Live Cargo: A Space Opera Adventure (Luminous Void Book 2) by Victor Evans & Melissa McCann

Author:Victor Evans & Melissa McCann [Evans, Victor & McCann, Melissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aethon Books
Published: 2023-11-27T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

SALOME

Salome and her crew returned to Luminous Void, and Salome put both Sweetums and Huey through a dry cycle in the shower in her cabin. Sweetums had a spot on one side where she’d had to cut off some damaged fur, but the acidic slime hadn’t penetrated all the way to his skin. A spritz of Newskin on his paws and he was strutting around the ship, thoroughly pleased with himself and his heroism.

By the time Salome had everyone clean and dry and Huey put down for a nap, Baku had the portable holoprojector set up on the tabletop showing three lists: one for parts and equipment they would need to get the ship back in operating condition, one for all the minor items Captain Mix hadn’t considered important enough to spend money on, and one for all the general supplies they would need for several hundred sick and injured Yueltans.

“There are some things we know we’ll need,” Lurayne said. “The kids need Newskin that’s compatible with Yueltan biology. And they’re all malnourished. Feed blocks alone aren’t going to be enough. They’re going to need something fresh.”

Fresh food went onto one of the lists.

Mwassaa said from the audvid, “Ramadi’s friends said to send them a list of what we need and they’ll try to help us find it.”

Salome’s mouth tightened. “Ramadi’s friends?”

There was a detectable hesitation in Mwassaa’s reply. “He had some people with him when I called to tell him. I think they know him from somewhere, and they seem to want to help.”

Salome’s nails drummed the tabletop. Ramadi had been meeting with “friends” and telling them Luminous Void’s business. That’s what he had been doing when he was sneaking out without telling anyone where he was going. Skyler might keep bad company, but at least he wasn’t ashamed to bring his friends home and introduce them. He probably should be, but he wasn’t.

“I don’t think he was going behind your back, Salome,” Mwassaa said. “I think he just didn’t want to risk exposing us.”

Going behind her back was exactly what Ramadi had done. “Mwassaa, sweetie, go ahead and send the list to Ramadi’s friends, and tell him I want to have a teensy-weensy, itsy-bitsy private word with him when he gets back.”

Lurayne rocked back in her chair and grinned broadly. “Ooh, Ramadi’s in trouble.” She caught Salome’s glare and raised her hands. “Don’t look at me. I’m with you on this one.”

Salome considered asking Mwassaa to very nicely request that Ramadi’s friends come to Luminous Void for a little visit as well, but it wasn’t fair to put Mwassaa in the middle. First Salome would pinch Ramadi’s head off, then he would invite his new friends over and introduce them properly.

There was a short, awkward pause, then Mwassaa said, “Speaking of things they’re going to need, I’ve been talking with the kids.”

Callum straightened. “Oh yeah, Sweetums had to leave his headset behind.”

“I’ve been collecting more language files, and I think I’m communicating pretty well. They’ve been passing

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