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“Let’s get moving.” Loka strode into the corridor. He did not need Hoan sharing any of his confidences with Heather. Hoan had a tendency to talk too much about private matters that did not concern him.

“I know a shortcut to engineering.” Heather’s gaze was curious as she looked at Loka.

“Show us the way.”

She nodded, before striding ahead.

Hoan and Loka walked side-by-side, just behind Heather.

“Was she impressed by our work?” Hoan’s voice was low.

“She interfered.”

“She damaged the experiments?” Hoan glanced over his shoulder back to the lab.

“No. Heather was being curious.”

“Curiosity is a good thing.”

“She does not understand our work.”

“You could explain it to her. Heather seems nice.”

Loka twisted his head from side to side. “She did know a surprising amount about the mapping of space.”

“Another positive. You have said you do not enjoy idle talk. You will not get that with Heather if you discuss matters of space mapping.”

Loka rubbed a horn. “I might have made her angry.”

“Let me guess; you got overly protective of your work?” Hoan grinned at him.

“I do not get overly protective. The work we do is precise. If it is interfered with, it goes wrong.”

“We have had the same level of training, brother, yet you continue to tell me off at least once a day. I am used to it. I know you do not mean any disrespect. A human female, who is getting to know you, might not realize that. Perhaps you hurt her feelings, rather than angering her.”

“Her feelings are fine.”

“Which is why she’s stamping her feet, and her hands are clenched into those cute little fists.” Hoan nodded at Heather. “As if those adorable little hands could do any damage. They will break if she strikes anything.”

Loka studied Heather. She did appear tense. “She was attacked by station bots. I rescued her from being thrown from an airlock. That is why she is tense.”

“Not because you told her off?”

Loka scrubbed the base of his horn again. “I might have been sharp with her.”

“If you apologize, she will understand.”

“I did. I gave her coal, and I bellowed at her.”

“Not quite the apology I meant. That behavior suggests you are interested in her as a mate.” Hoan’s head swung sharply toward him. “Are you?”

Loka ignored the question. “She doesn’t understand our ways. She called the coal I gave her a friendship lump.”

Hoan laughed. “I’ve never heard them called that before. It is kind of sweet. It might be nice to be friends with Heather, first. You can get to know her and puzzle through all the strange behavior humans exhibit.”

Loka sighed, and his attention went back to Heather. He wanted to get to know her, and he did want her in his life but in five years’ time, when his mapping project was over. Now was not suitable for him to start a courtship. You had to dedicate two full months to fully court a mate. That had to be your sole focus. You were entering into a lifelong commitment to another individual. You did not do that lightly. He would not be able to juggle this project and appropriately court Heather. Both would suffer, and he’d be left feeling inadequate and angry.

Hoan nudged him with an elbow. “There’s no use hiding from love. If you have discovered somebody you think will make a suitable mate, you shouldn’t deny yourself.”