Dremiks (51 page)

“Whatever you learned,” he leaned forward and placed his palm on the wall behind her right ear, “it seems to have cemented your loyalties. My brother surprises me.”

O’Connell felt like she’d been thrust into a complicated theatrical couplet, without benefit of the script. “What?” She swallowed and immediately regretted the action when she saw Hill take note of her discomfort. He leaned into his arm, closing the space between them.

“Brett’s never shown the slightest aptitude for the seduction of, much less the management of, women. Perhaps, though, I have it backwards, and he’s the one who’s been broken to the saddle?” Ryan’s voice dropped in pitch and tone until it was a sultry whisper against her ear. “Maybe I needed to be more direct with you all this time. I had no idea you were so receptive.”

Brett Hill cleared his throat and watched as the two figures silhouetted by the lantern light turned to stare at him. He tried to appear calm and unfazed by the scene he’d walked in on. The captain sat down at the table and plucked a grape from the tray. He rolled it in his palm.

“While I can certainly appreciate the rigors of enforced celibacy, and the allure of her current dress, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to
not
ravage my executive officer. While it may indeed prove amusing, I think I would have to let her kill you afterwards. And that would, of course, present a problem. Too much paperwork, really.”

Ryan stepped away from Maggie, but did not appear in the least apologetic or ashamed. “Consider my offer, Commander.” His leering parting shot was transparently meant for his brother’s benefit, though he said nothing to the captain as he left. The captain and the commander could hear his boots crunching on the gravel around the fountain before fading into the night.

The elder Hill continued to roll the grape thoughtfully in his palm. Maggie gathered her wits and sat down at the table. She poured herself a glass of water. The captain noticed her shaking hands.

“What is wrong with how I’m dressed?” There was an inkling of hurt in her question.

“Hmm?” Brett smiled, but the full effect was lost because his face was half hidden in the shadows. “Not a damn thing, which is what I said.” He paused and waited for her to react to his steady gaze. “Why didn’t you punch him, Maggie?”

His soft tone and use of her first name diffused some of her unease. She shrugged. “I have my reasons.” She hoped that would be the end of his inquiry. Unfortunately, the captain continued to sit in the semi-darkness and stare at her. He seemed to be willing to wait all night for a suitable answer. Realizing that, O’Connell moved to push her chair away from the table. Captain Hill’s booted foot shot outward and blocked her chair leg from moving. He still did not speak.

With a sigh equal parts exasperation and resignation, Maggie finally said, “He’s the Vice Chancellor of the colonies. Starting a fight with him would certainly be counter-productive. And,” she shifted in her chair. “He’s your brother.”

Brett’s carefully maintained veneer of emotional implacability slipped. He leaned forward in his chair. “What did he say to you?”

Maggie blushed from her exposed collarbone to her hairline. She hoped the flickering light hid her embarrassment. “Nothing important. If I had to guess, I’d say he was drunk.”

Brett coughed. He didn’t believe her for a minute. “Well, if he tries that stunt again, please feel free to deck him.” Her responding grin lightened the captain’s mood. He chewed on the grape and poured himself some water. The lanterns in the four corners of the room popped and sputtered, casting a flickering glow like candlelight. The sounds of the colony abated with the lateness of the hour. Outside the Quonset hut, it was quiet. After a wretchedly busy day of touring the colony, loading the lander with all the equipment Dr. Ruger deemed necessary for the delivery of Marissa’s baby, and dealing with Chancellor Trell, the captain was happy to sit and enjoy the peace. The regular meteor showers would keep them on the planet for the rest of the night. They had a few more hours of tense waiting and jumping at shadows before they could return to the
Hudson
. He watched Commander O’Connell lean her chair back on two legs.

The soft lighting in the room smoothed the ridges of muscle and bone in Maggie’s features. Dressed as she was in a tank top and loose fitting trousers, she should have appeared slovenly or underdressed. Instead, she appeared relaxed and confident; the clothes hung naturally on her like a second skin. A few strands of hair escaped her bun, as usual, to curl around her ears and down her neck. Shadows wrapped around her bare collarbone and teased along her jaw line. She tucked one leg beneath her and leaned an elbow on the table.

“Except for the inevitable confrontation with Trell, the rest of your afternoon was ok?” O’Connell asked, breaking the silence. She had been growing uncomfortable with her own thoughts—thoughts that kept coming back to what the younger Hill brother had been trying to say to her.

Captain Hill scowled. “I spent most of the day with Trell and yelling at Marissa. I’m sorry I missed dinner. What kept you occupied?” He closed his eyes while he waited for her answer. Most of the day spent squinting into the bright light of Dremiks had given him a headache that was just beginning to subside.

“Cassie showed me around her hospital area, when she wasn’t ordering me to fetch another ridiculously heavy box to put on the lander. She’s an odd one.” Maggie took a long swallow of water. “She sees hope for this place.”

“Well, she would, wouldn’t she? She’ll go with us when we take Marissa up, tomorrow?”

“Yes, but she’ll want to return here after the birth. There are a few med-techs that would serve as competent stand-in’s on our return journey to Earth. I’m sure the ISA will assign a new one when we get home. I doubt they’ll leave the crew intact, anyway.”

The captain opened his eyes. “I don’t think you have much to worry about, Commander, considering that there will only be a few pilots in the entire fleet with experience landing in the Dremikian atmosphere.”

“That’s precisely why they’ll assign me right back to teaching flight school. And you, sir? What are your plans?”

The flickering light caught the thin line Brett’s lips made when he compressed them. “I’ll go where they tell me.” He paused and Maggie caught a gleam of what she was sure was defiance in his eyes. “But I intend to give them a great deal to think about before then.”

She lifted her water glass in salute. “To thought provoking deeds.”

Brett barked a laugh. “To defiance and duty—may the best ideal win.”

Chapter 30

Cassie splashed cold water on her face and rubbed her eyes. She deftly re-braided her hair, letting the braids slacken so they didn’t tug at her scalp during the night. Her loose fitting tunic and slacks had already been traded for a soft cotton robe.

Leaving the bathroom, she paused to let her eyes adjust to the dim light. Ben Fortunas stretched out on the couch. His eyes were closed, but she knew from the way he was breathing that he was not engaged in one of his famous cat naps. Knowing Ben, he was likely reviewing an obscure theorem in his head. The metal floor of the pre-fabricated hut was cold on her feet as she padded across the room. She reached the couch and stood staring down at him. Before she could speak, and without opening his eyes, the chief scientist reached out with one hand and pulled her down beside him.

“Care to tell me what had you all worked up when you stormed in here?” His fingers traced idle circles at the nape of her neck. Brushing his lips along her hairline, he felt her sigh. She snuggled closer before answering.

“Ryan Hill was trying to pick a fight. He deliberately attacked me to provoke Maggie. I could swear he’s developed a grudge against her.”

Ben thought of the captain’s younger brother and his propensity for violent outbursts, arrogance, and womanizing. “I doubt it’s just O’Connell he’s after. Things haven’t exactly been going his way of late.”

Cassie shook her head. She curled her bare toes against Ben’s ankles and shifted her weight. “That’s not it. He barely blinked when we found the colony in such a bad state, and when we announced just how dire the situation was down here, he almost seemed elated. It was when the captain took the
Hudson
to Kigva…”

“And lied about it to everyone but us,” Dr. Fortunas interjected.

“Yes. That was when Ryan got really angry and started acting so aggressively towards the military crew. In the few hours they’ve been back, it’s as if he’s purposely trying to rile the captain and Maggie.”

“So did they come to blows or did she retreat with you?”

“I left him yelling at her. I refuse to be bullied by him.” She pushed herself up to lean on an elbow. “Do you think I shouldn’t have left her alone with him?”

Ben reached up and smoothed the pad of his thumb across her coffee colored cheek bone. “I think Margaret O’Connell can take Ryan Hill.”

Cassie, reassured, grinned and leaned down to kiss him. Pulling away, she laid her head back against his shoulder. “Anyway, I passed the captain on my way out. I’m sure he put an end to whatever argument they got into.”

Ben chuckled. “You should have been more concerned at leaving Maggie with the
elder
Hill brother.”

“Oh?”

“Liebchen, don’t tell me you haven’t noticed the changed dynamic between the two of them?”

Confused, Cassie propped herself up once more to look at her lover’s face. He could tell by her expression that she had
not
noticed the changed manner between the captain and the commander. “Darling, let’s just say that the captain and O’Connell have agreed to a truce in their personal little war.”

With a snort of disgust, she rolled her eyes and stood up. “You’re an irritating, obtuse, dirty-minded, old man who speaks in riddles.” She reached down to take his hand and give it a sharp tug. “Come to bed.”

Commander O’Connell walked in the door of the hut in time to see Dr. Fortunas following Dr. Ruger into the bedroom. Feeling completely adrift after a day of surprises, she stood for a minute and simply gaped at the closing door. She backed slowly out of the hut and latched the door behind her.

She meandered back to the medical station to grab a blanket and her flight gear. Yawning with exhaustion, she slid out the north station door and trudged the few steps to the lander. Once inside, she set the door locks, stripped out of her trousers and into the running shorts she wore under her flight suit. The bench seats in the back of the lander were narrow, but looked marginally more comfortable than the titanium deck plating.

***

The captain found her there the next morning. He rapped his knuckles on the hatch and stepped back. When O’Connell popped the door open she rubbed her eyes with one hand and her shoulder with the other.

“Good morning. Care for a run?” The captain’s tone was cheery.

Disoriented and feeling every minute of sleep spent on the narrow hard bench of the lander, O’Connell could only blink down at her captain.

“Sir?”

“A run, Commander.” There was a hint of laughter in his tone. He lazily surveyed her disheveled state. “It might wake you up. And you are still dressed for it, I see.”

Every sinew of her body screamed in protest. O’Connell ran her tongue over her teeth and grimaced. “Right. Ok, sir.” Bending her knees to hop down to the ground, she jerked in surprise when the captain’s hands closed around her waist. He lifted her up, and swung her to the ground.

Feeling her tense, Brett stepped back. “Stretch,” he ordered. Catching her confused glance, he shrugged. “I stretched before I came looking for you. I wanted to catch you before we returned to the
Hudson
.” He paused to watch her stretch her legs. “Imagine my surprise to find Doctor Fortunas in your quarters along with the news that you hadn’t slept in your bed.” He kept his tone casually conversational, but watched her closely.

Maggie had her arms extended over her head, fingers locked, arching to stretch her back and shoulders. Freezing mid-stretch, she shot a concerned look at her commanding officer. “I assure you, sir, I was here all night.”

Brett pushed off from the wing he’d been leaning against and stepped to within a foot of her. For one minute he just stared at her, holding her gaze. He fought back a smile as a slow blush spread up her neck and over her high cheekbones. “I never had any doubts.”

The silence between them lasted until O’Connell ducked her head to cough and shuffled her feet uncomfortably. Hill glanced up at the sky and down at his chronometer.

“Let’s go before the dust gets worse.” He led the way around the outer circumference of the dome. After the first fifty meters, they both found their natural pace and adopted an easy rhythm. The highly oxygenated air of Dremiks made for an easy workout. Hill dodged around a rocky outcropping.

“You knew about Ruger and Fortunas?”

O’Connell swiped at a straggling curl sliding across her neck. “Not until last night. I guess Cassie assumed I was returning to
Hudson
and didn’t expect me back. I kind of walked in on them. What did Fortunas say when he answered the door?”

“He assumed you spent the night with me.”

Long years of physical training, including thousands of kilometers of jogging, meant Maggie didn’t need to think to run. That training saved her from falling flat on her face when her mind blanked with shock. Her red head snapped sideways.

His lips parted in a sly grin. “He assumed you spent the night flying me back to the
Hudson
.”

Brett knew that Fortunas assumed no such thing. The white haired scientist had offered him a cup of coffee while commenting that, although O’Connell had not returned to her quarters that evening, he’d not been concerned. Dr. Ruger had, after all, left her roommate in the captain’s company. Brett recalled the older man’s frank gaze over the rim of his mug. The scientist’s assumption had startled the captain. But, and he knew he was going to have to engage in some serious soul searching over this realization, it had also pleased him.