Lena snorted.
“Excuse me?”
Lena finally looked up at Vor and shook her head. “Shensar is that one from the room that you took me to first, right?”
“The command room, yes.”
“She likes you. And because she likes you, she doesn't like me. That dress is her way of calling me a whore.”
Vor flushed.
Lena cocked her head, surprised to see his horrified expression. Nethren were supposed to be unfeeling monsters. But Vor had been kind, patient, and protective. Now this? It made no sense. Unless what he told her was true, and they really were feeling softer emotions.
“She's a Nethren,” he finally said. “If she were attracted to me, it wouldn't interfere with her duties.”
“Why are you so red?” Lena narrowed her eyes at him and then moved her finger before her face in a circle. “In the face. You're flushed. That's a sign of embarrassment. Why are you embarrassed, Commander Vor?”
Vor cleared his throat and looked down at his food. “I'm not embarrassed.”
“That's a lie.” She sat back in her seat and sipped her water. Then she frowned at it. “Don't Nethren drink coffee?”
“Coffee is a stimulant.” Vor's face started to regain its normal coloring.
“Yeah. So? I like it. It helps to wake me up in the morning.”
He pulled a small device from his jacket and pressed a series of buttons on it.
It buzzed, and then a voice said, “Yes, Commander?”
Vor spoke into the device, obviously some kind of communication machine without video. “I need a jug of coffee.”
“Coffee, sir?”
“Yes.” He looked up at Lena. “Anything else?”
“Cream and sugar for the coffee,” she said.
He nodded. “Send a bowl of sugar and some cream as well.”
“Yes, sir. Uh, I'm not sure if any of the kitchen staff know how to make coffee.”
“Oh, for the sake of convergence.” Lena rolled her eyes. “Forget it. I don't want bad coffee.”
“Never mind the coffee,” Vor said.
“Yes, sir. Do you still want the sugar and cream?”
“No. They were for the coffee.”
“Oh, I see. I'm so sorry, Commander.”
Vor pressed another button on the device and tucked it away. “Perhaps I could take you to the kitchens, and you could show someone how to make coffee?”
Lena lost her annoyance. “That would be nice.”
“Very well. After we're done eating.”
Lena started eating. It took her two minutes to remember that Vor hadn't answered her about his embarrassment. She set her fork down. “So, why were you flushed if you weren't embarrassed? Is it about the corporal?”
