Page 40 of Star Bringer
“There was no emergency,” I answer. “Just a jerk pressing buttons.”
“You shouldn’t talk about yourself like that,” Gage tells me. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you to love yourself?”
And people wonder why I claimed control of this little shit show. The only person on this ship I trust besides myself is Max. And he sure as fuck doesn’t want to be in charge.
I flip Gage off as I settle into the captain’s chair I claimed earlier.
Beckett strolls across the floor, taking in the array of flashing lights and lit screens on the forward console. “So, she’s finally up and running?”
“For all the good it does us,” I answer with a shrug. “We still have no idea how to fly her.”
She looks at Max. “Move.”
He lifts his brows as he stares back at her. But he moves, because he’s Max and he tends not to make a fuss. At least not until he decides it’s time to make a fuss.
He’s in the seat right at the nose of the ship, and Beckett slides into it like she owns the thing.
“What are you doing?” I ask, ’cause I sure as shit don’t trust her to have her own best interests at heart, let alone anyone else’s.
“Flying.” She glances over her shoulder. “Don’t get your feelings hurt, big boy. You can still keep the fancy chair and call yourself captain.”
I think about arguing with her on general principle—Iamthe captain—but if Beckett wants to be in charge of figuring out the flying thing, who am I to get in her way? Sure, I’m an okay pilot, but Milla was the flier of our group. She was the one who kept our ship in the air and the one who solved the problems when it broke down—which was often.
No telling what she’s going to say when we finally get her back and she realizes we sold her baby to compile enough money for all the bribes we’ve had to pay out to get us this far. But I’d give up a hell of a lot more than a spaceship if it means getting Milla back.
I’d give up everything, and that, I know, she’ll understand.
But all I say to Beckett is, “I plan to.”
“Hey, looks like hecanbe reasonable.” She gives me a mock-impressed look. “Wonders will never cease.”
She’s in a better mood than I’ve ever seen her—which makes me wonder ifshe’sthe one who ruffled little Miss High Priestess’s feathers. If so, I hope it’s not a one-off, because this Beckett is a lot easier to deal with. Even if she is a shit talker.
“I’d wait until you prove that you’re not all talk before you start messing with the rest of us,” Max tells her.
“Watch and learn.” She turns to the dash and starts running her hand over the various screens, buttons, and otherwise indecipherable shit.
Nothing happens.
“It’s not—”
“Hush,” she snaps at me.
A second later, the screen directly in front of her lights up. There’s a little red dot in the middle but nothing else. “That’s us,” she says.
“Yeah, but that doesn’t tell us anything. Where the hell are we?” I ask. I stand to get a better look.
“Wait.” She moves her hand again, and the image zooms out. A blue-green planet with a single moon appears on the edge of the screen. Askkandia. And it looks like we’re heading away from it.
“What’s going on?” a very recognizable voice says from behind me. Looks like the princess has decided to make an appearance at last.
I glance over my shoulder and give her a smirk.
She scowls.
“Beckett is learning to fly the ship,” Rain tells her.
“Impressive,” the princess answers, I assume just to piss me off. But I’m too glad that we finally know where we are to take offense.
