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“If we were to have a weapon, we wouldn’t attract more attention to it, would we?” Nazyn asked.
“True, but still. I’ve heard some whispers.”
“You know what they say about whispers,” Nazyn went on. Oh, he was starting to tense up again. His vowels came out a bit growly.
Darcy picked up her pace. But the further she delved into the mass of people, the harder it got to pass through.
“What, what do they say?” another voice shouted.
It was like the entire crowd had turned electric, hanging on Nazyn’s every word.
“They’re a coward’s weapon. If it were true, you would speak it plainly,” he said.
“That’s a saying humans should adopt, too,” another voice said, as laughter boomed and glasses were raised.
Nazyn was a goddamn rockstar right now.
“Speaking of, how do you find our little blue planet?” Elias asked.
“Cold,” Nazyn said, followed by another round of laughter.
“I take it Deruzia is hotter,” Elias said wistfully. “When you start letting humans visit, I will be the first to volunteer.”
“That time will come soon, I hope. Yes, it is hotter. The sand there reacts differently than on your planet. Earth also has an issue with humidity,” Nazyn went on.
Darcy grinned. Oh, this she wanted to hear. No, scratch that. She wanted to be a part of the conversation, with all these brilliant minds around her, “Sorry, excuse me, passing through.”
“Heavens, I never thoughtwatercould be an issue.” Elias chuckled. “Unless you have to wring it out of the Moon.”
He got some laughter as well, and Darcy joined in. She was almost at the front row, when Nazyn went on, “Water, no. But when it interferes with technology, it is an issue.”
“You had problems with Deruzian technology on Earth, I gather.”
“Not quite.” Nazyn hesitated as Darcy finally pushed through the crowd. But she froze when he said his next words, “Someone hinted there might be an interference because of it. It was a good catch and I’ll tell you more–”
Darcy froze.
Someone.
Not Darcy, who he’d introduced to literally everyone who’d salivated at greeting him.
Instantly, she was thrown back to last year, when she’d thought her career would never recover.
You’re nothing without me, that same voice hissed in her mind.
I am, she’d fought back.And I’ll survive.
You’re no one. You’re a nameless cog in my machine. Justsomeoneon my payroll.
Darcy struggled to breathe. Right then and there, she’d promised herself she wouldneverprop up someone else before herself. That she would always–fuckingalways–demand credit for her work. That she wouldn’t cower and hide herself to make others feel bigger.
Then she met Nazyn, and what did she do?
Gave him the answer why his device wasn’t working.
Whispered the names of all these scientists he had literally no clue about.
Give him a pep talk aboutspeakingwith them.
