Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 105936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
“You’re forgetting that you’re not the only navigator I hired for this mission, Gurflug,” I told him.
“Yes, but I’m the only one who counts!” he snapped. “That pup you hired is useless! Why, he gets worm hole sickness! He threw up all over one of the other crew members at dinner last night!”
“I heard all about it, but I’m not talking about Cass—I’m talking about you,” I told him. “Go get yourself cleaned up and don’t ever come back up to my bridge looking and smelling like you do right now. Do I make myself clear?”
“But—”
“Do I make myself clear, Navigator?” I growled, allowing my voice to dip menacingly low. “We have a brig aboard The Illyrian, you know,” I added. “Let me know if you’d rather cool your heels in there than the navigators’ bunk.”
Gurflug gave me a furious look but it was clear he’d finally taken my words to heart.
“No, Sir,” he said coldly. “I would not.”
“Good. Then get off my bridge and don’t come back until you look presentable,” I told him.
Gurflug turned to go but before leaving the ready room, he just had to say one more thing.
“You haven’t heard the last of this,” he said, his hand on the door control. “I’ll speak to the Union Rep—I know you have one on board.”
“Good luck with that, since you’re not part of Clan Savage,” I told him. “Have fun explaining that you’re being mistreated because you have to clean your own uniform and the cook won’t make you special meals like the pretty little princess you apparently think you are.”
His purple eyes bulged.
“I am not receiving the respect I am due as the Head Navigator of this vessel!” he spat.
I pointed a finger at him.
“You’re not the ‘Head Navigator’—you’re not even the only navigator. Which means we don’t have to cater to your fucking whims.”
Gurflug opened his mouth to protest again but I cut him off.
“This discussion is over. If you say one more word—one more word—you’ll be spending tonight in the brig.”
Gurflug looked like he wanted to test me…but in the end he didn’t dare. With a last, furious glance over his beefy shoulder, he left my ready room and stalked to the Gensen’s tube to exit the bridge.
I watched him go with an impassive look on my face, but inside I was fucking angry. I was sure he would make good on his threat to complain to the Union Rep—which was Frux, of course.
Fucking Frux would love another grievance to bring against me to the Chief. It would ultimately go nowhere, but it would be a pain in my ass just the same. What a fucking mess.
At least I still had the boy to fall back on, I thought, watching Cass at the navigator’s station. Despite his bloodshot eyes and tired appearance, he was plotting our next series of jumps effortlessly and quickly.
Still, a navigator with worm hole sickness was no joke. I needed to give him the medication I had for it before we jumped again, and we were close to the next worm hole now.
But though I knew I should call him into my Ready Room at once, I hesitated as I watched him work. What was it about him that drew me so strongly? I kept feeling like he reminded me of someone—someone dear to me.
Jessina, I thought. My best friend’s little sister had smooth, light brown skin and pale amber eyes. It occurred to me that this boy, Cass, looked a lot like her. He could have been her brother, in fact.
Except, I knew her brother. Slade looked like a pure-bred Brute—like me. He had pearly gray skin and horns just like I did. Jessina only had brown skin tones because their mother had been Yerbishian. I wondered if Cass was Yerbishian, but it didn’t really matter. I was just glad that I’d placed the reason why I couldn’t keep my eyes off him.
He reminds me of Jess—of my little bird, I thought and felt a surge of anxiety for her. I wondered if Slade had found her. I hoped she was all right—the idea of her out there wandering about Rigelis Nine with no one to protect her from predators was fucking terrible. I knew firsthand what bastards most males could be and Jessina was so beautiful…so tempting…
I realized I was still staring at Cass as I had these thoughts and pushed them quickly away. I had to concentrate on the matter at hand, I told myself. And I had to stop looking at Cass and thinking of Jessina. It was pure coincidence that the boy looked like her.
I was determined to keep the strange resemblance out of my mind in the future.
14
JESSINA
“Navigator Cass, my room, now.”
Turk’s voice startled me so much I nearly dropped the nav band—which I had just removed from around my temples. Oh Goddess—was I in some kind of trouble? Had he heard about how I had puked all over Jerx? Had someone made a complaint?