The elusive Les was found in the cabin from which the Falleen had taken the girl. The door was ajar, and snorting and splashing could be heard in the corridor.
Rick entered first, placing his hand on the blaster's hilt, but not yet thinking of drawing it. Les was an incomprehensible, secretive, and mysterious character. Strange, as Hailan said, but he hadn't shown aggression yet. Well, and the counter simply believed that if someone was in the shower, he personally would be very unpleasant if someone peeked in with a blaster in his hand.
Apparently, Rayno hadn't heard them. Sticking his head under the tap, he vigorously rubbed his hair with a bar of simple soap he'd found nearby. Streams of dirty foam ran down his bare back with protruding vertebrae and ribs. His removed shirt lay on a mattress thrown on the floor.
All in all, it was a good thought. Hailan also felt the three-day unwashedness, but, like a true man, he could endure such an inconvenience for some time. At least until everything settled down. Whatever the case, he considered it indecent to interfere in such a personal process.
Rick also thought there was no point in bothering Les, so he went outside the door. The only thing that bothered him in this situation was how Les had so luckily chosen the room of the woman whom Jar had dragged away.
"Will you watch him?" the guy asked, looking at the doors to the captain's cabin and the other crew members, "I'll check the cabins again for now."
"What's there to watch," Hailan reasoned, "if you can always see where he is? Besides, what will I tell him?"
"I took off my armor, I don't want to run to the terminal," Rick waved him off, diving into one of the cabins. Naturally, the Alderaanian was not happy about such a setup. Waiting by the cabin seemed foolish and intrusive to him. However, a solution was found. Walking a little further down the corridor, he pretended to be strolling. The splashing soon stopped. A minute later, Les peeked out of the cabin, already in a shirt, trying to comb his tangled wet hair with his fingers.
Solka turned around at the opened door: "Oh, Les. I'm looking for you. Enjoy your bath."
He tried to speak louder so that Rick in the cabin would also hear.
The guy stopped, looking through his long bangs at Hailan.
"With steam?" he asked uncertainly. "But there's no steam there... The water is cold."
Hailan readily launched into an explanation: "Oh, that's a common expression on some planets. Where it's customary to use a sauna or a bathhouse to wash the body. It's a special room where the hot water is heated to such a temperature that steam forms..."
The cabin was dirty. The crew who had been there had turned everything upside down, including dirty glasses. The bunk had been moved, the bedding thrown on the floor.
Rick didn't need to touch the items with his hands; he sat down near the door and looked thoughtfully at the created mess. Sometimes something was sewn into the bedding, sometimes caches were made in the ventilation. All valuable things had already been removed, but such places could be inspected. And Rick could inspect them without even getting close, which he did.
The search yielded results. There was something in one of the bed legs.
Rick approached the bed and carefully examined the leg he was interested in. If there was something there, it could be retrieved somehow.
The plug that closed the tube serving as a leg looked loose.
The guy began to carefully pry the plug out of its mountings, after checking everything for any unpleasant surprises.
There were no surprises in the leg, except for a bullet casing hanging on a thread. The casing was sealed with a piece of plastic. Something rattled inside.
Les listened to the lecture with a very surprised look.
"So, it's a ritual wish?" he clarified. "And why do they wash so strangely?.."
"It's a ritual wish, yes. It's said when a person has just washed. As for the strangeness... Is this strange? Some peoples wash without water at all. For example, with sand. Others apply oil to their bodies and scrape off the dirt with it using a special tool. Others use ultrasonic cleaners. By the way, those are usually installed on spaceships. Others shed dirty skin, so they don't need to wash. Fifth ones use their own sweat to wash off dirt, wiping it off in dry heat. We could go on for a long time."
"You know an astonishing amount about other peoples, Lieutenant," Rick said with a smile as he came out of the room, holding a small cartridge pendant on a string, "do you travel a lot?"
"No," he shook his head. "I'm interested. More precisely, I was interested during my studies. I was being trained as a diplomat. And they have to know a lot."
Les's gaze at the failed diplomat strongly resembled a gourmet's gaze at a lavishly set table.
"Curious," and the lieutenant also understood ancient cultures. A very curious specimen. "Rayno, tell us what you saw when the slavers thought you were unconscious."
"General cell," Les replied grimly. "For all three days. I crept on tiptoe to drink so that no one would hear... Before that, they dragged me onto the transport, dumped me in the hold, injected me. Unloaded me here. Took me upstairs by elevator, dumped me there, closed the door. That's all."
"And the women? When they separated them? And did anyone approach me? Examine me, take samples? Maybe I was taken somewhere?" the Alderaanian pressed.
"The women were immediately transferred to another transport, and it left," Les repeated. "As for the samples... No one took samples. But on the second day, they came in with flashlights, I was almost blinded. They looked at everyone. They chose someone, said: 'This one will do.'"
"So, as I understand it, at random? Then yes, then it makes sense."
"What makes sense?" Rick was very interested in the logical chain that Hailan had built in his head.
"It doesn't make sense to turn into me specifically, as I've already said. But if they didn't care who it was, or if they were guided by some of their own criteria, then that explains a lot."
"I see," the counter thought. "Les, a ship will arrive soon. And it would be better if you stopped wandering the station alone."
Surprise was reflected on Rayno's living face.
"Should I be afraid of the crew? There's no one else here..."
"You should be afraid that the slavers will arrive an hour and a half early, and you won't have time to run to the ship," Rick admitted honestly.
"Oh..." surprise turned into understanding. "Although if they arrive before your ship, it won't matter where I don't have time to run."
"If they arrive early, I'll have two ships," Rick replied carelessly, "in any case, it's better for all of us to return to the hangar."
He turned to Hailan: "I have a good medic on board, we can take the double's body with us, perform an autopsy, tests, if you want," it seemed pointless. "I wouldn't leave such a corpse here anyway."
"They left us enough weapons for three ships," Rayno finally pushed through the noticeably lightened growth on his head, his eyes flashing through his bangs. "I'm going down."
"Agreed. If there's someone to research, it's better not to miss this chance. Although I'm more and more convinced that this situation doesn't concern me."
"Then let's drag the body to the terminal," the counter summed up with a sigh and put the amulet he found in his pocket.
By the estimated arrival time, all survivors were gathered in the hangar, or more precisely, in the room next to it. Rick didn't want to show anyone but himself, because Les was right. The slavers could arrive early. He himself sat by the collected pile of things, which was folded on improvised stretchers, and waited.
He really hoped that he would feel the approach of his own before the barrel-shaped silhouette of "The Chance" appeared in the hangar.
Twenty minutes later, the terminal reported the arrival of a ship in the system. Touching the Force, the counter felt no threat to himself and concluded that the one he was waiting for with such inner excitement had arrived. But he was in no hurry to give the command for the others to come out. He could be mistaken.
A comlink call signal was heard.
Having accepted the signal, the counter did not start the conversation first, deciding to let the navigator speak. However, the interlocutor was also in no hurry to start the conversation.
A heavy pause hung in the air with the distinct feeling of a storm cloud growing on the horizon. And finally, the thunder struck.
"Who is on the line?" the navigator's voice was unlike anything Rick had heard before.
"And who is asking?" Rick asked delicately, and immediately continued: "enough foreplay, fly into the hangar, we're short on time."
And finally, he waved to the people hiding in cover to come out. Someone in the speaker clearly choked on air, and the connection was broken. Then, in the gap of the hangar exit, it became visible how an impenetrable shadow obscured the stars. The protective field bubble let "The Happy Chance" inside, the ramp began to lower even before the ship stopped – this could already be considered the personal signature of the one piloting the transport. With ponderous grace, turning it across the hangar, Nick positioned the ship with the entrance facing the people.
Hailan, who had carefully followed the conversation from the utility room, waited for the signal, climbed out, and prepared for loading.
"Grab the things and load them into the hold," Rick shouted. "Hailan, take the stone, Les... take my bag and walk next to me. Do not leave the ship's hold until I give permission."
"And where is the stone?" Solka looked around puzzled.
"Here," Rick pointed to the lump wrapped in the chair's drapery, "it's heavy, so be careful."
Sighing, the Alderaanian unwrapped the winding a little, freeing one edge. He crouched, lifted it by the edge of the winding, threw it over his shoulder, and, grunting, followed the others.
"Sorry, Lieutenant, but only you understand the value of this thing," Rick said calmly, looking at Les and his bag, which contained his armor and navicom parts, "besides, some things need to be watched closely."
Rayno glared discontentedly from under his bangs, but didn't argue and took his place next to him. The bag clearly seemed not very heavy to him – in addition, he grabbed a couple of blasters and a knife he had obtained somewhere. True, it still reduced his agility.
The crew, having picked up weapons and everything else that caught their eye, headed for the ramp. Following them, the droid rushed, waving its manipulators. After climbing the ramp into the hold, Solka moved to the nearest corner, carefully put down the valuable cargo, and leaned against the bulkhead, waiting for what was next.
Rick wasn't kidding when he demanded that the representative of the unknown race walk next to him and keep a close eye on him. Talking about the fact that he could be killed on the ship for excessive attentiveness and curiosity by at least two hands was inappropriate and tactless, as the Alderaanian would probably say.
Therefore, he boarded the ship next to the alien, who resembled a lanky teenager, noting that the droid, whom he had somehow forgotten about, had also followed. Glancing at the hangar, the counter made sure he had taken all his belongings, and only then paid attention to who was meeting him on his own ship and how.
The arrivals were met by a not-so-young woman with long light hair styled around her head, looking like an aunt meeting wayward nephews.
"We were worried," it was said without a hint of reproach, but those present might feel some awkwardness for the caused concern. "Sir, the navigator is requesting a new course."
"The nearest planet on the Corellian run," the captain immediately replied, and added: "I'll replace him as soon as I sort things out here. Did you have any incidents?"
Larius relayed the order, put away the comlink. The ramp immediately began to rise, the ship began to turn its nose towards the exit.
"We picked up a life pod," the woman reported. "Pirate attack. One survivor."
"We're like space rescuers or something," Rick grinned, ticking off a note to talk to the survivor, and stepped a couple of paces away from the group of rescued people. "Gentlemen, welcome aboard 'The Happy Chance'. To avoid misunderstandings, I want to state two points. First: carrying weapons on the ship is the prerogative of the crew. Therefore, I ask you to leave all blasters and knives here. For the duration of the flight, your safety is solely my responsibility. Second: I ask you not to leave the third level of the ship, where you will all be accommodated in the lounge. I strongly advise against wandering around other parts of the ship without my knowledge. In the near future, a doctor will examine you all, and then I will try to feed you something more than nutritional bars. Any questions?"
At this moment, he looked intently at Les, as the most likely source of problems.
Hailan fully agreed about the weapons. Even more so. Throwing his E-11 off his shoulder and unbuckling the holster with his pistol, he asked: "Maybe it's better not right here, but in some safe?"
Les thought, sighed, and took the bag strap off his shoulder. The weapons followed.
"And the doctor – is that mandatory?" he asked. Apparently, the prospect of an examination didn't inspire him.
"Everything will be moved to the safe a little later," Rick paused for a moment. What the captain was about to do was cruel, but he hoped it was justified. "I don't want to bother you with routine, Mr. Rayno, but while you are on my ship, I am responsible for your life. Therefore, a doctor's examination is a mandatory part of this responsibility. However, as is the preservation of personal data."
Les shrugged and remained silent. Larius squinted at him. At that moment, the ship shuddered slightly, jumping into hyperspace.
"I don't understand..." was heard from the rescued crew. "Are we in a blind jump?.."
"I have a very experienced navigator," Rick said briefly, mentally adding, "who wants to go head-on," and a good navicom, don't worry."
Rayno couldn't hide his burning curiosity. Although he honestly tried.
The navigator of "The Gem," reassured, went to hand over the blaster collection. The rest followed him.
All in all, Solka was also interested. He understood the crew's surprise, but attributed it to the fact that the coordinates had been calculated in advance.
Taking the passengers up to the third level, the captain led them to a spacious lounge. Which, in fact, he himself was in for the first time, apart from the inspection when buying the ship.
"I apologize, but the ship is not designed for such a number of passengers, and besides, transporting them is not its main activity, please understand and accept the forced inconvenconveniences," Rick smiled. "You can rest and get a good night's sleep. I will provide a separate excursion for those who wish to see the ship later. Lieutenant Solka, I would like to talk to you a little later, after you have rested and eaten."
Lieutenant Solka nodded and happily sank onto the sofa. He belatedly thought, however, that his clothes were not very clean. But it was too late. The freshener, as he understood, already had a queue. Just like the sanitation block.
There was a strange understanding in Captain Lowe's gaze – as if this person had drawn some conclusion that explained everything that was happening to him, and this conclusion satisfied him.
"Thank you, Captain Monroe," he replied quietly. "There's no need for apologies. I think you've already... broken a lot of different instructions to help us. My people won't cause you any problems, I vouch for them."
Rayno, who clearly did not belong to Lowe's people, tried very hard to look small and unnoticeable... And one could be sure that everything said did not apply to him.
"Alright, I'll excuse myself now, I need to return to my team," Rick said goodbye, descended by elevator to the middle deck, and walked quickly to the cockpit.
Hailan looked around at those present again and joined the queue for washing. He put the disk in the nightstand in the corner.