asked quietly as her friend settled back in his chair.
“Medical,” Doug grunted. “A rock kicked up from the machinery and pegged Jace. He’s all right,” he added, waving her back when Charlie made to stand. “More embarrassed than anything else from being knocked on his ass, and sporting quite a lump. Scalp wound bled like a bitch though, so they gave him a few stitches and are keeping him for the rest of the shift to make sure he doesn’t have a concussion. He swears up and down that movement on the hill distracted him.”
Charlie sucked her breath in and leaned closer. “I’ve heard there’s some kind of large creature prowling around out there. Have you seen anything?”
Doug shook his head. “Not me. Jace says he saw nothing but a blur among the rocks, so if there is something out there, it’s probably camouflaged to blend in with its natural environment. I run into Mia frequently during shift rotations. She says she’s seen something moving among the rocks out there. Didn’t get a good look at it except for its eyes. She says it has green demonic eyes that glow and stare. That’s enough of a freak fest for me,” he said as he accepted his food and began shoveling it in.
Charlie’s hand tightened around her cup. “Is Mia coming along?” she asked in an attempt to divert herself from fixating on whatever was lurking outside the dome.
At least it hadn’t hurt anyone. Not yet, anyway. But, like Erik said, it was likely only a matter of time before it attacked someone. No doubt the lab sent trackers out with containment droids to find it before it caused damage.
Doug shook his head, swallowing. “Nah. It’s her shift to do perimeter patrol during the midday storms. It's only twice a week, but I hate it. We hardly get enough time as it is. I’ve thought about taking a posting just to be close to her…”
Charlie jerked in surprise. Doug was the last person to ever even consider volunteering for an opening in the service. He caught her look of surprise, and his lips twisted.
“Don’t get your panties in a twist, kid. Only thinking aloud. Mia shot it down pretty quick, anyway. They don’t approve of fraternizing and we would likely be assigned to different shifts or duties. She prefers having a grunt for a boyfriend, I guess,” he muttered, his brow drawing down as he glared at his large, callused hands. “Not that we have any kind of future. Mia will get out of service as a citizen here in a couple of years and by then we’ll have new arrivals. She’ll forget about me.”
Charlie gripped his arm in a show of comfort. There were few words she could offer. She didn’t think that Mia was so fickle, but it wouldn’t be the first time she had been wrong when it came to relationships. It was common for military and citizens to flirt with non-gratas people for the thrill of it, to rebel, or to prove something to themselves… In the end, they almost always left. She cleared her throat uncomfortably.
“You don’t know that, Doug. She seems to really like you. It could happen.”
Doug raised a caustic eyebrow at her. “Oh, really? And who do you know that it’s ever worked for?”
“Me personally?” she stalled.
“Yes… you. Who do you know that ever had a chance with someone outside of their class?”
“Fuck, Doug. Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast… fucking Pretty Woman,” she said as the memory of the ancient vid surfaced.
As she had hoped, a tired smile broke over his face.
“Are you saying I have the stuff to be a sexy hooker?” he grumbled.
She tapped a finger against her bottom lip thoughtfully. “Guess we won’t know until we can dig up some fishnet stockings and knee-high boots. Maybe Jace and Ben can judge.”
Doug’s laughter rumbled as the dome shuddered under the force of the wind. He silenced and winced.
“Sure as hell hope they got the barrier up in time to protect the fucking seedlings,” he growled. His expression relaxed, and he glanced over at her again. “Thanks, Charlie,” he said. “I don’t know what we’re going to do around here. They’re forcing everyone to work later, and chunks of the team are starting to suffer from exhaustion and malnutrition, I think from the poor rations we’re given. Mia deserves better than this shit. What’s going down in this colony… it ain’t safe.”
Charlie dropped her head, swishing the contents of her cup as