Waking up naked in his arms was new and exciting but Sanya couldn't allow herself to get used to it.

"Jak," she whispered. She had discovered that she liked calling him Jak. The name was sharp and to the point like one of her daggers. He seemed to like it as well, and she liked it when he called her Nya.

But this could never happen again. It had to be the only time…

His hands roamed over her and he pulled her closer as if he never wanted this time to end. She didn't either.

"Jak, when we go back…"

He took a slight break from kissing and caressing her to speak. "You're going to bring up that 'no relationships on board' rule."

"Aye." She squirmed pleasurably in his embrace. "I'm the one who made that rule. I never wanted my ship to become a floating brothel or to make things awkward for myself or Freya or the men."

"It's a good rule, Nya." He smiled and kissed her nose. "No one's saying it's not."

She nodded. "So it would probably be better if we didn't arrive back there… together. Maybe I can go back first and then you can…"

"No." Jamos offered. "You take your time. I'll go back and get everything ready for our voyage north, so when you step on board all you have to do is give the order, Captain."

...

They indulged in each other for a while longer and when he finally made his exit from her room she listened for an exclamation from the dining room below at the realization that they had spent the night together. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard only silence. She could do like he said, relax, take her time, maybe have a bath, but she was anxious to return to her command.

And then the doubt began to seep in. Her position as a female captain has always been tentative. What if the crew decided that they would rather have a male leader? A nobleman's son? Heir to the whole north after his brother?

Drokko Kira's words came back to her, never sail under the black again… rot with the rest of the whores …

Is that what she was now?

Sanya climbed out of bed and began to dress. She felt the dull ache between her legs where Jamos Blackwell had taken her. She had given herself to him!

What if it had all been a lie to get her in bed, to distract her from his real plan, to take her captaincy and her ship? He had seemed so sincere.

Well, Captain Sanya Harkon, The Knife, was not going down without a fight!

She finished dressing and armed herself as if she were going into battle and then she set off for the river to see if her ship was even still there.

None of her crew were down in the pub. Just a few of the beast riders were lounging around, probably wondering who they were going to follow now that Kira had been taken from them. Perhaps if she had to fight to take back the Bloody Galia she could enlist some of them.

But when she got to the place where they had anchored the day before, the ship was right where she had left it. There was a considerable amount of activity going on on deck like there always was when her crew were preparing for a journey.

Then Markos Flint noticed her on shore and sent the rowboat to bring her on board. Well that was something. They at least still wanted her.

She hauled herself up the ladder and over the rail and stood with hands on her hips. A few of the men called a greeting or tipped their hats as they scurried to do their duties. That was encouraging. There was something about the way they smiled at her, though. And there was a commotion centered around the door to her cabin.

Jak was among them arms akimbo and stuttering, "I - I really don't know if this is a good idea!"

A female voice seemed to be explaining something to him and as Sanya approached she saw it was Freya leading the… whatever this was.

"Captain, you're back!" The former whore smiled and threw a salute which wasn't really necessary.

Sanya wasn't sure if it was meant to be mocking or respectful. "What's going on here?"

"As I was trying to explain to the Quartermaster…"

Jak shrugged innocently.

Freya continued. "After we could see that the two of you," She gestured toward the captain and the quartermaster. "Had figured out what the rest of us had seen for months."

"And what is that exactly?" Sanya snarled.

"That you're in love with each other." Freya smiled as if it were obvious and then hurried on. "The crew took a vote. We agreed that Marlon should have the med bay back to himself and that I would have more privacy in my own cabin."

"She means my cabin." Jak frowned.

Sanya looked back and forth between them. "But then where will…"

"We've had Quartermaster Frasier's things moved here." Freya waved her hand at the door to the captain's quarters.

"But what about the rule?" Sanya fumed. "I explicitly forbade r-" she couldn't say the word romantic, "relationships onboard!"

"We all figured that didn't really apply to you, Captain." Freya said more gently. "Lots of captains take mistresses…"

Sanya had stopped listening. She shoved past them all into her cabin, her sanctuary, or it always had been.

"And is that what I'm to be now," Jak was still sputtering, "the captain's… mister?" He stormed into the cabin as well and slammed the door behind him.

Sanya jumped and only when he turned and looked at her did he realize what he had done.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea. I had no part in this," he implored.

She looked around the space. It was mostly as she had left it but for his sea chest that had been dragged in.

Was that really all he had to his name? He hadn't come on board with much. The other crew members had lent him necessaries when he joined up and then he must have gradually purchased what he needed when he received his pay. Still it wasn't the grand luggage of a noble's son. The quartermaster's cabin would have been a big step up from the hammock slung up in the hold with the rest of the men. And now this…

"Nya?"

"Don't call me that!" She spat reflexively.

"I'm sorry… Captain."

She gave a weak nod of acceptance of the apology.

"I know this is your… haven, your refuge. I would never dream of imposing, of taking advantage…"

"Of course." Her eyes were still on the trunk that contained all his worldly possessions. The spot where they had left it was the exact spot where her former quartermaster's body had lain, as the life bled out of him.

Jak took a step towards her and she whirled on him, knife drawn.

He jumped back, hands raised in supplication and then as if reading her mind he asked, "did he hurt you? Did Mister Hardicort try to force himself on you here in this cabin? Is that why…"

She dropped the knife and made a strangled sound in her throat.

"I saw the way he looked at you. I wanted to kill him myself." Jak set his jaw at the memory. "But you kissed him that night of your birthday in the pub."

"That was only to get a rise out of you," she admitted.

"You didn't come back here with him that night."

"No. No, he walked me back to the ship but then I asked Marlon to give me my tattoo." She touched the place on her shoulder where sailed the ink facsimile of the Bloody Galia . Jak had traced its shape with his fingers and his lips just last night…

"I think Mister Hardicort read more into that kiss than just trying to make me jealous."

She nodded. "He wanted me all along. He wanted to take those kriffing stolen credits and run away with me. He thought I would grow tired of piracy and want to settle down someplace like the lady I was born to be."

"With himself as the lord at your side."

"Aye." Sanya took a shaky breath. "He didn't understand. I would never give this up, being captain, being free."

"And you shouldn't have to." Jak had cut the distance between them. "You've worked hard for this, earned the respect of your crew. I would never ever take that from you."

They were close enough to touch but he let her make the first move. She reached up and ran her finger along the sideburn that she knew concealed the scar she had given him. "Is it true then, what Freya said, that they all knew that… you're in love with me?"

A smile turned up the corner of his mouth. "I think I always have been." He took her hand in his and kissed her palm.

"Well, then I suppose we'll have to find out what position this new course has lead us to." She turned her back to him, looking at her bed which now she supposed, with the simple vote of the crew, had become their bed.

"Aye, Captain."

She undid her belt and let it fall to the floor, followed by her breeches, revealing the Blackhold Isle shaped birthmark on her shebs.

He sucked in a breath at the sight of her. "I have always enjoyed navigation and getting my hands on a good map."

She laughed. "And there was something Kira said, about being on top…"

He wasted no time in removing his own clothing and following her toward the bed. "Aye, Captain!"

As they fell into each other's arms for the second time in less than twelve standard hours she breathed his nickname, "Jak…"

"Aye Captain?"

She gazed at him. "When we're here, just the two of us, call me Nya…"