Page 25 of Tempting Cargo
I COULD havewrung that stuffed-up gharian’s neck—if attacking him wouldn’t have been a death wish. Skykking overgrown lizard. What had Archon Ithsskar been thinking, sending soft, defenceless creatures out into the galaxy without basic medical protection? The idea of the Galactic Reserve doing anything more than the bare minimum was laughable, so this was definitely on him.
Did I want to use my precious credits to help this group of creatures? Of course not. But the thought of them accidentally meeting one of the giant mountain people, becoming helpless to resist the demands put on them… Nobody deserved to be controlled by another in any way.
I could find more credits. It might only add a week to my plans, and what was another week when it had already been years?
TheDorimisawas cool beneath my feet. Her comforting corridors reminded me of the power Ididhave. Here, I was in control. Here, people bent to my will, not the otherway round. And while Garrison insisted on being around, not staying obediently with his kinsfolk, it was less irritating than I expected. And I suppose he made a good enough cup of chrya.
I swallowed back a growl. Mother needed to get out of my head. Going to AnimaCorp at least made a change from moving cargo and arranging trades. And it was anappropriatedistraction.
Garrison strode behind me, some of the corridors not quite wide enough for two abreast. I should ignore the fact he was kind and caring. And attractive in his alien way. I should. But his short-cropped mane looked like thousands of tiny spines, and my fingers itched to discover if it was as soft as it seemed.
He was gentle, despite his size. Did he think the same of me?
I hoped so.
His desire had been there too. It had shone in his dark eyes, his parted lips, the way he didn’t move away when I stood a spinesbreadth too close.
Skyk. I could easily have taken my pleasure with him.
But Mother had called. If I couldn’t be selfish or frivolous, I could help these humans at least.
I peered at the bundles of bolsters and cargo covers. The humans had made little nests for themselves in my cargo bay. Kheh. It was kind of… sweet.
Their chatter stilled as I arrived.
“Water. And food,” I said, seemingly unable to be less curt or awkward.
Why was Garrison so easy to talk to? “Come with me. I will let Garrison explain more, but you should all disembark when we reach AnimaCorp. Temporarily,” I hastened to add, as worried grumbling met my ears. At least they were all paying attention. “You need galactic vaccines, and they have a medical facility.”
Smooth, Shohari.Good thing I was this eloquent with vendors or I’d have been married to some stale, fustian male already.
Wraiths rippled through my bones.
Rokharu. The male had a name now—and as old as my uncle, no less. I’d expected someone closer to my own age, at least.
This can’t be my future.
I tuned out the humans’ prattle as we walked to the galley. I needed to review the maughni deal, but it was prudent to scan the humans before we got to AnimaCorp. Once again, indulging in high end medtech for theDorimisawas proving its worth. Should I have gone all in on the ‘rare and exotic disease and alien physiology’ module I was likely never to use? Not in the slightest. But if the algorithms could extrapolate human biology or pick up any anomalies and malfunctions, if those calculations could then be verified by the pharmcorps, well, I stood to make some credits.
I couldn’t afford too many distractions, but this one was here, so I’d give it my full attention. Only the medical situation, of course.
Garrison
WHY WASShohari much more personable with me when she was so abrupt with everyone else? There was a delicious warmth in knowing she showed me a side of herself she didn’t share with just anyone.
I was less keen on the fact nobody wanted to get scanned in the medbay. I cast my eyes around our little group. Out of everyone, Fenn was pretty laid back, so I sidled up to them. “Everyone seems a bit wary of the medscan. Shall you and Ivolunteer? I’ll go first, and you can watch and wait. I don’t think it’ll be that bad.”
They looked up from their wrist-comm, one side of their mouth quirking upwards in their trademark half-smile. “Yeah.”
About as many words as I expected from them, but it was the right word, so I’d take it.
The medbay lights were harsh on my eyes as I lay on the bed.
Shohari stood at a computer screen, tapping symbols in quick succession until a holofield formed a glowing arch over me. “Just lie still. It won’t hurt, and you won’t feel anything.”
She wasn’t entirely right. My skin prickled in goosebumps under the holofield. It was obvious which part of me was being scanned, the air over it becoming almost freezing, but it didn’t linger anywhere for long, and the whole process was over within about five minutes.
“Last thing.” Shohari held a small device to my finger that delivered a swift, sharp tingling sensation. Other than a pinprick of a red mark, there was no blood, no other sign that anything had happened.
