She thought it would take a while to become acclimated when she first arrived here. Instead, she’d been drawn in and welcomed immediately. There were soldiers she’d helped, coworkers she’d supported and medics who’d taught her new skills because of their generous nature.
The friendships made, though casual, were new to her and appreciated in a way she could never have guessed. Close relationships of any nature were to be carefully cultivated in her world. Trusting others too soon often resulted in betrayal.
No one at CV-8 seemed concerned about traitors, though. Her lips tightened and irrational anger flared. They were foolish. Her attack in the stairway proved security measures weren’t enough. There were always vulnerable holes.
She drummed her fingers on the table. It shouldn’t be her concern if they didn’t see it. Being here weakened her. The longer she stayed the more she was drawn into the lives of others.
It was already going to be harder to leave than she’d thought and now there was Bane. Her nipples tightened as soon as his name whispered through her mind. Longing crested, but she pointlessly tried to beat it back. Because of him, she wanted to be touched and held. All unknown desires prior to his coming here. Bane Hardusho was not someone she could plan for and whether he walked or not, he would be leaving soon as well.
Dharma pressed a hand to her chest as if she could physically ease an ache that was only real in her head. Physical attraction was a weakness. There would be no one like Bane in her future. Someone with his level of honor and military background wouldn’t even consider her as an ideal match.
What did Enotians call their life partners? Chosens. Bane would one day have a Chosen and give the mystery woman the full force of his love and affection. If it were anything like the tiny slivers of attention he’d given her, then the woman would be lucky.
Another sharp stab of pain in her chest. She ruthlessly squashed the sensation. Who Bane decided to spend his life with didn’t matter. She’d promised long ago to have no regrets and make no promises until she was free.
“Dharma! I didn’t know you were eating alone, or I would have joined you sooner.”
She glanced up as Caris scooted back a chair and joined her. The tray in her hand clattered as she set it on the table next to Dharma’s discarded meal.
“How is your day going? Did you know Captain Katuli is leaving us today?”
The captain had arrived at CV-8 after losing her right arm from the elbow down. The medics fitted her with one of the latest gauntlet models containing several hand and grip modifications to suit her needs. Her leave was up and her presence was requested by her home’s ruling government. She was eager to return. They needed her to finish negotiating a peace treaty between two rival territories, who’d fought and caused the captain’s life-changing injury.
“I’m happy for her,” Dharma said.
Caris nodded and started on the food on her tray. As she nibbled, she sent Dharma a smug grin. “Did you hear about the patient in 716?”
She’d been pretty busy all day going from one appointment to the next and assisting Medic Tao on two surgeries. There had been no time for gossip or news. “What happened?”
716 was the room separated on the end of that wing. Sedation and other drugs didn’t work on the patient, so only a few had access to work with him as he recovered from his injuries.
“They tried different drugs to see if they could put him under for the procedure he needs. It gave him hallucinations and he destroyed the equipment in his room and injured three security members before being restrained.”
Dharma shook her head. Caris seemed amused. The patient needed to be sent back to his home world, where they were equipped to handle his particular requirements. Hopefully, this incident convinced them. He was no longer critical after his transport crash and would be fine to recover among his kind.
Laughter mixed with lighter giggles carried through the door. Dharma turned at the sound. The door swung open, admitting Reika with Teyla close on her heels. They sat across from one another, crowding around the four seat table. Reika pulled out a bunch of fruit and vegetables in portable recycling containers and Teyla unwrapped a sandwich that caused Dharma’s stomach to growl.
Teyla smiled and using a bit of the wrapping, slid a section of the sandwich to Dharma. “Try it.”
Dharma bit into it tentatively and was pleasantly surprised. She ate while the women chattered about patients good, bad and ugly. Teyla munched on a handful of green nuts and pointed at Dharma. “Are you going to make a move on the patient in 801?”
Dharma cringed. Reika snickered and Caris pinned Dharma with an unerring stare.
“Make a move?” she stalled.
Teyla added some nuts to the empty wrapper piece in front of Dharma. “Yes. I think he likes you.”
Dharma’s mood darkened. Bane didn’t even know her. None of them did. “He doesn’t like me.”
“Maybe you’ve missed the signs,” Caris added. She finished her meal and leaned an elbow on the table and cupped her chin as she directed her next question to Teyla. “Do you think Jutak Hardusho is interested in Dharma?”
Stomach rolling, Dharma planted her hands on the edge of the table to push away and up. Why was Caris so intent on knowing if Bane and she were attracted to one another? It wasn’t against code if both parties mutually agreed. Dharma wasn’t a full medic who operated alone and she wasn’t his rehab specialist though she’d helped on occasion.
“There’s something, but I can’t be sure,” Teyla answered off-handedly.
Reika’s smile was kind. “He’s always sweet to you, Dharma. You have to admit he doesn’t treat the rest of us to his gentle side.”
They all groaned in commiseration before laughing at the truth of it.
Nerves tight, she forced out an awkward chuckle. “Well, I don’t know about all of that. He’s definitely dealing with a lot right now.”
Caris studied her across the table. A flicker of something dark flickered in her gaze. Her smile took a bitter edge. “Maybe I’m mistaken and you don’t mean anything to him.”
Dharma flinched. Caris’ smile stretched wider and Dharma couldn’t say why it bothered her.
Chapter 8
Dharma forced herself to walk slowly down the stairs, each step landing with a determined swish on the floor. Though surveillance cameras had been installed, she remained cautious, always looking out for her mystery attacker who hadn’t yet been discovered.
Her shadowy image bounced on the walls, casting eerie reflections. Fear hovered on the edges of her mind, but the news she’d received last night via comm outweighed any worry. She hit the second floor with a strong sense of relief and pushed open the door.
Her pace quickened as she hurried through the hall, nodding at familiar faces who called out to her but didn’t stop. She couldn’t. After spending a restless night tossing in bed, Reika’s comm to notify her about the good news was a timely distraction. There hadn’t been a lot of details, but what the female shared shocked Dharma.
It had been almost a week since she’d seen Bane. A week since he’d threatened to shut down an entire station because she’d been harmed by someone attempting to get information about him.