Her Commanders - M.K. Eidem Page 0,67

the change in her appearance. Whatever it was she was wearing had his breath shortening and his pulse beginning to race, but all he really cared about was that she was no longer covered in blood and seemed to be moving comfortably. Still, that didn’t mean she wasn’t injured.

"With them, yes." He gestured with his head toward Tay and Mae. "They can leave. You, I will talk to while the Meddyg examines you."

"There’s no need." Cali remained where she was when Taarig gestured for her to take the seat from which Tay had risen. "I cleansed while in my quarters. I only received two minor head wounds, which Xanto sealed with skin seal." She pulled back several strands of hair she’d left loose, revealing the injuries she’d intentionally not allowed the bed to heal completely. "As I stated before, head wounds on Earthans bleed excessively."

"You could have internal injuries," Taarig argued.

"Trust me. I don’t." She held up a hand to stop him from continuing and knew she’d have to pull out the big guns if she wanted him to let this go. "I’m Earthan, Sub Commander. If that blast had caused internal injuries, I would have been dead before you exited the lift. Now can we let this go?"

Taarig’s throat tightened at the thought of Cali dying that quickly. Jamis was right. There was no way they could make her their Lalla, not if she could be taken from them so easily. Realizing everyone was waiting for his reply, including the Meddygs, he forced himself to speak.

"As you wish." He nodded to the Meddygs, who quickly gathered up their supplies and left. "So, tell me, Khatun Baker, who wants you dead?"

Cali jerked slightly, not because of Taarig’s words, as it was something she’d already wondered herself, but because of his sudden change in demeanor. He was no longer the Taarig she knew, fucked, and grown to like more than was comfortable. He’d become the hard, cold, intimidating Apre Sub Commander Ynn that everyone on the Star Base whispered about and feared.

"Khatun Baker?" he snapped.

"Enough to set off a bomb on a Star Base?" she snapped back, his tone breaking through her confusion. "No one. Especially since only those in the Coalition are supposed to have access to actinic, so maybe you should find out who under your command has access to it instead of standing here asking rukking stupid questions!" By the time she finished, Cali’s tone was just as cold and hard as Taarig's.

Every being remaining in The Brink stilled to see how the Sub Commander would react. For Apre or not, no one spoke to a Commander like that without severe consequences.

"California…" Xanto murmured, moving across the room to intercede before the Sub Commander attacked. But to everyone's shock, Taarig just dipped his head forward in agreement.

"Which I will do once I have the visual and audio recordings you supposedly left to obtain."

Cali was surprised at the accusatory look Taarig shot Xanto. He couldn't think she and Xanto were involved, could he? When less than six dark shifts ago, she'd been with him and Jamis? Slowly she opened the hand holding the portable strip and held it out to him.

Taarig carefully took the strip from her, making sure he didn't physically touch her. "I will have this analyzed and let you know what we learn, Khatun Baker." With that, he spun on his heel and left The Brink.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Xanto silently watched Cali as she cleaned up behind the bar. Hamm had hung the sign, and Tay had locked the doors for the first time since The Brink had opened over fifty years ago. Xanto knew this because he'd been there with Triz the day they'd first opened. He and Triz had been friends since before Cali had been born.

Mae had tried to stay and help, but Cali had refused and ordered everyone out. Now it was just the two of them.

"Are you going to tell me what's really going on between you and the Sub Commander?" he asked, sipping his drink.

"Did it look like anything was going on between us?" she asked, setting down the glasses she'd just finished cleaning a little too hard, cracking them.

Xanto raised an eyebrow at her actions, "I'd say that answers the question."

Taking a deep breath, Cali carefully threw the damaged glasses away then looked to Xanto. "Let's just say I thought he was interested in something more than just a 'one and done' type of thing, or in this