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“Tell, I will.” The smaller redhead announced. Her companion stepped to loom over her.
“You do, Cass, and I’ll kick the–”
“You will not.” Cassie tossed her hair. “Never will you hurt me, and you know it. I’ll do as I please, and go I will, Eve.”
“Hell you will.” Eve shook her head. “Specklehead, think. You’ll be locked in your cabin for a month, your mom’s still not over that crash on Mendor.”
“Get in more trouble, you will. The flitter thief mother knows. Katana also. Both know, too, that never did I get in trouble before the captain picked you up.”
“If you’d stay the hell where you belong, you still wouldn’t!”
Cassie tossed her head again. “No fun, that was. I want to see where Calanians come from.”
“Ssh!” Eve darted a look around. “You want to get picked up? Treaty protects it, no human’s ever seen the ritual! We get hauled in, your mom’ll lock us both up till we up ship.”
Cassie beamed up at her friend. “I go,” she said sweetly, “or everyone I’ll tell.”
Eve swore, a long steady stream. Cassie combed her hair with her fingers, smiling at the port around her, until Eve was done.
“Fine,” Eve said finally. “But you make one peep at the wrong time, and I swear I’ll find something to feed you to, Cassandra Marie Kaindotter.”
“A deal it is.” Cassie offered her hand, and only winced slightly as Eve spat in hers before shaking. “A plan, you have?”
Eve snorted. “Think we’d just wander off? After last time?” She looked around again, stepped closer to her friend. “Here’s what we’ll do…”