She reclined on her back, eyes closed, head dimpling the pillow. She was petite, just over five feet but with a very well-formed figure... extraordinarily heavy up top for someone so small. Sledge had said her name was Klaw Dya. He had not given a last name... Rage assumed that Dya was a middle name. He silently entered the cabin, found a seat on the single other piece of furniture in the room, a narrow couch that ran the length of the bulkhead opposite the bunk. He gazed at her placid, bruised face, contemplating the possibilities. In his big right fist rested the weight of a Regulator 402 EMP Baton, which he had snatched from the weps locker before stopping in to visit their guest. It was there if needed but he didn't expect to have to use it.
Now the cabin door's wheel spun slowly and Sledge stepped gingerly in. Rage's face and an upraised hand kept him silent and the skipper returned his gaze to the girl. She was young -- probably somewhere in the vicinity of 24 or so (earth years) -- with a glorious mane of red hair streaked fashionably with purple. She reminded him of a girl he had growned up with back on Houston. Finally he nodded to Sledge who walked over to her and rubbed her shoulder gently.
"Klaw Dya," he said, "wake up, baby."
She must have been in a deep sleep for it took her several moments to regain her wits. But eventually she did, spun her legs around, then folded them in front of her and leaned back against the bulkhead. "What's up guys?" she asked, rubbing her eyes. "Guess I crashed hard..."
Sledge looked at his boss, his eyes saying that he wanted to know 'what was up' as much as she did. Rage took the cue. "You gave my crewman here a medallion."
"Did I?" She ducked her head, cocked it to one side and finally nodded. "Yeah, I did, didn't I?"
The two men looked at one another. Then it was Sledge's turn. "You... don't remember giving it to me?"
"Well, I do now... yeah... some guy at the bizarre sold it to me... when you were gone to the toilet." She wagged her finger at him in mid air. "Remember, I said I was going across the street to the bizarre while you," she grinned devilishly, "how did you put it? 'Went to drain the main thing'."
"Uh... main vein, darling... main vein..." he looked at the skipper and stifled a cackle.
Rage was not amused. They were playing for keeps. These were some very bad people they were going up against and his ship, the life of his crew were at stake. "And you never saw this man before?"
"No," she suddenly looked alarmed. The sleep had finally dissolved enough to allow her to catch on. Concern filled her luminous pale blue eyes, sympathy making Sledge reach out and silently lay a comforting hand on her knee.
Rage saw the gesture and felt an involuntary pang of guilt, felt like he was picking on a defenseless little girl. He shook it off... if she was in league with the Hessians she was anything but defenseless. "Young lady, we have an escape pod that I may very well put you in if you are lying to me." His voice was steel. "Your trailing pirate buddies can pick you up. I'm sure they're somewhere out in our wake right now... following the beacon in that medallion." His voice never rose above a steady, deadly level.
"But... no... I didn't know about the medallion!"
"Rage I think she is telling the truth." Sledge turned to plead her case. "She's no agent."
"Only one way to find out." Rage's deadly gaze never left the girl. "Strip. I want to examine every piece of your clothing."
"Now Rage!" Sledge rose in protest but suddenly noticed the EMP baton, his boss had raised it only slightly but enough to make it noticeable.
"That was not a request. Sledge can do the pat down but I want you out of those clothes now." At that she hurried to comply.