Page 4 of Collision!
If not…
With a goblhob propped on his shoulder, it was hard to imitate an Earther shrug—even though Suvan appreciated the dismissive bordering on disdainful physicality of the gesture.Because down here alone in the belly of the ship, none of that starlit silliness could touch him.
+ + +
If he hadn’t been alone, if he’d had a bare minimum engineering staff, he would’ve completed all the checks and restarts already.But this cruise was only supposed to be three sunsets worth of romantical ridiculousness, so there’d been no need for extra technicians besides himself and deck tech Griiek with her four adequately competent Monbrakkan arms.
Not that he’d ever served with a full engineering department.So he would get this work done by himself.Eventually.
Captain Nehivar had assured him he’d have the same autonomy—and seclusion—on this cruise, which had been intended only as a stopgap after their long-haul freighter contract had gone up in literal smoke.But that promise had already been broken several times with various members of the crew invading his domain while working together to contain the anomaly.
Which they had now set free for some larf-licking reason.
Just because their joint delusion had led to them all wishing—
“Excuse me?ChiefAdrakh?”
As Suvan whirled around, Lub screamed and launched itself to the top of the capacitorus, long nails screeching against the hexagonal facets.The bobbing light of its larf lure was visible for a few bounds before disappearing into the dark.
Goblhobs were ferocious hunters, but they didn’t like to be sneaked up on.
Neither did Suvan.
The Earther female stood a half-step within the engine module doorway, as if uncertain of her welcome.Because no one was welcome here.
“Engines are closed,” he snarled.“Passengers prohibited.”
He knew she was a passenger because he knew all the crew by sight and scent.And this one…
She was shorter than him, which meant petite by Earther standards, although her hair seemed determined to compensate for the missing mass.Draped over her shoulders asymmetrically, the thick, multi-cabled braids followed no discernible pattern.The textured waves caught the glow of sensor lights, glinting unpredictably.Like poorly routed and unshielded fiber optics—except made of bronze, a middling conductor at best.
A few loose locks had gone off on their own trajectory to frame her rounded face.The rest of her too belied some alien organic geometry, every contour a deviation from coherence and efficiency.Nothing like his sleek, linear engines.
On a power diagnostic readout, he’d flag such curves as a hazardous overload and cascade.
Requiring an immediate hands-on inspection.
The unexpected sensory haze knocked him back a step, as if a dozen Lubs had launched into his chest.His stumbling heel clipped an untethered cart, jolting a flux spanner to the deck followed by all the bolts he’d removed from the capacitorus.
The metallic clatter broke her stillness; no doubt she’d been shocked at his belligerence.Her brown eyes went even rounder than her cheeks and body, but instead of fleeing his careless chaos, she bustledentirelyinto his domain.
“Oh, I’m sorry.I didn’t mean to scare you.”She whisked around the disconnected conduit with a sinusoidal twist of her hip and crouched down in front of him.“Here.Let me help you—”
In disbelief, he glared down at those heavy braids, almost brushing his thighs.He’d seen more logical cable management in derelict shipyards.
His fingers twitched to set them right.
And if in the process he had to unravel them first, breathing too much of her scent, like a shimmering charge, ion-sweet and electrifying…
Unacceptable.“You did not frighten me,” he snapped, stepping back again to avoid her.“And I do not require your help.”
She smiled.“That’s good.Because I require your help.Although I admit, youarefrightening me a little.”
Then why wasn’t she leaving?
Another retreating step, and his boot came down on one of the large bolts.It rolled under him.
He could’ve braced himself on the cart.It was right there.Instead, his hand went to her shoulder at the same moment she reached for his wrist to steady him.
