Page 18 of Star Mates

“And you’ll never find a Merloni to fly you home,” Raiden told him.

The two men stared at each other. Logan’s fists were clenched by his side and Raiden had an air of arrogance around him.

Willoughbee cleared her throat. “Pikon, why don’t you turn in the manifest on what you acquired and escort our new guests to the infirmary. I’m sure they’re tired after their long, um, trip and would like to check in with Leona to settle in quickly.”

It was, perhaps, the wrong words to use. Logan growled deep in his throat and stormed out of the room. Pikon handed over a sheet to Willoughbee before chasing after Logan.

“You’ll have to forgive him,” she said quietly to Willoughbee.

“Of course,” Willoughbee said with a nod. “I know this can’t be easy. But we’ll do everything possible to help you adjust. Captain, would you escort her to the infirmary?”

“Yes,” he replied.

She gave a faint smile before turning to leave the room.

“He’s lost his life,” Emmarie said, wanting to fill the silence. “Everything.”

“So have you,” Raiden replied.

“Yes, but I don’t think as much as he. I don’t have a family who will miss me.”

She gave him a small, sad smile before turning away. Raiden gently grabbed her arm, halting her.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I don’t mean to sound like a jackass every time you’re around.”

“I just bring out the best in you?”

His eyes fell to her lips. That strange electricity from before arced between them. His gaze softened, temporarily losing the hard, brittle edge. “I think that you would bring out the very best in me, if I gave you the chance. Come.”

He took hold of her elbow. Instead of going back into the hanger, they continued through the hallway until it ended at a set of doors. When he opened them, she saw a room decorated all in white, with several beds and monitors standing by. Several people were in the room, wearing white.

“Hello, Pell,” greeted an older man. He wore lose fitting white clothes that reminded her of scrubs. A white cap rested on his head. The man smiled at her.

“Doctor Payne,” Raiden greeted. “This is a new settler. Her name is Emmarie Tice.”

Doctor Payne held out his hand and she took it, liking the twinkle in his eye. “Don’t let the name scare you, I’m very gentle. I believe that your friend has already gone back for his medical scan so if you’d like to wait a moment?”

“Of course,” she answered with a shy smile. Though she didn’t have anything against doctors, they did intimidate her a little. She wasn’t overly fond of needles.

“I’m assuming that you’ve had all your immunizations?” the doctor asked.

“I think so. I know I’ve had my tetanus shot.”

The doctor blinked. “Oh. Well, that’s a new one. I’ll just run a panel and see where we stand, if that’s okay with you?”

Emmarie nodded just as Logan walked from the back room. He glanced at her briefly before his eyes shifted at a point over her head. He walked by here without saying one word. The silent treatment confused her and made her a little depressed. He was, after all, the only one who understood what she was feeling.

Doctor Payne escorted her back and waited until the scan finished. Then he took a small lancet and pricked her finger, taking the drop of blood that welled to the surface. He applied a small bandage and she walked back out to stand next to Raiden.

The doctor smiled at her. “If anything turns up, we’ll contact you. Pell told me you’re heading to Leona’s now.”

“Yes, I suppose.”

Raiden put his hand in her lower back and escorted her from the infirmary, back into the long corridor.

“You’ll probably have to come back for some shots,” he told her. “I bet you’ve not been inoculated against any of the diseases we have here.”

“Yes, that would be fair to state.”

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