Chapter 4
FOUR
Sure, Cali nodded along when Niir pointed out the wide screen mounted to the wall, but she had no idea how to operate it. They’d had no such thing on Rakol and only the guards had used them at the base they’d been abducted to.
Food dispensers, on the other hand, she was well acquainted with and eager to get her ration.
To her surprise, there were more choices than she’d ever seen before.
None of the food was recognizable, and she couldn’t read the ingredients, of course, but she picked something that looked appealing and waited as the blue light turned white and the door slid open, revealing her first real meal since Rakol.
It wasn’t a large portion, not that she expected it to be.
Meals were not meant to fill you, just keep your body functioning.
Whatever it was, the food was warm and delicious. She ate so fast, she barely tasted anything. She was so hungry, however, that whatever came out of the machine would have tasted wonderful.
She placed the empty tray back in the slot, but the selections were still there on the screen.
She frowned, confused. Hadn’t she just eaten her ration?
Or—and her mouth watered at the thought—was there a glitch in the system that would allow her to take a second helping?
Cali made another selection, but the screen still didn’t indicate that her selections were used up.
She bit her lip and chose yet another. If the dispenser was glitching, now was a perfect time to take advantage of it.
She and the other females had been given so little food on the hot moon, they were all starving.
She added a beverage to the order and miraculously, all the food appeared—hot and smelling delicious.
Cali ate a little slower, keeping one eye on the door.
She half expected some Virilian to barge in and rip the tray away, but none did.
In fact, even after she sat back, belly so full it ached a little, the dispenser didn’t turn red or shut down or have all the selections black out.
If this was a glitch, it was the best one in the history of the universe.
After eating, she figured out the controls in the washroom and gave herself an oil-infused steam spray.
It hurt a little, having that hot, high-powered steam hit her body, but it felt glorious to feel all that dirt and grime slough off, leaving her skin soft, moisturized, and smelling wonderful.
No more of that cloying flower odor in her hair.
Unwilling to put those fetid rags back on her body, she stepped back into her room naked and crawled under the covers of her soft, clean bunk. Sleep enveloped her in dark oblivion.
Cali had no idea how long she slept. When she awoke, the room looked exactly as it had before, except the lights were dimmed.
She got up and went to the closet, which was small and built into a wall.
A simple gray shift hung there, but just as she reached for it, a light turned on from inside the closet and enveloped her in a bright red glow.
She yelped, snatched the dress, and jumped away, but the light had turned blue, and a pleasant female voice said something in a foreign language.
Then, she remembered. Niir had mentioned a body scan to provide clothes.
But wasn’t the garment she held considered “clothes?” This place was confusing. Cali shook her head and pulled on the shift. It was soft, but large, pooling on the floor and gaping open at the neck.
She had just removed a beverage from the dispenser when she heard a chime at her door. Cali froze. The door chimed again. “Um,” she stammered. “I don’t know what to do.”
The metal door slid open and there stood Niir, looking as massive and battle-scarred as before. His gaze moved over her. “You need only say ‘open,’ and the door will obey you,” he said in the universal language of the third quadrant. He spoke it very well, without an accent.
Cali nodded, but her attention was on the clear cup in her hand. She couldn’t hide it. It was right there for him to see.
His brow dipped to a frown. “Why do you look like that?”
“Like what?”
“Like you’ve done something wrong.”
“I—I…here.” She held out the cup, still filled with warm, fragrant liquid. “I shouldn’t have taken it.”
Niir looked at the cup, then back to her. He did not take it from her. “Why?”
“It probably isn’t part of my rations.”
“Your rations?” His brows raised.
“Yes, there are always rations.” She tilted her face up to his. “There is never enough.”
“I don’t know what conditions were like for you before, but on this ship, there is always enough. You, and the others, may eat and drink as much as you wish.”
She paused, watching him. This had to be a trick, or a test, or a joke. “There is never enough,” she repeated.
A look of pity crossed his handsome features. “Drink your yiko tea.”
Cali was too uncomfortable to enjoy it, but she was stuck holding the cup. She stood there and took an awkward sip. “I didn’t know what it was called.”
“Now you do. And do not hesitate to ask me anything,” he said mildly. “If I can answer a question, I will.”
“Okay,” she said, taking a sip of the tea. “How are my cousins?”
“The other females are your cousins?” he asked.
“Yes. Are they okay?”
“They are,” he replied. “Aside from some dehydration, malnourishment, a few other minor issues, they are well. All are on their way to full health. I did come here to ask you some questions,” said Niir. “Would you prefer to do it in your quarters or somewhere else, more public?”
The thought of being enclosed in her tiny chamber with this giant Virilian made her palms sweat for more than one reason. “A larger space would be good.”
He nodded and stepped back from the doorway. “This way.” He swept a hand before him. “And bring your tea,” he said, as she was about to place it down.
She clutched the cup, which she now regretted ordering, and followed him down a narrow corridor.
The outside of this ship really did look more impressive than the inside.
Nothing looked quite finished here, as though they were always in the process of working on it.
Maybe they were. Battleships were frequently involved in battles, she supposed.
She shivered at the thought of how many lives had been lost at the hands of those on the weapon controls, especially since she did not yet know if the Virilians manning this vessel were criminals or decent beings.
The corridor opened up into a sizable, circular room.
It was empty, except for them. The lighting wasn’t too bright, or too dim, and soft couches and chairs were set about with tables and alcoves.
A circular setup of clear screens sat in the center.
There was no place to sit here that didn’t allow a view of the scrolling lines of text—presumably the status of the ship and its destination.
Or whatever crews of warships needed updates on.
Niir led her to a pair of clear chairs and a white table. She sat in one, but he remained standing. “Is there anything you would like from the food dispenser?”
Cali looked at him suspiciously. Did he know how much she’d taken from the dispenser? “Is this a test?”
He frowned. “It’s a question.”
She shook her head, but he walked to the wall and ordered something anyway.
He returned in moments with a thin, clear tray holding a variety of tiny bites.
Each individual morsel sat in its own compartment and each looked like a tiny piece of art.
Cali had never seen food look like this.
He placed it on the table between them and sat down opposite her.
“I thought you might enjoy a sampling of Virilian treats. These are my favorite.” He speared one with a long, two-pronged utensil and popped it in his mouth.
Cali’s attention riveted to the flash of pleasure that crossed his features. His gray eyes briefly closed. Long, dark lashes fanned on the dark, smudged black skin of his lower lids, making him look boyish for just a second.
“I could eat these all day,” he murmured after swallowing. “Please,” he said, pushing the other utensil to her side of the table. “Eat. Food is to be enjoyed on this ship.” One corner of his lips tipped up, just a little. “It’s the Virilian way.”
“I am not Virilian,” Cali said, even as her gaze drifted to the spread before her.
“Are you sure?” Niir crossed his muscled arms and leaned back, examining her. “You say you are Rakolin.”
“No, we are from Rakol.” She picked up the thin utensil and speared a small green bite of food. “We are a settlement made up of Sislus people. Oh.” Flavors exploded in her mouth. “That’s good.”
Niir pointed to a square piece of food coated in a shimmery blue shell. “Try that one. I think you’ll like it.” A glint shone in his eyes as his gaze fell to her mouth. He watched her lips open as she slid the bite in.
“Wow.” She knew her face was revealing the surprise and pleasure of tasting something new and delicious.
Cali had never known food as a luxury, or something to be savored.
Bland rations, doled out sparingly, were all she’d ever known.
She looked over the tray with eager interest. “How do you have so much food stored on this ship?”
He crossed his arms. “It’s not exactly like that. The machine rearranges simple proteins and carbohydrates into whatever form we request. It saves space and lets everyone eat what they want. There are many species on this ship with different nutritional needs.”
She blinked at him, amazed. “No one cooks it?”
“We do have a cook, in case the machine breaks,” he said. “She’s also a medic, though, so she only prepares healthy food.” He made a face. “It tastes healthy.”
Cali smiled at him. For a second, she thought he might smile back. Instead, he folded his hands and composed his features. “So, you’re Sislus? Like Warlord Mek-la?”