Galaxy's End: Book One LeRoy Clary (dark books to read TXT) 📖

usual good service for the passengers. They will be upset with the death of the captain, especially when they find out where we are headed. Do your best to calm them. As part of the settlement with the owners, I will insist the passengers be supplied transportation at no charge to their original destination, and of course, the crew deserves a generous bonus for the hazardous duty encountered.”

A man she recognized as a steward who had waited on her earlier, asked, “Have you found the killer? I mean, the one that murdered our captain?”

“Not yet.”

They were uneasy but less tense than when the meeting began. Her eyes roamed over the six, including two of the engineers who hadn’t yet said a word. She had watched for telltale clues of their internal reactions as she spoke, anything that might indicate the killer, but all were within norms. They were angry, fearful, and unsure about her. All those were reasonable and expected reactions.

The fear in their eyes was probably a residual from Kat’s empathy, but they wouldn’t know that. Everyone on the ship felt uneasy from her emanations. She directed the fear at those on the other ships, but it was like her efforts bled over to everyone on the Dreamer.

If none of the crew besides the Champers was involved in killing the captain, that left one or more of the passengers as suspects. There were not many of us who were not part of the crew, and aside from herself, there were only four others she could exclude, which was her small group. Everyone else had to be considered a suspect.

When she called the meeting with the passengers, there were only eight other travelers. They crowded into the galley and quietly took seats, most wearing the arrogant expressions of the wealthy privileged. Only those of high status or those working for rich companies could afford the expense of a ticket, even on a tramp starship. Rather than letting them ask imperious questions and try to take control of the meeting as they intended, Captain Stone cut off all conversation and repeated most of what she had told the crew.

Again, her eyes watched carefully and found nothing to help her identify a killer or a being that was involved with pirates. She hadn’t expected to. Besides, with at least four distinct races represented, expressions became unreliable. After all, pulling lips back and baring teeth for a human displayed humor or being pleased. The same action with most predator races meant they were about to attack and probably eat you.

However, one of them, possibly more, had killed the ship’s former captain and she had no doubt she was next on the list. They were all speaking at once, each trying to speak louder and make more dangerous threats than the others. However, their threats were more along the lines of filing lawsuits than physical. They were wealthy and typically used their positions to get their way.

Stone had learned long ago how to handle a meeting efficiently. She reached for a dinner plate made of a ceramic as hard as steel, but light in weight. Perfect for use on a ship. Or for pounding on the nearest tabletop, softly at first, then harder and faster until she drummed out all conversation.

When they had quieted, she spoke in the commanding tone of a starship captain addressing recruits, “Shut up or I walk out of here and leave you to your own devices. You can cook, clean, and feed yourselves, or you can cooperate with me. No second chances.”

A stunned silence followed. She waited. It wouldn’t last long.

A woman wearing far too much jewelry if she was on Roma, however, styles differ from planet to planet. She started speaking with a snarl, demanding she is treated as the passage she had paid for had promised.

Captain Stone pounded the plate a few more times, drowning out anything else the woman may have said. The captain waited again, this time ready to spin on her heel and walk away, locking the door to the passageway behind her.

Her father had taught her that. Make a claim and stick to it. She wouldn’t bluff. People can tell. They can also tell when they know you will do exactly as you say.

The same frustrated woman started to speak again. An overdressed man beside her jabbed an elbow in her ribs.

Captain Stone said formally, “I am now in command of this ship. Our new destination is through a series of wormholes that will take us almost to the opposite side of the human sphere. I will insist the owners of the ship pay your way to Franklin. They will gladly do that in return for possession of their ship. You will arrive back at Franklin only a brief time later than your original arrival time.”

“Why are we going way over there?” A man asked politely.

“Two reasons. The first is that I want to be sure we escape the pirates that were after us and I have no idea of how good their detection equipment is. It will be impossible for them to follow us. The second reason is that I want to go there because my ship has been relocated to that area.”

She waited. Her second reason was a direct challenge to each of them. Which ones would argue? She watched for clues as to who might be working with the pirates and received nothing for her efforts.

A woman sitting off to one side, who was not a human but dressed as one, said, “There is no such thing as a pirate. You have been watching too many old videos, I fear.”

Instead of barking a return, Stone gave her a faint smile. “Until today, I’d have agreed with you. Maybe “pirates” is the wrong name. However, we had at least three ships intent on halting us and boarding. I have no