Starcrossed - Bianca D'Arc Page 0,34
jits.
The meal was set up buffet-style so everyone could mingle. It was working as Ginny had planned, for the most part, except for Henny.
“You’re not mingling, Chief Sonata.” Ginny stopped by Henny’s post against the wall on her circuit of the room. She’d noticed Henny holding back, watching all from her position against the wall. One of the jits had, in fact, done the same on the other side of the room.
“Sorry, ma’am. Just getting the lay of the land.”
Ginny snorted. “Likely story. Get some food, Hen. That’s an order.”
“I’ll move when he does,” Henny’s eyes were locked on her counterpart across the room. The man was watching her, too, and Ginny sensed a grudging sort of respect pulsing between the two.
“I’ll ask Tigh to get your friend over there moving. Does that satisfy you? I’d hate to see this devolve into a pissing contest, because you know, he’d win. It’s just a matter of equipment.”
Henny laughed out loud as Ginny intended. When she began walking, Henny fell in step beside her. They stopped by the buffet, and Ginny supervised while Henny filled a plate. Tall and muscular, Henny was a woman who ate. She didn’t pick at her food like smaller, less physically active women.
The dinner, while not an unqualified success, certainly went a long way toward making the women more comfortable in the presence of the jit’suku men. There were even a few budding friendships, if Ginny didn’t miss her guess. Maybe even a romance or two that could be in the works.
Ginny wouldn’t have thought it possible, but then again, she’d never really seen most of her crew in social situations with men before. They’d mostly come together as a group after the virus had decimated human males. The few males that were left were spread out over vast distances, so a gathering like this was unheard of, even in military circles.
Parties with near-equal numbers of males and females had been the norm when they’d all been growing up, but since the virus, there were always way more women than men and few occasions to celebrate much of anything. As a result, while the dinner was a good first step, it was also more than a bit awkward.
However, one positive thing did come out of it. Every one of her crew decided to go with her to the jit’suku galaxy. Now that they’d had a chance to meet the men in person, nobody had changed their minds. In fact, some were even more convinced than ever that they would like to come along.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Michael Amber asked to speak to Ginny privately the afternoon before she was to depart with the jit’suku emperor. Ginny knew there would be a debrief of some kind, but Michael’s words and actions were a bit more than she’d expected.
“It would be naïve to think your journey with these men will be a smooth one,” Michael faced her across the large desk in his office. “I’m sending along some security measures should you run into trouble. Your security chief is being briefed as we speak, and she’ll fill you in on the particulars of the equipment. Right about now…” he leaned back in his chair and dropped the paper he’d been holding onto his desk, “…I’m supposed to be giving you a pep talk about how your people thank you for your sacrifice, etc, etc, etc. Let’s take that as said, Ginny, and let me talk to you person to person here.” He leaned forward once more, his gaze intense. “You don’t have to go if you don’t want to. Despite what’s been said and promised, if you decide right before the ramp goes up on that ship that you don’t want to go, all you have to do is signal me, and I’ll get you out of there. That’s a promise you can count on. I don’t give a damn about politics. I’ll get you out, if you want out.”
“I don’t know what to say, Commandant.” She searched for a response. “Thank you for the offer, but as of right now, I’m committed to seeing this through. I’ll remember though, if I get cold feet.”
Michael burst out laughing. “The day the Valkyrie gets cold feet will never come.”
“You have more confidence in me in than I do, Commandant.”
“Please, call me Michael. You’re going to outrank me to a considerable degree in a few days’ time, Empress.”
That was something she still hadn’t quite come to terms with. The reminder of what she was