Alisa slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out the faded bracelet, rubbing it with her fingers.
“I keep missing the mark,” she whispered, finding the words—her failings—easier to admit with Leonidas unconscious. “I’m not used to that. I have good aim; I know I do. Mouthy or not, I was always wanted on fighter pilot squadrons. So I don’t know what the problem is here. Am I not trying hard enough? I know I’ve been letting myself get distracted when I shouldn’t be. Maybe I need to be more focused. But I’m worried about that staff now. And I can’t leave Beck here to the suns know what fate.” She lifted her gaze to his chest, the way it rose and fell slightly under the sheet, as if he were only sleeping. But he wasn’t. “And I’m worried about you. If you need to go to some fancy hospital somewhere, I’ll make sure you get there. But Jelena could be here in this very city, Leonidas. If I leave when she’s only a couple of miles away…” She swallowed. “How can you be focused when you care about more than one thing? Do you have to choose? And what if in choosing one thing, you lose another? Why can’t I just make it all come out right? Aren’t captains supposed to know how to do that? I know I’m just a captain of a freighter with a tiny crew, but even that seems like too much responsibility right now. There are too many targets to aim at.”
Alisa slid the bracelet back into her pocket and tapped him on the chest. “This is the part where you’re supposed to wake up and tell me I’m not a bad mother, a bad captain.”
His eyes did not open.
“If this were a fairy tale, I might be able to wake you with a kiss.” She touched her finger to his lips. “Of course, you would probably have to be a beautiful princess and I’d have to be a handsome prince for that to work.” She dabbed at her eyes. “I’m not feeling overly handsome today, but let’s try it, shall we?”
Alisa leaned down, careful not to bump any of his cords, and pressed her lips to his. Sadly, it was only in her imagination that he wrapped his arms around her, pulled her on top of him, and passionately returned the kiss.
So, it’s the same as usual, eh? Abelardus spoke into her mind.
Get out of my head! She pulled away from Leonidas and almost roared the words out loud.
Just wanted to let you know I’m ready to go retrieve your missing security officer.
Can’t you use the damned comm?
Then I’d have to lift my arm and press a button. Tedious.
It’s amazing you have muscles.
You’ve noticed them? I’m touched. I go to great lengths to keep them firm and perky.
Alisa sighed and touched Leonidas’s face before reluctantly backing away. She did not want to leave him, but Beck needed her, and Jelena could be out there in the city somewhere. She needed Alisa too. Besides, having someone intruding on her private moment irritated her too much to stay. She might end up breaking some of Alejandro’s equipment.
She turned toward the hatchway while wondering if Abelardus would fight back if she broke something on him.
“Alisa?” came a croak from behind her.
She whirled back toward the exam table, half-fearing that it had only been her imagination, that she would find Leonidas still unconscious. But his eyes were open, his chin tilted down to his chest as he looked toward her.
“Leonidas,” she blurted, then screamed, “Alejandro! Get your hairy brown-robed legs in here.”
Leonidas groaned, in pain she thought, but then he said, “Sometimes, it’s a shame they enhanced my hearing so much.”
“Are you complaining? Or just teasing me?” she asked, giddy energy surging through her as she returned to his side to clasp his hand and lean down to kiss him again. She kept herself from making it a fiery one, especially since he seemed more surprised than amorous, but she vowed that someday she would plant one of those on him—and he would return it.
“Which one would be most inappropriate now?” he murmured, smiling faintly as he gazed up at her, his eyes warm.
“Complaining, definitely.”
“Then I was teasing.”
“Good.” She was thinking of kissing him again when Alejandro ran into sickbay, nearly tripping over the bottom of the hatch frame.
“Leonidas,” he said, genuine delight in his voice as he came around to the other side of the exam table. Alejandro touched Leonidas’s shoulder and called up the holodisplay with his stats on it. His face soon sobered, and Alisa worried the readout was unfavorable, but he told Leonidas, “I lost the staff.” His shoulders slumped in defeat—or shame.
Leonidas closed his eyes. “I feared that would be the result. I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” Alejandro said, his gaze lifting toward Alisa. She clenched her jaw, expecting him to blame her, but he went on to say, “It’s mine. All my education, and I couldn’t think up a way to keep them from finding it. I couldn’t keep them from yanking it out of my hands.”
“They were strong, stronger than Abelardus,” Leonidas said.
“One is apparently a descendant of Alcyone. The staff glowed as he carried it off the ship.”
“Ah,” Leonidas said, a disturbed expression crossing his face.
Alisa did not want him worrying about that now. He ought to rest. Later, after they found Beck, Jelena, and hopefully even the prince, they could contemplate ways to get the staff back.
“Then perhaps I can feel slightly less ashamed about not being able to stop them,” Leonidas said.
“You killed one,” Alisa said.
“Did I? I wasn’t sure. I was…” He glanced at her. “Distracted.”
“Distracted? I think we know each other well enough now that you can admit when you’re in so much pain you think you’re going to die.”
“Hm,” he said. Not exactly agreement. Or a confession to pain.
“I’m relieved you didn’t die,” Alisa said softly, glancing at Alejandro, now wishing she had waited to call him in until she’d had more of a private moment with Leonidas. But he was studying Leonidas’s stats and did not seem to be paying attention. “I thought it was the same thing that happened to the people defending their outpost.”
“That thought crossed my mind when I was in extreme… distraction.” He smiled at her. “Cyborgs aren’t supposed to admit to pain. We are extraordinary soldiers who do our duty without complaint.”
“Is that in the Cyborg Corps Handbook?”
“Chapter One.”
She snorted. “I believe you.”
“You appear normal,” Alejandro said, staring at the holodisplay and sounding utterly puzzled.
“Is that a problem?” Leonidas asked.
“You were in a coma.”
Alejandro scrutinized Leonidas from head to toe, then physically tested his reflexes. As far as Alisa could tell, Leonidas responded normally. Alejandro scowled and tapped the machine that had done the brain scan, as if it might have lied to him.
“I can’t believe you’re even talking right now,” Alejandro said. “Comas take days to recover from.”
“How long was I out?” A concerned expression crossed Leonidas’s face.
“About six hours.”
“Oh, is that all?”
“A coma is a coma. You shouldn’t be fully conscious yet.”
“I’m not sorry.” Leonidas reached for the IV, as if he meant to remove it himself.
Alejandro swatted at his hand. “What are you doing?”
“I would prefer to recover in my room. This table is drafty.” Leonidas peeked under his sheet, giving Alisa a glimpse of his brawny chest. “And I’m naked. With a tube coming out of my—” he glanced at Alisa, “—naked parts.”
She snorted at this editing and decided it wasn’t the appropriate time to mention that she wouldn’t mind seeing his naked parts.
“Then I’ll get you a blanket,” Alejandro said. “You need a couple of days to rest. And to be monitored. Quit touching things.”
“I feel fine, Doctor. Cyborgs are designed to heal fast and function even in suboptimal con
ditions.”
“You don’t have implants in your brain, do you? I thought they left that alone.”
“For the most part,” Leonidas murmured.
Alisa squeezed his hand.
“You should be as susceptible to brain issues as the rest of us,” Alejandro said.
Leonidas lifted a single shoulder and repeated, “I feel fine, Doctor.”
“Humor me and rest anyway. In here.”
“I will agree to resting if you’ll agree to unhooking me from everything.”
Alejandro scowled.
Leonidas arched his eyebrows.
“Fine,” Alejandro grumbled and went about the task.
Alisa averted her eyes—mostly—when he lifted the sheet. She kept ahold of his hand, and Leonidas did not object. He leaned his head back on the table and closed his eyes. A good patient.
“Captain Alisa,” came Abelardus's voice over the comm system as Alejandro finished. “I am waiting for you.”
One of Leonidas’s eyelids opened. Amazing how much disapproval that one eye managed to convey. “Are you going somewhere?”
“To find Beck. He’s missing.”
“I’ll come with you.” Leonidas sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the table. So much for being a good patient.
Alejandro made sounds of extreme protest and finally managed to articulate, “You promised to rest!”
“That was before I knew my captain needed me.” Leonidas looked down at the sheet, which had nearly fallen off. He pushed it back over his groin. “Also, I’d appreciate it if you told me where you put my underwear.”
“I strenuously object to this. No matter how you feel, you should be monitored and rest for at least two days.” Alejandro planted a hand on his shoulder and scowled at him. “Ten minutes ago, I wasn’t sure whether you would live or die.”
“I can rest in my combat armor.”
“Does the Cyborg Corps Handbook also tell you to say idiotic things like that?”
“The virtues of combat armor are discussed in the appendix.”
Alisa smiled, so relieved to have him back. Even though he had not been unconscious for that many hours, it had been enough for her to worry and realize how much she would miss him if she lost him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed her face into his neck. She wanted to tell him to listen to Alejandro’s suggestion and rest, but she also wanted him out there with her.
Leonidas returned the hug and rested his chin on the top of her head. “This doesn’t change anything,” he said softly, sadly. “I’m glad you’re here, but we can’t… we just can’t. I never want to hurt you again.”
She scowled, leaning back to look him in the eyes. “We’ll see how you feel after we’ve kidnapped your admiral and you’ve had your surgery. Then I can seduce you. You’ll see how difficult it is to resist my feminine wiles.”
Alejandro made a noise somewhere between a gag and a sigh. “Now that you’re unhooked, I’m leaving before I lose the contents of my stomach.”
“My underwear, Doctor?” Leonidas asked, holding out his hand.
Alisa took some comfort from the fact that even though he was telling her they couldn’t have a relationship, his other arm was still wrapped around her waist. Maybe his body and heart already knew that they belonged together. His malfunctioning brain was the thing causing the problem. As susceptible to brain issues as the rest of us, indeed.
“Are you sure you need it?” Alejandro grabbed the garment off the top of Leonidas’s armor case. “Your Alliance wench may prefer you like that.”
“That’s Captain Alliance Wench,” Alisa said.
“Do not disparage her, Doctor,” Leonidas said, his tone cooling. “You may find that next time, I don’t return quite so swiftly to protect your hiding spot.”
“I won’t need protection again if we don’t get that staff back.” Alejandro tossed the underwear at him and stalked out.
Leonidas sighed, and Alisa expected him to push her away so he could dress. And because, in his own words, they couldn’t be. But his arm tightened, pulling her against him, and he lowered his face to her neck, his warm lips touching her skin. It was more of a hug than a kiss, with a sense of relief in the embrace—maybe he had been more worried about his condition than he had let on to Alejandro—but her body didn’t seem to realize that. All she registered was his closeness, the feel of his arms around her. He lifted a hand to the back of her head, stroking her hair, and electricity crackled through her as every nerve stood up and took notice.
“I’m certain your wiles are irresistible,” he murmured. “So perhaps it’s best if I don’t put myself in a position to be susceptible. Maybe my quest… is inadvisable.”
“No. It’s not. We’re going to find someone who can fix you, and afterward, you’re going to slam me up against the nearest wall and have your way with me.”
He smiled and let his hand fall away from her scalp. Disappointment surged through her. Not only was he pushing her away, he was pushing his dreams away. And for what? A broken wrist that had already healed?
“Leonidas—”
“You said Beck was waiting?” He slid off the exam table. “I’ll get armored up and meet you in the cargo hold.”
She growled, wanting to discuss this. No, to change his mind, damn it. But he was right. They had other duties, duties that were more important than this. For now.
She walked out to let him dress, her back rigid with determination. It was time to find her missing people.
Chapter 13
Alisa, Abelardus, and Leonidas parked their rented bikes a block away from the address and headed into an alley that ran between rows of warehouses, some of them towering so tall that the roofs nearly brushed the dome. They were near the outer edge, so it was much lower here than in the center of town. Lamps lit the streets, and a soft glow came from the dome itself, but shadows lurked in the alley, and people were scarce.
Alisa stifled a few yawns and told herself to remain alert rather than thinking about her bunk. If trouble had found Beck, it might still be around. Of course, she might have to deal with trouble right at her side. Abelardus kept glaring at Leonidas as they walked.
“I would like to present a united front to whoever has Beck if he has indeed been taken,” Alisa said, frowning at Abelardus. “Is there a problem we should resolve before we get there?”
Abelardus had not appeared pleased when Leonidas, once again in his armor, had shown up at the cargo hatch. That dyspeptic expression had remained on his face for the duration of the ride over. He couldn’t truly be irritated that Leonidas had lived, could he?
“No problem,” Abelardus said. “I’m just trying to figure out why he survived that mental attack when my people at the outpost didn’t.”
“I have a hearty constitution,” Leonidas said.
“You have a hearty ego.”
“I know you’re not accusing someone of having a substantial ego,” Alisa said.
“He should be dead. I just want to know why he’s not. It hardly seems fair that my people—including that boy—are dead, and he’s alive.”
“I don’t have an answer for you,” Leonidas said. “I’ve survived many battles when others haven’t.” He did not sound like he was bragging. Rather, sadness tinged the words, or maybe guilt.
Alisa touched his gauntleted hand, tempted to hold it, but the loading dock of their target warehouse had come into view. A large rectangular entrance on the back side led into the building, seemingly unguarded, but she suspected a forcefield covered the space.
“Stay here,” Leonidas said. “I’ll check the perimeter for signs of guards or automated security.” He returned her touch before jogging off.
“As if we need him to do that.” Abelardus sniffed. “I can tell you right now that there is one night guard inside, who’s asleep at the front desk.”
“Beck isn’t there?”
“I don’t sense him, no.”
Alisa kept from pointing out that h
e wouldn’t sense Beck if he was dead. She did not want to consider that possibility yet.
“What about automated security?” she asked.
“That’s slightly harder to detect. And slightly less likely to be asleep. I—” Abelardus frowned back toward the street. “Someone’s coming. Ah, good. It’s our contact.”
“The biker? You told him to meet us here?”
“I thought it might be more convenient than detouring to meet him at a gambling hall or pub.”
Alisa groaned. She didn’t want other people around when she was contemplating breaking into a warehouse.
“Why?” Abelardus asked as the rumble of a thrust bike grew audible. Had the man driven that noisy contraption here? “Are you and your cyborg planning something nefarious that you don’t want anyone else to know about?”
“Probably so, and you’ll be seen as abetting us if we’re caught.”
“I doubt Ostberg cares about the laws here.” Abelardus headed back toward the intersection as the noise from the bike grew louder.
“Comforting,” Alisa muttered.
She looked toward the warehouse, but Leonidas had disappeared from sight. Amazing how stealthy he could be in that big bright suit of armor.
She risked comming him. “Leonidas?”
“Yes?” he promptly replied.
“Where are you?”
“Hanging on a wall and looking in a window.” He spoke as if that was a completely normal position to be in.
“Abelardus has a Starseer contact coming to meet him,” Alisa said.
“I heard.” His voice came out neutral, and Alisa could not tell if he disapproved or not. Probably. He disapproved of Abelardus in general.
“Do you want me to join you, or should I listen in on their conversation?”
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