Chatav considers this carefully, then nods. “I’ll determine what to do with her over dinner. Be sure she’s dressed appropriately.” He turns his back to me and marches out of med bay, military-crisp.
Keffing hell. Dinner? Every time the ship has visitors, the captain loves to put on a military-style formal dinner foreveryone. It’s more or less the politest interrogation possible. I was hoping he wouldn’t pull this shit, but the captain loves ceremony. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea for Trakan to know that she’s here,” I call after the captain’s back.
“I did not ask you, Vendasi.” The captain’s response is icy. He doesn’t even turn around. “This is a small crew. We don’t keep secrets from each other.”
Sure we don’t. We just don’t ask about shit we don’t want to know about. I rub my jaw. “Fine.”
I don’t like this, but I don’t have a choice. I’m not in charge here, and even if I dig my heels in, Niri and Trakan will go with what the captain says. I’m just the mech. But I can’t get over the feeling that I’m somehow ruining Farli’s life already, and it doesn’t sit well in my gut. I know what it’s like, first hand, when someone invades a peaceful land and brings unwanted technology with them. And it makes my blood run cold to think of Farli losing the happy innocence in her demeanor.
I’m going to do my damnedest to protect that.
4
MARDOK
Ihave to finish up my work outside, because leaving the parts scattered in the bloody snow isn’t a good idea. I leave Farli with Niri and go back to my task. I clean up the engine as best I can, but I’m distracted. It’s impossible to work without thinking of Farli and her wide-eyed wonder. She’s beautiful, and there’s something so pure about her that I feel…hungry for. I’m the last one she should get involved with, but I feel like we’re connected nevertheless. And I think about her when the distant twin suns go down and the air grows even colder. Farli was naked in this. How did she not freeze her damned ass off? It’s a mystery to me, though I know it has to do with the symbiont she carries that makes her eyes blue and her skin radiate warmth.
By the time I clean up the engine and take a quick shower in my quarters, it’s time for the captain’s dinner. I head into med bay, but it’s empty of both women, the only occupant the still-sleeping furry animal. At least it’s still breathing andits vitals are good. I heave a sigh of relief at that. Least she can’t hate me for killing her pet.
For some reason, it’s really important to me that she not hate me.
I head to the mess hall, and the formal dining table has been unfolded from the wall. I inwardly cringe, thinking of Farli sitting at dinner in nothing but her loincloth. Is the captain trying to embarrass her? Or us? Put the little savage in her place in the hopes that he can wring out the ‘truth’ of why Farli showed up? I don’t think she’s hiding anything. I don’t think she could. I think she’s as guileless and innocent as she seems, and I get angrier and angrier at the thought of the captain trying to force her into some sort of ridiculous confession by embarrassing her or putting her out of her element.
All of that changes the moment I see her, of course.
She’s smiling. Of course she is. Farli seems to love everything, and the fascination of the dining hall setup is no different. Her eyes are wide with excitement as a nearby bot sets the table and drinks are poured. Niri’s talking to her, but I suspect Farli isn’t listening. She’s trying to take in everything around her, from the holo on the wall that shows pastoral landscape scenes, to the silverware placed on the elegant table, to the smells filling the room. She looks more beautiful than before, too. She’s wearing one of Niri’s extra jumpsuits, and it doesn’t quite fit her like it does Niri’s lanky form. It’s tight across the bust and too small through the arms and thighs, because Farli’s far more muscular than the rail-thin medic. It looks almost indecent, and as if Niri has realized this, the jumpsuit is open in the front, revealing a sliver of borrowed under-tunic. Layers, so she doesn’t look as if she’s busting out of the top. Smart. Farli’s thick, wild hair has been pulled back into a ponytail knotted high at the crown of her head, and her bare, unadorned horns look as prominent asher beaming smile.
Her attention turns the moment I approach, and I can hear her purring. Niri’s eyebrows go up, and she moves away, programming drink stations at each seat. “Mardok,” Farli exclaims at the sight of me. Her eyes light up. “You have returned.” She moves toward me and puts her arms around my waist, tucking her head against my shoulder. She inhales deeply. “And you have bathed. What is this marvelous smell?”
“It’s ah…just the ship’s generic soap.” I pat her back awkwardly, glancing at Niri. Her mouth is thin with disapproval, and I’m not sure if it’s for me or for Farli. Probably me. She likely thinks I’m taking advantage of Farli. And certain parts of me are very, very okay with that idea. So I reluctantly pull her away. “Why don’t you have a seat? I can show you how to operate the drink menu.”
For the next few minutes, while we wait for the captain and Trakan, I demonstrate how the drink station operates. Niri’s already got it set up, but I show her anyhow, and she orders several different things just to taste them, grabbing her glass before it finishes filling and making a mess. A bot immediately slides onto the table to clean it up, which causes even more excitement, and after that, I think Farli deliberately spills things just to see the reaction. Niri doesn’t approve, but I love the childlike wonder in Farli’s face and the way she wrinkles her nose when she tastes everything. She doesn’t like beer, or fermented milk. She doesn’t like the fizzy drinks that Trakan is addicted to, or the bitter stims that I chug on late nights. In the end, she settles on water.
The captain appears, and I jump to my feet. So does Niri. Farli watches us with fascination but does not leave her seat.
“You stand when the captain appears,” Niri tells her.
Farli blinks. “Why?”
“Because that is what you do.” Niri seems impatient withFarli’s endless questions.
Farli looks to me, curious. I shrug and give her a nod, and this seems to infuriate Niri even more. Not my fault that Farli wants me to guide her instead of Niri. She gets to her feet, and the captain moves toward his chair, his hands clasped behind his back. He ignores the rest of us, like he always does. Behind him is Trakan, and his eyes are devouring Farli’s lithe form in the tight jumper.
That protective surge rises in my gut, and I have to fight the urge not to jump in front of her and shield her from his eyes. I glare at him, hoping he keffing notices that I don’t like the way he’s looking at her.
The captain sits. Niri and I sit down, too, and Farli does a moment later, though it’s clear she doesn’t understand the ceremony. Trakan immediately glides over to her side, extending his hand. “Well, well, Niri told me that we had a visitor, but I didn’t believe her. Hard to think that a beauty like you is hiding out on this iceball of a planet.”
Farli looks delighted at his words, but she ignores his hand. “You are speaking my language!”
“Niri sent us the language file so we could all chat. I look forward to hearing more of what you have to say.” He winks at her and nudges his hand closer. I notice his tail is flicking in a rather predatory fashion, and anger burns in my gut. He’s got a girl back at spaceport. He needs to leave Farli alone.
She eyes his hand and then looks at me. Maybe it’s me being an ass, but I shake my head, indicating she should ignore it.
“Gonna be like that, huh?” I can’t tell if Trakan’s talking to me or to her, but it doesn’t matter. I lean in so I’m closer to her and give him a challenging stare.
He smirks at me and moves to his seat, across from Farli.
“It is a pleasure to meet you,” the captain says in an austeretone as he presses the button to begin the first course. “Why don’t you tell us why you are here?”
