Jason did as he was told, lying down in the cramped space and looking up with an apprehensive expression.

"Now, you," the first mate said. "On top, facing him."

"What?" Kira demanded hotly. "I am not—"

"Get in there or say hello to the Imperials."

Kira climbed down, clenching her teeth, and lay on top of Jason, facing him. No sooner was she down than the first mate lowered the top in place and pulled the crate back over part of it to hold it down.

"Not a word," the first mate ordered, her voice muffled by the deck boards. "No sounds until I open that again."

Kira, trying to breathe shallowly, heard the sound of the first mate's footsteps departing. The boards were pressing down on her back, forcing her body against Jason's. Her chin rested near one of Jason's shoulders. "Don't. Get. Any. Ideas," she warned Jason in the lowest and most threatening voice she could manage.

"Can't move anyway," he whispered back.

She could have tried turning her head to look at him, but she didn't want to. Kira lay in the darkness on top of Jason, her body rigid, feeling humiliated and angry, until the clomp of several pairs of feet sounded nearby and added fear to the mix. "Are we done?" the captain asked, his tone cold and correct.

"Yes," someone replied. Kira recognized an accent from the area around the Imperial city of Emdin. Her Aunt Bev still retained traces of that accent. "If you see them, there is a substantial reward in it for you as well as the favor of the Emperor."

"We'll keep that in mind," the captain said.

The feet thudded away, leaving Kira and Jason alone again in the confined, dark space. Kira had been trying to breathe lightly so that her chest didn't rub against Jason, but she had to take deeper breaths as the air inside the confined space grew fouler. The stink of the bilges coming up from below only added to her misery. She began worrying about passing out. Jason was pinned beneath her, and even though he hadn't moved his hands at all he probably could move them a little. What would he do if—?

One set of footsteps came quickly into the compartment. The crate scraped over the deck as it was moved, then the first mate was prying open the hidden compartment.

Kira took deep breaths as the first mate helped her up, then pulled Jason out as well. "Put that back," the first mate told Jason, pointing to the raised deck planks. "Then stay here. You," she told Kira, "come with me."

Kira walked after the first mate, trying to steady herself. To her surprise, they didn't go on deck, but continued aft belowdecks to the small safe hold near the stern.