exhale

The ship rose up quickly from the docking bay at Merita, another clean getaway with our cargo. Caban collapsed in the seat next to mine, passing a hand over his exhausted face. We had all been awake all night waiting out the deal. Ice was in her quarters, having run a secret mission behind the dealer’s back, ensuring that there would be no double-cross. This probably means destroying anyone who stood in our way. I wonder how many bodies are lying in hidden corners this morning. But for all anyone knows, Caban’s hands are clean and his name trustworthy.
“A good nights work, that.” he said, smiling and stretching. Good missions always give him a rush, energy radiates from him and he remains in high spirits for days afterward. He’s distracting when he’s like that, I was trying to stay focused on navigating but he tends to make things difficult. He knows I hate talking during take-off, but can’t help it.
“Do you have a place to unload it?”
“Of course! With Dubley, he has a good price for me. Can’t believe we got such a deal, didn’t know what they were sitting on.”
“You never know.”
He grinned boisterously. “Yes, I do! That’s the beauty of it, Scout. So plot a course-"
“Already plotted. Just getting us into space first.”
“Why do I bother giving orders anymore? You already know them.” He leaned over and punched my arm, the way he does, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Seems I got myself a damn fine crew.”
“Don’t know how you managed.”
“Well. Luck, I suppose.” He believes in it so firmly.
“With enough information, you make your own luck,” I shot back, it had become a familiar argument. He just laughed, and I knew he didn’t believe me, not really.
As the ship bounced out into space I leaned back and rubbed my own eyes. No jumps for a while.
“You’ve been up all night, Scout. Take some rest.”
“You first, Caban.”
“No, I won’t be able to sleep now. And we need the First Mate to be sharp if the Captain’s not.”
I wondered, suddenly, if he had meant me or Ice. She had seniority, and had assumed that her position had been the same when she came on-board again. Had Caban told her that he had me promoted when we thought she’d gone? I suppose it doesn’t matter, I had accepted the automatic demotion, having never put much into ranks. He counts on me, he trusts me, I balance him. The look on his face was unreadable, he was studying my course program. He wouldn’t clarify even if I asked, he’d probably pretend he didn’t understand what had just happened.
“Ice had a full night. I’m freshest.” I finally said, dodging the issue entirely.
“No, you’ve got reading to do.”
I must have looked completely puzzled, he grinned in satisfaction as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a packet, which he threw into my lap.
“Picked it up in town. You like old things.” he said dismissively.
The bundle was a worn stack of pages, the remnants of an old book. A book. How had it come to the dock market out here, why had Caban spotted it and laid down coin for it?
“’The magnificent honesty of space’” he said, gesturing at the first page. “Couldn’t make front or back of it, figured you would. Its not…its not informational, but…”
“No,” I whispered, taken completely aback. “No…thank you, Caban.”
He grinned again, pleased with my reaction, and dismissed me for six hours. As I moved back through the cargo bay behind the bridge, I undid the binding around the sheets of paper, wincing at the crackles. One page fell free and to the ground, and as I leaned over the pick it up I stiffened. Something was different, something was wrong. My hand found the page and I glanced at it, reading ‘How soon Hath Time the Subtle Thief of Youth’ before putting the stack on the nearest crate. It wasn’t danger, but it was something. A noise, a smell? I listened fiercely, trying to hear despite the ship’s customary buzz and clank.
There. The tiniest of shuffles, like something moving in amongst the crates. I waited, trying to pinpoint it, but it didn’t come again. I looked for the nearest large crate, and as I suspected it had small holes near the top. I put my ear against it as quietly as I could, and heard it: breathing, just a light inhalation and exhalation.
I moved back to where Caban sat and surprised him with my hand on his shoulder.
“We have company.” I said. He blinked, confused, and then angered.
“Get Ice. Where are they? Call Kon.”
“No. It’s a stowaway, in one of the crates.” He frowned, and I saw a dozen thoughts flick through his mind.
“Well.” He said finally. “That certainly cuts into profit.”