Page 49 of Enthraller

“You’ll be towed down to Demeter and all questioned. If any of you had any idea what was going on, prepare for a life in prison.” Ed had lifted the visor back up, but the scanner still sat on his head and shoulders, giving him more height, emphasizing his size and making him look even more intimidating than usual.

“They knew,” Wren said.

“We did not.” The crew member turned to her, eyes hot, fists clenched.

“There isn’t a single woman on board this ship. Have you ever heard of such a thing?” she asked Ed.

“No.” He gave a slow shake of his head. “I have not.”

“I asked about that when I took the job. The captain said it wasn’t from want of trying, but some of the older crew told me women won’t work with him. They last one planet hop and then they leave. I thought it strange that he had such poor dealings with women. I had already put in for a job closer to home, but I had no idea he was . . . doing whatever it was he was doing.” The man backed up as he spoke, his voice getting higher.

“The ship’s out of Kalastoni?” Ed asked.

“That’s what I was told when I joined the crew, but I joined up in Raxia. This freighter doesn’t have an actual home port. We take on abandoned freight and find new buyers for it. The captain owns this ship outright; he isn’t under contract.”

That’s how he’d managed to keep anyone in authority from noticing too much. He never stayed anywhere long enough.

Wren turned away in disgust. “You ready to go?” she asked Ed.

“Very ready.” He sounded closer to himself now.

Hatch was talking to the soldiers who were staying behind to fly the ship down to Demeter, but he broke away when he saw them heading for the runner.

“We going to take a look at Freighter Four?” he asked.

“I think Protection and the military need a little time to organize themselves after this. We’ll keep scanning the other freighters, and wait for them to give us the backup we need to board the other two ships.” Ed sat in the runner, lifting the scanner carefully off his shoulders.

Hatch slid into the pilot’s chair and reversed out of the bay.

Wren knew of only one other place she’d been as pleased to see the back of, and that was her collapsed prison on Ytla.

“I need a shower,” Hatch said. “And some cake.”

“I need to bake a cake,” Wren told him. “So you’re in luck.”

19

“Doyou know why there are two freighters waiting right out front, with battleships on either side?” Jens Ludlow hailed Wren from the entrance to the canteen, stepping in to the room with a look back over his shoulder, as if he could see the view right outside the door.

Which he couldn’t.

The best view was from the control room, although there would be other viewing windows throughout the observatory.

“Logistics, I think.” Wren made her reply as vague as she could.

“Logistics?” Dr. Lashka Garde, the woman who had spoken with Ed last night, raised a beautifully shaped eyebrow and strolled in behind Ludlow. “What’s logistics got to do with battleships?”

“Protective overkill, probably, but I’ve never seen one before, so I’m enjoying getting a close up view of two.” Wren kept her voice cheerful as she mixed up the topping for the cake.

“I haven’t either, actually.” Lashka gave a hum of interest. “I wouldn’t mind a tour of one.”

“I’d love that, as well. If you have a way to make that happen, count me in.” Wren shot her a smile. Her nanos actually sat up and took notice at the possibilities. The tech they could explore on a big battleship was an exciting thought to them. They had lost their chance the first time, when she’d been in the med bay, but if they could have a tour . . .

She can’t get us on, Wren told them.She’s just digging for information.

She almost smiled at the sense she had of their disappointment.

“I saw in the news that C&E confiscated a massive haul of bonami this morning. Was that your team?” Lashka asked.

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