Page 38 of Caldar
They stared at each other, the alien doctor versus the human artist.
This was the problem with aliens. Sure, they weren’t a monolith, and there was subtlety and nuance, as with any group of people. Her opinions on the Mahdfel had grown and evolved over the last two years.
She considered Wyn’s alien husband, Lorran, a friend, and her feelings about Caldar were complicated. She loved him. She knew she did, and it scared her how mushy her heart felt about it. But the Mahdfel acted like they knew better, like theirprecious matescouldn’t make their own decisions, and it pissed her off.
She wanted Caldar to bite her, not just because he had been half out of mind on some super roofie and biting her would help him, but because she liked him. Loved him. She knew what the mate mark represented, and shewantedthat. Wanted him.
“She won’t back down, you know,” a familiar voice said.
“Wyn!” Sonia tried to stand, but Wyn was already at her bedside, pushing her back down. “What are you doing here?”
Wyn wrapped her in a bone-crushing embrace. Sonia melted against her friend, savoring the comfort and the pure love.
“Going out of my damn mind, that’s what. No visitors allowed,” Wyn eventually said.
“Visitors are still not allowed,” the doctor said. “You are being discharged. I need the bed.”
Wyn smiled, ignoring the surly doctor. She grabbed a ceramic mug with a silicone lid from her husband and passed it to Sonia. “Here. Hot chocolate, whipped cream, and a sprinkle of chili powder.”
“That sounds amazing.” Sonia took the hot chocolate and sipped before the doctor could tell her no fluids or something equally depressing. Hot, blissful chocolate scalded her tongue, chased by sweet cream and spicy heat. “Perfect. Thank you. But what are you doing here, on this ship?”
“My clan answered the distress call,” Lorran said. He stood behind Wyn, his bulk taking up nearly the entire doorway.
“Yes, yes. Let us all stand around and chit-chat,” the doctor grumbled. “You are free to leave. Rest. Fluids. Return tomorrow for another examination. I require this bed now. Leave.”
The doctor hustled them out of the medical bay. Sonia felt conspicuous wearing what was essentially a gray sweatsuit. The slippers that came with the outfit had no traction, so she kept sliding on the floor. Her hair was a mess. Basically, she looked like she just busted out of a dungeon. Which she had, sort of.
They had a short walk to Wyn and Lorran’s suite. Cabin? Apartment? Sonia wasn’t really sure what to call the kitchen-living room with bedrooms attached. Wyn explained that they had a spare bedroom, so Sonia had no choice but to stay with him.
“I don’t think the warlord lets family visit, so he’ll probably put you on a shuttle back to Earth as soon as possible,” Wyn said.
“That is standard protocol,” Lorran said.
“Which sucks,” Wyn continued. “You’ve had a trauma. You need to chill for a day or two, make sure you’re not, I don’t know, filled with protozoa or something.”
“Protozoa?” Sonia asked.
“Or something,” Wyn said. “I’m not a xenobiologist. You might have picked up a parasite.”
She doubted that. The medics ran enough tests that Sonia felt confident that she was harboring alien protozoa, they would have found it. “I want a shower, and then you’re taking me to see Caldar.”
Wyn pulled a face. Lorran growled.
Right, right. They didn't know about… everything.
“That guy? He’s a dickweasel,” Wyn said.
“Oh, he absolutely is, but that dickweasel saved my life, many times,” Sonia said.And I think I love him, but she kept that bit to herself.
Wyn and Lorran shared a look.
“I don’t like that. Stop that,” Sonia said.
“There is nothing to stop,” Lorran said.
“No, you’re doing that thing where you’re talking without talking, and I know it’s about me. Or Caldar. There. It’s about Caldar. Tell me,” Sonia said as Wyn pulled another sour face.
“The medic prescribed rest. You should rest, and we will discuss this when you wake,” Lorran said. He opened a door and gestured for her to enter the bedroom.
