Sally picked up her skirts to follow Jeb up the ramp, exposing well-worn ankle boots just below the leather sheath of a knife strapped to her embroidered stocking. She threw an unconcerned glance back at Ari. “Beats me, sugar.”
Ari followed dazedly, hugging the wall to avoid the open storage and maintenance hatches as he retreated to his bunk to unload his parcels. He carefully unpacked and hung his clothing, making sure all the wall panels were neatly shut before moving to the lab to store his samples.
He emerged to find Jeb closing the maintenance hatch.
Jeb touched his thumb and forefinger to his hairline as if tipping a hat that wasn’t there, giving a slight bob of his head in Ari’s direction.
“Doctor,” he said quietly, voice unexpectedly soft and melodic.
Ari responded with an abbreviated bow. “Mr. Jeb.”
Ari suppressed a wince at his own stiff formality as Jeb broke out in a smile before joining Sally at the table. She had a pad out in front of her, an older model but still in much better condition than the one from the store. She beckoned Ari over with a sharp whistle.
“Lookie here, hon. Your man caught my Jeb up on y’all’s plans. Noble of you to go chasing after your wayward brother, I gotta say. If it were my rotten sister, I’d leave her to stew in her own pot, and that’s a fact.”
Jeb snorted in the seat across from Sally as Sally scooted over on the bench, patting the space beside her in a way that should have been enticing but veered all the way into commanding.
Ari gingerly took a seat, surreptitiously pushing Sally’s skirts aside as they scandalously spilled over his thigh. She noticed his fidgeting and gathered the fabric in a bundle before shoving it behind her on the bench, exposing her ruffled pantaloons.
Ari genuinely did not know how to react. Sally solved his dilemma with a sharp elbow to his side as she waved the pad in his face.
“Pay attention now. Our fellas’ve been putting their heads together on this, and now we got y’all a guide. It’s not much, but it’s something to go on.”
Ari turned his attention to the pad she shoved into his hands, carefully manipulating the projections in front of him.
Sally wedged her hand under his to scatter the projections here and there, having obviously grown frustrated with his pace. She pointed out a grid composed of names, locations, and numbers.
“Now, this here’s a list of all the best-known singers on the Verge. Least, we got a list of what they go by, where they usually slink around, and the goin’ rate for a song.”
Ari shook his head, a headache starting just behind his eyes that made him nostalgic for his brother, who was usually the cause. “I’m terribly sorry, Miss Mudd, I’m afraid I don’t quite follow. Why would we require the services of a vocalist?”
Jeb gave a quiet huff, bringing both of their attention across the table.
“She’s talking about informants. Colloquially known as singers, their information is referred to as a song.”
Sally leaned her chin onto her hand with a deep sigh, batting her lashes across the table. “Ooh, Jeb, you know I love it when you bust out your Academy voice.”
Ari perked up at the mention of academia, leaning forward slightly. “Where did you attend?”
Jeb stared down at the table, eye focusing with a faint whir. “Enforcer Academy, years back.”
Aristotle stiffened, silently considering the open exit ramp. Jeb laughed softly, returning his gaze to Ari’s face.
“Relax, Doctor. They kicked my ass out.”
Ari tried to nod consolingly when, really, he just wanted to sink with relief. The last thing he needed was an encounter with the Enforcers.
Orin’s boots on the loading ramp announced his presence before he entered the cabin, the space suddenly seeming far too small for four people. Ari absolutely did not notice the way his sweat-damp clothing clung to his body. If he had noticed such things, he would have also noted that he’d opened his shirt by two more buttons.
Fortunately, Ari noticed none of these things before snapping his eyes back to the pad Sally took from his suddenly numb fingers with a snicker.
Orin stopped right at the top, one foot planted on the floor while the other disappeared down the ramp. He leaned his elbow on his bent knee.
“Ready for the fun part, Jeb?”
Jeb stood with a chuckle, going to a large crate taking up one side of the floor next to the open ramp. He placed his hand on the lock panel, waiting for the scan to complete before the lid popped open with a quiet beep.
Ari also went to his feet as Sally planted her hands in the small of his back and pushed. He stumbled over to peer into the crate, rearing back as he registered the contents, nearly knocking into Sally behind him.
“Those are—”
Jeb swept one open hand over the top of the crate. “Yup. Welcome to our local armory.”
He picked up a midsize ray gun and flipped it over in his hands with a nonchalance Ari found completely unwarranted.
Orin studied the crate for a long moment before selecting a laser pistol nearly the length of Aristotle’s forearm and expertly twirling it around his index finger.
Perhaps that particular display was somewhat warranted.
Parts of Ari could definitely stand to see more, in fact.
Ari swallowed discreetly as Orin took aim at the wall, arm fully extended, before repeating the twirl in reverse and tucking the pistol into his belt. Orin turned back to Jeb.
“Single charge crystal?”
Jeb shook his head with a sly grin. “Double charge on that model.”
Orin let out a low whistle, pulling the pistol out and weighing it in his hands. “Nice and light, even so.”
Jeb nodded, sighting down the double barrel of an even larger pistol with a practiced grace. “That piece was made for you, Stone. Now, what are you thinking for the Doc?”
Everyone turned to Ari, who valiantly resisted the urge to step back only because Sally was directly behind him. He shook his head, his cheeks going cold with panic.
“Oh no. No, thank you. I am not currently in the market for an—” He lowered his voice to a whisper despite the fact that they were alone on his ship. “—illegal firearm.”
Jeb threw his head back with laughter, sliding his hand into his worn leather vest to retrieve a bifold badge and holding it out for Ari’s inspection.
“Relax, Doc. I’m the closest thing we got to the law around here.”
Ari squinted dubiously at the badge, reading the battered inscription. “You’re the local magistrate?”
Jeb closed it with a snap, tucking it back into his vest. “Sure am. Besides, these things are only illegal if you take ’em into the Core. Now I know you boys wouldn’t even think of doing a thing like that, so we’re all on the straight and narrow here today, Doc.”
Aristotle had never spent so much time around people who seemed so averse to using his name. He found that he rather enjoyed the shocking familiarity it implied. It felt much like he had always imagined friendship might feel, if he had ever been able to make friends beyond his brother.
Orin’s voice brought his focus back to the crate.
“I’m thinking something small, no kickback, definitely nonlethal.”
Jeb nodded thoughtfully before selecting a miniaturized laser pistol that could fit on Ari’s palm, holding it out to Ari by the snub-nosed barrel.