first place. That’s why you tune your plasma coils precisely, just in case the worst happens.
Speaking of the worst happening… I find my progress to the bridge impeded. Not by blast doors or armed mercenaries, but by a far more daunting foe I am powerless against. Two of my own crew mates stand before me—and one of them is a superior officer.
Grantian is our first mate, and while he’s no doubt supposed to be on his way to the same meeting I am to attend, he’s a bit preoccupied at the moment. His preoccupation takes the form of his jalshagar, Lamira, a human woman of great character and beauty.
Normally I don’t have a problem with either of them, but at the moment they’ve turned this critical junction into their own personal adult holovid studio. Okay, that’s exaggerating a bit. They’re both fully clothed, but this is definitely not an all-audiences display.
Grantian has gathered Lamira into his muscular arms, pressing her tightly against his body as they kiss passionately. And I do mean passionately. Loudly, too. Not just the lip smacking, but grunts and coos and moans.
From time to time they pause, gaze into each other’s eyes, and get these gigantic grins, but then they dive right back into it. Fortunately, and perhaps unfortunately as well, they can’t see me from my current position around the corner, peering through a ventilation screen.
“We have to stop. The meeting’s probably already started,” she says amid giggles.
You think?
“I know. I know. Just one more kiss…”
And they’re off again. No hurry or anything, you two. There’s only a crewman to be rescued. Please take your time.
“What a lewd and wanton display. They should keep such things confined to their quarters.”
My knees grow weak, and my mouth is suddenly dry because I recognize the voice behind me. Thrase comes up to stand by my side, and I avoid looking right into the large umber eyes behind her spectacles because I find when I do, I can’t concentrate on anything at all.
Her honey blonde hair swishes behind her shoulders as she shakes her head and tsks at our engaged crewmates. Thrase does not wear a lot of cosmetics as some human women do, but she doesn’t really need to. She is simply beautiful, and I’m not just saying that because she’s my fated mate.
Or at least, I strongly suspect she is. Or I just want her to be. I have yet to confirm it with a kiss, and given how our respective duties keep us at different parts of the ship it doesn’t seem likely I will get the opportunity. From the curve of her generous hips to the swell of her bust—human women have them all the time, not just during nursing—I think I would probably be attracted even if she weren’t brilliant and possibly my jalshagar.
Not that I’m going to tell her that at the moment. I do feel the need to stand up for Grantian and Lamira, however.
“Such passionate displays are not uncommon for two fated mates, Thrase. Try to keep that in mind.”
“Fated mates?” Thrase arches an eyebrow at me, and her gaze runs up and down my body. I have taken off my outer brocade coat and am clad in a sleeveless shirt since the plasma conduit access room is rather warm. Is it my imagination, or is she spending an inordinate amount of time staring at my chest? “Really, Zander, I thought an intellectual such as yourself wouldn’t buy into that metaphysical mumbo jumbo.”
“It’s not, as you so quaintly put it, mumbo jumbo, Thrase. In fact, there have been studies conducted by Kilgari scientists—”
“Yes, yes.” She holds a hand up to forestall me, her eyes focused on Grantian and Lamira. Lamira lets out a very, ah, enthusiastic moan when Grantian grabs her by the buttocks. “I’m sure there’s some sort of chemical reaction, much like the one that goes on when humans think they are in love, but that doesn’t prove it’s fate, or karma, or something else ridiculous. Just compatible genes expressing themselves in the most embarrassing way possible.”
“You… you don’t believe in love?” I can’t keep the disappointment out of my tone, though it embarrasses me terribly.
“Of course I don’t. It’s just a biological condition, one brought on to perpetuate progeny and to blind good sense.”
Solair’s voice booms over the all ship hail, startling all four of us.
“Attention, senior officers… apparently you’ve forgotten that we had a meeting on the bridge scheduled to start… oh, five minutes ago. Please