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“Akiyra, we must get a few things for the common room. How you have lived for six years on that neutral tin can I cannot understand!” Tobis chastises.
“Hey! I don’t spend my time there so why bother.”
The look Tobis gives her has me chuckling.
“Fine, Diva, you can have your way with the common room.” Akiyra smiles at him. Tobis has that effect on everyone he meets, putting them at ease and somehow getting what he wants.
“Oh, this will be so fun!” Tobis jumps up clapping. “I know just what we need.” He pulls Akiyra to a stand, looping his arm with hers, leading us down the street to a shop that advertised items for the home.
Twenty minutes later, Tobis has a cart full of things for the ship.
Wandering through the space I see a pillow that catches my eyes. Picking it up, I take it over to where Tobis is discussing something with Akiyra. “How about this for the couch?”
Tobis looks at it with an expression of horror, “Stay in your lane, Bro.”
I look at him and then down at the pillow in my hand. “What is wrong with this?” I ask. I love vibrant colors, and the common area needs something.
“Nothing is wrong with it unless you want us all hurling as we tumble through space. Put it in your room, but it clashes with my scheme.”
Biting my tongue, I glare at him, “Who put a tiara on your head and made you queen bee?”
He fixes the set of the invisible tiara, preening. “Akiyra did. And if you had a lick of sense, you would have me help you!”
Fists balled I look at him and bite out, “What. Is. Wrong. With. Me?”
“Oh nothing, but no girl will ever look at a slouch. Those pants are too loose, that shirt hides all those beautiful muscles. A girl or a guy wants to see what they are shopping for. In bed, surprises are anything but good, at least those kinds of surprises.”
I glare at him, “Fine! Can we hurry this up? This is my life, and it's ending one moment at a time. And you're wasting it shopping.
“Tobis, I think he has a point. We have more than enough now and you won’t want to miss the stores on Zanthia,” Akiyra places her hand on Tobis’ arm.
Rolling his eyes, Tobis agrees and we make our way out to the main street.
Jax jogs up to us. “Hey, I found Deathwish Java. You have to see this place. It is JavaNirvana.”
We follow him to a small building that has windows open on all sides. A bar sits under the windows, with stools for patrons. The menu behind the bar has my taste buds drooling.
“Is Huckleberry here?” Akiyra asks the worker, his long blue hair braided into dreads,
“Yeah sweet lady,” he turns to bellow, “Huck! Mon sweet for you.”
Akiyra glares at the young man, who gives her a cheeky smile. “What can I get for you, mon sweet?”
“Bembe, leave her alone.” A tall, muscular man walks up, his skin almost the same color of the dark rich stained wood of the bar. Where the guys and I are fit with sleek muscles reminiscent of jungle cats or swimmers, Huckleberry is the beefy muscle of someone who's spent their life lifting heavy items. I would have to say he looks more like an ursalynx. “What can I do for you?
“Jonah sent us, he said that Huckleberry would be able to supply us with some Edetraxi Java.”
“Oh did he now.” The man smiles, “Well you’ve come to the right place. We will get you set up. How many in your party and how many days traveling?”
Akiyra gives him all the information he needs. “Bembe, get the lady and her gents drinks, on the house. A friend of Jonah is a friend of mine. I will be back with your drink.”
“Akiyra, did you see the menu?” I ask her, not able to decide what to order. I love my Edetraxi. But some of the java here is beyond imagination, and some make me want to puke. Who the hell ever thought of brewing coffee from bird crap?
“Yes, I am going to have Bembe surprise me,” she looks at Bembe with a raised eyebrow. He nods at her.
“Same. Gimme your best shot.” I turn to see where the other guys are. Tobis is leaning against the bar. His skinny pants and partially unbuttoned top look as if he was going to one of the higher end bars on Xistrosie, not shopping in Xislunia.
A girl that I wouldn’t mind getting to know is standing extremely close to him, whispering something in his ear, her hand on his chest. He slaps her away, “sorry chickee, I don’t swing that way unless you’re paying. Now have a brother and I might be free.”
She sneers at him, pulling her hand away. “I wouldn’t introduce you to my brother if you were the only being on the planet.”
“His loss, chickee. Not all can be this fabulous. I can swizzle like no tomorrow on the dance floor and when I am ready, I can take him to places no man or woman has taken him before.”
The look on her face would freeze a Norditian tit if it weren’t already frozen. She spins and walks away. I look over at Akiyra, but she only has eyes for Tobis. Seeing the pity in Akyra’s eyes at the girl’s callous attitude makes me want to run after her, grab the pert little ponytail that bounces with each step and drag her back to apologize.
I sense Tobis’ eyes on us. Swallowing my feelings, I look at him, praying he can’t see my pity. If nothing else, he still has his pride.
“Don’t! One day I will find my warrior in plaid. Until then I am happy with the occasional sport and being with my family.”
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