Free No Quarter (Bounty, Book One) by Christine d'Abo Page B

nodded, keeping his eyes averted. “Better get back to the cockpit. Need to make that jump soon. You’ll want to brace yourself.”
    “Think you’re going to leave me here to clean up the mess? I’ll be right behind you.”
    Tossing the plates into the cleaning unit, the two men made their way to the front of the ship. Faolan felt himself relaxing for the first time in months, accompanying a man tasked with bringing him in if things went badly, no less. He couldn’t put his finger on it, what it was about Gar that let him take the edge off and be himself. Certainly not the young man’s reputation—he was no less a killer than Faolan.
    More like they were kindred spirits who’d finally found each other.
    “I promise the jump will be much smoother this time.” Gar worked his sleeves down his arms as he lowered himself into the pilot’s chair. “While you were resting I took some time to make a few calibrations. No more banging of your head.”
    “Thank the Gods. I was going to complain to your boss.”
    Gar rolled his eyes, a reaction Faolan now realized was the young man’s true personality coming through and not the image he wanted to project. He liked it. It made him wonder what other idiosyncrasies Gar the man had. It was almost a shame he wouldn’t be around long enough to find out.
    “Only one jump after this until we get to my ship. Then you can see for yourself the power of this stone. Jason will be all over me to have a chance to get it in his possession.”
    Gar turned his head, the look of relaxed amusement stripped from his face, to be replaced by an emotionless mask.
    “I’m sure he will.” Gar sat rigid in his seat. “Please strap yourself in, Captain. We will be jumping in a minute.”
    Faolan opened his mouth, but for once in his life he was at a total loss for what to say. It was like a cyber morphing blanket had been placed over Gar, completely changing his personality. The walls were back up, with no sight of the young man who he’d just shared a meal with. Instead, Faolan moved by rote and prepared for the jump. Why Gar’s rapid personality change should bother him was a mystery. He wasn’t here to make friends or find a life partner. This was about money, security and his health, nothing more.
    If Gar wanted to keep things professional, then he would too.
    “Dimension gate jump in three, two, one, jump.”
    Faolan took a deep breath and tried to relax his body as Gar tapped in the commands and maneuvered the Geilt where it needed to be. The guide beacons flashed red, then green before the computer chimed everything was ready. The world shrank once again. No matter how many times Faolan lived through the event, there was something about a jump that made his head spin and his stomach flip. It wasn’t normal, no matter how his medic tried to convince him otherwise. He’d gone so far as to ask Mace if she felt the same, but she’d simply rolled her eyes and called him a baby.
    Maybe he was, but it still didn’t feel right . It hadn’t always been this way which meant it was likely another symptom.
    The ship lurched back into real space only moments after they had left. Faolan barely had time to blink when laser blasters pummeled the side of the Geilt .
    “What the fuck!” Gar’s shout echoed in the small space, but served the purpose of kick-starting Faolan into action. “Did you plan this, Wolf?”
    “Like I’d set up the ship responsible for my safety. I’d have at least waited until I got you to my ship.” Faolan jumped forward and frantically typed a search command into the weapons grid. “Shit. I can’t get a transponder signal on these bastards.”
    “Pirates?” Gar slammed the Geilt hard starboard and somehow managed to dodge a barrage of missiles.
    “No one I know. Loyalists?”
    “Probably.” Gar growled, smashing his hand hard against the console. “Fuckers are jamming me.”
    “Shit.” Faolan’s mind raced as he tried to work out a plan. The Belle Kurve