Page 9 of Lashe

“I need you to just be normal around me,” I replied. “Talk to me like a regular person because that’s what I am. None of this, ‘I overstepped’ business. We’re in a shit situation.” I waved ahand towards the bleak view outside. “I’m aware that we might not actually get out of here, so just talk to me like you would one of your friends.”

He looked as if he found that idea distasteful at best, wincing and carefully withdrawing his arm from my touch. “You arenotone of my friends. You are a highly regarded ally of my people whom I have served faithfully for five years. But I will do my best to speak more…naturallyaround you.”

I sighed and tried to ignore the sting of that very pointed rejection. “I guess that’s all I can ask for.” I rose to my feet. “Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee? I’m getting myself one.”

“No. Thank you.” He went back to his control panel.

I went to the replicator and had it produce a cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin. What came out was no muffin, but a brown patty that smelled like bran. The coffee barely filled a quarter of the cup and was a thick, viscous sauce with a very strong smell, like coffee concentrate. I looked at the items, unsure what was going on with them. “Stelis, what’s wrong with the replicator?”

“During the damage sustained in yesterday’s malfunctions, water was lost. Therefore, the replicator cannot completely produce food to your specifications.”

“That’s why this coffee is more solid than liquid?”

“Correct. I would suggest going to the subsistence menu list. There will be no inaccuracies there.”

The subsistence menu was for emergency rations. I looked down at my coffee sludge. “Stelis, are we going to run out of water?”

“Water is being rationed,” she replied. “The ship currently has seven days’ worth of water in storage and in the recycling filtration system for life-sustaining purposes. I estimate five days for repairs to be completed enough to get this ship on course.”

“So you’re saying we have enough.”

“I’m saying that if repairs are completed on schedule, we will be able to reach a location to refill water reserves and complete repairs.”

We wouldn’t be getting to the Destran planet by Christmas, but that was okay. At this point I hoped we’d reach our destination, period. I shook my head. “So that’s a yes.”

“Yes, Anna,” said Stelis.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Lashe with his head turned, listening. I didn’t like the shadow in his eyes. I set the flat, hard muffin-thing on the table. “Do you disagree with Stelis’ calculations?”

“Not exactly,” he said. “But unlike her, I am not a digital being. Some of these repairs will be difficult, and everything will have to go right. There’s no margin for error.”

“I have looked into your background extensively, Lashe,” said Stelis. “You have ample qualifications to do what needs to be done in restoring systems and repairing the ship. And you have my assistance.”

He smiled tiredly and rubbed a hand over his face. “Females,” he muttered. “Rest assured, I will do everything in my power to get this ship off this rock. But something about it, I just don’t like.”

“What is it?” I came closer, resting a hand on the back of the spare operator’s seat.

“I don’t know, exactly. I have an eerie feeling that something isn’t quite right here.”

Now that he mentioned it, I could agree. Therewasan eerie quiet out there. “It looks sandblasted, doesn’t it?”

“But there’s no blasting.” He gritted his teeth and looked away from the view outside. “Let’s just say I want to get out of here as quickly as we can.”

“No argument there,” I said. “Can I help?”

“I believe Stelis has plenty of entertainment options for you.” He raised one eyebrow. “Some books, perhaps?”

“I’m not going to sit here and read a romance novel while you and Stelis work.”

He raised one eyebrow. “You read romance novels?”

“Yeah.” I crossed my arms. “What’s wrong with that? It’s not like there’s romance in any other part of my life.”

He looked back to the screen. “Maybe you’ve been choosing the wrong males.”

“IknowI’ve been choosing the wrong males,” I said dryly. “I’m a little limited in who I meet.”

“You can have anyone you want,” he said. “There should be legions of males—of any species—who would treat you with adoration.”

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