Page 30 of Tethered

Tanisira waits for the officer to stop talking. “We haven’t reported a stowaway.”

“You’d be correct. The owner of the ship received a call from—” There are a few tapping noises. “A member of the ground crew. Apparently, upon reviewing the CCTV, they caught a shadow moving up the cargo bay ramp.”

Fuck.

“I hate to say that you’re wasting your time, but we’re running a skeleton crew—we’d know if a strange person was skulking around.”

“Nonetheless, we’re obligated to check.”

A third voice chimes in, words rolling in his mouth like gravel. “I’m sure with a minor aboard, you’ll be happy for confirmation that all is well.”

“Absolutely. Where would you like to start?”

“Take us to the bridge so we can set up and then have everyone on board meet us there.”

“This way, officers.”

Tanisira sounds conversational, and I have to applaud her acting. Her tone only suggests curiosity. If I hadn’t spent the past few days in her presence, I’d think she was being genuine. But somehow, I’ve picked up the ability to parse her tone and, right now, our girl is being fake as fuck.

They walk in silence, though an officer’s comm device squawks intermittently. My palms are sweating again, and it’s not the massive suit I’m wearing; the airlock is cool to offset the kilos of material I’m buried in. In a way, I don’t mind the nervous sweating too much because it means I’m less likely to need to pee in this gigantic adult nappy I’m wearing. They call it something interesting that I can’t remember, but that doesn’t stop it frombeingwhat it is. Call a spade a spade: I’m wearing an adult nappy.

“Once you open the door, please step aside, Captain.” The masculine voice breaks into my thoughts.

A moment later, the footsteps start up again, this time with more of an echo as they pile onto the bridge. I only heard three voices aside from Tanisira’s, but I’m guessing there are more officers than that.

“Kit, please inform everyone to meet us on the bridge. You may have to send one of the crew to show Vee the way.”

My guts twist. Fuck.

“Right away, Captain Tanisira.”

“Can I offer any of you something to drink?”

Something heavy thunks down.

“No.”

“No, thank you.”

Kit says, “Captain Tanisira, the crew are outside awaiting permission to enter.”

What follows is ten minutes of the team checking faces against IDs, and these IDs against the crew log and passenger manifest. Voices burble through the speakers as the officers move through the process, and one, the feminine one, makes mindless small talk with Tanisira. With nothing else to do but fret, I staunchly pretend that I didn’t bring this on myself and listen in.

It turns out that Officer Weitzman is on her first off-planet call. Tanisira asks her a few questions, but I lose interest until I realise, with a shock that could fell trees, that Weitzman isflirting. That snaps my focus back like a rubber band. Curious, I listen. Though the captain had nearly kissed me, she’d shown no sign of wanting to before that moment. I don’t know if she’s even capable of flirting. I think I catch Tanisira’s voice drop into husky territory—which is another shock—just before the first officer interrupts all conversations.

“Thank you for your swift cooperation. EO Weitzman and EO Moore will accompany you all to a nearby cabin where you will remain until we’ve conducted our search of the ship. It won’t take long. Captain Tanisira, please accompany me.”

There’s a lot of hustle and bustle as the bridge empties.

He clears his throat. “AI, bring up schematics for the ship.”

“Permission, Captain Tanisira?” Kit asks.

“Go ahead, Kit. Thank you.”

It sounds like she purposely emphasised Kit’s name.

“Bring up a heat map and overlay it,Kit.”