Nokx frowned at the ceiling and wondered what he could possibly do to uncover her true motives.
He didn’t have any good ideas by the time the clock said it was time to rise, and his comms unit pinged with a message from Faros. Something about keeping the Earther in the loading bay for the rest of the day. The tone of the message made clear that Violet had given the captain an earful about hiding the stowaway from her. It at least gave Nokx something to smile about as he got up and got dressed.
EJ remained asleep, frowning, and burrowed into one of the pillows as he slipped out to retrieve breakfast. He made sure to lock the door and disable the exit feature so she couldn’t escape. Just in case. He didn’t feel like chasing her all over the ship, although a failed escape attempt would give him a viable reason for spanking her at length. Nokx smiled faintly at the thought as he slipped into the near-empty mess hall and ordered food to take back to his quarters.
He chose more Xaravian food, since it appeared she enjoyed it the night before, and that Earther beverage that Violet and Gemma both drank in the morning. He waited, drumming his fingers on the table, and ignored the young crew members getting a meal before they went to sleep after their night shift. He didn’t miss those days, although there wasn’t much to mark a day’s passage in deep space except the ship’s clock measuring out the standard time.
“Don’t you look well rested,” a deep voice said behind him, and Nokx resigned himself to a long conversation as Wyzak, the second-in-command on the Sraibur, meandered up to take a seat at his table. The other Xaravian had a hint of a smirk on his face. “Faros said you ended up with the stowaway.”
“Ended up with her because he said so,” Nokx said under his breath. He ran his hands through his hair and debated asking Wyzak how he knew his female decided to stay with him because she wanted to and not because he was the best of several bad options. Gemma had been a bounty hunter chased by the Tyboli for failing to turn over Wyzak after she ambushed him on a neutral port. If anyone relied on the Xaravians for protection, it was Gemma. How could Wyzak be certain that Gemma actually wanted him, and not just the protection he offered? Nokx ignored the other warrior’s clear enjoyment of his predicament. “What are you doing up this early? Faros put you up to it?”
“His mate told my mate about the stowaway, so now I’m in trouble as well—even though I knew nothing about it.” Wyzak’s irritation grew as he jabbed at the ordering panel. “I have been instructed to put the stowaway where the other Earthers can meet with her.”
“Instructed by your mate or the captain?” Nokx asked, since it seemed like a relevant distinction.
The second-in-command gave him a dark look. “I hardly think the captain wants the three females conspiring against us or making their own plans. We’ve seen how that turned out when there were only two of them. Adding another is making trouble we don’t need.”
Nokx snorted and shook his head. “Captain’s orders were to keep her away from Violet and Gemma. I’m supposed to keep her busy until we locate the gen ship she abandoned. Faros has a plan of some sort.” And he frowned down at the table.
It was true. Faros had a plan to deal with EJ and the mysterious gen ship, and the more time Nokx spent with EJ, the more he worried about the outcome of that plan. Once the captain had set his mind on something, it became almost impossible to turn him away from it. Even his mate, who was herself as overwhelming as a sandstorm, could not always get him to see reason.
Wyzak leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest, studying Nokx too closely for comfort. He didn’t move even after the food arrived. The second-in-command’s voice grew mild and disinterested, as if he discussed the weather or the physics of space flight. “I’m sure you’ll find some way to keep her... properly employed.”
Nokx looked at him sharply. “You have something to say?”
“I haven’t seen you so relaxed in some time,” Wyzak said. “As if you’ve vented a great deal of frustration in a short amount of time.