“No!” Amina said, then winced when she realized she’d said that much too loud. “Sorry, but I want my room. I know the bed is smaller, but I don’t want to be on this outpost any longer.”
“I understand,” Myrum said.
Sar jumped up. “I’ll get your things.”
“I’ll check your bed and make sure your room is tidy,” Gis said. He got to his feet and rushed out before Amina could tell him she didn’t need her room tidied.
“Everyone might as well pack your things,” Helmen said. “We’ll assign you cabins on the ship. All of you will have to share rooms.”
“We already do,” Nashie said. “I agree with Amina. I don’t want to be here even another night.”
Helmen stood up and turned to her crew. “Desur and Teshor, convert all the spare cabins for double occupancy. Jossulum, recalibrate our enviro system for more bodies. Take some of the cleanser units from the outpost if you don’t think we’ll have enough.”
She turned her gaze on Amina, still being held in Myrum’s arms. “Go to bed. When you’re rested, I’ll need your help to blow this place up into tiny little pieces."
Amina grinned at her captain. “I knew there was a reason you’re my favorite cousin.”
Myrum
By the time he carried Amina from the outpost to the ship, Gis had finished in her bedroom. He was standing outside, gave a bow, then rushed off. He could tell Amina was deeply uncomfortable with the way Gis was acting, but there was nothing to be done about it now.
Walking into the room, he set her on her feet next to the bed. She was wearing the same type of outfit as she had for their entire time on the outpost, black pants and a long-sleeved shirt. He hated the dark color, it looked wrong on her. Even her blue-gray ship uniform was preferable.
As if sensing his thoughts, she stripped down, starting with the shirt. Soon she was naked and slipping into the bed.
Myrum unwrapped the second scarf Amina had packed. He’d used it as a Ruby holder and secured her around his neck after they’d finished in the cleansing unit.
When he pulled Ruby free of his neck and the scarf, she jumped from his hand to the warming house before he fully extended his arm. It seemed she was as eager as Amina for her bed!
Tugging off his clothes, he joined Amina. She didn’t hesitate to snuggle up to him, pressing him onto his back so she could throw a leg over his thighs and drape her arm over his chest.
“This is better,” she murmured, her small, soft body relaxing against his.
“Yes,” he agreed, except he wasn’t sleepy. His body was exhausted, but his mind wouldn’t stop whirling.
Claws. Amina had claws. He was sure he’d seen them during the fight in the bay. But humans didn’t have claws, did they?
“You’re tense,” Amina said, going up on an elbow. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m picturing you with claws,” he blurted out. “But my mind must be making things up.”
Amina blinked, then a slow grin curved her lips. She lifted the arm on his chest and flexed. He watched Talin-like claws slide out from under her human-shaped fingernails.
He grabbed her hand with one of his and pulled it close to his face to examine them. They were real and organic. As far as he knew, there wasn’t any kind of tech that could do this.
“How?”
She chuckled and relaxed her hand, making the claws disappear.
“I’m not fully human,” she said.
“Your blue hair is the same shade as Desur’s fur,” he announced, feeling as if he’d figured out a deep mystery of the universe. “You have Ugarian in your ancestry!”
“I do,” she agreed. “That’s why my hair is this color, but that’s not why I have these.” she flexed again and ran her claws over his chest. “Ugarian’s don’t have these type of claws. Theirs are flatter and don’t extend out this much.”
He captured her hand again so he could take another look. “They look very similar to Talin claws,” he murmured, then jolted. “No, it can’t be. That’s impossible!”
“I assure you, it isn’t,” she said with another laugh. “I’ve got some Talin in my lineage."
