He rubs his hands as he paces, thinking. "I don't know. That's if my uncle takes them off my hands at all. Our branch of the family is not particularly close with the main House."
"Because of your charming mother?" I toss the peel aside and the fruit has segments, just like an orange. I pop one into my mouth and immediately, my face feels like it's folding in on itself, the damn thing is so sour. I sputter, trying to swallow quickly, my eyes water.
Straik looks over at me and makes a huff of amusement. "Don't eat those plain. You're meant to squeeze the juice over the sonni noodles to add flavor depth."
I wipe my mouth with his sleeve and gesture at the table. "Show me what to eat, then."
He thumps down across from me, picks up a fruit I don't recognize, and pulls a knife from his belt, then begins to peel the ugly bruise-colored rind from the round fruit. "This one is sweet. The outside is hard and rough, but once you get to the soft flesh inside, it's perfection."
He cuts off a slice and holds it out to me, waiting. I feel like everything he just said was some sort of metaphor, but I'm not going to fall for that bait. I ignore his words, taking the fruit, and shove it into my mouth. Sure enough, it's amazing. I close my eyes, savoring the taste. It's not quite strawberry, not quite mango, but something in between and absolutely decadent. "Back on the Star, all we had were noodles. I missed sweets so much."
"I can tell." Straik sounds a little calmer. He cuts me another slice and holds it out to me on the tip of his knife.
This feels like another test. I could smack his hand, force him to drop the knife, and we could fight for it…but he'd win. Even if I stabbed him again, his crew wouldn't let me get away. All I'd do is earn myself shackles once more. With a wary look at him, I take the fruit and eat it.
The best plan for me right now is to figure out where we're going and escape once we get somewhere safe. But even then, that won't get me back to my friends. I chew thoughtfully, no longer tasting the delicious fruit. Let's say I get away planet-side. Then what? I have no money, no weapons, no idea where the other ship is. I'm just as fucked as I was before. I need to stay with them here, on this ship.
I need to turn the crew against him. Mutiny, just like he thought. Win over the others until they side with me and not with him, and convince them to take me back to the Buoyant Star. Save my friends, save the day.
Toss this spoiled rich boy into the brig.
Pleased, I curl up in my chair and watch him cut a sliver of fruit off for himself, eating it before carving more off. I watch him work. His hands are so damn big compared to my own. All of him is, actually. I should be terrified, but something about this guy doesn't send fear shooting through me. Maybe it's because I stabbed him and showed that he was vulnerable?
Or maybe it's because I stabbed him and he didn't stab me back.
Either way, Straik doesn't scare me. Piss me off, yes. Fill me with loathing, yes. Scare me, no. "So, we go visit your uncle. Tell him we have some prime human stock you need to dump on him, no questions asked. What if he says no?"
Straik's mouth sets in a firm, almost sulky line. "I haven't thought that far ahead."
Figures. "And what if Mommie Dearest finds out that you disobeyed her?"
"As long as my uncle agrees to work with me, it's not a problem. As head of the house, he overrides everything. She can object, but he's the one that gives the orders."
Sounds like the uncle is one I need on my side, too. I wonder if seduction is the way to go. Just the thought turns my stomach, but boobs are just about all that I've got going for me. I know aliens are fascinated by human funbags. That much was clear from my brief, awful encounters back on the Star. Tits and a small stature and most likely they'll underestimate me.
Maybe I do need to seduce myself someone powerful.
I consider Straik. Is it smarter to seduce him or his uncle? Or one of the crew? I don't think they're all gay, so that might work, but it also sounds like they don't have a lot of power, either.
Ugh. I'm going to have to seduce Straik, I think. A hard, sour taste rises in my mouth that has nothing to do with fruit. If I seduce him, though, I'll have free rein on the ship. I'll be able to influence him to go back to my friends…and to avoid the slave-loving uncle.