Once aboard, Rebecca passed Beckett off to a young man named Jeffrey with a “Show him to his quarters, and Beckett, I’ll see you back up here when you stow your things.”

Jeffrey was fresh-faced and wiry. He looked to be about eighteen years old at the most, but in the I-Can’t-Believe-You’re-Eighteen way. Though it was difficult to see his face; he kept bobbing his head nervously, looking at anything but Beckett.

He led Beckett through the deck to a doorway, down tight steps to a hallway with bunks on both sides. “This will be yours. Bathroom is at the end to the left. You can use this drawer.” He gestured toward it while ducking his head. If Beckett hadn’t watched his hands, he would have missed where it was. Jeffrey said, “We’ll do our morning meeting in ten,” and left.

Beckett stowed his things, then threw his pack onto the end of his bed, giving the mattress a small pat. Yikes, it was thinner than it looked.

A few minutes later Beckett stood on the top deck surrounded by eight other people. An older woman, with a regal nose and grey strands through her dark hair, stood at the head of the circle. Jeffrey whispered, “That’s Captain Aria. She’s very—”

Captain Aria interrupted, “Setting sail in five. Welcome aboard everyone. We have a lot of research this trip, I’ll expect everyone to pitch in, butts in the water, except...”

She looked questioningly at Beckett, who said, “Um?”

She said, “Your name, I’ve forgotten.”

He said, “Beckett Stanford.”

“If Rebecca asks, all butts in the water, except Stanford, who doesn’t dive. If Stanford is in the water, throw him a life preserver.” Everyone in the circle chuckled heartily. Captain Aria smirked at Beckett. Then asked, “Dan, have you got some good meals planned for us?”

A man who looked to be in his thirties, handsome, dark hair and a square jaw, said, “The usual, mostly burnt, sometimes raw. Your favorites.”

“I’ll come back down at lunch.” She and two men left for the bridge.

Rebecca said, “Okay, everyone, you’ve met Beckett. He’s Army, along for the ride. Why did you say you were along for the ride?”

“I’m supposed to be looking for Nomads, telling them to head to the mainland.”

“Right. Okay, whenever you aren’t doing that important work you’ll be on deck with me.”

“Sure, whatever, whenever.”

“This is Sarah, she’s my research partner.” She gestured toward a lithe pale woman who was standing beside Dan, the cook. Leaning against him, head occasionally on his shoulder. “This is Dr. Mags, she’ll act as medic if you need it, but prefers animals.”

Dr. Mags was short and wide and her hair was clipped close to her head. She nodded her head in greeting.

“That’s Dan, he’s the cook. Navy. You two should have fun with each other.” Dan cocked an eyebrow at Beckett, his arm draped around Sarah’s shoulders. “And you’ve met Jeffrey already.”

Jeffrey said a shy, “Yep,” and looked away.

The ship lurched. Rebecca grabbed the shoulder of Dr. Mags as she stumbled. “We’re off! I’ll need to get my sea legs back, you got sea legs, Beckett?”

“Um, sure.”

Rebecca snickered at Dan and everyone went in different directions.

Beckett asked Sarah as she walked by, “Where should I be?”

“Wherever, you can watch from the railings over there.”

Beckett couldn’t imagine a worse place to stand, on an edge, watching the boat slide away from shore. So far he had only looked at the floor, the decking, the doors leading to the bunks. He left for the interior of the ship, hopefully some place without windows.

The door he entered was at the top of a flight of stairs. He descended into a tight room with three booth tables on the left and a counter with a microwave, coffee pot, a small sink, and a flat screen TV on the wall. Beckett slid into the closest booth as the boat rocked back and forth. He wondered if the coffeepot was full and if he could pour himself some.

Soon the other researchers clamored down the stairs. Jeffrey slid into the booth beside Beckett, and Dan, Sarah, Dr. Mags, and Rebecca sat in the next booth.

Dan asked, “Need coffee?”

The boat rocked and Beckett’s hand went instinctively to his stomach. Ugh. “I’m all out, so yes, definitely.”

“Help yourself, the pot’s just there.” He gestured with his head toward the counter.

Beckett slid out of the booth and took two lurching steps grabbing the counter for balance. His back was to the group which was good because he felt a bit green. He picked up the pot, empty.

Dr. Mags, her voice deep and no nonsense, said, “You pick up the empty pot, you gotta make more. Ship rules.”

Great. Beckett opened the cupboard and found a can of coffee and scooped into the basket as his stomach started to lurch. He filled the pot with water. Nausea hit him like a wave. He leaned on the counter. Head hanging.

The boat rocked back and forth. Beckett stumbled left and dropped his elbows to both edges of the sink and tried to focus on the drain but it was dancing and spinning left and right and in circles.

Someone behind him giggled.

Dan asked, “Did you remember to turn the coffeepot on?”

Beckett peeled open his eyes, forced his head up and checked. The button was off. He raised an arm and flailed at where the button should be as his stomach rose to his throat. He groaned.

More giggling behind him.

Dan said, “Go ahead, man, let it go, you do it now, and I win the bet.”

Beckett dropped even further into the sink and asked, “You bet when I would throw up?”

Dan said, “Nah, man, I bet when you would start to throw up.”

Beckett retched into the sink and it seemed like everything he had ever eaten came up everywhere.

Everyone slid out of the booths behind him and rushed to leave up the stairs. As he left, Dan said, “Jeffrey gets to clean that, for sure, since Sarah had to clean his up.”

Jeffrey mumbled, “Thanks.”

Beckett felt a hand on his back. Jeffrey looked at the opposite wall as he asked, “Okay?”

Beckett threw up again.

Jeffrey said, “Give it a second, and then go down to your bunk. Seriously, though try to go when you’re not puking everywhere, I don’t want to have to mop all those floors.”

“And don’t throw up on my bed!” Rebecca yelled down, but Beckett could barely hear over the whooshing in his head as his stomach lurched again.

Somehow Beckett made it down to his bunk and collapsed. He remained there for the rest of the day, unable to think about anything but his stomach and its mutiny against him.

* * *

Later Jeffrey sat at the end of his bed staring at a far wall. “So, apparently, since I cleaned up after you, I also get to check on you and see if you’ve survived.”

“I think so.”

“You still look green, I think you better stay down here until tomorrow. Here’s some dinner.” He passed a plate with ham and rubbery cheesy pasta.

Beckett’s stomach lurched. “It’s dinner time?”

Jeffrey bobbed his head, “Yep, whole day gone. We’re way out to sea. We were in the main sea route all day—so many boats, but now we’ve turned north. Less traffic.”

“Ugh, I didn’t even...” Beckett tried to sit up and then clutched his stomach.

“Yeah, you’re not coming up.”

Beckett laid back on the pillow. “Is someone looking for Nomads for...” Beckett leaned up and over and retched into a bucket.

Jeffrey shoved it closer with his foot.

“Captain Aria is keeping an eye out. Rebecca looked, but we haven’t seen anything. See you in the morning.”

Jeffrey left to go to dinner.