by Lynn Rae
“You’re doing better,” Colan stated, but thankfully kept touching her. She smiled and stayed still, not wanting him to stop yet. For the first time in two days, she had no pain ricocheting in her skull.
“Why are you being nice to me?”
“You think I’m the sort of person who would let someone suffer if I knew I could help?”
“No. But I know I’m not especially high on your list of favorite people.”
“That’s not true. I don’t have a list of any favorite people.”
Colan’s deadpan statement made Lia’s eyelids flutter open. She needed to see his face to judge his expression and decide if he was joking or not. All she saw was a frown and drawn together eyebrows before he admonished her to close her eyes. Again, she obeyed, too distracted by his soft rubs along the backs of her hands to argue. She wasn’t going to do anything to distract him at this point.
He really needed to stop now. Colan willed himself to remove his hands from Lia’s body, but there was no response. There was a response, but it was certainly not appropriate for the place they were in nor the person he was touching. Why did he keep finding ways to get close to her? He knew why, but in a useless fit of self-deception he wanted to pretend he didn’t.
Looking at her face—softened by the lessening of pain, eyes closed, mouth relaxed into the tiniest of smiles—Colan decided to have an honest chat with himself later, when he was alone in his hut with only uninvited flivvers for company.
“You would be doing this for Miklos?”
No. “Yes.”
“Wayde or Rob?”
No. “Yes. But they’ve been here long enough it wouldn’t be a problem.”
“I suppose I could rub my own hands if you’re getting tired.” She moved her fingers in a halfhearted manner, and he managed not to grasp her and pull her closer. Wisps of soft brown hair had come loose from her braid as he’d massaged her temples, and he watched them move in the slight breeze. He noticed she had a few pale freckles across the bridge of her nose. How had he missed those until now?
“I’m not getting tired. And it doesn’t work if you do it yourself.”
Lia’s lips curved into a bigger smile, and he wondered if she read something into that comment. Not that he was. “Why doesn’t it work?”
“Because you know where you’re going to touch next. When your brain isn’t sure what’s next, it starts to anticipate. Which means it isn’t paying attention to the pain.”
“I don’t think that’s how brains work,” she countered.
“Maybe not. Is it working for you?” And that had been a double entendre, unintentional, but jangling between them like a ringing bell. He went back to her wrists; swathes of tender skin covereing little veins and tiny bones.
“My head doesn’t hurt, so you might have something with that theory of yours.”
“Would you like to go back and see your doctor?”
Trying to act as if it didn’t matter, Colan pulled his hands from her and watched as she blinked her eyes open. She focused on him and took a few slow breaths. “It still feels okay.”
“It should until we get back. If you put on shades and move slowly.”
“Then that’s what I’ll do.”
“What, no argument?”
Lia shook her head with a smile and without a wince. “I don’t know how long this mood’s going to last, so I better start walking.”
A crashing boom invaded Colan’s vivid dream of a huge river convoluted by oxbows, and he sat up in bed, confused and wondering what had happened. Once he realized the roof of his hut hadn’t caved in, he concluded Gina’s boys had been at it again. With equal parts annoyance and worry for their safety, he headed for the door, remembering to put on his boots at the last minute. There was no telling what he was going to find outside, and he didn’t want to contract foot weevils again on top of whatever disaster awaited him.
Opening his front door, he looked down over the yard separating his place from Gina’s house. Ermil and Perrin’s handiwork was immediately obvious. The tall stack of resin buckets piled against a leaning plank fence were now scattered all over the ground. Most of them were charred, and some were still smoking. The boys had found some sort of explosive and hatched a demented science experiment to destroy their mother’s pile of food containers stashed for eventual recycling. There was no sign of the two brothers, and Colan worried one or both of them might have been injured.
He swung down the rope he’d installed and hit the soggy ground with a splash, searching the area for signs of small male humans, blood stains, or, stars forbid, a severed finger or ear. Finding nothing but exploded buckets, he headed for Gina’s house, calling out for Ermil and Perrin as he walked. The back door was open, and he did a quick search of the quiet and empty house. The usual clutter of three people filled it; modular toy bricks, stacks of clean and dirty laundry, dishes scattered on level surfaces.
Colan headed out the front door and scanned Pearl’s street, still calling out for the boys. Where were they? They couldn’t have gotten far since the explosion hadn’t happened more than a minute ago. Why engineer a dramatic explosion and not stay to see the show?
He spun on his heel, boot digging into the soft surface of the road and noticed two people running his way. For a moment, he thought they were responding to the explosion, but their steady pace indicated they were exercising, not rescuing. As the figures approached, he recognized Lia in form-fitting and brightly colored clothing. Great. Just what he needed; missing children, explosions in the yard, and this woman staring at him as she jogged to a halt a meter from him. The man with her stopped as well, his black hair damp with sweat, and his onyx eyes evaluated Colan as if he might be a threat.
“Good morning, Colan.” Lia breathed heavily and propped her hands on her hips as she gulped in air. The man with her was silent and un-winded. He wore brief exercise clothing and looked as solid as a boulder. They stood close together. He didn’t allow himself to wonder why, because the boys were more important than knowing about Lia’s social connections.
“Did you see two smallish boys in that direction?” Colan asked as he pointed back the way they’d come. Judging by their origin, they’d run from the nice trail which went northeast through the cocker forest.
“No,” the un-winded man answered quickly. “Are they missing?”
“Yes, because they know they’re in trouble.”
“What happened?”
“They blew up some buckets in the back.” Colan swung his thumb in the direction of the backyard and tried not to notice any part of Lia’s curvy body.
“I’ll just take a look.” The formidable man took a step away and introduced himself as Bendix Zashi, the safety chief, before he ran off like a machine. Great, now the law was on the case. Colan just wanted to find the troublemakers and assure himself they were uninjured before he turned them over to their mother who was undoubtedly busy at work in the science station. Now, there would probably be a report filed and official intervention, which he would have to liaison.
Bringing his gaze back from the disappearing form of Zashi, Colan found Lia watching him with raised eyebrows and no expression.
“Feeling better?”
“Much. Thanks again for your help yesterday. The doc gave me some medicine, and I’m a new person.” Lia kept her gaze on his face as her cheeks flushed. She must have been running hard. That was good; she was adjusting to the planet. She cleared her throat and raised her chin just as Colan felt a breeze flutter along his back and chest. His bare back and chest. Nebula’s balls, he was out here in the middle of the street wearing only briefs and hiking boots. Thank stars he hadn’t fallen asleep nude like he usually did, or this conversation would be even more awkward.
“I need to find those boys.” And get some pants on.
“I’ll help.” Lia turned her head away to scan along the road which was deserted of people. This was a small blessing, despite the embarrassment of having her see him nearly naked,
Colan didn’t want to hear anyone joking about his attire. Pearlites were desperate for amusement, and this would certainly fall into the category of something to chortle over for the next few days.
“What do they look like?”
“Ah, one is about this tall, and the other is this tall.” He indicated different heights against his midsection, realizing yet again he was nearly naked when Lia glanced at his stomach and away quickly. “They’re both brown haired, tanned, and menaces. Ermil and Perrin Healy. They belong to Gina, the head scientist.”
“Got it, just over a meter and a half tall and wild.” Lia started to walk away, her legs far too long to be ignored, but Colan did his best.
“I’m heading this way.” He waved in the opposite direction and called out to the miscreants. He passed all four buildings and saw no sign of them, so he doubled back and jogged in the direction Lia had gone, glancing in between structures as he went. Lia was nowhere in sight, and he wondered where she’d gone when he noticed the door to the science building was open. He heard raised voices and went inside to find both boys backed into a corner as their mother glared at them. Lia stood near the door and did not look any lower than his chin when he stopped at her side. Gina was reading her two sons the riot act, and when she noticed Colan she swung on him.
“Here he is! Now I’ll get the straight story.”
Colan held up a hand. “I didn’t see anything. The noise woke me up, and I went out to see what the hell happened.”
“The noise of an explosion! What did you blow up, Perrin?” Gina stared at her oldest son as he tried a shamed expression. He didn’t pull it off.
“Just those old buckets in the back. You said we were going to ‘cycle them so I figured why not?”
“Why not indeed? Dangerous, foolish behavior, and you disturbed the neighbors. Poor Colan here is running around in his nothings searching for you!” Gina ranted as both Ermil and Perrin shot him unrepentant glances of amusement. Little Ermil seemed ready to burst into laughter as his eyes sparkled. Lia shifted on her feet, and Colan risked a glance at her. She looked as if she suppressed a laugh as well as she tightened her lips and avoided his gaze.
“That’s it from you. You’re both confined to the house for the rest of the day—”
“But mom, we were supposed to go watch the building with Joli.”
“Not anymore you’re not. You go home, clean everything up, and apologize to Colan.” Gina took a breath as she glared at her sons. “You’re both lucky no one was hurt. I know we just got a doctor with a medical suite, but I hardly want my reckless children to be the first patients. Ermil, tell me how you blew it up.” Gina stared at her youngest as if she thought at his young age he’d spill the truth under pressure. Colan could have told her Ermil was as tough to crack as a Freton gambler. The little boy widened his eyes and stayed quiet, but Perrin couldn’t resist showing off.
“It was really phenom, Mom. We synthesized a compound from cleaning supplies and put it in a pressurized container,” the older boy enthused, and Gina’s disciplined composure cracked in the face of scientific discovery.
“What cleaning supplies? Where did you get the idea?”
Colan realized Gina was going to delve into the scientific minutia with her offspring, and he was no longer needed in the vicinity. He said farewell and stepped away, anxious to disappear. Gina waved to him and returned to questioning Perrin about covalent bonds. Lia followed him, and he wished she hadn’t.
“Good morning. I need to go back home and get some, ah…” He tried inch away, but she followed him.
“Right, get some clothes on. Do you mind if I walk with you? I have some questions.”
Of course she had questions, likely wondering if such doings were normal for her new home planet. As he squelched along the street in his unfastened boots, Colan wished he had a pressing appointment somewhere else. Not that he was dressed for an appointment anywhere other than his bed. He wasn’t going to think about going back to bed as Lia walked next to him in those incredibly tight clothes. How could she run in them? She also had mud spatters up her calves. Very nice calves that curved—
“I’m not criticizing.”
“Oh, go ahead and criticize.”
“I won’t. I’m curious.” Lia stopped, and he automatically halted and looked at her. The oddness of the situation hit him at once. Here he was wearing only underwear and having a conversation with a leggy woman in the middle of the road. He’d had some strange experiences, but this was in a class by itself.
“Is there a school here?”
Colan blinked. He hadn’t expected that. “No. There aren’t that many kids. Just Ermil and Perrin, a couple of older girls, and one baby. Not that many people start families all the way out here.”
Lia nodded and was silent for a moment. Her gaze drifted lower as she glanced at his shoulders. He could almost feel it like a touch on his skin.
“We can make a school happen. Especially once extractors start to arrive. Most are independent adults, but some are bringing their families along.”
“That would be great. Gina tries to teach her boys, but she is so busy with work I know it gets tough.”
“Does she have a partner?”
“No.” Colan didn’t want to talk outside any more. He’d spotted a few people emerging from their homes and taking notice of them, so he gestured toward the path which led back to his hut. “The boys’ father died a couple of years ago. Lost out in the forest.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“We all were. He was a good guy; smart, friendly, curious. In fact, he would have been the ideal person to act as liaison with you folks.”
“You seem to be managing.” Lia quirked an eyebrow his way as they entered the Healy backyard through the door he’d cut in the plank fence.
“Not so well this morning.” Colan walked up to the safety officer who seemed to be engrossed in taking digimas of the far-flung buckets littering the space. Lia wandered around and looked over the debris as Colan wondered if he should continue to talk or make his way back to his hut for some clothes and maybe a cup of coffee. If he did that, he’d have to make coffee for the congressionals. He already felt like a lackey. Coffee-fetching would turn him into a serve bot.
“I heard you found the kids,” Zashi spoke up. He put away his datpad and walked over to Colan, seemingly unperturbed that Colan was practically naked.
“We did. No injuries, and they’re in the custody of their mother.”
“Excellent. I don’t have a juvenile facility set up yet.” The other man pressed his lips in a grim line, and Colan couldn’t decide if he was joking or serious. Maybe he would have been more capable of subtlety after a cup of coffee or two, which reminded him to be civilized.
“I’m going up to start my day properly. Can I bring you some coffee in about ten minutes?”
“No need. I’m heading back to the facility.” Shooting Colan an evaluating look, Zashi shook his hand and moved away, calling out to Lia he was leaving. She made her way over to Colan by hopping over some split and melted buckets and waved goodbye to her exercise partner, assuring him that she’d see him later for lunch. Colan’s vague suspicion the two congressionals might be involved remained unconfirmed.
“So, about the school.”
“Great idea. It would go over well with people here.”
Lia narrowed her eyes. “I didn’t suggest it to make points.”
“I didn’t say you did.”
“You implied it.”
Colan’s irritation with the day returned with a vengeance. He’d been rudely awakened about a half an hour ago and had already been embroiled in explosive drama and officious confrontations. Lia just stood there half a meter from him with a spark in her eye, her slim hands on her curvaceous hips, and he fought the insane urge to kiss her. Kiss her without a thought for not having brushed his teeth. But finding out what she tasted like would certainly improve his outlook, at least until she belted him or laughed. Then he’d
be back to dismal.
She waited for him to reply for a couple of beats and shrugged her shoulders. “I’ll message you the day’s updated schedule in an hour. If you have any questions, please let me know.”
Turning on her heel in the soft ground, she marched away, and Colan allowed himself the very elemental pleasure of watching her body sway as she left. It was probably a good thing she’d retreated when she had, her snappy attitude and alluring figure had begun to heat his blood and that would have been hard to conceal in his current apparel.
Chapter 4
“You must be joking.” Moca shot a dissatisfied glance at Assistant Magistrate Cordon as if he was responsible for the disaster they were now attempting to manage. Her second-in-command had arrived at lunchtime with the bad news that the congressional committee tasked with managing the settlement of Gamaliel had completely reworked the claim lottery system. Everything from parcel size, location, and the order in which sections of land would be assigned had been modified in a last minute meeting.
Lia poked at her lunch and tried to ignore her datpad display. It blinked an agonized scarlet with all the destroyed timetables. The entire team on planet was now in their own last minute meeting, attempting to reinvent their carefully thought out plans. Settlers would begin to arrive in less than a month, so Lia, Cordon, and Moca were having a working lunch. Claude had managed to cook them a decent meal on short notice, but she wasn’t feeling much of an appetite for quinoa patties with cheese and mushroom sauce. She’d already eaten all the roasted sprouts and sliced tomato and hoped that would be enough to fuel her for the upcoming session.
