“No, thank you,” Idris answers with a startled laugh.
Nil huffs under his breath.
“These are for blood testing,” Idris explains, lifting the tray before placing them on a table. “Stan, you’re first.”
Stan presses a hand to his chest. “An honor.”
Nil mutters, “Might need to stab him hard.”
Stan lifts his brows. “Because I have big muscles, right?”
Nil stifles a laugh, while Idris draws blood from Stan, who overreacts, dramatically frowning at the needle, then claims he barely felt it go in. When it’s Nil’s turn, he offers his arm without hesitation.
Once the samples are collected, staff arrive to escort Stan and Nil out. Stan starts talking before he’s even on his feet. Nil walks beside him with the patience of someone accustomed to this energy.
“When do we get the remixed Kys?” Stan continues as they’re guided out. “Is it a Day Two perk?”
The MedBay door shuts behind them. Immediately, the noise level decreases.
Idris sets down the tray and removes his gloves. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here earlier,” he says. “Needed to talk to Darius.”
“It’s fine.”
He smiles. “Let’s finish the rest of the assessments together.”
“Yes.” I nod and step closer. “Together.”
***
The remaining assessments proceed in swift succession. Subjects One through Ten arrive in groups or alone, depending on how quickly the staff locate them. With Idris beside me, the process is smooth. He reads the room while I read the data. The combination keeps the subjects moving with more ease than I could’ve done on my own.
Subject One completes his biometric scans quickly, his anxiety noted. Subject Two fidgets during reflex testing, but his readings are decent. Subject Three arrives with guarded posture. When I ask about any discomfort, he hesitates and then thanks us for not serving liquor on the ship. The comment catches me off guard. Idris responds by saying, “Gerald, this ship moves fast. But if this was a slow cruise, we’d be serving mimosas for brunch.” Subject Three’s shoulders relax after that. He leaves with more stable vitals than when he arrived.
The other rounds run speedily. By the time Subject Ten steps into the MedBay, the day has reached a predictable tandem. He introduces himself as Tomas before Idris can read the file name aloud.
Tomas sits down and speaks with a nervous sort of humor. “So, be honest. Are you two a couple? Is this a workplace romance I’m intruding on?”
The question’s unexpected, but I answer automatically. “We’re not a couple.”
Tomas appears amused. “Maybe you should give the good doctor a chance, miss. He seems like a catch.”
Idris lets out a laugh and shakes his head. “Em’s more than capableof making that decision herself.”
Tomas laughs too. “Fair enough. I walked into that one. Too nosy sometimes.”
When Idris prepares the needle, Tomas winces before the tip even nears his skin. Idris steadies him with a calm hand and reassuring words. The blood draw finishes fast. Tomas thanks us as he exits.
After that, the MedBay’s quiet. The equipment rests in order. The day’s assessments are neatly saved on my tablet. The air carries the sweet scent Idris brings into every room.
The chairs in front of us are empty, but there’s one that beckons me. My pulse holds some beats above baseline. My breath drags in slowly, and I sit down where the subjects sat.
At the sound of the chair scraping, Idris turns toward me. The smile on his face is still warm but threaded with curiosity pinching his brows.
I remove my lab coat and fold it across my lap. I extend my right arm toward him, maintaining a neutral expression despite the pressure building in my chest.
Idris doesn’t move at first. Confusion’s clear from his slight frown. “Em,” he says, “you’re not a participant.”
“I am,” I correct him. “I’m the thirteenth.”
