Galactic Gambit

Chapter 19

They raced back to the ship, forgetting the cart full of groceries that Fynn had purchased. Neo wasted no time getting to her seat on the deck and firing up the engines while Pax and Asa released the docking braces. She waited until they boarded, and the docking bay was closed before signaling the shipyard door to open. The blinking red lights that circled the room flashed brightly, and then they were off.

Neo never thought that maybe the reason Fynn joined her crew to begin with, was because he was running from his own father. Even though she blamed herself for sending him out, she couldn't have known because he hadn't told her. She knew all of this, but even so it still weighed heavily on her. It was her duty to protect her crew, they were all there because of her. She should have asked more, but she didn't, and she thought that maybe she was partially to blame. There were enough signs though, and it all made sense now. Fynn was on alert the whole time they were on the main platform when they met, and with Saros. All the hesitancies, his fearfulness, the faint bruises that she saw on him that first day. She could kick herself.

As soon as they were far enough out to turn on autopilot, Neo and Reiyna raced back to the kitchen where Pax was patching him up with the first aid kit. Asa was on Fynn's other side talking to him about what happened. "You know you did nothing wrong to deserve any of that. It doesn't matter who he is to you, nobody should ever treat you that way. But I think it's about time we taught you some self-defense," Asa was saying as she walked over.

"Fynn, are you okay?" Neo asked, wrapping an arm over his shoulder and hugging him where he sat in the chair.

Fynn nodded, "I'm okay C-captain. Thank y-you for coming to g-g-get me."

"I would never leave without you. I'm so sorry Fynn, I had no idea. I wouldn't have sent you out there if I knew," Neo said with tears welling in her eyes as she looked at the swelling bruise that was developing. Finger shaped spots of blueish purple along his jaw, and his eye was swelling shut. Pax had cleaned up the blood from his split lip and had gone to the fridge for an ice pack for his eye. Reiyna looked furious as she moved to sit on the other side of the table. She was fond of Fynn, and Neo knew that it hurt her to see him like that too.

"I didn't know if you'd t-take me i-if you knew who m-my dad—" he sniveled and hung his head down. Her heart broke for him. Fynn was so sweet and kind and thoughtful, and having been subjected to a life of abuse . . . He didn't deserve it.

"Of course I would have," she told him as she hugged him again. "Go get some rest, okay?" Fynn nodded and went up to his room and Neo sunk down into the chair beside Asa. He scooted his chair close and put an arm over her shoulder.

"He's going to be fine Neo," he comforted her, but she sat straighter and pulled away even though she wanted more than to fall into his arms. She gave Asa an apologetic look subtly tilting her head in Pax's direction where he stood packing the first aid kit back up.

She turned to him and said, "Thank you for taking care of him and cleaning him up."

Pax looked up, a slight upward curve tracing his lips as his brown eyes found hers. "Of course," he said as he snapped the case shut.

"Well, since most of us are present, we need to figure out where we're going. We need food, fuel, and to sell these eggs, so somewhere contraband friendly. Anyone got anything?" Neo asked, looking at each of them.

"I know somewhere, but it's a little far out," Asa said as he leaned his elbows on the table.

"You're thinking of The Pinnacle aren't you," Pax said accusingly to Asa. He nodded.