Page 50 of Sol Survivor

He winced.“She’s blind.You know that, right?”

“Even more reason to help her.”Vic rolled onto her stomach to gaze at him while she ‘swam’ in what the computer termed ‘froglike.’She had to scour the intra to find out what a frog was—a cute little creature with its big eyes and long tongue.

“If you hurt her…”

“You don’t care for her, Deets.She’s just another crew member to you.One day, a man’s going to see what a treasure she is and lure her away from theMula Pesada.”

“The farg he will.”He paused mid-rant.“What man?She hides in her med bay.”

“Because she knows it well.Move one thing out of place, and she’ll bump into it.”Spinning down until her feet touched the mat, Vic met his gaze.“She’s not happy.Yeah, I know, I’m an outsider, but I see more than you do stuck in a familiar environment with the same faces.She’s lonely, Deets.”

“Don’t call me that.”

Vic chuckled.“I can call you anything I damn well please, and there’s nothing you can do about it.Now, as I see it, you can help me bring her out of her shell and find her a good man to love her.For that, you need to step aside.”

He paced, his fingers twitching when he ran them through his hair.

“Oh, am I bothering?”Tiny stepped into the room but no farther.

He spun and gathered her hands, leading her to the center of the mat.“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yes.I’m an easy target.It’s why I don’t leave when we dock.”

He scowled.“I can protect you.”

She smiled and cupped his cheek.“What happens when you want to find companionship?Why would I play the third wheel?”She grimaced but lifted her chin.“I need affection too, Dieter.”She offered him her back and faced Vic.He raised his hands as if to stop her, then dropped them by his side.“Shall we, Vic?”

“Sure.”She unclipped the machine, hating the drag of the ship’s artificial gravity after the sensation of weightlessness.“What I’ll teach you can only be done if they touch you.”She clasped Tiny’s wrist.“I have you, now, try and get away.”

No matter what Tiny did, Vic held firm.The woman’s struggles had no impact on Vic’s footing or grip.

“Okay, stop.”Vic squeezed.“Register where my thumb is.Can you feel it?”

Tiny nodded.

“Good, now, instead of yanking, curl your wrist inward and tug down.”

When her wrist slipped free, Tiny squealed, swaying her hips in a happy dance.Dieter chuckled, having chosen to stay and watch, as Vic had hoped.

“Now, I’m going to breach your space.Don’t be alarmed.Register where my breath is, that will tell you the location of my face.”Vic crowded Tiny, almost touching her from chest to knees.

“I sense your breath.Your chin is about here.”She touched Vic’s jaw.

“Good.Can you guess the location of my upper arms?”

Tiny thrust out her hands and caught Vic’s arms.

“Great, you’re doing well.Slowly, lift your knee.”

Struggling to balance on one foot, Tiny wobbled.

“Tighten your grip on my arms.Use me as leverage.”Vic grinned.“Raise your knee.”

Tiny did so, nudging Vic’s thigh.

“Good.When someone tries something you don’t like, do that, and knee them in the groin.It hurts just as bad for a woman.Leap back though, because they will double over.”With a shove to her chest, Tiny stumbled and fell, landing on her ass with a gasp.

“What the farg, Vic?”Dieter was beside Tiny, his hands hovering over her, not sure where to touch.

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