Without taking his attention from Nell, Beijing responded to the chirping doorbell. “Enter.”
The door to the hall swished open and Shang’hai stepped inside. She tossed a bundle from one hand to another like a cook would pizza dough. “Sorry to interrupt, Bei, but I thought the citizen would want these.”
Shang’hai’s brown slanted eyes narrowed to slits as her gaze flicked from Nell to Bei. After a moment, she held out the wadded fabric to the admiral. A muscle ticked in her round jaw as her attention settled on Nell’s hand on Bei’s shoulder.
Nell jerked her hand away as if scalded. She hadn’t meant to poach on the other woman’s property.
Yes, you did. Her ever helpful mother reminded Nell. And you and he are chosen to be together.
Chosen? What the heck does that mean?
Beijing took the offering in his large hands before he pressed it against Nell’s stomach. “Is the com set up?”
Nell clutched at the wad of slinky fabric. It was heavy. Looking down, she noticed the soles of her feet actually skimmed the floor. Guess the clothes must have metal in them so they would be attracted to the deck. Balancing one half of the pile on her shoulder, she unfurled the other fabric. Pants. Holding them against her belly, she checked the size. They just might fit. Looking up, Nell offered the other woman a genuine smile. “Thank you, Chief Engineer Commander Shang’hai.”
Without responding, Shang’hai smoothed her pink hair flat against her oval head. The short locks sprang back up while she addressed Beijing. “We’re routing feed to here. Red Dwarf’s com is damaged and should be operational in five, but the rest of the fleet is standing by.”
Fleet? Nell wrapped her legs around each other as she stood on tippy-toes. Tension dotted her shoulders before she took a calming breath. The admiral would have to address all his men, she needed only talk to those who saw that film clip. “I should go and, um, let you talk military.”
Turning, she scanned the room. Great! So much for making a graceful exit, there wasn’t a door in sight. When she pushed off the deck, she shot toward the ceiling. She reached for Beijing but turned and grasped the chair instead. Nell wouldn’t put it past Shang’hai to rip her apart for touching her man. For some reason, tears sprang to Nell’s eyes.
“Nell?” Beijing cupped her elbow and turned her slowly to face him.
“Hmm.” She sniffed, wiping her nose on her forearm. “I just don’t know where to go t-to provide you with privacy.”
“We don’t need privacy.” He offered her a smile. It softened the angles and planes of his face and lit his eyes. “Why don’t you get dressed then we’ll go over what you’re to say to the fleet.”
Nell stiffened. That was not the agreement. “The fleet? Why do I have to address the fleet? I thought I was only to speak to the ones that saw…”
Her breath came in small burst of cold air. Oh Lord! The entire fleet saw her posterior?
“Because they saw you die.” The admiral’s lips twitched before he got them under control.
“The fleet saw…” Lightning bolts appeared in Nell’s peripheral vision. Her stomach danced a jig. Darkness crowded out the light and an odd buzzing sounded in her ears. She heard the flutter of fabric as oblivion beckoned.
“Doc Cabo. Medical emergency in admiral’s quarters. Doc Cabo to the admiral’s quarters.” Strong arms closed around her. Beijing’s heat warmed her numb limbs. “Breathe, Nell. You have to breathe. In and out.”
Safe. She was safe. Nell sucked in the metallic tasting air. Her eyes fluttered open. The admiral’s face swam in and out of focus. Good grief. She was having a panic attack. Shouldn’t there be a limit on the number of times she could embarrass herself in a day? “I…”
Pressure on her belly caused Nell to look down.
Shang’hai tugged at the hem of Nell’s sarong then clamped onto Nell’s arm, and dragged her backward into a corner, away from the admiral. “Let’s get you dressed.”
Reaching around Nell, Shang’hai jerked on the knot holding the silver sarong closed.
Nell smacked the pale hands aside and caught the emergency blanket before it slipped down, exposing her chest. “I can’t get dressed here.”
Beijing and his lover looked at her as if she’d grown another head.
Of course the way her day had been, maybe she had. “I’ve already given your men— no, your entire fleet a peep show, I don’t plan to do an encore performance.”
Shang’hai rolled her brown eyes. “We have already seen—”
“I don’t care! I don’t.” Nell winced at her petulance but honestly…
The admiral rubbed his chin and focused his gaze on her hands holding the emergency blanket against her. “Do you wish for me to turn away?”
Before she could answer, the door slid open again and the Doc and Chief Rome stepped inside.
Suddenly the room wasn’t as spacious as it had seemed before.
“I brought these.” The chief held up a pair of black boots. Nell could see her distorted reflection in the glossy blunt tips. Untied metallic laces flopped against the ankle high sides. “And I even checked them to make sure no one left a foot or toe behind.”
Ew! Did he think that was funny?
He tossed them at Nell.
Grasping the edge of the blanket between her teeth, Nell caught the boots. The impact propelled her backwards into the wall next to the desk. A hollow thud resounded as her head slammed against the metal. She winced at the pain prickling her scalp and raked up her blanket. “Thank you, for the shoes and for, for verifying the vacancy.”
The chief winked at her.
Beijing shifted his weight to the right, blocking the chief’s view.
Doc raised his tan hand. Green light shot out of his palm toward her. Nell tried not to flinch as the beam skimmed down her body. “Her anxiety has increased dramatically.”
The admiral nodded. “Give her a shot of serotonin.”
Shaking his head, Doc strode forward. “Can’t. Her blood is a cocktail of exotic chemicals, no doubt to preserve her during prolonged stasis.”
Pushing away from the wall, Nell straightened to her full height. Anxiety wasn’t her only feeling. Thanks to their attitude, she also had a healthy dose of irritation going. “I’m right here, you know. You don’t have to talk about me like I’m a slab of meat.”
“I don’t know, you look pretty appetitizing to me.” The chief winked at her.
“Take Nell to the head to dress,” the admiral growled at his lover.
Shang’hai nodded and picked up the clothes under Nell’s hovering form. “Aye, sir.”
Latching onto Nell’s arm, the engineer towed her toward the closet.
Juggling the shoes, Nell scissored her legs, toes skimming the floor, trying to catch up. “Oh, hey. I’m not a kite.”
Nell checked over her shoulder to see if any of the men moved to help her. Doc concentrated on opening and closing his fingertips, checking the syringes, scalpels and clamps inside the narrow tubes. The admiral and the chief faced each other, no doubt engaged in a telepathic shouting match on the WA. When Shang’hai winced, Nell knew they were arguing over her, her purpose and her being here.
Nell turned back. Shang’hai had opened an inset door in the wall to reveal a rectangular room. This was the bathroom? An oblong white box covered in soft plastic was embedded in the wall under an oval mirror. A curtainless shower with eight nozzles took up the left end of the room. As for the toilet… It had been replaced by a large suction cup. Nell’s bowels tightened. Good thing she didn’t have to go. But… Maybe she should ask, so she knew how to use it when needed. Then again, Beijing’s lover might find a way to flush Nell down it.
Shang’hai reached again for the ends of Nell’s sarong. This time she let the other woman remove the emergency blanket and dropped the boots. They clattered to the floor with a reassuring sense of gravity. “You don’t have to help me. I can dress myself.”
Shang’hai shrugged. “Time is short.�
��
Nell stepped into the pants and pulled them over her hips. The fabric draped her bare bottom like cold silk. The feeling was sensual and a little naughty. Smiling, Nell ducked into the tunic Shang’hai held and pushed her arms through the long sleeves. The pads of Nell’s feet skimmed the floor. “Will the shoes be enough so I can walk?”
Shang’hai opened a drawer in the dresser built into the wall opposite the shower and tugged out a wad of fabric. “Socks should help.”
Nell glanced into the mirror. The shirt had counterbalanced the zero gravity at least where her breasts were concerned. Too bad she didn’t have a push up bra. And then there was the matter of her hair. It floated around her face, like she’d stuck her finger in a socket.
While Shang’hai knelt to slide the socks on Nell’s bare feet, Nell opened the drawers looking for a brush. Her first try yielded success and she yanked the bristles through her tangled blonde hair. “Maybe I should cut it off like yours.”
“Bei wouldn’t like that.” Shang’hai tugged a band from her pocket. Metal curlicues jingled from it. “This is what the civilians use.”
“Thanks.” Nell took it but couldn’t get the metal scrunchy open.
“Here.” Shang’hai took it back, inserted her thumb and forefinger inside and opened the band. “I’ll fix your hair while you put on your shoes.”
Nell toed into the boots then worked her heel down against the stiff back. “Why are you helping me? I mean, I kinda made moves on your man.”
“Bei and I no longer share a bed. In fact, he does not have a lover among the crew.” Shang’hai smiled. “And even I would hate to see this hair go. Human hair is quite soft.”
“But you…” Nell looked at the other woman’s pink hair.
“It is synthetic, which is nice because I can change styles easily but it does not feel the same.” Shang’hai glanced at Nell’s reflection. “You may touch it.”
Nell swept her hand over the spiky locks. The texture was a bit rough, but nothing a little conditioner wouldn’t fix.. “I can’t tell the difference.”
“For those of us with NDA, it is the difference between sandpaper and a cloud.” Shang’hai slid her hand down Nell’s ponytail. “It is the same with human skin.”
“I don’t know how to explain my attraction to Bei. I—”
“You are neither the first citizen who became infatuated with him nor the first one he’s been involved with.”
But you will be the last. Was Mom issuing a warning or a prediction? Excitement trilled through Nell at the prospect, disbelief tromped hard on its heels. Was she nuts? She just met the man and now she wanted to claim him as her property.
“I’m ready.” Nell walked out of the bathroom. Instead of a smooth stride, her movements were awkward. The magnetic attraction between the floor and her made it feel as if she were walking on flypaper. Her anxiety increased when she noted that the men were still arguing.
“You honestly think she’s going to save us. Earth sent us here to die!” Tension corded Chief Rome’s neck.
“I was sent to save you.” Nell cleared the lump from her throat and strode further into the room. “And I don’t intend to fail anymore than you do, Chief Rome.”
“And how do you plan to do that? The only reason you touch the ground is because of those magnets in your shoes, Citizen.”
“Enough, Chief.” Bei growled.
Nell glared back at the security officer. “I don’t know how, but I do know the answer to your questions and doubts is locked in that box Commander Shang’hai has. We just have to find it.”
The monitors mounted over the desk flared to life. Shang’hai pulled the chair from under the desk and pushed it toward the bed. The castors slid silently across the deck before stopping at the foot of the bed. Shang’hai unraveled a white cord visible under her hair at her pale nape. “Two more ships are reporting restlessness among the civies. You better address them soon, Admiral.”
Beijing rested his hand on the small of Nell’s back and ushered her to the corner of the room placing her in front of the TV. “Nell. Stand here. I’ll be right behind you.”
Nell’s stomach heaved. Fear lodged in her throat and she wheezed in lungfuls of air. Why had she agreed to this? To help? Who was going to help her? Holding her breath, she waited for the heartbeat drumming in her ears to slow.
The admiral’s hand remained on her. Too bad she couldn’t absorb his strength. He smiled down at her. “Just read the monitor.”
“Don’t worry. I have it on transmit, not receive. They’ll be able to see you but you can pretend you’re talking to the wall.”
“Better than picturing the audience naked.” Nell squeezed her eyes closed. Why did she have to think of that? They wouldn’t need to picture her naked. She had been last time they’d seen her. Opening her eyes, she focused on the wide screen.
“Ready?” Shang’hai nodded to Nell and words appeared on the screen.
“Okay.” Nell couldn’t focus. Good heavens, what was that language? The letters merged into white blobs then separated but didn’t form words. They should make sense, shouldn’t they? Had that brainwashing wiped out her ability to read?
Bei’s fingers wiggled along her spine. “Anytime you’re ready, Citizen Stafford.”
Chief Rome crossed his arms over his chest, leaned against the doorjamb and stared at the ceiling.
The doctor frowned as he continued to scan her from his place next to the chief.
Nell started. She’d have to wing it. As long as she could keep the sarcasm at bay, she could reassure Beijing’s crew and get through this without embarrassing herself. “Hello, everyone. I guess you’ve all seen the rather unpleasant video of me and thought I was dead. Well, as you can see rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.”
Nell forced her stiff lips into a smile. Great, instead of sarcasm, she was plagiarizing literary works.
Shang’hai pointed to the screen and the word flashing at the top.
Nell looked at it. Nope. Still couldn’t read it. “It is my understanding that a woman named Burkina Faso sent a video to undermine Admiral Beijing York’s command. You should know that Ms. Faso is guilty of murdering many honorable soldiers. Rest assured, she will be brought to justice for her crimes.”
Rome pushed away from the doorjamb and ran his hands through his blond crew cut. His attention shifted from her to Beijing before returning to her again.
Nell straightened under his perusal. He obviously didn’t like her. How much would he interfere with her relationship with Beijing? She barely managed not to snort. She had no relationship with the admiral. “I know that your mission has suffered a few setbacks, but I ask that all of you give the admiral your unconditional support so he can bring us back on track as quickly as possible.”
The doctor’s green beam blinked off. He cocked his head to the left and stared at her.
Shang’hai stopped pointing to the teleprompt and focused on Nell.
“We, the people, have embarked upon this journey not because it is easy but because it is hard.” Nell coughed into her hand. Her stomach was still acting up. Probably because she started with the Declaration of Independence and ended with John F Kennedy’s address at Rice Stadium. Inwardly cringing, she prayed the speech made sense and continued on. “It will test our endurance, our spirit and our humanity. I know that together, we can achieve those dreams of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Nell swallowed the lump in her throat. How many US doctrines had she butchered now?
Expectation hung in the air.
With their mouths hanging open, Doc, the chief and Shang’hai stared at her.
“We cannot allow people like Faso and her followers to divert us from our course. Beginning today, we are no longer civilian, citizen, and Syn-En. We are one race, human. Equals endowed with inalienable rights. For united we stand and divided we fall.” Nell coughed again. Just a little longer, she begged her turbulent stomach. Her speech would have to
end soon, she didn’t remember that many more famous speeches and she doubted, four score and seven years would work. “I came here to remind you that if we remain one n—” she cleared the nation from her throat, “one people, indivisible then we will have liberty and justice for all.”
Nell glanced around her. They just stood there, still as statues. Good Lord, she’d ended with the Pledge of Allegiance, and they acted as if they hadn’t heard it. Maybe they hadn’t. Still. She was done. Her gag reflex confirmed it. Nell set her hand on her stomach. She was going to vomit.
“Please join me in supporting Admiral Beijing.” Nell clamped a hand over her lips as her stomach tossed its contents into her mouth. Turning, she sprinted toward the bathroom.
Bei tried to grab her but she eluded his grasp. His soft words followed her into the bathroom. “Thank you, Citizen… Ah, well, it will take time for us to get used to our new roles on Terra Dos.”
Ignoring the funky toilet, Nell collapsed next to the shower and bent over the drain. A cascade of warm air and water rained down on her head as she hurled her stomach contents at the grated drain. Tears burned her eyes but she finally managed to stop throwing up. A swirl of electric blue traveled toward the drain. “Oh, God, it’s blue. What have I even eaten that’s blue?”
Footsteps sounded behind her. She noted Shang’hai and the doctor before starting round two of the retching.
A hand touched her back as Doc spoke. “Just don’t fight it. I think it’s fluid from your lungs.”
Fear plugged up round three long enough for Nell to shout, “I’m barfing up my lungs!”
Over the splashing of water against the metal walls, Nell heard the admiral still reassuring his crew through the video message. “In the meantime, we have much work to do. Each of us is no less important than the other.”
The Syn-En Solution Page 12