Sex or Suffer [Dark Colony 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (18 page)

The door to the command deck slid open and admitted two crewmembers before she’d made it to the sensor. Angelica’s heart skipped a beat. If they’d come in a couple of minutes sooner, she and Cahill would have been possibly compromised. They needed to be more cautious. Correction, “she” needed to be more circumspect.

Before she made it to the exit, the on-board computer alert alarm sounded and stated, “
Incoming priority video message from the underground command center on Echo Province
.”

Cahill responded immediately, “Who is it from?”

“Lieutenant Commander Tyndall of the
Mirage
.”

“Put it on the forward screen.”

Angelica turned back as the Lieutenant Commander’s face filled the large screen facing the captain’s chair.

“Ensign Cahill,” Nathan drawled with a hint of surprise. “What are you doing in the captain’s chair, soldier boy? Crew assignments sure have gotten interesting since I’ve been gone.”

“We’re on an ‘interesting’ new trip?”

Nathan grinned. “Well, now ‘interesting trips’ always spice up the flavor of flying. Where’s Wyckoff?”

“He’s off duty. I’m filling in.” Cahill straightened in his chair

“Where’s Lieutenant Brice?”

Angelica stepped forward into the view of the forward screen. “I’m right here, sir.”

Nathan’s signature drawl was in full swing. “So tell me, what’s going on? Why is the
Dalton
currently speeding its way to the Parsec Colony? I thought you all were scheduled for two weeks of recreation time on Bravura.”

“The captain accepted passage from a doctor needing to retrieve a cure. How did you know where we were going?”

“I just received a message from Gray a few moments ago that he apparently sent days ago. Shit gets lost in space more than it gets through, but ultimately I’m grateful for you being headed this way. I’ve got some trouble here on Echo Province. I hate to send you off course and out of the way, but the Rycan delegates I escorted here are all in an uproar. I’m going to need an immediate evacuation off the planet. Put me through to Gray, and I’ll give him the particulars, would you please?”

“Yes, sir. Let me put you on hold and locate him on the ship.”

“Roger that, standing by.” The screen went to solid blue.

Cahill ran a hand down his face and quickly twisted to face Angelica. “Your opinion, please. Dare I disturb the captain in his quarters, or wherever he is, when he specifically asked not to be bothered for an hour?”

Angelica glanced at the blue screen and then shrugged. “It’s a priority message. I don’t think you have a choice.”

“Tell me, Lieutenant Brice. If you were sitting here in this chair running the show, would you make the call?”

She straightened her posture realizing he asked as a peer. He wanted the value of her opinion meaning he respected it. If she didn’t love him before, he’d just pushed her into a never before feeling of camaraderie. “I would make the call.”

Slanting a gaze to one side he inhaled, exhaled and then pushed the button for the captain’s quarters. In a softer than normal tone he said, “Captain Wyckoff?”

* * * *

Penelope shook so hard her teeth rattled in her mouth. “What do you think he’ll do?”

“Nothing.” Gray hugged her tight trying to reassure her fears, but she was in a blind panic. Ensign Cahill had seen her in action. Not only acting crazy and backing away from him in fear when he only tried to help her after the lights went out in the med lab, but also once the door opened and Gray came inside.

Then Cahill had seen what she did to Gray, heard what she said to him.

If Gray had allowed her to do what she wanted, she would have stripped bare and fucked him on the med lab table while everyone, including the Artificial Intelligent medical robot, stood by and watched. The mere thought of a public display of her nasty virus cure sent a fresh wave of chills across her body. Another sob escaped.

She remembered the force of Gray’s scent striking her lungs like a solid object had entered her body. The virus had come on so fast she hadn’t even had time to reason any idea but one single thought. Get Gray out of his clothing as fast as possible and fuck him.

“But what if he—”

Squeezing her harder, Gray whispered urgently in her ear. “Penelope, he won’t do anything. I promise. I’ll order Ensign Cahill to forget what he saw…and he will.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. I’m the captain of this vessel, Penelope. My word is the law. Trust me.”

“But what if he sees me on the ship?”

“What if he does? He still won’t comment. Besides it’s unlikely you’ll see him again. I don’t imagine you’ll spend the rest of your time aboard running loose though the corridors of the ship, will you?”

She huffed. “I’m never leaving your quarters ever again.”

“As appealing as that is, I think it might be difficult to explain.”

Penelope snuggled closer to his body. “I don’t care.” Like the first time they’d been together, Gray hadn’t even gotten his uniform completely off before he’d taken action to relieve her suffering.

“Captain Wyckoff?” Cahill’s voice echoed through the small cabin, and Penelope slid the sheet over her head in utter fearful panic.

Gray detached himself from her, exited the bed and crossed to the communication device. His response was a very abrupt, “What do you want?”

“There’s a priority message from the
Mirage,
and its captain. Says it’s urgent and he’s standing by waiting to speak to you. Want me to patch him through?”

“No, tell him to keep standing by. I’ll return to the command deck in a few minutes.”

“Yes, sir. Cahill out.”

Penelope sat up in bed. “You have to leave.” It was a statement not a question. She folded her arms across her body as if a chill had suddenly swept through the room, but a blush registered on her cheeks.

Gray ran one hand over the top of his head through his short golden locks and then started straightening his uniform. “I’m supposed to be on duty. Cahill is covering for me.”

“I know. I wish he hadn’t seen me in my give-me-sex-right-now condition. He likely thinks I’m insane.”

“He doesn’t. I’ll order him to forget what he saw. Get dressed and I’ll take you to your room.”

“I can get there by myself.” The dejected tone in her voice was almost more than he could bear.

“I don’t mean to desert you right now, but I need to tend to my other responsibilities as captain of this ship.”

Her head came up. She fixed a warm gaze on him. “I know. Go on. I’ll be fine. I promise.”

“Don’t forget to run the cleansing program once you’re locked in your cabin.”

“I won’t.”

Gray finished fastening his uniform and turned to leave. “I’ll contact you later on once I’m alone.”

Penelope slid her legs over the side of the bunk in time to see him do an about face and return. He squatted next to the bed, took her face in his hands gently and put a tender kiss on her lips. “I may not be back for quite a while. So don’t fret, okay?”

She kissed him in return. “I promise not to fret.”

“There’s something I need to tell you.” He took one hand and kissed her palm. “I care about you, Penelope. Once you obtain your permanent cure, I’m still going to want to see you again.”

“You don’t have to—”

Gray cut her off with one more passionate kiss before adding, “Oh. I know I don’t
have
to do anything. But the truth is I’m getting extremely attached to you, Dr. Drake. Will you promise to consider that once you’re cured?” He grinned and Penelope was struck by a realization. Gray was quite possibly the most attractive man she’d ever seen in her life. He was certainly the most caring and devoted man she’d ever been with and technically they’d never dated. She’d be foolish to throw him over for any reason.

Cupping his cheek with one hand, she kissed the corner of his mouth. “I promise.”

He exited the cabin and a fresh rush of guilt washed through Penelope. Promising Gray a meeting with the trade governor was a betrayal he’d likely never forgive her for once he discovered it. She didn’t deserve his forgiveness anyway for putting him through so many hoops for a reward he wouldn’t receive.

* * * *

Gray raced to the command deck to relieve Ensign Cahill and pondered what explanations would have to be rendered to satisfy his curiosity. Likely Gray could merely say, “I order you to forget about what you saw or heard with regard to our passenger, Dr. Drake.”

Cahill was a former member of the regiment planetary militia. Military types rarely demanded an explanation for anything, but the
Dalton
wasn’t a martial vessel and Gray’s leadership style wasn’t “Do as I say and shut up,” as a rule.

He stepped on to the command deck where he found both Angelica and Cahill with heads bent as if a confidential conversation took place. Great.

Cahill jumped up from the captain’s chair and didn’t look him directly in the eye. Angelica, on the other hand, fixed an oddly rebellious stare on his face and didn’t look away.

“Lieutenant Commander Tyndall is waiting on the line, sir,” Cahill announced before Gray even took his second step inside the room.

“Put it on the forward screen.”

Pushing a button on his communication device, Cahill brought Nathan’s visibly irate face onto the large wall of the command deck.

“Nathan,” Gray called out, “What’s the big priority?”

“Hello to you too, Gray. Yes, of course, I’ve missed you. No, no don’t beg me to come back sooner, I’ve got my own ship.”

He allowed a grin to surface. “Sorry to be so abrupt. It’s been a grueling trip. I don’t miss you though, and trust me when I tell you that I’ll never beg you for anything.”

“Funny.” Nathan cracked his legendary half grin, and added, “I need you to come and fetch me. Soon. Now.”

“That will be problematic. You’re supposed to be there for another two weeks. Why do I need to fetch you so early?”

“The negotiation party we are supposed to be escorting on to the Rycan System in two weeks is also the primary team they use on their home planet for peace negotiations. They just got word of some trouble on Rycan. They want to leave early. As a matter of fact they’ve been quite vocal about wanting to depart as soon as possible.”

“So what? Tell them no. We have a signed agreement. Reassure the delegates we’ll be delighted to escort them per the contract. We’ll be there in two weeks.”

Nathan shook his head. “Unfortunately, their home planet issued a distress call a few hours ago. There has been some sort of incident on their planet. An attacking party is plundering their planet or threatening to plunder the planet. I’m not sure. The details are fuzzy. They think they need to be there to talk the offenders out of it. And they demand to go home. Now.”

“Well, I’m sorry, but I currently have a medical emergency. I’m on my way to the Parsec Colony and I don’t have time to stop. Besides why can’t you take them on the
Mirage
if it’s such a big, hot emergency?”

“Because the
Dalton
is the only ship cleared to go to the Rycan System or enter the Rycan atmosphere. A paperwork shuffle for the
Mirage
would take time.”

“My medical emergency takes priority over their planetary squabble.” Gray broke out in a cold sweat because he knew what was coming next. Something dreadful. Nathan was about to verbalize terrible news and he didn’t want to hear it.

“They called the Galactic Federation of Planets and made an official request. The
Mirage
doesn’t have sufficient tactical safeguards in place to enter Rycan space or the planet’s atmosphere without being considered hostile. Since the Dalton is the only authorized ship able to enter Rycan space, you have to come and fetch us and take us there. Oh and, if you could hurry up get here yesterday, that would be great. Seriously, you need to come and get me before I kill someone.”

Damn it
. An official request made his decision for him. Gray had to comply or face a punitive council with the federated planets on why he didn’t respond to a peace delegation while he was in the vicinity and the only authorized vessel to transport them.

Damn it all to hell
.

“Try not to kill anyone before I get there.”

“I’ll do my best. No promises. I’m sorry my planet emergency trumps your medical emergency. If there were another way, I’d be willing to discuss it.”

“It can’t be helped. Now get along with the others and play nice or else.”

“It’s not me. On day one they had a test of the emergency quarantine system, we were locked inside deep in the tunnels behind several sets of blast doors for fifteen hours because they couldn’t figure out how to turn it off. Have you ever been trapped with Seriillial Warriors? They stink like death on a cracker and I discovered that fact before the quarantine started. When will you get here again?”

Cahill caught his eye and responded, “If we shift course immediately, we’ll be there in two days and back on the way to the Parsec Colony with only four total days lost in detour time. But will the delegation agree to go to the Parsec Colony first before we drop them off elsewhere?”