Engineering aboard the freighter AB1726 was just a closet with ambitions that had ready access to the ship’s warp core, which had been built to be so reliable and sturdy that it literally fulfilled the design requirement of ‘a chimpanzee and two trainees could run her’. Assuming, of course, that the chimpanzee was the one in charge.

It also meant the space wasn’t particularly large either. A couple of consoles, a chair at each for potentially long shifts. An equipment locker dominated the port wall while the starboard was lit up with an exploded map of the freighter’s sub-systems, showing how they connected and the flows between systems.

And over the last day and a half it had been the personal domain of Lieutenant Commander Evan Malcolm. He had bounced between the bunk room he was sharing with the junior engineer he’d brought along, the incredibly cramped mess and the charitably labelled ‘main engineering’, with little to no interaction with the others brought along on this mission.

So when the door hissed open behind him, he’d just assumed it was the other engineer arriving.

“You’re early, Ensign,” Evan said without even turning to address his new arrival.

“I am?” Sidda answered, taking a small amount of pleasure in Evan’s sudden bolting upright in his seat, the rapid spin of his chair and the glare intended to try and evaporate her. Just a shame she’d endured more powerful disapproving glares in her life than this one human engineer could muster.

He opened his mouth to say something, then stopped, closing his mouth with a snap.

“Career limiting statement?” Sidda asked, causing Evan’s glare to ratchet a notch or two. “I’m teasing. How we looking?”

“Ridiculous,” he answered, giving her a look over.

The sword she’d left in the small captain’s quarters. While it wasn’t a terribly long blade, the scabbard was something she wasn’t used to and the confines aboard AB1726 weren’t conducive to its constant presence. But she’d kept both the disruptor and phaser on her being at all times. It was comforting to have the disruptor holster on her thigh again. And the phaser on a cross draw on the other side wasn’t unfamiliar.

And anyway, they could be suddenly attacked at any moment.

So she kept reminding even herself.

“I meant the ship,” she finally said after a few seconds, letting Evan’s comment slide. “How’s the ship looking?”

“Like I could have, should have, assigned a couple of junior engineers to manage it. I honestly think I’d have to try hard just to get this thing to explode.”

“That many safeties?” Sidda asked.

“Yes,” Evan replied. He turned back to his console, a signal she’d gotten used to that he was done with the conversation.

“Well, guess if it’s gonna be automated most of the time, that’s a good thing.” She stepped up just close enough to reach past Evan and place a padd on his console within an easy enough reach for him. “Have a read when you get a chance. Let me know what you think.”

“Uh-huh,” he replied half-heartedly.

She’d barely gotten ten metres down the door after leaving Engineering before the door whisked open and Evan shouted at her. “What the hell is this?” He was brandishing the padd, indignation on his face.

“It’s your latest performance review that I intend to give to the captain when we get back to Republic,” she answered, much quieter and calmer than Evan had addressed her, and only after turning to face him.

Evan held the padd so he could read it, ensuring he got the quote right. “An exemplary mentor to his junior officers. A highly capable engineer who has kept Republic in peak condition post-launch.” Then he waved the device at her once more. “What is this?”

“An honest assessment.” She watched the confusion flow over his face. “Evan, you’re the one with the problem, not me. What, did you think I’d take some sort of retaliatory strike against you?”

“Yes.”

“Well tough, I didn’t.” She waited as the steam escaped him. “You’re an excellent engineer and a good officer. You’re an absolute bastard to me for reasons I’m sure make sense to you, and a cranky jerk in Engineering. But everyone I’ve spoken to who says you’re a jerk also says you’re damn good at explaining solutions and walking less experienced individuals through where they went wrong and seeing them right.”

He took a moment, processing what she’d said, before his eyes squinted again. “What are you playing at?”

“Oh, give it a rest!” she shouted at him. “I’m not trying to derail you, go after you, or hurt you. You switched to fleet duty to qualify for a promotion back at the shipyard. I’m writing glowing reports because you’re a good officer and I want to help you get where you want to be.”

“I don’t know what you’re playing at-”

“Take the damn compliment. I’m filing that assessment, word for word, with the captain when we return. If you want to protest it, you can. But hey, I’m just trying to help your career along, so what do I know, right?” She threw up her hands, spun on her heel and marched off, leaving the engineer to stew in his delusions.

Again, she’d barely gotten five steps in before the ambient lighting in the corridor shifted, immediately taking on a dull red hue as a klaxon started warbling. “Captain to the bridge,” came the nervous sounding announcement filling every cabin of the ship.

She’d heard her own booted feet on the bare deck plating, followed by another. Both senior officers barreled into the cramped bridge at nearly the same time.

“Nausicaan raiders, three of them,” Ensign Scalzi said as soon as they arrived. “Coming in fast. We’ve turned to flee like the automatics would, but they’ll be on us in fifteen minutes.”

“How?” Evan blurted out.

“They’re redlining their engines, likely past the warnings, for as much speed as they can. Get enough loot and you can pay for an overhaul later. And we’re listed as carrying some expensive loot.” Sidda smiled as she turned to Evan. “Even Nausicaans can read the public shipping manifests.”

“You made us so tempting they would jump us. You’re mad.” Then Evan stopped and looked at her, scrutinising her for a moment. “How many layers are there to this trap?”

“Just enough,” she answered. “Always remember this one rule about pirates; smarter than you think, but greed overrules everything.”

“And when it doesn’t?” Evan asked in reply.

“Then you’re getting into syndicate territory and let’s not worry about that right now.” She watched him roll his eyes, shaking her head in response. “Get to engineering. If anything goes sideways, shout out and make for the Paralus. We’re not sticking aboard this crate a moment longer than we have to.”

“Right,” Evan answered, forgetting his animosity for a moment and leaving without another smart comment in his wake.

“Now,” Sidda said, as she jabbed at a button on the console Ensign Scalzi sat at. “Night Witches, fifteen minutes. Get ready.”