something in mind.
Darak stepped close to Cantor and whispered something into his ear.
“We have preparations to complete. While I’m gone, Doc’s in charge.” With that, Cantor left the room without a sideways glance.
Kirsten leaned over the table. “Martha, our men are leaving. What do you want to do about it?”
Martha stared at her. “You heard him—nothing! Besides, what can we do? He wants all the women to remain in safety.”
“Did you see how he looked at the girl?”
Martha nodded slowly.
“He won’t forget her while he’s gone.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“They’re looking for volunteers, aren’t they?”
“Cantor won’t take women. He’ll want fellow pirates along with him.”
Kirsten rose from the table, stretching to her full, ominous height. “What’s the harm in asking—first?”
“But we don’t know the first thing about hunting.”
The tall woman raised her eyebrows. “You were a thief; I was a gangbanger. I’d say we’re plenty tough and smart. We’ll figure it out as we go.”
“And when they refuse us?”
Kirsten grinned. “We follow.”
* * * * *
“I think I would’ve been better off wearing my sandals than these ill-fitting boots,” Kirsten said over her shoulder, as she slogged down the rough-cut trail through the forest.
“Stop complaining,” Martha said, tugging at the waist of the breeches she’d nicked from Ivan’s wardrobe. For the hundredth time, she wished she’d thought to steal a belt along with the rest of his clothing; the trousers fit snugly at the hips, but bagged around her middle. “There aren’t many men with spare boots to fit your big feet.”
Kirsten halted and turned to her, a scowl darkening her face. “My feet are in proportion with my body. They get me where I need to go.” The scowl cleared and Kirsten looked into the canopy of leaves above them. “Do you think we’re still on the right trail?”
Martha snorted. “Do you really think any animal on this planet cuts trails with laser-swords?” She changed the bag she carried from one shoulder to the other. She’d packed light, but her bag seemed to grow heavier as they walked.
“How come we haven’t caught sight of them, yet?” Kirsten, who’d been so eager to start this adventure, had kept up a steady stream of complaints for the last hour.
She was wearing on every last one of Martha’s nerves. “Because you keep wasting our time on bitching.”
“I’m hungry. Do you have any more of the bread Pingat stole from the galley?”
“Yes, but you aren’t having it.”
“Why not? I’m hungry.”
“You’ll be hungrier in the morning when there’s nothing left to eat. Besides, you could stand to go hungry for a few days,” Martha said nastily. “Now, pick up your feet.”
Kirsten headed back down the trail. “Do you really think we won’t catch up before dark? I don’t like the thought of bedding down by ourselves.”
Martha didn’t want to face that possibility yet herself. She was a city-girl, born and raised in the Dallas-Austin metropolis. She’d rather walk down mean-streets at midnight than spend a night alone in the woods. “We have the electro-stuns I stole from the armory. We’ll be fine.”
Kirsten stopped again. “But what if one of those giant bats comes after us? Will it be enough?”
Martha shoved her onward. “Keep walking! I’m sure they’re not bats. You heard what Trina said. She had her ear to the door the entire time Doc was in there with Travis and Nicky. Besides, whatever they are, they’re too big to fly through this thicket. You’ll be fine—you’re considerably larger than a sheep.”
“Are you calling me fat?”
“If the shoe doesn’t fit…”
“Do you think we did the right thing?” Kirsten asked in a small voice.
“Probably not, but I’m not going back with my tail between my legs. Not after everyone pitched in to help us sneak out of the dorm. Of course, they wouldn’t have put a guard
Darak stepped close to Cantor and whispered something into his ear.
“We have preparations to complete. While I’m gone, Doc’s in charge.” With that, Cantor left the room without a sideways glance.
Kirsten leaned over the table. “Martha, our men are leaving. What do you want to do about it?”
Martha stared at her. “You heard him—nothing! Besides, what can we do? He wants all the women to remain in safety.”
“Did you see how he looked at the girl?”
Martha nodded slowly.
“He won’t forget her while he’s gone.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“They’re looking for volunteers, aren’t they?”
“Cantor won’t take women. He’ll want fellow pirates along with him.”
Kirsten rose from the table, stretching to her full, ominous height. “What’s the harm in asking—first?”
“But we don’t know the first thing about hunting.”
The tall woman raised her eyebrows. “You were a thief; I was a gangbanger. I’d say we’re plenty tough and smart. We’ll figure it out as we go.”
“And when they refuse us?”
Kirsten grinned. “We follow.”
* * * * *
“I think I would’ve been better off wearing my sandals than these ill-fitting boots,” Kirsten said over her shoulder, as she slogged down the rough-cut trail through the forest.
“Stop complaining,” Martha said, tugging at the waist of the breeches she’d nicked from Ivan’s wardrobe. For the hundredth time, she wished she’d thought to steal a belt along with the rest of his clothing; the trousers fit snugly at the hips, but bagged around her middle. “There aren’t many men with spare boots to fit your big feet.”
Kirsten halted and turned to her, a scowl darkening her face. “My feet are in proportion with my body. They get me where I need to go.” The scowl cleared and Kirsten looked into the canopy of leaves above them. “Do you think we’re still on the right trail?”
Martha snorted. “Do you really think any animal on this planet cuts trails with laser-swords?” She changed the bag she carried from one shoulder to the other. She’d packed light, but her bag seemed to grow heavier as they walked.
“How come we haven’t caught sight of them, yet?” Kirsten, who’d been so eager to start this adventure, had kept up a steady stream of complaints for the last hour.
She was wearing on every last one of Martha’s nerves. “Because you keep wasting our time on bitching.”
“I’m hungry. Do you have any more of the bread Pingat stole from the galley?”
“Yes, but you aren’t having it.”
“Why not? I’m hungry.”
“You’ll be hungrier in the morning when there’s nothing left to eat. Besides, you could stand to go hungry for a few days,” Martha said nastily. “Now, pick up your feet.”
Kirsten headed back down the trail. “Do you really think we won’t catch up before dark? I don’t like the thought of bedding down by ourselves.”
Martha didn’t want to face that possibility yet herself. She was a city-girl, born and raised in the Dallas-Austin metropolis. She’d rather walk down mean-streets at midnight than spend a night alone in the woods. “We have the electro-stuns I stole from the armory. We’ll be fine.”
Kirsten stopped again. “But what if one of those giant bats comes after us? Will it be enough?”
Martha shoved her onward. “Keep walking! I’m sure they’re not bats. You heard what Trina said. She had her ear to the door the entire time Doc was in there with Travis and Nicky. Besides, whatever they are, they’re too big to fly through this thicket. You’ll be fine—you’re considerably larger than a sheep.”
“Are you calling me fat?”
“If the shoe doesn’t fit…”
“Do you think we did the right thing?” Kirsten asked in a small voice.
“Probably not, but I’m not going back with my tail between my legs. Not after everyone pitched in to help us sneak out of the dorm. Of course, they wouldn’t have put a guard
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