This is the standard NDA that everyone who works within the lab must sign. The guard, scout teams, field techs, and other branches are also required to. This is nothing for you to worry about. Please sign so we can be on our way. We have much to do, and I have other responsibilities waiting for me.”
Biting her bottom lip, Charlie set her right thumb on the screen. It flashed, accepting her biometric signature. Dr. Shelby whisked the sheet away within seconds, plucking it up from the table as she stood.
“Follow me. I’ll show you around the lab and what your responsibilities will be here.”
Charlie hurried to her feet and around the table to stick close to the scientist’s heels, leaving no room for doubt about her eagerness for her new position. She had to admit that little pretense was needed. She was pretty excited. She was going to have up close and personal experiences with things in a safe environment that few non-gratas would be able to enjoy.
Dr. Shelby gave her a tight, approving look as she led her through a series of locked doors into the lab. The scientist’s voice was clipped as she led her down the long hallway.
“As we have just arrived, we do not have many specimens yet, but the field team left early to begin collecting. This is the perfect opportunity to familiarize yourself with the personal safety equipment and the tools at your disposal to feed, restrain, and even tranquilize specimens. Our botanical specimens will be taken care of by my team personally, so you will only be asked to feed and clean up after the animal lifeforms. Cages need daily cleanings, with a thorough sanitization weekly. You will be provided feeding schedules, but keep in mind that they will be subject to change as we may need to adjust the frequency and amount fed to each specimen.”
“Yes, Doctor,” Charlie replied, earning her another small smile as Dr. Shelby buzzed them through a second set of doors.
At the other side, an enormous workstation stretched out before her eyes. Crates were being opened and supplies unloaded onto the numerous tables and stowed away into the storage cupboards that opened from the walls. Her eyes fastened on a tall man with broad shoulders who was directing the activity in the lab. His white uniform and lab coat, buckled across his chest at the right shoulder, fit him impeccably. He cut a romantic figure with his chiseled jaw, squared chin, and deep-set, stormy-gray eyes. The slight lines bracketing his downturned mouth, broad forehead, and dark hair graying around the temples made him appear all the more distinguished. He was exactly the sort of man she had always fantasized about—utterly out of her league.
And they were heading straight for him.
Charlie attempted to ignore the attraction tingling through her as he turned and smiled politely at their approach. Of course he has dimples too. She maintained eye contact only as long as necessary while Dr. Shelby made the introductions.
“Charlene, this is Dr. Emile Santo. He’s the laboratory director here at the Exploratory Labs and one of our chief scientists on staff. Dr. Santo, this is Charlene. She was assigned to us as our animal specimen caretaker for the vivarium.”
His smile widened, displaying perfectly straight white teeth. “Wonderful! We always appreciate our animal caretakers. You make it much easier to study live animal specimens when establishing new colonies. But I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that.”
Dr. Shelby cleared her throat delicately. “Charlene has some experience at a veterinary office on Earth, but this will be her first post working with xenobiological animal lifeforms.”
The smile slipped a modicum. “I see. A non-gratas then?”
“Yes, Dr. Santo,” Dr. Shelby said, her head tilting down toward him, her perfectly coiffed coffee-colored hair almost amber beneath the artificial light. “As you know, we’re expected to make use of them for small essential tasks. It is their purpose here. I am certain that Charlene will strive to fulfill her duties in a satisfactory manner.”
Charlie bobbed her head in agreement, deflating despite the mental wall she shored up to buffer the cool disdain directed at her. Despite his obvious personal feelings on the matter, she noted that his lips were still curled in a small smile as if nothing had changed. Yeah, she wasn’t so easily fooled. His reaction was entirely predictable. Though she always hoped for the best, being non-gratas meant that she was viewed as inferior in every way. Definitely unworthy to