her meaning through context. My lips stretch into a wide grin. “Indeed. I would respond to you in kind were we not already dreadfully late.”
My mouth mashes on top of her own, and her body clutches at me in sudden desperation. But she breaks the contact first.
“First business, then pleasure. Then more pleasure. I hope you weren’t planning on sleeping tonight.”
“It had crossed my mind, but I can always rearrange my schedule.”
When we reach the bridge, we are indeed the last to arrive. I’m surprised at one person being there, however.
“Lokyer?”
He turns a grin toward me and waves, though his movements are still stiff from his recent injuries.
“Nice of you to join us, Zander, Thrase.” He nods to each of us in turn. I can’t help but notice he’s sitting back at the navigation console once again.
“And it’s good to see you back where you belong.”
Lokyer nods, but then his face is creased with a worried frown.
“I’m a little bit sad that I’m replacing Fiona, though.”
“Why?” Fiona laughs, leaning against Montier. “I’m not.”
Solair pipes in, as is his wont.
“No worries, Fiona. I still have plenty of work for you to do as our new Information Technology officer.”
Fiona’s eyes light up.
“Really? What does that job entail?’
“I’m not sure. I just made it up, but believe me, you won’t have time to be bored.”
Grantian clears his throat.
“Captain, Dr. Nicari wishes for Lokyer not to overexert himself, so perhaps we can get the meeting underway…”
Our first mate blatantly glares at me.
“Now that everyone has deigned to join us.”
I stare right back at him. I’m just about to call him out for delaying us the last time when Solair speaks.
“Of course, Grantian.” He turns toward Lokyer. “Would you please tell everyone what you told me?”
“With pleasure.” Lokyer’s face contorts for a brief moment into an angry grimace. I can see the fires of vengeance dancing in his gaze, but the expression fades quickly. “I know where the Blue Dawn main base in League space is.”
Gasps, widened gazes, and a quickening of my own heart beat greets this news.
“You do? Where is it?”
“In the asteroid belt of M’Kal system. They’ve constructed a full-sized base there, an apparent joint venture with the Star Crushers.”
“I see.” Turning to Solair, my jaw set hard, I ask the question on everyone’s minds. “What are we going to do with this information?”
“Perhaps nothing.” Grantian sniffs. “We are not warriors, Zander. We are a privateer crew. Avoiding Project Blue Dawn and the Earth First movement behind them would seem to be our best course of action.”
“Yes, Grantian, but will they avoid us?” Solair shakes his head and sighs. “Besides that, we’re all wanted fugitives according to the IHC, thanks to them. The way I see it, there just might be something in the database on their asteroid facility that could prove useful in clearing our names.”
“Maybe, but is it worth the risk? We hardly go into IHC space much anyway.”
“True enough.” Varia steps forward to stand next to her mate Solair. “But it’s a deeper issue than that. We need a way to get Project Blue Dawn off of our backs permanently.”
“Destroying a shadow cabinet could prove nigh impossible.” Thrase chews her lower lip for a moment before continuing. “When I had my virtual meeting, no one even called each other by name except for Dr. Mal and Malcolm. I get the feeling their decentralized structure could make eradicating them entirely a no-win scenario.”
Solair perks up.
“So we don’t try to wipe them out entirely. We just make it clear that continuing to come after the Ancestral Queen and her crew is going to hurt.”
He slams his fist into his own palm for emphasis.
“If we hurt them badly enough, damage their operation beyond repair in this sector, maybe they’ll stay out of League space and leave us be.”
I consider this plan to be a long shot, at best, but by the same measure I don’t see how we have much choice.
“It sounds dangerous, but necessary, Captain.”
Solair faces me grimly.
“Zander, I want a full weapons systems upgrade. Gamma ray emitters, point defense cannons, torpedoes, the works.”
“It will be done, Captain. I only need time.”
“Captain…” Grantian sighs, knowing he’s already lost this argument. “We are not a warship.”
“Perhaps not. But we have to try and put this plan into motion, or we’ll never get any peace.”
Solair draws himself up to his full height and encompasses us with his gaze.
“I know no one signed on for this, that we’re merchants first and fighters a distant,