Chapter 8

Lauren woke up slowly, drifting between sleep and awareness, surrounded by a warm, spicy scent. Then she noticed the heavy arm around her stomach and the thick, muscular tail encircling her hips. Her eyes snapped open.

"Krestar?"

He didn't respond and she turned her head, surprised to see that his eyes were closed, his breathing deep and even. It was strange to see his face relaxed, but there was no denying that it suited him. His features were sharp and angular, giving him a commanding presence. She could easily imagine him leading an army into battle, a sword raised, his tail whipping through the air behind him.

Or perhaps that should be blaster raised, she thought smiling.

Was that why she felt so safe with him? That air of strength, of control? No, it was more than that. As soon as she'd awakened in the capsule and their eyes had met, she'd felt an undeniable sense of connection. It was that sense of connection that had led to her asking him to sleep with her.

As if he felt her eyes on him, that wide mouth curled and then his eyes opened.

"Good morning, d'jeri."

"D'jeri?" The word didn't translate.

He hesitated briefly.

"It means precious in the Old Tongue. I apologize if I have overstepped."

"Considering that we're currently sharing a bed, a nickname doesn't seem that big a deal," she said dryly.

"It is not… customary for a male to use such a name with an unmated female."

She blinked, not sure of the implication of what he was saying, then shrugged.

"I don't mind."

"It is a sign of… familiarity."

"As I said, we're already sharing a bed. I don't think it gets much more familiar than that."

As soon as she said it, she thought of several things they could do that were even more intimate. A flash of heat raced through her body and his nostrils flared. She was quite sure he could smell her arousal and suddenly embarrassed, she tried to sit up. The size of her stomach made it awkward at the best of times, but he quickly came to her assistance, his arms strong and sure.

She wanted to lean into him, to take advantage of that strength, but she had learned a long time ago that the only person she could truly rely on was herself. And Felicity. Guilt swept over at the thought of her friend. How could she have let herself be distracted by Krestar when Felicity was still out there on her own.

"Do you think we'll reach the space station today?" she asked.

"Perhaps." He seemed to understand her withdrawal, rising and offering her a hand. She almost ignored it, but it would be silly to turn down such basic assistance. "I will go and check on our position, then prepare a meal."

She would rather he increase the speed of the ship, but he'd already told her that it wouldn't be possible without the kind of repairs he couldn't perform in space.

"All right," she said, trying not to sound ungracious. "Is there anything else I can do to help?

"There is additional damage, although we are reaching the limits of what I - we - can do with the equipment on board."

"I'd still like to help. It's better than just sitting here worrying."

The wide mouth curved again.

"I am sure I can find something for you to do."

She was sure he'd meant the words innocently, but as they hung in the air between them, the double meaning was all too clear. Heat flashed through her again and she wondered how they'd gone from a simple good morning to this.

He must have sensed the change because he moved away, his expression somber, although a faint glint still lit his eyes. His tail retreated as well and she felt oddly bereft without that comforting contact.

"If you would care to freshen up while I check the controls, I will meet you in the lounge."

"All right," she repeated. "Does your bathroom have one of those hot air dryers?"

She and Felicity had discovered that the drying system in the tiny bathroom at the back of their cell was powerful enough to dry both them and their clothes. She was thoroughly tired of her maternity dress but at least she'd been able to keep it clean.

"I am afraid I do not have a bathing room on board, and the sanitary facility has limited auto dry capabilities. Why?"

"I wanted to wash my dress."

His eyes flicked down over her body, the warmth in them unmistakable. Her nipples responded to that heated gaze but she did her best to ignore them.

"I have some clothing you can use while it dries."

She gave him a doubtful look. While he was significantly larger than her, her stomach was pretty sizable.

"You do?"

"Yes," he said confidently, pressing a concealed panel to reveal a storage locker. He rummaged through it for a moment, then handed her two neatly folded white garments. "Here."

"All right," she said again, beginning to wonder if that was the only word she knew. "I can give them a try."

She wasn't particularly optimistic but he proved to be correct. One garment was a top that wrapped around her body far enough to cover her stomach and was held in place by a soft sash. She was even more doubtful about the pants, but the silky material stretched easily over her curves.

Not bad, she decided. She looked rather like an extremely pregnant karate instructor but that made her feel like kind of a badass. And they were very comfortable.

"Are these Cire garments?" she asked when she joined him in the lounge.

He looked up from the galley, a strange expression crossing his face.

"Yes."

"They are very nice," she hastened to reassure him.

"Thank you. They are… old."

He turned away, busy at the galley, but something about the way he'd said it made her suspect that wasn't the entire story. Perhaps they belonged to someone important, she mused. It was also possible he had lost a friend or family member during the plague. It was a subject he had not touched upon and she didn't want to pry.

"How did you know they would fit?" she asked instead.

"My father was a tailor. I grew up helping him."

"A tailor?"

It seemed like an incongruous background for a military officer.

"Yes. He expected me to join the family business, but all I wanted was to be a warrior. It was one of the reasons I was so focused on my training. Most of the other members of my class had come from families with a traditional of military service."

"Did your parents object?"

"No, although they never understood." His fist clenched on the counter. "They were among the first to be struck by the Red Death."

"I'm so sorry."

The words sounded so inadequate, but he gave her a small smile.

"Thank you. It has been many years, but there are still times when the grief feels fresh."

"I understand," she said quietly. "Even though I was quite young when I lost my mother, I was old enough to feel the loss. I have those moments as well."

Her hand covered her stomach protectively. She was determined her daughter wouldn't grow up without a mother. His tail wrapped comfortingly around her wrist for a brief second before he returned to their meal. He brought her a bowl of something similar to oatmeal, but with a chewier, nuttier taste, and a plate filled with colorful cubes of fruit.

Everything was delicious and she ate eagerly, heat rushing to her cheeks when she finished and realized he was watching her, a smile on his face.

"I'm sorry. I guess I was hungry."

"Do not apologize d'jeri. It gives me great pleasure to provide for you."

A small cynical voice wondered what he would expect in return but she quashed it. Krestar had done nothing to make her distrust him and she didn't want to start questioning everything he did.

"How much progress have we made towards the space station?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Not quite as much as I had hoped. Because the ship is responding more slowly, I have programmed it to take a wider berth around any potential obstacles. Unfortunately, it will delay our arrival a little. We should still reach it sometime tomorrow."

She bit her lip, then nodded.

"And there's nothing we can do to search for Felicity? I know you said it wasn't possible, but…"

"I know you are worried, but the ship simply does not have the capacity. The best I have been able to do is to extend the range of the proximity alarm as far as possible and include the escape pod in the objects for which it checks."

At least it was something, even though she knew that it would only produce a result if Felicity's pod happened to be on their path.

‘Thank you," she said sincerely, appreciating the fact that he'd done what he could. "Now what about the repairs?"

He rose to his feet and offered her his hand.

"I have a job for you."

Her hand rested in his, her smaller fingers looking impossibly delicate in his strong grip. The warmth of his skin and that subtle, fascinating texture sent a tingle up her arm, the same tingle that was becoming all too familiar. She tried to ignore the sensation, focusing instead on his words.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Do you think you can continue the work on the relays we started yesterday? I would like to start clearing out the damaged wiring. Unless you would prefer to rest?"

"No, I meant what I said. I'd rather keep busy."

And she liked feeling useful.

He nodded approvingly and led her into the corridor, his tail curled around her waist once more.

"Good. I will feel better if I can clear the damaged sections before we reach the station." He hesitated, his tail tightening briefly. "I am assuming that we will be able to use the station to make repairs, but I cannot guarantee that it is still intact enough for our needs. It has been abandoned for many years."

"Are you telling me not to get my hopes up?"

"I do not want you to be disappointed if we have to continue our journey, d'jeri."

He looked so worried that she patted his tail soothingly, but that only seemed to make him more tense.

"Of course I'll be disappointed, but that's the case we'll just have to keep going."

If only she didn't feel as if she were running out of time.

"I know you're doing everything you can," she softly, then rose a little awkwardly on tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

He looked both surprised and pleased, his fingers touching his cheek as he steadied her.

"Thank you for your trust."

She did trust him, but as they continued on to the control room, she still hoped that the space station would prove to be a solution.