As she wished?
“Fine, I wish to have my quarters now and I wish to have my clothes.” She glared at Kede and then rethought what she’d said. “No, I want clothes first. I’m not gonna trudge all over this ship with my ass hanging out for everyone to see.”
Kede paled, his lips pressing together until they almost disappeared from view and she realized she’d pissed him off. Again. “No one will look upon you.”
“I know.” She slowly nodded her head. “That’s the point. I want my clothes and I want space that belongs to me.”
Space where she can let go and have a nice pity party before she had to figure out which way was up. Being on a spaceship, she figured that’d take her a little while. What would happen if they lost gravity?
She also wanted alcohol. She wondered if the Doshans had alcohol and if it was safe for Terrans to drink.
“The warriors are establishing your quarters,” he pushed past his compressed lips. “As for coverings… Ambassador Martins is the only other female on the ship and her clothing is not adequately sized for your body.”
The truth hurt. It wasn’t like she didn’t know she was the chubby chick, but hearing “adequately sized” wasn’t all that fun.
She’d remember that term when it came time to tell the big dumb alien that he wasn’t adequately sized. Not that she’d ever have the chance to see anything of his that needed size commentary.
Like his alien penis.
Penis was a funny Terran word.
Peee… Niiisss…
What kind of drugs did they give her?
She needed to get back to the clothing thing. Male members could be thought of later. In the dark.
“Okay, I understand that Martins and I aren’t the same size, but what about my clothes? I mean, the pantyhose are probably a bust, but I can wiggle back into my skirt and tug on my blouse without a problem. And hey, panties would be great, too.” She even managed to finish off her sentence with only a hint of sarcasm.
When he didn’t pale further, she figured she’d been successful. Then again, maybe he couldn’t get any paler.
“Your clothing,” glowing eyes met hers for a brief moment before he focused on the wall. “Your clothing was destroyed. The warriors have been ordered to go to your home and acquire your belongings but they have not yet left.”
Joyce heard the words. All of them, even. And yet… “My clothing was destroyed? The stuff I wore on Terra before you kidnapped me and then while you kidnapped me and that I was still wearing when you took me to medical and did not probe me. Those clothes?” Her heart raced, thundering and fighting to burst free. A mixture of fear and rage took over her tongue. “And how the fuck did I end up naked?”
Damn, it felt good to get that out. She even managed to hang on to her sheet as she got her hatefire on. Score one for Joyce!
“I…” Kede released a long, low breath and rubbed his hand over his face in frustration. A soft ding cut off whatever he was gonna say and rather than answer her, he tipped his head back and growled. “Identify.”
“Ambassador Haspava and Preparer Yare.” The growling man who spoke seemed just as annoyed as Kede.
At least she wasn’t the only one pissed off. They had a cranky pants party quickly forming.
Kede narrowed his eyes, attention going from her face to the sheet and back again. “Cover yourself.”
“Yes,” she drawled. “That’s so easy to do without clothes. Lemme hop right on that.”
He didn’t quit squinting at her. Whatever. She was owed a bitchfest at this point.
The low tone came again and he roared a single word. “Enter.”
The door parted, gray panels retreating into the wall, and revealed two males waiting in the hallway. She recognized the guy on the left. She’d “met” him on Terra. He still wore the robes of a Planetary Collective ambassador and she was jealous of his clothes. She’d be covered head to toe if she had one of those. And, hey, she was “allegedly” an ambassador, right? She wondered how she could score…
“Joyce Enner, this is Ambassador Haspava.” The commander gestured to the man on the left. At least she had a name to go along with the face. “He is also one of my oldest friends. If you have a need and cannot locate me, you can turn to Hassee for assistance.”
“Why is she unclothed?” Hassee voiced the question she’d been repeating.
Maybe Kede would answer now.
“And this is Yare. Another trusted male. He is our chief preparer.” Kede gestured to the male on the right.
Nope, not answering.
“Comm searched your antiquated banking systems to determine your meal and shopping preferences. I feel confident I can recreate your favorite ham-bur-gur.” Yare smiled at her and she realized preparer meant chef. Maybe.
Then the rest sorta rolled through her mind. “Wait a sec. You went through my records? You dug…”
She wasn’t gonna turn into a raving bitch. She wasn’t gonna turn into a…
Okay, she was.
“Kede?”
“Yes, Joyce?” Oh, he sounded way too calm.
“Is there anything your people haven’t violated? You’ve taken me, stripped me, violated my digital life, and—oh yeah—you’re going to pack up my apartment.”
Kede remained quiet for a moment, his brow furrowed in concentration. It was not good news if he had to think about it this long. Not good at all.
“You were not probed,” he pointed out.
“I…” She shook her head. “I don’t even know what to say to that.”
“May we return to the topic of Ambassador Enner’s coverings?” Hassee repeated his inquiry.
“I attempted to make her comfortable. I determined that was best accomplished by removal.” Kede crossed his arms over his chest as if he dared anyone to comment on his choices.
Oh, she was so commenting. All about the commenting. “Removal… You didn’t think stripping me was its own form of violation? Hot or not, getting naked is the chick’s choice on Terra. Just because you’re sexy doesn’t mean you can go taking off a woman’s clothes when she’s unconscious.”
“It was for your comfort,” he snapped back.
Joyce took a deep, calming breath. It was water under the bridge and she’d just make sure she didn’t pass out in his presence again. She had to pick her alien battles. “Fine. I want them back and then I want to be shown to my room.”
Kede’s face flushed and he turned his attention to the floor while he rubbed the back of his neck. Embarrassment. He was embarrassed.
“It was best to remove them as quickly as possible. I will remind you I believed you were uncomfortable.” He nodded as if that meant anything to her.
“Kede?” Yare’s gaze went from her to Kede. Huh, he was a quiet one. She’d almost forgotten he was in the room. “Tell me you did not.”
“It was expedient,” Kede countered.
“Kede,” Yare’s gaze was chiding.
“It was for—”
“You should not have—”
Hassee got in on the fun. “Only if medically—”
“I felt it was.”
Joyce stuck two fingers in her mouth and released a high-pitched whistle, drawing the attention of all three males. Once they looked at her, she withdrew them from between her lips. “Someone wanna explain in teeny tiny words?”
Kede squirmed, Yare glared at Kede, and Hassee finally answered. “Kede used his blade.”
“I felt it was medically necessary,” Kede grumbled.
“And you did not feel Resane, our chief medico would have removed them had it been medically necessary?” Hassee’s words were firm, the syllables revealing his growing agitation.
“Blade?” Blade. Blade. Blade. “You took a knife to my clothes? I twitch in my sleep.” She took a calming breath. “You could have stabbed me and then we’d be talking about more medical necessities.” She took in another heave and pressed her free hand to her chest, urging her heart to slow. “Do you people not know of safety scissors? You could have cut off something important!”
Like her nipples. Not that she needed them or anything. They were good for sexytimes and feeding babies. Since she didn’t imagine either happening anytime soon, it wasn’t an immediate big deal, but… but God gave ’em to her for a reason and she didn’t want to lose them because some alien wanted to see her girl parts.
“Safety scissors?” Kede cut into her I wanna keep my nipples inner dialogue.
“You know what?” She sliced her hand through the air. “It doesn’t matter. None of this does. I’ll have clothing once your guys get back with my things. For now, I need a copy of the Terran-Doshan handbook and privacy.”
It was Hassee’s turn to squirm. “There is a small issue with your belongings.”
Joyce closed her eyes. Considering his body language and tone, she wasn’t gonna like what he had to say. “And what problem is that?”
“I was informed by your Director Wardsen that Terran ambassadors relinquish their belongings upon entry to the program. They are provided with all they require.”
“I’m sure I don’t want the answer to this question, but break down what that means.” The words were hoarse and strangled, but she couldn’t have sounded confident and calm had her life depended on it.
“They have denied our petition to retrieve your items. They cited the possibility of contamination should items not provided by the base enter our ship.”
“What about,” she opened her eyes and glared at Kede before closing them again. “What about what I was wearing when I was brought aboard? That didn’t contaminate anything.”
“That question resulted in silence. They are not relenting on this, Ambassador Enner.”
“Of course they’re not.” She shook her head. “I fucked with the program. Wardsen is probably pissed that you snatched his secretary, a program reject. Oh, he’s loving this,” she mumbled the last sentence. “Fine. Whatever. I’ll deal with this. I need the Terran-Doshan ambassador brief and privacy.”
“As you wish.” Hassee’s words were smooth and firm and he glared at Kede as he said them.
Kede looked as if he’d happily slit his friend’s throat.
Yare looked as if he’d break out into loud laughs any moment.
If she hadn’t been stolen, stripped, and had her life snatched from her, she’d chuckle along with him.
But she had. So she didn’t.
“This way, Ambassador Enner.” Hassee gestured toward the door. “I will escort you.”
“Her lodgings are not complete,” Kede returned.
“They were finalized as Yare and I waited for entrance. Resane indicated she would awaken and need feeding.” —Joyce wasn’t addressing the fact that the word “feeding” made her think of cows mooing for grain.— “Yare has prepared a Terran meal and it has been placed in her new quarters.” Hassee’s words were smooth. “I overrode your request for a connecting door though she is in the next room since her presence may cause disruption.” Hassee focused on her. “I understand that today has been… trying and you may object to his closeness due to your method of arrival. But he is the ship’s commander. The warriors will abide by his wishes and your closeness to him will halt any who may be motivated to bend their orders.”
Joyce did not like the sound of that. “Bend their orders?”
“Until certain aspects of your presence are untangled,” Hassee shot Kede a glare, “they have been directed to retain their distance.”
She kept the sheet secure around her and rubbed her forehead with her free hand. “Untangled?”
“Yes, Terra has requested you be returned.”
Oh, hell no.
She shook her head. “No, I’m not happy about being here, but I won’t return to the surface. If you can’t allow me to act as an ambassador, I’ll do something else. Anything else.”
“Anything?” Kede’s voice was deep and sexy and she really hated that a single purr had her thinking about solid surface and how much weight it could hold.
She was mad at him, dammit.
“No, I’ll do anything, but I won’t do that.”
“Come, Ambassador Enner. If you wish to stay, the Vehly welcomes your presence.” Hassee stepped aside and gestured toward the doorway. “I will obtain a download of Terra’s training manual and you can begin your studies at your leisure. There are no other Choosings scheduled for two months.”
Joyce stepped forward and then immediately shuffled backward. “And clothing?”
“And clothing. You will have to resign yourself to warrior garb for now and appropriate coverings will be obtained.” Hassee’s voice was coaxing and soothing and she realized he was probably working his negotiating ambassador mojo on her.
Good thing she didn’t care.
A private place. Clothes. Food. God, she was such a stress eater and she prayed they had ice cream. Or chocolate. Or anything loaded with sugar and caffeine. The longer she was on the Vehly, the less she cared how her comfort foods entered her.
Nodding, she shuffled forward, careful to keep the sheet tight against her body. She tugged it closer, wrapping and tucking as she moved. She didn’t want to expose herself any more than necessary. It didn’t matter that Kede had seen everything already. The point was he wouldn’t see it again.
Unless he apologized and made her life on the Vehly a little better.
It didn’t take long to travel the handful of feet to her new quarters. The biopad beneath her feet was soft and comfortable against her soles. She did not miss her shoes quite so much. Hell, she might decide to go barefoot whenever she could.
Hassee paused beside the door and a wave of his hand had a pad sliding from the wall. He pressed a few buttons and then turned to her. “Place your palm here. It will code the room to you and will only grant officers and myself access.”
Yeah, she was good with being able to lock her room up, but the officers…
“You can’t limit access any further? I mean, I know you, Kede, Yare, and Resane. I’m not a big fan of Kede at the moment,” she was not ruling out future fangirling of the large, gorgeous male. “But everyone? That’s just…” She shuddered, thinking of all the things that could happen to a woman on a starship with two thousand males. “How many officers do you have?”
Hassee frowned and Yare answered, “Four hundred thirty-seven including Ambassador Martins and excluding yourself.”
So, four hundred thirty-six horny guys with access to her space. “Yeah, that’s too many.” She refocused on Hassee. “You, Yare, Resane, and Kede. I don’t even want him to have access, but he’s the big guy here. As long as you can promise he won’t enter without permission…” At Hassee’s nod, she continued. “Then you four are it.”
“It is for your protection, Ambassador Enner.” Yare’s soothing voice reached her and she fought her irritation.
“Look, I get where you’re coming from, but look at it from my perspective for a minute. I wasn’t prepared to come here and do this job. I wasn’t prepared to wake up naked after being stripped by your ship’s commander. So, for this, I want four people to have access. That’s it.”
Yare opened his mouth as if to protest again, but Hassee spoke over the male. “As you wish, Ambassador Enner.”
“But Hassee—” Yare objected.
“The Doshans adhere to a female’s wish as long as it does not hinder or harm our efforts to protect her.” Hassee’s words whipped through the air and she released the breath she hadn’t realized she held. “Now, Ambassador Enner, please place your palm on the pad and then we shall leave you.”
Leave her? As in alone? Hell, sign her up for that.
She reached forward and placed her hand where he indicated and a soft ding filled the air. That was immediately followed by the doors parting for them. She carefully stepped into her new home, easing through the doorway and into the space that’d be hers for… however long.
Joyce was faced with more gray. More and more and more gray. And it didn’t seem like she’d be able to spruce up the place since Terra wouldn’t allow the Doshans to retrieve her belongings.
Yare and Hassee followed her inside. Yare directed her toward a small table and chair that held a large tray. He explained the heating elements that had kept the food warm while she’d been absent. He also went over what’d been prepared for her.
It didn’t look half bad. Well, some of it anyway. It didn’t look like the man had a good grasp of pizza, but the chicken soup looked okay.
“If it is not to your liking, please let me know and I shall look for appropriate resi-pees.” The Terran word on his Doshan tongue sounded odd, but she got the point.
“Are you the only one who cooks? I mean, I assume you cook-cook and don’t just use a generator to make all this stuff.” She gestured toward the food.
“I am the Chief Preparer.” He drew himself up to his full height, chest puffed out. “When we are in orbit and have access, I prepare the ship’s meals. I can obtain whatever you desire.”
She desired doing something other than studying the Doshan handbook and hiding from the males on the ship. “Could you use help?”
Yare frowned. “Help?”
“Yeah, you know, help. I’ve worked at restaurants as a waitress. A short order cook a time or two. And I’ve been cooking for myself since I was kicked out of foster care. I mean, nothing fancy, but I can. If no one else is coming on board for two months…” Shock and disgust painted Yare’s features and she realized her dreams of being more than a lump on a log was quickly disappearing. “Never mind.”
Joyce took a deep breath and pasted a smile on her face as she spoke to Hassee. “Thank you for showing me to my quarters. If you just show me how to access the Doshan guidebook and let me know when I can expect clothing, I’ll let you both get back to your jobs.”
“Ambassador Enner…” Hassee furrowed his brow and she realized he’d been calling her by her “title” and she hadn’t been doing the same.
Breach of etiquette and policy number one. Hell, who was she kidding, she was sure that once she dug into the guide, she’d discover she violated a hundred rules.
Maybe they’d shoot her out of an airlock rather than return her to the planet’s surface. It would be a quicker death.
“I apologize for being short with you, Ambassador Haspava. I look forward to reading the guide and ensuring I learn the proper way to interact with the Doshan males. The last thing I want to do is cause greater disturbance.”
There, that had to be all politically correct and shit. Er, stuff.
Yare frowned, Hassee—Ambassador Haspava—narrowed his eyes, and Joyce wondered what she’d done now.
“As you wish, Ambassador Enner.” Hassee tilted his head in acknowledgement and turned toward the door. He paused just before he exited, steps stuttering, and then turned back to her. “Communications located the Terran-Doshan guide. He indicated there were a few inconsistencies, but not enough to cause problems. I shall show you how to access the information and then leave you to your studies.”
Studies. Great.
But it was this or her head being blown off.
Kede fought his desires to follow Joyce and simply stood beside his door, waiting for his fellow officers—and friends—to return.
The waiting would destroy him. Then again, Hassee and Yare may simply separate his head from his body and save the council or Planetary Collective the trouble.
He was sure Yare and Hassee noted the same problem as he, but he would let the two males point out the obvious rather than bring it to their attention.
A soft ding announced their request for entrance and he immediately granted it. “Enter.”
Hassee was the first through the door, his rage palpable and growing with each breath. Kede braced himself for the attack. He’d purposefully left himself unarmed. He would not test the darkness in his friend’s heart.
Hassee came after him with fists, pouncing and pinning Kede in one sweep.
He still did not counter the male’s moves. The arm across his throat was expected. It would weaken him while also ensuring his attention. If Hassee had words of Joyce, he would not let his focus stray, even without the forearm holding him captive.
“You are not fit to lead this ship,” Hassee hissed and Kede could not disagree. “Do you know what you’ve done? What you’ve jeopardized? We have been walking upon a rope and you hold the heated blade against it.”
Kede’s lungs burned and begged for air, his body fighting his desire to remain passive. If his friend sent him to the bright light for his actions, so be it.
His cawk led him astray and consigned Joyce to… he would not think on it, he would not speak the words. For now, the only parties aware of her status were the three males in the room and Resane. He was doubly thankful the medico had dispensed with his assistant for Joyce’s exam.
The medico stated Terrans required pry-va-see during examinations.
Kede was not one to disagree.
Hassee’s weight faltered and sweet air filled his body. It was enough to keep him conscious should the male press hard once again. His friend jerked again and he dimly realized Yare was removing the ambassador from Kede.
“Hassee, you’re not allowed to kill him. It would upset his House. They would have to suffer through his younger brother being Holder of House and the boy still has not earned his blades.” Yare did have a point. He hoped Hassee would listen.
Kede did not want to die today. Not when it meant all his property would go to his younger brother and that… included Joyce. His gut clenched, a pack of futhide trampling his insides.
Hassee spat and jumped away from Kede in a rush. “You live only because I would not wish your brother on your House or Ambassador Enner.” His friend pinched the bridge of his nose. “How could you do such a thing, Kede? I have done nothing but smooth frustrated tempers since you left the surface. The squawking director demands her return.”
“No,” Kede snarled.
Hassee gave him a flat look. “It is not up to you.”
“I claimed her.”
“And I can take her back. Fortunately for you, she wishes to remain on the ship though the bright light alone understands her reasoning,” Hassee drawled.
Kede rolled to his feet and rose to his full height. “She believes me to be sexy.”
“And I believe you to be dumber than Dosha’s dirt, but that does not make it so.”
Kede ignored Hassee and looked to Yare. “Is she well in her quarters?”
“Yes,” he nodded. “And no.”
Kede frowned. “I do not understand.”
Yare raised his eyebrows. “Neither does she.”
“I don’t…”
Yare sighed. “Kede, when do you pluck loshee from the tree?”
Now Kede sighed. Yare and his preparer analogies. “I do not know, Yare. Perhaps you should tell me and save us time.”
“When it has been prepared. When it has grown and flourished and become what we best need. Then it is removed and presented.” Yare must have seen Kede’s confusion. “Kede, she was not ready. She was never prepared. It is as if you took a loshee seed and presented it to the world as a fit meal. You believe it to be perfect while the rest of Dosha believes you took one too many blades to the head. And even still, you ask us to pretend it is not a loshee seed that you own.”
Kede bristled. “I am Kede Tria, Commander of the Vehly and Holder of my House. I have never taken more than—”
Yare threw his hands in the air. “Hassee, you tell him.”
Hassee would not meet his gaze. “You have destroyed the life she knew, Kede Tria.” His friend said Kede’s name as if it were a curse. “And now we must teach her how to live in a world she never imagined.”
“She is intelligent. She will learn.” Kede pushed on, attempting to convince himself he had not damaged her beyond repair.
“How do you know this? The director tells me she is only trained on the most menial tasks and those were difficult for her,” Hassee countered.
Kede shook his head. “You know the director lies. He has two mouths.” He grimaced. “He is worse than our own high council.”
“Oh, we will not mention our high council,” Hassee warned him.
“Yare,” he turned to his other friend. “I will ask Resane of her health and intelligence, but what do you see when you look upon Joyce?”
Kede ignored Hassee’s glare when he referred to Joyce as, well, Joyce. Yare was the closest thing to a caretaker that a warrior could be. Warriors were trained from the age of eight with a singular purpose. Once that schooling was at an end and positions were assigned, some males laid down their blades and accepted other duties. Yare would deny it to his last breath, but Kede knew the male enjoyed preparing foods for other warriors.
“I believe the director has an incorrect assessment of her. She did not hesitate to make demands for her safety and seemed to understand my instructions regarding her sustenance.” Yare looked to Hassee. “She asked questions about the system’s operation, but she was able to perform the functions you showed her.” At Hassee’s nod, Yare continued. “She does not seem, as the Terrans say, stupid.”
“Then she is not.” Kede looked to Hassee.
“No, she is not.” The ambassador sighed. “That does not change the fact that she is designated as your property, Kede. She cannot retain that status.”
He knew that. The words did not need to be repeated to him. She could remain his property or she could… leave him.
Kede did not believe he could let her go. Not when his body craved her. Not when he looked at her and saw a future he’d never dared think, even in his dreams.