“Tertiary uplink oughta do it. Now listen close. I’ll use small words.”
I keep watch at the door, peering out through the crack while Tyler follows Finian’s instructions. Security personnel march past, a few stragglers heading to their shifts. A refreshment drone trundles past on smooth tracks, carrying a tray of coffee and celedine and stimulant supplements. Five minutes pass, each as long as an eon, until finally I turn and whisper to my squad leader.
“Someone comes.”
Tyler looks up from the server, elbow deep in cable. “You sure?”
I peer back down the corridor at the approaching Terran. He carries an armload of computer equipment and wears a tool belt full of e-tech. He is three days unshaven, glares at the security personnel around him with an air of undisguised contempt, and looks as though he has not slept in seven years.
“He certainly has the appearance of a man who works with computers, yes.”
“Finian, are we good?” Tyler asks.
“Affirmative, I’m getting a signal from the leech. We’re in.”
“Roger that,” Tyler says, sealing up the server cabinet.
A passing security team member bumps into the approaching commtech, spilling some of the gear he carries. The man curses, stoops to pick up his fallen parts and pieces. But he is barely four meters from the server room door now. He will surely notice us if we walk out of it right in front of him.
Tyler joins me at the door, peers outside.
“This isn’t good.”
“Agreed.”
My Alpha looks at our surroundings. Rapidly reaches the same conclusion I have. There is nowhere to hide in here, particularly in the bulky power armor we are wearing. The Enemy Within whispers that I could easily deal with this tech in silence—crush his windpipe as soon as he steps inside. Snap his neck. Choke him to death. A dozen different endings dance inside my head. But the quieter part of me knows that would leave a corpse in the server core, and that might lead to an investigation, bringing our leech closer to discovery.
My mind is racing. But I am not the one who scored a perfect one hundred on his military tactics exam in final year. The Legionnaire beside me is.
“Suggestions, sir?”
Tyler scowls. Permutations and possibilities running behind his eyes. The commtech is shuffling toward the door now, weighed down by his gear, muttering under his breath. Tyler glances at me. Takes a deep breath.
“Look, apologies in advance for this. But whatever you do, don’t punch me, okay?”
“Wh—”
Tyler grabs the front of my power armor and pulls me close. The door opens and the commtech walks right in at the precise moment Tyler’s lips land on mine. My eyes go wide. The man’s jaw falls open.
I am shocked into stillness. I know Terrans touch casually, slapping each other on the back, shaking hands. This is a lot more than a handshake. This is Tyler pressed up against me, turning slowly toward the commtech, our mouths still mashed together. …
The tech stands in the doorway, glancing back and forth between us. It’s Tyler who breaks off the kiss, looking appropriately embarrassed. For my part, I am simply stunned. Shuffling his armload of gear, the commtech backs slowly out of the room.
“Thiiiiiiink I’m gonna give you boys a moment,” he says.
The tech drags the door shut behind him with an apologetic smile. Tyler pulls away completely.
“You okay? Not going to punch me or anything, right?”
“What … ,” I sputter. “You …”
Tyler waits for me to compose myself, then nods toward the hall.
“Give it a minute,” he says. “Then slink out of here looking embarrassed.”
“That will not be difficult,” I say.
Tyler chuckles. He opens the door, nods down the hallway.
“After you, sweetie.”
With a deep breath, I stalk out of the server core, back toward the entrance. The commtech is standing a short distance down the corridor, studiously pretending not to notice me leave. But as I pass by, he winks.
My ears burning, I climb the stairs and make my way through the security hub until I’m swiping my ID through the scanner at the entrance hall. The guard on duty nods as I exit, not even looking up from his uniglass.
“Have a good one.”
A few minutes later, Tyler joins me in the entrance hall, and we march off together. Walking inside the turbolift, he stands beside me, hands behind his back, whistling a soft tune. I am forced to admit that his quick thinking just averted a calamity, that the tech believes we were in the server for