actions.
She groaned into her hands. This was bad. She couldn’t even sense Einarr, and after seeing him keel over like a stunned ox, as she was marched away, she wasn’t surprised. When he woke up and found her gone, would he care? Or would all his focus be on reclaiming his brother? She almost hoped it would. She didn’t want to drag him into her mess. There was nothing she could do to help him and nothing he could do to make the coming ordeal about her failure to obey orders any better.
She’d never been in trouble in her life before. She’d obeyed every rule and done everything perfectly and she’d still ended up here… What did they say about her? Was she genetically engineered to break the rules? And Gods, her heart was breaking as she yearned to stay with her male and simply shut everything else out.
The door finally opened and she sat up straight as a man and woman entered the room and took the two seats opposite her at the table. The male wore the standard blue uniform of a TSA operative, the female civilian clothing, most of which was tight and shiny.
“Science Officer Frey. I’m Gron from the Trios Space Authority and this is my colleague Director Mitzi Lahm from FREN.”
Frey nodded at the pair and resumed her contemplation of her folded hands. She hadn’t quite expected Mitzi to look like that. FREN ops tended to be rather more uptight in their dress code.
“We’ve been asked to investigate your conduct aboard TSA Ship QZ41.”
“I did what I was ordered to do.” Frey said. “I kept the Viking alive.”
“That is correct, but you were also instrumental in setting him free in the first place.” Mitzi snapped. “You went directly against FREN procedure in ensuring the ice remained in a sterile environment.”
“I followed the orders I was given by FREN and input only the codes that were sent to me.”
“Codes you conveniently say you were told to erase.”
“I was ordered to erase them. I’m fairly certain you’ll find the information if you check the full security logs.”
“You touched the ice with your bare hands.”
It didn’t appear as if Mitzi was listening or had any intention of replying directly to Frey’s answers.
Frey shrugged. “Only once, and that was during an emergency. When the planets aligned, the—”
“I’m not interested in excuses, Science Officer,” Mitzi made a slashing gesture with her hand. “You didn’t follow protocol.”
“I was more concerned about keeping your specimen alive. As soon as the eclipse sent all my equipment into a spin, I checked the Viking. I didn’t have time to worry about gloves when the whole ship’s power might have been failing.” Frey took a quick breath and kept talking. “And if anything was to blame for the defrosting, I think you should look at the effect of the new codes you sent me and at the eclipse. When was the last time these planets, including ones called after the Viking gods aligned? I bet that has more to do with it than me sticking one naked finger on the surface of the ice.”
“Those particular circumstances are being fully investigated, Science Officer Frey. We are more concerned with your decision making process throughout the entire voyage,” Gron said. “You took it upon yourself to keep the Viking with you at all times.”
“The Viking suggested it. He threatened to destroy the ship if I didn’t comply.”
“So Captain Travis said.” Gron sat back. “But even if that is correct, I’m sure no one suggested you have sexual relations with this man.”
Frey felt her cheeks heat up. “Captain Travis did not ask me to do that. It just… happened.”
Mitzi slammed her hand down on the table. “And it is completely unacceptable! How could you be so unprofessional? You have no idea how his body has withstood being trapped in ice for centuries. You have no idea what diseases he carries, or what you might have given him.”
Frey bit down on her lip and stared at the table. She
She groaned into her hands. This was bad. She couldn’t even sense Einarr, and after seeing him keel over like a stunned ox, as she was marched away, she wasn’t surprised. When he woke up and found her gone, would he care? Or would all his focus be on reclaiming his brother? She almost hoped it would. She didn’t want to drag him into her mess. There was nothing she could do to help him and nothing he could do to make the coming ordeal about her failure to obey orders any better.
She’d never been in trouble in her life before. She’d obeyed every rule and done everything perfectly and she’d still ended up here… What did they say about her? Was she genetically engineered to break the rules? And Gods, her heart was breaking as she yearned to stay with her male and simply shut everything else out.
The door finally opened and she sat up straight as a man and woman entered the room and took the two seats opposite her at the table. The male wore the standard blue uniform of a TSA operative, the female civilian clothing, most of which was tight and shiny.
“Science Officer Frey. I’m Gron from the Trios Space Authority and this is my colleague Director Mitzi Lahm from FREN.”
Frey nodded at the pair and resumed her contemplation of her folded hands. She hadn’t quite expected Mitzi to look like that. FREN ops tended to be rather more uptight in their dress code.
“We’ve been asked to investigate your conduct aboard TSA Ship QZ41.”
“I did what I was ordered to do.” Frey said. “I kept the Viking alive.”
“That is correct, but you were also instrumental in setting him free in the first place.” Mitzi snapped. “You went directly against FREN procedure in ensuring the ice remained in a sterile environment.”
“I followed the orders I was given by FREN and input only the codes that were sent to me.”
“Codes you conveniently say you were told to erase.”
“I was ordered to erase them. I’m fairly certain you’ll find the information if you check the full security logs.”
“You touched the ice with your bare hands.”
It didn’t appear as if Mitzi was listening or had any intention of replying directly to Frey’s answers.
Frey shrugged. “Only once, and that was during an emergency. When the planets aligned, the—”
“I’m not interested in excuses, Science Officer,” Mitzi made a slashing gesture with her hand. “You didn’t follow protocol.”
“I was more concerned about keeping your specimen alive. As soon as the eclipse sent all my equipment into a spin, I checked the Viking. I didn’t have time to worry about gloves when the whole ship’s power might have been failing.” Frey took a quick breath and kept talking. “And if anything was to blame for the defrosting, I think you should look at the effect of the new codes you sent me and at the eclipse. When was the last time these planets, including ones called after the Viking gods aligned? I bet that has more to do with it than me sticking one naked finger on the surface of the ice.”
“Those particular circumstances are being fully investigated, Science Officer Frey. We are more concerned with your decision making process throughout the entire voyage,” Gron said. “You took it upon yourself to keep the Viking with you at all times.”
“The Viking suggested it. He threatened to destroy the ship if I didn’t comply.”
“So Captain Travis said.” Gron sat back. “But even if that is correct, I’m sure no one suggested you have sexual relations with this man.”
Frey felt her cheeks heat up. “Captain Travis did not ask me to do that. It just… happened.”
Mitzi slammed her hand down on the table. “And it is completely unacceptable! How could you be so unprofessional? You have no idea how his body has withstood being trapped in ice for centuries. You have no idea what diseases he carries, or what you might have given him.”
Frey bit down on her lip and stared at the table. She
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