Terran Times 02 - Deal with a Dhemon (17 page)

Deal with a Dhemon

as tight as Etion had made it the night before, but she was able to button her blouse over it. The layers went on quite easily, the trembling fingers of the previous evening forgotten after her restoring sleep.

When Etion came through the door, she was sitting decorously on the chair next to the dressing table, trying to pin her hair up once again.

“Let me help you with that.” He moved behind her and met her grateful eyes in the mirror. With economical movements he pinned her hair up in a graceful twist. Then stood back to admire the job she had done on the rest of her form.

“You obviously can dress yourself, your hair is fixed, and you know the rudiments of eating gracefully, so why don’t we get breakfast in the mess hall this morning. Followed by a tour of the ship. I don’t think you saw that much of it when you were loaded on in the tank.” He grinned at her in the silvered glass.

“That sounds great, are you sure that the General won’t mind me wandering around the ship?” Her eyes twinkled at the thought of the General’s reaction when he found out. He would most likely be appalled at having a whore roaming the halls of his precious ship.

“Of course not, you are an honored guest.” He sweeps over to the door and gives her a dramatic bow. The door opened with a hiss. “After you.”

39

Viola Grace

“Thank you.” She followed his lead out into the hall, her skirt dragging lightly across the ground in her wake. She took his arm and lets him escort her to the mess hall.

As they pass people in the halls, they note that they are drawing attention from the all-male crew.

A whisper of interest and amazement follows them in a wave.

Etion escorted her to a seat in the hall, and went to get her some food. She felt eyes on her and studiously took up a demure pose. It was only moments before Etion returned with her breakfast.

In that time, she felt that every eye in the ship had roamed over her body in appreciation.

“Are you sure that we should be here? I can’t help but notice that we are drawing a lot of attention.” She glanced around casually, then daintily applied herself to her breakfast.

“That was the idea. To get you out of your quarters and socializing amongst the crew.” His smile was infectious and she grinned in return then went back to the strange objects on her plate.

“ You’re doing quite well with your food this morning.”

“I’m trying. I was a little shaky last night at dinner.” Her eyes widened as she looked over Etion’s shoulder. “Holy crap.”

“What?” He turned to look and was greeted by a scowl that could have turned a lesser being to 40

Deal with a Dhemon

stone.

“Oh, good morning General Kassil. I was not expecting you to be eating in the hall this morning.” He rose from his seat and executed a bow.

“I had not intended to be, but a report reached me of your presence here, and I came to invite Miss Samantha to eat with me. To spare the ship further disruption.” He seemed perturbed and impatient. “Etion, bring her tray, to the officer’s dining hall.”

He held out his arm and Sam had no choice but to take it. Standing next to him, she felt tiny for the first time in a long time. His long strides make it hard for her to keep up with him in the heavy skirts, but she managed.

The officer’s mess was empty, which Sam found suspicious. There should have been people there. Something in her knew it had been cleared out for her sake.

He held out a chair for her and she sat as decorously as possible. She then felt it fair to warn him, “I have not mastered the dainty eating habits of your females. But I’m trying.”

He seemed reluctantly amused at this, and told her, “You still have days to learn our ways, I’m sure that you will adjust.”

Etion arrived with her food and set it out before her. “She tried to remember the rules from the 41