Page 115 of Tempting Cargo

“I beg your pardon?”

Scrunching my toes inside my boots, I imagined they touched the stone beneath, that I drew it up through my body, infusing my voice. “Enjoy your gloating as much as it pleases you, but you will keep it to yourself if you know what’s good for you.”

“You would dare?”

I didn’t want to give Mother the satisfaction of her rival’s discomfort, but Kimivha and the other staff didn’t deserve to reap the harvest of Mother’s downfall.

I forced a smile. “Thank you for your assistance, Inupa. Soverysorry to hear about your speeder. I have a bolt of ydouiran silk which I hope you’ll accept in compensation.”

“That silk belongs to me!” Mother shrieked.

“No, Mother. It’s mine. And now it’s hers.”

“You would deal with with our enemy?”

Gods, but I was tired of this. “No, Mother. She’syourenemy. Now will you release the docking clamps?” I clung to Garrison’s arm. So close now.

“I will not. I shall have theDorimisa’s systems disabled. You forget this ship is mine. I will have you all back in that cell—” She tailed off at Muzati’s hysterical laughter.

Eventually, my beloved engineer regained enough control to say, “Disable the systems?” She choked out words between laughs. “Do you mean the control module hidden under thecommunications matrix? It was suspicious, so I chucked it years ago. You’ve got as much control over theDorimisaas that pile of cushions.”

Father shook Mother’s shoulder and tugged her away. “Just let her go, Marsyi.”

She fought against his grip. “No. The department will never approve it.”

Madame dai Yakri gave a single, stiff tilt of her head. Who’d have thought some good would come out of their feud after all?

“Department approval has already cleared, Mother,” I said.

“Oh, by Kri’s bones, I shall do it.” Father took the comm-tablet in unpracticed hands, frowning and muttering.

Muzati sidled up to him. “Do you need assistance?”

“Uh, yes please, young lady.” His face was pink, and if I knew Father, all he wanted was for this to go away. “I never was over fond of this technology. Definitely not my forte.”

“No problem, Mister mai Tasra. Good job you’ve got me on the crew. Look, there’s the docking menu, that’s the bit where you approve. No, you have to swipe to the end. Here.”

“Thank you, but… you are stealing our ship. And my son.”

Father sounded so confused, I almost felt sad for him, except when had he ever stood up for us? No, he’d allowed Mother to control everything. He could allow a different female to railroad him this time—he excelled at it, after all.

Muzati patted his arm. “We are. But don’t you want a bit of quiet? Can’t put the moon back how it was, you know, no matter how much you want to. It’s best we leave you in peace, let your mate calm down. Make her a nice cup of tea. Here.” She deftly manoeuvred the tablet from his hands and tapped a few times before returning it.

He realised he’d approved the retinal scan the same time I did, and the docking clamps gave a beautiful hiss, releasing theDorimisafor the last time.

I turned to Rokharu, who stood near us, rifle in hand as if we might cause trouble. “I owe you a favour, Rokharu. I doubt I shall return to Orith, but if there is anything I can do for you from out there, please let me know.”

Rokharu straightened his shoulders and sighed. “You are formidable, Mistress Shohari. I hope some day Kri sees fit to bless me with a female who looks at me the way your alien looks at you.”

I wanted that for him.

“They will. I don’t doubt it,” I said, offering him a small smile. “She will be a fortunate female indeed.”

Once I’d transmitted my comm ID, I clasped his arm and turned to my ship.

“I shall have your spines for this,” Mother spat, still fighting Father’s grip. “I have never been thus spoken to in all my years.”

Muzati patted her on the shoulder. “That’s because I’ve never really spoken to you before, thank skyk. So, Lady Ulthshit, you’re going to watch us fly our lovely ship off this backwards shithole of a planet, with our shaa’ith friends and your marvellous shaa’ith son, and with your skykking badass daughter’s human lover.”