Don’t look at me like that. Don’t pretend to care.
“Hit the showers. You need it,” was all he said before he walked away.
“That went better than we could have hoped.” Lilea patted my arm. “He’s right. You’re sticky. Smells good, though.”
I didn’t talk in the habitat. Lilea didn’t allow the others near enough to try. She took me through the barracks to the showers, where I sat under the steaming water, wishing to drown.
017
Theelphietalkedtoomuch. Galya was her name, knee-high like all her species, and covered from head to toe in the gray survey team uniform. Or rather, just covered, seeing as elphie’s didn’t have fingers or toes. They had rounded arms and legs like a stuffed animal with heads too big for their bodies and round eyes. Elphies kept everything covered except their faces.
“What an absolutely marvelous specimen! The flora of this planet is simply singular, is it not? I believe I can say with certainty that I have yet to discover anything like this! It is most peculiar that the flora has become the primary inhabitants of this planet, as both predator and prey. Do you suppose it has to do with the prolonged sunlight hours accompanied by a longer day?” Galya may have asked a question, but that didn’t mean she sought an answer.
Elado, the head researcher, precisely cut and preserved pieces of flora in our patrolled area. Galya, on the other hand, flew from stalk to stalk. Telekinetic types loved to show off, though arguably Galya had to use her abilities in her line of work. As small as she was, she could hardly see most of the flora, so fluttering about them was the best form of observation.
“We appreciate all the work the militia has done thus far, Captain Malik. Superb, your findings! Over sixty species catalogued in your timehere and all within a ten-click radius of the habitat. My, we will be positively flushed with work, that we will! AlthoughVampire Fern —rather unimaginative, wouldn’t you say?” Galya hovered at Roys’ back, watching with those large, unblinking pink eyes.
“I suppose it is, Doctor. I am sure you will change the name to something far more appropriate,” Roys replied.
“That we will!” Galya zipped across the jungle to hover by Elado, where the two discussed their specimens.
We had been in the same location for hours. That morning, the survey team split into two groups. The mineralogist and geologist stayed in a team surrounded by six militia because they were taking the rover out further than the others. The remaining survey team and militia split up to investigate the surrounding area.
Maddy was there, standing in the communal area controlling a cart of survey equipment. Roys didn’t put us on the same team. She left with another botanist. We didn’t talk. She didn’t look at me. I wasn’t sure if I was grateful.
I definitely wasn’t grateful to Roys, nor stupid to his plans putting us on the same team. He wasn’t subtle in his scrutiny, the brief glances feigning to check on the scientists before drifting to me. Wanting to make sure I would not lose it again, he kept me on a short leash. Bastard.
Annoyingly sweet bastard…
Elado and Galya took to the northern side of the habitat. We wandered around the outer edge of the perimeter until settling on a primary location. Bringing out their tools, they snipped and stored piece after piece to set in their supply cart. The cart hovered by them, operated by their commlinks, all of ours if we wanted, but Elado had control and sent the cart back to the habitat where the droids retrieved the specimens before the cart returned to us.
In short, it was fucking boring, and I needed anything other than boring. Being bored meant thinking. Thinking meant remembering. Remembering brought anger, an itch I couldn’t scratch, worsening every second, every moment having to remind myself not to thrash out.
“I hope we don’t patrol with her every day. She’s giving me a headache,” Arana said, having wandered closer so she could whisper without the brainiacs hearing. “Suppose anyone has told her she talks too much? I think someone had to, and it makes me wonder if she used to be worse.”
“Hope my luck hasn’t run out and maybe one of the flora will eat her, so we won’t have to worry about it,” I replied.
Arana laughed, though she pressed her lips together, wearing the same look the others shared, that Roys had, that they were wearing around me, acting like I was a ticking time bomb.
“Stop that,” I said between clenched teeth.
“What?”
“Making that stupid face. Acting like you’re waiting for something to happen.”
Arana tilted her head. “That’s kind of why we’re here, in case something happens?”
“With me, dumbass.”
“Something already happened, seeing as you’re a moody little prick today.”
“I’m a moody prick every day.”
“Yeah, but usually you’re at least funny. Now you’re mopey.” She checked that Roys had his back to us. “What happened yesterday in the lab?”
“You asked me that last night, and I didn’t answer.” She asked at least twenty times before I stormed out of the room. I almost went to Roys’office before knocking on Zavir’s door. Didn’t help my thoughts any, didn’t help me sleep, but at least he didn’t ask questions.
“I was hoping you’d be more inclined to answer today.”
