Probably not, if for no other reason than it would further inconvenience the Movement by requiring them to update his wanted notices again. And add another zero to the bounty on his head. It almost made Aiden want to get back to doing this sort of thing more often.
While they'd been preparing to leave, Ali had plotted the first rift jump on a course that would take them to the nearest allnet node, a day or so away from Recluse. Apparently HAE didn't actually use the allnet for any sensitive business, since they had their own network that the Movement had yet to dismantle. But the node would allow Linus, Sarr, and the other three scientists who hadn't gone into stasis to contact their employers on that network.
“You going to be able to ensure the node we use isn't spying on us?” Aiden asked his companion. He felt a bit bad about constantly expressing doubt in her, but she was the one who kept going on about how out of date important skillsets were.
Ali somehow managed a gentle, supportive sort of indignant scowl. “This is a hardware issue, no hacking involved. There'll be no risk.”
“Good, let's get going then.” Aiden leaned over the controls, easing the ship forward into the rift his companion had opened. He was getting sick of looking at her in her disguise, but until their guests were off his ship he didn't want to risk giving them any hints about the identity of their rescuers.
After all, he may have saved them from slavery and was now returning them to their employers to hopefully go back to their old lives, but that was no guarantee one of them wouldn't rat him out for the bounty if they knew. The Movement had done a pretty effective job of creating a universe where people were encouraged to be cynical, self-interested sewage clogs.
Speaking of his guests, Aiden had barely finished enduring the mind-bending effects of going through the rift, and was leaning back to wait for Ali to calculate the next jump, when a polite clearing of an unfamiliar throat made him twist slightly in his seat to glance back at the entrance behind him.
Apparently, Miss Sarr had decided to invite herself onto the bridge. That was a massive etiquette faux pas aboard a ship, something just about everyone knew, or at least should. But judging by her vague, focused expression as she fiddled with a datapad, he wondered if she realized or cared.
He supposed it had been too long since he'd had passengers aboard his ship; experienced captains knew that passengers could be rude, inconsiderate, or even dangerous, and took the appropriate measures. Including keeping the bridge's security door closed and keyed to open only at the approach of crew.
Sometimes the best way of preventing rudeness in guests was depriving them of that option. Too late now, though.
“Captain,” the willowy woman said, eyes still on her notepad, “if it's not too much trouble, I would like to ask you some questions about your experience with your adult companion since acquiring her. Your feedback could greatly-”
Aiden cut in politely. “Later, Miss Sarr. Please leave the bridge.”
She blinked and finally looked up at him, taken aback. “Oh. Um, all right. I'll go see how the others are settling in.”
As she turned to leave, Ali stood and moved to join her. “I'll instruct our passengers about proper protocols while aboard the ship,” she said.
“In a second,” he told his companion. “I want to talk to you first.”
Sarr, apparently at least aware enough to realize she'd been impolite, left without waiting for further encouragement. Aiden let a polite amount of time pass after she was gone before shutting the door behind her and activating the biometric lockout.
Then he immediately whirled on Ali. “Now that we've got a moment, maybe you can explain why you seem to know things about HAE you never bothered to tell me.”
“It would take countless lifetimes to tell you everything I know,” Ali replied gently, eyes inscrutable.
He snorted. “This, however, is pertinent information. Did you know we were going after enslaved HAE employees here?” She started to answer, but he curtly waved her to silence. “No, I'm not distracting myself with that. If I asked you to tell me about HAE's secrets, would you?”
Ali shook her head regretfully. “I couldn't, my love. My core priorities don't allow me to jeopardize the wellbeing of humans, and divulging that information would risk many, many lives.”
“Because you don't trust me.”
Her full lips thinned. “That's not a fair question and you know it. There are other considerations.”
No doubt. “If it meant the salvation of this ship and crew, would you tell me then?”
His companion hesitated a bit too long. “I would have to weigh the factors, my love. There are bigger things than this ship at stake, no matter how desperately I want to protect you. As a soldier for the Preservationist cause, I'm sure you can understand that.”
The sad thing was, Aiden could. Ali probably had some ethical subroutine that helped her make a decision about whose life to save first in an emergency, and issues like that. The cold, unfeeling math of probability and optimal outcomes.
She took a hesitant step forward, resting a hand on his arm. “Would you like to retire to our quarters for our after combat routine? I could remove my disguise for that long, at least.”
The idea was certainly appealing, but Aiden shook his head. “We've got too much to do. For one thing, I'm sure the scientists will find ways to make nuisances of themselves while they have the run of the ship.”
His companion took the hint. “I'll go give them a tutorial on ship etiquette and protocol.”
Aiden watched her go, then settled back and stared sightlessly at his terminal, musing on the fact that he'd barely set foot in Iglis galaxy and things here were already a hopeless mess.
* * * * *
Lana had to admit, having five more
