Page 49 of Irene

Sherv directed his attention to the scowling Earthers, stepping forward but staying in Rusp’s shadow so his Nobek wouldn’t be distracted from the confrontation. “What do you want?” he asked, his tone a warning rasp.

“We heard you’ve been stealing and raping our women. It could be those hunting for us might forgive a few of our sins if we handed them your carcasses.” The man who’d apparently been elected the leader of the group, his face pockmarked and shaggy with beard, pointed his blaster at Rusp.

The Nobek smirked. “You been smarter to face your crimes.”

He cleared the deck so fast, Sherv was embarrassed for the humans. In a matter of seconds, the lot lay groaning on the ground, disarmed. Rusp returned to Sherv, holding the four blasters. He motioned Jemi forward and dumped them in the bin.

Jemi beamed at him. “You didn’t give me the chance to com the guys. Hey, we can sell these blasters to the Dantovonian and make some of our money back, maybe?”

“You read my mind.”

Sherv grinned as they resumed the trek to the ship, leaving the Earthers to sort themselves as they began to stir. One yelped, gaining enough clarity to feel the pain of his broken arm.

Sherv was relieved they’d been so ill-prepared to fight a Nobek. He was as grateful to have a means to recover and perhaps add to their depleted resources. “We’ll visit the dealer again soon. We might have to anyway, depending on if our purchases work.”

* * * *

Irene entered the ship’s main cabin in her disguise, feeling her way along the wall. She peered uncertainly through the cat-pupiled purple contacts she wore at the blurry figures waiting to judge her disguise.

“I’ll have to alter the gown, but it shouldn’t be difficult,” she said. “I’m more worried about how hard it is to see wearing these lenses. What do you think?”

A figure drew close, and Jemi’s features swam into view. “Funny you in black hair and our eyes, but it looks real.”

“Skin tan okay, but lighter as us. Less muscle as our women. Don’t like it’s hard you to see.” Sherv frowned in obvious concern.

“Maybe we tell she have health problem, same as me. Bad sight, built small and pale because she can’t go out much,” Jemi suggested. “I don’t think she is obvious not Kalquorian.”

“Especially from a distance,” Rusp agreed. “Our women are so rare, few see them. Don’t meet them here so far from empire. I agree Irene can go public, no one know.”

“Good point. It up to you,” Sherv told her. “If you want to try, we will.”

Irene was eager for the chance to sing their new songs in public. The fact the pregnancy test had come up negative left her giddy. Maybe she was being reckless, but it was as if she had a whole new lease on life. “Let’s go for it.”

The men grinned at her exuberance. “Okay. We do this,” Sherv said.

She flung her arms around him. “I can’t wait! It’s as if I’ve never been on stage before, I’m so excited. I’m taking these lenses out for now, though. Be right back.”

She went to her room and changed, her mind entirely too full of how it had felt to touch Sherv.

Forget it. You dodged a bullet once. Don’t push your luck.

She was brushing her hair and newly shocked again at how it appeared Kalquorian black when a gentle tap sounded at the door. “Yeah, come in.”

Jemi hesitated in the doorway, as if afraid to step in the room. His smile was shy, which was funny. “Hi.”

“Hey. What’s up?”

“Um. I bought something secret from Dantovonian in case…I don’t tell Sherv and Rusp because…well…maybe it make you mad. Maybe you say no.” His voice was low, and she had to strain to hear.

She set down the brush and stepped close to him. “Jemi, how can I be angry at you? You’ve been wonderful to me.”

He shifted uncomfortably. “You tell me about Earth. Your people offend on things Kalquorians think are normal. This I wish is so normal for me. I should be able to ask, Irene, you want to? And you answer yes or no, not be upset.”

She took his hand. Again, the nearness of one of the men put thoughts in her head she shouldn’t entertain for an instant.

I adore him and the others, though. If things were different, I might stay. Right or wrong, they mean so much to me.

She swallowed against the tightness in her throat and ignored the hurt of future loss. “Whatever it is, you can tell me. I won’t get mad, I promise.”

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