I splutter in outrage. "Treating me well? Are you high?"
Dopekh nods. "He did not ask for plas-film for protection. When it was suggested, he seemed offended. Lord Straik is not going to touch you." He gestures at the blanket tucked around me. "You are comfortable on his bed. It might not be what you want, but it could be much, much worse. You forget he is a pirate and we are his crew. I have seen how he treats his enemies and you are not his enemy."
I shake my head. How is it my one ally is turning against me? "No, you don't understand. He's trying to force me to give up names. He's not letting me eat or drink or use the restroom, and until I give him a name, he's going to keep withholding things from me. I won't sell you out, but I really, really am struggling." I give him a pleading look. "If you free me, I'll hide so well that he won't be able to question me. It'll take me out of the equation."
Dopekh shakes his head again. "If I do, he will know it was me. If I do not, you will confess that it was me. Either way, I am his enemy and I never meant to harm Lord Straik. He is a good, kind leader. He has always supported his crew, even when we were just expendable clones. I do not like that I have betrayed him." He gives me a faint smile. "Which is why I am going to confess that it was me who let you onto the ship."
"I think that's a terrible idea." Not only because it takes away all of my leverage, but I'm going to lose my one single buddy on the ship. "He's going to lock you up."
"I will deserve it."
"Can you be a martyr after I pee and eat something?" I whine, tugging at the cuff.
He shakes his head, his expression sad. "I cannot help you any longer. I must confess. And if this means I am punished, it is no more than I deserve." Dopekh hangs his head. "If this means you must share my shame about who I love, then do so. I will handle it."
My heart hurts. He's clearly torturing himself over this. "Like I'd do that to a friend? You're all I've got left."
He manages a miserable smile in my direction. "It seems we have that in common. You—"
"—have what in common?" Straik asks, striding back into the room. His robes swirl around his legs as he pauses and gives Dopekh a pointed look. "Please, continue your conversation."
The strong, confident-looking a'ani practically shrinks under Straik's angry gaze. He looks a bit like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. I've always thought of Dopekh as big and strong compared to myself, but next to Lord Straik, he looks not much larger than me. Is it because Straik is that massive? Or is it just that his race is intimidatingly large? Either way, I hate it.
Dopekh straightens, resignation all over his face. "I am here to confess, Lord Straik."
Straik crosses his arms over his chest. "About the mutiny?"
"What? No, there's no mutiny—" Dopekh looks over at me in sheer panic. "My lord, I would never—"
"It's my fault," I speak up, my voice loud so they'll look over at me. "I convinced him to let me onto the ship. I let him touch my boobs in exchange for adding me to the computer systems."
Straik's expression turns downright triumphant. "So you were brought low by a female?"
Dopekh stares at the floor, not answering.
I decide to speak up for him again. "That's right. He was trying to be strong, but I practically shoved my breasts in his face. What could he do in the face of such temptation? I stole him away from you." Now I just need a mustache to twirl to go along with my boobs of doom. "So leave him alone already."
Straik turns his gaze on me, striding across the room. I'm not sure what he's going to do, but when he yanks the blanket off me and studies my chest, it's not that. "They are nice breasts," he agrees. "But I doubt that's enough to make one of my most loyal members of my crew turn."
"Never underestimate the power of human boobs," I tell him. "They can make men do anything."
He grunts and tosses the blanket back over me. His gaze moves back to the a'ani. "This is disappointing of you, Dopekh, but I suppose it is natural to be curious about humans. What about the mutiny?"
I make a frustrated noise in my throat. "Oh my god, there's no mutiny! It was all me! I came over here to spy on you!" I shake my head at him, incredulous. "Worst mistake of my life, because I should have stayed on the Star to die with my damn friends—"