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On route to the planet Vansan, Drake, Ferda, Rand and Adlet settle in for an uneventful voyage while Rand heals from his near fatal attack on the Hallidan Hub. But a few day's travel from their destination, their ship is attacked by space pirates. Searching the ship in the aftermath of the attack, they discover they're carrying unregistered cargo. What is a cryogenically embalmed human doing hidden in their cargo hold -- and what makes her worth risking an attack on a smuggler vessel crewed by Vampires?
Ferda looked sideways as Adlet took a seat beside her at the console. "Two planet rotations, three at the most, if we keep up this speed. It's quite amazing how fast this old tub goes." "Better not let Rand hear you call it an 'old tub'. He's rather proud of his old freighter." "With good reason. Most of the modifications, he did himself." She gave him a little smile and went back to the control panels. "What do you think of freighting as a career?" It came out faster than he intended... She adjusted two switches before turning his way. "Asking for yourself?" He nodded. "After I get my degree." Better add that. "It's not a bad way of earning a living. If you like life in space. You could sign up with an established freight line, or even one of the public services, and enjoy regular pay checks and standard raises." Not what he had in mind. "I could." "But the idea fills you with ennui. You fancy the glamorous life of an independent freighter?" If ennui meant what he suspected. "Yes, I suppose so." "That little incident on the Hub didn't dampen your notions of glamor and adventure?" "People get injured and die, even on backwaters like Praeden." "True, but not by laserblades." No. "He healed though." "Only just, and only because he was a vampire. You or I would have been carrion. Those sort of things don't usually happen to regularly employed engineers." "Trying to put me off?" She patted his hand and smiled. "Stop being so prickly, Adlet. I'm not knocking the life, heavens above, I've been at it almost since I could walk, but it's not like it used to be. Too many pirates, too many dishonest traders. Heck, even mercenaries aren't what they used to be," she paused and laughed. "Heaven help me! I remember my father talking like that, now it's landed on me, but... " She shook her head. "Think hard, Adlet. Think very hard about it. I won't insult you by suggesting you can't see the reality. It slapped you in the face too recently, but think why so many independent freighters are vampires or androids. It's a rough life for a human." "You managed it for decades." He'd no idea how long. "I have, but I was born to it. Found myself firmly entrenched in the life before I realized there was another option." "You regret it?" She'd never spoken to him like this before. "No. Wouldn't be much point would it? There were times when the idea of a settled home on some nice planet where I could raise my children had a very strong appeal but it never worked out like that. I've had my share of adventures, and had a hand in a bit of history along the way, but then so are my children settling Praeden. Just be sure you make a choice you can live with the rest of your life." "I've got two more years of study before I can choose." "But you can think about it. Look for opportunities. Weigh your options. A student of your caliber will have the offers coming at him like flies." "I'm not so sure about that." That earned him a distinctly 'Ferda' look: raised eyebrows, pursed mouth and a glare down her long nose. "Cut that out! Can't stand the 'poor little me' act. So, you've got to go back to school and be parted from your vampire lover. Tough." This was too much! "It's alright for you, you're not the one having to leave!" "I've done my share of leaving and being left, Adlet. One gets over it. Best to avoid nurturing a broken heart and preserve the good memories." She had a point, not that he was quite ready to concede it. Yet. "There's an old terran poet once said, 'Men have died and worms have eaten them, but not for love.'" Wonderful! Now she was waxing poetic. "Vamps don't die!" But they found new lovers. That thought made him sick. "No? They can bleed to death. Rand wasn't far from it on Hallidan." She reached over and patted his hand. How warm she felt compared to Rand. "Separation always hurts, Adlet but would you rather live with no loving?" No. "I wouldn't want to have missed knowing Rand." "That's the attitude. And don't you dare ruin the time you have left getting all weepy and miserable. If you really are serious about spending life as a hired freighter, you'll start off with a good reference from your time here. But remember, life is uncertain in the space lanes. I've seen too many die. Seize the day and thank the gods for what you can clutch in your heart. And while you have a minute, please nip up to the galley and get me a cup of javabrew and something to eat. Not plastifish, I don't think I can stomach that. Something with solid protein and lots of pseudo onions for preference." Heaven help her! Her own lot had grown and gone their own ways, and here she was, still trying to talk sense into a love lorn youth. Honestly! For a bright lad, Adlet was astoundingly thick. No doubt his brain function was hampered my hormones. It had happened to her more than once. She just hoped Adlet had enough brains left to pick out a solid lunch. She needed it. Not that she was complaining, but Drak was an insistent and demanding lover and she didn't quite have the blood or the stamina of fifty or sixty years ago. Still, it was rather wonderful to end up back up in the bed of a vampire after all these years. There was just something about the way a vampire could bring you to climax with that tiny nip just above one's clit. Mortal men could do a lot with tongue and lips but vampires had a particular style about them. "You're smiling." Adlet reappearing jerked her right out of her reverie. "Yes, just thinking about Drak. Vampires are rather special, aren't they?" Adlet turned such an astonishing shade of pink. Right up to his ears. Don't say he was goring to stammer as well as blush. She was getting fond of the lad, but really. "Give me that before you drop it." She took the tray and pulled out a shelf from the console. "And don't look at me in that super shocked way. You know what giving blood to a vampire entails." He nodded. "Yes, but..." She had to take pity on his obvious mortification. "I'm just so old?" Bless the lad. He'd soon learn, if he stayed in this life any length of time. "Not just that. You're important. Venerated. The colony leaders listened to you." The colony leaders listened to her because she, Drak and Rand between them had saved their skins. "Just don't tell the colony leaders, agreed?" He grinned at that. He was rather sweet. When he wasn't being irritatingly naif. "Thank you for breakfast. You got yourself some too?" "I'll go back and get it. Couldn't carry two trays." At least Adlet appreciated how much protein was needed to restore oneself after satisfying a vampire's needs. She'd finished the first sandwich by the time he came back with his own breakfast and for a while they ate in companionable silence. "I'm definitely going back to University," Adlet announced between bites. She managed to rein in the smile. Almost. "Good. Wise decision." Apart from the fact she'd have considered flaying both him and Rand if the reverse happened. Come to that could one flay a vampire? "Two years isn't half as long as it sounds right now, and with that degree, you can sign on, at a fair wage on any ship in the galaxy." "I'd rather come back to Rand and Drak and you of course," he added. Poor lad! Rand would no doubt have had a dozen lovers between now and then. "See how things are then. You never quite know what life will toss your way." He appeared to mentally digest that thought. No doubt saw it as the inane ramblings of an old crone. "Thanks for the breakfast." she had needed it. Funny how food gave you that instant boost, when logically it took hours for the stomach to absorb nourishment. "Tell you what, Adlet. You nip down and check the cargo in the hold, then take a sleep while I watch things here. You can relieve me at noon." Taking care of vampires did rather play old harry with one's body rhythms. The lad went off, taking their empty trays with him and Ferda settled to the less that enthralling task of scanning the vastness of the heavens. Two more days to planetside. She'd better suggest somewhere less adventurous than the Hallidan Hub for their next stop. "I'm off to rest now," Adlet said, from what seemed to be his special spot in the doorway. "Sweet dreams." They would be. An aftermath of vampire sex was decidedly interesting dreams. "Just one thing...." "Yes, Adlet?" What now? She was beginning to long for the quiet of a solitary watch. "About the cargo." "What about it?" Not a problem. Not now. "It's the way it's packed. I ran a scan. Just to look really and there's a large box in the second container. Not like the little sacs at all." "Could be anything," or nothing. "Different warehouses and labs pack differently. Might even be a built in refrigerant in case our power fluctuates." "Then why only in one?" That was a bit odd. 'Beats me. Economy. Oversight. I'll have a look." With a nod, Adlet went back to his quarters and Ferda settled in for a quiet morning. She'd nip down to the hold later. Observant of Adlet. Keep that up and he'd do well for himself. Once he was gone, the bridge settled to the wonderful familiar quiet that she so loved. Took her back to her teens and early twenties when she'd roved the space lanes with her father. Good thing Adlet had never asked which university she'd attended, but times had changed. One no longer earned licenses actually working on space ships. Admittedly ship's controls were more complicated than in those distant days, and if he stayed with them he could learn a lot during a year. But she'd given her word, that she'd have him back in time for the new semester and damn, he'd be there if she had to drag him by the balls. A while later, setting controls on auto, she went down to the hold. Adlet had been right. Odd way to package anything. Maybe it was frozen. compressed air in the large chamber, but why not the other one two? She never did completely trust Zadde but the shipping manifest had matched his description. Later, once the vamps woke up, she and Rand could check everything more closely. Ferda was back in the navigator's seat, relaxing with a fresh mug of javabrew and wondering if Adlet would wake without a knock on the door to rouse him, when the first impact slammed into the hull.. Coming Now!
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