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“Unknown Vinduthi male requesting entrance,” came the voice of Sapphire, Elara’s ‘Home Help’ system.
I flicked my eyes to the screen. It was Lutram. He looked agitated.
“Fuck,” I said again. This was so not the moment. Reluctantly, I unwound my arm from Elara’s clothing.
“Can’t you tell him to leave?” Elara asked, her breath still coming in ragged gasps. She clearly enjoyed my company as much as I did hers.
“I’ll see what he wants,” I replied. The sensor beeped again. He wasn’t going away, that was for sure.
Elara tugged her clothing back on and patted her hair down hurriedly. “Let ‘em in, Sapphire,” she instructed.
Lutram entered the apartment and looked from Elara to me and back again. “Have I interrupted something?” he said with a laugh.
“Get on with it, Lutram,” I said, maybe a little too gruffly to hide my embarrassment.
“Sorry, captain,” he said. “There’s been a break-in at the flower shop. I checked it out on my rounds like you asked, and there was a damn hole cut in the front door.”
“No fucking way?” said Elara. “The bastards.”
“Shit,” I said. “When did this happen?”
“Within the last turn,” he replied. “I came straight here.”
I felt torn. I didn’t want to leave Elara here alone. It wasn’t just that she made me so horny. But I’d grown fond of her, and I felt so protective over her.
On the other hand, I didn’t want to take her for the same reason. “You stay here with Lutram,” I said. “I’ll go check out what’s happening.”
“Hold it right there, buddy!” she said. “There is no way I’m staying here. It’s my shop. Sort of. I know where everything goes, anyway. I should be there more than you.”
It took me by surprise. Women, as a rule, didn’t challenge me. It shocked me, but at the same time, I liked it. A lot.
But that was not going to stop me from keeping her safe. “I’m trying to protect you, damn it!” I said. “We don’t know what we’re going to find. It could be messy.”
“I can handle messy,” she retorted. “I’m not some soft Palinth woman.”
She was certainly not that. The Palinthians were known to be the most cowardly race in the galaxy. They survived by running and hiding. “Ha, no,” I said. “You’re no Palinthian. But seriously, it could be a trap. I’m just trying to look after you.”
“Give it up now, Draven,” she said directly. “It’s my shop, and I’m going to see what the thieving bastards have done to it.” With that, she brushed past Lutram and headed for the portal.
“Damn woman,” I cursed under my breath, following her out. A part of me wanted to make her obey me. The other part was full of admiration that she didn’t.
I sent out a coded message on my percomm.Elara could use an umbrella. Is anyone able to drop one off at the shop?I needed backup and fast. Lutram was hot on my heels, but I wanted the entire crew down there. I wouldn’t take any chances.
We came to an intersection. I knew the corridor opposite would spiral up to the shop, but Elara didn’t take it. Instead, she squeezed through a gap between a shop advertising Holo-Ho’s and another whose front was boarded over. The constant chitter of the Uunes as they gave the establishment a refit was loud in the air.
I followed her through the gap. “Hey, slow down,” I said. I was annoyed that she took the lead and led us into unknown territory.
“It’s a shortcut,” she called over her shoulder. “Keep up!”
I heard Lutram suppress a laugh behind me. He’d pay for that later.
The lighting was dim here, most of it coming from the optic cables that traversed the length of the tight corridor. The glow from them pulsed gently as they turned through all the colors of the spectrum. This must have been some kind of service duct. Pipes and cables clogged the walls, creating a chaotic tangle that surely only the Creator Uunes could decipher.
The tunnel ended abruptly in a vertical shaft. The Uunes had no use for ladders. As they created the various sections of the spaceship, they were often seen scaling sheer walls. Fortunately, here someone had hammered rungs into the walls so less dexterous species could climb the otherwise unscalable tunnel.
Elara was up it like a chit-hopper. “Slow down,” I called again. “We don’t know what we’re heading into.”
“If I slow down, I’ll fall. Only way to go is up. Fast,” she called down. She was the most vexing woman I ever met.
