by Viola Grace
“Well, it is proof that I am gaining weight, I suppose.” She bent and twisted to get settled before looking at Turnari with a grin. “I am heading out, are you coming?”
He offered her his arm, and she took it, walking out with him.
“Why do you always offer your arm?”
He smiled. “Two reasons. The first, it was the way I was raised. The second reason is that I like it when we are in contact. I find it soothing.”
She stifled a personal groan. Of course, he felt that it was soothing. Everybody felt better when they were in contact with her. She had gone from hopeful to depressed in a moment, but she kept the emotion from leaking. She was very proud of that as she waved farewell to him and sprinted across the kilometres that separated the base and the Citadel.
The suit enabled her to reach speeds that nearly blinded her. When her tearing eyes couldn’t handle the speed, she slowed to a more tolerable sprint.
Mala’s workshop was open, and she jogged into it, calling out as she arrived. “Hello?”
Mala popped her head around another armoured suit in the same shades that Bits was wearing. “Bits! You are looking good.”
“Thanks, Mala. Turnari said you needed to see me?”
“Yes. I have made some upgrades to the suit, and I wanted you to try it on.”
“Sure.” Bits tapped her feet and the suit opened. She stepped up to the new one and ran her finger along the scaled seam. The carapace opened.
She turned to Mala, “Does it seal the same way?”
“It does. It also opens the same way. The girls had a good idea with that one. The extra features involve defense mechanisms.”
“Nice.” Bits backed into the suit, and it closed around her, fitting like a glove. “It fits better than the other one does.”
“I have been checking on your med scans. You are getting fit.” Mala grinned. “The panels of this armour will actually slide to give you more room as you continue to fill out.”
The armoured wrists extended into loops that became fingerless gloves. Bits checked out the back of the gloves, and there were small holes. “I am guessing that this is the defense item?”
“It is. Your weapon is your own sweat. There is a pump system connected to the collection filter, and from there, a fine series of tubes brings that liquid to the gauntlets were you can spray an attacker from twenty feet away.”
Bits blinked. “You are kidding.”
“Nope. I have set up a series of screens so you can do some target practice. The suit is loaded with a slightly pink water.”
Bits walked over to the targets and lined her feet up with the first line. The target was at five feet away, and she extended her hand.
“How do I trigger it?”
“Flex your forearm. It runs the mister.”
Bits flexed her forearm lightly and a cloud cascaded out, touching the target with a slight caress. “Nice.”
Bits flexed her forearm a little more deliberately, and the cloud became a stream of what appeared to be steam.
“Next target.” Mala was watching closely and making notes.
Bits cut the stream and stepped to the next target line. This time, the beam of mist shot out and tinted the target in under a second.
“Next.”
They kept going until Bits was facing a target fifty feet away.
“I haven’t been able to make it work at that distance yet, but you are welcome to try.”
Bits smiled and put both of her fists together, aiming upward at a thirty-five degree angle. The two streams arced out and raced together until the apex, where they combined and continued to the target.
Mala was staring with her mouth open and her rainbow eyes wide. “How did you do that?”
“I used to water my mother’s lawn, but we had a short hose. I know how to cross a span.” Bits grinned.
“Apparently. Can you do it again? I want to record it.”
Bits aimed, and once again, the streams tumbled into the target after a three-second delay.
“I will have to boost the speed of the pumps. Hop out of there for a moment.”
Bemused, Bits opened and stepped out of the suit while Mala jumped in and started working. She hummed as she worked, and it left Bits wandering around and looking at things. She looked at a scrap of wood on the floor and picked it up to start carving. Mala had a good selection of tools, and it made things easy as Bits got to work.
When she realized what she was working on, she sat up straight.
Mala looked over her shoulder. “Wow. That is quite the likeness.”
“Can you turn it into something else, please?”
Mala scowled at her. “Why? It is really stirring.”
Bits looked down at the miniature of Turnari, and she was embarrassed. “Please. I didn’t mean to do this. It is embarrassing.”
Mala sighed and put her palm out. “Fine.”
Bits watched as the portrait of the Dhemon disappeared under a layer of wood.
She breathed a little easier. “That was inappropriate. I just share mind time with him. It must have spurred some kind of weird subconscious event.”
“Yeah, that must have been it. He is kinda hot once you get used to the horns.” Mala smirked.
“Hot or not, his people have different traditions than mine do. We are not compatible.”
“Don’t close your mind to the possibilities. If I wasn’t open to possibilities, I wouldn’t have my family. I would still be out fixing pirate ships on a space station. I think you would agree that while I couldn’t predict this, this is better.”
Bits sighed. “Right. I will keep an open mind. So, which suit do I run back to the Citadel?”
Mala waved her hand over to the new suit and grinned. “Take her for a spin. I have loaded it with sweat from your original suit. Keep that in mind if you decide to purge the lines.”
Bits grinned. “I will. See you soon.”
She got into her suit, settled her body in a comfortable position, and before she left, she asked, “Is there any way to get a set of night-vision lenses? The wind can get a little tear-inducing.”
Mala clicked her tongue. “Of course. Here, you can attach this to your ears, and it will generate a protective shield. It should enable you to run, breathe and see at the same time.”
Two ear clips were put on the upper curve of her ear, and when she tapped the right one, the breeze from the open hangar ceased to tease her lashes. “Nice. I will see you soon, Mala.”
“See you soon, Bits. Take care.” Mala waved her off.
Behind her, Bits heard the hangar door closing. She sprinted off into the night with the feeling of being completely alone. It was not a bad way to run.
Chapter Six
Bits sat in the shuttle and watched as they circled in for a landing. Her first assignment was as a companion to an ambassador during trade negotiations.
She sat next to Ambassador Suak as he checked his documents.
“So, Specialist Kenharm, are you ready?”
“Yes, Ambassador. I keep everyone calm and watch out for attackers.”
“Including me. You must keep me calm as unobtrusive as possible.”
“I will. You may rely on me, Ambassador.”
She had been briefed as to the serpentine ambassador’s venomous nature, and she was prepared to keep him calm. They had worked out a casual contact that would be passed off as her species’ peculiarity. She would stay next to him at all times just to make sure that he didn’t flare his hood or rattle his spines. Those things tended to turn off other species.
When they had clearance, they got up and left the shuttle together, her hand on his arm as if they were courting. It was a four-day assignment, and she was going to make sure that everything stayed calm.
“Suak, I can’t accept this.” Bits was looking at the wide gem-studded necklace that filled the jewel box in her hands. It would cover her from neck to the edge of her breasts.
“You must. The Citadel has be
en paid, but your services enabled me to work effectively for the first time ever. I am indebted to you, and this necklace is a small token of thanks.” Suak’s glowing yellow eyes were earnest, his flat lips compressed together.
They were on the final approach to Morganti station where Suak would leave her.
“This is not a small token. This necklace is expensive and beautiful.”
“I would shower you with more if I were able.” His serious face made her uncomfortable. When his tongue flicked out, she fought a flinch and won.
“I did my job, Ambassador Suak. You did your job. Neither of us needs anything more.”
He reached out and took one of her hands. “I have enjoyed this time with you.”
She tried to put some cool distance into the contact, but it didn’t work on Suak. She would literally have to spray him in the face with the mist from her suit, but that might not even work as he seemed to be keyed onto her body chemistry.
“Ambassador, thank you for making this first assignment easy, I cannot tell you how happy I am to be going home to my fiancé.”
He blinked. “Fiancé? You have not mentioned him.”
“I have spoken to him every night since we came out. His existence was not integral to this assignment.” She hoped he couldn’t smell a lie. She was about to throw a friend on the fire.
“Who is this mysterious male? Is he worthy of you?” Suak leaned in.
She leaned back. “Administrator Turnari abin Depkor. He is the head of Citadel Morganti.”
Suak looked at her with narrowed eyes. “I see. Well, keep the necklace in case your male doesn’t have the wherewithal to keep you in the style you deserve. Our time together has still left a mark on me.”
She smiled tightly and inclined her head. The moment that they docked at the station and he made his final goodbyes, she sprinted to the com station and called Citadel Morganti.
She held her breath as the call went through, but when Turnari’s face filled the screen, she blurted. “I screwed up, and I am so sorry.”
His expression was instantly worried. “What is it?”
“Suak was really persistent, so I told him I was engaged and that you were the other half of the arrangement. I am sorry. No one else sprang to mind.”
He sighed. “Is that all?”
“Yes. I just thought I should tell you as he will probably be trying to confirm it, and we just disembarked from the station.” She snorted. “Oh, and he gave me a necklace expensive enough to buy a mining asteroid.”
Turnari frowned. “He gave you a necklace?”
“Yes. It’s beautiful, and I told him it wasn’t appropriate, but he insisted.” She was blurting things out, but she couldn’t stop. “I am so sorry for getting you involved.”
He waved it away. “It will be fine. You will be home in a few hours, and we can discuss it then.”
She nodded. “Right.”
He lifted his head and smiled. “Please, excuse me; my other line is demanding my attention.”
Her cheeks flared scarlet. “Apologies again, Turnari. Goodbye.”
The call was over, and she was counting down to being face to face with his amused countenance.
When the pilot called out that they were landing, Bits settled in her seat with the armour pressing comfortingly around her.
The jewel box sat next to her, and it was a harsh reminder that she had just done something stupid. She hadn’t even felt like this much of an idiot when she had put the blood into Hesko’s cup.
They settled at the base, and she grabbed her bag and the box. She was about to head for the small platform that could carry her to the Citadel, but small shrieks came out of the hangar, and the girls were running toward her with their little brother moving as quickly as he could.
Bits sighed and walked toward the tiny clan and knelt to hug them all. They wanted to know where she had been, what she had seen and did the people she was with think the armour was pretty.
Radin looked at her and sang out, “Bith, Bith, Bith!”
Mabi whispered, “He is saying Bits.”
“Why, Radin, that is wonderful. Hello to you, too.” She stroked his hair away from his face.
Isala giggled. “It made dad mad that he said your name before his.”
Bits rolled her eyes. “Oh dear. Well, I had better get home. I am really tired after all that travelling.”
Mabi piped up. “You should have a shower with dad. Mom says it always makes her feel less tired.”
Bits didn’t know how to respond to that. “I think that I just need to get some sleep. I have to report in at the Citadel.”
The girls sighed, and Radin looked like he wanted to wail, but she stroked his head again, and he smiled. “Come on, head back to Nanny. I am sure that he is looking for you.”
Mabi frowned, looking a lot like her father. “Will you come over tomorrow?”
“If I can. I will call your mom and let her know if I can make it, but I will ask the administrator if I can come over and play.”
It was a good enough answer, and the girls returned to the hangar with their brother between them.
Bits exhaled and went to the step platforms, setting it to hover and cruise over to the Citadel. She was in no mood to run.
With the jewel box tucked under one arm and her bag over her shoulder, she cruised across the undeveloped land and moved up the hill toward the Citadel.
She parked the platform and headed toward the main tower. Loitering in the doorway of the entrance was Turnari. The smile playing around his lips was unmistakably smug, and it looked like he had polished the horns curling down on either side of his head.
“Lady Kenharm, I am delighted to see you have returned.” He bowed gracefully and extended his hand to her.
She juggled the box to her left hand and gave him her right. He pressed a kiss to the back of her knuckles.
“Hello, Administrator Depkor.”
He ran his thumb over her knuckles as he straightened. “You rarely call me that.”
“I am a little off balance.”
He stepped forward, and to her shock, he kissed her.
She swayed violently, and he caught her.
“I am guessing that it didn’t help your balance.”
He stood next to her and settled her arm in the crook of his elbow. “Come on; I need to debrief you.”
She wanted to give him a punch to the ribs, but his robes swirled around them as he walked her in to the lift and up to his office. She set the necklace down on his desk and dropped her bag on the floor.
“Can you remove the armour?”
She tapped her feet and stepped out of it. With a groan, she dropped into the chair in front of Turnari’s desk.
To her surprise, he pulled her to her feet and walked her over to the couches.
She rubbed her eyes and asked him. “What is going on?”
He grinned and waited for her to look at him. The rich grey of his eyes was several shades darker than his smoky skin. The golden curve of his horns was always startling, but it was part of the entire package.
“You have declared yourself as mine publicly.”
She nodded. “Yeah, I told you that.”
“Well, in my cultural tradition, if the declaration is made to a third party, the statement becomes fact if both parties are willing.”
Bits blinked. “I am too tired for this.”
Turnari took her hand again, rubbing her palm with his thumb. “I know. I wanted to get the idea into your head while your defenses were down.”
“Fine. It is in there. I don’t know what it is, but it is in there. Now, what do you want to know about my assignment?”
“Tell me about it. I need to figure out why Suak became obsessed.”
She sighed again. “It is a cultural abnormality. A calm male is considered more virile and desirable as a mate. He went from being hair-triggered to calm and reasonable in my presence.”
“Will it last?”
Bits nodde
d. “As long as he wants it to. He will remember how he felt next to me and be able to summon the calm when he wants it.”
“Good. He will come out better for it then. You mentioned a necklace?”
“It is on your desk. I don’t know what to do with it.”
He released her hand and got up, retrieving the box and bringing it over to open. He whistled. “Wow. This is impressive.”
Bits nodded.
“Did he have it with him?”
“No, he sent for it via diplomatic courier. It came on the third day.” She looked wistfully at it.
“I see. So, he wasn’t planning to get himself a Citadel Specialist.”
“Nope. I think he was a little thrown by the contact high of being with me.”
“Well, you are intoxicating.” He smiled and lifted her hand to his lips, kissing her palm.
She shivered and swallowed. “Are you suffering a contact high now?”
“No. I would like to, but I will settle for just being glad you are home.”
He sighed and turned on the recording feature on his data pad. “Now, outline your mission from the moment you left the Citadel until the moment that you returned.”
When the story was done, so was Bits. She stepped into her armour, grabbed her bag and left for her room.
Once inside her room, she got out of the armour, peeled off her bodysuit and went for a solar shower. When she was clean and naked, she crawled into bed and embraced sleep.
Turnari could explain his weird behaviour when she woke up.
Chapter Seven
Bits scowled at the information on her screen. He had stretched the terms of declaration, but he was right. By the terms of Dhema, she had proposed to him.
Kalo was going to flip out.
She braided her hair as she read about the details and rituals of Dhemon society.
The curls of his horns were rare and a sign of virility. His skin was usually lower caste, but his name was high caste. He was a jumble of all levels of his own society.
She heard a chirp and looked at her data pad. “Damn.”
She had an appointment with her tutor this morning and she was late.
