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“I still have to check the hooks over each container,” Miya noted.
“Up there?” The Commander literally growled, making Miya wonder whether he had a Caldixian somewhere in his bloodline. Those aliens could give a lion a run for its space credits. “Stop playing games with me, pilot! You’re not climbing anywhere but in the pilot seat. We’re taking off. Now.”
Miya tried to get her elbow out of his grip, but to no avail. She felt like growling herself.
“I’m not playing, Commander,” she bit out. “The hooks might be corroded, and if the magnetic mechanism gives out during takeoff or in hyperspace, as it tends to do, we’ll have containers flying all around in here. While your soldiers are inside the cargo hold. Sound like fun and games to you?”
When he didn’t say anything right away, Miya added more calmly. “Let me climb up there, take a closer look and spray with carnisole, if necessary. It will take less time than what we’re wasting by talki–”
The Commander began pulling her back toward the exit.
She had been talking to herself, apparently.
Then again, someone might be listening to her: one glance at the prisoner showed her his head was turned to the side. In her direction. And as Miya moved across the cargo hold, so did his head shift.
He might not be able to see with that blindfold on, but he could hear just fine and was using the sound of her and the Commander’s boots across the metal floor to follow their progress.
Miya’s helpful mind chose that moment to replay the Commander’s words from earlier: “If the cargo hadn’t been secured, my unit would not have made it here alive.”
Perhaps it would be best to not depart from the space station at all?
As if he had read her thoughts, the Commander told her the moment the doors closed behind them, “Get this ship out of here, pilot. Do not make me repeat myself.” He finally released her after that.
“At your responsibility,” she warned.
Of course, Miya knew that was bullshit. If anything happened with the ship, the blame was always placed on the pilot. That was, if something happened and there was anyone left alive to point fingers. And accidents in space tended to leave no survivors.
“Tell your unit to strap in,” she added over her shoulder, already walking down the corridor.
She didn’t hear him move from his spot, let alone take action to follow her instructions.
Hard-headed soldier! Miya thanked the day she had given up on the absurd idea to become a military pilot. Working with guys like him on a daily basis? She would have jumped out of the nearest airlock.
Nope, piloting cargo ships was the job for her. Away from intergalactic politics and from arrogant idiots in military uniforms – with some very rare exceptions, like the current trip.
Back in the cockpit, Miya sank in the pilot seat and felt herself relax almost instantly. This was promising to be a shitty trip, but at least she was finally alone and about to do what she loved most.
“Time to fly!”
She had barely gotten permission from the station to detach the ship from the platform, when she heard the double doors to the cockpit slid open behind her.
“Hey, sugar,” a male voice said playfully.
3
Secured, My Ass
Apparently, piloting in peace was too much to ask.Miya didn’t have to turn around to know who had just joined her. She had known the Cordalian would be one ofthosepassengers the second she had seen the alien upon boarding the ship.
Plopping himself in the co-pilot seat, the soldier gave her the same toothy smile he had gifted her with back then.
How could a woman possibly resist those reddish needle-like teeth, coupled with floppy ears and yellow slit eyes?
Miya returned her gaze to the countless stars visible through the now open gate of the station’s docks. Nowthatwas a mesmerizing sight she could not resist.
“Are you here to help me pilot?” she asked while giving all systems on the console a final glance.
He snickered. “No, sugar. I don’t know how to fly this metal can.” Relaxing back into the seat with hands behind his head, the Cordalian added, “But I know how to rock your world.”
