“Nope.”
Her frown deepened. “You’d sell it to the highest bidder?”
“Damn straight.” He wouldn’t but she didn’t need to know that.
“You can’t go after it!”
Justyn held his arms out. “Free galaxy. You can’t stop me.” He headed back toward his table. His brothers and sister were watching him with undisguised interest.
Nissa gripped his shirt and pulled him back a step.
“If you’re going after it, then I’m coming with you.” She drew herself up. “To ensure you hand it over to the Institute for the finder’s fee only. No selling a priceless document to some black-market dealer.”
He barely contained his smile. “You’re on, Captain Smooth.” He slung an arm across her shoulders. “Let’s go treasure hunting.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Goddess help her. Nissa hitched her bag higher on her shoulder and tried to ignore the flutter of butterflies winging their way around her insides.
She was on a leave of absence.
She stepped off the travel tubes and entered the station’s main docking arm. She’d just left theResolute Freedomunder Drayna’s command.
As of right now, she wasn’t Captain Nissa Sander, GSS Patrol. She was Nissa Sander, treasure hunter.
And partner of Justyn Phoenix.
Business partner, she corrected.
She circled around a crowd of freighter crew loitering in the corridor and moments later reached docking bay 253, temporary home of the Phoenix convoy ship, theSky Nomad.
Heading up the enclosed ramp, she tried to ignore the voices in her head telling her she was crazy, irresponsible, insane. Funny, but most of those voices sounded an awful lot like her father.
Reaching the large ship door, she pressed a button on the panel beside it. Before the intercom activated the doors opened.
Justyn leaned on the doorjamb. “Hey, Smooth, welcome to theSky Nomad.”
She stepped in and let him take her bag. “Thanks.”
“You get those ribs taken care of.” He gestured her down a wide corridor.
“Good as new.” The ship was big. “A retrofitted freighter?”
“Yep, she’s an Ashrian starfreighter.” Sturdy glass windows gave glimpses into organized cargo bays. “We need enough cargo space to take on provisions for the convoy. Food, weapons, medical supplies.”
“And passengers?”
“We take on a few. Mostly the convoy is made of travelers with their own starships, but for the right price, we’ll carry a few on theNomad.”
“Do you have a large crew?”
“Not too many. Rynan has a couple of security guys and a medic. Dare has a couple of bridge crew and maintenance. And Aurina is often aboard, when she isn’t out scouting ahead of the convoy. Looking for the safest routes and any trouble we might want to avoid.”
“When’s the next convoy leave?”
“In a few days. Following what we call the Colony Route. It’s a popular route for colonists looking for uninhabited worlds and missionaries out to save souls. Dare’s still accepting a few travelers and organizing the last of the supplies.”
He showed her the large galley and dining room. The huge, open room had floor-to-ceiling windows, loads of tables set up in rows, with a well-equipped galley at one end. A few food printers were also set into the wall for anyone who wanted to grab quick snacks outside of meal times. A rec area adjoined the dining room and was filled with comfy couches, holo-screens, and some high-tech holo games.
