was incredibly arousing.
"Sit," Jamis motioned to the chair in front of his desk. "We'll begin as soon as Pilot First Class Trudo arrives."
Cali looked to the lone chair, then back to where Jamis sat behind a desk perfectly proportioned for his massive size, and raised an eyebrow. "Nox won't be sitting?"
"When I read a complaint, the Coalition member always stands."
"Then I'll stand also."
"Please, Khatun Baker. That is the correct way to address a single, Earthan female?" the friendly way Taarig asked the question told Cali he was used to soothing ruffled feathers.
"It is, but I prefer Cali."
"Cali it is then." The smile he gave her had her thinking about his lips again. "Please, would you sit? It is customary for nonmilitary personnel."
Cali's eyes narrowed slightly, letting Taarig know she didn't entirely believe him, but she moved to the chair and, after carefully sitting down, tucked her legs beneath it.
A low tone filled the room, indicating that someone was at the door. Jamis touched a spot on his desk, and the door slid open, admitting Nox with his jacket secured improperly, and his cheeks flushed as if he had rushed to get there.
"Star Base Commander," Nox thumped his fist against his chest then repeated it as he looked at Taarig, "Sub Commander."
"You are late," Jamis said in a stern, cold tone.
"Sir, sorry, sir. I was asleep when the message came in and didn't immediately notice it when I woke. If I may ask, sir, why am I here?"
"A complaint has been filed against you, Pilot First Class Trudo. The charge is thievery."
"What?" Nox finally looked at Cali. If she hadn't known better, she might have believed the shock in his voice was real. "Oh, Cali, I can't believe you'd take it this far."
"Really? Even after I told you, I would give you three days, or I'd file the complaint?"
"Did you think this little stunt would get me to give up Vaine and take you back?" He shook his head in disappointment. "I'm sorry if you thought you might mean something to me, that you could buy my attention, but that was never going to happen."
"Buy your attention?" she bit out, her eyes beginning to turn topaz.
"By letting me use your credit chip while you were gone. If you had told me where you were going, I would have notified you I moved on. After all, it's the civilized thing to do. I never wanted you to find out the way you did."
"And how was that?" Jamis asked quietly.
"Cali came to my quarters and found my current lover, Vaine, with me. We were both barely dressed." Nox looked back to Jamis. "To say Cali was enraged would be an understatement."
"I see," Jamis said.
"I was enraged because you used my chip without my permission. I was enraged because you threatened Mae when she questioned you about it. You fucking someone else had nothing to do with it. You weren't that good, Nox."
That had Nox's orange skin turning red and his expression ugly. "You kept coming back, though, didn't you?"
"I came back once because I figured it had to get better, but it didn't. I planned on letting you know it was over when I got back, but my trip took longer than expected. When I finally returned, I had more important things to deal with than you. That is until I discovered what you'd done."
"Did you threaten a female, Pilot First Class Trudo?" Jamis demanded.
"Certainly not!" Nox immediately denied it.
"Khatun Baker, have you ever used your chip to buy drinks for Pilot First Class Trudo before?" Jamis turned his attention to her.
"What? What does that have to do with anything?"
"Have you ever??
Cali gave a disbelieving snort. "I heard what you said. I just don't know why that would matter."
"It would explain why Pilot First Class Trudo would feel comfortable using your credit chip when you were gone."
Her jaw dropped. "Aren't you listening? I never gave it to him. It fell out of my pocket, and he just used it."
"An owner is required to verify a credit chip before use. So, you must have given Pilot First Class Trudo your code."
"I didn't, because worker chips in The Brink don't need verification. At least they didn't. Since I discovered Nox's illegal use of mine, I changed that."
"I didn't use it illegally," Nox continued to deny, "that would be cause for my expulsion from the Coalition. Why would I risk that?"
"Because you're an arrogant prick who thinks he can talk his way out of anything."
"Enough!" Jamis