prisoner.” He snapped a mock salute.
“Do that.” I shut the door of the bathroom in his face.
I stripped off my filthy suit then stepped into the shower. On such a small ship, artificial gravity couldn’t cope with running water. The shower was just a cubicle lined with nozzles that sprayed a very fine mist. The warmth soothed the ache in my head. I gently wiped blood from the gash on my scalp.
Why had I gone blasting out of Viya? It seemed the best choice at the time. Looking back, it was rather stupid. I didn’t trust the Patrol to believe me and I didn’t want to spend months in their custody. I didn’t think I could convince them I really didn’t know what was in the boxes in my cargo bay. Jerimon could probably convince them. He was, after all, just a hired pilot. That argument wouldn’t work for me. I was the captain, I was responsible for what happened on my ship.
The water shut off automatically. The nozzles blew warm air instead of mist.
What story could I tell on Tebros that the Patrol would accept? We had at least two crates of highly illegal blasters on board. Leon was much more convincing as a hijacker with that evidence handy.
The engines hiccuped. I froze, waiting for them to smooth out again. The ship shuddered slightly then resumed its more normal vibrations. I grabbed up my underwear and suit and got dressed.
I prodded at the cut on my head. Blood still trickled down my neck but it wasn’t serious. Another scar wouldn’t make much difference. The burns on my hand from the fluid were superficial. I gathered my boots from the floor, rinsing them in the sink. I left them in the corner to dry. I could handle it for a couple of hours, I hoped. I had a phobia about being barefoot. I picked up my dirty suit from the floor then opened the door.
Chapter Five
Leon lay on my bunk, wrapped head to toe in cargo nets. It would take him at least an hour just to work a hand free. I shoved the dirty suit into the cleaner, ignoring his wary stare. Jerimon slouched in the cockpit, watching dials. I sat at the table and punched up the dispenser menu. I stared at the short list for a minute, then thumped the machine on the side.
“Why are the only things available chicken soup and fish curry?” I said.
“Because that’s all Tebros would give me,” Jerimon answered. “Some screw-up in their ordering system. Everything else has already been eaten. We didn’t have time for supplies at Viya.”
“I think the universe hates me. I can’t stand either.”
“I like curry,” Leon said tentatively.
“Give me one good reason why I should feed you.” I hit the button for the chicken soup. It was better than fish, but not by much.
“Because I’m hungry,” Leon said.
“Because you’re not really sadistic,” Jerimon added. “Temperature’s fluctuating again.”
“How bad?”
He gave me the numbers. It wasn’t serious yet, but I’d have to adjust the valves soon. The dispenser beeped, delivering reconstituted chicken soup with a package of smashed crackers on the side. I pulled a face as I found a spoon. Leon watched me eat, trying to look pitiful and succeeding.
“Tell you what, Leon.” I spooned up one of the shapeless lumps that vaguely resembled chicken. It wobbled. “You testify against Belliff, getting charges against me and Jerimon dropped, and I’ll feed you. We won’t say anything about you and a gun and Viya Station. Agreed?”
“Will you untie me?”
“Only to eat. I don’t trust you, Leon. Not yet.” He sighed. “I agree. Although I’m going to end up in prison for the rest of my life. How am I going to explain to my wife?”
“You should have thought of that before hijacking my ship.” I finished eating the soup. I leaned over Leon, wagging my finger in his face. “You double cross me in any way, and you’re going to wish I had shoved you out of the airlock. Got it?”
His watery eyes bulged as he tried to focus on my finger. He
“Do that.” I shut the door of the bathroom in his face.
I stripped off my filthy suit then stepped into the shower. On such a small ship, artificial gravity couldn’t cope with running water. The shower was just a cubicle lined with nozzles that sprayed a very fine mist. The warmth soothed the ache in my head. I gently wiped blood from the gash on my scalp.
Why had I gone blasting out of Viya? It seemed the best choice at the time. Looking back, it was rather stupid. I didn’t trust the Patrol to believe me and I didn’t want to spend months in their custody. I didn’t think I could convince them I really didn’t know what was in the boxes in my cargo bay. Jerimon could probably convince them. He was, after all, just a hired pilot. That argument wouldn’t work for me. I was the captain, I was responsible for what happened on my ship.
The water shut off automatically. The nozzles blew warm air instead of mist.
What story could I tell on Tebros that the Patrol would accept? We had at least two crates of highly illegal blasters on board. Leon was much more convincing as a hijacker with that evidence handy.
The engines hiccuped. I froze, waiting for them to smooth out again. The ship shuddered slightly then resumed its more normal vibrations. I grabbed up my underwear and suit and got dressed.
I prodded at the cut on my head. Blood still trickled down my neck but it wasn’t serious. Another scar wouldn’t make much difference. The burns on my hand from the fluid were superficial. I gathered my boots from the floor, rinsing them in the sink. I left them in the corner to dry. I could handle it for a couple of hours, I hoped. I had a phobia about being barefoot. I picked up my dirty suit from the floor then opened the door.
Chapter Five
Leon lay on my bunk, wrapped head to toe in cargo nets. It would take him at least an hour just to work a hand free. I shoved the dirty suit into the cleaner, ignoring his wary stare. Jerimon slouched in the cockpit, watching dials. I sat at the table and punched up the dispenser menu. I stared at the short list for a minute, then thumped the machine on the side.
“Why are the only things available chicken soup and fish curry?” I said.
“Because that’s all Tebros would give me,” Jerimon answered. “Some screw-up in their ordering system. Everything else has already been eaten. We didn’t have time for supplies at Viya.”
“I think the universe hates me. I can’t stand either.”
“I like curry,” Leon said tentatively.
“Give me one good reason why I should feed you.” I hit the button for the chicken soup. It was better than fish, but not by much.
“Because I’m hungry,” Leon said.
“Because you’re not really sadistic,” Jerimon added. “Temperature’s fluctuating again.”
“How bad?”
He gave me the numbers. It wasn’t serious yet, but I’d have to adjust the valves soon. The dispenser beeped, delivering reconstituted chicken soup with a package of smashed crackers on the side. I pulled a face as I found a spoon. Leon watched me eat, trying to look pitiful and succeeding.
“Tell you what, Leon.” I spooned up one of the shapeless lumps that vaguely resembled chicken. It wobbled. “You testify against Belliff, getting charges against me and Jerimon dropped, and I’ll feed you. We won’t say anything about you and a gun and Viya Station. Agreed?”
“Will you untie me?”
“Only to eat. I don’t trust you, Leon. Not yet.” He sighed. “I agree. Although I’m going to end up in prison for the rest of my life. How am I going to explain to my wife?”
“You should have thought of that before hijacking my ship.” I finished eating the soup. I leaned over Leon, wagging my finger in his face. “You double cross me in any way, and you’re going to wish I had shoved you out of the airlock. Got it?”
His watery eyes bulged as he tried to focus on my finger. He
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