"This room, you can lay down. The table conforms to your shape, and you can rest."
It took her a moment. "Do the quarters not have beds in them?"
He shook his head. "We do not need to lay down to rest. We can recharge and meditate standing."
"So you stand, like a ro--" She stopped herself from saying 'robot.'
He knew, she could tell by the way he looked at her, that he knew what she was going to say. "I am not a robotic automaton."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean--"
"I am flesh as well. And I do have emotions. While they are repressed, we do have them."
She looked down. "I'm sorry. It was not my intention to offend you. You have saved my life multiple times in the short period I have known you. For that I am grateful." She bowed.
He made a grunty affirmation, but said nothing else.
She glanced around the room, hoping they were over her obvious faux pax, and stretched her arms as best she could in the dress layers. "So, what are you going to do?"
"Rest, most likely."
"Are you going to stay in here?"
"Outside the door. I will be there to keep you protected."
"Doesn't sound very restful."
"There is an input dock outside the door. I will plug in and let my systems get whatever updates are available. Download any necessary new modifications to the facility."
She wasn't sure what that meant, but it sounded important. "Well, okay then," she said and started unbuttoning her overdress.
He took a few steps back. "I will leave you now."
"You're fine. I may need your help anyway." She twisted so she could see the hole the Charro had stabbed in the dress. She couldn't quite see it, but she could feel the size of it with her finger. "He did some damage," she muttered.
"What do you need?" He asked.
She started undoing the dress in the front and was able to get the outer layer off. She tossed it on the bed. Sure enough, the mattress shifted to support the weight.
Well, now that looked cozy.
"The back of this has some hooks I don't think I can get on my own."
He crossed to her, his footsteps sure, but surprisingly not that loud as he came over.
"I can assist you with that, Imperial Princess." When he got behind her, she could feel his body heat. The size of him probably should have enveloped her, but it didn't. It felt secure instead. She felt petite as he started to loosen the clasps.
"How do you dress if you cannot fasten these on your own?"
"We have dressers that do it for us."
"Every day?"
"No, not every day. Just on special occasions. And this was supposed to be a very special occasion. We were coming here to stop a war." Her eyes started to water. "Worked out so well, didn't it?"
"I doubt that you expected the issues you have had today."
"My own people tried to kill us," she said. And that was the truth. No matter what she told herself, it was honestly what happened. Somehow, for some reason, her own people have turned against her.
