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Of course they did, as did anyone else who needed to know.
“The colony directors are aware, yes.”
This was exactly the reaction Ulrek had been worried about. Most people in the outer planets hated him for what he’d done in the Dominion’s name back in the day. It didn’t matter to them that more recently, he’d spent years risking tooth and claw for them or that he’d freed as many slaves as he’d taken. No matter how hard he tried, his past was like a noose around his neck. Ulrek was sure it would haunt him to his last breath.
Now that he’d switched alliances, Ulrek was hated by both sides equally. The Dominion had shamed him and put a ridiculously huge bounty on his head. Worse still, his own mother, the only family he had left, had disowned him. The announcement had been made public and broadcast to all corners of civilized space.
If it weren’t for his friend Kean and the few crew members loyal to him personally rather than to the Dominion, he’d already be dead. The only reason he was still alive was that he had a talent for inspiring loyalty in those who gave him a chance.
Now if only the little female who looked ready to stab him with the nearest sharp object would do the same. It didn’t seem likely, though.
“Oh really? They’reaware?” She put her hands on her hips, her anger making her even more confident. “I don’t believe you. They would never knowingly let a Dominion jerk like you mingle with the colonists.”
He doubted the female would stay willingly and work on his ship, but he tried to defuse the situation anyway.
“I assure you, my crew and I have permission to be here. You can comm them after I give you a tour of the ship.” He extended a hand to her again. No harm in trying twice.
She laughed bitterly. “Forget it. I’m not taking a job with you. Ever. I quit!”
She turned and stomped to the door. When it didn’t open automatically, she slapped her hand on the door sensor. Nothing happened. The door was programmed to work only for crew members.
Ulrek sighed. No one could say he hadn’t tried his best. “Need I remind you that you signed a contract? I have you for one galactic year.”
“The hell you do. I demand to nullify our contract on the basis that certain information was deliberately withheld from me.”
Ulrek had expected this. “You can demand all you want. It won’t be approved.”
“According to my contract, I signed up to work on theNew Horizon.” The female waved her comm in his face belligerently. “I did my research, and your ugly mug didn’t show up anywhere. I didnotsign up to work on theRevenge.”
She was brave; Ulrek had to give her that. He’d expected her to hate him, but also to be terrified of him. There was no fear here though. If she was scared of him, she hid it well.
“As of three days ago, the very day you signed that contract in fact, we are theNew Horizon.”
Delaney harrumphed. “We’ll let the authorities decide. The law says that in the case of any dispute, a contract’s start date can be delayed until one receives a ruling. Now, let me out!”
Technically, she was right. The verdict would go his way, but she had until they rendered it to begin work. Ulrek sighed and walked toward the door. As he neared, her scent suddenly filled his nose. She smelled delicious, like dessert.
Ulrek had a notoriously sweet tooth.
He leaned in to take a better sniff, and Delaney inhaled sharply and froze, prey-like, her bravado faltering.
She held her breath. Her heart was beating so loudly his acute hearing caught its faint thud-thud, thud-thud. He put his hand on the door’s control panel, and the portal slid open.
“Very well. You are free to leave. For now,” Ulrek purred, his nose mere inches from her ear. “But after the verdict, you’re all mine.”
The female swallowed a small sound and dashed out the door, barrelling down the hallway, only to come to a halt at the first turn, looking confused.
“To the left and then the second right,” Ulrek said helpfully.
Her response was to hold up her middle finger. Then she was gone. Ulrek knew what the gesture meant. He chuckled. This female was certainly entertaining.
Ulrek hoped she only went to the colony leaders with this information rather than the media. His crew deserved their well-earned time off on the colony, and he’d hate to have to cut their downtime short because they were driven out by an angry mob.
Ulrek sat back down at his desk and waited for Gavin to fly into his office in a fury. The Earth-trained engineer had become an expert on Tallean ships over the last few years and could fix almost anything on theRevengeexcept for the food labs and the greenroom. He was not going to be happy Ulrek had scared her off.
Chapter 3
Ulrek
