Angela Verdenius (6 page)

Everyone in the room started, alarmed and surprised.

“Does that shock you?” She shrieked.  “Tough shit!  I’m a human being, you didn’t think about me, what my past means to me!  My life!  It may mean bugger all to you lot, but it’s mine!   You don’t care how I feel!”

“We can’t change it, anyway.”  The General obviously thought he was being reasonable, but boy, did she have news for him.

“It isn’t for you to change!” she roared.  “You jerk-off, low-life, lemon-sucking arses!”

She swung around and stormed for the door.  Amirov took one step towards her, his eyes steely in warning, and she shoved a finger towards him.  “You stay out of my way, arsehole!  I’m so mad I could rip your nuts off!  Bugger off, all of you!  Leave me alone!”

He must have seen something in her eyes, because he actually stepped back and let her through the door.  The two soldiers waiting outside fell into step behind her.  She’d ignored them, just as she ignored the surprised gazes of all the calm humanoids living on the bloody Research Space Station.  Oh yes, they’d have all remembered her, even if her own brain had been wiped clean.  Oh, the freaking nerve of them all!

She wished she could have slammed the door to her room, but the mongrel thing slid quietly shut behind her.  Crossing to her bunk, she’d lain down and bawled her eyes out.

Yep, when Molly got mad, she swore and bawled.  Oh no, she couldn’t be all calm and icy like Captain freakin’ Amirov, no, she had to bawl like a baby.

And she was scared.

Now it was night time.  She’d refused to leave the cabin, refused to see Dr Surnace and Cali.  She refused to see Amirov.  She refused to see the bloody General who’d actually come to see her.

They could all go to Hell.

Especially Amirov.  She’d known he didn’t really like her, but with him she’d felt totally betrayed.

The first chance she got, Molly vowed, she was leaving.  Except she had no freaking place to go.  And that made her sniffle all the more.

~*~

Cujo blinked twice when the short, curvy cutie stormed past him, yelling to the General and all the other big nobs standing with him gaping after her, to go and do something to themselves that was physically impossible for anyone but the Horitiexens.

Even more fascinating was Amirov’s face.  He’d looked thunderous, then confused, and finally regained his impassive, granite-hard features.  That steely gaze had actually grown stormy for mere seconds – but stormy they had grown, no doubt about it.

The only thing more fascinating was the presence of the short, curvy cutie amongst all the tall, elegant people staring after her. 
Such fire.  Such passion!
  His interest was pricked.  He watched until she disappeared, still ranting and raving, around the corner of the corridor, the two soldiers marching after her.

Soldiers marching after her?  Well, she was either a VIP or someone dangerous.  Amirov didn’t look worried, but then he never did, so that was nothing to go by.  The General was scratching his head while the Major and the Colonel were openly bewildered and disapproving all at once.

“What, exactly, does this ‘screw’ word mean?” The General turned to Amirov. 

“I don’t know, but I’ll find out,” the ever earnest Captain replied dutifully.

Nothing ever changed with him, then.  Cujo grinned.  Now all he had to do was a little snooping to discover where and what the treasure was, and the Narc Military’s interest in it.

Running his hand through his hair, he picked up pace and strode down the corridor as though it belonged to him.

Which it sort of did.  In a way.  Depending on how one looked at it.  He laughed softly.

~*~

Narc Section Five

Deep Space

Repulsaen Space Ship

“The female is to be captured at all costsssss.”  The lithe figure in the dark cloak swayed side to side.  “Hurry.  Hurry.”

“We go as fassst asss we can, Priesstesss.” 

“Time isss of the esssenccce, Regor.”

“I underssstand!” he snapped.

There was a horrified silence.  Regor glanced around, his tongue flickering out nervously. 

“It isssss sssstarting.”  Rainus moaned.  “It will get worsssse!”

Trying to ignore Rainus, Regor turned back to the window.  The human female had to be captured, studied, and disposed of as fast as possible.  Even if it meant… he shied away from the word.  It would be a suicide mission.

Then again, the Repulsaen race was doomed anyway if the female lived.  Suicide mission or not, she must be captured at once.

~*~

Narc Military Research Space Station

Narc Section Five

Deep Space

Cujo had the pleasure of meeting the curvy cutie while he was having a meal with the Major in the dining room.  He glanced up to see her being escorted to the very table at which he was sitting.  Amirov was walking beside her, his face impassive, but Cujo didn’t miss the tic in his jaw.  Something had annoyed the impervious captain, and if he hazarded a guess, he would bet it was the curvy cutie.

Sitting opposite him, she glanced up.

He smiled widely.  “I’m Cujo.”

Startled, she blinked at him.  “What?”

“Cujo.  Me.”  He lightly slapped his chest.  “Cujo.”

Amirov, who had sat in the chair by her side, stiffened, his cool gaze falling on Cujo before flicking a glance at the Major.

The Major didn’t look happy. 
Tough shit
.  There was treasure somewhere and Cujo was going to sniff it out, but meanwhile there was a little mystery to clear up. 

And what a curvy, cutie mystery it was.  He grinned widely at her.

The curvy cutie smiled widely back, pure delight sparkling in her eyes.

Whoa.  He hadn’t seen so much emotion aboard this Research Station since…well, never.

“I’m Molly,” the curvy cutie said. 

“More than pleased to make your acquaintance, Molly m’love,” Cujo replied.

She laughed, the sound bright and merry.

Captain Amirov’s lips tightened.  “Molly comes under the Narc Military,” he said tightly.

Aw, he was being warned off by the big, bad Captain.  Picking up his glass, Cujo waved it around airily.  “Of course she is.  Anyone that pretty is always under guard.”  He winked at Molly.  “If you ever want a taste of freedom, my room is on the third floor.”

The Major frowned warningly.  “Cujo.”

“Just being friendly, Dad.”

Molly choked on her drink, coughing and wiping her eyes.  Amirov, God bless his hard-hearted heart, patted her back while glaring at Cujo.  Cujo grinned.

“The Major is your father?” Molly finally managed, shoving Amirov’s helpful hand away.

“To his utmost disappointment, I am afraid so.”  Cujo took a sip of water.

Molly looked at the Major, who simply kept eating.

“I never met his dream of entering the military,” Cujo continued cheerfully.  “But I’m boring conversation.  Tell me, sweet Molly, where are you from?”

And wasn’t that interesting? The curvy cutie actually looked at Amirov for guidance.  Reluctant guidance, going by her glare, but guidance nevertheless.

“What are you doing here, Cujo?” Amirov asked, instead of answering the question.

No surprises there.  “Oh, you know me.  Here, there, everywhere.”

“Anywhere in particular?”

Cujo tapped the side of his nose.  “Just sniffing out some things.”

Amirov looked narrowly at him.  “Treasure hunt, perhaps?”

“There’s always treasure to hunt out.”

“Any treasure in particular?”

“Why, no, dear boy.”

“So why are you here?”

“Just dropping in to visit dear old Dad.”  Cujo looked back at Molly who was watching him with an almost eager expression.  “And my visit has a very nice surprise in the form of sweet Molly.”  He put down his glass.  “So, sweet Molly, where are you from?  You’re not like the usual women around here.” 

“That’s classified,” Amirov said immediately.

“Oh, come.  Surely you’re not trying to keep her from the sight of all us lusty men who just ache for the glimpse of an unusual beauty?”

Molly flushed.

Amirov scowled.

Whoa.  Impervious Amirov scowling?  Showing emotion?  Unheard of!  Then again
…a sudden thought popped into Cujo’s mind.  Leaning forward, he looked from Amirov to Molly.  “Don’t tell me, sweet Molly, that you’re spoken for?”

“Huh?”  Her brows shot upwards.  “Spoken for?”

“You’re not here to breathe some life into Ironsides, are you?”

“Ironsides?”

Cujo jabbed a thumb in Amirov’s direction.

Molly started to laugh.

“Cujo,” the Major’s voice was steely, “Molly’s relationship with Captain Amirov is none of your business.”

Cujo took in the different expressions in one expert sweep of his eyes.  Amirov was practically bristling, unconsciously leaning towards Molly, his big body almost protective in its stance.  Molly’s mouth was hanging open as she stared at the Major.

“Relationship?” she queried.  “I-”

“Molly is with me.”  Amirov’s voice was once again cool.  “That’s all you need to know.”

Molly swung her head around to stare up at Amirov.  He looked down to meet her gaze, the warning in his eyes a sharp contrast to the still almost possessive posture he had towards her.    She went from surprised to a full-on glare. 

Then, biting her lip, she turned back to face Cujo, picked up her glass, and smiled through clenched teeth.  “Lucky me, eh?”

Well, things here were so interesting.  It seemed Amirov was claiming possession of the curvy cutie, but the curvy cutie wasn’t impressed by it.  There was more here than met the eye.  But Cujo was no fool. If he pressed too much he’d end up turfed off the Research Station and he wasn’t ready to go yet.  He needed to sniff out the treasure first.

Speaking of which, he hoped Squiggy was doing a thorough scope of the Research Station from his spaceship.

Amirov didn’t make any motion to pick up his eating utensils, his gaze fixed on Molly pushing her vegetables around on her plate in annoyance. 

Deciding against pushing the boundaries of politeness, Cujo picked up the fork to spear some broccorout.  “I spotted Repulsaens on the way here.”

Slowly Amirov lifted that steely-eyed gaze to Cujo.  “How far away?”

“I saw them a week ago at the Visitors Space Station in Narc Section Five.”

“They don’t normally come this far into our Sector.”  The Major frowned at Amirov.

“I’ll get a tracking on them.”  Amirov started to stand up, looked at Cujo, obviously changed his mind and motioned to a soldier from a nearby table.  When the soldier approached, he ordered, “Extend the monitor for the Repulsaens a further 3 million.”

“Sir.” The soldier saluted and marched away.

Molly looked sourly at Amirov.  “If you want to go and play, don’t mind me.”

“It’s not you I’m minding.”  Amirov looked at Cujo.

Grinning, Cujo drained his glass of water.  Looking for the treasure wasn’t going to be boring, not if he could get little curvy cutie on her own sometime - and on her own at some time she would be.  While he was searching for the treasure – unobtrusively, of course – he might be able to have a little fun on the side.  Somehow he just knew that the curvy cutie called Molly was a space-cracker, ready to go off in a blaze of fire.  It’d be a shame to waste that on cold, calm, collected Ironside. 

Humming happily to himself, he speared up more broccorout and resumed eating.  Ah yes, life was interesting.

Chapter Four

Narc Section Five

Deep Space

Repulsaen Space Ship

Regor contemplated the galaxy map.  The Narc Section Five Deep Space Research Station was close.  He could feel the one they searched for was on it.  It was imperative they get her before the damage was irreparably done.

He also knew the Narc Military was monitoring the Repulsean ship.  The question was to attack or try and board the Research Station?  They wouldn’t be allowed to board the Research Station, not even if they sabotaged their own ship.  A repair ship would be sent out but the Repulsaens wouldn’t be given permission to land.  Very few were allowed to land at the Narc Section Five Deep Space Research Station.  It was something he had to decide.  And soon.

~*~

Narc Military Research Space Station

Narc Section Five

Deep Space

Restlessly, a feeling with which he wasn’t familiar, Amirov paced his room.    He replayed the scene over and over in his mind, unable to force it from his memory.  It came back to haunt him every night in bed when he had nothing to occupy his thoughts such as he had during the day.  Each time he found the memory uglier.

The betrayal on Molly’s face when she realized what they were going to do to her.  The way she’d fought him.  The sweet confusion with which she’d awoken when the procedure was a failure.  The fury with which she’d attacked him once she realized.

The betrayal was bad enough. 

Over the last week he’d grown more used to her easy talk, her sometimes abrasive humour.  He found her enthusiasm to learn about the people and things around her intriguing.  She had a zest for life while still being cautious.  He’d even found himself looking forward to seeing her in the mornings, another thing that confused him.  He, Captain Amirov, so calm and controlled and whom nothing and no one fazed, looking forward to seeing Molly.

He’d been vaguely surprised to find that he quite liked the loud-mouthed female.  And she seemed at ease in his company, growing more relaxed, interested in everything.  But that had all changed with the decision of the Narc Military leaders.  He hadn’t liked the idea of wiping her memories, which surprised him.  He quite liked Molly’s quaint terms, her emotions, and her humour.  Would it change very much with her memory wiped?

Well, that was no longer a question. 

He couldn’t wipe the betrayal and hurt in her eyes from his mind.  The way she’d struggled, her ranting and raving.  His own feelings of being a traitor, and more unexpectedly, the tide of fury that had washed through him when she’d faced down his leaders afterwards and given them a tongue-lashing.  Not fury towards Molly for berating those above her, but fury towards both himself and the Military leaders who had hurt her so deeply.  They’d wiped away what little trust she had developed in them.  Wiped away the friendship she’d had with Dr Surnace and Cali.  The easygoing nature she had, the easiness with which she talked to him.