Chapter 14

The most dangerous part of any illegal activity was getting paid.

Sean leaned against the shuttle wall as the two buyers examined the crates. They were not actually opening them, naturally. The shielding on the uranium was best not disturbed out here, especially by those who were just middlemen. Sean had no idea who these people were, or what eventual destination they had in mind for the glowing rocks. Nor did he care. All he wanted was payment, and to get the dangerous stuff as far away as possible.

In that order.

Sean had come to hate the game of deceit played by both sides in this business. Everyone lied. Those who were weak, projected strength. Those who were strong, hid their true power. It was a dance, each side trying to secure what they saw as their due, while not giving up more than they had to. There was no honor among thieves ... as there was no difference between having honor, and just making sure none of your victims survived.

This group, he thought, was going to make a play.

The shuttle was docked with a similar craft, airlocks securely joined as the Liberty and its counterpart held station ten kilometers away. As these two buyers were examining the cargo here, Mel and Holand were over on the other shuttle, watched by two of their people as they counted the gold. The goal was to transfer each cargo to the other ship, without the temptation for one side to just keep everything became too great. As the heads of the two men once again came together, a whispering conversation as eyes flicked back towards Sean, he sighed. There was going to be trouble. He hated trouble.

Sean glanced at Lessa. She stood by the hatch to the cockpit, looking bored. If shit went down, she'd do her job. It was Sean's job, though, to see it didn't come to that. Waking himself, he pushed off from the wall and took a few steps towards the back of the cabin.

"So, what's your play going to be?"

The adults almost jumped. Sean shook his head. They obviously weren't pros at this, one reason he suspected betrayal. These were pirates of opportunity, unable to resist a quick dip into the illegal. Well, they'd just have to learn.

"What do you mean?" the largest of the two asked. He stood up straight himself, hand near his sidearm as his companion edged a bit away to make himself a harder target. Over in the other ship, the sound of movement stopped. Sean shrugged.

"I'm asking how you're going to do it. Try and knock the price down and cheat us? Threaten, and take everything? Jump us poor kids, so there's no witnesses? What's the plan?"

Their eyes widened. Sean saw hands edge towards weapons. He smiled.

"Because, let me tell you, it's a bad idea. You don't want to mess with Lessa Cerova."

The larger one just stared at Sean, confused, a condition that was probably his natural state. The brown haired lanky man, though, whipped to face Lessa. His eyes almost seemed to bug out as he took a step backwards, legs hitting the crates. Lessa frowned, arms still crossed across her chest. The man tried unsuccessfully to phase through the crates and hide behind them. His companion just looked between the two, still confused.

"Pete? What the hell's going on?"

"It's HER!." When no comprehension was forthcoming, Pete actually walked forward, fear forgotten, and whacked the man on the arm. "HER! Lessa the Butcher!"

Sean could feel Lessa glowering at him, and he couldn't blame her. This was not something to be proud of. Still, it got the job done, and she had earned that name, and others, honestly. He nodded to the adults amiably.

"So, we have an understanding, I take it?"

Sean felt tired as he stepped off the shuttle onto the deck of the Liberty. They still weren't safe, naturally. You were never safe so long as another ship was this close. Still, his job was done. He could get some rest.

"So, everything go OK?"

He let out a sigh as Don approached. Stupid concern for their well being ... Sensing, more than seeing, Lessa come up behind him, Sean stepped aside. The brown haired girl walked down the short ramp up to Don, a smile on her face. Sean didn't trust a smiling Lessa. Or a frowning one. Nor, he had to admit, did he like seeing her and Don exchange a tender kiss. That was just pure jealousy, though. What they had seemed real, honest.

Nothing like what awaited him.

Lessa turned back to Sean as she broke the kiss, an arm staying around Don. The shorter boy, in a display nobody would have thought possible for either when this all started, cupped her breast.

"Sean," Lessa said, voice disapproving, "used me again."

Don's eyebrows rose slightly at that, but a smile touched his lips.

"If there is anybody I trust to use you well, Lessa, it's him." He nodded to Sean. "No problems?"

"Naw," Sean said, removing his gun belt, tossing it to a nearby girl. Tracy caught it easily, placing it on the weapons cart. "I think they're more happy to have come out of the deal safely than we are."

"Good to hear."

A voice yelled Sean's name from behind Don. With a sigh, he looked up to see Vince coming towards them. The slim blond was moving quickly, ponytail flopping around. He wore yellow slacks and an orange shirt Sean was sure weren't in his closest that morning. The teen threw himself into Sean's arms, lips seeking his. Closing his eyes, Sean responded, then pushed his friend away. Vince grabbed his arm, pulling them off somewhere, most likely towards their cabin, as he began rambling about this and that. Sean only half heard.

He wanted more than this. More than ... Vince.

The kid was a good fuck, though.

Ger was almost to his cabin, and a well needed rest after the day's mission, when Jenny's voice calling his name. He had a moment's desire to ignore her, go into the cabin, and just lie down on his bed. He then had a moment's fantasy of her following him in, joining him in said bed. Laughing, because life was too short to spend it otherwise, he turned to grin at his former roommate.

"What's up?"

She smiled back. That was good. Ger had no hard feelings, for the most part. After all, they were just friends who had enjoyed each other's company. If she was happy with this Hanna woman ... well, good. They still had to work together, after all, and him being jealous would just put others in danger. As if seeing some of this play across his face, Jenny moved up and hugged him. Ger squeezed back, allowing himself to enjoy her body again. Stepping back, he smiled.

"And?"

"And..." Jenny's expression saddened. "We're leaving."

They sat next to each other on his bed, holding hands. Ger just stared at the wall. It wasn't an interesting wall, to be sure. He wasn't sure what else to do, though.

"Are you certain about this? You've only know her for, what, two weeks?"