"You know I am."
He holds a cup out to me. "You know what I want."
"You know I don't have your answers."
Straik shrugs and sips from the mug. "Pity. I guess we want different things out of this partnership, then."
Partnership? He's joking, right? I tug on the cuff again, but it sends a wave of soreness up my arm. It's a reminder that I'm not going anywhere, no matter how hard I tug. "I have to pee."
"That's really not my problem."
"It is if I pee all over your bed because you won't let me up."
He shrugs. "I'm not the one currently using it."
I clench my jaw, frustrated. He's right. Peeing on the bed out of spite will only get me so far, because then I have to sit in the mess I make. I don't want to do it, but if he doesn't help me soon, I might not have a choice. "Look, male, I don't like this any more than you do," I begin, my voice reasonable and pleasant. "So why don't we agree to a truce for now—"
"You're asking for a truce and calling me 'male'? Doesn't seem like much of a truce." He tilts his head and eats another bite.
I mean, he's not wrong. That's definitely not truce-y of me. I grit my teeth. "If I agree to stop calling you 'male,' will you let me go pee?"
A smile crosses his face. "Why is it you think you get to call the shots?"
"Because you think I have all the answers?"
"This is my ship. My cabin. My crew." He gestures around him. "My food. My drink. My lavatory. So no, you do not get to call the shots. And you do not get to pee unless you give me answers."
"That's a steep price for a damn toilet," I mutter, but I knew he wasn't going to bend. I wonder if I can tell him what he wants to hear, just offer up names I've overheard on the ship and let him think whatever he likes. Except…that might ruin someone's life. What if he fires them because I pick a name out of my head? What if he finds some remote spot in space and abandons them like he did my friends? I'd feel so guilty. So I just bite back a sigh and settle in for a long, long wait.
"Sir?" The intercom chimes and I recognize that voice. Dopekh.
Straik tosses down his food. "What is it? I thought I was not to be disturbed?"
"I understand, sir. It's just…nav is asking for you to review a few course corrections. There's an asteroid scheduled to cut through the flight path to Risda III and Jerzec doesn't want to make a large fuel decision without your input."
The lordling jerks to his feet, straightening his black robes. I can't help but notice that one sleeve looks as if it's sagging at the wrong spot, and I hope gleefully that it falls off, preferably in his soup. I keep my face straight as he shoots a frustrated look in my direction, and then marches to the door. When it opens and Dopekh steps inside, my excitement grows.
Dopekh's my cohort. He'll let me out of these chains. And then Lord Straik is going to be sorry he's been such a dick.
Straik glances back at me, then turns to Dopekh. "Watch over her, please. She is not to move from her spot. Do not feed her. Do not water her. Nothing. I will return as quickly as possible."
Dopekh nods. "You can count on me, Lord Straik."
Suck it, Lord Straik, I think to myself as he strides out of the room, his posture and demeanor one of sheer authority. I practically bounce with excitement when Dopekh approaches me. The look on his face is downright conflicted, but that's nothing unusual. Dopekh always looks upset that he's betraying his captain or something. Doesn't matter that his captain is an absolute jerk.
I wait until the doors slide shut again and then rattle my cuffs at Dopekh. "Good. You're here. Quick, get me free and I'll be in the ducts before you know it." Well, after I pee and then eat and drink Straik's food. But we'll turn the tables on Lord Straik and regroup. We'll figure out a new plan and he'll be sorry he ever left the Star behind.
"Oh, Ruth," Dopekh says as he gazes at me, an apology on his face. "I cannot."
15
RUTH
I panic. Does he not realize just how badly I have to pee? How hungry I am? "What do you mean, you can't help me? Dopekh, he has me chained to his damn bed!" I shake the cuff at him angrily. "You're just going to leave me here?"
He looks around the room, as if someone's going to be listening in, then takes a step forward. "I called in a favor with Jerzec, but he will not be able to keep Straik occupied for long. I wanted to check on you, but he is treating you well, so I am pleased."