Page 25 of My Alien Bughead
“No, bughead. I’m not suggesting it because there’s nothing to suggest. I know it was you. All I’m wondering is whether it was on purpose or whether you just fucked up.”
“I do not ‘fuck up’! And I didn’t touch this fucking panel.”
Lucía scoffs. “Really? So where were you all day? Because it sure as hell wasn’t down that corridor, where you were actually supposed to be! I saw you in the upper levels, messing with shit that wasn’t on the roster. Admit it!”
“I have nothing to admit,” I reply icily, ignoring a thought niggling at the back of my mind. I was in the upper levels, wasn’t I? Still, I don’t make mistakes. Ever. “This was all your fault! You’re merely looking for someone else to blame. In fact,”I continue as I realize this is the perfect opportunity to get rid of Lucía once and for all, “your negligence and lack of skill put lives in danger and caused further damage. You’re out.”
“I’m what now?! This wasn’t my fault!”
I ball my trembling hands into fists and lock emotions from my expression as I hold her gaze. “You’re fired. And before you run crying to the captain, remember, I’ve known him for years and while he might be benevolent with lower intelligence creatures like yourself, he won’t stand for anyone putting his crew in danger.”
She glares at me with such loathing I can physically feel it prickling over my skin. I expect her to scream and rage at me, try to assault me, even. Instead, she merely shakes her head. “You’re slipping, D’Aakh, and you damn well know it. This,” she jabs her finger toward the still smoldering panel, “was not your first fuck up. It was just the first I didn’t manage to fix in time. It’s just a matter of time before someone gets hurt because of you but that will be on your conscience. I’m leaving. I won’t work with someone who’s a danger to himself and everyone around him. Especially one who doesn’t even have the balls to admit his own mistake.”
Calmly, she collects her tools, sliding each one into its respective place on her tool belt with a grace that speaks of years of experience. Without a word, she turns to the ladder, leaving me without so much as an argument.
I need an argument. A fight. I need her to fight me, to scream at me, to show any emotion but the cold dismissal that seeps from her right now.
“Good,” I sneer. “Go. You were doing more damage than good, anyway.”
Only my years of training with special ops allow me the speed to duck the wrench aimed at my head. Baring her ridiculously flat teeth in a snarl, Lucía reaches for another tool to throw atme, then changes her mind. “Do us all a favor and die, bughead,” she shouts before climbing up the ladder and disappearing from my sight.
A wave of emotions assaults me. Surprisingly, none of them is relief. Ishouldbe relieved. I finally got what I wanted. Lucía is gone, and she isn’t coming back. Then why the fuck do I feel grief and anguish almost as heavily as when I lost Mzr?
Picking up the wrench Lucía just threw at me, like a total idiot, I bring it up to my nose. It smells like engine grease, sweat, and her.
Fuck. What have I done?
I eye the smoking panel with unease. I didn’t lie when I said I don’t remember touching it. However, I also don’t remember not touching it. I don’t actually remember what I did for most of the day.
Shaken, I bring the inhaler to my mouth, frowning when the stimstick clicks empty. How many times did I use it today? What have I been working on all day? Did I really mess with the wrong panel?
Did I put Lucía’s life in danger?
A chill creeps down my spine. What the fuck have I done?
Chapter 16
Lucía
Furious, I storm outof the Supernova and then out of the docks. I’m grateful I don’t run into any of the ship’s crew because I’d probably give them a piece of my mind just for being on the same ship as that fucking idiot, and it’s not really their fault that their crewmate is an incompetent jerk.
My comm chimes with an incoming message to meet Arnik in his office just as I’m about to enter my room. Instead of opening the stupid door in front of me, I kick it hard before turning on my stupid heels to go meet with my stupid boss! Damn, that bughead really got on my nerves!
Actually accusing me of his own fuck up? Seriously? How dare he?! He nearly kills me, then has the audacity to blamemefor it? I should have thrown something bigger than just an oxl wrench at his stupid bug head.
Sliding my hand down to my tool belt, I feel the gap between the tools where my beloved oxl wrench should be like a missing tooth. Dammit. Now I’ll have to buy a new wrench because there’s no way I’m returning to retrieve it from that flying trashcan they call a ship. No way, no how!
Stomping into Arnik’s office, I’m ready to wage war if he even dares to order me back to the Supernova.
His face is drawn tight as he looks up from his datapad. “Lucía,” he greets me. “It’s good that you’re here. You’re not going back to that ship—”
“I’m not going back to that ship!” I snap at the same time.
We both pause, giving the other a suspicious look. “Wait, what?” I ask. “I thought you were going to order me to go back.”
“Actually, I was going to order you to stay away from that crew. Wait, why don’t you want to go back? What happened? Did anyone hurt you?”
His concern soothes some of my rage. “No, not really. But their technician is a world-class jerk whose ego is too big to fit in that damned ship. Plus, he’s dealing with some shit and it’s making him careless.”
