Unaccustomed to lying about when there was work to be done, she decided to do what she could for their mission. She doubted any of the pirates would give her trouble. Michael’s ownership had been clearly established the night before. Rummaging through the small closet quietly, she found some clothing to wear before peeping out into the hall. It was deserted, but she smelled the faint aroma of cooking food. That’s where the women would probably be, considering the jits had specific gender roles and food preparation was firmly in the female realm of responsibility. Following her nose, Leah was pleased when her scouting mission ended in a relatively large kitchen compartment where about a half dozen human women worked and talked quietly, preparing breakfast. One of them saw Leah standing in the doorway and beckoned her over. “Fetching breakfast for your man?” The woman’s expression was friendly enough. Leah nodded, not sure what to say to these women.
