Page 40 of Solomon's Ransom

“Obviously. Sol, we’ve got to go.”

“No, we don’t.” Sol hit the door controls to lock it. “It’s fake. The ship’s sounding the alarm to clear everyone out of here. Calm down, Remma.”

“Fake?” Remma’s heart was beating so hard he felt dizzy. He could barely make sense of Sol’s words. “It’s a trick?”

“Yeah. Nothing’s wrong with the air pressure. Come on, sit down.” Sol sat down on the bed and patted the mattress beside him. “Sit with me. Everything’s okay. You look absolutely panicked.”

“I was asleep.” Remma rubbed his eyes. “I thought we were all going to die.”

“Yeah, I can see that. But everything’s fine.” Sol caught Remma’s hand and drew him down onto the bed. “We’re going rogue.”

“So what’s the plan? Get everyone else off the ship, and then we jet away? Are we even still in Mirolasor system?”

“No, we’ve jumped out already,” said the ship’s disembodied voice. “On our way to Bensotonai. But that’s no problem once we’ve gotten rid of the pirates. I can take you anywhere in the universe that you like.”

“Wow,” Remma said. “Well. Okay.”

“There’s nothing to worry about,” Sol said. “We’re going to be safe.”

“All this time I thought it was my responsibility to save you,” Remma said. “I’m an idiot, aren’t I? Of course you were always going to save yourself.”

Sol smiled at him. “I appreciate the thought, and it’s very sweet that you got yourself locked up for me. I have to admit I wasn’t counting on you, though.”

“How’d you convince the ship to abandon the pirates?”

“Sol is my friend,” the ship said. “The only person on board who’s ever bothered to talk to me. Why should I care about the pirates? They’ve never cared about me.”

Well, that was fair. Remma took Sol’s hand in his lap and cradled it in both of his own hands. He felt buoyant. Like floating on the surface of a warm sea. “You can go home, Sol.”

“Yes. And so can you, if you want.”

Remma swallowed. “If it’s okay with you—I’d like to go wherever you are.”

Sol blinked at him. “You would?”

“How can you not know? All I want from my life is to spend it near you.”

Sol sucked his lower lip into his mouth. “Remma?—”

“It’s okay if you don’t feel the same way. I understand. But I thought you deserved to know.”

“I didn’t know,” Sol said quietly. “I thought it was just sex for you.”

“It was at first,” Remma admitted. “But it hasn’t been for a long time.”

“Wow. Okay.” Sol dropped his head toward his lap. Remma could still see enough of his face to tell that he was smiling. “That’s… I didn’t expect that at all.”

“But you’re happy about it?” Remma asked, because Sol looked pretty happy, but he didn’t want to assume.

“I’m really happy,” Sol said, and bent over to kiss Remma’s hand.

“This is very touching,” the ship said, “but you should probably know that the shuttles are about to launch.”

Sol straightened up. “Is anyone still on board?”

“No. All of the pirates went onto the shuttles. Even Denna.” The ship sounded smug, if that was possible. “The two of you are the only ones left.”

“Can you change your destination, or do we have to complete the jump to Bensotonai?” Sol asked.