Chapter Four #2
“It’s a Terran thing.” She smiled. “If the stall is ever not needed, it will cost us eight hundred credits to replace the affected area.”
The managers looked at each other and lifted their com units. They made calls, signed documents, and grinned. “Lock it down.”
She nodded and looked around. Not too many folks to watch.
Cloudy hummed and walked to the stall, gathered the bolts and fastening gun, and then she stuck her head out and said, “This is going to be a bit loud for forty-five seconds.”
She touched the control panel, and the loud whirring occurred.
She kicked off her shoes and went to the edge of the docks.
She jumped into the water for the second time that day, but this time, she moved under the dock, climbed up the supports, and used the handholds she had arranged years ago.
As the bolts emerged through the bottom of the dock plates, she loaded a nut into the gun and fastened it snug against the plate.
She repeated it eight times, and then she moved to the edge of her handholds, dropped into the water, and kicked hard enough to land her on the deck again.
Sunny was staring at her and said, “So how much do those alterations cost?”
“Depends on your physiology. I can send you for a quote.”
There was some light laughter from the crowd, and she blinked. There were fifty locals staring at her. She sighed. “I am going to change my clothing again.”
Sunny looked at her and then the crowd. “Wise.”
She went into the stall, got her last clean uniform, and a tiny sonic shower. She would have to do laundry tonight. Saltwater made everything crunchy and itchy.
When she was decent again, she emerged and froze. The guardians were standing and chatting with Emgoth. “How long was I gone?”
Hazor smiled. “You fell into icy water.”
“Oh, the thing.” She looked at the sleeve cuff where she had repositioned it. “Right.”
He walked up to her. “Why did you go in?”
“The businesses gave us authorization to fasten down, so I did.”
“How?”
“Croydekki bolts went through the decking, and I went underneath and tightened the nuts.”
He smiled slowly. “Self-sufficient thing, aren’t you?”
“Not a thing, but most of those who survived two years on a dead world learn to improvise.” She took the small pod. “Did you want this back? I don’t want you to rack up mileage on my account.”
He shook his head. “Keep it.”
There were wide-eyed stars aimed at her from the regulars who had forgotten to line up.
He cupped her jaw and brushed a soft kiss over her mouth.
She went up on her toes a little and then cursed herself as he smiled against her lips.
She dropped to her heels, and he followed her, wrapping an arm around her waist and lifting her.
She yelped and braced her hands against his chest. The kiss continued.
He continued the kiss, and then he moved his head to whisper in her ear, “Would you go for compatibility screening?”
“I wasn’t.”
“No, but I hear it can develop over time.”
“That is some niche gossip.”
“I am aware.” He straightened. “You must have guessed my interest.”
“Yeah, it’s hard to miss, even under the body armour.”
He smirked. “If you test as I think you will, my mother will want to speak to you, possibly my grandfather as well.”
“Oh, delightful. The whole family.”
“Well, my uncle is on Vecchin with his family, and my sister is there as well.”
“Oh. Well, that is one less person off the list. I really don’t think so, though.”
He kissed her again and held her against him. She felt heat crackling through her and clutched at his neck as the conflictingly wild and still relatively chaste kiss went on.
Her body was shaking, and his eyes were glowing when he stopped. He smiled. “I do think so.”
His thumb trailed over her lips, and he smiled. “I will let you know when testing is available.”
“Great. Maybe I can go deep-sea fishing before that.”
He smiled. “You out in the open ocean? That sounds like an emergency to me.”
She grimaced. “So this has a very effective locator as well as a temperature sensor and a beacon?”
He tapped her nose. “Correct.”
She whispered, “Why, me? You have an entire planet to choose from.”
Hazor cocked his head. “Because you radiate energy and joy and determination just working in the stall. I can feel it. I can taste it, and I want it. Hmrain-born are greedy in their core. I want to be more, and I need you to do it.”
“I am not quitting my job.”
He laughed. “Negotiations. Excellent. That is progress.”
“Fine. Go save people and things.” She flapped her hand toward him and tried to back up.
He kissed her forehead, and that caused a gasp from the onlookers who were filling the dock.
“Oh, great. Now I have to work and field questions.”
“I believe they understand, Cloudy. Have a good day. I am glad you have become anchored.”
She opened her mouth and closed it with a snap. She pulled away, ignoring that she suddenly felt cold, and headed back to the stall.
Emgoth and Ariget were staring in shock. Sunny was laughing so hard he could barely keep the food on the grill.