I'm hoping for. He who has the armory has the ship, you know that old saying."
They talked about the local hauler races a bit longer, until Arden left the office to get some of his gear out of storage and get ready for his new assignment. He’d need that side iron, it appeared.
It wasn't exactly what he'd expected, but it was a good job. It was also a favor for a good friend. He and Dante went way back.
*
B rinn met Arden by accident enough on the roof that it was getting to be difficult to pretend it wasn't a prearranged date each time. She'd tell herself she needed air, and usually she did need to escape the close confines of the tiny apartment and her mother and grandmother's constant bickering. Like magic, within minutes of her taking a seat in her favorite spot, a long day bed designed for naps, Arden would appear.
Tonight, she was especially upset. Brinn had processed payroll all day, and one new hire in particular had her nerves on high alert.
She looked at him as he sat down beside her. "What did I do?" He asked without preamble lacing his fingers over his folded legs.
"The Bolavon is a terrible ship!"
"It's a job, Brinn." She could see she'd baffled him. Brinn slapped the flat palm of her hand on the chair cushion beside her.
"It's not just a job, Arden. That crew...."
He sat straighter. "What about the crew?"
She lowered her voice, even though there was no one else to hear. "It's just a ship with troublemakers, Arden. I do the inventory, remember? I process the ship manifests after every trip. There's something wrong."
"Have you gone to Dante with your suspicions?"
"The chief of operations? No! Gods, no. I inform my supervisor and leave it. But, there's some...."
"Some what?"
She leaned closer. "There's a correlation. The ship is always in a particular system when the inventory is short. I don't know how no one's noticed, but only one person can change the route of a ship besides the captain, and that’s my boss. He takes the orders, and can redirect the ship or add pick ups and deliveries. The orders that cause the diversions always get canceled."
She felt his hand brush over the back of her head. "Where?"
"Chancellor."
He chuckled close to her ear. "Have I mentioned that you are bloody brilliant?"
"What? Why?" She turned in her seat, annoyed that he was laughing, presumably at her. "I'm good at my job."
"You are so much more than good at your job," he said, leaning in to brush a kiss on her lips. "You are a revelation. The smuggling is why I'm going on the Bolavon, and you just handed me my first lead.
Don’t report anything else. Just let me handle it."
"You're trying to catch smugglers?" Her hand smoothed back his shaggy, light hair. The moonlight made it look lighter. "Now, I'll never sleep."
He pulled her closer and laughed. "Yes, you will. I'll see to it." She didn't think too much more as he kissed her, tongues and teeth twining as they fell back on the daybed lost in each other.
She believed him now. Stars help her.
Brinn lay there as he unbuttoned her simple dress and stared up at the twinkling stars. His mouth trailed behind his fingers, making her breath hitch with each new feeling. So the world contracted to that moment with Arden, even as the stars expanded above them. She watched the sky, thinking he’d be up there soon and what would she do if he just kept flying away from Taarken, away from her, until Arden ran his clever hand beneath her skirt. Then, she closed her eyes and cried out at the feel of his fingers inside her. By the time, he finished she'd called his name so many times, she couldn't believe no one had come looking to see what was wrong, and he was right. She would sleep, but her dreams would be haunted by light hair, clever fingers and stars.
*
T he Bolavon was a short nosed cargo hauler designed to transport utility goods; cable wiring, refined Millan gas, parts and equipment. It sat squat and ugly on the clamp at the space dock. Arden made his way up the
They talked about the local hauler races a bit longer, until Arden left the office to get some of his gear out of storage and get ready for his new assignment. He’d need that side iron, it appeared.
It wasn't exactly what he'd expected, but it was a good job. It was also a favor for a good friend. He and Dante went way back.
*
B rinn met Arden by accident enough on the roof that it was getting to be difficult to pretend it wasn't a prearranged date each time. She'd tell herself she needed air, and usually she did need to escape the close confines of the tiny apartment and her mother and grandmother's constant bickering. Like magic, within minutes of her taking a seat in her favorite spot, a long day bed designed for naps, Arden would appear.
Tonight, she was especially upset. Brinn had processed payroll all day, and one new hire in particular had her nerves on high alert.
She looked at him as he sat down beside her. "What did I do?" He asked without preamble lacing his fingers over his folded legs.
"The Bolavon is a terrible ship!"
"It's a job, Brinn." She could see she'd baffled him. Brinn slapped the flat palm of her hand on the chair cushion beside her.
"It's not just a job, Arden. That crew...."
He sat straighter. "What about the crew?"
She lowered her voice, even though there was no one else to hear. "It's just a ship with troublemakers, Arden. I do the inventory, remember? I process the ship manifests after every trip. There's something wrong."
"Have you gone to Dante with your suspicions?"
"The chief of operations? No! Gods, no. I inform my supervisor and leave it. But, there's some...."
"Some what?"
She leaned closer. "There's a correlation. The ship is always in a particular system when the inventory is short. I don't know how no one's noticed, but only one person can change the route of a ship besides the captain, and that’s my boss. He takes the orders, and can redirect the ship or add pick ups and deliveries. The orders that cause the diversions always get canceled."
She felt his hand brush over the back of her head. "Where?"
"Chancellor."
He chuckled close to her ear. "Have I mentioned that you are bloody brilliant?"
"What? Why?" She turned in her seat, annoyed that he was laughing, presumably at her. "I'm good at my job."
"You are so much more than good at your job," he said, leaning in to brush a kiss on her lips. "You are a revelation. The smuggling is why I'm going on the Bolavon, and you just handed me my first lead.
Don’t report anything else. Just let me handle it."
"You're trying to catch smugglers?" Her hand smoothed back his shaggy, light hair. The moonlight made it look lighter. "Now, I'll never sleep."
He pulled her closer and laughed. "Yes, you will. I'll see to it." She didn't think too much more as he kissed her, tongues and teeth twining as they fell back on the daybed lost in each other.
She believed him now. Stars help her.
Brinn lay there as he unbuttoned her simple dress and stared up at the twinkling stars. His mouth trailed behind his fingers, making her breath hitch with each new feeling. So the world contracted to that moment with Arden, even as the stars expanded above them. She watched the sky, thinking he’d be up there soon and what would she do if he just kept flying away from Taarken, away from her, until Arden ran his clever hand beneath her skirt. Then, she closed her eyes and cried out at the feel of his fingers inside her. By the time, he finished she'd called his name so many times, she couldn't believe no one had come looking to see what was wrong, and he was right. She would sleep, but her dreams would be haunted by light hair, clever fingers and stars.
*
T he Bolavon was a short nosed cargo hauler designed to transport utility goods; cable wiring, refined Millan gas, parts and equipment. It sat squat and ugly on the clamp at the space dock. Arden made his way up the
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