Chapter 6

Emmy's pulse kicked up a notch at the sight of a slender human woman with dark hair and penetrating gray eyes elbowing past a family of bright blue finofan.

"Emmy Voss!" The woman came to an abrupt halt before them. "I can't believe it's you!"

"Hi Laurna." Emmy forced a smile. She'd met Laurna a few years back at a psychology seminar. Emmy had been wrapping up her medical credits to earn her next promotion, but Laurna had been more interested in collecting gossip about their colleagues.

Laurna yanked Emmy into a hug, which Emmy returned, though they hadn't been close. Stepping back, Laurna swept her gaze over Chigs. "And who's this tall drink of water?"

The appreciative glint in Laurna's eyes made Emmy's blood heat with possessiveness. Sure, Chigs wasn't really her husband, but Laurna didn't know that. Putting her arm around Chigs's waist, Emmy said, "This is my husband, Charles. We're heading to Aleigh for our honeymoon." She leaned her cheek against his broad chest and gave Laurna a look that made it very clear Chigs was off limits. "Charles, this is Laurna. We met at a seminar back in my Syndicorp days."

Chigs nodded politely, but Emmy could feel the tension in his frame. "Pleasure, Laurna," he said.

Laurna's gray eyes flickered with curiosity. "I'll be. Everyone wondered where you'd gone off to after, well..." The woman leaned closer to whisper loudly, "Dafari told me what happened. Losing your job like that must've been devastating. I think I'd have overreacted, too."

Emmy frowned, questions filling her mind too quickly to track. What had Dafari been telling people?

With a smile that showed every one of her very white teeth, Laurna continued. "But look at you now! Happily married. We simply must get together for lunch so we can catch up."

Chigs tightened his arm around her waist. "Peanut, we're going to miss our flight if we don't hurry."

"Of course," Emmy responded, her voice higher-pitched than usual. "It was great seeing you, Laurna. I'll look you up after the honeymoon. Travel safely."

"You too, you adorable lovebirds!"

Once they were out of sight, Chigs slowed his stride and whispered, "Is she going to cause us trouble?"

"I don't think so. But I expect word about my new husband may reach Dafari before we do."

"At least it reinforces our story."

"Yes, but now we need a cover for why we were on Whylon Station. It's in the opposite direction of Jarboa from Aleigh." She flinched as a nearby g'naxian bellowed something at a companion, who laughed with equal gusto.

Chigs stepped around to put himself between her and them, guiding her onward with one hand at the small of her back. "We've been exploring the galaxy, remember? We're on our way back from a tour of the magnificent waterfalls on Pexa."

Emmy had only seen the exotic, mountainous planet in holos, but she'd always thought it would be an amazing place to visit. "Have you been to Pexa?"

He nodded. "Once, on a brief stop during my tour of duty. I didn't get to leave the Syndicorp outpost, and always swore I'd go back to see the falls. If my mate can travel, perhaps I'll take her there for a visit."

"I'm sure she'd love that," Emmy said, keeping the envy from her voice as she pretended to examine the pastry display in a nearby bake shop.

Chigs urged her along with a gentle tug. "Our ship's just ahead."

They pushed through the crowd until they reached the gangway and hurried on board. The vessel, once a small luxury cruise ship, had been converted to a transport shuttle, and the seats were worn but comfortable. Once they'd settled in, Chigs reclined and closed his eyes. Emmy watched the traffic through the nearby view screen as they pulled away from Whylon Station. Though she'd met plenty of other species in her life, she had traveled little, and the unfamiliar ships orbiting the station intrigued her. Some were sleek and smooth, while others looked clunky and downright awkward.

The trip to Aleigh went by in a blur, and soon the bright green and blue planet filled the viewscreen. Emmy watched the glittering spires of buildings covering most of the planet grow closer. Resorts spread along a sandy beach as far as the eye could see, and patches of lush green forest dotted the metropolis—designated sanctuaries for the planet's dwindling wildlife.

After the ship settled to the ground at the spaceport, Emmy and Chigs disembarked, making their way through the open-air concourse interspersed with palm trees swaying gently in the breeze. As they rode a private ground transport to the resort, Emmy surveyed the sleek buildings soaring high above them, reflecting sunlight from their crystalline polymer surfaces. An advertisement flashed across the surface of one building, a larger-than-life promise of younger skin. Another ad for all-in-one cleaning bots spewed from a holographic drone floating between the palms.

"Welcome to Aleigh," she muttered, voice barely audible over the hum of the transport's engine. "Quite a sight, isn't it?" She'd once loved everything about this planet and city, but now her stomach roiled at the sight of Syndicorp propaganda plastered on every available surface.

"Mm," Chigs agreed. "How long did you live here?"

"Four years," Emmy said, catching a glimpse of her favorite restaurant down a side street. It reminded her of Dafari, and she again wondered what he'd been telling people about their breakup and her subsequent disappearance.

The transport pulled up to the classically grand front entrance of the Starlight Resort, the crowning glory of Aleigh's capital city. The resort's central tower rose high above every building in the city, and its surrounding campus of gardens and activities stretched along the beach as far as the eye could see.

While a bellhop with graying hair and a pleasant smile carried their luggage, Emmy and Chigs strolled between the gilded columns lining the lobby. The air hummed with conversations and laughter as guests sipped iced beverages and listened to a pianist playing softly in one corner. Cut flowers in large vases were scattered about, filling the air with subtle perfume.

Emmy kept her attention on Chigs, finding it easy to feign adoration. His human disguise was flattering, and with his towering height, he garnered several discreet looks from passing women. She couldn't help the flush of pride at the jealousy in their eyes, though she honestly preferred his copper skin and full denaidan beard.

They reached the check-in desk where the concierge greeted them with a red-lipsticked smile. "Welcome to the Starlight Resort." She held out the pad of a biometric scanner. "Please sign in here."

Emmy reached forward and pressed her palm to the surface. The scanner chimed, and the concierge offered the pad to Chigs. Throat tight, Emmy watched him touch the pad. What if the scanner detected Chigs wasn't human? She didn't realize she was holding her breath until the concierge set the scanner aside.

"I see you've reserved our classic honeymoon suite, Mr. and Mrs. Montague." The concierge beamed at them and motioned for the bellhop. "Congratulations. Ronny will be happy to show you to your room."

They followed the bellhop to a transparent maglev elevator. Once inside, Chigs pulled her back against his chest and gazed out over the tall buildings glittering orange in the light of the setting sun. She could feel his heartbeat as she leaned against him, and for a moment, she simply allowed herself to get lost in the fantasy. So what if this wasn't real? She could imagine it was for now. "Isn't this amazing, honey?"

"Absolutely," Chigs agreed, leaning down to brush a feather-light kiss on her cheek. Though Emmy couldn't see his beard past his disguise, its tickle against her skin sent a delicious shiver down her spine.

They stepped off the elevator directly into the foyer of their suite, and Emmy drew in a sharp breath. Opalescent walls in soft pastel pink mimicked the tropical sunset outside, and plush furniture and fresh flowers decorated the space. A bank of floor-to-ceiling windows across the room opened onto a balcony overlooking the city, while seductive, ambient music played from invisible speakers.

"Allow me to show you some of our select amenities," said the bellhop, setting the bags to the side. "Our advanced AI systems can sense your body temperature, pheromones, and intoxication level. It will automatically adjust the suite's sound, colors, and scents according to your moods." He opened a small panel in the wall near the door, revealing a replication unit, and pressed the keypad. A tray with a bottle and two glass flutes materialized. "Please enjoy our gift of complimentary champagne and strawberries. The replicator is also programmed with a selection of cocktails and delectable meals from our top chefs."

Emmy eyed the replicator with excitement, wondering what foods she could make. The resort had always been well out of her price range, and she wondered if she'd have time to enjoy the amenities, considering the seriousness of her current mission.

The bellhop gestured toward the view of the city through the balcony doors. "The balcony is protected by a seamless energy shield for your safety and affords one-way viewing for complete privacy from the outside world." He then led the way through a set of double doors to where a massive bed sat on a platform in the center of the room. It was surrounded by gauzy, iridescent curtains and covered in a silken coverlet that reminded her of melted chocolate. He didn't pause, as if the room needed no explanation, passing quickly into the washroom.

The divine scent of flowers and musk washed over Emmy as she stepped into an enormous space styled with blue tiles that reminded her of the ocean. Shimmering water cascaded like a small waterfall into an extra-large tub with scented steam rising from its surface.

"The two-person jacuzzi tub is constantly refreshed with water sourced from the Starlight Resort's mineral spring and has several tactile enjoyment settings for your pleasure." The bellhop opened a discreet panel on the wall. "You can find a list of options here, as well as a replication unit for intimate toys and apparel."

Emmy swallowed thickly, suddenly imagining Chigs's naked, muscular body lounging in the tub's warmth. Chigs's hand tightened around hers, and she glanced over to find him staring back at her with an intensity that sent a flood of heat between her legs. The ambient melody in the suite shifted subtly to a provocative beat.

The bellhop cleared his throat, repressing an obvious smile. "We hope you will leave the Starlight Resort feeling like you've experienced your own personal paradise." With a slight bow, he departed, footsteps quickly fading as he left the suite.

Mortified, Emmy pulled her hand free of Chigs's, heart pounding hard against her ribs. Get a hold of yourself, Emmy. The damned AI controlling the suite's settings was definitely primed for newlyweds, reacting to her mere thought about Chigs's physique. She was going to have to practice some serious mental control.

"I… um… I need some air," Chigs said in a low voice. Then he spun and strode from the washroom.

Emmy closed her eyes and tried to think about fluffy kittens or scrubbing toilets—anything but sex. But she couldn't scrub images of Chigs' naked, wet body from her mind. Groaning, she splashed cold water on her face and scrubbed it with a towel. This stay was going to be more complicated than she'd imagined.