Page 16 of Stolen Fire (N.O.A.H (Nostradamus Outerspace Advancement of Humanity) #2)

Blaize’s heart raced. Varik was back. Angry and threatening. His ship was practically in the cargo bay. If the crazy asshole rammed them… The ship had security settings, and it would lock down, but they could still die.

“Incoming message, Captain,” Bodi called out.

Cyra halted mid-pace. “Read it.”

“Captain Varik demands to speak to Cyra about the male she is illegally transporting from Kolben.”

Cyra turned to Dez. “Bring Cifer?—”

“On it, my captain.” Dez spun on his heel and jogged off the bridge.

Blaize envied Cyra’s ability to burn off the anxiety with pacing, but it would be a disaster waiting to happen to have both of them stomping around the bridge.

“What should I reply, Captain?” Bodi craned her neck to track the captain, keeping her hands on the keys.

“No.”

“What?” Bodi’s wings flickered.

Cyra froze, her hands went to her hips. “Tell them no.”

Bodi tapped two keys, glanced back at the captain, and then clicked a single key to send the reply. Her gaze locked onto the screen. After almost no time, she flinched. “They say they’re going to fire on us if we don’t release the male we took from Kolben.”

“How the hell do they know we took anyone from Kolben? We didn’t even know.” Rhysa threw her hands up.

“They’re bluffing,” Bodi said calmly and faced the captain.

“How could you be sure of that?” Cyra asked.

“That class of ship doesn’t have the ability to fire on anything. My family owned several of them for short journeys to nearby planets. They’re basically small transports with minimal amenities and barely any defense shields. That’s why we got rid of them.”

Dez returned with Cifer. Veda followed closely.

Cyra’s gills flapped as she faced Cifer. “How do you know Varik Pectori?”

“Who?” Cifer’s face screwed itself into a question.

“He’s asking—no, demanding—I release you to him.” She crossed her arms. “I want to know how you know him. How he knew you were on my ship when I didn’t even know when we left Kolben.”

Cifer shook his head and held up his hand. “Please read me what this Varik character has said.”

Bodi read back the messages.

“He didn’t use my name. He could be demanding the release of a person who isn’t me.”

“Possible,” Veda responded. Cyra scowled at her. Veda shrugged. “Varik didn’t use Cifer’s name. He could be lying or confused.”

“I don’t know anyone named Varik Pectoral.”

“Pectori.” Cyra glared at Cifer. “How would he know we have anyone on board?”

“I filed our docking request with Cassan a couple cycles ago.” Bodi’s wings fluttered. “It requires me to list the number of sentient and non-sentient beings on board.”

Standard procedure. Blaize had filed those requests herself when she’d owned her own ship. When Varik had been her partner. She shuddered.

“He can’t really fire on us. All bluster.” Rhysa returned her focus to her screen.

“Are you sure?” Cifer asked. Bodi rattled off the details of the class of ship Varik flew. An image of the ship threatening them appeared on screen. Cifer shifted closer to the display. “That’s not right.”

“What?” Blaize asked.

“There was a ship on Kolben. And I paid for passage off the planet. They didn’t ask any questions, but I didn’t meet the captain.

It left without me. It’s the right size, but look at the name.

He changed it.” Cifer closed his eyes. “The Harlan Johnson . The identification number is different too, I’ll bet. Stolen?”

“I wouldn’t put anything past Varik. He still believes he should own The Treasure .” Cyra moved behind Bodi, staring at the screen. “Is it possible he changed the identification chip too?”

“Easily,” Cifer answered.

Blaize crossed her arms. She was torn between admiration and distrust. Cifer’s knowledge of the possibilities for stealing an entire ship gave her a bit of concern. But his confidence, his calm in a potentially deadly situation, soothed her.

“If he left without you and you paid him, maybe he really is trying to get you back on board.” Blaize didn’t believe Varik would have any qualms about taking Cifer’s credits and leaving him, but something didn’t make sense.

“He hasn’t asked for you by name. Did you give him your name?

Why would he be so committed to getting you on board?

Where did you contract him to take you?”

Cifer’s gaze never left her and he didn’t interrupt, letting her finish. After she hadn’t spoken for a moment, he replied, “I never met with the captain of the ship I contracted. And I paid to go to Cassan. We’re nearly there. He wouldn’t care to find me. Has no reason to.”

Dez pointed at the ship on the screen. “More likely he thinks we have the person he tasked with blowing up The Treasure . Varik might be trying to keep the male from testifying against him if we file charges.”

“If I were leading this negotiation,” Cifer said to Cyra, “I would remind them if they harm the ship, the person they’re looking for would be harmed too.”

Dez moved behind Cyra. “But they aren’t a threat.”

“And if he went to the effort to change the identification, it’s possible he retrofitted offensive weapons. We have to act as if his threat is credible.”

Cifer had a point. Blaize squinted at the image, searching for signs of any modifications.

“Send the message,” Cyra told Bodi.

Bodi keyed in Cifer’s words. “We’re nearly close enough to Cassan to be picked up by their sensors. They should detect the fake ID chip or at least send security since they’re threatening us.”

“Keep him engaged.” Cifer pointed at the screen. “I’m not sure the authorities will see the ship as a threat, depending on what, if any, weapons they have. You could alert them, but as close as he is, he’d likely pick up the transmission as well.”

“New message,” Bodi announced. “He says we’ve kidnapped his crew member, and he’s going to file charges on Cassan against Cyra Maejzur and Blaize Dreheer and everyone else on the ship conspiring in the crime.”

“Ask him if this is the same crew member who tried to blow up my ship.” Cyra’s gills were moving fast enough to flutter her hair.

Scant moments passed.

“He responded that false allegations won’t protect you from charges. He’s demanding proof of life. A current image.” Bodi turned to Cifer.

“Technically, we could… fake an image.” He laughed. “But that would only make him more aggressive. We should try to defuse the situation or escape it.”

Blaize stared at Cifer. How could he find any humor in the situation?

“Are you okay?” Cifer moved behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

Blaize swallowed the story about how she’d once trusted Varik that threatened to burst from her lips. There wasn’t time. “We wouldn’t be in this position if you hadn’t snuck on board.”

Cifer dropped his hand, and she regretted her attack immediately. Her past with Varik wasn’t Cifer’s fault. Nor was the current situation. She opened her mouth to apologize, suddenly at a loss for words.

“Blaize?” Cyra’s voice yanked Blaize away. “Can we get a speed burst? Bump us into the Cassan sensor range and away from Varik so we can land first?”

“Yes, Captain.” There were multiple ways to get a quick thrust. Since she didn’t have to worry about burning fuel because they could reload their EMF rods on Cassan, her options were nearly limitless. She logged into the engineering systems.

Cifer moved closer to Bodi.

Blaize couldn’t help the flare of jealousy that pumped through her veins.

“We need to string him along,” Cifer said. “Ask what he wants as proof that the image of the bomber is current.”

Bodi laughed. “He’s not going to go for that.”

Cifer tilted his head. “Never know. Oh, and tell him the person on your ship says Varik owes him.”

Cyra snorted. “Now he definitely won’t reply.”

Blaize let her fingers fly over the keys, sending commands to the engine system. “Strap in.”

Veda, Cyra, and Dez dropped into their usual chairs. Bodi and Rhysa grabbed their harnesses and clicked them in place. Cifer’s head swiveled and finally settled on an empty station to Blaize’s right.

“Hurry,” she said.

He leaped and cleared the space in one go, dropping perfectly into the chair.

Blaize gawped at him. She’d known he was flexible, but the jumping thing was new.

Again, she didn’t know this male well enough to be as attracted to him as she was.

She closed her eyes and gripped the arms of her chair.

The micro-burst of speed was over almost as quickly as it had begun.

She softened in her chair, letting her body return to normal.

“Gross,” Cyra said. “That was nearly as awful as a bridge crossing.”

Dez rose and went to the captain.

“Sorry about that,” Blaize replied.

“We’re in live communication range of Cassan,” Bodi announced.

“Good. Let them know we have an unknown ship following us and ask for early docking. I’m going to my tank.” Cyra left the bridge without a second glance. Dez followed closely behind.

Fingertips grazed Blaize’s cheek, sweeping her hair back. “Are you okay?”

She turned to face Cifer, wishing his touch didn’t feel so comforting after the assault to her system.

“ Fuck . That was awesome. I had no idea this ship was capable of that kind of speed.” Rhysa grinned. “Better than sex. Almost.”

Veda laughed.

“We could test that theory.” The statement licked at Blaize’s ear and dissipated to nothing. She blinked. Had she heard Cifer correctly? He’d already moved back to Bodi.

“Any response?” Veda asked what all of them were likely wondering.

Bodi tapped on the keys in front of her. “Nothing.”

That didn’t mean Varik was done harassing them. Blaize freed herself from the harness. That asshole didn’t give up so easily.

Cifer followed her from the bridge. “What now, Beauty?”

“I have to check on the engines. The burst was not without risk to the systems.”

“Where you go, I go.” He matched her pace down the corridor.

His words wrapped around her heart like they were the truth. Her brain rattled with possible future scenarios of Cifer and her. She couldn’t turn it off until she had something else to focus on, like her engines. No matter how fast she moved, he remained right with her.