Chapter 10

Syn's throat tightened, his gaze flickering over her before he forced it away. "Yes, you do, Pako. But no, I'm not turning it off." His words were clipped, a shield against the heat creeping up his neck.

Pako's pout was instantaneous, her excitement deflating like a punctured balloon. "Well, it was worth a shot," she muttered, shrugging as she began to redress, her movements casual now, as if the rejection were just another step in their familiar dance. She flopped onto Vera's enormous red bed, propping herself up on an elbow. "So, were you really with the Kingdom all this time?"

"Yes," Syn replied, settling back onto his own bed, the forcefield humming faintly between them.

"Did you ever miss me?" Her tone softened, a rare vulnerability peeking through her bravado.

"Sometimes," he admitted, his voice quieter, a concession to their shared past.

"Well, that's still good to hear." Pako's smile returned, sly and knowing. "Who did you serve in the Kingdom?"

"Until yesterday, it was the ninth-inline princess, Elara Voss."

"Hmm… Is she hot?"

"Yes."

"What do you prefer, doggy style or missionary?"

"Doggy," Syn answered without hesitation, slipping into the rhythm of their old, shameless banter.

"Vaginal or anal?"

"Both."

"Me or Vera?"

"Aster."

Pako's jaw dropped, her eyes widening in mock betrayal. "Aster? Seriously?"

"Her moans would be erotic," Syn said, deadpan, a flicker of amusement curling his lips as Pako burst into soft laughter. This was their normal—crude, unfiltered, a relic of days when survival meant leaning into every moment, no matter how absurd. Her giggles filled the room, tugging at memories of starlit nights and reckless bets.

"Do you want anything to eat?" she asked, still chuckling.

"Not really."

"What about me?" She slid her shorts down just enough to flash her panties again, a teasing glint in her eye.

"Not really." Syn gulped, averting his gaze as his pulse quickened. The erotic chatter stoked a fire he fought to smother, his hands clenching the edge of the bed.

"Hmm… a better reaction than last time," Pako noted with a smirk, pulling her shorts up and settling into a relaxed sprawl. "So what? Will you just lie there all day?"

"I have nothing to do anyway," he said, his tone flat, masking the storm beneath.

"So… what if I help you out of this?"

Syn's head snapped up, curiosity piqued. First Aster with her escape plan, now Pako. "I'm listening."

She leaned closer, her voice a conspiratorial whisper brushing his ear. "What if I give you a fake contract paper? You tear it in front of the cameras, the forcefield drops like Vera promised, and you slip out through her private escape pod in the bathroom. If she catches you, flash the real one—bam, immunity intact." Her plan was sharp, elegant in its simplicity, and Syn couldn't hide his surprise.

"Wow, you came up with that?"

Pako grinned, squeezing her breasts with a playful wink. "I've got both brains and body."

He blushed faintly, and her laughter rang out louder, as if his reaction were a prize she'd won. "I'll get things ready. Wait for me." She bounced off the bed and darted out, leaving Syn alone with the forcefield's hum and his racing thoughts.

An hour crept by, the silence gnawing at him until the door hissed open again. Pako returned, balancing two plates of steaming food—spiced protein mash with synth-vegetables—followed by Aster and Vera, each with their own. They settled in with casual familiarity: Pako and Aster on the bed, Vera on the sofa facing him, her purple hair catching the dim light. Syn's hand moved subtly, slipping a folded paper from beneath his bowl into his pocket when no one watched. Pako's plan was in motion.

"So, Syn," Vera said between bites, her voice smooth as velvet, "how's it feel to be back with us?"

He chewed slowly, buying time. "Strange. Familiar, but… different."

Aster snorted, her blonde hair swaying loosely as she leaned forward. "Different? You mean you're not used to being caged like a pet yet?"

"Give him time," Pako chimed in, smirking. "He'll warm up to it. Right, Syn?"

He met their gazes—Pako's playful, Aster's challenging, Vera's probing. "Maybe," he said, noncommittal, fingers brushing the paper in his pocket.

"It's been so long since all of us had lunch together, right?" Vera's tone shifted, warm yet edged with something unspoken, her hair spilling over her shoulders like twilight.

Everyone agreed—Pako with a grunt around her food, Aster with a nod, Syn with a subtle dip of his chin, eyes on his plate. The savory tang filled the air, a rare comfort in the sterile ship.

"Thanks to finding this rascal, we're together again," Aster said, gesturing at Syn with her fork, a grin masking a glint of challenge. Syn nodded, scooping another bite, calm overlaying his inner turmoil.

"Hey, Syn?" Vera's stare locked onto him across the forcefield. "How long are you planning on staying in there?"

"As long as I can," he replied, resolute, a flicker of defiance in his jaw.

"Hmm…" Vera's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Then I have something else in store for you."

"What?" Pako, Aster, and Syn asked in unison, surprise uniting them.

"Let's finish lunch first," Vera said, waving dismissively, "and save dessert for later. So, Syn, did you do anything productive since you left?"

Syn paused, fork hovering as memories soured his taste. "I've gained fame in the Kingdom," he said, voice steady but edged. "Promotions, tax benefits, savings. People liked me. I saved the princess multiple times—until yesterday." His fist clenched, anger rippling before he masked it with a sip of water.

"Made a cozy nest, huh?" Pako tilted her head, frowning curiously.

"Cozy?" Aster snorted. "He was playing hero while we dodged plasma blasts."

"You've grown a lot," Syn mocked lightly. "How's it feel playing space pirates?"

"Hey!" Pako slammed her fork down, bristling. "It's not a joke! You're why we're pirates!"

Aster smirked sharply. "You trained us, taught us this life. Don't forget that."

Vera's voice cut in, silk over steel. "And are your hands any less red than before the Kingdom?"

"Woah, stop attacking me—I'm joking!" Syn raised his hands, forcing a laugh. "Let me eat in peace."

Silence fell, heavy with their words. They ate, cutlery clinking brittlely against the rift between them. Syn's mind raced—Pako's truth stung, Aster's jab cut, Vera's question lingered like a shadow.