She shook her head.“I’m fine.I don’t need it.”
“It wasn’t a request.We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”Damn, never thought I’d see the day when Mercer’s words came out of my mouth.I crossed my arms over my chest and gave her my best basic-training glower.She didn’t even flinch.
She glared right back.“I’m fine,” she insisted.
Maybe I would have believed her if she hadn’t winced when she sat straighter.Or if she hadn’t told me that she’d jumped out of a window.But right now?Nope, I wasn’t buying it.
“Fine, we’ll do it the hard way.”Mercer had dragged my ass to med bay on more than one occasion when I’d insisted that I was fine.So that’s what we were going to do.
I bent over the chair, slipped my hands under her thighs, and picked her up.
“What are you doing?”she squeaked and grabbed my shoulders.
“I told you, taking you to med bay.”She’d been favoring her left side, so I carried her so her right side rested against my chest.Her weight was somehow comforting.Her braid draped over my arm and was as soft as it had looked.
Dammit, Dax.Not the time for noticing things like that.
“What about my bag?”
“The one with all the tools?”I shook my head.“It’s staying here.”
“But I need it.”
“You don’t need it for a checkup.Unless you’re a cyborg and we need to unscrew you?”
She scowled at me like a fierce kitten.A feral one, with her mussed hair and dirty clothes and sharp claws.I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling.The image made me want to keep her.
“I told you, I’m fine.”She pushed against my chest and winced.
Yeah, that’s what I thought.
“Then this will be a quick trip.”
Her lips thinned and stubbornness radiated from her, but she didn’t argue further.
7
Dax
Lacy didn’t fightme as I carried her to the medical facilities.It wasn’t a long walk and we reached the small room located amidships quickly.Two patient beds took up most of the room, with cabinets for scanners and other medical supplies tucked along the walls.
I set her down on the first bed.
When I’d purchased the ship, it had been important that ithavea med bay, but once that item had been ticked off the shopping list, I hadn’t spent additional time here.That was a mistake.Now that I needed it, I didn’t know where anything was.Or even if I had the necessary supplies.
I tried to recall the ship broker opening and closing cabinets on our tour.My shoulders loosened with relief.Yes, there were supplies.Now I just needed to find the right ones.
When I opened my eyes, Lacy was watching me closely.She tilted her head and paused, as if she was considering her next words carefully.
Then she gave a brisk nod.“Center drawer on the right-hand side.”She pointed.
My eyes narrowed.“What are you talking about?”
“You’re looking for the handheld diagnostic scanner, right?It’s so much easier to use, compared to the full-body scanner.”
How would she...
Curious, I followed her instructions.There was nothing on the outside of the drawer to indicate its contents, but when I opened it, there it was, nestled in a formfitting case.Extra supplies, from batteries to probes, each in a designated spot.
