by April Zyon
“I’m as ready as I’m going to get,” she confessed, moving so that she could grab on to him just a bit tighter.
“I’ll be right beside you the entire time. I have a feeling that I won’t be required to attend to my normal duties during this trip. Good on several fronts, mainly that I can remain with you and not have to do reports. Bad on one front because then I will need to figure out how to fill the time. Beyond finishing learning the Imarian language and buffing up my knowledge of their laws.”
“And good on the front that you’ll be able to help me learn more of the Imarian language as well. Has Adira been teaching the twins both languages so that they would have both cultures?” Although now, if everything worked as planned under Markus, they would once more be one culture.
“She has been. They are much better at it than I will ever be but they did start earlier. They both do not have the implant yet, too young still to have it, so it’s a good thing that they are learning both languages. Last I recall she was also working on teaching them an older dialect of Imarian. It is not used all that often except in their military. Much of their terminology is still the same from back at that point in their history,” he told her. The vehicle rolled to an easy stop and the door lifted automatically. Markus slipped out and took her hand to help her out.
She was shocked by the number of people that surrounded them, although she probably shouldn’t have been.
“You are looking panicky again. Do I need to throw you over my shoulder so that you don’t run?” he asked quietly while they were herded toward the tramps. “I will if you want, might even fondle you a little to get your mind off things if it will help.”
“I won’t run,” she told him. “Then again the idea of having you fondling me makes me all sorts of happy.” She had to lean in closer to him to whisper those words. She was shocked when she heard several chuckles. Oh for the love of it all, she hadn’t expected anyone to hear her.
“We need to work on your whispering skills,” he said in amusement. Hands on her hips, he helped her into the tramp and followed her inside. They settled into seats in the middle and after buckling in he slipped his arm around her shoulders. “Craegin males also have really good hearing, which you should know, my little Craegin female. I’ll warn you now, Imarian males have the same uncanny trait.”
“Oh great,” she muttered. “Well, I should point out that it’s rude to eavesdrop on a very obviously private conversation.” She looked at the men and smiled when most of them, at least, gave a blush or looked away from her. “But you’re right, we do need to work on my whispering skills.”
“Especially around Colonel Kauller,” Markus said. “The man has a mind that never forgets anything. It may take him a while to recall something, but he eventually will, and it’s usually in the most embarrassing moment possible. He is a pain but a great friend.” Hugging her in close, Markus leaned his head back when the engines started. Around her, Paisley noticed the other men doing the same thing, which had her wondering if this was something she should know about and possibly be doing, too.
“Why is everyone napping?” she asked him quietly. “Seriously, everyone has their head back and their eyes closed. Should I do that?” She had never been on a tramp going into space before. She had only lived on the planet’s surface her whole life.
Markus turned his head to look at her. “Habit. We all learn early on to sleep whenever we can. It is actually relaxing to be in such a position when we clear orbit and we are without gravity. The pilots normally don’t bother to turn it on for the short hops from planet to the destroyers or the orbiting platforms. You get to enjoy a few moments where you are weightless, thus why we buckle in so tightly.”
“That makes sense,” she said with a nod. “I will try but please don’t be upset with me if I cry like a little girl when we take off. This is a first for me.”
“You’ll do fine.”
“I don’t feel so good…” She didn’t fly often at all. She took ground transports from place to place on planet but she didn’t fly, so she was afraid that she was going to embarrass herself. “Maybe Mom didn’t take me places because she didn’t want me to be ill all over the tramp. Did I mention that I’m seriously a failure when it comes to anything to do with military, including flying, it seems?” Because she was feeling very ill right now.
“Slow your breathing, little one. Hyperventilating will not help the situation,” he said softly. From under the seat, he pulled out a flat bag he shook out and handed to her. Then he looked to one of the men and pointed behind him. A second later a medical box was passed over. “Any allergies to medication, Paisley? Namely anti-nausea medication.”
“Not that I know of. I’m healthy and if you have something that will help with the nausea, that would be good.” She didn’t look at the other man but she focused on Markus’s words, on his breathing, and tried to make sure that she took the same breaths he did, tried to ensure that she was as calm as he seemed to be.
“Good to know.” Pulling open the box, he dug out an injector, then an ampule he slotted into place before setting the box aside. “I need your hip, please,” he said. He held up the injector and an alcohol swab she hadn’t noticed him grabbing.
“Always trying to get me naked,” she said with a laugh, wincing when she realized it had come out loud enough that everyone could hear. She turned in the seat and gave him her hip, knowing that he would make sure that she didn’t flash anyone that didn’t need to see her. She felt the cool touch of the swab, then the pinch of the needle. It was almost instantly that she felt her stomach calming and a relaxation filling her. “Oh, that’s lovely.” She turned and let him buckle her back up. She slipped her hand into his, closed her eyes, and allowed the darkness to take her away.
Chapter Twelve
Markus let her sleep until after they had landed in the bay and the others had disembarked from the tramp. Only when the ship was cleared did he unbuckle her and gently shake her. “Paisley, we’re here, little one. Are you going to wake up to see your first destroyer?” he asked when she made her cute face. Her nose wrinkled up and her expression took on a stubborn edge. He knew she was resisting waking.
“I don’t think I’m ready.” He loved the way that her voice sounded when she was all sleepy like she was right now. “I love waking up to your voice. Have I mentioned that?” Okay, so maybe she was such a lightweight with medication that she was a little drunk from it right now.
“You have mentioned it before, actually. When we were in the bunker and I woke you from our nap.” Settling in next to her again, he was not surprised when she moved her head to his shoulder and wrapped her hands around his arm. “Take your time and wake up. That medication hit you pretty hard, I’m starting to think. We’ll dial down the dose next time.”
“It’s okay, honey.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Her breath was warm against the side of his neck. “I think for now I need to get up and walk. Let’s get moving so they don’t think that you’ve bonded with a weakling.” That was something else he noticed about her, that she was constantly thinking of him.
“No one thinks you are weak, Paisley. Three of the men we rode up with threw up on their first trip to the orbiting station. Each new crew we get on board, there is usually one or two who are sick for anywhere from a week to a month until they get used to the unusual motions a destroyer makes. All too proud to take the anti-nausea medication. Believe me, no one is judging you for being upfront about the issue and accepting the treatment.” He did stand and help her to her feet. “We can walk around the landing bay until you feel ready and then move into the destroyer proper.”
“No one will be in here, right? It’s just going to be us in the landing bay?”
“Only us, little one. I promise.” He moved an arm around her waist to hold her closer to his side. Slowly they worked their way out of the tramp. When they were on the deck plating, he began to walk her around the ship. It was slow going at first with
a few stumbles, but eventually she began to regain full coordination and was not leaning against him quite as much.
Finally, she said, “I think I’m ready.” Her voice was clearer now, her tone no longer sluggish.
“Good, let’s go get something to eat.”
“Will we be able to eat alone or will we be expected to share a table with the general and his people?” He could hear the uncertainty in her voice.
“Fintan will be checking in on the command deck and looking over reports. If he did not get waylaid by Adira on his way up there, that is. Right now there should only be a handful of crew in the dining hall. Don’t worry, little one. I don’t plan to throw you to the wolves yet.” Shaking his head, he led her out into the corridor and toward the lift. He kept her close to his side as they walked. Markus couldn’t wait until he could get her alone, but he knew that was still hours away. A shame, that, but he would survive.
Chapter Thirteen
Markus brought them to a stop before a door and pressed a button on the control pad next to it. A couple moments later it was opened to reveal a woman definitely not of Craegin birth. Movement behind her had Paisley looking down to a pair of big eyes peering up at her from a cherub face. “Hope we are not interrupting, Adira. Fintan thought it would be all right if we stopped around so I could introduce you to Paisley.”
“Not at all,” Adira stated with a smile, then glanced down at the child who was looking up at the woman at his side. “In fact, I would like to have some help if you don’t mind? Lennox and Morgan are both full of energy right now and I have a monster of a headache.”
Paisley bent to her knees and looked at the beautiful little girl before her. “Hello. I’m Paisley.” She held her hand out to the child, then looked up at Markus and Adira. “I just love kids so much.”
Markus was smiling, and Adira looked bemused. “You go and lay down. We’ll entertain the little ones. If we’re not here when you wake up they have kidnapped us, are holding us hostage, and you will need to send in a full platoon with treats to get us free,” he told the other woman. “Go on, we’ll be fine. Paisley has some experience keeping little ones in this age group on task, being a teacher.”
Paisley nodded and assured Adira that it was true. “I have missed children so much. It’s always fun to meet new children. These two I have heard a great deal about. Lennox, I hear that you are called The Little General, is that correct?” she asked with a smile.
After looking up at his mother, who nodded, he leveled a look on her and smiled. “Mama says I am like Dada.”
“In more ways than one,” Markus said. He bent to lift Morgan into his arms when the little girl made the pick-me-up hand motions. Waving Paisley in, he followed with the little girl on his hip and closed the door behind them. “He gets many of the same looks on his face when things are not going his way. I have to share something with you, Lennox—Paisley here loves to tell stories. I think we should give her a test to see if she can tell one that meets your high standards.”
When the little boy nodded, Paisley winked at him and took a seat on the couch so that they could settle in together. Once they did, Paisley began to tell the little man a story that her mother had told her so very, very long ago. She started to tell him all about the first war that her mother had ever been a part of, leaving out the really brutal parts of it all.
Morgan occasionally seemed to tune into the story but for the most part, she was playing with the buttons on Markus’s uniform and chatting quietly with him. Lennox, though, was enthralled, watching her intently the entire time she spoke. Every now and again she saw confusion on his face but it was always swept away by concentration.
At the end of the story, Paisley decided to girl it up for Morgan and was adding in little bits and pieces about how her mother had went shopping on the new planet and was telling the little girl all about the new fabrics that her mother had also brought home for her. It was then that the little girl started to get interested in the story as well.
Morgan’s eyes widened when Paisley described the finished outfit. Her little mouth dropped open. “Pwetty,” she whispered in awe.
Lennox was watching his sister before realizing Paisley was looking at him. Meeting her gaze straight-on, he gave a little nod. Paisley felt like she’d passed a test of sorts. A quick glance to Markus found he was watching her with a crooked grin. “Good job,” he said.
“Thank you.” She winked at Markus. “And I have images of the final dress as well. I will show them to you sometime, Morgan. If you’re interested, that is,” she said with a smile. “And for you, Little General, I will show you Mom’s collection of medals. Images, of course, because those are all ones that she has earned over her career. I think perhaps one day you will have your own medals and that’s going to be an impressive bunch of them. I can’t wait to watch you grow into a big general, my little man.”
Throwing his arms wide, Lennox watched her. “He wants a hug,” Markus said. “Watch your hands, Little General, or you and I will be talking later.”
Morgan giggled when Paisley leaned in to accept the hug and kiss Lennox gave her. The little girl laughed even more when Markus brushed a kiss to her cheek and gave her a squeeze before settling her to a different position on his lap.
Paisley snuggled in with Lennox and watched Markus with Morgan. “You look good, you know that?” she told him. “I think that you and I should have at least one, maybe two one day. What do you think? We should have a few in our lives.” Having children with him would be fabulous—later, of course.
“Whatever you want, little one.”
She reached out to touch the child’s cheek gently. “You are such a beautiful little girl.” She had her mother’s coloring but her father’s eyes. She was stunning, really, and Lennox was General Daykin all over again only in miniature version.
“She is the only one who gets to sit in the command chair when they come up there to visit. It is amazing how well behaved a group of individuals become when they have a pair of little ears listening to absolutely everything they are saying. She also likes the various panels. Fintan thinks it’s because of the lights. Personally, I believe she’s plotting how to take over the galaxy. But she’s cute and everyone claims she would never do that. I think they are all in for a surprise one day,” Markus told her.
Paisley laughed and nodded. “I think you’re right. She’s going to take over the entire galaxy one day and I can’t wait to see it.” She stroked the little girl’s hair. “What do you two say about us going for a small walk? Perhaps we will go and explore?” She looked to Markus to find out if that would be okay or not.
“I’ll leave a note for Adira if she wakes before we return.” Lifting Morgan up, he settled the little girl next to Paisley before he got up. A moment later he returned to the three of them and held out his hands to Morgan, who bounced up onto the cushion, then hopped into his arms. “We are good to go. We’ll go down to the hydroponics bay and let them play on the grass while we watch close at hand on a bench or a swing. We should also grab the bag of toys from the box by the door.”
“Sounds like a plan. All right, Lennox, are you going to be my little escort since your uncle Markus is busy with Morgan?”
“I can carry the toys,” he said before holding a hand out to her. Taking his hand, Paisley let Lennox lead her to the box and waited while he lifted the lid to pull out a duffel. He couldn’t quite carry it, though, since the straps were too long for him to keep it off the ground.
“I will carry the bag, Lennox,” Markus said. “You need to be Paisley’s tour guide. Tell her all about the destroyer areas we go past on our trip down to hydroponics.”
After a moment to consider things, Lennox left the bag on the floor and took Paisley’s hand again. This time, he tugged her to the door.
“Yes, this is going to be my new home, so I’d love to get to know the destroyer with your help. You would be able to show me all of the good places to sneak and play, right?”
“Maybe,” Lennox told her. He threw a look over his shoulder, then up at her. “I will show you,” he whispered loudly. Behind her, Markus snickered. Apparently someone else needed to work on their whispering, too.
“One thing at a time. Today is showing Paisley where hydroponics is.”
Paisley glanced down at Lennox and grinned. “I think that if you point to one place or another I will get the hint and I’ll be able to come back and find it later. How does that sound?”
Her answer was a big smile from the little boy.
“I think we are going to have to watch them, Morgan. Paisley doesn’t realize she has fallen into Lennox’s trap easier than anyone else ever has.”
“She pwetty.”
“Yes, she is, very pretty. Like you, little angel.”
Paisley smiled at them both. “I think that you are very pretty as well, Morgan,” she told the little girl. “You and I are going to have a great deal of fun together. We’ll be able to have some alone time together and we will figure out just how to create some beautiful little clothes for you. We are going to try so many new things.” They would be learning and never know it.
Morgan clapped her hands and made a lunge for Paisley. Markus kept her from going too far but Paisley still got her cheeks squished and a wet kiss on her nose.
“And that is the Morgan sign of approval,” Markus said. Adjusting the little girl in his arms, he shook his head. “I did not even have to tell you about that one. Good on you, my little bond mate. Morgan loves pretty clothes almost as much as she likes digging in the dirt in hydroponics. Which reminds me, where do we not go in there, Morgan?”
“Signs bad, no signs good,” Morgan said with a triumphant look.
“I don’t understand. What do you mean, signs are bad?” She focused this question on Markus. “Are there times when people can’t go into hydroponics?” She hadn’t thought about the clothes being the key to Morgan. She just was thinking about having the child learn how to measure, how to cut, and the math involved in making clothes. There was actually a lot that a person could learn in the making of clothes.
