by Susan Hayes
“Did you hang up on her? You are a braver man than I am.”
He nodded brusquely and then went back to his seat. He’d deal with Skye later. It didn’t sit well that she was warning the humans he was dangerous. He didn’t want to hurt anyone. He just wanted to be left the fraxx alone.
“You’re upset.” Maggie snagged a cookie out of the box and then bounded off the bench to offer it to him. “This will help. Chocolate helps everything.”
“Not upset,” he told her through the tablet. “Annoyed.”
“Because Skye warned me about you? She never said your name, you know. She just told me some of your kind were out in the woods and preferred to be left alone.”
“I do prefer to be alone, but she doesn’t need to worry about me or the others. I’ll talk to them. Let them know about you.”
“What are their names?”
“You want to know their names? Are you going to bring them cookies, too?” He was not jealous. Nope. Not.
“Would it bother you if I did?” she asked. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet, the stimulant making it impossible for her to stay still.
He shrugged. Definitely not jealous.
“I just want to know their names, so I know who to call out to if I see them around. No cookies will be involved.”
“You’ll only see Axe if you follow the river toward the ocean. You’re more likely run into Wreckage and Ruin out here. They’ve got a place a few klicks from here.” He pointed in the general direction of their cabin.
“And where is here?”
Ah. Right. Human. She had no onboard navigational software or positional data. “Can’t your comm unit tell you that information?”
“No. I went with the basic model. No tracking data. Unless I set off the emergency beacon, no one can find me… or my caches.”
He sent a data file to her tablet with a thought. “Coordinates to this place are now on your tablet. If you get caught in another storm, you can come here.”
“And what if I want to see you?”
He planned to tell her the same thing he told everyone else. If he wanted company, he’d let them know. What came out of his mouth was something entirely different. “Then send me a message. If I’m around, I’ll meet you.”
Her eyes widened and her lush lips turned up in a smile. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. We can train here, too.”
She gave a little whoop of joy and then stunned him by throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him. “Thank you!”
She was soft, warm, and smelled like rainwater and flowers. Her breath fanned across the skin of his neck, and when she brushed her lips against his throat, he almost forgot to breathe.
The things this little human made him feel…
She withdrew a second later, her eyes dancing with mischief. She knew the effect she’d had on him. He was tempted to haul her into his lap and teach her what happened to those who played with fire.
“Cookie?” She offered him one of the treats. He took it and then broke it in two, handing half back to her.
“Eat. Then we’re heading back. I promised to have you home by dinner.”
“I’m going to get drenched again. Aren’t I?” she asked, resignedly.
“We’ll figure something out.” He didn’t want her getting cold and wet again. Humans were delicate and susceptible to chills and other ailments. He needed to get Maggie back to the colony without risking her health.
“This training we’re going to do. What do I need to bring?”
The question caught him off guard. “Do you have a weapon?”
“Not yet. I’m learning how to fire a blaster, though.”
“Then don’t worry about it. I’ll bring what you need to get started.” He already had something in mind. He’d come up with the idea the last time he’d visited Damos and Tra’var, and the prototype should be ready soon. If it worked, he’d have them make another one the right size for Maggie. Once she was armed and trained, she’d be able to protect herself and the colony. If she was going to stay here, she’d have to learn how to fight to defend her home from anyone who threatened to take what they were building here. Someone would. He knew that. It was only a matter of time.
Maggie knew it wasn’t possible, but it was as if Striker moved so fast on the way back that he actually dodged the raindrops. She was still relatively dry when he set her down outside the door to the main hall.
“Thank you.” She thought about hugging him, but she didn’t want anyone to see them together until she was ready to explain things, so instead, she held out her hand to him.
He took it, caressing the back of her hand with his thumb for a brief moment.
When the door opened this time, she didn’t look away. Even so, she only caught a flicker of motion before Striker was gone and she was left holding her hand out to empty air.
“Maggie!” Skye grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her inside. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Or I will be once you release your death grip.”
“Oops. Sorry.” Skye let go and then moved past her to check outside.
“He’s gone,” she told the cyborg woman.
“He’d better be. If I see him, I’m going to want a word.”
Maggie tapped her temple. “Can’t you just talk to him on your snazzy internal channels?”
“Nope. He’s blocking me.” Skye closed the door with more force than it needed and then spun around to glower at her. “How long has this thing with Striker been going on?”
“There is no thing. That day you and I talked by the woods, I nearly got bitten by a big, nasty bug. Striker killed it and taught me how to spot them. That’s it.”
“You left out the bit about you bringing him cookies and that he took you to his place. Do you realize most of us don’t even know where it is? He doesn’t like visitors. Or most beings. Especially not human ones.”
“I think he likes me, or maybe he just likes cookies. Have you ever tried ja’kreesh? I like it. How come we don’t have any in our stores? Oh, he’s going to teach me to protect myself. So I guess he must like me enough to help me stay alive. I don’t think he’s so bad. A little grumpy. And what’s up with his throat? Why hasn’t anyone helped him get better?”
Skye blinked at her. “Holy fraxx. How much ja’kreesh did he give you?”
“Not much. And he did warn me to drink it slowly. I might not have listened.”
“You not listening does not surprise me. The fact he didn’t kill you does. He must like you.” Skye shook her head. “I will never understand males.”
“I think I’m insulted.”
“What? Oh, no. Not that he likes you. That he likes anyone. Striker is…”
Maggie lowered her voice. “He’s damaged? Carries a lot of resentment and anger about what was done to him. Blames himself for having to kill his own?”
“Oh wow. He told you about that? He doesn’t talk about Reamus. At all. Ever. Not even to those of us who were there with him.”
“He talks to me about it.”
Skye gave her an odd look. “This conversation is going to require alcohol.”
“It is?”
“Oh, yes. It is. Come with me.”
“But dinner?”
“Trust me, we’re going somewhere with much better food. Don’t tell anyone I said that, though.” Skye raised her voice. “I need to debrief Maggie about what happened. I’m taking her back to her habi-pod. We’ll manage dinner on our own.”
“You got it,” Shadow called back.
Several of the other human women looked at Maggie with curiosity. She raised her hands in a shrug. That was all she had time for. A second later Skye had her by the hand and was pulling her toward the door.
“Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
“Do I get to know where we’re really going?” Maggie asked in a soft tone.
Skye didn’t answer until they were outside and jogging through the rain. “The Bar None.”
“Technically it’s on the bridge in the middle of the river, and at this point, I’m not worried about you running into your mates. You’re ready.”
“I am?”
“Close enough. Besides, there’s someone I think you should meet.”
“Who? Where? Why? Do they have ja’kreesh? I could use a little more of that.”
“Her name is Anya. She runs the Bar None, and given your skill set, I thought you might want to check out her establishment and see if you’d want to work there. And while she does serve that Torski rocket fuel, you are not having anymore. Not if you want sleep sometime in the next few days.”
“Days?” no one had mentioned how long the effects lasted.
“Days. At least that’s what I’ve heard. A mug of that stuff can keep a full-grown Torski on their feet all day. Imagine what it can do for species not half that size.”
“Oops.”
“You’ll be fine. You’re just not likely to sleep tonight.”
“I’ve slept more since leaving Earth than I have in years. I can afford to skip a night.”
“Yeah. I sleep better since coming here, too.”
They didn’t say anything more. The peaceful silence continued after they reached Maggie’s pod. She washed up, combed the tangles out of her hair, and changed into fresh clothes. She picked one of the tops she’d worn at her old job, a dark green blouse that showed just enough cleavage to increase her tips.
“This work?”
“You clean up nicely.” Skye grinned and tossed her jacket over. “Come on. I messaged Anya while you were dressing. This weather is keeping everyone at home. The place is quiet and currently no unmated Vardarian males are around to complicate things.”
“Good.” She’d come here with the understanding that she might end up mated to a pair of aliens. When they sensed their mahaya, pheromones took over from logic and things happened fast. She’d been fine with it. But now, things were different. She didn’t want to be bound to a couple of strangers. She wanted… oh holy fraxx. No.
Striker was hot as hell, sure. But he was also growly, grumpy, and bossy. And she barely knew him. And she had no idea if he liked her. And this was only a crush. Right? She was infatuated with the man who had saved her life. That was totally normal. That’s all this was.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Just getting my head sorted. It’s a little hard to focus right now.”
“I bet. Ready to face the rain again?”
“If there’s a drink at the end of it? Hell yes.” She hadn’t had a drink since leaving Earth. But tonight, it felt like she had something to celebrate.
Their destination was the only human-owned business in the colony. She’d heard that the owner was a friend of Phaedra’s. She’d met the pink-haired cyber-jockey turned Vardarian princess a few times and liked her. In fact, she suspected she and Jade probably knew each other, but she hadn’t figured out how to mention it without being overheard. She wasn’t sure Phaedra’s mates would appreciate anyone mentioning their mahaya had a shady past, and one of them was always within earshot.
The bridge was wide enough to allow traffic to flow in both directions and still have room for buildings and a marketplace. Tonight, the market was shut down, the stalls emptied and secured against the foul weather. Some businesses were still open, though, and the Bar None remained well-lit and welcoming.
They made their way inside, and Maggie assessed the place with the practiced eye of someone who knew the trade. Anya’s design was ideal. Plenty of space with the tables placed to allow staff and bots to move around easily. The furniture was of the same sturdy, mass-produced kind she’d seen in every establishment she’d worked in—easy to clean and cheap to replace.
The tables had electronic menus that sent their orders straight to the kitchen or bar. She could hear voices from the kitchen, so that was staffed by living beings, but the bar was manned by several servo-droids, all of which were currently offline.
“Fraxxing pieces of crap!” a woman swore as they stripped off their dripping coats.
“And hello to you, too. Anya. Those droids malfunctioning again?”
A woman in her mid-forties popped up from behind the counter and flashed them a grin. “Hi, Skye. Oh! This was why you asked about who was in the bar tonight. You’ve brought one of the new arrivals!”
“Anya, this is Maggie. Maggie, Anya Hutchinson.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I like your place. Great vibe. What’s up with the droids?” Maggie asked the auburn-haired woman without pausing for breath. Yeah. No more ja’kreesh for her.
“She paid rock-bottom prices and got rock-bottom quality. I warned you not to trust that dealer. You should have gone with Kirk.” Another woman’s voice came from the back corner of the room.
Maggie could only make out a few details. Flight suit. Ample curves. Fair hair cut short.
“Kirk couldn’t guarantee delivery for months,” Anya retorted in a tone that made it clear they’d had this conversation before.
“But his stuff would work,” the other woman replied.
“Quit being a pain in my ass or I’ll have to point out you haven’t paid your tab this week.”
“No need to get huffy.” The woman stood and walked out of the shadow. She was older, with silver hair and lines around her eyes and mouth that deepened when she smiled. “I’m Hezza B, by the way. Nice to meet you both.”
“I didn’t know there was another human here,” Skye said, walking over, hand outstretched in greeting.
“Me? I’m just visiting. I’m a trader and an old friend of Anya’s.”
Skye looked at Hezza and then at Anya. “You’re related.”
Anya laughed. “Told you they’d notice.”
“And yet you’re not so smart as to listen to your mother when she tells you not to buy crap from shifty characters like Vellar.”
Mother? Maggie looked at the two of them more closely. There was some resemblance, but it wasn’t marked. “Nice to meet you, Hezza.”
“Same. I got here yesterday. Brought some stuff I thought you Earth girls might like. I can bring it by tomorrow if you’re interested? I was told you lot weren’t allowed over the bridge yet.” Hezza grinned. “You escaping early?”
“Special circumstances. I needed a drink,” Skye said and dropped into a nearby chair.
“Droids are out of commission, but I can still remember how to make a cocktail,” Anya said.
“Or you could get Maggie to make it. She’s a bartender,” Skye said.
“Really? How much experience do you have?”
“A decade and change. Granted, most of what I know are Earth drinks, but I scored some gigs in the upper sectors where the visitors would stay. I know a few of the more popular off-world drinks, too.” Maggie gestured to the droids. “And I know a few things about repairing busted bar droids.”
“Can I keep her?” Anya asked Skye? “Please? Free drinks for a month if you let me keep her.”
“You don’t want to test me first?” Maggie wasn’t sure why she was asking. She should shut up and take the job. Maybe ja’kreesh had a downside after all. Words were coming out of her mouth before she had time to vet them.
“Test. Right. I should do that. How about you make us this round? I’ll have a Martian Martini,” Anya said.
“Whiskey with a twist,” Hezza said.
“Paralyzer,” Skye said.
“Vodka or tequila?” Maggie asked automatically.
“Oh, bonus points already.” Anya grinned and pointed to the bar. “Go forth and make the drinks, and one for yourself, of course.”
“Not ja’kreesh!” Skye called after her as she bounced over to the bar.
“I have no idea how to brew that, so no problem.”
It didn’t take her long to find everything. Droids kept everything in a specific order, and all she needed to do was figure ou
t which program they were running. She made everyone’s drinks and delivered them before going back to pour herself a beer. “You have stout? Is this the real thing?”
“It is,” Anya confirmed.
“Skye, can she keep me? Please? I haven’t seen a bar this well-stocked in… ever. And clean! This is bartender heaven.”
“Yes, she can keep you. I ran the idea by Shadow while you were making drinks. Congratulations, you are now officially graduated. Welcome to Haven colony.”
They raised their glasses in toast as she joined them, elated and a little stunned.
“I’m done? That’s it?”
“You should keep attending the classes, and it will take a few days for us to figure out where you’ll be moving to, but yes. You’re done. This isn’t really a regimented plan. The goal is to get you all integrated with the colony once you’re settled. I think today proves you’re ready.”
“What happened today?” Hezza asked.
Skye explained, with Maggie jumping in to add details along the way.
“Striker? I don’t think I’ve met him yet,” Anya said when they were done.
“Probably not. He’s not very social. He goes running with Denz and Edge a few mornings a week, though. You might have seen him. Big. Blond. Doesn’t talk.”
Anya grimaced. “Ugh, no. That would involve two things I don’t do. Cardio and mornings.”
“Three. You don’t do blonds, either. Not since… what was his name?” Hezza teased her daughter.
This time Anya’s face twisted into one of pure horror. “Do not say his name. If we say it, he’ll appear and ask me for money again. Besides, there have been blonds since then. I just don’t introduce them all to you. They tend to stick around longer that way.”
“This is… not how I imagined someone would talk to their parent,” Skye said, her words muffled by her glass.
“You’ve never seen… oh! Of course not.” Anya laid a friendly hand on the cyborg’s arm. “Sorry.”
“Adult relationships between parent and kids can be complicated. Which is why I haven’t spoken to my mother in years. She doesn’t know I’m here,” Maggie said.
