They started to leave the medical facility and walked down the hallway.
Kolvin glanced at her. "What is a reality series?"
"Terrible entertainment where people are put into scenarios, and their reactions and experiences are broadcast to amuse others."
Kolvin grimaced. "That does not sound entertaining."
"It is not."
* * *
"It's like condos,"Gianna said as they entered their mate's apartments.
Tina was not listening to this little voice in her head screaming that she needed to run because this was insane, in the most insane way possible. Like insane, insane. The crack heads walking down the street having conversations with no one looked less crazy than she did, letting this giant male take her to his apartment.
Though she had to admit, she expected more white and silver everywhere when they came in, but no. This was like an entryway to a house or apartment. Flooring resembled stone, and when she looked up, she saw outer space and part of a spaceship. It had a strange feeling of nighttime, but not. She couldn't explain why.
"Is that real?" she asked. Because it could have been just a picture.
"It is," Kolvin replied. He tipped his head back, and she stared at the thick cords in his throat and the silvery lines she saw under his skin, and she wondered what that was. "We are not stationary, so the starfield has shifted. It likely shifts every day, so you will get a different view." As he said that, he looked back at her.
Those white eyes met hers, and she looked away. She was not sure what to say to him.
What to say about this?
It was the wildest thing she'd ever done.
But if he's right, they can send her back to Earth, so she's only been missed for a few minutes. It'll wind up being like that episode ofStar Trek: The Next Generation, where the captain lives an entire life in a moment. She'll have the knowledge and the experience but not lose any time on Earth.
Maybe she'd find something that would be beneficial for Earth. Like that diabetes inoculation. The lives that could be saved was mind-boggling if it could be reproduced on Earth.
She took a deep breath and tried to remain focused on the moment. Touched the back of a chair that was on the little portico area. It was kind of a portico. It had a couple of structured columns between the doors on the far side to define the spaces.
"So, where do we live?" Tina asked.
"This is mine," Marcin said, gesturing to the one in the middle.
Out of the one on the right came another huge man, like Kolvin, except he had long hair and had that "Do. Not. Fuck. With. Me." attitude. He paused, his gaze roaming over Tina and Gianna, and Tina couldn't help it. She took a step toward Kolvin.
Yet right behind this new male came a female. Tina guessed she was human like her, with hair pulled back and a kind of military uniform on. "Solkan, you get your rear back here. I'm not done."
Tina blinked, not expecting this large male, Solkan, to obey the small female.
However, he did turn back to her. "I do not have to do anything you say."
She did not take any of his crap. "Oh yes, you do!" She reached out for him.
He swatted her arm away.
Kolvin and Marcin launched forward. One had each side of him and pulled him away from her.
"Rhimodians, stop," the woman cried out. "Let him go. I'll handle him."
"He is beyond--" Kolvin started.
She held up her hand. "You mean well, Kolvin. You too, Marcin. Go. Take care of your new mates.Ineed to talk to Solkan."
They released Solkan, and he followed the woman back into the other apartment. As the door shut, she could hear the female say, "I don't want to fight with you about this, but--"
