“How can I save anyone with a speech?” Nell laid her cheek against his chest, felt the rise and fall with each breath and the slow drum of his heart. For a moment, the heat of his body warmed her, but slowly a fire ignited low inside her that had nothing to do with comfort and everything to do with a raw sexual need.
“The words are not as important as you being here to utter them.” He tucked her head under his chin.
“I wish I had your faith.” And his strength. With it, she could get through this speech without throwing up. Behave, she urged her rumbling stomach. The speech gave her a purpose, and afterwards?
He scooped her legs up in one arm and cradled her against his broad chest. “It is not faith but practicality.”
Wiggling in his hold, she tucked the edges of her toga between her legs and felt to make sure it covered her private parts. “Thanks. I think.”
“You’re welcome.” He rocked her slightly, then the doors opened.
Nell bit her lip to keep the hysteria from spilling out. She definitely qualified for the idiot of the year. They’d been in an elevator, not his quarters. She might have figured it out earlier if she’d been able to touch the floor and feel the motion. She was getting sick of floating, of not knowing what was going on. “Did that box Ms. Shang’hai found contain any instructions for me?”
“It is a flight log, unlikely to have other information on it, but I will have her check.” Bei carried Nell down another long gray hall. This one had suffered less damage. Aside from a few buckled sheets at regular intervals along the walkway, none of the panels had popped off and no wires waved from pitted walls.
The crew quarters must be better protected against whatever had happened to the other areas. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about being sucked out a hole while she slept. Better yet, no crewman was around to stand at attention so they wouldn’t have to look at her. Nell looped her arms around the admiral’s neck. “You have interesting names. Shang’hai. Rome. Isn’t anyone called John or Jack or Jane anymore?”
“The Syn-En are named in accordance with our genetic ancestry.” The admiral marched down the hall. The motion was smooth as gliding with only the chink of his heels punctuating his steps.
“So Chief Rome is Italian?”
The admiral’s brow furrowed for a moment before he looked down at her. “He is descended from a member of the European Nation. Chief Engineer Commander Sydney Shang’hai’s parents are believed to be from both the Asian Consortium and the PanAus Island Federation.”
“Believed to be? She doesn’t know?”
“The Syn-En are wards of the state and have been since infancy or close to it.”
“I think I knew that.” How Nell knew was another matter, but that could wait. Maybe after she gave her speech, she’d look at the stasis chamber a little closer. Something told her the answer lay there. “So your name…”
He remained quiet as they reached the end of the empty hall. A single door opened at his approach and he walked across the threshold.
Nell didn’t take her eyes off him. “You’re not going to tell me your name.”
“Beijing York. Although most of your kind address me as Admiral.” His full lips thinned as he looked down at her.
“I can see why. I mean you are an admiral. Which is the highest rank, right? And therefore deserving of respect.” Nell flinched at the anger vibrating through his body.
“It also helps for citizens not to see us as individuals.” Pain darkened his pale blue eyes, exotic in their slanted sockets.
“I’m sure that’s not the case.” She kept her hands locked behind his neck to stop from smoothing his ache away. Somehow she knew he wouldn’t interpret anything she did as a sign of comfort.
“It is. We do the same. Prisoners are given numbers and are addressed as such.”
A sliver of fear worked its way under her skin. “Am I your prisoner?”
She watched his face, looking for any sign of truth or lies.
After a heartbeat, the corners of his lips twitched. “No. You are here to save us, remember?”
“I remember, but I’m sure I’m supposed to do something more than give a speech.” For a moment, she played with the soft black hair at his nape, then her fingers explored the rough skin. Was it her imagination or was it just a bit squishy under her touch?
Beijing York winced, quickly released her legs and grasped her hands. “The communication will do for now.”
“Just keep it short. Last time I gave a speech, I threw up on stage.” Doubts whispered across Nell’s brain. She shook them off. If Beijing thought she could do the task she would try. After all, she’d joined the Save Our World Foundation to help, and he had said more than once that her talking to his crew would help. She straightened and saluted while hovering in front of him. “What are your orders, Sir?”
Beijing shook his head.
Dropping her hand, Nell shrugged. “Sorry, I didn’t mean any insult by that.”
His mouth opened as if to speak but all that she heard was a loud chirp.
Nell slapped her hand over her mouth to trap a rising giggle. Now might be a good time to check out her new quarters. The queen sized bed took up a third of the rectangular room. Pinholes of white light illuminated the crisp corners of the tucked, silver blanket. Catty-corner to the bed, two green barrel chairs crowded a built-in metal desk and two flat computer monitors with a variety of ports hung above it. To the left of the bed, a set of sliding closet doors, with one tucked neatly behind the other, exposed three navy uniform shirts and folded pants on hangers.
Without taking his attention from Nell, Beijing responded to the chirping doorbell. “Enter.”
The door to the hall swished open and Shang’hai stepped inside. She tossed a bundle from one hand to another like a cook would pizza dough. “Sorry to interrupt, Bei, but I thought the citizen would want these.”
Shang’hai’s brown slanted eyes narrowed to slits as her gaze flicked from Nell to Bei. After a moment, she held out the wadded fabric to the admiral. A muscle ticked in her round jaw as her attention settled on Nell’s hand on Bei’s shoulder.
Nell jerked her hand away as if scalded. She hadn’t meant to poach on the other woman’s property.
Yes, you did
. Her ever helpful mother reminded Nell.
And you and he are chosen to be together.
Chosen? What the heck does that mean
?
Beijing took the offering in his large hands before he pressed it against Nell’s stomach. “Is the com set up?”
Nell clutched at the wad of slinky fabric. It was heavy. Looking down, she noticed the soles of her feet actually skimmed the floor. Guess the clothes must have metal in them so they would be attracted to the deck. Balancing one half of the pile on her shoulder, she unfurled the other fabric. Pants. Holding them against her belly, she checked the size. They just might fit. Looking up, Nell offered the other woman a genuine smile. “Thank you, Chief Engineer Commander Shang’hai.”
Without responding, Shang’hai smoothed her pink hair flat against her oval head. The short locks sprang back up while she addressed Beijing. “We’re routing feed to here. Red Dwarf’s com is damaged and should be operational in five, but the rest of the fleet is standing by.”
Fleet? Nell wrapped her legs around each other as she stood on tippy-toes. Tension dotted her shoulders before she took a calming breath. The admiral would have to address all his men, she needed only talk to those who saw that film clip. “I should go and, um, let you talk military.”
Turning, she scanned the room. Great! So much for making a graceful exit, there wasn’t a door in sight. When she pushed off the deck, she shot toward the ceiling. She reached for Beijing but turned and grasped the chair instead. Nell wouldn’t put it past Shang’hai to rip her apart for touching her man. For some reason, tears sprang to Nell’s eyes.
“Nell?” Beijing cupped her elbow and turned her slowly to face him.
“Hmm.” She sniffed, wiping her nose on her forearm. “I just don’t know where to go t-to provide you with privacy.”
“We don’t need privacy.” He offered her a smile. It softened the angles and planes of his face and lit his eyes. “Why don’t you get dressed then we’ll go over what you’re to say to the fleet.”
Nell stiffened. That was not the agreement. “The fleet? Why do I have to address the fleet? I thought I was only to speak to the ones that saw…”
Her breath came in small burst of cold air. Oh Lord! The entire fleet saw her posterior?
“Because they saw you die.” The admiral’s lips twitched before he got them under control.
“The fleet saw…” Lightning bolts appeared in Nell’s peripheral vision. Her stomach danced a jig. Darkness crowded out the light and an odd buzzing sounded in her ears. She heard the flutter of fabric as oblivion beckoned.
“Doc Cabo. Medical emergency in admiral’s quarters. Doc Cabo to the admiral’s quarters.” Strong arms closed around her. Beijing’s heat warmed her numb limbs. “Breathe, Nell. You have to breathe. In and out.”
Safe. She was safe. Nell sucked in the metallic tasting air. Her eyes fluttered open. The admiral’s face swam in and out of focus. Good grief. She was having a panic attack. Shouldn’t there be a limit on the number of times she could embarrass herself in a day? “I…”
Pressure on her belly caused Nell to look down.
Shang’hai tugged at the hem of Nell’s sarong then clamped onto Nell’s arm, and dragged her backward into a corner, away from the admiral. “Let’s get you dressed.”
Reaching around Nell, Shang’hai jerked on the knot holding the silver sarong closed.
Nell smacked the pale hands aside and caught the emergency blanket before it slipped down, exposing her chest. “I can’t get dressed here.”
Beijing and his lover looked at her as if she’d grown another head.
Of course the way her day had been, maybe she had. “I’ve already given your men— no, your entire fleet a peep show, I don’t plan to do an encore performance.”
Shang’hai rolled her brown eyes. “We have already seen—”
“I don’t care! I don’t.” Nell winced at her petulance but honestly…
The admiral rubbed his chin and focused his gaze on her hands holding the emergency blanket against her. “Do you wish for me to turn away?”
Before she could answer, the door slid open again and the Doc and Chief Rome stepped inside.
Suddenly the room wasn’t as spacious as it had seemed before.
“I brought these.” The chief held up a pair of black boots. Nell could see her distorted reflection in the glossy blunt tips. Untied metallic laces flopped against the ankle high sides. “And I even checked them to make sure no one left a foot or toe behind.”
Ew! Did he think that was funny?
He tossed them at Nell.
Grasping the edge of the blanket between her teeth, Nell caught the boots. The impact propelled her backwards into the wall next to the desk. A hollow thud resounded as her head slammed against the metal. She winced at the pain prickling her scalp and raked up her blanket. “Thank you, for the shoes and for, for verifying the vacancy.”
The chief winked at her.
Beijing shifted his weight to the right, blocking the chief’s view.
Doc raised his tan hand. Green light shot out of his palm toward her. Nell tried not to flinch as the beam skimmed down her body. “Her anxiety has increased dramatically.”
The admiral nodded. “Give her a shot of serotonin.”
Shaking his head, Doc strode forward. “Can’t. Her blood is a cocktail of exotic chemicals, no doubt to preserve her during prolonged stasis.”
Pushing away from the wall, Nell straightened to her full height. Anxiety wasn’t her only feeling. Thanks to their attitude, she also had a healthy dose of irritation going. “I’m right here, you know. You don’t have to talk about me like I’m a slab of meat.”
“I don’t know, you look pretty appetitizing to me.” The chief winked at her.
“Take Nell to the head to dress,” the admiral growled at his lover.
Shang’hai nodded and picked up the clothes under Nell’s hovering form. “Aye, sir.”
Latching onto Nell’s arm, the engineer towed her toward the closet.
Juggling the shoes, Nell scissored her legs, toes skimming the floor, trying to catch up. “Oh, hey. I’m not a kite.”
Nell checked over her shoulder to see if any of the men moved to help her. Doc concentrated on opening and closing his fingertips, checking the syringes, scalpels and clamps inside the narrow tubes. The admiral and the chief faced each other, no doubt engaged in a telepathic shouting match on the WA. When Shang’hai winced, Nell knew they were arguing over her, her purpose and her being here.
Nell turned back. Shang’hai had opened an inset door in the wall to reveal a rectangular room. This was the bathroom? An oblong white box covered in soft plastic was embedded in the wall under an oval mirror. A curtainless shower with eight nozzles took up the left end of the room. As for the toilet… It had been replaced by a large suction cup. Nell’s bowels tightened. Good thing she didn’t have to go. But… Maybe she should ask, so she knew how to use it when needed. Then again, Beijing’s lover might find a way to flush Nell down it.
Shang’hai reached again for the ends of Nell’s sarong. This time she let the other woman remove the emergency blanket and dropped the boots. They clattered to the floor with a reassuring sense of gravity. “You don’t have to help me. I can dress myself.”
Shang’hai shrugged. “Time is short.”
Nell stepped into the pants and pulled them over her hips. The fabric draped her bare bottom like cold silk. The feeling was sensual and a little naughty. Smiling, Nell ducked into the tunic Shang’hai held and pushed her arms through the long sleeves. The pads of Nell’s feet skimmed the floor. “Will the shoes be enough so I can walk?”
Shang’hai opened a drawer in the dresser built into the wall opposite the shower and tugged out a wad of fabric. “Socks should help.”
Nell glanced into the mirror. The shirt had counterbalanced the zero gravity at least where her breasts were concerned. Too bad she didn’t have a push up bra. And then there was the matter of her hair. It floated around her face, like she’d stuck her finger in a socket.
While Shang’hai knelt to slide the socks on Nell’s bare feet, Nell opened the drawers looking for a brush. Her first try yielded success and she yanked the bristles through her tangled blonde hair. “Maybe I should cut it off like yours.”