Hard maleness pressed up against Sable as she stared up into the greenest eyes she had ever seen. So much for nice old man, Sable thought as her body took stock of his. The captain could not have been more than thirty. Muscles bulged under her hands where she had grabbed his biceps to keep from falling over. Captain Sage smelled outstanding, like citrus, pine, and something else Sable could not define, but it was unquestionably all man. Sable took a deep breath that melted her insides. Eyes almost rolling back, she had found her body involuntarily rubbing against his powerful one like an Earth cat.
"Ahem," Captain Sage cleared his throat, making Sable bounce back a couple feet out of his arms, almost toppling over the bench. Her face quickly turned beet red. "I take it you are the mysterious murderess everyone has been talking about?" he questioned with a carefree attitude. Not leaving any time for a response except for the sound of irritation that escaped her lips. "You don't look like some crazed person, but I guess you never know. Clearly, you are older than seventeen. Twenty maybe?" he questioned hopefully.
"Twenty-two, thank you very much," Sable replied, and the Captian looked oddly relieved. Sable felt like she was being stalked by a wild animal as he stepped closer to her.
"Now that we got that out of the way, I think it is best to good somewhere more private." After Sable looked at him dismayed, he clarified, "To discuss why the hell you snuck on my ship, of course. Not that fact that you were just caressing my body with yours," he ended with a mischievous grin.
Beet red, Sable mentally shook herself for letting her lust make assumptions. Of course, the Captian wanted to know why she was there and not jump her bones. She really needed to get control of her suddenly overactive libido. Sable could be clueless sometimes, especially when it came to the opposite sex. Men didn't want a dirty metal worker that liked to fish and play music. They wanted someone soft and gentle.
"Of course, lead the way, Captain."
***
Studying the quirky woman who fidgeted in the chair opposite his, Drew pondered what he would do with her. The shipment had to be delivered on time. There was no question about that. Which meant there was no going back to Hazard Rock, but as far as Drew was concerned, that was not an option anyway. Drew was not about to give the EPO any more people to add to their kill roster. Anger welled up in him as he thought of those lost. Shaking it off, he considered his other options as he let the fugitive squirm in her chair. Her being onboard would add extra risk to his crew, but it would be more of a threat to his cause. Harboring a fugitive would be an excellent incentive for a more thorough search of his ship by the patrol and that he just couldn't have. Maybe he should just drop her when he delivered his shipment. First, he needed to know why exactly she was on the run.
"What's your name, little ship rat?" he leaned forward over his desk as he questioned her.
With an offended look, she squeaked out, "Sable."
Getting up from his chair, walking around his desk, and propping himself on it in front of the beautiful but disheveled Sable, Drew inspected her closer. Grease stains and soot could be found on every inch of exposed skin peeking from her maroon coveralls. Underneath that dirt and grim, Drew could tell that her skin was a porcelain white. Matted waves of black hair that he could tell had once been tightly bound framed her oval face. She looked fierce and innocent at the same time. How that was even possible, Drew did not know. Fidgeting with discomfort, yet she stared up at him with eyes like electric blue fire. Damn, he could get lost in those eyes. He needed to focus.
"Ok, Sable, let's start with, why was the patrol looking for you?" Drew questioned her as he watched her closely.
"It was a mistake," Sable replied as she folded her arms over her chest. "They thought I did something that I did not."
"They thought you murdered some poor innocent man," Drew stated. Noticing her eyes start to tear up a little, he continued on the path, "Did you kill that poor bastard?"
"He's not a bastard!" she screamed at him.
"Who is he to you?" he firmly questioned as he leaned into her face, eyes narrowing. Being that close to her, Drew was able to see white flecks dotting her blue iris' like little stars.
"Eric is...," she choked on the word, "...was, my father." A single tear escaped and traveled down her high cheekbone.
Shocked, Drew sat back.
"I saw his murderer. He shoved the gun in my hand before taking off. Unfortunately, that is when the patrol came, and you know they would not have questioned me. I would have been executed."
Drew knew she was right on that. If she had not done what she did, Sable would surely be dead by now.
"I promise that I will not cause any trouble. I just need to get to Earth or as close as you are willing to take me. If I get caught, I will take all the blame."
"Why Earth?"
"There is a competition going on that I could win enough money to disappear and start a new life. Please, Captian Sage, you are my only hope. I just lost the last family I have, don't make me lose my life as well."
"You are going to let your survival depend on a competition? That sounds risky to me. There is no guarantee that you will even win. What kind of competition is this?"
"It is a music competition, and no, there is no guarantee that I will win, but I know that I will be able to win enough to disappear."
Drew looks to the box sitting next to her chair and realizes that it must be her light instrument. He had seen one before, so the sight was familiar to him.
"I have heard of the competition. You must be pretty confident to think you stand a chance. What do you even play, a harp?"
"No, it's a cello," she replied as she placed her hand lovingly on the box. "So, will you help me? I just need to get to Earth, and then I will be out of your hair."
"I am not sure yet. I will not return you to Hazard Rock, and I will take you to our next delivery location. That is all I can promise you for now."
"Thank you, Captian," the girl said with relief written all over her face.
What to do now?