Free Loyalty to the Cause (TCOTU, Book 4) (This Corner of the Universe) by Britt Ringel

to stabilize you, do you
want to risk the trip back to Anthe?”
    May
nodded forcefully.  “Very much so.”
    Gables,
busy compiling her list, warned, “She won’t stay stable forever, Lieutenant.  She’s
going to degrade without surgery and I’m not a surgeon.”
    Vernay looked pointedly
back to Selvaggio and smiled, “You may not be, Gabes, but I know one who might
help us.”
    *  *  *
    Two
minutes later, Vernay was next door, triaging the problem of Hussy’s engineer.  “So what do we do with him?” Ensign Olson asked as he pointed toward Müller.
    “You let me go back to where I belong and I start repairing the
mixture controls, ja ?”  The man shifted nervously from foot to foot
while Vernay looked on.
    “I
don’t want a pirate on board if I can help it,” Vernay answered.
    “ Nein, I am not a pirate!”
    “We’ll
have to put the captain’s body in one of the holds,” Vernay said, ignoring the protest.
    “ Gnädige Fräulein,” Müller said deliberately, “I am
not a pirate.”
    Vernay
glanced at the man and said sarcastically, “Oh sure, you just happened to walk
onto Hussy by accident, huh?”
    “ Nein .”  Müller shook his head.  “ They walked
onto Das Flittchen and took her from us .  And why do you wish to hide
the kapitän’s death?  I, for one, am pleased to see him gone.”
    Vernay
blinked and turned her full attention to Müller. 
“What do you mean, ‘they took her from us?’”
    Müll er
looked into Vernay’s blue eyes with his own.  “I was the Oberingenieur, the,
uh, Chief of Engineers for this ship before she was taken as a prize by the
Roberts Clan.  I worked for Volkmancht-Kaufmännisch in the Aurelios corporate
system.  We traded between our system, the Federation and the Republic, ja ? 
Seven years ago, we were boarded in the Boxer system by these pirates.”  Müller shrugged.  “We were only merchants.  Spanners are no
good against handguns.  The kapitän gave us a choice: join him or
be set off in a lifeboat.”
    Müller shook his head fiercely.  “This, I cannot do.  My contract with Volkmancht
makes me liable for Das Flittchen’s loss.  I would bankrupt my family if I returned to them
while Das Flittchen was taken.  Volkmancht could even place my
family into debtor’s prison, or worse, give them indentured status.  However, if I were reported dead as the result of piracy,
my family would receive a large insurance inheritance.”  Müller looked into
Vernay’s eyes wistfully.  “So, the choice was made for me and several others of Das Flittchen’s crew.  The ones who left promised to report our deaths.”
    A deep, lasting sigh escaped Müller.  “The remaining crew was
split up but when they tell me it was time to leave Das Flittchen I
said, ‘Nein.’”  The aged engineer brought his hand about in a chopping motion. 
“I will not abandon my lady.  She is all I have left.”  Tired, cobalt eyes
returned to Vernay’s as a weathered hand reached out to stroke the trim around
the galley hatchway.  Müller repeated quietly to himself, “She’s all I have
left.”
    “But
you engineered a pirate ship…” Vernay declared.
    “ Ja .”  Müller’s voice was laced with thick regret.  “But we
only carry cargo; we never hurt anyone.  I was still a merchant but with a
different cargo.”  His eyebrows arched upward in realization.  “And now that
time comes to an end.  What are your intentions with Das Flittchen now?”  His eyes narrowed as he cautioned, “I cannot return to Aurelios.”
    “We
are…” Vernay trailed off as she searched for the right phrasing.  “Headed in a
different direction, Mr. Müller.  A direction that is
fraught with danger, I’m afraid.  I should insist that you be removed; however,
my engineer is laid up in sickbay.”  Vernay took two strides to stand next to
the man.  Although the top of her head only reached the man’s chin, her
presence pushed him a half step backward.