Defending Hippotigris by Smith, T.L. (intellectual books to read txt) 📕

I kept it. Was this part of the integration, I’d lose my image marker?

I must have stirred as Remy’s hand slipped down my back, trying to comfort me. I trembled. This is what Schaeffer intended, using Remy to hold the fractions of me together as my brain reconciled itself. But would Remy stay?

I slid out of his arms. “Remy, I’m sorry. I’ll figure out how to make this right.”

Remy studied me. At least the anger was gone. “No, we’ll figure it out. No more secrets.”

“No more. I promise.” He gave me a hug and let me get up.

I tried not to notice his frown as I dressed. This uniform wasn’t what he was used to, nor the rank stitched onto my collar. The fact the uniforms were here waiting for me cemented the reality I’d led a double life.

I felt a twinge and winced, enough that he saw. He was at my shoulders, his hands gripping them as I rubbed my temple. “I thought you said you’re not sick.”

“I’m not.” I let go of my face. “You’re not the only one who has to get used to me. Right now I’m carrying around both my personalities. Until they merge back together, they’re running into each other, and not too politely. They both want to be in charge.” I turned to look him directly in the eyes, then stretched up to kiss him.

I half expected him to pull away, or at least ask which of us was present, but he kissed me back. After a few seconds the twinges dissolved.

Just about when it seemed this might go further, a beeping of the room’s comm system interrupted us. Reluctantly I pulled my lips away from his. “Yes, this is… Kazan.”

“Colonel, just a reminder the mission briefing will be…”

“Yes, I’ll… we’ll be there. Tell Col. Schaeffer that Maj. Battista will be attending, after we check on our other guest.” There was no response. “Is there a problem, Ensign?”

“No, ma’am. I will relay the information.” The line closed.

Remy was frowning again, not a look I liked to see. “Let’s find Lizzy. Unfortunately we’re gonna get Pissy Lizzy.”

“Oh fun, like I don’t have enough of your personalities to deal with.” He smiled tensely. “I guess if I’m to be trapped with both of you, for God knows how long, I better get used to it.”

Outside in the corridor a soldier stood at attention.  “Take me to see Ms. Salazar.” I got a nod and the soldier started aft.

Remy walked beside me, but his fingers brushed the walls. One eyebrow twitched. “What class of ship is this? I don’t recognize the materials.” As an engineer, he knew all the ships in the fleet, and this wasn’t one of them.

“It’s a… prototype.” While the corridor was fairly standard, the metal wasn’t, but I was used to its odd shimmer. “You’ll get a full tour after we find Lizzy.”

When the soldier stopped unexpectedly beside a cabin door, heat surged up inside me. I tapped at my comm. “Schaeffer, come in.”

He answered almost immediately.

“Schaef, you son-of-a-bitch. I’m about to let this woman out and I’m gonna sic her on you. You better have a proper room ready before we get there.”

I cut the link before he could respond and waved my hand over the access panel. The door slid silently open. If not for the change in lighting, Lizzy might not have noticed.

She sat cross-legged on a narrow bunk, reading. “About fucking time.” She uncurled her legs and tossed a book onto the bunk as she stood. “How you feeling?” She gave me a hug.

“They got my headaches straightened out. I’m sorry you got sucked into this, and that they were so inhospitable. I’m fixing that right now.”

“Whatever ‘this’ is. I don’t care, as long as you’re all right.” Lizzy hugged me again, sighed in relief, then suddenly stiffened up. “Now, seriously. Has he been standing outside my room all this time?”

She let go, giving the soldier in the corridor an obvious up and down once-over. “Come here, Big Boy. I gotta thing for a man in uniform, especially getting him out of it.”

The soldier turned a little pink in the cheeks and held his ground, until she took a couple swaying steps his direction, licking her lips wickedly. He took a step backwards, his eyes jerked in my direction. “Ma’am?”

I grabbed Lizzy by the back of her shirt, bra strap and all. “Rein it in girl.” I gave her a pull backwards. “I already promised to turn you loose on the guy who put you in here.”

“Ahhh, come on! I’ve been pinned up in here for days.” She pawed a hand at the soldier. “Twenty minutes.” Lizzy gave the soldier a lip-lick, achieving a red-hot glow over his whole face

I resisted laughing as I dragged her out of the cell, keeping myself between her and her victim. “Okay, ten minutes.” She blew him a kiss as I pulled her down the corridor. “Come find me later, Sweetie.”

I looked back at the traumatized soldier. “I’ll take her from here. Dismissed.”

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you, ma’am.”

Remy fell in behind us, snickering behind tight lips. When Lizzy got riled up, her wicked sense of humor kicked in. She became a little fireball, embarrassing innocent victims or slicing apart the egos of sleaze-balls. I was looking forward to what she’d do to Schaeffer.

At the approach of more soldiers, I jerked Lizzy back before she got a foothold. “Cool your jets. These boys have a job to do.”

“Oh… and Mr. Jail Warden doesn’t?” She fell back into stride.

I gave her a shrug. “Sometimes he needs to be reminded to treat guests better. I’m sure you can give him an etiquette lesson much more effectively than I can.”

“Oh, goody!” Her low laugh was genuinely evil, proving Lizzy still had her priorities in order. First, good sex. Second, tormenting men. Third, writing. Schaeffer had no idea how vicious Lizzy could be accomplishing her second task in life.

Not trying to pounce on the passing soldiers, she focused