Theo trailed his fingers over the rough surface of the metal as he stepped inside, grateful when the lights blinked on without complaint, along with a control screen.
Three levels were indicated on the screen, showing that Theo was currently on the second level.
He put less than a second of thought into it before slapping the panel blindly, pleasantly surprised to discover he was to go down to the third level.
As soon as the doors of the lift opened, Theo was accosted by a wave of mechanical noise, accented by a repetitive metallic banging pounding away down the corridor.
Never one to leave a mysterious noise uninvestigated, Theo headed toward the source of the sounds.
The pounding was coming from what Theo now recognized as the engine room. Hulking pieces of machinery chugged away all around him in a calamitous din of clanking, banging chaos.
Marco was crouched over some kind of pipe, bringing a hammer down on it with considerable force.
Theo did not mind taking an extra moment to admire the way his arms bulged with the effort.
Marco’s curls were shaved close around the sides in what Theo was beginning to recognize as something of a trend in Outlier fashion, or at least among Jun and his crew.
He shifted on his feet, clanging noisily into another loose pipe. Marco’s head snapped up at that, and he nearly dropped his hammer as he startled at the sight of Theo.
Theo held up his hands, smile still in place. “Hello, I didn’t mean to alarm you. I was just exploring and found myself down here; thought I ought to make myself known.”
Marco pushed to stand, the enormous hammer dangling from his hand as he stared at Theo’s face. His brow furrowed as Theo spoke more and more rapidly from nerves.
It occurred to Theo rather suddenly that he was in a remote, enclosed space with a strange, large man holding a strange, large hammer.
“Although perhaps you would prefer that I didn’t,” Theo continued. “I can see that I’m disturbing you, so I’ll just make my way back. Wander out the way I came in. So sorry. Please, continue with whatever it is you are doing down here in such a manly fashion. Terribly sorry to have bothered you!”
Theo turned before Marco could speak a word or swing a hammer, and fled back the way he had come, bolting into the lift and only feeling silly about it once the doors began to close and he could glimpse Marco’s puzzled face through the small smudged window of the lift.
He hit the panel again. Heat rushed to his face as he considered his own awkwardness. Not the impression he had hoped to make upon the crew and his only possible allies out here in the dark.
The doors opened onto a well-lit corridor, with wall panels clean and maintained in a way he had yet to see elsewhere on the ship.
The lift screen indicated he was on the top deck. He stepped out into the immaculate corridor, and the doors closed behind him with a dull thud.
Laughter drifted down the hall, coming from a central room with double doors half-open to the corridor.
Theo made his way inside, then paused to watch Axel throw something into the air before catching it in his mouth, laughing once again at something on one of the seven vid-screens he had open in front of him.
He was sprawled across his chair, chrome-accented boots crossed on top of the dash of one of several control stations in what Theo was beginning to realize must be the bridge of the ship.
“Captain let you out for walkies?”
Theo jumped guiltily at Axel’s voice, then stepped farther into the room. Axel kept his eyes trained on his screens, several of which seemed to contain navigational data and numerical calculations while others showed entertainment vids, one of which was undeniably pornographic in nature. Theo wrinkled his nose at the sight of bouncing breasts.
Axel turned his head with a grin, and with a lazy swipe of his bionic arm, closed the entertainment vids, leaving four navigational screens open.
He popped another morsel into his mouth, managing to chew with a smirk as he looked Theo up and down, pale eyes glowing with mischief. “Didn’t expect to see you in here all alone, dollface. I kind of expected the captain to put a tracking band on you at the very least. But here you are, clogging up my cockpit with sunshine. You really are a looker, huh?”
Theo straightened his shoulders, tossing his hair out of his face as he stepped closer to Axel’s station. “I have free rein of the ship, just like you.”
Axel’s eyes fell to Theo’s lips knowingly, leaving Theo fighting a blush and the urge to wipe his mouth on the back of his hand. “How long did you spend on your knees to earn that? You should ask Park to invest in some quality kneepads. These floors can be hell on the joints.”
Theo bristled at the implication, never mind that in this instance it was indeed based on fact. He had spent the entirety of his academic career combating dismissive and patronizing responses to his work based on his age and appearance and, occasionally, his sexuality.
One crass green-haired pilot wasn’t going to shrink him down with a smirk.
“My name is Dr. Theo Campbell”—Theo put a biting edge to his voice, sharpening his accent until it was crisp and bright—“and I am working for Captain Park as a consultant in my field of expertise.” His rounded, plummy vowels emphasized his intellect. “I wouldn’t expect someone like you to understand the value of my academic contributions, but I will demand the respect due to me as a fellow member of your Crew.”
Axel’s face went blank, then broke out into a slow grin, mouth softer and eyes sharper on Theo’s face. He held out a handful of puffed grain
