go grab my bag and then get out of your way,” Lacy said quietly then walked away.
I nodded absently, my attention on Burn. “We don’t have the facilities to give him the care he needs.”
Her voice muffled, Burn said, “Leaving him behind feels wrong. What if he needs us? What if we never see him again, like Wilson?”
Wilson’s name was like a punch. One day he’d been standing next to us, making us laugh the way he did with his jokes and impressions.
The next we’d been shellshocked when he and several other marines were killed and Finn injured in a vehicle crash planetside.
His death broke something in our team and we still hadn’t managed to get the pieces put together quite right.
“He’ll get better,” I whispered. “We’ll come back as soon as we can to check on him.”
She nodded against my neck. “Promise?”
I didn’t even hesitate. “I promise,” I said, hoping I wasn’t a liar.
Burn released me and stepped back reluctantly. “What now?”
I tilted my head back again, studying the sky like it had the answers I needed. “Not sure. We pick up Mercer and Orion. Get some cargo.” I shrugged. “Find Lacy’s sister?”
“Are you kidding? You can’t be thinking of letting her back on the ship.” She punched my shoulder.
Rubbing my hand over the shoulder—Burn hit fucking hard!—I said what I’d been thinking since we arrived. “I think we need her.”
Scoffing, Burn crossed her arms over her chest. “I can’t believe you’re serious about this.”
“Dead serious.” I filled her in quickly about the superstition about talking money. And the potential consequences if you did.
She whistled long and low. “Did you ask him about it?”
“No, Lacy stopped me before I could.” I paused to gather my thoughts. “She knows a lot about the cargo business. Knowledge we don’t have.”
“We can learn,” Burn said petulantly.
I nodded. “We can learn. And we have the perfect teacher.”
Burn’s scowl said she wasn’t buying it. “Look, we wouldn’t have gotten the cargo on Rigel Naught without her connections and knowledge,” I pointed out.
Brow raised, she countered, “We wouldn’t have needed that cargo if she hadn’t stolen our ship.”
“Sure. I’ll give you that. But without her, we might have a fat bank account for the moment, but our reputation for jobs like these would be trash before we even started.”
“How long would we have to put up with her?”
Permanently, I wanted to say. “How about until we rescue her sister? Then the two of them can go on their merry way.”
“Promise?”
Though I hated to do it, I agreed. “Promise.”
“Fine. Just until we find her sister. And we have to tell the others what happened up front. No more keeping it a secret.”
“Okay.”
Eyes narrowed, her scowl deepening, Burn glared at something over my shoulder.
I turned around, knowing I would see Lacy.
She stood at the top of the ramp, the duffle I’d seen on her bed slung over her shoulder.
Her other hand gripped her tool bag. For a moment, she looked lost. Then she stood straighter, lifting her head, drawing her shoulders back, and started down the ramp.
I looked back at Burn. “We good?”
Lips pursed, she nodded.
“Thanks,” I said and whirled to catch Lacy.
We met at the middle of the ramp.
“Yes?”
“We’ve got a proposition for you,” I said.
She studied me suspiciously. “Okay.”
“We need your help. Teach us what we need to know to succeed in this business. Things like stupid shooters and not talking about money, and we’ll help you find your sister.”
Her breath caught, but she still stared at me with mistrust in her eyes. “How do I know you won’t dump me on the next planet when one of the crew gets a bug up their ass about me?”
“We won’t.”
“But once we get your sister, you’re off the ship.” Burn had come up behind me. “That’s the deal.”
“Will you at least take us off the planet where she’s being held?” Snark and a bit of anger colored her question.
“That’s fair,” Burn said. “The next planet.”
“The next planet with reasonable transport,” Lacy countered. “I don’t want you to leave us on some ship-eating planet like Pangaea.”
“Deal.” Burn thrust her hand past me.
Lacy slowly, carefully set her tool bag down and shook Burn’s hand. “Deal.”
Then she offered her hand to me. Tingles raced up my arm and I fought the urge to slide my thumb over hers. “Deal.”
“Now let’s get off this fucking spaceport.” Burn brushed past us both.
Once Burn had disappeared into the cargo hold, I turned to Lacy. “Ready?”
Her shoulders lifted in a barely perceptible shrug. “Sure. I guess.”
I picked up her tool bag, but she immediately took it from me. “Don’t jerk me around, Dax. No more votes about my presence. No more treating me like the devil incarnate. Let’s get my sister, then we’ll get off your ship.”
Pain shot through my heart and I rubbed my chest. “That’s the plan.” I nearly choked on the words. “After we pick up the rest of the team.”
Her eyes widened in betrayal before she whirled away.
“Lacy, it’s not like that. I promise.” Dammit, there I went making another promise. Would I be able to keep them all? Or would I let someone down? “We’re going to need more support to rescue your sister. Especially since we don’t know what we’re facing.”
“Whatever you say.” She didn’t look at me, just strode back into the cargo hold.
I released my breath. At least she was still on the ship.