While it wasn't unusual for Taarig to be the one to escort the female back to her quarters, Jamis usually remained to tell her goodbye privately. So, what was it about Cali that had Jamis so rattled?
Taarig had planned to slip back into bed and enjoy his alone time with Cali, but now she was gone. She must have overheard Jamis and been upset.
Ruk!
Knowing the only thing he could do now was give her time to calm down, he grabbed the spare uniform that he always kept in Jamis’s quarters. He pulled it on then headed to the Command Center to get a head start on his shift.
Jamis spun in his chair when Taarig walked into the Command Center. His eyes widened slightly. That hadn't taken Taarig long to escort Cali back to The Brink. "Sub Commander."
"Commander," Taarig responded. He knew what Jamis wanted to know, but instead of indulging him, Taarig went to his station and sat down. If Jamis wanted to know what had happened with Cali, he'd have to ask.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Cali considered sinking into the rejuvenation tank before going to The Brink because she was feeling drained. Instead, she quickly cleansed in her unit and dressed. She wasn't planning on staying long, but this was the first night she'd spent away from The Brink since she'd become its owner, and she wanted to make sure everything had gone smoothly.
It was still too early or too late, depending on which shift you worked, for The Brink to be busy. Those who worked the light shift had long since left to rest before the start of the next one, and those on the dark shift still had an hour before they'd start wandering in. So, she was surprised when she found Mae behind the bar.
"What the ruk are you doing here?" Cali demanded.
"Oke didn't show up for her shift," Mae said as she finished drying a glass.
Cali cursed under her breath. Oke's attitude had been crap ever since Mae chose Ujana to work behind the bar. Cali decided significant changes were needed.
"You should have notified me."
"Why?" Mae demanded. "I'm the manager. I managed it."
Cali looked to Tay, sitting at the end of the bar, and saw he was just as frustrated with Mae as she was.
"You are, and you did, but that doesn't mean you're the one that has to work a double shift. You could have had Ujana do it."
"Ujana stayed late. But she is also scheduled to work the light shift today, so I sent her home to rest."
"Then it sounds like we need to hire some more help."
"But…" Mae gave her a distressed look.
"But what?"
"More help means fewer shifts for everyone else," Mae whispered.
Cali immediately understood Mae's concern. Every credit counted when you lived on a Star Base. They shipped everything in, making it expensive. Triz kept costs low by employing a small staff. The staff made more credits that way, but so did Triz. Cali wasn't concerned about making more credits. She was more than willing to give up some of her profits, so her staff didn't suffer.
"We're busy enough that there should be more than enough shifts to go around, but if it becomes a problem, we'll adjust." She looked to Tay, who had moved down the bar toward them. "Is the door covered?"
"Yes, Lin is on it," he told her.
"Then I don't want to see either of you for two full shifts."
"What?" Mae's eyes widened with shock. "No, I'm supposed to work the next dark shift."
"Well, you won't be. You're with offspring, Mae. You don't work back-to-back shifts anymore. And if you argue with me about it," Cali continued when Mae opened her mouth, "then you will be off three shifts." That had Mae snapping her mouth shut then moving out from behind the bar. "Take your mate home, Tay. Make sure she eats and rests."
"Thank you, Cali," the big male murmured, then put his arm around his mate and led her away.
Cali moved behind the bar and got to work. Mae had done a great job getting the bar ready for the next rush, so there were only a few things she needed to do. Between waiting on the few customers in the bar, she worked on her screen, posting that The Brink was hiring. The slightest of vibrations on the floor caused Cali to look up and see Hamm moving toward her carrying a bag.