“Oh, you know, same as usual.” He props one arm against the wall behind me, leaning close enough that I can’t help but admire his distracting face. That stupid face is the reason I hesitated the first time I aimed a blaster at him. I’m grateful for it now, though, as it was the beginning of a beautiful, mutually beneficial arrangement. Both of our crews think we hate each other’s guts so much that we insist on killing the other ourselves. In reality, whenever our ships clash, we find a way to weasel our way out of the situation and hide until the worst of the fighting is over. I do worry about my siblings, but to be honest, I’m so useless in a fight that I usually only make things worse when I’m around. “What are you doing all the way out here near Titan?”

“I should ask you the same,” I say, leaning back against the wall and folding my arms behind my head. Judging by how relaxed Orion is, we aren’t at risk of discovery here.

“Believe it or not, we have legitimate business out this way,” Orion says. “But when the captain spotted you on the radar, he couldn’t resist the temptation.”

I scoff.

“‘Legitimate business.’ As if, you vultures.”

“Believe what you want,” he says. “Seems we’re turning a new leaf. After this little scuffle, of course.” Before I can ask what he means by that, he continues, “Anyway, I’ve got a bottle of Devan whiskey with your name on it back in my room.” He places a hand on my waist, pulling me closer. “Shall we?”

“Damn, that sounds nice.” I bite my cheek, dragging my eyes away from his face. There’s no time for that, or for prying into the Red Baron’s affairs. “But I can’t. Actually, I need a favor.”

Orion groans.

“I hate when you say that.”

It takes some wheedling, but Orion owes me after I saved him from getting his ass beaten by the twins last time we met, so eventually I talk him into taking me to the breaker room. I bloody his lip and walk him there with my gun at his back just in case we encounter anyone on the way.

“You’ll only have about five minutes,” he says on our way there. “Then someone will either fix it or activate the emergency lights.”

“Five minutes will be plenty.” Before we round the corner to the room, I lean forward to kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you, darling.”

“Yeah, yeah. Next time it’s your turn to play the hostage.”

“But of course.”