Page 14 of Stolen Fire (N.O.A.H (Nostradamus Outerspace Advancement of Humanity) #2)

Blaize darted out the door and nearly collided with Veda, who was holding a meal tray. “Sorry, Veda.” Blaize stepped around her to clear the entry. How had Veda gone from the greenhouse to the galley without her noticing?

“Are you okay?” Veda moved the tray to one arm and touched Blaize’s forehead. “You look flushed. Was it the kiss?” Veda’s cheeks darkened slightly.

“Kiss? I didn’t—” Blaize glanced back. She and Cifer had been so close, Veda believed she’d been making out with him. “It wasn’t what it looked like.”

“I’m going to leave this with Cifer. It would be so much easier if he could join us for meals like everyone else instead of having to cart trays back and forth. I’ll meet you in the galley.”

“Good. I’ll clean up first. Still have dirt on my hands.” More than soap, she needed space. Time to clarify her thinking before she was around the others. If she started babbling in front of them, there was no telling what would come out of her mouth.

“Don’t be too long. Dez has everything ready.”

Blaize moved swiftly down the corridor to her quarters.

Some cold water and a change of uniform, and she would be back to her normal controlled self, if she could figure out a way to forget the images of Cifer’s mostly naked body.

Her brain had no problem removing his shorts and filling in the blank.

Cold water. Too bad she didn’t have time for a shower.

She took her usual seat at the metal table in the galley.

There was seating for sixteen, but by silent agreement, the crew occupied the same half of the table at every meal, except for the occasions when Rhysa and Bodi were really battling.

Dez sat to Cyra’s left, close to the cooking devices.

Veda always sat to her right. Rhysa sat next to Dez, which didn’t seem to bother Cyra, despite the fact that the Blaque Poll female was a total flirt and couldn’t keep her pink eyes to herself.

When Blaize considered the situation carefully, it was obvious that Cyra had nothing to worry about.

Dez was devoted to her. Rhysa enjoyed flirting.

She couldn’t help it. It would be like Blaize trying to make herself quit tinkering.

Had Rhysa been spending time with Cifer? She glared across the table at her.

“What?” Rhysa asked her.

Bodi took the seat next to Blaize. Dez filled serving platters, and Veda wordlessly placed each one on the table.

The last meal of the cycle was the only meal they ever ate like this.

Dez said it reminded him of home and was the proper way to share a meal.

Blaize was thankful for the activity that distracted Rhysa from the confrontation.

Rhysa loved arguing almost as much as flirting.

“What the heck were you doing to Cifer?” Veda asked her after the food had been served and everyone had started eating.

Blaize nearly choked. “Nothing. Why?”

“When I brought him his tray, he was breathless and kind of sweaty. You looked flushed when I saw you. I know you said you didn’t kiss him, but is something going on?”

Had Veda seen Cifer with only the tiny shorts and the start of an erection? The urge to tear out Veda’s eyes rushed through Blaize before she could shake free. “So, you saw him with just his briefs on?”

“He was dressed.” Veda smiled over her shoulder, almost a smirk. “He must have been undressed just for you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. The only thing going on is him helping me with the system maintenance. He’s good with his hands.”

Rhysa snickered loudly.

“I mean, he’s talented.”

Rhysa went from snickering to laughing out loud.

“With fixing things. Mechanical things. Sheesh. Get your mind out of the sex club.” Blaize filled her mouth with food before she said anything else stupid.

Rhysa wiped away a tear. “I need to spend time with this guy. He has two of the most sexually repressed females I’ve ever met fighting over him. If neither of you want to keep him entertained at night, maybe I should.”

“No.” Blaize would give anything to take back that loudly blurted single word.

She dropped her fork, her appetite gone.

A few more cycles, and they would be back on Cassan, and this would be a bad memory.

“Captain?” Blaize addressed the only sane woman at the table.

“We found a small area in the water circulation system that should be replaced. Well, it’s a small weakness, a bulge?—”

“It so disappointing when the bulge is small,” Rhysa interrupted.

“There’s nothing small about his bulge. I mean—” Heat flooded her system. “The distention in the pipe?—”

“Ooh. Distended pipes are my favorite.” Rhysa fluttered her lashes over her pink eyes.

Blaize rolled hers and pressed her lips together. Nothing she said was right.

“Give her a break,” Cyra told Rhysa. “Blaize. Are we in any danger?”

“No. It’s a system check I should have done on Cassan before we left, but I got spooked by the spiders. Cifer went with me. I— We caught the issue early.”

She’d admitted she couldn’t do her job without help.

“That was smart. I had no idea you planned to inspect the ducts. Definitely not a job that should be done solo.”

Blaize tilted her head. Not the response she’d expected.

“I appreciate the care you’ve taken with our engine and all our life-support systems,” Cyra added. “Can we order the replacement part now, so it’ll be waiting for you?”

Blaize nodded, not trusting her voice. Cyra was happy with the work. A weight lifted off her chest.

“If you get the information to me, I’ll be happy to help with the order,” Bodi said.

Blaize acknowledged the offer with a smile and nod.

“My captain?” Dez filled the silence with his deep voice. Cyra stroked his arm and gazed at him. “Our stowaway has become more of a crew member, and he’s planning to not only pay for his transportation from Kolben but would like to contract transportation to Hiargus.”

Cyra’s face showed no surprise, as if they were staging this conversation for the benefit of the crew. “You believe he’s no longer a security risk?”

“Correct.”

Cyra glanced around the table. “Has anyone had a different experience?”

“Nope,” Rhysa replied.

Bodi shook her head the tiniest bit.

“Can we please at least invite him to meals so we don’t have to keep carting trays back and forth?” Veda leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms. “Anyone who objects can take over that chore.”

Blaize gaped at Veda. She never spoke so adamantly.

Dez chuckled.

“I think that makes sense.” Cyra smiled at Veda. “We should spend a bit more time with him before we commit to an extended trip. How far is Hiargus, anyway?”

“Depends.” Rhysa pointed at Cyra with her fork. “Wormholes or no wormholes?”

“Plot it both ways, but we’ll probably have to use them.” Cyra sighed.

“I’ll have answers by next cycle.” Rhysa scraped up the last of her meal and filled her mouth.

Thank goodness the woman had something to focus on besides making Blaize blush.

“Why does he need to go all the way to Hiargus? What’s there?”

“He’s returning a stolen item,” Dez answered.

“What is it?” Rhysa leaned forward, eyes wide.

“An orb owned by the Hiargus royalty.”

“If he’s having meals with us and is a paying guest, he should get his own quarters.” Blaize regretted the words the moment she spoke them, but it was only right.

“A room next to yours, or are you sharing?” Rhysa grinned at her.

Blaize bit her tongue before she requested a room as far from Rhysa as possible.

“Dez will handle the room assignment, but yes, he should have a room instead of the cage in the cargo bay,” Cyra acknowledged.

The rest of the meal was mostly silent. Veda and Bodi had clean-up duty.

“I’ll see to our guest.” Dez left the galley.

Cyra followed but went in the opposite direction toward the deck.

Rhysa hadn’t taken her eyes from Blaize, probably betting she would follow Dez.

The temptation clawed at her, but she followed Cyra.

Blaize could occupy herself with getting the part ordered and other tasks and hopefully overhear Dez’s decision on the room assignment when he told Cyra.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway. Cifer launched himself to the door of the cell, anticipating Blaize. Instead, a pissed-off, dark-skinned, bald security officer stormed through the door.

“Furcifer Msuya. We have a problem.” Dez’s voice was harsh, but he wasn’t nearly as scary looking as he had been the first time Cifer met him.

Cifer relaxed back on the sleeping platform and flipped his sculpture in his hand.

The piece was becoming a bird as he’d guessed, but he needed a few more parts. “What’s the problem?”

“May I see that?” Dez came into the cell and held out his hand.

Cifer considered denying the request, but it wouldn’t help his case. He sat up and placed his tiny creation in the male’s wide outstretch palm.

Dez turned it about, inspecting it closely. “Very clever.” He tested the tiny wings that could flap.

Cifer didn’t take the trinket back. “Can you be more specific about what problem you have?”

“You were in the ductwork of the ship.”

“With Blaize, at her request.”

“She said you were very helpful. Not sure how you fit down there.” Dez eyed Cifer.

His current form was closer to Dez in size. “I’m flexible.”

“Hmm.”

“As I said before, I am willing to pay for this leg of my journey.” Cifer took the bird from Dez’s still outstretched hand. He patted the empty side of the mattress.

Dez took the invitation and sat down. “Are you comfortable here in this cell?”

Cifer considered where Dez could be going with this line of questioning. “Beats any place I found on Kolben.”

Dez laughed. “Very true. I stayed in this cell for a time.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. Loud and drafty…”

“Again, not the worst place I’ve rested my head.”

“The captain feels it would be best to have you join us for meals in the galley so that the crew can get to know you before they commit to taking you all the way to Hiargus.”

“Hot food is a great incentive to face them.”

“Face them?” Dez’s forehead wrinkled all the way to his bald head.

“Five females who were not happy to have me on their ship?” Cifer shivered dramatically.

“You seem to have won two of them over already.”

“Veda is very kind.” Cifer rubbed his neck. “Blaize is…” So many words. Beautiful, brilliant, beguiling. “Uncertain of me.”

“Blaize is very precise and careful with all she commits to.”

Tightness hit Cifer between the shoulders. Her commitment wasn’t his goal. He swallowed. “Wise.”

“Why this ship? It’s big and expensive.”

“As I said before, the food is a big selling point—delicious despite being lukewarm by the time it makes its way here. And there’s the care Blaize takes with the maintenance. It’s hard to find a ship this safe.” Cifer held out his hands and shrugged.

“Food is not reason enough to book an expensive, slow-moving ship for a long-distance voyage to deliver a ceremonial object.”

“No, not by itself.” Cifer stayed quiet. He didn’t want to talk himself out of a ride, but he didn’t want to tell Dez that not having to move the orb was a big motivator, along with more time with Blaize.

“If we were to consider taking you to Hiargus, the fee would be calculated from Kolben. We would need to charge for the return to Cassan from Hiargus if we can’t secure another contract.”

Dez wouldn’t be able to come up with a number that was higher than the value of his contract to retrieve the orb. Add to that the value of spending time with Blaize, which was incalculable, and he would pay any price named.

Dez threw out a number half of what Cifer had been expecting. He winced by training. “Oof.”

“You would join the crew in the galley for meals and have your own quarters.”

“Now? Or do I have to wait until I can transfer credits on Cassan?”

“We have quarters available now.”

“What about access to the data systems?”

“No.”

“I’ll bring my own data system for the leg to Hiargus. I couldn’t risk having any tech with me on Kolben. But I have a business to run.”

Dez frowned.

“A legitimate business.” Cifer crossed his arms. Retrieving a stolen item didn’t make him a thief. Technically.

“That will depend on the approval of the communications officer, Bodi, and Blaize, who will want to inspect your device.”

“No problem. How long will the layover be at Cassan?”

“Typically, a few cycles.” Dez stretched his feet out in front of him and crossed his hands over his stomach. “Blaize has the pipe repair to perform, and we all need time apart. Enjoy a few meals I haven’t cooked.”

Cifer chuckled.

“Blaize will do another thorough system check. Rhysa will want to negotiate with our fuel supplier.”

“I have some business I need to attend as well.” Cifer fidgeted with the sculpture and waited.

“Is there a time limit on your contract? We might not be able to meet it. This ship isn’t built for speed.”

Not the question Cifer had expected. “There is, but it’s generous enough not to worry. I was able to acquire the orb faster than expected.”

Dez nodded.

“Do you want the entire fee up front?” It was something he would never offer, but he knew once paid, Dez would be honor bound to deliver.

“I’ll let the captain decide.” Dez rose from the platform.

Cifer stood and held out his hand to shake.

Dez took and shook it firmly. “I’ll be back once we have your quarters prepared.”

Cifer relaxed onto his bunk. He had transportation to Hiargus and more time with Blaize.