The Lost Ship of the Tucker Rebellion - Marie Sexton Page 0,68

know how to make cloth, for fuck’s sake?”

Denver didn’t answer, because he didn’t need to. She was right. He hadn’t even thought about the fact that weather existed—that the planet wouldn’t be climate-controlled like every other remaining human civilization in existence—let alone how one dealt with it. In hindsight, he should have bought crates and crates of clothing too, but he’d been thinking only of sustenance.

But it didn’t change anything. Not in his mind. He’d make it work or die trying. But was Marit ready to make that kind of commitment? Could he even ask her to?

“I don’t know the answer,” he said gently. “But there’s no sense in borrowing trouble until we know for sure. Let’s find this lost ship first. Hopefully then, we’ll have a better idea what we’re dealing with. And if it still seems insane to you, well, you’re not obligated to go.” He patted the control console next to him. “And you’ll still have the Jiminy. If we slingshot around Uranus and use orbital momentum rather than burning fuel, you’ll still have enough left to get you back to Umbriel, at least. The Jiminy may not be worth much, but at least you won’t be stranded.”

Marit sighed, looking somewhat appeased now that she’d gotten it all off her chest. “Okay,” she agreed. “I’ll try to stop freaking out until we have a better idea what we’re dealing with.”

“Good.” He stood to go but stopped in the doorway. “By the way, Marit?”

“Yeah?”

“I almost died of shock when you said Ginn might be right about something.”

She chuckled grudgingly. “Those weren’t easy words to say, believe me.” But she sobered quickly. When she spoke again, it was in a hushed, conspiratorial tone. “It’s getting bad in there, Denver. I hear them arguing almost every night.”

Now it was Denver’s turn to sigh. “I’m staying out of it, until he asks me not to.”

She leveled a finger at him. “I’m not bunking with her. You and Laramie can make sad puppy-dog eyes at me all day, but I’m not giving up my privacy.”

Denver couldn’t blame her for that. But one way or another, he knew something had to give.

Chapter Fourteen

Later that evening, Laramie took over in the cockpit for Denver and Marit. He looked like shit. Heavy bags hung under his eyes, and a distinct yellow pallor tinted his skin. He wasn’t getting enough sleep, or enough time hooked up to his machine, but Denver knew bringing it up would only stress Laramie out more, so he let it go and followed Marit to the kitchen.

Marit seemed to have relaxed a bit since their talk. Spence, on the other hand, was clearly on edge. He sat at the kitchen table, his eyes glued to a handheld console. He’d set up the ship’s cameras to monitor Gru and Treesa, who were still in the cargo hold, and he barely took his eyes off them long enough to say hello.

Still, Denver took comfort in the relative sense of camaraderie that had begun to develop between them, although they ate in near silence. It wasn’t until Denver was clearing away the dishes that Marit spoke—not to him, but to Spence.

“She seems happy.”

Spence tore his eyes away from the screen, which showed Gru and Treesa bent over a portable terminal together. “What?”

“I said, Treesa seems happy. When she first came on board, she was sort of angry and defensive. She was scared, and rightly so, the way her whole life was suddenly torn apart. But now, she seems to be smiling every time I see her.” She nodded toward the display in Spence’s hand. “He may creep the rest of us out, but he’s obviously good for her.”

Spence sighed and reluctantly set the monitor aside, although still within his line of vision. “It seems that way,” he admitted. “He has her excited about finding a new planet. And he’s definitely a better teacher than I am. She’s tearing through her lessons at light speed. But…” He shook his head and laid his fingers on the edge of the monitor. “I can’t help worrying that he’ll, you know—” He closed his eyes, struggling with the words, as if saying them out loud would make them come true. “That he’ll touch her, or… take advantage of her trust. And if that happens—” He shook his head, letting it lie at that.

Denver thought it was a valid concern, and was about to say so, but Marit beat him to the punch. She reached out and put her