Chapter 8
First day of work.
I checked my uniform for the hundredth time, and it looked as perfect as the first time I’d inspected it.
Somehow I still felt as if something was wrong.
I didn’t want a cocked eyebrow on my first day.
Well, I didn’t want it ever, but especially not today.
No, I needed today to go perfectly, to help build some confidence that I could even be his assistant for a time.
My shaking fingers tugged on my uniform shirt again.
Nope. It didn’t matter how today went. I wasn’t going to survive the six weeks Doctor Qinlin insisted I take off from my regular duties.
Originally, she’d said one week of light duty, and now, it was six.
No way in the entire universe would it take six weeks for my hand to heal, but I couldn’t argue with her.
Qinlin had made her ruling, and not even Captain Talvax could overrule her.
“It looks fine,” Cencay said, hanging over the edge of their bunk to stare at me. They were a senior cadet who shared my berth. Their white scales were framed by red and purple skin, and pale, pale pink hair was in two long braids on either side of their face.
This was their senior trip. Every cadet had to do training on a starship before graduation.
Most were assigned to or picked a short term assignment so they could complete the program and move onto permanent placements.
Cencay had chosen this. They wanted to see the universe and spend more time with humans, or so they’d told me.
This was their first time in space, and they were new. Very new.
My senior lieutenant had asked me to take Cencay under my wing, and I’d been honored by the request. When I’d been tapped for this, it felt as if my excellent work and adherence to the rules had finally been noticed.
I always did my best to succeed, and now, it was slowly paying off.
Here I was helping a cadet, which would shape their future career in the navy.
“I’m serving the commander for six weeks. My uniform has to be perfect, not fine,” I informed them. This was something they should know, if they were ever in this position.
They laughed, hanging half off their bed to the point I worried they’d crash to the floor. “The commander you puked on.”
I rested a fist against the wall and swallowed a growl. “Who told you?”
“It has been widely spread about. I’ve heard about it from at least three people. Ensign Puke. So hilarious.”
Of course it was common knowledge. That did feel in line with my luck as of late. Hurt hand, then subsequently stuck next to the commander who hated me. Of course the dreaded endearment of ‘Ensign Puke’ continued to thrive.
I smoothed a hand down my dark blue uniform before making sure my wing pip was straight and it as well as the circular one were perfectly shined.
The high collar was stiff, the sleeves reached my wrists without the slightest overhang, my trousers were pressed, and my black boots polished.
I had put oil on the pink strands of my hair, making them soft and shiny in the braid.
I’d even shaved the sides of my head last night.
I wanted everything to be perfect today. It had to be.
“Do you want to go running around the docking ring after we’re off duty?” Cencay asked.
The Admiral Ven had many gyms and training rooms, but many of the crew enjoyed running around the docking ring. The ship was well suited for that. The center was a perfect sphere, and a ring surrounded the center like a planet.
“Certainly.” I did want to spend more time with Cencay, as well as answer any questions they had. It was my duty. My chest puffed up in pride.
A grin pulled on their young face, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d ever looked as innocent as they did. Cencay said, “Thank you so much.”
“Of course,” I told them sincerely.
With my head held high, I walked down the corridor to the lift.
Everything would be fine. Six weeks, and then I’d return to the tunnels.
I loved the tunnels. Many didn’t. The cramped warm space, the monotonous work, the shuffling up and down decks were the main reasons people didn’t like them, but those were the things I found relaxing.
It was safe, and I could work by myself, which I preferred.
I stepped out on deck two and headed toward the middle of the outside curve of the hull. I paused in my step and smiled. Seth stood outside of his quarters, hands buried in his oversized jacket.
“Seth,” I called. “Where’s Bobbinvoxlyn?”
“Sleeping next to Kal. Bob decided to scream all night, and he was only happy when Kal was bouncing him.”
“Is he alright?” I knew very little about children, and Bobbinvoxlyn was the first drakcol-human hybrid, though I very much doubted he would be the last, given the amount of humans who’d remained on Tamkolvanloknol.
“I’m pretty sure it’s a typical baby thing. Not a big deal at all.” Seth didn’t look the slightest bit concerned, which soothed my worry. He would be in a panic if he thought anything was wrong with his child. “I came to wish you luck on your first day.”
I smiled, tail coiling around Seth’s wrist. “Thank you.”
“Monty is really nice,” he said. “I’m sure you’ll like working for him until your hand heals.”
My hand was fine.
“I’m sure he’ll be perfectly pleasant,” I said, more to comfort Seth than because I truly believed it.
“It was just puke, Wyn,” Seth reminded me.
“If you had puked on Kalvoxrencol, would you still be upset?”
“Yeah. But Urgg says puke binds people together. Maybe it’s best to look at it like that?”
Urgg said many things. Barusians had a much different way of looking at the universe: blood, vomit, broken bones, and all that.
When Urgg had first told me vomiting on Monqilcolnen was a bonding experience and that it would bring us closer together, they were thinking of the incident in reference to their own mate.
Of course Urgg vomiting on Talvax was more acceptable—they were mates; they were in love.
“If you need anything, you can call,” Seth said, pulling out his glowing touchstone.
“I already know I need noodles for lunch and maybe pastries from Urgg’s bakery.”
Seth smiled. “I will meet you for lunch. I was going to see Urgg anyway. Mentoring thing and all that.”
Urgg was Seth’s oravirven—the one who helped guide Seth through being Crystal-bound mates with Kalvoxrencol.
When someone appealed to the Crystal, or was chosen as a mate in Seth’s case, a oravirven was assigned to them to assist the person through the process.
The oravirven had been through it before, so they were best suited.
It was a lifelong bond between the two of them.
It was how Urgg and Seth had met and became friends.
It was also how I’d met Seth; Urgg had introduced us.
It was growing late, and I couldn’t be tardy for my first day. I said a quick goodbye to Seth and half-raced toward Monqilcolnen’s office. I pushed the panel, and the door opened, making me start. I’d forgotten he’d added me to his security.
Monqilcolnen looked up before returning his focus to the screen in his hand.
He was seated behind his desk, his hair hanging around him.
Cincin was sprawled over his shoulders, her orange fur mixing in with his silver hair.
His expression was peaceful, as it always was.
Cincin gave me a small meow in welcome, but she didn’t move.
I tilted my head to the side, offering him my throat. “Greetings, Commander.”
“That’s unnecessary, Lieutenant Wyn.”
My tail hooked around my ankle as my shoulders hunched. I forced myself to relax and hide the signs of my muscles tightening. Monqilcolnen had barely even looked at me, and I was cringing. It didn’t take much.
Finally, he focused on me, dropping the screen to his metal desk with a loud clack that made me flinch.
His golden eyes narrowed. Whenever I looked into his eyes, I was heavily reminded of Lucy—their eyes were an almost identical shade.
It was like he could see my soul, and I didn’t like it.
Whatever would he find in there? He’d probably hate me even more if he could see into my soul.
“Good morning,” he said, his gaze traveling over my frame.
“What can I do for you today?” I asked, hoping to move this along so I could disappear from his intense look, which was making my pulse pick up.
He gestured to the plethora of screens lying haphazardly on his desk. “I have several reports. I need you to prioritize the most important and flag them for me to review. I have marked several engineering logs I need you to summarize the key points for.”
“Is that it?” Hardly a difficult task.
“Spend time with Cincin if she chooses to remain here for the day. She often likes to come with me to Command, but at times that can prove problematic.”
I fought a smile. “She tries to sit on people, doesn’t she?”
“Indeed. She also sleeps on consoles, which makes it difficult for us to work efficiently.”
“If she comes with you, you can ping me when she finally moves from your shoulders and I will come get her.”
“That will work.” Monqilcolnen stood, and Cincin barely shifted, clearly accustomed to lying on him while he was in motion.
He moved in front of me, and I had to look up at him.
I was short for a drakcol, much below average, and Monqilcolnen was on the taller side.
“I know this work is beneath your talents, but it was this or work with Doctor Qinlin in the medbay. She mentioned some issues you have with blood and medical procedures.”
“Issues” was a delicate way to phrase it.
I fainted. Every seeker was required to do a stint in the medbay as well as receive basic training in the academy, regardless of if we were planning on doing something medical, much like all warrior souls received more physical training to help their aggression issues and had rotations in security.
Creator souls had rotations caring for all of the plants.
No such plan existed for spiritual souls—they were too rare.
I’d barely made it through my medical courses at the academy.
It was a blessing the doctor in charge of my unit had taken pity on me and placed me on tasks far away from any patient.
“I will,” he continued, “try to find things that use your talents, but mainly, I need administrative assistance, especially as we get underway. There are always issues that need my attention, especially in regards to crew and civilians, even more so when it’s a long journey such as this one.”
“I will assist you in any way I can,” I said in a low voice, not meeting his eye.
“I know you will, Wyn.”
My tail flicked at his use of just my name. He’d never done that before.
Monqilcolnen handed me a screen. “I’ve given you complete access to my system.”
I paused, hand hovering in the air. “What?”
That was a show of trust I didn’t deserve. Logging into other people’s systems was personal. As I understood it, families would allow each other access, but Monqilcolnen and I were strangers.
“It will be more efficient this way. Now you don’t have to upload things from your own system to NAID or have the computer transfer the work to mine. You can work in my system, and that is that.”
It was far too personal, though I would never take advantage of him or pry into his private files.
He must have sensed my hesitation, because he asked, “Is there a problem? I can revoke it if you are uncomfortable with the familiarity.”
“No,” I said, struggling to keep my voice even. “It’s fine.” It wasn’t fine. It wasn’t even close to fine. What was he thinking? I could steal his money. I could read all of his logs, notes, and private correspondence. I literally had access to everything of his.
“Excellent. I’m needed on Command. I shall return later.” He strode out with Cincin on his shoulders.
I clutched the screen in my claws for several seconds before I pushed past it. I had a job to do, and I would do it to the best of my abilities.