Xaber tapped the table with his index finger. “New plan. We’ll order our usual, and you can just help yourself to anything that tempts you. Flek is getting us a couple of beers. If you’d like one, we can buy you a drink. I think you deserve it after the day you’ve had.”
She waved the offer off, shaking her head at the same time for emphasis. “I couldn’t eat your food. If anything, I should be buying your dinner as a thank you.”
“Nope,” Mace said. “That’s not happening. Once you see our order, you’ll understand why you’re not paying for it.”
Flek brought over a tray and set two glasses down in front of the cyborgs. Mace’s was a pale gold while Xaber’s was a deep, chocolate brown. Then, he placed a third glass near her.
“Some like beer. I think you prefer something else. This is jazza berry juice. First batch arrived this morning. You taste-test for me. Yes? Tell me if good enough to sell.”
Words failed her. Kindness wasn’t something she expected to find in a station as big and indifferent as this one. That it came from an alien she’d never met before only made it more significant. She accepted the gift with a smile she hoped would convey her thanks.
Xaber informed Flek that she’d be sharing their meal, and the thorn-covered alien nodded and left them to return to the kitchen. Once he was gone, she looked at the two males who had stepped in to protect her when they had no reason to help.
“Thank you both,” she said, her smile widening. “If you think there will be enough for everyone, I accept your offer.”
She raised the glass of juice in a toast. “Here’s to the kindness of strangers.”
The day hadn’t all gone well, but it could have been worse. In a few hours, the threat would be over. Until then, she had a safe place to be, two unexpected bodyguards to watch over her, and a chance for a hot meal.
And if her cyborg companions were easy on the eyes? Well, that was a bonus. She had no expectations there. The two of them were light-years out of her league.
But that wouldn’t stop her from enjoying the view while she could. Reality would return soon enough. For now, she’d enjoy the reprieve.
CHAPTER FOUR
Xaber couldn’t stayin the security system forever, but he lingered long enough to know that the one who had followed them to the restaurant didn’t stick around after they went inside.
Whatever he reported back, it should be enough to discourage anyone thinking about taking another crack at Tix. He still intended to walk her to wherever she was staying, though. A smart male would give up, but nothing was smart about someone who threatened a female who had already broken his nose.
He’d gone back through the footage and reviewed the entire encounter. Now he understood. It was obvious to him that getting involved was the right thing to do. Mace had been right, even if it wasn’t like his batch-brother to act impulsively. Usually, that was his shtick. That difference in their personalities had resulted in more than one argument over the years.
Today was an exception to the norm, and he wondered why. The most obvious reason was that Tix was an attractive female, but Mace wasn’t easily swayed by a pretty face. Too many females were deterred by his scars and stony demeanor, and the ones who did flirt with him usually wanted something inreturn for their attention. Xaber had all but given up hope that his batch-brother would ever be interested in a female, but this looked promising.
Of course, the timing was terrible. But what else was new? They never managed to do anything the easy way.
Money was tighter than he’d hoped, and they were currently stuck on Defiance Station until they figured out a way to pay for repairs to their ship. Most of the higher bounties required reliable transport, and both the standard and jump engines on theLive Truewere currently acting up. They could still make short hops to other platforms around the Drift, but there wasn’t enough money to be made on those jobs to risk getting stranded. Especially since he’d have to go alone.
Recently Mace had offered to pick up shifts as security for one of the new music venues. That steady work helped pay for everything from docking fees to pizza nights. Without it, they’d have to tap into the funds set aside for repairs, which would make their situation worse.
Xaber took a long pull of his drink and did his best to banish his worries for the time being. It wasn’t often he got to have a meal with someone besides Mace, and Tix was both attractive and interesting.
“You two seem to know your way around pretty well. How long have you been on the station?” Tix asked.
“We’ve been here since it opened for business, or close to it. When we first walked around the place, there were still plenty of empty storefronts and ‘Coming Soon’ signs around. Not so many visitors, either.”
“Not anymore,” Mace said. “Now it’s busy all the time. Which is good for business, but not so great if you want to take a quiet walk to clear your head.”
Tix laughed. “If you want quiet, don a suit and head out an airlock. I suspect that’s the only way to get some peace around here.”
Mace shook his head. “No thanks. My stomach doesn’t like zero-G.”
“You get space-sick? I thought your nanotech handled issues like that.” Tix looked between them with open curiosity. “Or are there limits to what the tech can do? From what I’ve heard, medi-bots are the best thing going. Most folks would love to have them.”
“There are definitely limits.” Xaber pointed to his batch-brother. “He’s puked in his helmet more times than I can count.”
Mace flicked out two fingers in an obscene gesture they’d learned from a group of Vardarian traders a few weeks back. “Please ignore him. He’s pretty, but his manners suck harder than a black hole. I mean, who brings up that kind of thing right before dinner?”
Tix snickered. “I’m the only child of two former IAF marines. I’ve heard worse.” Once she stopped laughing, she leaned forward and put one elbow on the table. “I’m curious. Whatcanyour medi-bots do? I’ve heard they can alter your metabolism and even block pain.”
