help?” She wrung her hands. “Maybe I could go back to the mountain? Ask around and see if anyone noticed a truck leaving that area?”
“No.” The word came out harsher than he had intended. Taking a step toward her, he cupped the back of her head. “You’ve done more than enough.”
“But if there’s a chance I could help...?”
“You’ll be asked,” he assured her. “Shadow Force won’t waste an asset.”
“I would be careful,” she promised.
“I know you would.” He kissed the top of her head. “I just don’t want you in that position ever again. I want you here, safe, with me.”
“Are we safe?” She placed her hands on his chest and gazed up at him. “Will those masks actually work?” Before he could answer, she said, “Suffocation and fires caused by gas were daily worries for me down in the mines. A mask is only as good as the seal and filtration, but if the gas burns skin, they’re useless.” She glanced at the mask she had tossed onto the table. “Will that do enough to protect us?”
He wanted to lie to her. He wanted to hold her tight and tell her that everything would be fine, that the masks were rated for all levels of nerve agents and would save her life. He wanted to—but he didn’t.
“It depends on the gas used.”
“I thought so,” she murmured. “What happens if it’s the worst gas?”
“We die. All of us,” he said reluctantly. “They have a canister of extremely deadly gas that can kill when it touches our skin. If that gets released on this ship, we’re all dead. Within minutes,” he added. “And it won’t be an easy death.”
“Of course not,” she said. “The Splinters want to hurt you. Giving you and your families easy deaths isn’t their way.”
“I’m sorry, Brook.” He brushed his knuckles along her cheek. “I brought you straight into danger.”
“I’d rather be here with you, facing the scary shit together, than down there alone on the mountain or starting over in a strange place in the colonies.”
She meant every word. He could see it in her honest expression. “I’ll do everything in my power to protect you, Brook.”
“I know you will.” She rose on tiptoes and sought his mouth. He met her halfway and enjoyed the plump heat of her lips. When she pulled back, she asked, “So, what’s for dinner?”
Happy to leave thoughts of death by nerve gas behind, Cipher retrieved their dinner from the oven and gave her a quick tour of the cabinets and drawers. She put away their gas masks, stowing them in the bedroom, and rejoined him in the kitchen, grabbing silverware and setting the table. Instead of sitting across from him, she moved her chair to the right of his. It was more intimate that way, and he heartily approved of her change.
After they finished dinner, he showed her how the various pieces of equipment worked. He stood back as she sorted their table scraps into the slots for compostable and non-compostable items. He walked her through the types of trash that would go into the recycling and incineration chutes and taught her how to use the dishwasher.
“How do you ration water up here?” Crouching down, she had her head in the dishwasher as she examined the nozzles. “If you have to reclaim every drop, surely it’s a waste to clean your dishes this way.”
“These machines are very efficient. They use a mix of water and ultrasonic vibrations with specially formulated detergents to clean the dishes. The cycles are calibrated to use tiny amounts of water. As far as rationing goes,” he said as she rose and closed the door on the machine, “it depends on rank and family size.”
She frowned. “Why does rank matter?”
“It’s the way our world runs,” he answered matter-of-factly. “The higher you climb, the more perks you and your family earn. It goes the same with valor points. Almost every man on this ship is here because we are the best of the best. We survived some of the worst battles of the war. We have more valor points than most soldiers or airmen could even dream of earning. It’s why the mated section has such spacious quarters and full amenities like water in the bathrooms.”
“As opposed to?”
“Ships without families have non-water bathing. Instead of water, you are cleaned with sonic vibrations and an ultra-fine powder.”
She grimaced. “Gross.”
He shrugged. “It’s actually not that bad.”
“Hard pass,” she insisted and pointed her thumb down. “I’d rather go back to