“I can understand, you asshole. Did you ever think maybe you should ask me before stripping me naked?” Opal's jaw is set into a scowl.
“Please let Opal know what you’re doing going forward,” I tell the techs. “Opal, they do have to remove them.”
Opal’s frown deepens. “Can you at least give me some privacy then?”
Although my mind flashes back to her very public display on the bus, I do the right thing and nod. I pull Gra’eth into the dining room even though privacy seems laughable to imagine between us now. I barely have time to sit down at the table before I hear her human scream. My stomach drops as the noise causes my brain to panic.
“F’tee privacy,” I tell Gra’eth as I run back into the room.
There Opal stands, in nothing but her beautiful pink skin. She’s holding the surgical scissors in her hand, jabbing at the two decon techs who are holding up their arms up in compliance. One tech holds a syringe in his raised palm.
“Eyes to the fucking floor, Gra’eth.”
He drops his gaze from my naked Opal. It’s bad enough I have to allow the techs to touch her. I won’t suffer Gra’eth looking upon what I know ismine.
“You are not sticking me with that fucking needle you alien nerd!” she bellows. She turns toward me, her sad eyes in opposition to her vexed mouth. “You said no fucking shots.”
I look toward Gra’eth who stares dutifully at his shoes. “I did give her my word.”
He taps his fingers over his crossed arms, screwing his mouth to the side in thought. “You did, and what good is a prince if his word means nothing?”
He pulls his data pad from his breast pocket and types. His eyebrows rise as he reads.
“We could test her for the specific bacteria and viruses instead, but there’s a twelve hour lead time on results,” he states matter of factly.
“Have staff bring the bed here,” I say. “Opal, we’ll need to have you sleep here for just tonight, is that alright?”
“No shots?” she asks.
“No shots…just promise not to hurt the decon techs. They need to grab a few swabs and we’ll test you first instead of treating you preventively.”
“Where do they need to swab?” she asks, eyeing the wary techs.
“Yes Gra’eth, wheredothey need to swab?”
He shuffles his feet a bit and clears his throat. “Well, just the standard mucus membranes.”
Opal cackles maniacally with the scissors still raised. “Great, so a fucking shot or a pussy swab?”
“Well, don’t forget,” he taps his data pad again, “nose, eyes, and throat as well, at least that’s the extent of it for humans… I think?” He scrolls on his data pad, his human research obviously being done on the fly.
I frown. Opal is obviously displeased with her two choices. “Yes, but I promise it will all be easier after we can make sure you won’t get anyone sick.”
As we look into each other’s eyes, I see some of the tension leave her body. She drops the scissors to the floor, the stainless steel clanking on marble, with a look of defeat on her face. As if she suddenly realizes that she’s standing there bare for the world to see, her pink skin flushes red, and she covers herself with her hands.
“I’ll do the swabs, just please let me do it without y’all watching.” She stares at the floor, no longer meeting my eyes.
“Of course, Opal. I’m sorry this has been so incredibly invasive. I wish there was another way.” I nod to her but have to stop myself from dropping into a bow. I can only imagine what protocol that would breach. “Is there anything I can have brought to you? Are you hungry, thirsty, perhaps a screen?”
She looks at me and sighs. “I’m fine.”
I make it a point to pull Gra’eth toward the doorway. I’ll give Opal the privacy she wants.
“Actually,” she says, “if you have a book, something in English, that might be nice.”
I turn back to her, pulling Gra’eth’s elbow as he swivels back to face her with me.
“Of course, I’ll find something immediately. Good night Opal,” I say before turning back toward Gra’eth and seeing him looking toward the clean room—looking at Opal.
