“Guess it’s story time.” He took the deck of cards from Gadren and began to deal. “Winner of this round picks who goes next.”
Namir watched Ajax closely, but he couldn’t tell if the man was cheating or not. All he was sure of was that, two minutes later, Ajax
winked
when he claimed his victory and pointed at Brand.
Brand took it in stride. “I’m not here for a grudge,” she said.
Ajax pressed her. “So why are you?”
“I took a bounty on the captain,” Brand said.
Gadren shook his head. Namir knew he’d heard that much of the story before. The others were suddenly focused on Brand.
“What happened?” Roach asked.
“I changed my mind,” Brand said. “Your story, Ajax.”
Ajax was keen to share, and Namir decided to make his exit while the others were occupied. He didn’t need to hear about Ajax and his lovers and their hunting trip again, and he didn’t want to be around when
his
turn to speak came. He wasn’t in the mood to argue and he wasn’t in the mood to lie.
He ascended the ladder through the tight shaft leading to the aft end of the crew deck. He paused at the top, closed his eyes, and leaned against the gentle curve of the wall. He was glad Roach was finding a place in the company. He was glad Governor Chalis was a distraction from rumors of imminent doom. But he needed a break of his own.
Or he needed to get back to the fight.
Halfway to the barracks, Namir realized that Brand was walking beside him. He wasn’t sure how long she’d been there or where she’d caught up. He couldn’t even pinpoint the moment he’d noticed her company; she had eased into Namir’s consciousness like stars emerging at night.
When Namir looked directly at his companion, Brand spoke in an easy tone as if they’d been talking for hours. “How do you think they’ll hold up?”
Namir struggled to make sense of the words. “The new recruits?”
Brand nodded.
“Roach is trying. The others don’t know jack about squad combat, but they can shoot and take orders. We’ve seen worse.”
“You give them the meat grinder speech?”
“Figured it wasn’t the time. They saw us on Haidoral. They’re not under any illusions this life is glamorous.”
The corner of Brand’s mouth twitched. “Doesn’t mean they know High Command sends us into hell every time.”
“
Howl
sends us into hell.”
“Howl keeps us alive.”
“That, too.”
Brand snorted. “You ever think you’re too hard on him?”
Namir glanced down the corridor. There was a lot about Howl he didn’t want to be heard saying, particularly by the recruits. “Howl’s a genius,” he said. “You won that argument on Blacktar Cyst. Just wish he wasn’t mad as a glitterstim addict reading omens in his filth.”
They walked together in silence until the door to Namir’s barracks came into view. “You know it’s going to get worse,” Brand said. “With her on board?”
“Roach?” Namir asked.
“Don’t be stupid.”
Namir studied Brand’s face, tried to read her expression. As ever, she was closed to him. “You know something? About what the captain’s up to with Chalis?”
Brand turned and began to walk away before she even answered. “I don’t know anything,” she said. “But sometimes I guess lucky.”
The attack came three days later in the middle of the night shift. The ship’s klaxon brought Namir out his bunk with a groan of exhaustion and frustration, but he had his shirt and boots on in under thirty seconds. His bunk mates were scrambling to dress, as well; Roja asked Namir if he knew what was going on.
“You’re kidding” was Namir’s only answer. He was too tired for anything else.
The first rumble and the subsequent echo of rending metal made it obvious that the
Thunderstrike
had entered combat. The ship’s corridors were full of Twilight soldiers rushing to shelter while the crew took to battle stations. Unless the enemy sent a boarding party, infantry had no place in a clash of
Namir watched Ajax closely, but he couldn’t tell if the man was cheating or not. All he was sure of was that, two minutes later, Ajax
winked
when he claimed his victory and pointed at Brand.
Brand took it in stride. “I’m not here for a grudge,” she said.
Ajax pressed her. “So why are you?”
“I took a bounty on the captain,” Brand said.
Gadren shook his head. Namir knew he’d heard that much of the story before. The others were suddenly focused on Brand.
“What happened?” Roach asked.
“I changed my mind,” Brand said. “Your story, Ajax.”
Ajax was keen to share, and Namir decided to make his exit while the others were occupied. He didn’t need to hear about Ajax and his lovers and their hunting trip again, and he didn’t want to be around when
his
turn to speak came. He wasn’t in the mood to argue and he wasn’t in the mood to lie.
He ascended the ladder through the tight shaft leading to the aft end of the crew deck. He paused at the top, closed his eyes, and leaned against the gentle curve of the wall. He was glad Roach was finding a place in the company. He was glad Governor Chalis was a distraction from rumors of imminent doom. But he needed a break of his own.
Or he needed to get back to the fight.
Halfway to the barracks, Namir realized that Brand was walking beside him. He wasn’t sure how long she’d been there or where she’d caught up. He couldn’t even pinpoint the moment he’d noticed her company; she had eased into Namir’s consciousness like stars emerging at night.
When Namir looked directly at his companion, Brand spoke in an easy tone as if they’d been talking for hours. “How do you think they’ll hold up?”
Namir struggled to make sense of the words. “The new recruits?”
Brand nodded.
“Roach is trying. The others don’t know jack about squad combat, but they can shoot and take orders. We’ve seen worse.”
“You give them the meat grinder speech?”
“Figured it wasn’t the time. They saw us on Haidoral. They’re not under any illusions this life is glamorous.”
The corner of Brand’s mouth twitched. “Doesn’t mean they know High Command sends us into hell every time.”
“
Howl
sends us into hell.”
“Howl keeps us alive.”
“That, too.”
Brand snorted. “You ever think you’re too hard on him?”
Namir glanced down the corridor. There was a lot about Howl he didn’t want to be heard saying, particularly by the recruits. “Howl’s a genius,” he said. “You won that argument on Blacktar Cyst. Just wish he wasn’t mad as a glitterstim addict reading omens in his filth.”
They walked together in silence until the door to Namir’s barracks came into view. “You know it’s going to get worse,” Brand said. “With her on board?”
“Roach?” Namir asked.
“Don’t be stupid.”
Namir studied Brand’s face, tried to read her expression. As ever, she was closed to him. “You know something? About what the captain’s up to with Chalis?”
Brand turned and began to walk away before she even answered. “I don’t know anything,” she said. “But sometimes I guess lucky.”
The attack came three days later in the middle of the night shift. The ship’s klaxon brought Namir out his bunk with a groan of exhaustion and frustration, but he had his shirt and boots on in under thirty seconds. His bunk mates were scrambling to dress, as well; Roja asked Namir if he knew what was going on.
“You’re kidding” was Namir’s only answer. He was too tired for anything else.
The first rumble and the subsequent echo of rending metal made it obvious that the
Thunderstrike
had entered combat. The ship’s corridors were full of Twilight soldiers rushing to shelter while the crew took to battle stations. Unless the enemy sent a boarding party, infantry had no place in a clash of
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