Home Front (Star Kingdom #7) - Lindsay Buroker Page 0,136

we disobey…”

“I remember.” Qin commed navigation, reluctant to talk to Mouser or any of the others. She remembered, and she understood, but that didn’t make any of this feel all right. “Mr. Jemadari, are your people still all right?”

“We’re all right.”

“The knights have gone over to the warship, and I’m going to help them.” Qin didn’t know if she should be sharing her plans in front of her sisters, who might be communicating with the pirates even now, but it wasn’t as if they wouldn’t know as soon as she walked into the airlock tube. If Asger had wanted to keep them in the dark, he should have locked them in a cabin.

“He’s going to need more help than you can give,” Jemadari said.

“Sir?”

“There are more warships coming.”

“The second one is heading this way?” Qin asked. “I believe they anticipated that.”

Mouser was shaking her head before Jemadari answered.

“Another ship just grabbed your Captain Lopez’s freighter. It’s got slydar, so we can’t see it, but she commed us.”

Qin, a message came in from Bonita. I have bad news.

Qin slumped. I’m hearing about it now.

You know that all five Drucker ships are in the area?

All five? Qin gaped. She never would have suggested this plan to her friends if she’d known there were more than two. When had the Druckers gotten slydar hulls installed on the other ships? It had happened in the time since she’d left. Less than a year.

We know of four for certain, and it seems likely that if four are here, the fifth is here too. One grabbed the Dragon. They haven’t boarded yet, but I assume they will, and that they’ll… take me prisoner.

That wasn’t what she’d been thinking. Qin could tell from that pause. Bonita had irked the Druckers before by helping Qin, and now she worried they would shoot her out of spite. And because her life meant nothing to them.

But it meant something to Qin. A lot.

Hide, Captain. Please. Don’t try to fight. Don’t let them find you. I’ll figure out a way to get rid of them, so they leave the Dragon alone. Somehow, I will.

She had no idea how, but she had to find the captain and bargain with him, do whatever it took. She couldn’t let Bonita be killed because of her.

I’m so sorry, Qin added. I had no idea about the slydar-hulled ships. That’s new. I’m sorry.

I know. It’s not your fault that they’re assholes. I’m going to message Bjarke next and see if some of his Kingdom buddies will come help. As far as I can tell, all but the two ships headed to Stardust Palace are hanging out by the gate and scratching the pimples on their asses.

Qin shook her head slowly. Even if the Kingdom would come to help their knights, they would arrive far too late.

We’ll take this ship, and then maybe we’ll be in a bargaining position. Qin had to believe that. “I’m going over there to help,” she said aloud, more for Jemadari’s sake—the comm was still open—than Mouser’s.

But she was the one to answer. “Let me help you.”

“You’ve already helped enough.” Qin turned a baleful glare on their sisters. Some were still unconscious, but some were looking over, listening to the conversation. “Stay here.”

Qin grabbed her Brockinger and strode for the airlock.

“Just let me come.” Mouser stepped after her, but one of the crushers came over to stop her. “Let me make it up to you. I’ve seen what your army can do, and I believe you have a shot of taking that ship. Maybe not the others, but… I want to help. I want to blow a hole in Framer’s head, even if he does hurt me.” She waved to her neck. “I know you have no reason to believe me, but I feel horrible that we did this. I didn’t want to. I wanted to warn you, but I was afraid to defy them. Give me a second chance.”

Qin stood in the airlock chamber, staring at Mouser, at what seemed to be genuine anguish on her face. Was it? If Qin allowed her to come, would she be helpful? Or would she bide her time until she could complete what she’d failed to do here? Capture Qin and drag her back. As her masters wanted.

Qin couldn’t imagine herself doing such a thing, no matter what the possible ramifications if she didn’t obey, but she shouldn’t judge her sisters based on her own values. Once, she’d known them better than anyone could