“Don’t torture them, Dax. Or are you forgetting how hard we had to work to sneak away for our first date?” Trinity scolded, her voice light and full of laughter.
“Which first date?” Dax grinned and tugged his wife to his side so he could kiss her cheek.
“Both.”
“Good point.” Dax looked up, still grinning. “Let us know the time and place, and we’ll walk over with you, but I promise we’ll have separate tables.” He gave them an understanding look. “This protects both of you. I know it’s not ideal, but no one is going to complain if Trin and I are there, too.”
“I get it. I even appreciate what you’re doing. That doesn’t mean I like that it’s necessary,” Eric said.
Nyx interjected. “I don’t understand. I was told I could roam the station so long as I had a Nova Force member with me. Why do I need three of you to have dinner somewhere?” Now she was over her shock – she still wasn’t calling it panic – she was struggling to understand.
Eric grunted. “Dax and Trin aren’t there for you, starshine. They’ll be keeping tabs on me.”
“You? Why?”
Dante spoke. “Our benevolent overlords think Magi’s dangerous, too.”
“Of course he is, he’s one of us. We’re Nova Force. We’re supposed to be dangerous,” Aria said with pride.
“Is that so?” she asked.
Eric nodded, a hint of defiant pride in his gaze. “It is. I’ll tell you about it tonight. That is, if you’re still interested.”
She was more than interested. She was intrigued. “Just tell me when.”
“I’ll send someone over with the exact time once I’ve made reservations at a place I know. Good food. Nice music. I think you’ll like it.”
“I trust you.”
He beamed. “I’m honored. I promise, you’ll have fun tonight.”
“Okay.” She had no idea what fun was. Not really. But she was looking forward to finding out. And while they were enjoying themselves, she’d find out what she could about the investigation and why Eric’s own people didn’t completely trust him. It should be an interesting night.
Chapter Seven
Nyx finished off her workout, then returned to her rooms to shower. She’d already memorized the basic layout of Nova Force’s headquarters. There was an administration area, barracks, and a basic med-center. There were also common areas for meeting, exercise, and dining for those who wanted company while they ate.
The space was shared with the IAF. She’d learned enough about the Gray Men and the general instability of the Drift to know that the Intergalactic Armed Forces had moved a large number of soldiers into the area in an attempt to restore order to what had become a hotspot for intrigue and violence between the corporations. She’d seen dozens of soldiers and support staff since arriving on the station, but only a handful of civilians. Most of those had been doctors and technicians who were brought in to assess her implants and her health - both physical and mental.
Out of everyone she’d interacted with, the civilians had been the nicest. She’d been prepared to be treated like a test subject again, but it hadn’t been that way at all. There’d been no pain or degradation. Everyone had explained what they were doing, and why it was being done. One of them had even recommended several dishes from the food dispenser, including a savory steamed dumpling called jiaozi. They’d proven to be delicious, and she’d had them several times since. Now that she had more freedom, she really needed to find a way to thank Dr. Li for the recommendation.
Eric’s messenger didn’t take long to arrive. An hour after she’d left the gym, her door chimed, announcing she had a visitor.
“Who is it?” she called as she rose from her monitor. Eric had given her a list of books, vids, and articles he recommended, and she’d been working her way through them as a means of passing the time between tests and interrogations.
“I come bearing messages, and gifts.” A woman’s voice announced through the closed door. It was familiar, and it only took a second for Nyx to connect the voice pattern to a name.
“Dr. Li?” she opened the door, a simple act that declared her freedom every time she did it. Dr. Li was of less than average height, with dark hair touched with a few strands of silver and a warm, friendly smile.
“Hello, again. Eric asked me to come by. Your dinner is at eighteen-hundred hours tonight. He’ll be by to pick you up fifteen minutes before.” The woman raised her arms, indicating the two large bags she carried. “And I thought I might be able to help you find something to wear.”
“You know Eric? I mean, clearly you do, but I didn’t realize, and Eric didn’t say anything.” She stepped aside and gestured. “Come in.”
“Eric didn’t know I was one of the doctors brought in to assess you. Security protocols and all that. Trinity knew, though, and she updated him a little while ago. Oh, and please, call me Tyra. I’m not here in any official capacity.”
“And you’re willing to play messenger? I thought he’d send over one of the soldiers who’ve been escorting me around the base.”
Tyra beamed and waved a golden-skinned hand. “It was no trouble. Dante and I are in the family quarters just down that way.”
“You’re Daisy! I didn’t realize.”
Tyra nodded. “I couldn’t tell you before, protocol again. But now you’ve been cleared, I wanted to come by and say hello.” She set down the bags. “I’m so glad they found you.”
“Me, too.” The silence stretched out after that as she struggled to come up with something else to say. Social niceties were not something she had much practice with, but she wanted to acknowledge Tyra’s kindness. “Oh! I meant to thank you for the dumpling recommendation. They really are delicious. I’ve had them for several meals.”
“Delicious and high calorie. Which is exactly what you need. I’m glad you liked them.”
“I did.” Silence fell again.
This time, it was Tyra who broke it. She opened her arms and moved closer. “I’d like to hug you. Would that be okay?”
“Hug me? Why?”
“Because I think you could use one.”
She nodded, and a second later Tyra had her arms wrapped around her in a gentle hug. The other woman didn’t quite reach her shoulder, so Nyx ended up draping her arms awkwardly over Tyra’s shoulders to hug her back. It was nice. Warm and gentle, and she uttered a small sigh that left her feeling more relaxed.
“I was right. You needed a hug.” Tyra gave her a final squeeze, then stepped back. “I know what it’s like to be out of your element and dependant on strangers.”
“You do? But you’re a doctor. You’ve got Dante and…” She raised her hands, trying to encompass the size of the world Tyra lived in. “All this.”
“And when I met Dante the first time, I was running for my life, scared, hungry, and alone. Hiding from the bastards who killed my medical team. If it weren’t for Nico and his friends taking me in, if Dante hadn’t found us, my story would have ended quite differently.”