Preparing for a mission takes time. That Maggie was dragging her heels every step of the way hadn’t helped that...after all, they’d waited this long. A little longer wouldn’t hurt, would it?

At least, that’s what she kept telling herself, but the truth was the mission terrified her. She was terrified of going back, of reliving that nightmare all over again, but even deeper than that was the fear of losing Diggs. She’d tried keeping her distance, but the kid had won her over. The weird, silent boy with mismatched eyes, who had clung to her side since she’d found him in that alley, and who’d saved her own life in return.

She knew what she had to do and hated it...and hated herself even more.

So instead Maggie buried herself in her work, preparing for the very thing she dreaded the most. The first step was securing a vessel to take them to Earth, and after a week of searching Admiral Van Aalst sent her a message, asking to meet with her at one of the docks. Diggs followed at her side as always, and she hadn’t bothered trying to keep him occupied elsewhere. The clock was ticking now, louder and louder with each passing day, and when it counted down to zero…

...no, best not think about that.

As they arrived at the airlock, the Admiral stood waiting with another...a young man with thick wavy hair he’d spent a great deal of time with, getting it to cascade off his shoulders. His clothing was immaculate, from the high boots to the long coat, and his arrogant smirk spoke volumes. Van Aalst stepped forward, greeting her.

‘Maggie, there’s someone I want you to meet,” he explained, gesturing to his companion. “Maggie Al-Hajjah, this is Remi Hadad, captain of the Gyrfalcon. He’ll be the one taking you to Earth.”

Remi grinned, bowing to her, before taking her hand in his and bending down to plant a kiss before Maggie snatched it away. He chuckled with delight, his eyes dancing with mischief as he murmured, “Well aren’t you the feisty one?” He held out his hand to Diggs, who ignored it, earning another smirk.

The Tinker just shook her head. “Save the seduction, boy, you’re wastin’ your time. I stopped fallin’ for that nonsense when you were just a sparkle in the proctor’s eye.”

The young man threw back his head and laughed, even as he drew an imaginary vertical line in the air. “First point is yours, ma’am,” he grinned.

She sighed, rolling her eyes. It was obvious Remi was one of those rascals it was impossible to stay mad at. “What are you bringin’ to the table...besides the ship?” Maggie asked him.

“A wealth of experience,” he assured her, his grin flashing once more. “I’ll get you to Terra, don’t you worry...even if we have to slip past a blockade or two to manage it.”

A sudden nagging suspicion settled in her gut. “And what’s it you do when you’re not gettin’ recruited for hopeless missions?”

“Oh, little of this, little of that,” he shrugged. “I’ve located and provided certain hard-to-find items when needed.” Remi gave her a broad wink. “You know...when the local constabulary gets fussy about that sort of thing.”

“So...what you’re sayin’ is you’re a pirate, a smuggler, and all-around blaggard, is that it?” Maggie asked point blank, folding her arms across her chest and daring him to disagree.

His hand went to his chest, as if mortally wounded. “Please…privateer,” he corrected her, grinning with delight. A heartbeat later a sweet magically appeared in his hand as he offered it to the boy. Diggs stared at the offering for only a moment before snagging the treat and popping it in his mouth, a smile lighting up his face as he tasted it. Maggie didn’t even try to stop him, though she scowled in disapproval.

“And what were you expecting from the Corsairs?” the Admiral asked her. “He’s the captain you need, Maggie...even if he isn’t up for sainthood.”

“We’ll see,” she snorted, before turning back to the pirate. “Tell me about your ship.”

“Why don’t I just show you?” he said with pride as he toggled the airlock. The hatch slid open as the group stepped inside. “Gyr is a modified Jötunn-class frigate we rescued from the scrapyard, rebuilt from the keel up,” he explained. “She’s fast, she’s maneuverable...and she’s got teeth.”

It only took Maggie a moment to orient herself as she gazed at the main deck, before taking a left and heading down the corridor, tugging Diggs to follow. “I wanna see Engineering,” she demanded, as the two men trailed in her wake.

“You know this class,” Remi guessed.

“Since before you were born, sonny,” she snorted as they headed aft. “Don’t see any crew around though.”

“Liberty call,” the privateer grinned. “I wouldn’t make them wait. They know where I sleep.” That drew a chuckle from her, despite herself. “Besides, I had a feeling you’d want an inspection tour. Easier this way.”

They arrived at the heart of the vessel, as Maggie began examining the space and its equipment with a critical eye. The engines were on Standby Mode, so the usual Thrum was missing, but she gave them close scrutiny nonetheless. Running a finger across the console, the Tinker looked for any hint of dirt or grease, but Remi only smirked as he leaned against the bulkhead while she continued her circuit.

She stopped at the power generation section and ran a diagnostic, gnawing on her lip as she viewed the results. Life Support was next and elicited an even more intense survey as she verified its capacity and current status. The others watched in silence, not wishing to intrude. Her thoroughness impressed even the Admiral himself, until she turned and faced them both.

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“I suppose it will do,” she allowed at last.

“Well, thank you very much, My Lady,” Remi replied, a smug expression on his face. “Anything else you wish to see?”

“Nope...seen all I need to,” she answered. “If a ship’s engine room is in good shape, so’s the ship.”

“My engineer will be thrilled,” he smirked. “Am I to assume you plan on commandeering Engineering during your stay?”

“They got as much experience as me?” she asked point blank.

“Well...no,” Remi admitted. “But Mairead knows this ship stern to bow...and I trust her.”

Maggie took a moment to mull that one over. “Well, I ain’t lookin’ to step on nobody’s toes,” she said at last, “and she seems to know her business from what I can see. Her and me will work somethin’ out.”

“Glad to hear it,” the Corsair chuckled. “Mairead’s got a mean right hook. Especially when she’s holding a wrench.”

The Admiral cleared his throat. “I take it then that everything meets with your approval?” he asked Maggie.

She sniffed once more. “It’ll do.”

The two Corsairs shared a commiserating look. “I expect the other Clan leaders will arrive in the next few days to introduce their own picks,” he informed them. “Do you have enough room?” he asked Remi.

“We’ll be fine,” he shrugged. “It’ll mean doubling up, but we’ll make it work.”

“Excellent. Then I leave it in your hands.” The privateer sketched an informal salute as the Admiral returned it, nodding to Maggie before seeing himself out.

Remi folded his arms across his chest, regarding her. “Tell me why we’re making the pilgrimage.”

“Didn’t the Admiral brief you?”

“He did, but I want to hear it from you.” The playful expression he’d been showing the world was nowhere to be seen. “Tell me it’s worth it.”

“It’s a longshot,” she snorted, “a damn pipe dream. One in a million chance of finding anything.”

“For the right payoff, I’d take those odds,” he grinned. “So I have to know...are we chasing shadows, or is there a pot of gold out there, waiting to be found?”

“Maybe,” Maggie shrugged. “That’s the best answer I got.” She froze, looking about in a sudden panic. “Diggs? Diggs! Where’d you go?”

“He couldn’t have gotten far,” he reassured her, “and everything dangerous is locked down.”

“Damn it...of all the times to go explorin’,” she muttered. “You search forward, I’ll head aft. We’ll meet back up here.”

“Just like a boarding action,” he grinned, as he headed for the craft’s small bridge.

Gyrfalcon wasn’t an enormous vessel, but any ship is filled with nooks and crannies a child can squeeze themselves into if they’re playing Hide and Seek. Maggie and Remi knew where those hidden spots were, and it didn’t take long for the Tinker to track the boy down. He wasn’t even hiding, just crawling around the cargo hold exploring the crates and containers.

“There you are,” she sighed in relief, as he popped up from behind a storage bin. “Get out of there.”

Diggs clambered back out of the hold with a grin on his face, forcing her to divert the scolding that was already bubbling up from within. With a sigh, she took his hand, leading him back to the passenger section. “Don’t run off like that boy, you scared me half to death.” He looked apologetic, though she could see the mischievous glint in his eyes. In his mind he’d gone on an adventure and no one was hurt, so what was the problem?

Which spoke volumes about just how far he’d come. The street rat she’d stumbled over on Azhakom was a billion kilometers away from the playful young lad at her side. If he hadn’t been poisoned he would have bolted at the first sign of her in that alley, and considering how starved he’d been, she knew in her gut his days would have been numbered.

Which only made what she knew she had to do that much harder.

“Found him!” she called out, as Remi reappeared a few moments later. “He was in the cargo hold, playin’ around.”

“Well, no harm done,” the Corsair chuckled, producing yet another candy and holding it out to the boy who seized on it like a prize and popped it in his mouth, earning the pirate another grin.

“Stop bribin’ the boy,” she snapped, pulling him away.

“Why? It works,” he laughed.

“Cause I damn well said so,” she snarled. “Don’t make me say it again.” Remi held up his hands in submission, backing off as she shook her head. “You and me need to come to an understandin’. I won’t tell you how to fly your ship, but the Clan leaders put me in charge of this shindig. I don’t want the fuckin’ job, but as long as I’m stuck with it, we’re gonna do things my way. We clear on that?”

“Crystal,” he smirked.

“Don’t you dare get cute with me, boy,” she growled. “I’ve met a thousand like you, and I know all the tricks. You start playin’ games with me, and I’m gonna find me the biggest damn wrench I can swing.”

“I can see this will be a fun trip,” he smiled, not ruffled by her words.

“Fun should be the last damn thing on your mind. You know what happened my first trip to Earth?”

“The Admiral mentioned there were some problems,” Remi said offhand.

“If you count having half the crew die a ‘problem’, then yeah, I guess you might say that,” Maggie sneered, her voice full of sarcasm. “I’m gonna get that report. Make damn sure you read it.”

“Can’t wait,” he chuckled.

That tore it. She wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug expression right off his face...with a blowtorch. Maggie took two steps forward and grabbed him by his lapels. “Now you listen to me, you little smartass, you damn well better start takin’ this serious. This ain’t a joke...and if people get hurt cause you think it is, I’ll toss your ass out the nearest airlock and not lose a lick of sleep over it. You get me, boy?”

It was like flipping a switch. The playful demeanor disappeared as he slapped her hands away, his eyes going red with barely controlled fury. “Don’t. Touch. Me.” he rumbled, his words low and menacing. “Never…ever...lay a finger on me again.”

Maggie stumbled back, his rage catching her by surprise. His smirks and jokes had lulled her, never realizing there was a predator hiding beneath the mask. He’d fooled her, and that scared her far more than his outburst had. If she’d missed that...who knew what else was lurking in the depths of this man’s soul?

Diggs growled, baring his fangs as he stood to protect her, but Maggie pulled him away. In the pirate’s current state, who knew what he might be capable of?

But as quickly as the storm appeared, it dissipated just as rapidly. The smirk and laughing eyes were back in place, and she could almost believe that she’d misread his reaction...but her gut knew the truth. Her palms were sweating as she held onto Diggs and backed away towards the airlock. What the hell had she been thinking? That he was just a buffoon? She knew he was a pirate, for God’s sake!

“The crew should be back in a day or two,” he said. “We can prep for the mission then.”

“...sure…” she mumbled, her words now lacking their earlier antagonistic bite. All she wanted was to get away before that hidden demon reappeared. She and Diggs exited the ship as he watched them depart, the smirk still in place.

I’m glad Blye and the others are comin’ with us, she thought to herself. The way this mission was already shaping up...she’d need them.