length of the corridor to take up a guard position at the far end. The two soldiers were like bookends, staring at each other down twenty feet of gray hallway. That was when T’karra realized there was only one door on this floor.
“You guys have a level all to you yourselves?” The idea was shocking, considering liveable space was at a premium on a station like this one.
Hawke winked at her. “Being a commander has some serious perks. Follow me, and we’ll give you the tour.”
He’d headed for the single doorway, and she followed, with Brandt walking a few steps behind her. They had made it clear they intended to act as her personal guards, putting themselves between her and anyone who came after her. It was a noble act, despite the fact her species were feared throughout the systems. She didn’t need a pair of humans to protect her…she could do that on her own.
The door opened with a near silent hiss, and a few steps later T’karra found herself in another world. “Holy fuck. No wonder no one ever got an invite to have dinner in the commander’s quarters. We’d have all been overcome with envy.”
“Welcome to your new home, T’karra. Whatever we have is yours,” Brandt said with a proud smile.
When Hawke had said there were perks, it had been a serious understatement. Compared to the rest of the station, this place was paradise. Though the space was still used with great efficiency, the two men had the largest private residence on the entire station. The living area included comfortable couches and vid-screens that could project images of art, mimic outside vistas, or show an extensive library of entertainment vids. The walls were painted in soft shades of cream and blue that were restful and comforting, a far cry from the battered metal floors and flat gray walls that made up the bulk of the station’s interior.
Her amazement continued as they showed her the eating area, which had room for at least eight people. Hawke was grinning like a child with a secret as he demonstrated that the dining table doubled as a multi-person workspace, complete with interfaces and three-dimensional image displays. There was a brand new food console, as well as a small but complete kitchen for the men to use, and everywhere she looked, there wasn’t a single item out of place or a speck of dirt to be found.
It was a far cry from the mess her brothers preferred to live in. The floors were covered in blue marbled tiles, and the entire space was lit with a warm, buttery light that reminded her of the sunshine she’d seen in holo-programs. Having never been to a real planet, the holo-rooms were the closest she had ever come to experiencing true daylight. When they’d taken her upstairs to show her the personal areas, T’karra’s found herself grinning. There were three bedrooms in all, each with floor to ceiling windows that looked out on the starscape outside.
Her room had an adjoining bathroom that was bigger than her main living area at the sanctuary, with both a shower and a luxuriously deep bathtub set into the polished marble walls. When she looked out her window she could see the docking arms and their ships reaching out overhead. Her room was comfortably appointed, if a little plain. There was a small desk built into the side of a three-drawer bureau and a single chair that fit with the desk. The walls were painted cream, and the floor was a simple off-white tile. The only real color in the room was the deep red bedspread that covered a massive bed.
She gave in to her exhaustion for a moment and sank down on the edge of the bed, looking around her as she did so. “You have so much space here for just the two of you. Even this bed is big enough for at least three people.”
Brandt cleared his throat. “There’s a reason for that, starshine. Men of our rank usually have a chosen accompanying them.”
Both men looked at her with fire in their eyes, and T’karra realized what Brandt was telling her.
“You guys have a level all to you yourselves?” The idea was shocking, considering liveable space was at a premium on a station like this one.
Hawke winked at her. “Being a commander has some serious perks. Follow me, and we’ll give you the tour.”
He’d headed for the single doorway, and she followed, with Brandt walking a few steps behind her. They had made it clear they intended to act as her personal guards, putting themselves between her and anyone who came after her. It was a noble act, despite the fact her species were feared throughout the systems. She didn’t need a pair of humans to protect her…she could do that on her own.
The door opened with a near silent hiss, and a few steps later T’karra found herself in another world. “Holy fuck. No wonder no one ever got an invite to have dinner in the commander’s quarters. We’d have all been overcome with envy.”
“Welcome to your new home, T’karra. Whatever we have is yours,” Brandt said with a proud smile.
When Hawke had said there were perks, it had been a serious understatement. Compared to the rest of the station, this place was paradise. Though the space was still used with great efficiency, the two men had the largest private residence on the entire station. The living area included comfortable couches and vid-screens that could project images of art, mimic outside vistas, or show an extensive library of entertainment vids. The walls were painted in soft shades of cream and blue that were restful and comforting, a far cry from the battered metal floors and flat gray walls that made up the bulk of the station’s interior.
Her amazement continued as they showed her the eating area, which had room for at least eight people. Hawke was grinning like a child with a secret as he demonstrated that the dining table doubled as a multi-person workspace, complete with interfaces and three-dimensional image displays. There was a brand new food console, as well as a small but complete kitchen for the men to use, and everywhere she looked, there wasn’t a single item out of place or a speck of dirt to be found.
It was a far cry from the mess her brothers preferred to live in. The floors were covered in blue marbled tiles, and the entire space was lit with a warm, buttery light that reminded her of the sunshine she’d seen in holo-programs. Having never been to a real planet, the holo-rooms were the closest she had ever come to experiencing true daylight. When they’d taken her upstairs to show her the personal areas, T’karra’s found herself grinning. There were three bedrooms in all, each with floor to ceiling windows that looked out on the starscape outside.
Her room had an adjoining bathroom that was bigger than her main living area at the sanctuary, with both a shower and a luxuriously deep bathtub set into the polished marble walls. When she looked out her window she could see the docking arms and their ships reaching out overhead. Her room was comfortably appointed, if a little plain. There was a small desk built into the side of a three-drawer bureau and a single chair that fit with the desk. The walls were painted cream, and the floor was a simple off-white tile. The only real color in the room was the deep red bedspread that covered a massive bed.
She gave in to her exhaustion for a moment and sank down on the edge of the bed, looking around her as she did so. “You have so much space here for just the two of you. Even this bed is big enough for at least three people.”
Brandt cleared his throat. “There’s a reason for that, starshine. Men of our rank usually have a chosen accompanying them.”
Both men looked at her with fire in their eyes, and T’karra realized what Brandt was telling her.
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