Chapter 13 #2
In the most neutral tone he could manage, he asked, “As a cultural question, do human females who blush at the mention of sex usually sunbathe wearing only a ceremonial stripe?”
Lily closed her eye again and continued basking.
“This particular human female missed the sun on her skin,” she murmured. “As for the stripe, some habits are hard to give up.”
She paused.
“And I like my tan lines.”
“Your skin darkens under the light,” Khar said. “But not beneath the stripe?”
Her only response was a soft, content hum.
A short while later, sensing that he was still there, she asked, “What are you thinking about, Khar?”
“You will see.”
He left briefly and returned just as quietly.
Lily had nearly drifted off when the clink of ice pulled her back. She opened her eyes to find Khar settled into the lounger beside hers. Two chilled drinks waited on the small table between them.
He had shed his uniform.
A white towel lay across his hips, arranged with deliberate care. It concealed what it needed to conceal while the stark contrast between white fabric and near-black skin emphasized everything else.
He had managed to suppress the most obvious signs of his interest. Imagining Lily rejecting him outright had helped.
“Khar,” she said, squinting at him. “Are you done already?”
“No,” he replied calmly. “Your activity seemed more worthwhile.”
“Vegrun will not be pleased if his upgrades are not finished before our next flight.”
“Vegrun enjoys parading two rare species in front of his guests and knowing we do not speak to the press about his indulgences. As long as we perform adequately, which Vitro practically guarantees, he will be satisfied. Accept it, Lily. We are display pieces. Now drink your cocktail and enjoy the light.”
She stretched lazily and settled back down.
“It really is a comfortable job.”
Khar made a sound of agreement and closed his eyes.
Two cycles later, they departed.
This time Vegrun arrived accompanied by a three-headed goror female whom Lily privately dubbed Lady Crocodile.
Their destination was a heavily regulated world where no sapient species had evolved, but whose ecosystem was astonishingly diverse.
It held protected status and was accessible only to researchers.
And to the obscenely wealthy who paid the researchers.
Khar and Lily were flawless. Polite. Charming. Professional.
Vegrun introduced his companion in his usual meandering fashion before ushering her toward his private suite.
“Come, Iroxella. Let me show you my ship more closely.”
Once they were out of earshot, Lily leaned toward Khar.
“Did he not say exactly that to the last one?”
Khar considered, then nodded with solemn certainty.
“Yes. That is confirmed. It is coded language for imminent sex.”
Lily matched his tone.
“No tentacle left dry.”
They found the phrase so amusing that they spent the rest of the journey trying to slip variations of it into conversation without being obvious. Extra points if they managed most of the sentence.
Vegrun even sought them out personally during the trip, a rare occurrence. After rattling off new demands meant to cater to his latest fascination, Khar politely asked about a former companion.
“Of course, sir, we will take care of everything. If I may ask, what became of Silomarila? We had grown rather fond of her. It was a pleasure showing her the ship.”
Lily went pale.
Khar behaved as though nothing were amiss.
Vegrun flushed orange, but his anger was not directed at Khar.
“That treacherous creature. Listen to me carefully. Never involve yourself with a Mokra female. They steal your gherr and crush it. I have realized that these beautiful but devious species are not for me. I desire a gentle partner now, like Iroxella.”
Khar nodded with grave wisdom.
“Sound advice, sir. I will remember it.”
Vegrun patted Khar’s shoulder with a damp tentacle.
“You are a good male, Khar. Not just strength, but intellect. I am sure you never struggle with females. Now I must go. And do not forget to refresh the pool.”
The moment he left, Khar and Lily looked at each other.
“No tentacle left dry?”
“No tentacle left dry.”
The excursion was a gift. Cycles in which Khar could draw closer to Lily. Never too much. A hand placed just so. A laugh earned. Nothing that might erode her trust.
Sometimes it was agony not to give himself away.
Still, he judged that he was close.
Even the minor disaster, a ruptured water line that soaked them both, only reinforced the truth. Khar wedged himself into a service crawlspace while used pool water dripped steadily onto him. Lily handed him tools and replacement parts from outside.
They both needed thorough showers afterward.
Khar emerged convinced that they made a perfect team.
Perhaps it was time to take the next step.
That illusion shattered the moment they docked and Horos appeared.
His target was obvious.
After escorting his employer and companion into a waiting luxury ground vehicle, Horos turned directly toward Lily, who stood beside Vitro.
“Lily. How wonderful to see you again. Are you busy?”
She glanced around, uneasy.
“Very.”
“It will not take long,” Horos said smoothly. “You are still new here. I thought this would be a good time for a formal performance evaluation. After that, you may return to your duties.”
Lily nodded, though reluctance was written all over her.
Khar moved immediately.
“Lily, your console is reporting a leak in your sector.”
They did not have assigned sectors. It was an obvious pretext.
Lily understood.
She shook her head anyway.
“My sector? Could you look into it for me, just this once?”
Khar respected her too much to argue.
That did not stop him from considering how best to feed Horos into the engine cones and bring them to full power without consequence.
“Of course,” he said evenly. “No trouble.”
Lily smiled at him before walking away.
Leaving Khar alone with his dark, blood-soaked thoughts.