FRAN

Retire to his quarters where it’s safe?

The man doesn’t know me very well, does he? The moment he takes off, I follow him. I kind of expect everyone to be at the bridge of the ship, so I’m surprised to see they’re gathering in the hallway next to one of the airlocks. The other three aliens are there, and as I watch, they strap on lightweight chest armor and arm themselves with guns—the very kind I was learning how to clean. Tarekh slides two pistols into holsters on his legs and grabs a wicked-looking club-like instrument, letting it sit on his shoulder like he’s waiting for a baseball pitch. Next to him, Alyvos touches something on his gun and it whines to life, a cartridge inside lighting up. Sentorr automatically hands Kivian a gun belt and he straps it on.

They’re all swift and efficient, and it’s clear this is something they’ve done dozens—maybe hundreds—of times before.

“Where are you all going?” I ask, when it’s clear no one’s noticed I’m even there. “What’s going on?”

Kivian pauses and gives me a stern look. “Go back to my quarters, Fran. You’ll be safe there.”

Why am I not safe here? I frown and don’t move, looking to the others for an answer.

It comes from stiff, no-nonsense Sentorr. “The ooli have located us. They’ll be looking to reclaim their cargo. We plan on stopping them.”

I gasp, a cold rush of fear moving through me. “They’re boarding us?”

Tarekh laughs. “More like we’re going to board them.”

Oh. Er. “Is that dangerous?’

“Oh yes.” His eyes gleam with excitement.

Definitely something they’ve done before. “You’re all going? Who’s going to pilot the ship?” AKA, what about me? The lone person staying behind? I look at Kivian, worried.

He finishes adjusting his gun belt and checks one last cartridge on his guns before turning to me. He moves forward and grasps my arms gently, steering me aside. I realize a moment later he’s blocking out the others with his body even as he moves closer to me and runs a finger along my jaw. “I promise you’ll be safe, little one. The ooli are terrible fighters. This won’t take long. The Fool’s on autopilot. She’s going to wait a few hours, and then if anything bad happens, she’s set to fly to the nearest station with an emergency signal. You’ll be all right.”

“Yeah, you say I’ll be all right, but you guys are packing some serious heat.” I gesture at the now-full gun belt he’s got around his waist. “I don’t want you to get hurt,” I whisper. “Can you just call this whole thing off?”

He shakes his head, a slow grin spreading across his face. I’m pretty sure I’m blushing with embarrassment at what I just said. “I don’t want you to get hurt” might as well be me stamping I HAVE A CRUSH on my forehead. I’ll worry about that later, though.

“I vow you’re safe here on the Fool, Fran,” he says in a low voice. “I won’t let them get to you. You’re mine now.”

Awareness prickles through my body. That’s not the first time he’s said such a thing, and I wonder what exactly he means by it. I don’t get a creepy feeling from him like I did the frog-guys. If anything, I feel…excited at what it could mean. “This isn’t the time for flirting,” I tell him. Of course, when I say it like that, it sounds just like even more flirting. God, I’m so hopeless.

“Think of it as more of a promise.”

“Do you have to go?” I bite my lip, because I know that sounds selfish, but I can’t help it. What if they all die and leave me here alone on this ship? That’s not my only worry, of course. I picture Kivian getting hurt and I feel like I’m going to throw up.

“I won’t put my men in danger and stay behind,” he tells me. He strokes my jaw again, making it difficult for me to concentrate on what he’s saying. “Don’t worry about me, though, sweet Fran. I may not have had a chance to show you how good I am with a weapon, but my aim is true.” He winks. “I’ll give you a private lesson when I get back.”

“You’re seriously the most incorrigible man I’ve ever met,” I tell him, but I’m smiling. “So, what, you’re going to go over there and just kill yourself a bunch of froggies?”

“Kill them?” Kivian gives me a surprised look. “While I admit that’s an easy way out, it’s not my style. No, we’re just going to rob them of whatever crystal they have left, wipe any trace of the Fool from their records, and put the crew in stasis. Alyvos can set their ship to pilot them back to a safe place…” He grins. “In a good year or two. By then we’ll be long gone and so will the crystal. They can’t report it stolen because it’s contraband.” He chucks my chin. “Much like you, my sweet.”

I swat his hand away. “So what, I sit here and wait like the little wifey? I’d rather go with you. I can help. I can fire a gun.” Once someone shows me how. I gesture at Tarekh’s bat-like club. “Or give me one of those. I can use that.”

“You’re half the size of them, and I won’t risk the chance of one of the ooli touching you ever again.” His jaw grows firm. “You stay here.”

“Are you two going to talk all day or can we board already? We’ve already locked our ship to theirs.” Sentorr calls. “If we wait much longer they’re going to be trying to board us and not the other way around.”

Kivian grins and caresses my cheek. “Go to my rooms,” he insists, and then turns and joins his crew, pulling out his blaster. There’s a big smile on his face. “I’m ready. Let’s go say hello.”

Alyvos and the others shoot me a look, but then they march into the next chamber, the door sealing behind them. Something flashes on screen and the computer chirps out something in an alien language. I wish I still had that annoying translator bulb in my ear, because I want to know what it’s saying.

I’m here alone. Well, shit. I cross my arms and stare at the sealed portal they disappeared through, willing Kivian or someone else to return. No one does, though, and I decide I’m not going to Kivian’s chambers to wait. I sit down on the floor where I’m at. I’m going to wait right here.

I get up two seconds later, because I decide I need a weapon.

Then I’m going to wait right here.

I find a really ugly, long-looking thing that I can only assume is a vase perched on one of Kivian’s fussy-looking tables. Funny how a man that’s so overwhelmingly masculine can have such odd taste in furniture and clothing. It feels heavy, though, and solid, like it’s made of metal. I heft it and head over to the hatch, waiting. I can’t hear anything on the other side, which is frustrating. I press my ear to the door and there’s noise, all right, but not the sound of fighting or guns blasting or anything recognizable. It’s just…noise.

I don’t know what to do. I clutch my vase, terrified. They said they had it under control, but how long do things like this take? What if they’re in trouble and I’m just sitting here, holding table decorations when they could need my help?

What if Kivian needs me?

I swallow hard, an enormous knot in my throat. Worry gnaws at me, and when there’s a loud groan of metal and the Fool shifts, I panic. I don’t want to be here in space alone. I don’t want to be left behind if the others are dead.

I don’t want to be without Kivian.

The realization strikes me with the force of a hammer. I don’t have just a crush on him. I’m in love with the big idiot, ridiculous shirts and all. I love his laugh and the way his eyes gleam when he’s challenged. I love the way he looks at me just before we go to sleep. Being abandoned in space hasn’t been all that bad…because he’s been at my side every step of the way.

If I don’t have him…I don’t have anything. I wouldn’t trade his safety for a one-way trip back to Earth.

I gnaw on a fingernail, quietly freaking out. “Um, computer?” I call, curious to see if it’ll answer me, even though I’m speaking English. “Are you there?”

“What is your query?” the smooth, unnatural voice asks me.

“Um, I need to know if Kivian and the others are okay on the other side.”

“Please define your parameters more clearly,” it tells me. “Parameters that require clarification due to language barrier: ‘others,’ ‘okay,’ and ‘other side.’”

Oh, fuck me. “How many life forms do you show aboard the fucking—excuse me, keffing—enemy ship?”

That gets a response. “Sensors indicate four life forms.”

Four?!

Only four?

A panicked sob catches in my throat. Four? That might mean it’s a fight to the death and the others need my help to survive…depending on if any of them are left. I imagine Kivian on the other side of the door, reaching for me, unable to quite get to the release that would open the hatch…and me standing stupidly on the other side with a vase, waiting.

Waiting.

Waiting.

Screw that. I’ve never been the kind of girl that’s good at waiting. Just look at how bad I am at sticks. Patience is not one of your virtues, I tell Duh Fran. Why wait until it’s too late?

It’s enough to convince me.

“Computer,” I bellow out. “I need you to open this fricking door because I’m coming through.”

“Please define your parameters more clearly,” it begins.

Argh!

To my surprise, a moment later, the door hatch hisses and begins to open. Oh god. What if I’m too late? What if it’s the enemy deciding to come through on this side? I clutch my vase tight, ready to attack.

A figure pushes forward, and before I can think, I swing. The vase hammers into the midsection of the alien in front of me, nearly snapping my wrists with the impact.

Kivian doubles over, groaning. He looks up at me in shock. “Fran? Wh-what’s wrong?” he wheezes.

“Nothing!” I tell him.

And then I burst into noisy tears.