“Yeah, that makes sense,” Rem said. He walkedto the doorway and asked a passing nurse for assistance, and in amoment Annur was there, his expression concerned.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, they’re feeling a little toogood,” Zia joked. “Harada thinks he’ll be back on duty in a day orso. I hope that’s possible, but . . .”
“It is ambitious, but in a week, if we seegreat improvement, it can be discussed.” Annur gave Zia a smile.“And you? Are you well? We are all so proud of you.”
“Because of the security vid? I have aquestion about that, actually. Excuse us,” she added to Rem, thenshe pulled Annur aside and whispered her theory to him.
“You see what I mean?” she asked finally.“It’s so terrible to kill someone, it’s probably easy to blot itfrom your mind. Forget it even happened. Right?”
Annur shrugged. “But once you saw therecording, you remembered it. In this other case you’redescribing—”
“In the other case, the man shot a good guy.A loyal guard. It was easier for me to accept the truthabout my actions since I killed a traitorous Vekzor. Seewhat I mean? Maybe this other guy’s mind wouldn’t accept the factthat he killed the guard. He convinced himself no one was hurt,because that was his original plan, and he couldn’t live with whatreally happened.”
When Annur didn’t answer right away, sheinsisted, “It’s theoretically possible, right? That’s all I’masking.”
“Anything is possible. But it is unlikely.”His gaze was sympathetic. “We are talking about Captain Stone’sfather, are we not? And you wish to find a reason for his behavior,because you and Captain Stone have grown close.”
She eyed him with teasing sternness.“Pardon?”
Annur laughed. “He is the perfect bodyguardfor you. I am glad you have him. And if it is enjoyable for youtoo, that is even better. It will help to compensate for yourterrible experience yesterday. If you saw the news reports, youknow we feel great shame over that.”
“It’s the Vekzori who should feel shame. Andthe Alluvans too, for being such galactic bullies.” She sighed,reminded of why she was on Malara. “Rem and I need to get going.Take good care of your patients, Doctor. And keep us informed,okay? We’ll be back as often as we can.”
* * * *
When they arrived at the rec center, a halfdozen young warriors crowded around Zia, pledging their loyalty andinsisting that the fiends who had attacked her were a tiny anddespicable segment of a population that overall would give theirlives for her. She tried to reassure them, but Rem made it moredifficult by treating them all like potential assassins.
Or at least, she was sure that was how itseemed to them. Her bodyguard simply wouldn’t let anyone betweenhim and Zia—not even Maryak or Gannor.
Especially not Gannor, it seemed. The rivalrybetween him and Rem was even more obvious than it had been the daybefore, and not nearly as good-natured. It had so much potentialfor ugliness that Zia was actually relieved when Carrak strode intothe room.
“You are uninjured?” she asked Ziabluntly.
“Not a scratch.”
“And at least you are well rested. Both ofyou. Or perhaps no one told you that practice begins at dawn in myunit.”
Zia eyed her coolly. “We stopped at thehospital to visit our fallen comrades. It’s an Earth tradition.Sorry if it doesn’t translate well here.”
“We’ll be on time tomorrow, General Carrak,”Rem interjected, his tone filled with respect.
“Good. You may return to the simulator,Captain Stone. If you pass level eight, you may see the inside of areal skirmisher today.”
“Great. Come on, Zee.”
“She remains here,” Carrak told him. “Maryakwill take her to the student simulator, where she will spend onehour pretending to practice, as we discussed.”
Zia was about to protest, but Rem did it forher. “Things have changed since yesterday, General. I’m CaptainQuito’s bodyguard now. She stays with me. It won’t be a problemthough. She can watch from the copilot seat during my simulations.That’s good practice for her too, right?”
Carrak sifted her fingers through the denseblue-black fur on the back of her head. Her face wasexpressionless, but anyone could see from her silence that she waslivid. And while Zia wouldn’t usually have cared—she had spent alifetime watching instructors come unstrung over having their rulesbroken for her benefit—she was concerned that Rem might ruin hischances of piloting a skirmisher in a challenge.
So she reminded Carrak as nicely as shecould, “Two Malaran warriors fired gas balls at me yesterday. Theykilled one of my bodyguards. Captain Stone has taken on theadditional duty of protecting me, which I appreciate. Because I’m alittle shaken up. I’m not a warrior, as you keep pointingout. But I am part of your challenge strategy, so I hopeyou’ll respect our arrangement, at least until my injuredbodyguards are available for duty again.”
Carrak ignored her and spoke directly to Rem.“You have asked to be considered as a pilot for one of thechallenges. Surely you know you cannot take her along in actualbattle. You must learn to trust someone else with her safety. Makethe choice now. If you place your duty as bodyguard above your dutyas pilot, then the problem will be solved.”
“We trust you, General,” Ziainterrupted with a cheerful smile. “If you’ll guard me personallywhile Rem’s in the simulator, that would work. Plus, it would giveus a chance to get acquainted.”
As Carrak stared at her, clearly shocked, therest of the Malaran pilots shuffled nervously. Even Gannor wasn’twearing his usual cocky grin.
Zia almost laughed out loud. Youmiscalculated, didn’t you, Carrak? You expected me to respect yourauthority, like Rem and these poor pilots do. But I’m not a fan ofpower-surging adults. It’s nice that you were a hero in some battleyears ago, but frankly, my grandpa was Daniel-frigging-Quito, soI’m not easily impressed. And I’m definitely not intimidatedby bullies like you.
Finally, the
