Ariston_Star Guardians

by Ruby Lionsdrake

“We believe so. We only had enough material to make two sets, so only two people can safely go out at once.”

  “Material?” Mick peered at the goggles. “What did we have along that you could use to make them?”

  “We took apart your microwave door. We’re hypothesizing that the light waves that are bothering us are close on the spectrum to microwaves.”

  “You made goggles out of the microwave?” Mick asked.

  “Just the door.”

  “A not unimportant part.”

  Dev shrugged.

  “I guess it’s cold meals on the way home. I’m going to get dressed and fix the ship.” Mick picked up the converter and headed for the corridor. “You two have fun out there.”

  Ariston gathered his wet armor and followed her into the corridor. The hatch clanged shut behind him.

  Mick paused with her hand on her cabin door and looked back at him. “Do you want to join me?”

  “For dressing?”

  “Or staying undressed?”

  “I thought you were going to finish your repairs.” Ariston waved at the converter. “And get your fallen comrade.”

  “Waiting an hour probably wouldn’t make a difference.” Her gaze flicked down his form, and his body started to heat up again, memories of their kiss springing to mind. “Dev and Lee might appreciate having more time to explore the ruins.”

  Ariston groped for a tactful way to turn down her offer.

  Seeing his hesitation, she said, “This isn’t about protection, is it? Because we do have condoms in sickbay.”

  “What? No, uh—that wouldn’t be necessary. We—fleet and Star Guardians—receive shots as part of our physicals to ensure we won’t accidentally leave… baby Star Guardians around the galaxy.”

  “Ah.”

  “Your offer is tempting, but I have a ship full of villains up there who I’m certain are trying to break out of the brig as we speak. I need to head back up and fly the ship to Talon Station.” Ariston spread a hand. “I just wanted to make sure you got back all right and that your ship would take off again after you replaced that. If it doesn’t, I’ll give you a ride on the Pleasant Journey.”

  He supposed it was immature to wish for that scenario, the two of them riding together on the same ship for a few days. Mick and her people being forced to come with him to report in to the law.

  “Oh.” Mick’s hand still rested on the door. Had she believed it a foregone conclusion that he would join her inside? Maybe after their kiss, one that had almost led to much more, she’d expected it.

  If they hadn’t been interrupted, he might have had sex with her in the airlock chamber, but now that he’d had time to reconsider things, he believed it was better this way. As her saying went, if he freed her and she returned to him, she would be his. Or she would at least be available to pursue a relationship with. Especially if she showed up in time for a court appearance, and the judge absolved her of any guilt by association.

  “Do you need help installing the converter?” he asked.

  “No, I’m sure Woodruff and I can handle it. If he isn’t busy making goggles from my microwave.” Her lips twisted wryly. “Do you think that’ll actually do any good out there?”

  Ariston hitched his shoulders. “I haven’t seen their science. They better hope there aren’t many of Eryx’s men left roaming around out there. They’ll probably trip over their yellow boots if they try to run while wearing those goggles.”

  “A fair point.”

  Ariston looked at the airlock hatch. “I should put my armor back on and return to the Pleasant Journey.”

  “You’re leaving already?”

  The disappointment in her voice made him feel appreciated—he was glad she would miss him—but also made him hesitate. Would it be so bad if he stayed? If he accepted her invitation?

  “I’m nervous about those fools being alone up there,” Ariston said, and it was the truth. Besides, he’d already made up his mind about the rest. He believed his choice was the right one, even if giving in to carnal desires sounded extremely appealing.

  “Why’d you come in then? And deal with all that?” Mick waved at his nudity and his armful of gear. “You could have just walked me to the hatch.”

  “I would have missed a chance to see you naked one more time. And feel you naked. And kiss you. I enjoyed that.”

  “You could keep enjoying it if you wanted.” She tilted her head toward her cabin.

  “I do want that. That’s why I’m inviting you to follow me through the gate and to Talon Station. I’m honor-bound to report that your ship was here and who was in it. If you come and explain the situation, with me there to explain that you worked with me to detain real criminals, I believe the judge will be lenient. If you don’t come, the law may make assumptions that won’t turn out in your favor. Your scientists may simply want to return to Gaia, so it wouldn’t matter much for them, but if you wish to continue flying in Confederation territory, you’ll find your way ahead much easier if you’re not a wanted woman.”

  Mick leaned her shoulder against the hatch and crossed her arms over her chest, an arresting image since she was still naked. Ariston’s lower regions stirred again, and he found it difficult to stand there and play the part of the noble and honorable Star Guardian who had a greater mission to consider.

  “What part of that explained when and where we get to have sex?” Mick asked.

  “Well, if you were to show up and be exonerated, there would be no reason why we couldn’t go for dinner afterward. And more vigorous activities.”

  “And if I don’t, what? The next time we meet, we meet as enemies?” She arched her eyebrows.

  Ariston couldn’t tell if she was seriously contemplating that or curious about the hypothetical. He supposed it was possible her passengers would pressure her to return to Gaia. Though they called her captain, she had admitted she wasn’t in charge of the mission.

  “I would not care to have you as an enemy.” Ariston looked past her shoulder and down the vacant corridor. “But if you were to be labeled as a criminal, whether fairly or not, it is possible my superiors would send me after you. Though I think I might retire if they tried.” He wondered if he should mention that he’d considered retirement numerous times, most recently with the notion that he could join her in her bounty-hunting endeavors.

  “I see. Does this mean I’m not your prisoner anymore? That you’re leaving it up to me?”

  “You haven’t been my prisoner for a while.” He smiled faintly. “I’m not sure you ever really were.”

  “You figured that out, did you?” She walked toward him, her breasts jiggling and her hips swaying as her bare feet padded across the deck. She laid her hands on the sides of his face, rose on her toes, and kissed him.

  With his arms full of armor, he couldn’t gather her up for a hug, but he returned the kiss enthusiastically, if a touch warily. He wasn’t sure if it was a goodbye kiss or a promise that she would meet him on the station.

  Too soon, she broke it, heading into her cabin. She left the door open. An invitation?

  Though temptation flirted with him, he returned to the airlock, to his duty.

  21

  Mick walked along the busy promenade, her enjoyment at being able to stroll around without wearing combat armor somewhat lessened by all the humans and aliens bumping and jostling her. After the stark barrenness of Mustikos, it was strange to see life everywhere she looked. Visitors shopped and ate, much as they would in an airport concourse back home, and all manner of animals—furred, feathered, and scaled—accompanied people.

  Since nerves tormented Mick’s belly, she wasn’t tempted to stop and buy food. Ariston had made it seem like everything would turn out all right if she showed up here in time to present her case. And he’d implied it might not be all right if she didn’t.

  What happened if he had it backwards? What if the court wasn’t lenient and didn’t care that she hadn’t known Mustikos was protected, and she was trespassing? Wh
at if the smart thing to do would have been to return to Earth and let Umbra and their legal department handle everything?

  That was what Dr. Lee had wanted to do. All of the scientists, including Dev, had voted to return to Earth, and they were mighty grumpy that she’d taken this “short diversion” as she’d promised them. She hoped she wasn’t about to be turned into a liar.

  She turned down a quiet corridor lined with offices and a two-story police station. Three lawyers and the Confederation equivalent of a bail bondsman had prime spots by the station.

  A uniformed Heloran with large yellow eyes floated out of the police garage on a flo-ped. Mick eyed the figure warily, wondering if there was a warrant out for her arrest. Had Ariston had time to report in? The salvage ship he’d commandeered had gone through the gate several hours ahead of the Viper. He’d only waited to make sure her ship was able to fly before taking the Pleasant Journey out of orbit. He must have been nervous with all those men he’d turned against still aboard the vessel, especially since he’d had to release a couple to help him fly.

  The police officer sailed past her without a glance.

  A holographic sign floating above a door beyond the garage read Judge Baghdadir. The nerves in Mick’s gut redoubled their efforts to make her queasy.

  She took a deep breath and lifted her hand to knock, but the door slid open first.

  “Welcoming,” she murmured, stepping in.

  A robot secretary answered comm calls from a station in the corner of a small entry room. Mick started to check in with it, but heard a familiar voice drifting through an open door at the back. The robot, busy with a comm call, didn’t speak to her as Mick poked her head through it. Or maybe people were simply allowed to walk in if they wished.

  Stepping inside, Mick found a courtroom, though it didn’t look much like the ones at home. Holographic displays hung in the air, various paused scenes of video footage displayed, and view screens integrated into the walls showed news and data related to planets, stations, and traffic in the system.

  Several men stood on a circular platform in the middle of the room, their wrists bound, their hands on a railing. Mick recognized one, Captain Eryx, now clad in more than underwear. His glove had been removed, revealing a pale hand that didn’t quite match his skin tone.

  Off to the side of the platform, a bronze-skinned man stood at a podium, frowning imperiously, an impressive aura to manage given that he wore sandals and a white robe—Mick wanted to call it a toga, but the Dethocoleans had Greek roots, and she vaguely recalled their ceremonial garb was labeled something else. Had she thought on it longer, the word might have come to mind, but her gaze snagged on the person standing to the side of the podium, his expression neutral as he listened to Eryx speak—plead.

  When last Mick had seen Ariston, he’d been tired, naked, and wet, his short dark hair matted to his head, water dripping into his eyebrows as he struggled to hold all his gear. Seeing him naked was no hardship, but now he was dashing and magnificent. He stood in a black Star Guardian dress uniform, neat rows of medals across his chest, his boots polished so they gleamed, and a short sword in a sheath at his belt. The rank at his collar proclaimed him a commander, but all those medals and other decorations on his jacket made him appear to be at least an admiral.

  He glanced toward the doorway and did a double-take when he noticed her. His eyebrows, which had a tendency to draw together and furrow in the middle, lifted with pleasure, and he smiled broadly.

  That smile had the power to warm Mick’s soul—and her entire body—from across the room. She practically tingled at the unabashed enthusiasm and delight in his gaze. In that moment, she realized he hadn’t been certain she would come, not at all. She recalled their naked discussion of old sayings in the decon shower and realized now what he’d meant.

  Glad to be the source of his pleasure, Mick smiled back at him, hoping she showed just as much enthusiasm. Seeing him drove away some of her nerves and made her certain that she’d made the right choice.

  The judge and the crewmen on trial faded from her awareness, as if she and Ariston were alone in the room. An extremely handsome Ariston. She wished she could drag him off to some opulent hotel room with a huge bed, room service, and plenty of libations. Maybe a Kapti table so they could play for the removal of clothes. For as good as he looked in that uniform, she immediately had thoughts of tearing pieces off and reacquainting herself with his nudity.

  After murmuring something to the judge, who flicked a few fingers in dismissal, Ariston walked around the podium and toward her.

  “I’m glad you came,” he said, still smiling as he clasped her hands.

  “Yes.” Mick looked down at the grip. “Though I was hoping for more than a handshake.”

  “Well, this is a courtroom.” Ariston glanced toward the doorway, though nobody stood there. “There are rules about propriety.”

  “Are you sure you’re not just afraid that you’ll wrinkle your pretty uniform?” She patted his chest, finding a small spot devoid of medals.

  “Not at all. I—”

  “Take them away,” the judge said, his voice ringing throughout the room.

  Two humanoid security robots that had blended in with the walls rolled toward the platform in the middle. Most of the men hung their heads in defeat. The captain glared daggers at Ariston’s back.

  Mick curled her lips like a wolf and returned that glare, even though it wasn’t directed at her. It must have startled Eryx, because his expression shifted to one of befuddlement.

  “Yeah, you better be worried about me,” she told him, not caring if random civilians were supposed to address the defendants or not. “I knocked you on your ass once, and I’ll do it again if you ever get out and make more trouble for me or my friends.”

  The captain must have recognized her or guessed who she was—the last time they’d met, she’d been hidden under her armor—because his expression grew less befuddled as the robot led him and two others away. Mick was satisfied that Eryx appeared slightly concerned.

  “Is this the woman who’s prompted your thoughts of retirement?” a man’s gravelly voice spoke from the doorway behind her.

  Mick turned and blushed, more because someone had sneaked up on her than because a stranger had witnessed her making threats.

  Ariston eased close to her, standing shoulder to shoulder. He didn’t put his arm around her, but there was a protectiveness to his stance that again filled Mick with warmth.

  The newcomer also wore a black Star Guardian uniform, his chest even more covered with medals and badges and dangly bits of ribbon. He looked to be seventy or eighty, so he’d had plenty of time to amass awards. His rank identified him as an admiral, and even though Mick was no longer in the military, her heels came together, and her hand almost lifted in a salute.

  “I’d been considering retirement for a while.” Ariston glanced at Mick, his expression going from fierce to a touch sheepish. “This mission just made me think about it more seriously, about possibly doing other things with my life.”

  “Like becoming a bounty hunter and running off with this girl?”

  Mick narrowed her eyes at the admiral, thoughts of saluting disappearing as she wondered if she should threaten him also. Then she more fully realized what he’d said. Had Ariston actually been considering that? Coming to work with her? To fly around the galaxy on her little ship, tracking down criminals with her? And making hot passionate love to her during the long hours of space flight?

  She bit her lip and looked up at him. The last she’d heard, he had been worried the galaxy would consider her a criminal.

  “A girl who chooses dubious missions, at best?” the admiral went on, lowering shaggy white eyebrows as he considered her.

  Mick lifted her chin and glared back at him.

  “We’ve all taken on dubious missions at times,” Ariston murmured.

  “I know you’re not saying any of the missions I assign are dubious.” The admiral placed a hand ove
r his heart, his medals clanking at his touch.

  “It depends on what you consider it when you send one man to deal with an entire crew of criminals on a planet newly discovered to have valuable Wanderer technology on it.”

  “I consider that a chance for that man to stand out and bring recognition to himself.”

  “How rare for me.”

  Mick wasn’t quite sure what to make of their back and forth until the old admiral grinned and slapped Ariston on the arm. “You performed admirably. As we’ve all come to expect. I forbid you to retire.”

  Mick blinked, startled by that addendum.

  Ariston merely gazed at the admiral. “You haven’t that power, sir.”

  “Then I’ll have to appeal to this girl who’s got you by the balls.”

  Ariston dropped his face into his hand.

  “Actually, I haven’t gotten to hold his balls yet, Admiral,” Mick said. “Which is extremely disappointing, let me tell you.”

  “Oh?”

  “He had this notion about not cavorting with criminals, even ones who were merely hired to transport scientists to a planet and had no idea the planet was supposedly claimed by the Confederation.”

  “Protected by the Confederation,” the admiral said.

  “Quite frankly, people need to be protected from that planet, not the other way around.” Mick almost lifted her finger to the scar on her temple, but since she’d essentially stolen that chip, however inadvertently, she decided not to bring it up. She did hope it would be a simple surgery to have it removed one day. She had no intention of returning to Mustikos and its crazy sun.

  The admiral chuckled. “Yes, I’ve heard. And seen the footage. There was a pleasing amount of it.”

  He smiled at Mick, and she wasn’t sure what to make of the statement. Was he implying that she’d been in that footage? And that he’d caught her doing things that could send her to jail? Maybe the admiral wanted that, thus to ensure his star officer had no reason to retire.

  She knew Ariston had been looking at her when that chip jumped into her head. Had he been recording then?