The Fringe Wars

1.11

Fallen Worlds

Throttle huffed. "Quit looking at me," she said for the third time that hour.

Demes pouted. "But I like looking at you," the pirate said for the third time that hour.

She glanced at Reyne. "Please make him leave."

Reyne sighed and glanced back at Critch's young envoy, who was riding along on their first torrent run.

"How about you go hang out in your bunk," Reyne offered. "We'll ping you when we reach Darios' orbit."

"Nah," Demes said simply. "I like it here."

Throttle glared in response.

Reyne's comm beeped. "What is it?"

"I need you in Mech," came Boden's voice.

"Be right there." Relieved for the interruption, Reyne stood. Before leaving the bridge, he pointed to Demes. "You, behave." Then, he pointed to Throttle. "You, don't kill him."

He headed down the hallway, past the crew quarters, commons, and medical bay, and stopped at the cargo bay—where the passengers were staying—to find the door closed and locked. Reyne frowned.

He'd assigned Sixx to watch over the passengers—a full load of torrent recruiters. It was a job Sixx loathed, and Reyne had noticed that his friend's nerves had frayed more and more with each passing hour on this run. Reyne turned and headed to Sixx's quarters. There, he found Sixx on his bed, with a very naked Doc strung across his chest. Just as Reyne suspected, Sixx had taken a break to blow off some steam.

Reyne didn't turn away. "I thought you were supposed to be on cargo watch."

Sixx cracked an eye open. He gave a dramatic sigh and then nudged Doc none too gently. "Move. Play time's over, sweets."

She swatted him before rolling off. "You don't have to be so bossy."

"Funny. You weren't complaining a few minutes ago," Sixx said drily.

She tugged on her clothes and grabbed her boots. As she strolled out of the room, she put extra swing in her hips for the benefit of both men who were obviously enjoying watching her.

After she left, Sixx turned to Reyne and gave him a look of exasperation as he pulled on his shirt. "They're driving me nuts. For being torrents, they're viggin' high-maintenance. I'm hungry. I'm thirsty. I need to use the bathroom. I'm spacesick," he mimicked in a high-pitched voice. "I needed a break or else I was going to shoot one of them. I locked them in. They'll be fine."

Reyne tried not to chuckle, and he forced his grin down. "It's generally considered bad manners to lock passengers in the cargo bay."

Sixx didn't seem bothered.

"I'm surprised they annoy you so much," Reyne said. "Especially since half of them are voiceless."

The other man shook his head. "The voiceless are the worse ones. They have voice implants, which are so much more annoying than regular human voices."

"Go on. Get back there," Reyne ordered. "See to our passengers. I want them under supervision at all times. I won't want them messing around with anything on this ship."

Sixx grumbled as he strapped his weapons on. The pair walked together back to the cargo bay. When they reached the door, Reyne squeezed Sixx's shoulder. "Be patient with them. Most of them were tenured on Myr or Alluvia, like Boden. They've likely suffered under some pretty shitty citizens to have their voices removed."