Page 16 of Tempting Cargo

“You.” I pointed at the big male. “I have some other things elsewhere. You can carry them.”

“No problem.” The human shrugged and followed me out of the bay, trailing me like a baby doorith as I stomped off to the bridge. He sauntered past the small jump seat by the doorway, and I grabbed his arm. The strange heat of it made me want to let go and hold on both.

When he moved his brow hairs in the way I assumed meant surprise, I gestured to the seat. “Sit down. Hold on.” We were getting away from this infernal station before I did anything else.

I sat straight-backed in the captain’s chair and ignored Paiata’s pointed look at the human. “Get us out of here.”

“Aye, Captain.”

He opened the in-ship comm. “All bodies, hold tight for launch.”

I closed my eyes and let the rushing sound of the engines thrum through my body, gripping the curved armrests as my ship lurched towards voidspace. When the telltale roll of the engines settled into a steady whir, I stood up, gesturing to the human, whose full lips had flattened, his face seeming a lighter shade of bronze.

“You get used to it,” I offered. “This way, cargo.”

“My name’s Garrison.”

“Hmh.” I opened a storage hatch in the corridor wall, and indicated the stacks of inflatable bolsters and spare bedding. “You can take these,Garrison.” Gesturing down the corridor, I added, “You can all use that convi. I’ll show you the galley later.”

The big human was already pulling the items down, stacking them in his substantial arms, and he flashed me a grin. “Thanks, Shohari, these will help. We appreciate it.”

My spines shivered, my voice gruff as I corrected him. “You’ll call me Captain when we’re on this ship.”

His smile grew wider, showing off his blunt, white teeth. “Yes ma’am, Captain.”

A shiver ran through my spines, and I stomped back to the bridge, where Paiata was already making minor course adjustments on the main holoscreen. “Everything stable on our course?”

“Aye, Cap, just making some efficiency deviations.”

I swear he couldn’t just set a course and leave it alone. “When you’re done tinkering, you should tell the humans where we’re headed first.”

“Are you going soft, Cap? Normally I have to suggest this kind of thing,” he said with a wry smile.

“Don’t be absurd.”

“As you wish.” He grinned, jutting his tusks at me. “All bodies, destination AnimaCorp research station in half a day. Next stop, Lietan Shipyard tomorrow morning. Aurora Five Station the following night, with a stopover. And the delightful planet Vadias two days after. Thank you for flying with theDorimisaand we hope you enjoy your stay.” He clicked off the comm system with a flourish.

“Are you finished?”

“We’ve got guests, Cap. It’s more exciting than fabric or furniture.”

“We’re a trading ship, not a pleasure cruise.”

“I’ve seen the way you look at that big one.” He stuck out his tongue, coiling it into loops, then retracted it with a slurp. “Why not both?”

I swore I didn’t know what he meant as I cuffed him round the head and left the bridge, his laughter echoing in my ears.

This early in a flight, I was normally still on the bridge, double checking the plans for current or destination cargo, or trying to broker the next shipment. Or seeing if there was a parallel shipment I could squeeze in quietly because the faster I could build up my personal credits, the better.

“Kheh,” I muttered. Thiswasme checking the current cargo. I needed to make sure the big one hadn’t made a mess of my ship or gotten lost. And I should check the other humans weren’t somehow dying or injured; it didn’t do to play favourites.

Turned out he was neither lost nor making a mess. He raised his head as I approached, giving me that smile again, and I faltered.

I wasn’t smile-worthy. I was the grumpy daughter of an arsehole family, with fewer choices than Aurora Five’s cantina menu. And I could only imagine I looked horrific to him. I was all spikes and ridges and hardness and angles. The female humans were small and soft, their bodies swaying like nebaru dancing girls in seedy cantinas.

I never allowed myself to have too many casual liaisons—what was the point when I was likely to be mated off once I inevitably failed to satisfy my family with my ability as a trader? But I was no stranger to finding mutual pleasure with someone, and hedidhave a pleasant smile.

Regardless, there was no harm in enjoying the view. He’d be gone in a few days.