it was possible that Rache had been knocked out or killed in the fighting—or was too busy to respond—but he had a feeling Rache didn’t want to talk to him about saving Jorg.
I haven’t spoken to him since before we left the Osprey.
Will you try asking him to save Jorg instead of killing him? I offered him two crushers. There’s not much else I have that I can negotiate with, but we can try something else. Casmir didn’t technically own the crushers or have the right to trade them, but surely the rational minds in the Kingdom would see it as a fair trade for Jorg’s life. Even if Jorg later didn’t.
You know that’s not going to work. He wanted this assignment.
He wanted to kill Jager. Does he really care about Jorg?
Kim’s lips thinned. Jorg is even more of a dick than his father.
But he’s not old enough and hasn’t been in command of anything long enough to have screwed over Rache. I assume Jager did that at some point. You’ve never told me his story.
It’s never been mine to tell. Kim lifted a hand. I’ll send him a message and see if there’s anything he will trade.
Offer him two crushers. And a kiss.
I’m not offering him sexual experiences as a negotiation tactic.
I’ll kiss him if he refrains from murdering our monarch’s son. Kim, we blasted our way off the Osprey. We’re in trouble no matter what, but if we could get Jorg out of there alive, maybe it would mitigate things somewhat.
A long minute passed before Kim shook her head. I sent a message, but he also isn’t responding to me.
Casmir sighed, and Bjarke looked back.
“Rache doesn’t seem to be open to negotiations.” Casmir waved at his temple.
“Shocking,” Asger muttered.
“Just take us in.” Bjarke touched his pertundo. “Maybe there’s still time to help.”
“Help? Or kill Rache?” Asger asked.
“Help by killing Rache.” Bjarke glanced back at Casmir again. “Will you send your crushers in with us?”
“Yes.” Casmir nodded.
If he didn’t send them in, Asger, Tristan, and Bjarke, as talented as they were, wouldn’t stand a chance against Rache’s entire strike team.
Kim opened her mouth, as if she wanted to ask him not to order them to kill Rache, but she didn’t voice the request. Maybe she already knew that he wouldn’t. He would order them to save Jorg and Qin and Bonita and nothing more. He hoped it would be enough.
9
Bonita looked up the ladder well, hoping Rache and his men were on the way down—and hoping the crushers hadn’t spotted her peeking out into the cargo hold.
“What is it?” Qin whispered.
She’d stopped in the ladder well above, her head downward, her feet floating back up behind her. If Rache’s mercenaries were up there, Bonita couldn’t see them.
Crushers, Bonita sent via her chip. Ssh. I’m hoping they didn’t—
A black form stepped in front of the ladder well, not two feet away. Bonita couldn’t keep from squawking in alarm.
Before she could swing her rifle out to shoot at the crusher, it grabbed her and yanked her away from the ladder. It hurled her with gut-wrenching force across the cargo hold.
She tumbled through the air, unable to halt herself in zero-g until she crashed against a wall. If she hadn’t been in armor, the impact would have broken bones. As it was, the force battered her body and made her bite her tongue. The metallic taste of blood tainted her mouth.
Qin pushed out of the ladder well of her own accord and grappled with the crusher. She shoved it back, but it was as strong as she was, even with her genetic modifications and her armor enhancing her power. As they wrestled, the crusher’s magnetized feet were knocked from the deck, and Qin soon grappled in the air with it.
Bonita brought her rifle to bear only to see that the barrel had been bent, either by the crusher when it had grabbed her or by her impact. She couldn’t do anything unless pushing herself back over there to club it would help.
Another crusher broke away from the formation and strode toward her. Bonita cursed, looking for somewhere to run, but the doorway leading out of the cargo hold was on the far side of the ship from her. She was closer to the airlocks. From her spot, she couldn’t tell which one led to empty space and which one to Rache’s shuttle, but she would take either option over being mauled by a crusher.
As she was scooting down the wall, trying to