Chapter 11 Lualhati
LUALHATI
Aweek after my arrival on Zabria Prinar One, Warden Hallum’s ambulance upgrade kit for the slicer was delivered.
“This is great,” I said once all the parts had been deposited in Warden Hallum’s garage. “I want to go see Darcy. This will be our chance to give it a test run!”
“I agree,” Warden Hallum said. “I do not want the first time we use the equipment to be during an emergency situation.”
“Definitely. I’ll let her know. How long do you think it’ll take? Just a general estimate.”
“A few days at least,” he said.
That made sense to me. Not only would he have to attach the big patient compartment to the slicer, but he’d also be making some major upgrades to the engine. As well as closing in the driver’s compartment.
“And you’re sure you can do it all on your own?”
“Yes. While Xennet and Dorn have their strengths, neither of them have experience in this sort of work.”
“But you do?”
“I do,” he confirmed. “I had extensive training on ship maintenance and engineering in the military.”
“Field medic, engineer, commander…” I grinned, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning back against his work bench. “Any other titles to add to that list?”
“Hugs warden.”
I burst out laughing, not expecting that particular call-back.
“And jokester!” I teased, adding to the running list.
Warden Hallum didn’t laugh. And he didn’t really smile, either. But as I watched him open the engine compartment of the slicer and bend over it, there was a new, peculiar sort of quirk tugging at the sides of his mouth. That tiny shift in expression sent my stomach fluttering madly.
And sent my mouth into the stupidest tailspin of all time.
“Anyway, I’m not sure you can qualify as the hugs warden if you’ve only ever hugged one human.”
He bent over the slicer’s engine and began deftly working the wires inside.
“I have no interest in doing a hug to any other human.” His hands flexed and clenched, the muscles of his forearms bunching. “If I must practice to maintain the title, then I will practice with you.” His gaze flicked to mine then. Icy. Intense. “If you are amenable to such a thing.”
“God forbid I stand in the way of a Zabrian man’s education!” Idiotically, I did a weird sort of military salute. “I am at your service, Warden!”
His gaze hovered, then dipped. Was he looking at my breasts?
Or just trying to figure out where he would hug me next time?
“Noted,” he said, more to the engine than to me now. Which was probably good. I shouldn’t be distracting him with stupid scenarios about hug practice of all things. The man had work to do.
Giving myself something to focus on besides the near-hypnotic bunching and releasing of Warden Hallum’s glorious forearms, I activated my comms tablet.
Outgoing Tablet Communication Lualhati Ortiz: Good morning, everybody! I’m excited to let you know that the ambulance upgrade is here! Darcy, we’ll be able to test it out and come visit you in a few days. I’ll be giving you a checkup, and we’ll even be able to do an ultrasound!
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: No shit! Sounds great, Doc. Also, I am telling you now that my husband is a goofball, and that him seeing his progeny in real time will likely send him into absolute bonkerdom. You have been warned.
Incoming Tablet Communication Shiloh Jean-Baptiste: She can handle goofballs. She’s been giving sex-ed lessons to Xennet and Dorn.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: I don’t even know Xennet or Dorn, but I would pay good fucking money to see that.
Outgoing Tablet Communication Lualhati Ortiz: Honestly, they’re doing a wonderful job. I’m very impressed with their attitudes!
Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace: Xennet and Dorn are both lovely. And I agree with Dr. Ortiz – they’ve been working hard to learn.
Incoming Tablet Communication G. Jaya: Doesn’t surprise me. Once they’re married, they’ll only have two weeks to impress their wives enough to stay. Gotta get those cunni-linguine skills on point.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Pasta emoji loading
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Tongue out emoji loading
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Chef’s kiss emoji loading
Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson: I love how, despite being tired and pregnant, our emoji queen never lets us down.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Thank you for noticing, Cherry. I’m glad you realize just how much I do for you all in ye olde Cock Tail Hour chat.
Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones: Thank you for your sacrifice.
Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones: Crying laughing emoji loading
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: So this new ambulance set-up means someone will be able to come get me and bring me to the hospital when it’s time? Tout de suite?
Outgoing Tablet Communication Lualhati Ortiz: Yes, exactly. Once the hospital is completed, anyway.
Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones: Oh! I hadn’t realized that the hospital wasn’t ready yet.
Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace: It has been an incredibly snowy winter in this province. It’s delayed construction quite a bit.
Outgoing Tablet Communication Lualhati Ortiz: But don’t you worry, Darcy.
There should be no issues getting it done before you go into labour.
Or, worst case scenario, I simply come to you in the ambulance.
It will have enough equipment to deal with most issues that would arise during labour.
Warden Hallum ordered the fanciest model.
It can even function as a tiny surgical suite.
Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace: How are things going with Warden Hallum, Lualhati? Are you still comfortable staying at his station?
Outgoing Tablet Communication Lualhati Ortiz: Yes, it’s been totally fine. I couldn’t think of a more generous but also grumpy host.
Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace: Ha! Yes, that sounds about right. Context for those who haven’t met him: Warden Hallum is a bit like if Garrek had become a warden…But somehow even more uptight. Great posture…
Outgoing Tablet Communication Lualhati Ortiz: Hey, he’s getting better! He even cracked a joke today!
Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace: You’re kidding.
Outgoing Tablet Communication Lualhati Ortiz: Nope! But he sure was! Just about took me out. I was not expecting it!
Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones: OK, just for the record, Garrek has also told me jokes! He’s not always that grouchy.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Sure, he’s told jokes to you. Because he loves you. He can’t get enough of that beautiful lil gap-toothed smile of yours.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Not saying that Warden Hallum doesn’t love you, Doc.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Wait, maybe he actually does.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Has anyone asked him?
Outgoing Tablet Communication Lualhati Ortiz: I mean, I kind of did. I asked him about his previous relationships when I first got here. He told me he’s never loved anyone before.
Incoming Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: Emphasis on before.
Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones: Oh my goodness. The warden and the local doctor. Working together and forced to be roommates. It’s like a romance novel!!!
Incoming Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: I’d read the shit outta that.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: I think you should just walk into his room completely nakey. Pounce on him, no warning, tits out. See what he does.
Outgoing Tablet Communication Lualhati Ortiz: Pretty sure I’d knock him unconscious with my boobs if I tried that.
Incoming Tablet Communication G. Jaya: Meh. I bet he’d be fine. These guys have very hard skulls. I may have smoked Oaken in the head with a hammer the first day I met him. Accidentally, of course.
Outgoing Tablet Communication Lualhati Ortiz: I don’t have anywhere else to stay currently. I can’t really afford to sexually harass my host into evicting me right now.
Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace: I still can’t believe he actually told you a joke… Are you sure this is the Warden Hallum we are talking about?
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: I bet it’s his best attempt at flirting. I bet it means his heart has been set a’fluttering and his cock tail a’wriggling by our gorgeous Doc over here.
Outgoing Tablet Communication Lualhati Ortiz: You haven’t even met me yet!
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Don’t need to. I can tell from your vibe. You have hottie energy.
Outgoing Tablet Communication Lualhati Ortiz: I mean, you’re not wrong…
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: I never am.
Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson: You kind of were that time you thought poor Fallon’s cock tail was a venomous snake and you tried to rip it off.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: How dare you.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: I thought we all agreed never to mention that again.
Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson: I don’t remember agreeing to that.
Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones: Neither do I.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: You guys are getting me off track.
Here I am, trying to coordinate IMPORTANT MEDICAL CARE for my BIG FAT ALIEN BABY, and you are all trying to distract me by dragging up my cowboy snake-dick trauma.
It’s honestly rude. It’s a good thing I love you all so much, or I would be karate chopping you right out of this chat.
Outgoing Tablet Communication Lualhati Ortiz: We’ll probably be there in four or five days, Darcy. I can let you know for certain once Warden Hallum is closer to being finished the slicer upgrade.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: It’s all good. Show up whenever you want. It’s not like I’ve got any plans besides growing Fallon’s gigantic child. He won’t let me lift a finger.
Outgoing Tablet Communication Lualhati Ortiz: Alright, then. We shall see you when we see you! Signing off for now.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Now that the good doctor has left us for the moment, who wants to take bets on when she and Warden Hallum get engaged?
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Diamond ring emoji loading
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Bride emoji loading
Incoming Tablet Communication G. Jaya: I’ve never even met these people but I’m totally in. I say later this spring.
Incoming Tablet Communication Jolene Macdonald: Autumn is my favourite season, so I’ll say Autumn.
Incoming Tablet Communication Shiloh Jean-Baptiste: Ooh, this is tough. Because on the one hand, Warden Hallum strikes me as the very motivated type. Like, once he wants something, he’ll go after it with everything he’s got.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Hot.
Incoming Tablet Communication Shiloh Jean-Baptiste: BUT! He’s also quite stringent about things like rules and protocol. And I don’t think he’d want to do anything inappropriate to jeopardise their working relationship.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Lame. But still also kind of hot.
Incoming Tablet Communication Shiloh Jean-Baptiste: My guess is that if they’re going to get together, it’ll be right before her contract ends a year from now.
Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones: When they both realize they can’t live without each other <3.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Or when they both realize they can’t stand staying out of each other’s pants any longer.
Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace: Alright, ladies, I’m going to ask that we shut this conversation down now. Lualhati and Warden Hallum are both professionals who deserve our respect.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: It is because I respect them that I want them to be happy. By humping each other.
Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace: Nevertheless, this is a shared chat with Lualhati and she isn’t here to give her input. I am going to delete this message after sending, and some of the more inappropriate ones above.
Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: All my messages, you mean.
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Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois: Fine. But I’m still taking bets offline. Call me with your input, ladies. I’m bored out of my goddamn skull over here and I need something to entertain me. If that means daydreaming about two people I’ve never met boning, so be it.
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