she stormed down the corridor that led to Nox's quarters.
She'd only been on this level twice. The upper half of a Star Base was always the military section. Coalition personnel housed there, behind the drab, grey doors lining the corridor. The only differences were the size of the quarters and the number of beings residing in them. Assigned by rank, the higher a being's rank, the more privacy they earned.
Still, she knew her way to Nox's quarters. Reaching his door, she pounded on it with more strength than someone her size should have and continued until she got a response.
"Yea, yea, yea," came the disgruntled voice from behind the closed door before it slid open, revealing a disheveled Nox. He looked as if he'd just rolled out of bed and pulled on the first thing he could find. In this case, a pair of boxers that he had on backward, something she'd thought impossible with his tail. Even the short pelt on his head somehow looked rumpled. "This had better be good. I'm…, Cali!"
"What the ruk is going on, Nox?!!" she demanded, shoving her way past him to enter his quarters.
"I… hmm…" Nox stuttered, his multi-colored eyes shooting across the room to the partial wall that blocked the view of his resting area from the remainder of the room.
"I want an explanation, Nox, and I want it now," she said, turning to face him.
"Look, Cali, what we had was fun, but…"
"What?"
"What he's saying is that he's moved on to someone that is sooo much better than you." A scantily clad female, wearing what looked to be a barely-there negligee, walked out from the resting area and pressed herself up against Nox's side.
Cali could do nothing but stare at the female. She was obviously Phoc, the same species as Nox, but she'd let her pelt grow long. The way her tail was caressing Nox's chest, they were intimately involved. Cali recognized her from The Brink. The last couple of weeks, she had been coming in, always on the arm of a different male. Cali couldn't remember her name.
"Now I know a being like you doesn't want to give up the best male she's ever going to get, but Nox has moved on, so you need to move that pathetic, Earthan ass of yours out of here and never come back."
Cali couldn't believe either of them thought that was why she was here. After all, Nox was probably the most selfish lover Cali had ever had, and she'd had a few. Suddenly, Cali remembered the female's name and, tipping her head back, began to laugh.
"What are you laughing about?" the female demanded.
"Your name is Vaine," Cali said, continuing to laugh.
"So?" Her thin eyebrows drew together over confused multi-colored eyes.
"So, on Earth, when a female is called 'vain,' it means she's conceited and self-absorbed. Which both of you seem to be."
"Why, you little," Vaine started to growl, but Cali cut her off.
"But that's not why I'm here. I'm here because of the bill you ran up in my name, Nox." She held up the sheet she had printed out before leaving The Brink.
Nox's eyes widened when he saw the total at the bottom of the page. "You bought me drinks before."
"One. Maybe two. When I was there," Cali stressed.
Nox just shrugged. "You left the chip. I assumed it was for me to use."
"I left it? Where?" Cali demanded.
"Well… I found it on the floor," Nox mumbled a blatant lie as he glanced away.
"So, I didn't leave it. It fell out of my pocket, and you just decided to use it."
His face hardened as he glared at her. "Look, Cali…"
"It's the word of a respected pilot over that of some Earthan drink slinger," Vaine spoke up as she ran a disgusted gaze over Cali. "Who do you think anyone is going to believe?"
"They'll believe the visual recordings of Nox using the chip." Cali's attention returned to Nox. "The bill will be settled, Nox. I'll give you three days. By then, you'll have your next credit allotment. Settle this; otherwise, I'll file a complaint against you for thievery."
"Thievery?!!" Nox shrieked. "That would ruin my career."
"Then you'd better pay up." With that, she left.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Cali smiled at Mae as they worked side-by-side behind the bar. The Brink was filling up fast as the military personnel began receiving their credit allotment. It was always a rowdy, profitable time in the bar. That's why she made sure to double up security on the door and