"That's the problem. I don't know what happened. They say I died on the operating table, and then woke up in a psi event while still dead," Tish said in a rush. "What if I have another one? What if all these supposed mental gifts turn on and I can't control them? What if I hurt someone?"
"A person doesn't spontaneously have powers strong enough to harm others. Apparently you had something hidden that came out in a time of stress," Arthur said with another shrug. He studied her face. "Did anything happen today, a new 'psi event?'"
She quickly shook her head. "No."
"Yesterday?"
"No, nothing. Unless you call suddenly knowing what the station needed an 'episode.'"
"I call that being a good maintenance engineer." He picked up the identification band. His eyes bored into her, keeping her mesmerized. Unable to look away, he purposely lifted her left hand and slipped the band over her wrist. "You belong here. Are you going to deny that?"
Tish shook off the effect of his stare enough to ask, "You don't care?"
"No, and offhand I would say the bots and the station don't care, either."
Tish glanced down at Crimson and Violet to find the bots staring straight up at her. Both of them staring, completely still. As if waiting.
"I want to stay," Tish said in a whisper.
"Good."
Arthur took the bag and swept the drug vials back into their bag. He folded the top over to seal them away. "And may I suggest you take these down to medical for disposal? You do not want to take them. Horrendous side-effects and they could interfere with your ability to do your job."
In his eyes she saw only truth. No worry, no accusing glares. Like his brother and his wife, he simply accepted her the way she was.
As well as something else. Perhaps?
She shook herself, rubbing the identification band around her wrist. She was putting into his expression what she wanted to see, she told herself, not what was really there.
"I want to stay," she said again, only more firmly and with more volume. She wiped away the last of the tears.
He cocked his head at her, giving her a pleading expression. "Then stay. It's as simple as that."
CHAPTER TWENTY
TISH DIDN'T EXPECT Arthur to stay for dinner, or to go with her to medical to turn in the pills. With the disposal of the pills another weight lifted from her. Never again would she allow them to darken her world.
He suggested a night exploring the entertainment possibilities of the station, but her bots wouldn't let her out of their sight. She felt bad about Violet still healing from her injuries yet still wanting to keep up. In the end they lounged around her apartment watching bad science fiction adventure movies.
Yet, he did all of it with her as if he had nowhere else to go, completely relaxed as he draped himself over a corner of her couch.
Her bots were joined by Arthur's, all of them making fun of the movies in their own way. Tish loved every moment of it. Seeing the more fun side of Arthur, even Rachel when she came by to make sure everything was okay. It made her love all of them all the more. Especially Arthur. That he cared so much to make sure she was doing well.
Through it all something else made its presence known. A reassurance.
The station still wanted her, too.
The next morning she enjoyed her morning cup of coffee with Crimson and Violet by her side on the balcony. Crimson held the tray while Violet sat quietly next to her, the damaged eyestalk appearing to be completely repaired. With a deep sadness she realized she'd never enjoyed breakfast with all three bots beside her.
She let the creamer billow up in the cup, some of the shapes flowing up like the smooth curved outer shell of the bots. Some of them large, some smaller like the miniature bots.
After the clouds dissipated she lifted the cup in a toast to the station and the view. "To our lost friends. Memories are forever."
Crimson and Violet whistled in agreement, both settling into a soft hum.
With breakfast over she headed out of the apartment. The first few turns she made from memory. From then on she went with what felt right. For the first time, she made it all the way to the maintenance platform all by herself, with her bots trailing after her.
"I can't believe I did it," she said as she entered the maintenance platform. Crimson and Violet chirped at her, telling her they had no doubts in her ability.
Her positive attitude dropped when she saw a gray-haired man in a prim blue and gold suit standing next to Arthur on the raised maintenance platform. Damien sat in one of the chairs nearby with a cup of coffee in his hands, swiveled away from the console, lounging backwards while talking to them.
Arthur stood up straighter the moment he saw her. The man in the suit stopped talking and turned in her direction. Damien popped up in his chair, his relaxed manner gone.
Tish slowed down, only stepping up onto the platform when Arthur waved for her to join them. Her eyes went from one to the other, finally settling on the older man in the suit. Nothing in Arthur's demeanor gave her an inkling of what was about to happen, other than a deference of respect towards the older man.
As she came to a stop in front of them, Arthur gestured between the two of them. "Tish Douglas, I would like to introduce you to Director Sebastian Stemski, the director of Redpoint One. Sir, this is our new arrival."
Director Stemski held out a hand, "I've been hearing all about you. Welcome to Redpoint One."
The hand that enveloped and shook hers was warm and firm. "Thank you, sir. It's a pleasure to be here."
"I hope you mean that," Director Stemski said with a crooked smile.
Arthur cleared his throat. "It seems we have a new development."
Tish let her hand drop. Her mind went back to the confrontation with Ricardo. She'd completely forgotten to tell Arthur about it. Good grief. She'd tried to tell the truth and still bungled it. Arthur might not care about the 'psi event,' but the director of the entire station might.
A sharp whistle broke the silence. A whistle all too familiar.
A white bot stood between Crimson and Violet with a blue hair band at the top of one eyestalk. It looked straight up at her and whistled again.
Tish forgot all about the men standing around her. Didn't care one bit that the director of the entire station was standing next to her. She had eyes only for the bot.
Her voice breaking, she squeaked, "Aqua!"
The bot whistled again, a whistle echoed with pure joy from Crimson and Violet. She charged off the platform to land on her knees between all three bots.
It certainly looked like the same hair band, but the body shell was different. Tish looked back at Arthur, "How can this be Aqua? He was destroyed."
"What he gave you was a memory chip. Apparently the bots were busy making a new body for him all night, because he was here this morning. Complete with the holographic hair tie," Arthur said with a goofy grin on his face. "Your friend came home."
Tish wished the half-shell bodies were better suited for hugs. She was touching all three, and yet she still couldn't believe it. She had all three of her bots back. The bots crowded around her, pushing themselves against her, as if they couldn't get enough of her, either.
"A proper reunion," Director Stemski said from behind her with a soft laugh. "But, I do have other duties to return to. Ms. Douglas, I am to understand you wish to remain as part of the crew?"
She pulled herself away from the bots enough to twist around, looking up at him. "Does this mean I get to stay? Despite what Ricardo might have said?"
Arthur scowled, "And just what did Ricardo have to say? Or do? I knew Rachel and I should have picked you up."
"From what I understand she did just fine on her own," Director Stemski told him. Turning back to her, he said, "The man is in the custody of the Space Patrol. I've talked with them and with Arthur. I know all I feel I need to know."
Tish scrambled up to her feet. Director Stemski appeared amused, Arthur bemused. Damien looked on with laughter
in his eyes for all of them.
No anger, no disappointment. Nothing negative.
"I do want to stay," Tish said. "I enjoy working here."
Director Stemski nodded, both his eyebrows lifting as he looked down at her. "Just as well, considering the news."
She shook her head at him, echoing, "News, sir?"
Director Stemski slipped a hand into a pocket. He brought out a new identification band. "Ms. Douglas, the station of Redpoint One had this waiting for me this morning. It seems it's chosen its new Primary Outer Systems Maintenance Administrator. Congratulations."
She stared at the band he held out towards her. "I don't understand."
"For the past two years I've been both the inner and outer system administrator, as the station hasn't accepted anyone else. The station wants you in the position," Arthur said, leaning back against a console. "Apparently the repair you performed yesterday convinced it you would be appropriate. I told you your trial period was over."
"Over and with a promotion," Damien added, taking another sip of coffee.
Tish stepped forward and took the band in her hand. Unlike hers, the new identification band was more complicated, showing more of what she assumed were controls. She panicked a little. How would she know how to use it?
A chorus of clicks and chirps behind her reminded her. She took a deep breath, calming herself.
"We hope to see great things with you," Director Stemski said.
"I hope I can live up to it, sir," she said, more than a little bit in awe.
"You will. If you remember to listen to the bots and the station like you did yesterday," Arthur said.
Director Stemski turned to Arthur. "I'll leave you to begin the administrator training."
Tish's ears were ringing as the director said his goodbyes, and shook her hand once again. Her mind spun over what had just happened, yet her heart soared. She was a permanent part of the station for as long as she wanted it.
Even though she had absolutely no idea what her new job might be.
"So much worry on that face," Arthur said with a laugh.
He took the old identification band off her wrist while Damien shouted to someone in the back. She slipped on the new one, feeling it automatically tighten around her wrist.
She asked, "And my new job is?"
Arthur motioned her towards the center table, bringing up a graphic of Redpoint One. "Primary Outer Systems. Think of what happened yesterday."
"Defense systems?" Tish asked with a sinking heart. Was her confrontation with Ricardo and the warbots only the beginning? She better introduce herself to the local Space Patrol and station security as soon as possible.
"And others, such as communications, hull damage, airlock maintenance, and the like."
Tish groaned. "I'm going to be in a spacesuit a lot, aren't I."
Arthur laughed at her. "I'm afraid so. We'll get you trained in the maintenance pods, as well."
"Does this mean I'm also over a crew?" She asked, even more worried. She'd never been over a crew in any way before. She's always been the small-fry anywhere she'd worked.
"Afraid so. It's small, like most sections are, but hopefully you can build it up." He lifted her chin when her eyes dropped to stare at the tips of her shoes. "Hey, no worrying. You have me to help, remember? You're now my equal along with the other administrators."
She blinked at him. "Wait, an equal? I'll no longer call you Boss?"
"I prefer you keep calling me "Arthur." I like the way you say it," Arthur said, his voice dropping with each word.
She could feel herself blushing. She also felt a surge of bravery. If she was now an Administrator, why not go for all of it? "Good, no conflict of interest."
He stared at her a moment before slowly smiling. "Good point. I hope that means what I think it does."
"Good grief, even I know what that means, man," Damien said from behind them.
Tish flinched, having forgotten there were other people on the platform. At the same time, they'd already heard, so why not go all the way. "Another dinner and watching a movie tonight?"
The bots behind her trilled as he nodded. "Sounds wonderful, but tonight, it's at my place."
Only, the trills hadn't come from only her bots. Tish noticed two familiar bots behind Arthur along with his regular bot.
"Uh, we have visitors?"
Arthur glance behind him and grimaced. "Oh yes, and I have you to thank for that."
"What did I do?" Tish demanded even as she knelt down to run a hand over their shells.
He grimaced again, even though his eyes were sparkling with laughter. "Not only have they attached themselves to me, but they are only answering to names."
Tish tried to keep her face straight. "Snowy and Spot?"
"Those would be the ones." He pulled a hand out of his pocket to reveal several pink and purple holographic hair ties.
"Where did you get those?" Tish asked, her hand flying up to her ponytail, even though she knew she hadn't replaced the ones she'd given her bots.
"I bought them, just this morning." He pulled her up and turned her around. She felt his hands in her hair and whispering along her nape, giving her a pleasant tingle. "After all, your bots need a way to identify you among all the humans."
All three of her bots were staring up at her, chirping and beeping away, as Arthur finished. She could swear they were laughing at her. Which was okay. She was laughing, too. Another laugh came from Damien, while Rachel toasted her with a cup of coffee from the break-room door.
Arthur set his hands on her shoulders, leaning over her right shoulder. She felt his breath tickle her neck, giving her another tingle. He whispered into her ear, "Redpoint One isn't the only one who welcomes you. I do, as well."
The pleasant tingle spread. Like the clouds in her coffee, she'd come to a new place, to mix and become one with it. With Redpoint One, her bots, and Arthur, she'd finally come home.
The End
Other Redpoint One Titles
A Turn of the Pipes
Once Upon a Pet Show
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
J.A. Marlow writes across many genres, including science fiction, young adult, romance, and others. A private pilot with several years of flying experience in Alaska, J.A. Marlow enjoys adding to stories a touch of the mystery and exotic nature of the land sometimes called “the last frontier.” Popular series include "The String Weavers," "Salmon Run," and "Redpoint One."
Publisher Homepage: http://starcatcherpub.com
Author Homepage: JAMarlow.com
Author Newsletter: JAMarlow.com/newsletter-signup/
Twitter ID: jamarlow_sf
Email: [email protected]
Other Titles From J.A. Marlow
Mop Jockeys and Fighter Pilots: The war killed any emotion in Captain Carme Batista but Felix the janitor refuses to believe it, but will a brutal battle reveal she's more alive inside than she thought?
Curse of the Second Date: Abandon all hope with the second date… Jack desperately wants the second date with the woman of his dreams to go as well as the first. Instead, an unbelievable cascade of disasters threaten to torpedo the blossoming romance. Attempting to turn the night around, he escorts Millie to her door… to find his next obstacle in the form of her waiting cat.
SAMPLE - A TURN OF THE PIPES
An alien newt leads to... love?
Rachel Henderkito's job of taking care of Redpoint One's plumbing problems isn't easy, especially when citizen pets clog up the pipes. After fishing an alien newt out of the pipes for a third time she takes the creature back to its owner for a stern warning.
Ignacio Manetti is determined to help keep rare alien newts and salamanders off the extinction list. He doesn't have time for romance, nor for the heart-breaking memories it brings with it.
Add in an alien flying squirrel, preparations for Redpoint One's annual Exotic Pet Show, and the lovably interfering Naughty Knitter's Club, how can romance not bloom?
Ex
cept Rachel and her bot hate his rare Mandian Ruffled Newt while he unconditionally loves it.
Available now!
***
Rachel's eyes narrowed even as her bot started hissing again, realizing the colors and patterns of the tail looked familiar. Oh, she knew this creature. Knew it well.
"You stupid thing, get out of there." Rachel put a hand over one side of the valve so it couldn't get away and reached in the other.
Her hand closed around a wet and silky wriggling body. A hiss emanated from the valve as she pulled it out. The flattened toes of all four legs clung to the pipe so strongly that it took a steady pressure with a little wiggling to get the creature out.
In the end, she held a glaring newt with bright yellow ruffled gills flapping in the air. The feet tried to pry her hand from around its body.
Hissing came from both directions: from her bot and from the newt.
"What are you doing in my pipes? Again?" Rachel demanded of the creature. The newt hissed back, its tail whipping back and forth in its agitation.
She should have known the moment she heard Arthur mention the problem in the pipes appeared to be moving, but she just wasn't accustomed to finding living creatures as the source of the problems. Clogs of icky stinky gooeyness, sure, but not an animal.
Her bot held up two metal arms as if to grasp it, even while continuing to hiss.
"Oh no. This time I take care of it myself," Rachel said.
She pulled one of the buckets from the cart and put a little water at the bottom. She settled the newt to the bottom and quickly covered it before it could get out again.
With the problem found it was a simple matter to hook back up the pipes and start the water flowing again. Which left only one last part of this repair: getting the newt back to where it belonged.
"I'm going to give the owner a real piece of my mind," Rachel raged as she returned all the tools to the cart. Her bot stopped its intermittent hissing to help out, following her back and forth in a more subdued manner. "Is it too much to expect people to keep their pets under control? Of course it isn't."
Coffee Cup Dreams (A Redpoint One Romance) Page 15