Page 12 of Stealing the Star Stone
“Gee, thanks,” he said, but he dug out his sunglasses and slipped them on.
She blinked at him then giggled.“Besides looking strangely more virile, that’s not a good disguise.”She sighed, opened a closet, and pulled out a matching coat.“Wear that.If I had a helmet, I’d insist on it too.Just your lucky day I didn’t pack one.”
He pinched the collar of the coat and eyed it with distaste.
“It’s clean, and the captain’s so it should fit.”She marched off, leaving him to debate whether wearing the coat would kill him.
Harumphing, he slid it on then strode after her.
She walked backward, good humor warming her features.“Swagger less.Gotta hide all your signature moves.”
That was harder to do than wearing this tent of a coat.But he couldn’t help the swell of excitement at her twice complimenting him: virile she’d said, and that she’d noticed his…swagger.This was turning out to be a most entertaining expedition.When he’d rattled off a list of activities, Petr’s arching brow at the mention of tea piqued Eli’s interest.He didn’t much care for tea, preferring pure water.But when the man had revealed Nova’s preference for Lady Grey, Eli had succumbed.The chance of spending more time with her was too much to resist, even if he had to sip tea.
“Welcome to Messis Station,” a uniformed station-sec said, halting them with an extended palm.His face was half-hidden by a tinted visor.As was his partner’s.
“Thanks,” Nova said, bouncing on her heels.“Any issues with our identification passkeys?”
“No,” the man said, reading something off a tablet.“Scans also confirm no weapons or organic matter on your persons.Please step into the spray and exit only when the light switches to green.”He tapped a circular disk at his booted feet.
She took up position and waited as a fine mist enveloped her.Eli did the same on another disk.Mint burned his nostrils, but the stench of chemical cleansers clung to him after the green lights flashed.
“For visiting dignitaries, please wear this S.O.S.device.”The guard handed Eli a wrist strap.“Press and hold if you’re in danger.We will respond immediately.”
“Thanks,” Eli said, clipping the strap on.“Do you anticipate trouble?”
The station-sec glanced at his partner.“Of course.It’s our job.”He swallowed hard.“Your timing could be better.We have a rare event in the Invenire Gallery that has the masses descending.”
“Oh?”Eli widened his eyes, his interest piqued.“What’s rare about it?”
“Some discovered artefact purported to be ancient alien tech.We have the weirdos, fanatics, and intellectuals on the station.One look at you, we might need to shorten your stay.”He cleared his throat.“For your safety.”
“I apologize for worsening your day,” Eli said.It paid to befriend security, even on a distant station orbiting a farming planet.
“Um, Mr.Thorne?”The other guard inched forward.
Eli knew that expression.He grinned.“Autograph or photograph?”
“Both?”The man glanced away then settled his hopeful gaze on Eli.“My wife loves your movies, made me watchYeehaw in Zero Gtwelve times already.”
Eli fought to keep his smile in place.Nebula Slim had been his worst role to-date.
“You wereamazingin that,” Nova ‘gushed,’ fluttering her eyelashes and clasping her hands to her chest.
Despite finding her charming, he mumbled, “Quit it.”
After posing with the man, Eli signed the tablet on a hastily downloaded image of the movie’s poster.Thankfully, his autograph wasn’t legally binding.
Nova hooked her arm through his and guided him toward the outer ring of shops.To the right was a wall of glass, showcasing Tarnis behind it.Along the left were many shops and stalls.The colors were an assault on his eyes with garish signage, lights, and suggestive figures.Worse was the cacophony of sounds from gambling bots and teaspoons hitting tea cups that had the clink of authentic china.
Few loitering tourists snuck glances at him.Some stared without concern.He drew his coat closer and hunched, hoping to ‘shorten’ his stature.Adding a limp was a temptation, but it would draw more attention than deter it.
“Charlie, how about a cuppa?”Nova cupped his cheeks, dragging his gaze to her upturned face.“You promised me tea,” she whined, then stamped her foot while tossing him a pout.She nudged her eyebrows in the direction of the onlookers now whispering to each other.
“I did,honey pot.”He chuckled, throwing an arm around her shoulders.
Her smile faltered, but she ushered him toward a gaudily lit store.“Let’s start here.”
The heavy fragrances of incense sticks burned his nose.But her excitement, her wide and sparkling eyes, the way she took in their surroundings… He’d never seen her like this.
