Almost as if hed read her mind, Powell seemed to focus on her condition, his eyes alive with speculation. How did you get here?
Sybil swallowed a little convulsively. Im guessing via particle transport beam. Im not sure, actually. The last thing I remember is discovering I wasnt alone. When I turned, I saw an intruder and attacked and then nothing until I woke up on a gurney surrounded by those creepy little beings.
The droids.
Sybil whirled at the sound of the voice, meeting the aliens gaze in time to detect what almost looked like amusement. She realized when he spoke again that she hadnt misinterpreted it.
They were designed by our scientists specifically for study of your world. He shrugged. They had some notion that the humans wouldnt find them as threatening since they were humanoid and small.
What happened to Cpl Spencer? Powell asked tightly.
Anka felt a flicker of hostility in response to that hed detected in Powell, but he resolutely ignored it. He was reluctant to be moved. He was sedated. He is unharmed.
But still unconscious.
And still unharmed. If youd like, we can move him to the quarters weve prepared.
Powell and Kushbu moved immediately to the supine man. Kushbu helped Powell lift Spencer onto his shoulders and the alien led them to the opposite side of the room. A door opened and the men disappeared inside. The alien emerged alone a few moments later and gestured toward her and Holly.
The two exchanged an uneasy look. Sybil didnt particularly want to get any closer, or have any interest in whatever it was he seemed to want to show them, but she also wasnt keen on the idea of ending up like Spencer. After a brief hesitation, she approached the alien man.
I apologize that we cannot offer private accommodations, but I believe you will be more comfortable here, he said as a door opened, revealing a room perhaps twice the size of the one shed spent the past several hours in.
She could see as soon as shed scanned the small room that every effort had been made to make it more comfortable than the room shed had, she just wasnt sure if it had been specifically for their benefit or if he had, for some reason, booted someone else out of their quarters to offer the room to them. She was inclined to think the latter. The furnishings didnt look military issue. The colorful linens and pillows that covered the narrow bunks inside looked like personal belongings. Of course, she was basing that on her own experience and she had no idea of what their military might be like.
She also didnt know, for a fact, that the group that had captured them was military. She assumed they were, but she didnt know. The facility might be civilian.
Thank you, she said hesitantly, wondering why theyd been moved and if Powell was right.
He nodded. I am Anka lKartay, Commander of Sumptras forces here.
Sumptra? Undoubtedly their country or world. The hesitation before hed said here could mean anything, though, she realized, or nothing.
Something did become clear to her as she looked up at him, though. Looking at him made her uneasy even when she was across the room from him. Standing so close was enough to heighten that agitation and create a flutter of butterflies in her belly, making it very hard to maintain eye contact even though it seemed important that she should.
She wasnt certain if the fact that hed told them who he was was a courtesy or if it was meant to further intimidate them, but she realized after a moment that he was waiting for her to return the courtesy and that there was certainly no reason not to tell him who they were. Captives were not supposed to volunteer any information, but they were allowed to give name, rank, and serial number. Im First Lieutenant Sybil Hunter.
He nodded again and his gaze flickered over her face and down her length in a way that was so human-like-so like the assessing gaze of a man-that it threw her further off kilter.
It should have made her skin crawl. Instead, she felt a shuddery, knee weakening sensation filter through her. Dismissing it with an effort, she met his gaze with a hard look when hed finished looking her over. Id like my flight suit back.
Something flickered in his eyes, but she had no idea what he might be thinking. She didnt think if hed been human he wouldve been an easy man to read, but he wasnt human and she had no idea how they might perceive things, how their minds might work. It was almost more disorienting to realize that his mind could be so different as to be completely incomprehensible to her.
He frowned, but she didnt know if it denoted deep thought or anger or if the thought was a lie he was concocting, a memory search for where it might be, or even of the language to figure out what she was talking about. He hadnt seemed to have any trouble at all with the language, despite his thick accent-either understanding or speaking-but that didnt necessarily mean he fully understood it. He might have rehearsed the little hed said to them.
You are cold?
She wouldve like to think the question hadnt been prompted by the fact that her nipples were tenting the front of her under shirt but she had a bad feeling he hadnt missed much when hed looked her over. A little. More importantly, Id prefer not to stand around half-naked.
He frowned and this time she didnt doubt his confusion. I had thought the suits were protective gear? You do not need it here. I assure you.
They are, but I wasnt wearing anything under it, she said uncomfortably.
The comment drew his gaze to the thin undershirt and her panties again. He looked as if he was about to say something else but appeared to dismiss it. I will escort you to the room where it was removed. Perhaps it is still there. If not, I will see if one of the women has something to offer.
A jolt went through her at the offer. Reluctance immediately descended upon her to allow him to escort her anywhere at all, but she was the one whod insisted.
She still didnt see why he couldnt send someone for it and have it brought to her, but she didnt want to either show her reluctance to go with him or risk having her request dismissed altogether. For that matter, he seemed in some doubt that it still existed and, whether she needed it at the moment or not, she certainly needed it if there was any chance of leaving. Thank you, she managed finally.
He gestured toward the wall where theyd entered. Trying to ignore the shakiness in her belly, she led the way, ignoring the questioning looks her fellow crewmembers cast at her. She wasnt certain which way to go when theyd left the observation room and entered the narrow corridor and sent him a questioning look. He closed the distance and settled a hand lightly around her arm just above the elbow to guide her. The warmth of his hand sent a shiver through her and made her belly tighten more.
You are cold?
Sybil gritted her teeth. She was chilled, but she knew her reaction was neither from the contact of his warmth or revulsion. A little chilled.
We are on the dark side now. The temperature is still difficult to regulate when we must compensate for the excessive heat of this world.
Sybil threw him a look of surprise even though shed intended to hide her reactions to him by keeping her face averted. The days here are almost a year long Earth time.
The facility is designed to move. We stay close to the dawn horizon and allow for brief periods of full exposure for the sake of morale, but when it begins to heat up we move into the darkness again.
Sybil digested that in silence. The suggestion that they found it depressing to always be in darkness was a clue about them. She wasnt certain if hed intentionally revealed it or not, but she found it oddly comforting to learn that they had something in common with the aliens after all. It is depressing to be in the dark all the time. You begin to really miss the sunlight. Ive been stationed at the moon base for a couple of months now.