Reavers (Book 3) (31 page)

“There is one more thing,” Andreas said before she could stand.

“More?” she asked exhaustedly.

“That Longin fellow hasn’t left the ship.”

“Who?  Oh yes, the
businessman
.  What does he want?”

“He wants to tag along.”

Rosalyn raised an eyebrow and studied Andreas.

“Don’t look at me, Rosy.  I think he’s crazy too.”

“So why didn’t you turn him down and send him on his merry way?”

“He said he had information on a big shipment.  Something that would more than cover our repairs.”

“And naturally he won’t tell us unless we agree to take him along.”

“Naturally.”

“So?” she asked.

“So what?”

“You are my second, advise me,” Rosalyn said with a grin.

“I’m not sure.”  Andreas folded his arms.  “The idea of having someone like Duda on the ship isn’t what I’d call a happy thought.  However, if he can deliver, it might be worth it.”

“Did he give you any hints as to who he had in mind?”

“All he said was it was an ITU ship . . . a big one.”

Sasha sighed.  While she was stuck making meals, Kevin was locked up in the freezer.  The ship didn’t have anything remotely similar to a brig, so the lockable cold storage was the next best substitute.  To think she was so close and yet so far.  As her mind created elaborate scenes of her comforting him in his time of need, her hands idly stirred the bowl she carried.  Just as her imagined reality started to get intimate, a cold sensation filled her hand.

“Pajer!” the kitchen supervisor shouted.  “Keep your mind on your job!”

Shaken from her pleasant daydream, Sasha looked down.  As her mind had gotten wrapped up in her fantasy, her hands had increased their speed to the point she had stirred the odd glop right out of the bowl.  Quickly washing herself off, she started over again.  She wasn’t entirely sure
what
they had her making.  All she knew for a fact was that a third of the crew adored it while the rest abhorred it.

Gingerly stirring the second bowl, Sasha sighed.  If she couldn’t even make a bowl of this gray lumpy
something
, then what help could she be to Kevin?  Not only was he strong, he had kept his cool while the ship was on the verge of destruction.  How could she ever hope to be worthy of someone like that?  He deserved someone better, like the captain.  Now there was a match.

Setting down the bowl, Sasha stared into the countertop.  Like the rest of the ship, it was semi-reflective.  As she studied her features, she let out a long sigh.  Rosalyn’s ship was a constant reminder of her faults.  No matter what task she performed, her reflection followed along - demanding she realize her place.  Her chest wasn’t humble, but no competition for the captain’s.  Then again, not one of her features could match Rosalyn’s.  Every curve that should have been, was smaller and less defined. 

As she studied herself in the floor, walls and ceiling she suddenly realized she was wearing the clothes Kevin had given her.  Naturally, the man’s clothes were not form fitting or designed to bring out her best qualities.  However, she felt at ease in them.  Remembering his kindness helped her get through anything - even a bossy superior who couldn’t cook if his life depended on it.

As she felt the fabric with her hand, her mind wandered to that first morning.  Andreas had given that unthinkable order, and she had tried to run.  When Kevin had grabbed her hand, she had instantly thought he was going to do something
terrible
.  A room full of voyeurs were going to get an eyeful as he played with her.  Instead, he showed her every kindness.  When he had closed his eyes, the room had faded to her.

To her the room was empty except for the two of them.  He had been so gentle as he had undressed her.  In those moments, he wasn’t following orders - he was cradling her in warmth.  Then for him to share her shame, it was unbelievable.  As she hugged the shirt he had given her, a deep blush filled her face.  Realizing where she was, Sasha quickly tossed a light puff of baking powder at her face.  With her blush concealed, she handed off the bowl to the next staff member.

“What’s next?” she asked the kitchen supervisor with all the politeness she could muster.

“That should take care of lunch,” he said indifferently.  Sasha was certain the man was incapable of giving a complement; it would probably hurt him deeply to try.  “For now, would you . . .”

“Open that freezer!” a familiar voice shouted.

As the entire kitchen staff turned to face the sudden burst of sound, they found the dining room empty.  Sasha took a step toward the counter and lifted herself up.  On the other side was Tardos, just a hair too short to be visible over the raised surface.  A huge grin filled his old face.

“The midget?” the supervisor asked coldly.

“That’s Mister Midget to you!”  Tardos pushed the supervisor aside as Sasha opened the side entrance for him.

“What do you think you are doing?” the supervisor nearly shouted.  “This is
my
kitchen.”

“And that’s
my
friend you’ve got,” Tardos said.  “I think you’ve had him long enough.”

“You mean . . .” Sasha asked excitedly.

“Yep, full pardon.”  The short man’s smile grew even larger.  “He’s free to go.”

“I can’t just take your word on it.”  The supervisor folded his arms as he stared disapprovingly at the short old man.

“How about
my
word?” a firm voice asked.

The supervisor nearly jumped out of his skin as he turned to find Revel leaning on the counter.  Even hunched over, he easily loomed over the now cowering supervisor.  Without another word, the supervisor quickly unlocked the freezer as the rest of his staff chuckled at his subservience.

“You’re free to go,” the supervisor said, attempting to sound magnanimous.

Oddly, there was no movement or stirring from inside the freezer.

“Kevin?” Tardos called out.  “You okay in there?  Don’t tell me these idiots froze you solid.”

Revel cast a hostile look at the supervisor.

“Don’t blame me!”  The supervisor quickly crossed the kitchen, clearing as much space as possible from the open door.  “Andreas
personally
set the freezer system.”

Revel’s eyes widened as his mind considered the man’s penchant for discipline.  Before anyone could react, Sasha ran into the freezer.  As this was her first time in the cold storage, she was instantly overwhelmed at its size.  There was easily enough food to last the ship a month or two without restocking.  Countless crates lined the walls, each with a thin coating of frost and ice.  Hanging above her were bulky carcasses of various animals - some startlingly larger than she had expected.  She vaguely recognized one as what looked like a cow, but it was easily twice as large as she had believed possible.

As the initial shock faded, her mind quickly returned to thoughts of a frozen solid Kevin.  The various stacks of crates created an odd maze.  As she searched deeper into the freezer, she watched her breath form small clouds in front of her.  On the world she had been born on, it never snowed or got this cold.  She had seen similar effects in 3Ps, but this was her first time actually experiencing it in person.

As she wrapped her arms around herself, she fought to press on.  She had never thought extreme cold would be this penetrating.  It seemed to skip through her clothes and freeze her bones directly.  Suddenly, she paused.  In one of the corners created by the crates was an irregular mass.  It wasn’t square like the boxes and didn’t look anything like the hanging meat.  As she approached, she realized it was a huddled figure - a thin coating of frost covered the blanket that it was wrapped in.

“Kevin?” Sasha asked hesitantly, desperately hoping for a reaction.

When no response came, she quickly rushed over to the figure’s side.  Placing her hand on the blanket forced her to recoil.  It was bitterly cold.  Again, she tried to touch the nearly frozen blanket with her bare hands.  As she instantly pulled back again, the blanket started moving of its own accord.

In a single moment the blanket had pulled her down to the ground and had wrapped itself around her.  As she blinked, she found herself face to face with Kevin.  As she moved her hand to feel his face, she was instantly filled with concern.  He was
warm
.  More than warm, he was burning up.  Sasha tried to speak, but found her teeth chattering.  The sensation was surprising, as she couldn’t remember when it had started.

“Hold on,” Kevin said in a gentle voice.  “You’ll be okay.”

Sasha stared at him in surprise. 
She’d
be okay?  He was the one in trouble.  Wasn’t he?  Abruptly, he pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her.  To her surprise his actions were painful, as his embrace seemed to burn her.  Where he made contact seemed to catch fire as his incredible heat seared her flesh.  She tried to pull away, but found she couldn’t.

Terror filled her as she realized she couldn’t move any part of her body.  She suddenly realized her body had become numb.  She had entered a frozen environment in nothing more than work clothes, an environment she had never encountered before.  As Kevin held her, the burning sensation started to fade.  Slowly, her hands and feet returned to her control.

“There you go.  Can you speak?” he asked.

She tried to open her mouth, but the chattering teeth were too much to overcome.  With his focus on her face, he suddenly pulled back a bit.  Moving his hand up to her face, he wiped away some of the white covering her face and examined it.  He chuckled as he realized it wasn’t frost but baking powder.  Sasha blushed in embarrassment.  Trying to speak in her defense, her mouth started chattering away wildly.

Kevin smiled and moved his hands to steady her jaw.  His hands were warm and gentle.  With the involuntary vibrations steadied, he leaned in and kissed her.  She couldn’t be sure if the warmth she felt was due to the cold, or the fact this was her first kiss shared with a man she loved, but she knew she didn’t want it to ever end.  Feebly moving her numb arms, she embraced him and held him as close as she could.  The wonderful sensation was abruptly ended by an ice-cold droplet of water landing on her neck and slowly slithering down her back.

“Looks like they are warming this place up,” Kevin said as she shook off the soaking wet blanket.

As he stood, Sasha felt a sense of loss.  Their moment was over, and she wondered if another would ever come.  Taking his outstretched arm, she carefully tried to stand - her legs were weak and felt like rubber.  As she started to fall back to the floor, a gentle but firm hand caught her.

“Careful now, I’ve got you,” Kevin said as he steadied her.  “Can you talk now?”

Carefully, she opened her mouth.  Thankfully, her teeth were chattering only slightly.

“Thanks to you,” she said slowly as she tried to control her mouth.

“Don’t mention it.  Wasn’t anything special.”

Sasha’s heart sank.  Had the kiss meant nothing to him?  As her shoulders fell, she turned her head down to her shoes.  The urge to cry was only overcome by the idea of the water freezing on her face.

“I’m sorry,” Kevin said.

Taken by surprise, she turned to face him.  He was squirming oddly, and seemed to be avoiding making eye contact.

“For what?” she asked.

“I shouldn’t have kissed you like that.”

“Oh.”  Sasha made an effort to smile despite the pain in her chest.  “Don’t worry about it.”

“No.”  Kevin shook his head thoughtfully.  “I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have done it like that.  I should have done it like
this
.”

Before she could react, he took her in a tight embrace and kissed her passionately.  The world faded away as he held her.  The sensation was completely different from her first kiss.  That had been filled with warmth and kindness, like a mother kissing a scuffed knee.  As he held her now, she lost herself in him.  He held her not as a friend but as a man who wanted to be with her - a man who loved her above all others.

After bathing in the sensation, she felt him slowly pull away.  As she opened her eyes, she found him staring at her.  An odd look filled his face.  A turmoil of emotions churned under the surface, just out of reach.  Before she could ask him what he was thinking, the sound of someone forcefully clearing their throat filled the room.  Kevin snapped to attention as he realized Revel was politely attempting to make his presence known.  While Kevin was still helping her keep her balance, there was a formality to it now - it had lost all passion.

“There you are!”  Tardos said warmly.  “Why didn’t you call me over if you had found them, Revel?”

“I figured you’d make it over here shortly.  You’re pretty quick for your size.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.  Is everything alright?  Why are you holding Sasha up?”

“She’s not used to the cold,” Kevin said politely.  “It took her by surprise.”

“Understandable,” Tardos said as he patted his arms.  “Let’s get out of here before we become tomorrow’s mystery lunch.