Captain Rhiati nearly second-guessed her decision to bring Cane aboard.
My own selfishness, she admitted.
She lived each day knowing every crew member—including herself—was expendable. It was the only way to survive in constant danger. But could the Alliance afford to lose someone like him?
"Back to work!" she barked, snapping her crew from their reverie.
She strode to Cane and offered him a hand up. "Never seen anyone make metal do that."
Her sharp eyes flicked to the honeycombed structure now standing solid behind him. A few minutes ago, it had been a pile of dulled, discarded blades.
"It's beautiful," she murmured. "But what is it?"
Cane just wiggled his eyebrows and grabbed one of the encased rounds from the crate. Holding it horizontally, he slid it smoothly into the first hexagon.
Rhiati's eyes widened. "Storage? For the rounds?"
"Yep." Cane retrieved the remaining four rounds and tucked them into place. "We can transfer the rounds from the hold into this storage. Keep everything ready and close."
Ria bent closer, running a hand over the smooth, hexagonal shapes. "You just thought of this?"
Cane nodded. "I used smaller hexes for the HAVs. That's part of what makes them float. This… just felt right."
She smiled, still trying to ignore the gnawing worry at the back of her mind. At the first sign of real danger, I turn this ship around. No hesitation.
"You're amazing, Cane."
Cane gave her a mock frown. "Don't butter me up—I had plans today."
Ria leaned in slightly, teasing. "I'll make it up to you. Let's get the rest of the rounds loaded, then you can show us how to work this beast properly."
The sun rose high overhead as Cane ran the crew through training on the main gun.
They gathered behind him while he manipulated the rotating platform, showing them how to use the cranks, align the 'X'-shaped reticle, and match the correct range on the vertical scale.
Each crew member took a turn adjusting and aiming. The steps were clear, precise, and repeatable.
"When I'm not around," Cane instructed, "you'll need to swab the barrel every six rounds."
"What else?" Ria asked, arms crossed.
"We'll need a cover for it. Something watertight. And since this is an ocean vessel, wipe it down with light oil once a week. Salt eats everything eventually."
Ria nodded, eyes drifting toward the horizon. At this pace, they'd arrive just after dark.
Not ideal. Deploying a super-ranged weapon for its first battle in the dark felt like a recipe for disaster.
She called out, "Lower the main! Let's ease in—take our time."
The crew sprang to motion.
"We'll approach at dawn," Ria said, more to herself than anyone else. "With the sun behind us."
"Want to have dinner in the captain's cabin?" Ria asked as she approached. "Normally it's just me and Neri."
Cane nodded. "Sure. But let's bring the rest of the main gun rounds up from storage first—no sense leaving it for later."
"They looked pretty heavy," Ria admitted. "Let's get it done."
Within moments, a dozen sets of boots moved toward the hold.
"Hey—let's use a daisy chain," Cane suggested as they neared the ladder. "Otherwise we'll be lugging them up one at a time."
Maude stopped short. The rounds had looked heavy. But after hoisting one earlier, she had no doubt now—they were heavy. "Daisy chain?"
Cane nodded. "We form a line, each person about a meter apart. First person picks up a round, passes it down the line. No one's carrying more than a couple steps."
Maude squinted. "So I have to hold dozens of them instead of just two or three?" She narrowed her eyes. "You wouldn't mess with me… right?"
"Nope," Cane said. Then added under his breath, "Not while we're working."
The crew fell into place and quickly got the rhythm. Each round moved up the steep ladder from the hold, crossed the main deck, and was passed up the helm stairs to the waiting hexagon rack.
After just a few rounds, it became clear—carrying one solo all the way from below deck would've been brutal.
By the time the final round slid into its slot, every crew member agreed: daisy chains were like magic.
Maude leaned against the rail beside Cane, catching her breath. "Daisy chain, huh? Where'd that name come from?"
"From daisy chains," Cane said casually.
Maude blinked. "That's not helpful."
Cane tilted his head. "You never had a sweetheart before the sea?"
Her face pinked a little too fast. "What? Course I did. Plenty of suitors. So many I could afford to be picky. What's that got to do with daisies?"
A few crewmembers had drawn closer, casually pretending not to eavesdrop. Neri included.
"You pick daisies," Cane said, smiling at the memory. "Use the stems to tie them together. Make a necklace or bracelet for someone you like."
Maude stared off toward the sea. "That does sound nice," she muttered. Then, "Ever made one?"
"Not since I was ten." Cane chuckled. "There was this girl named Alusha…"
"Pretty, I bet," Maude guessed.
"Like a rainbow," Cane said, eyes twinkling.
Maude leaned in slightly. "So what happened?"
"To Alusha?" Cane sighed. "Left me for another."
"At ten?" Maude's eyes narrowed. "How old was she?"
Cane shrugged. "Not sure. She just up and flew away one day."
Maude paused. "…Flew?"
"She was a duck," Cane said, deadpan. "Nice white feathers. Pretty sure she ate the daisy chain I made her."
There was a beat of stunned silence.
Then laughter exploded across the deck.
"Damn it," Maude groaned, laughing too hard to stay annoyed. "You had me going!"
"You remembered where my cabin was?" Rhiati asked, a teasing smile curling on her lips as Cane entered behind Neri.
"Sure," Cane replied. "I slept like a baby last time I was here."
He inhaled deeply. "Smells amazing. What's on the menu?"
The captain's quarters were a model of practical luxury. A bed and desk sat along the far wall beneath a porthole window that let in soft natural light. A small round table, enough for four, rested near a compact shower stall etched with hot and cold water runes. Clearly, the captain liked her creature comforts.
Ria's glance held warning. "That was a one-time event—and only because I felt bad for you," she said, referencing Cane's last visit, when he collapsed on her bed after sabotaging the Avenger and didn't move until dawn.
Cane winked but didn't press the point. "So, dinner?"
"Roasted duck," Ria answered.
Cane clutched his chest dramatically. "No… Alusha."
Neri broke into laughter, musical and sweet with a siren's cadence.
Ria gave them both a confused look. "Do I even want to know?"
"I'll eat your portion," Neri offered, still laughing.
"Oh, I'll eat it," Cane said. "That duck did me wrong."
Neri laughed harder. "Then I'll help you get your revenge."
Ria's gaze bounced between them. "What the hell are you two talking about?"
Neri, through more laughter, explained the daisy chain story, complete with Cane's feathered heartbreak.
When it was done, Ria shook her head, smiling. "You're good for morale, Cane. Careful—we might extend your two-day stay."
Neri nodded, clearly not against the idea. Cane just groaned.
"You're gonna make me fail my classes."
He accepted a bottle of wine from Ria, using a corkscrew to pop it open with a soft thump.
"What's new with you?" Ria asked, sliding her empty glass toward him. "I've been hearing rumors."
Cane filled her glass, then Neri's. "I bought a house in the capital," he said. "The Forson Estate."
Ria's brow lifted. "Really? I know that place."
She winked at Neri. "Looks like we've got a place to stay next time we're in port."
"Our next shore leave's next month," Neri added, smiling as she dove into her duck with a touch of glee.
"You're welcome to stay," Cane offered easily. "Telamon asked me to reserve the guest wing for cadets, dignitaries, and… miscellaneous friends."
Ria raised her glass. "To daisy chains. And Alusha."
Cane lifted his own. "May she rest in pieces."
They laughed, clinking glasses as roasted duck and warmth filled the room.
"So… you have a room for us in the guest wing?" Ria asked, her tone teasing again.
Cane looked up mid-bite. "Nah. You two can stay in the main wing. It's got everything—maids, cooks, a butler. All the bells."
Ria softened, her voice low. "Don't make a promise you're not going to keep."
Cane blinked. "Huh? I would never lie about room assignments."
He grinned. "It's written in stone."