Warhawk's Amnesty - Ch. 13 - The Offer - Final (Patreon)

The celebration picked up when Captain Francisca and Toros entered the hangar carrying the remaining bottles of the captain’s alcohol and what he presumed was the last of the food. At that point, there wasn’t a care in the world. After setting up a few makeshift tables and blasting music over the loudspeakers, the cargo bay turned into a dance floor. The crew and survivors celebrated their escape while the ship piloted them to their next destination.

Seb grabbed a bottle for himself and watched as the others danced. Francisca’s hips swayed with the prowess of a belly dancer while Toros moved like the hulking brick he was. The rest of the survivors paired into groups, doing their best to forget the last few hours.

For Seb, everything was feeling like the norm. He half expected the ship’s engines to fail during their travel or smash into some debris along their charted path. It seemed foolish to hope for more, even though that’s what he needed. I just need a fucking break.

While his buzz settled in, Thompson moved over to him. He clicked his glass with Seb’s in a sign of acknowledgment. The two stood there, enjoying the view of the others’ happiness.

“You going to get out there?” Thompson asked.

“It’s not really my thing,” Seb said. “I’m more of a slow dance kind of guy.”

“Yeah, me either. I’m more of a brood in the corner guy myself. My ex-wife used to drag me to bars and clubs to get me to dance. No matter how hard I tried, I always left her feeling disappointed.”

“I assume that’s part of the reason why you’re divorced?”

“Among other things. The job mostly. The ship tours, not being home for weeks, sometimes months at a time, really makes it hard to keep any kind of relationship together.”

“I can only imagine. Unfortunately, I’ve been forced into a life of celibacy for the last ten years.”

“So, I was right, then?” Thompson asked with a wide smile. “I did remember you from the Redeemer.”

“I’m not saying one way or the other,” Seb said, staring into the officer’s eyes. He looked for any intent to Thompson’s motivations, but he relaxed when all he saw was a wary, drunken soldier. “However, in theory, if I were to have spent time on that ship, my sentence would be up by the time we get to Pyrus anyway.”

“No shit?”

Seb nodded.

“That’s one hell of an exit,” Thompson said in a burst of laughter. The two men clinked their glasses once more and took a drink. “It’s good to see everyone blowing off some steam. They need a distraction after everything we’ve been through.”

“I hear that.”

Thompson set down his glass, crossed his arms, and scooted in closer as the volume of the dance music increased. “Can I ask you something, though?” he asked.

“Shoot.”

“Why did you come back for us?”

“What do you mean?”

Thompson scratched the side of his face, taking a moment before he responded. “I overheard your conversation with Captain Ortiz while we were running. You fixed the ship before you came back for the group. You didn’t have to do that. You could have taken the ship and flown off.”

“Oh, I get it,” Seb said, setting down the bottle and raising his finger. “You’re one of those types.”

“Those types?”

“Someone who thinks all ex-cons are bad people.”

Thompson let out a chuckle. “Well, from my experience, yeah, that’s pretty much true. Sure, there are some who can be cool to your face, but most of them are just looking for the weak spot in your vest to shove a shank.”

“Fuck. You,” Seb said, pushing his finger into Thompson’s chest. “I went out of my way to save your sorry ass, and you’re going to stand here and judge me? I’m not just going to listen to this shit.”

“Woah,” Thompson said, waving his hands around. “Take it easy. I wasn’t trying to piss you off. I was just trying to tell you my perspective. It’s odd. It’s like my brain just isn’t comprehending what happened.”

“We’re not all monsters.”

“I initially thought you were when I saw you gun down all those guys back in the pits.”

“That was a necessity.”

“Hey, you don’t have to validate your actions to me, pal. I’m appreciative of everything you did. If you hadn’t come along when you did . . . I’d hate to think about where I’d be right now.”

“Probably still sitting in the cages,” Seb said, smiling.

“Here’s to never being in a cage again, then,” Thompson said, picking up his glass. Seb grabbed his liquor, and the two men shared another drink. When they finished, Thompson set down his cup, clapped his hands together, and started shaking his hips toward the dance floor.

“I thought you said you didn’t dance,” Seb asked, laughing.

“I didn’t, but I think it’s time for a change. I’ve had enough liquid courage for the night to get me back out there. I need to find the next ex-Mrs. Thompson.”

“Good luck!”

Seb laughed and watched Thompson join the rest of his comrades. As he looked around the dance floor, he realized that one important person was missing. Nalla hadn’t come down with Francisca and Toros. They probably had her stay behind and watch the ship, he thought.

Seb grabbed two spare cups before dashing up the stairs to the living quarters. He walked through the hallway, kicking some of the loose trash courtesy of the pirates, and found Nalla sitting in the captain’s chair of the bridge. She turned and smiled at him as he approached.

“Seems like you could use some company,” Seb said, sitting in the co-pilot’s seat. He handed her a glass and poured them both a drink.

“You didn’t have to come up here for me,” Nalla said, taking a sip.

“Ah, it’s not really my thing.”

“Really? It sounds like everyone is having a good time.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I like a good party, but I much prefer it when I’m with good company.”

Nalla batted her eyelashes and blushed. The two sat in silence while they watched the waves of colors pass across the viewport. The beauty of space was something Seb could never get used to. It was one reason why he loved to work on ships. He wanted everyone to experience that virtue firsthand. Seb turned his head at the sound of Nalla clearing her throat.

“So, um, were you really trying to rescue me . . . I mean us . . . I mean everyone?”

“Yeah,” Seb chuckled. “That was the plan, anyway. When I saw everyone was missing, I just kind of jumped into action. Although, looking back, it seemed rather stupid.”

“Maybe. But also very brave and selfless.”

“All I could think about was you . . .” Nalla coughed in the middle of her drink, erupting into a fit. “And the others,” Seb continued, standing up and patting her on the back while she calmed down. When her fit subsided, Seb jumped to his feet and rushed to the kitchen to fill a cup with water. He brought the glass back and handed it to Nalla, who was still trying to clear the obstruction.

“T-thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Seb said with a smile before furrowing his brow. “Hey, can I ask you something? Something that’s been bothering me?”

Nalla frowned. She set her cup down and leaned forward. “Of course.”

“Back when Thompson and I ran into you and Francisca. She said you all were going to lunch. Then when she saw what I had done, she acted like she was mad about it. I’m kind of stumped about the whole situation.”

Nalla bit her lip and turned in her chair. “I don’t think it’s my place to say anything.”

Seb tapped his lip and leaned toward Nalla. “How about this? If I guess what I think happened, you can just nod yes or no. That way, you’re not really giving me anything I don’t already know.”

Nalla leaned forward, looking down the hall before pulling her knees up to her chest. “Uh . . . I guess that would be okay.”

“I mean, it’s kind of obvious you three weren’t in any danger, so I am guessing Captain Francisca worked something out with Captain Blue-tongue, right?”

Nalla nodded her head.

“She freaked out specifically when she saw that I had already freed the survivors from the Redeemer. So, I’m guessing she was going to let him keep them or some of them, wasn’t she?”

Nalla let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know what kind of history the captain has with Blue-tongue, but whatever it was, it kept us from getting vented immediately. Blue-tongue didn’t believe we didn’t know anything about some breakout that happened on Inoi 3. It wasn’t until after he inspected the people we picked up that he believed us. When Blue-tongue was trying to decide what to do with us, that’s when the captain told him about the job we had. She agreed to turn them over to him, under the agreement he would let us walk out. That was the deal.”

Seb nodded and sat back in his chair. “Her reaction makes sense now.” He took a sip as he twisted the cup in his hand. “I bet she thought I killed you all at that moment and just decided to roll with it.”

“I’d imagine. It was smart of you to fix the ship first.”

“Yeah?” Seb asked, smiling. “I wanted to make sure we had a chance at actually getting away; otherwise, it would have been all for nothing.”

“Well, I am glad you did what you did. It . . . it means a lot that you would be willing to do something like that for m— For everyone, I mean.”

Seb smiled, set down his glass, and got on his knees in front of Nalla. He reached out for her hand and looked up into her eyes. “Look, I know you must think I’m crazy and that we’ve only known each other a few days. But all I could think about the entire time was you. The people I saved,” he said, pointing down the hallway, “it wouldn’t have mattered if I hadn’t found you. Maybe this is all because I’ve been locked away for so long, but you’re one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. The simple smile of yours captivates me.”

Nalla giggled as Seb continued. “Now, I know I’m damaged goods with a past. But I meant every word I said to you when we spoke before. We both want out. I’ll talk with Francisca, and we can do our own thing, start our own crew and get away from all of this.”

Nalla bit her lip and looked out the window. She rubbed her hand over Seb’s, and she looked back down at him. Before she spoke, the look in her eyes told him it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. “I appreciate everything you say and putting your heart out there for me. I really do. But just like you, I’m damaged goods. I’ve been with some terrible people, Seb, and I just don’t think we’ve known each other long enough for me to commit to something like that. It’s one thing to dream and another thing to take a leap of faith. I’m not brave like you, no matter how I feel.”

Seb sat on the back of his heels and gave his best smile to not show how much pain he felt. “But you do feel something? It can’t just be me, right?”

Nalla cupped his cheek in her hand. “Of course I do. I told you before that I like you, Seb. You’ve been the nicest person to me in a long time. But I just need more time. Stay with us for the time being. I know the captain and Toros aren’t the best, but it would give us time to get to know each other.”

Seb took a pause before answering. He had no intention of joining the crew any longer than he needed. He longed for freedom, set on his own path to make his own decisions. The thought of reporting to Francisca wasn’t a terrible idea, it just wasn’t what he ultimately wanted. He weighed his two desires before giving Nalla his answer. “If that’s what you need, then I can wait.”

Seb felt Nalla’s tail lift him up and pull him into her arms. His heart was racing while he held on to her. Her cotton candy smell almost made his mouth water. When he pulled away, she stopped inches from his face. She looked down at his lips, tickling his skin with the warmth of her breath. He couldn’t hold back.

He followed her pull, pressing himself firmly into her lips. The length of her tongue surprised him, nearly filling his entire mouth. Her tongue wrapped around his own, folding and massaging him over so gently. When it pulled back, it snapped like a piece of rubber, putting a smile on both of their faces as they went back in for more.

Before they could revel in their desires, a feminine scream echoed down the corridor. They both froze as if confirming what they heard. When the frantic shout rang again, they jumped to their feet and ran down the hallway.

When Seb saw the woman and man standing near the bathroom door, he realized the reason for the commotion. The frantic woman pointed into the bathroom as he approached, and Seb took a step forward. Milknut was now awake, still tied to the metal handrail in the bathroom. Seb turned around at the sound of approaching footsteps to see Toros, Francisca, and several of the other survivors behind them.

“What’s going on?” Francisca asked. “We thought we heard screaming.”

“It’s my fault,” Seb said. “I forgot about this guy when I left the ship.” He sidestepped out of the doorway as everyone tried to get a look inside.

“Is that one of Blue-tongue’s men?”

“Yeah,” Seb said, rubbing his head. “And . . . I’m just remembering there’s two dead bodies in the maintenance room.”

“Anything else you want to tell us about while you’re at it?”

“No . . . I think that’s it.”

“I’ll take care of this,” Toros said, stepping forward. He cut the pirate’s bindings from the rail and threw the man over his shoulder. He entered the maintenance room and grabbed the other two bodies under his lower sets of arms. The tape over his mouth hindered Milknut’s frantic moans. He weakly hit into Toros’s shoulder as the printaghast carried him down the hallway. Seb followed, having an obvious idea of what Toros was about to do.

Captain Francisca ran past the group into the cockpit. Seb felt the ship lurch forward as they exited FTL flight. She returned just in time for Toros to open the interior airlock door.

“Is this really necessary?” Seb asked. “The guy wasn’t even that bad. He’s only been part of Blue-tongue’s crew for a week.”

“Only a week?” Francisca asked, stepping in front of him. “What, did he tell you his life story while he was trashing our ship?”

“No, but he did try to help me find you all. Although . . . that was only after I pressed a knife to his throat.”

“He’s a liability, Seb. We can’t keep him on the ship. He could be tracking us for Blue-tongue for all we know. He’s got to go.”

Seb let out a sigh and shook his head. He watched Toros throw Milknut and the two bodies into the airlock. When the door shut, the wannabe pirate slammed his fists on the glass door, screaming to be let in. With a press of the button, he was gone.

“Sorry, man, I tried,” Seb whispered.

“It’s all right, everyone,” Francisca shouted. “Back downstairs, everything is taken care of.”

The crowd murmured as they retreated back down into the cargo hold. The episode seemingly killed their celebratory vibe. Seb felt a hand tap him on his shoulder. Francisca stood there, pointing.

“You and me on the bridge,” she said. “I need to talk with you.”

“Wait,” Toros interjected. “What about . . .” The brute quickly raised eyebrows, hinting at his plans for himself and the captain.

Captain Francisca scoffed. “Get over yourself, Toros. If you think one night of dancing equates to us sleeping together, then you’ve still got a lot to learn.”

Toros opened his mouth as if to rebut only to snarl and growl. He glared at Seb before stomping his way back to his bunk. Nalla wished them both a quick goodnight before scurrying back to her room. Seb waited in the hallway, contemplating if he should pursue Nalla before meeting with the captain, but decided against it. Letting out a sigh of disappointment, he turned around and met the captain on the bridge.

Captain Francisca threw herself into the captain’s chair and waited for Seb to take the seat across from her. She sprawled her legs onto the center console as she looked over at him with a wicked smile.

“I meant to speak to you about this earlier,” the captain started, “but the run-in with Blue-tongue kind of screwed everything up.” The captain spun in her chair as if she had the keys to the universe. “I know the truth, Seb. I know about your last ten years in the slammer. You lied to me.”

“I had to,” Seb said. “What was I going to say? Hi, I’m Seb. I’ve spent the last ten years in the joint. Please let me onto the ship to become your mechanic.”

“Fair point, but I don’t like being lied to.”

Seb stared at her, trying to get a read of what her intentions were. Her chaotic shifts made it difficult for him to tell. He brought his right leg up and his arm down near his revolver as a necessary precaution.

“How did you find out, anyway?” Seb asked.

“When you were out, and we were running through all the records of who we were picking up, I was curious. To my surprise, when I entered all the names I could think of that started with Seb, nothing came up.”

“It’s a play on my number. All the inmates use nicknames.”

“I got that once I found you. However, I never took you as a—”

“Don’t!” Seb said firmly. “That kid died ten years ago. That’s not who I am anymore.”

“All right, Seb it is,” Francisca said, shrugging. “In the fairness of honesty, when I saw you were a prisoner, I thought about turning you in for the bounty.”

“As I expected,” Seb said, his fingers resting on his grip.

“However, when I saw your release date, I figured it wouldn’t be worth it.”

“That’s mighty generous of you.”

“I thought so,” Francisca said, leaning forward. “See, now I’m thinking you’d be much more valuable here on the ship. We need someone like you. Maker knows Toros isn’t going to keep things running.”

“Yeah, he’d probably have this thing burned to the ground in a month,” Seb smirked.

“He’s good for some things, but not for others. We all have our roles to play.”

“No argument from me.”

“Good. So here’s my offer. When we get to Pyrus Station, I’ll get you loaded into the system under our crew. You’ll get fifty thousand from this job as part of your cut, and then thirty-three percent going forward.”

“Wait a minute,” Seb said, leaning forward. “Fifty thousand out of a four-hundred-thousand bounty. That’s not even close to thirty-three percent.”

“Yes, but that’s before you’re on the crew. I said I would give you a cut, but never how much. Think of this as your starting bonus. I’m docking you points because you screwed up my initial plans with Blue-tongue.”

“You going to tell me about that?”

“We were going to give him the bodies, and he was going to give us a cut as a finder’s fee. It wouldn’t have been as much, but we wouldn’t have had to go through everything on Pyrus.”

“Wait, you were going to sell them as slaves?”

Captain Francisca shrugged. “It was better than us getting our throats cut. The best plan for negotiating with people like Blue-tongue is coming up with an idea that makes it seem like they came up with it.”

“I get it, but if you’re going to venture down that path, I’m not going to be around to follow.”

“You mean slave trading?” the captain asked. “You don’t have to worry about that. The only thing we deal in is indentured contracts, which is what Nalla is under if you didn’t know that.”

“She told me.”

“And do we have a problem?”

Seb leaned back into his chair and stared out the window. I do, but if I say I do, it’s just going to cause a rift between us. Now’s not the time to press the subject. Once Nalla is ready to leave, then I can bring it up. I’ll just try to save as much as I can to hopefully pay off her debt.

“No, I’m good.”

“So we have a deal?” Francisca asked, extending her hand.

Seb shook the captain’s hand. “Deal.”

The captain slapped her knees and grabbed the bottle nearby. She poured both of them a drink, and the two took a shot together. He wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol, but his whole body lit up with warmth.

“Now that you’re part of the crew, you get a room,” Captain Francisca said. “You can take the one across from Nalla . . . or bunk up with me.”

“While I appreciate the offer,” Seb said, chuckling, “I’ve been bunked with others for the last ten years. I think I’d like some privacy for a change.”

“Can’t say I’m not disappointed, but I understand. Go grab your things and get settled.” The captain smacked him on the behind as he walked past, eliciting laughter from them both.

There was a spring in Seb’s step as he shuffled down the walkway. When he reached the mechanic’s room, he scooped everything into his bag as quickly as he could. After it was all picked up, he returned whence he came and stopped in front of the door to his new room. He knew what the rooms looked like, but there was a certain excitement at the unknown.

He opened up the door with a smile, which quickly faded. Boxes stacked in the middle of the floor and on his bed prevented him from being able to walk in. They were the same ones he’d cleared from the hallway to the mechanic’s room.

Seb leaned back and called down the hallway. “Francisca!”

“What?”

“What do I do with all these boxes?”

“I don’t know. Your first task as a member of the crew is to figure that out.”

Seb huffed but tried not to let this deter his mood. He spent the next hour moving all the boxes down into the cargo bay. Each visit to the hangar was an opportunity for him to get pulled into the revelry. Thompson and the others coerced him into taking shots and playing a drinking game. While he really wanted to get his bedroom ready, he didn’t have the heart to say no after everything they’d been through.

After he dropped off the last box, he wasn’t sure he was going to be able to make it up the stairs. He leaned his shoulder into the railing and pressed his body for leverage to ensure he would not fall over. He did the same with the walls once he made it to the top floor.

He intended to clean his room from top to bottom before he used it. However, once he reached his bed, he fell face-first and smiled. It was the first night in ten years he had slept in his own bed. It was everything he dreamed of and more.