It sounded like a threat. And what the heck was Zenith?

“First off,” the captain said, “we need to get to Deck B and D.”

He looked at me. I blinked back at him.

“What’s there?” I asked.

“You don’t know?” He was testing me, I realised. I shook my head. “Medbay on Deck B. We have wounded, and I’d like to know what they’ve done to the doctor. And on Deck D, Ms Price…”

“Adi.”

“…are the AU crew. We need reinforcements.”

He waited as if he expected me to object. I said nothing.

“Come on,” he ordered, and turned on his heel, heading toward the centre of the room again.

The officers who I guessed were off duty were lounging around the pit. Some of them eating, some sleeping. Commander López was awake and stood as the captain got closer.

“As you were, Andrea,” he said.

“Sir.” She sat back down but didn’t recline as she had been. Her eyes shifted off her captain to me. “Interrogation over?” she asked.

“For now,” the captain said. I shifted uneasily on my feet.

“What’s the plan, sir?”

Tremblay went to the synthesiser and ordered up a cup of tea. He glanced at me. “Drink?” I shook my head. He shrugged, added sugar, and then took a seat opposite López.

“Medbay,” he said, flicking eyes towards the guy with the head injury.

López nodded. “We’re waking him hourly,” she advised. “But I’d kill for a medscanner.”

“You may get your wish, Commander.”

She grinned, it showed teeth.

“After that,” the captain said, sipping his tea, “Deck D.”

“Reinforcements.”

“Exactly. We’ve a resistance to start.”

“What about the civvies?” the commander asked.

“We might need their help later, but let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves for now. Medbay. Crew quarters. That’s enough to get us started.”

“How do you want to do this, sir?”

Tremblay looked at me. I shifted, wrapping my arms around my waist. Ratbag sat up, ears pricked. He was lying on the gel floor beside López, I realised. I thought perhaps she’d been feeding him scraps and offering ear scratches. He whined slightly, picking up on my distress.

I sat down and clicked my fingers. He trotted over and licked them happily.

I’m all right, I thought to him. The words were more for myself, I acknowledged silently.

“One watch rests,” the captain was saying. “One watch is on duty, guarding the entrances. One watch heads out with Ms Price to guide us.”

López and the captain both looked at me.

“And when does Ms Price get some rest?” the commander asked.

I liked her, I realised. It wasn’t the first time she’d looked out for me. I met her eyes and let her see my thanks. But I remained quiet. It was better if I didn’t say anything. I wasn’t sure the captain had believed a word I’d said so far. So why keep trying?

“This is my ship,” the captain said. He held up a hand when López went to say something. “I know it’s your ship, too, Andrea, but I’m the captain.”

“All the more reason for you to stay in here,” she snapped.

“Where it’s safe?” he asked dryly. He shook his head. “No. When I became captain, this ship became mine. Not in the usual way a captain comes to be in possession of a ship. There was no slow career progression. No ceremony as an admiral handed over the keys. This is war, Commander. I’m a captain at war, and as such, I’ll play my part to the end, if I have to. This is my ship, and I intend to get it back for us.”

They stared at each other until finally, Commander López backed down.

“Still don’t like it,” she muttered.

Tremblay snorted. “They’re likely to take the damn rank off me when we reach New Earth anyway, López. Let me have some fun with it until then.”

“Yes, sir,” she said reluctantly.

“So, if you’ve had enough of a rest for now,” he said, “Nova has the watch. I’m getting us some meds and hopefully the doctor.”

“Nova’s ready,” she said, glancing at the two officers she’d huddled with earlier. They both sat up and nodded their heads.

“Pistols to those on watch and reconnoitering.”

“Reconnoitring,” López said. “Is that what we’re calling it?”

“Yep. The watch off duty has the mallet and steak knives.”

“What about me?” I asked. Then cringed. I should have kept quiet.

“Not a chance,” López said. So much for being in my corner.

But the captain simply pulled the filleting knife out and handed it to me.

“How much did you pay for this one?” he asked.

I took it and stared down at the blade. Had this already spilt blood? It was clean, thankfully.

“I stole this one,” I said. Then watched as he smiled.

Oh boy. That was some smile.

“All the more reason for you to have it, then,” he said.

“Captain,” López said, a warning in her voice.

“No,” he said, cutting off his officer. “She needs it.”

I smiled tentatively back at him.

And then he said, “Besides,” he tapped the pistol on his side, “I’ve got a gun. You know what they say about knives at a gunfight, right?”

“Watch out for the one that stabs you when you’re not looking?” López offered.

Tremblay let out a laugh. Then looked at me.

“Are you going to stab me in the back, Ms Price?”

“Adi,” I said. His smile softened slightly. “And no,” I added. But whether he believed me or not, I wasn’t sure.

I thought perhaps those officers sitting around us didn’t. But it was harder to tell with Tremblay. Sometimes he hid his emotions well. He kept the smile on his face and nodded his head.

Then looked at his officers.

“Let’s do this, then,” he said, gaze lingering on the one with the head injury. The guy didn’t look much better, but at least someone had cleaned off all the blood that had been on his face.

“Good luck, sir,” López said, standing. Her men had already headed out to relieve the two officers on guard.

“Thank you, Andrea,” he said. “Keep a good watch.”

“Will do, sir.”

He turned and looked at me.

“Ready?” he said.

I still didn’t know what he really wanted from me. My wrist comm, yes. Someone to get him through hatches, definitely. But the way he looked at me now with a mixture of hope and fear, couched with something that might have been concern for me, made me second guess myself.

I nodded my head.

“That datapad,” López said before we could step away. “Should we check it?”

Tremblay looked at my datapad and then looked at me.

“It might have something useful on it,” he agreed.

“I haven’t used it since Aquila went rogue,” I offered.

Tremblay held my gaze. It was hard to look away.

“Leave it for now,” he said and started to walk off.

I moved to follow him. López stepped in front of me. I held my breath.

“If you hurt him,” she said quietly, “I will see you hanged for it.”

I nodded my head and hunched my shoulders. Ratbag whined softly beside me.

“Stay,” I said to my dog. “Good boy,” I whispered and walked away.

Tremblay watched me with eyes that told me nothing. And yet I felt safer walking toward him than I did standing beside the woman I’d so briefly thought could be a friend one day.

Why did everything have to be so confusing? So fucked up?

My dad had a lot to answer for. I wrapped my hate and loathing for the man who had fathered me around my shoulders like a protective cape.

I would be strong. I would be fierce. I would show no weakness.

Even if I had to do it all on my own; I would survive this.

Nathan Price wasn’t taking one more thing away from me.