"Climb into the ductwork and spy on them. Listen to some conversations. Then we can find out if it's the truth or not."
"No," I protest. "That's dangerous and a bad idea."
"Are you kidding? It's a great idea."
Alice looks worried. "If we spy on them and get caught, we could piss them off. And if what they're telling us is true, we might need them."
"No spying," I say again with a shake of my head. "We could always try and get that one drunk and see what he confesses."
"But won't he know what we're doing?" Helen asks. "Then he could just tell us whatever and pretend to be drunk."
She has a point. After he got me drunk, he'd be foolish to think I wouldn't try to retaliate at some point. "Doesn't really matter," I say. "I don't think we have enough alcohol left on the ship. Unless he can get drunk on noodles, that plan won't work."
Ruth grabs another piece of fruit, frowning. "I'm so sick of noodles."
"But you want to stay?" Alice asks her.
"I'm not sick of living," Ruth replies. "Just noodles."
"So your vote is to stay?" I repeat, needing clarification.
"Unless you let me go spy on them to learn otherwise, yes, my vote is to stay and take our chances," Ruth says.
"Helen?" I turn to her.
Helen's beautiful face is troubled. She glances between all of us for a moment and then says, "I want to go." Her answer is strong and sure, and surprises me. Helen's never one to disagree, especially not with strong-willed Ruth. That must mean she's more excited about the other ship than she's let on.
The other ship…and probably Mathiras. If we go with them, I'm definitely going to have to have a talk with him. "You, Alice?" I ask. "What do you think?"
"I'm going to go with whatever you think, boss."
"That's not an answer," Ruth protests.
"Jade hasn't led us astray so far," Alice counters. "I trust her to make the right decision."
Ruth glares at her. "Still a bullshit answer."
"I don't care if it is or not. I feel things are shit all around, and the only person I trust right now is Jade. So…Jade?" Alice prompts. "We're tied. Do we stay or do we go?"
I look at their expectant faces. I think about the people in the stasis pods, waiting to be woken up.
And even though I shouldn't, I glance over and look at Adiron.
Stay or go?
27
ADIRON
I can't get the vid-screen working. Or rather, I can, but we're so far out and there's so much interference from the nearby ice field that it can't link up to anything. I'm selfishly glad, because I don't want to give them a reason to decide to stay behind. I don't sabotage the vid-screen…but I would if it made a difference. I'd just pretend to be real stupid and accidentally put one of my tools through it or something. Kaspar or Mathiras would see through me right away, because they know me, but maybe these females wouldn't.
Doesn't matter, though. They don't tell me what's decided. No matter how much I hint that I'm curious, they just shake their heads, exchange meaningful looks, and talk discreetly about other things. They eat all the fruit and then one by one, head to bed.
Jade waits by the door, indicating that it's time for me to go to sleep, too.
I gesture at the room. "Maybe I'll stay here and clean up." I'm too wired to go to sleep. My entire life has changed in the space of a day. This morning, I woke up excited to go treasure hunting, and tonight, I'm going to sleep worried that my female—because Jade is definitely mine—is going to be stubborn and demand to stay behind. If she does, I'm going to have to kidnap her and her friends, because I'm not going to let her get stuck out here. Walking away from her is not an option, no matter how much she might think it is.
She's mine now. She just doesn't realize it yet.
By the door, Jade arches an eyebrow and gives me an amused look. "You forget I've seen your living quarters. I don't think you know how to clean anything."
Busted. I laugh. "I'm just not all that tired."
"Well, I am, and I'll feel more comfortable if I know you're in your quarters instead of poking around on the ship. Can you please just do this for me?" Her tone is weary, her smile tired.
Damn it. She knows just how to get to me. I