Sparks in the Darkness

        “You okay?”
        The voice behind her made Nika turn slightly, a mere turn of her head as she leaned her chair further back to see Brian Connelly leaned against the doorframe. “Why wouldn’t I be?” She settled back into her nonchalant pose, feet propped on the cockpit console, hands clasped comfortably on her middle, chair leaned back, and head comfortably placed as if for a nap.
        The XO of the ship was a tall, good-looking guy in his mid-20s. In the year that Nika had flown on Harbinger, Connelly had proven himself both capable and fair-minded as a crew member. When he dropped into the co-pilot’s seat across from her and slouched into it, his eyes on her were steady. “Not like you to flout Kramer’s authority.”
        Nika slanted him a glance, though her expression remained calm. “Don’t know what you’re talking about,” she finally replied, her eyes returning to the cockpit’s viewport.
        “C’mon, Nika, give it up,” Brian said quietly. “You set it up for our guest to use the crew shower, and you came back to the bridge with wet hair. I’m not stupid. Last time Kramer nailed someone getting a piece on board, she had ’em scrubbing the head for a month. So before I head off and keep her outta your hair, I wanna know what gives.”
        Instantly defensive, Nika replied with an edge to her tone, “Why? You jealous?”
        Shaking his head with an expression of almost disgust, Brian shot back, “You wanna be a bitch, knock yourself out, Nika.” He shoved himself to his feet. “I’m askin’ because I’m worried about you.”
        Nika was startled by the vehemence. Yeah, she and Brian flirted here and there, but mostly they’d kept their distance from one another since she’d come on board and helped steal the ship. Brian, Harry, and Kramer were the only original crew members on board—all the rest had been out on the town for R&R when Nika had been brought aboard to fly the ship out of Alliance control. “Nothin’ to worry about, Brian… but thanks for the thought.”
        “Nothing to worry about? Girl, Kramer sends you off with Carter to ‘talk’ to our ‘guest’,” Brian’s tone clearly conveyed his skepticism, “and Fraiser reports to me that you cut the sonuvabitch up good enough that he needed stitchin’. Then you break the other regs on getting’ laid while we’re on a run. If you can’t see how far out of the norm that is for you, I’m gonna tell the captain to take you off the duty roster.”
        Nika shot upright in her chair, glaring at Brian. “Don’t even think about going there, Connelly.”
        “You’re leaving me no choice, Nika. You won’t talk to me, and I’ve gotta think about what’s best for the ship. You suddenly running rogue on us? That’s not best for the ship.”
        “I’m running rogue? Screw you, Brian. I did exactly what I was told to do—make the bastard talk.” Nika dropped back into her seat, her expression mutinous and full of rage and shame as she crossed her arms over her chest, throwing her feet up on the console again forcefully. “I did what I damn well had to. And it’s a good thing I did, cuz if I hadn’t, we wouldn’t even know they could track us! You go do what you gotta do, man. I’ll be right here until she kicks my ass out.”
        Brian moved to stand behind her chair, his expression thoughtful. A tentative hand dropped to her shoulder, and when she shrugged it off, he left it on top of the back of the seat. “So … what? You thought since you were already off the reservation, breaking the rest of the rules was okay?”
        Nika was silent for a long time. “I wasn’t really thinking much about the rules, Brian. Just thinkin’ that I really just wanted to escape what I just did. I’m not real proud of myself,” she said tiredly, her eyes never turning to him.
        He didn’t speak, not endless minutes. The silence stretched out so long, Nika would have thought he’d left the cockpit except that she could still feel him standing behind her. When he did finally say something, his words surprised her. “You didn’t have to turn to a stranger for that, you know.” Shocked, she looked over her shoulder at him, and he quirked her a half-grin, part rogue, part comprehension of her state of mind.
        “Yeah, yeah,” Nika scoffed, struggling to put things back on a more normal footing. “You’re just hoping to get laid, and you know Shyla and Harry’d cut your balls off for even trying with them.”
        Brian laughed quietly. “Damn, Nika, didn’t know your self-esteem was that low,” he quipped back. He reached down and touched her damp braid, lightly tugging on it. “You ever wanna take me up on it, lemme know. It’s an open-ended invite. Meanwhile … lemme go head off the captain so she doesn’t have your guts for garters. I’m pretty sure that’s not what she meant when she said ‘all the amenities.’” He turned and headed toward the door of the cockpit.
        Looking after him, Nika frowned a little. “Hey Brian?”
        He paused in the doorway, giving her a questioning look.
        “… Thanks.” She grinned slightly. “Don’t think I’m gonna be bucking Kramer’s rules. I don’t need my ass kicked.”
        He laughed at her then. “Guess I’ll have to corner you planetside sometime, then.”
        And then Brian stepped out and was gone, leaving Nika to wonder if he was serious or just trying to get her into a better headspace.