Tailspin, page 26
I knew she was serious, even if we had only just met. This was something she need. Maybe I did too. I wrapped my pinkie around hers. “On this day, the twenty-eighth of February.”
She checked the time and reiterated. “The twenty-eighth of February.”
“I make my oath with Airman First Class Malaki Canlas, that we will be honest, always, even if it hurts us so much that it breaks us, making either of us cry or making us so angry we want to smash each other’s face in.” Her eyes never stopped searching mine. “With that oath is the promise we will never leave each other. That we will be there to pick up the pieces no matter how long it takes, or again, how much it hurts. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” she said. “I can’t believe you made me make a pinkie promise. Should have gotten my knife out. Done it the old-fashioned way.”
I pulled her pinkie with mine, waggling her hand about. “No chance. This. This you’ll never forget.”
“You’re right,” she said. “I never will.”
I pointed at her dessert then. “You going to eat that?”
Malaki’s eyes narrowed, and she picked up her spoon, about to stab it. In a split second, her face changed. “I’ll share.” With a little push, she put it between us, and I helped her eat it, allowing her enough time to take what she wanted, while I ate around it.
“So,” Malaki said, “you really think I’m cute?”
I almost choked on my mouthful of dessert. “You’re asking me that now?”
“You just said…you’d tell me the truth no matter what, right?”
“I lied,” I admitted and watched her face fall knowing that might be the reaction. “You’re not just cute. You’re one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. I’m not sure you’d be my type of woman, but you are truly beautiful. Any man that caught your eye for real is going to be a very, very lucky man.”
She choked. “Thanks,” she said. “I’ll echo that right back at you.”
Don coughed behind us. “I really do have to close up,” he said. “The other staff will be here in a few hours, though, if you want to stay?”
I shook my head.
“No, thanks. You’ve been patient enough to let us stay,” Malaki said and scooped up the last bit of pie and custard. I put the bowl on my tray, and we got ready to leave, cleaning the table for him.
“Really appreciated. Thank you.”
The night was cold now, and Malaki shivered when we stepped outside. “You got far to walk?” I asked.
“The other side of the block,” she said. “Not too far. I’ll make a run for it.”
“We’ll run for it,” I said and took my jacket off and handed it to her.
She led the way. While we ran, with a nice full stomach, it was just a bit unpleasant. At the door, she took my jacket off and handed it to me.
“See you around tomorrow,” she said, unlocking the building’s main door with her wrist and vanishing.
I put my jacket on and made a run towards my own block, only slowing when I got a stomach cramp.
I didn’t see anything; I only felt the results. Something hard hit the back of my neck, and I grunted with the pain. I was going down fast, and the ground sped up at me. I put my hands out just in time to block it and turned.
A boot was headed straight for my face.
Lights out.
30
It was my shivering that woke me.
Everything hurt when I attempted to move. I hadn’t seen any of it coming. I didn’t know what to do. Slowly, I pushed myself up and, reaching for the nearest wall, I leaned against it.
I hesitated at calling anyone, even Malaki.
I flexed my hand and accessed my HUD.
Damage: 38%
Tech damage: Error, error…
If they’d damaged this—any of this—fuck. I didn’t care who Chief Kuri was to them. They had no right to do this. I wasn’t just a regular person; I was an asset. I’d be in debt for the rest of my life, and they’d have the book thrown at them.
My fingers all moved, though stiff. Hopefully only because of the cold.
I should call Malaki. My finger almost hit her ID number.
We might have just met and decided to work together, but shit. Who else could I call?
First Lieutenant Bryd?
Ugh, fuck no, if this got to Michaels…
I tracked my injuries over my HUD.
Internal bruising, facial fractures—again.
I was going to need help, no matter what.
Fuck, this wasn’t good.
Stretching my legs out, I felt they were okay. I could walk. My face hurt the most. The facial implants were still so new. I was still healing, even if they were all working correctly, and on my HUD, they just showed up in plain ole red.
Danger…
My room was too far.
If I called anyone else, there would be some massive blow up, and this would be even worse for everyone involved.
I stood there, shaking, and for a moment I closed my eyes while I tried to think about the best way to handle this. There really wasn’t one.
I eased away from the wall and made my way back to Malaki’s building.
Every step was agony. Before I got there, I hit for her comms number and then agonized over a text emergency alert or to call.
I didn’t want any text records either, so I hit the call.
It took a moment, then she answered all groggy. “Hello?”
“Can you let me in? It’s Rus.”
“Rusty?” I heard her moving about, then a thunk. “I’m not accepting a booty call, go back home.”
“Just come down,” I said, and croaked out a very sad, “Please.”
“Are you okay?” she asked. I didn’t answer, I couldn’t. “I’m on my way.”
Malaki answered the main door in thin PJs, and even she shivered as the wind whipped inside. She took one look at me. “Fuck me,” she said and ushered me inside.
It took me a bit more to get up to her bunk, but she let me in, and I eased down onto her bed.
“What the hell?” she said and knelt before me. “Give.”
I held my wrist out to her, and she put hers to mine. Just like that, she accessed my HUD and my health stats. I stopped her looking too far inside, at least for now.
“You’re still inner city?” she questioned. “Not from the outskirts?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Though I would have been if I hadn’t come here. How can you tell?”
“Slight deviation in their stat sheets. It makes it easier for us to know at a glance, well, you know…”
“What if they’d likely pilfer your pockets?”
She nodded, then frowned. “Or worse, kill you for your tech.”
“Shit.” She really wasn’t kidding. “Never met anyone from out there,” I said and coughed. I groaned, coughing hurt.
“You need to report this.” She sat back on her haunches. “Fuck…I need to report this.”
“It will make it worse.” I begged. “Please don’t.”
Malaki lifted my chin up and I winced. “Damage?”
“Nothing’s showing broken. Just bruising, swelling.”
“They did some number on you to not break anything.”
“Yeah,” I croaked out. “It was totally intentional, all of it.”
“God, you’re freezing,” she hissed “Was this when you left me?”
I swallowed, trying to form words. In the end, I could only nod. I was too tired. I needed sleep, so much more sleep. My eyes threatened to close.
“That was three hours ago. They might have not broken any bones, but they’re still putting your life at risk. It’s not exactly summer out there.”
Malaki shoved her covers aside. Her bed was still warm. She took my boots off and eased my jacket off, as well. Then she eased me into her bed and got in with me. “Thought you said no booty call?”
Luckily for me, she didn’t care about my words. She frowned and put her arm around me, wrapping me up in her warmth. She smelled of lemons, and cake? “I’ve got painkillers and other drugs. I’ll get you warm first and then fetch them.”
“Do you mind if I—” I looked into her eyes, feeling so much, but I couldn’t even try to express it more than that.
“No rest,” she ordered. “You need to keep talking. If you won’t report this and get checked out properly, then I’m going to sit with you for a while and keep an eye on you.”
“I’m tired. I just want to sleep.”
“I know. Me too, but you’re more important than any beauty sleep.” She put her wrist to mine again. “I’m going to access more than your health data. And I’m going to set an alarm to wake me every thirty minutes.”
“I thought only family could do that?”
“I have clearance while here to do this,” she stated. “Even if, technically, you aren’t my student. You trust me?”
“I’m here, in your bed, at your mercy, I trust you.”
There was only another moment’s silence, as her eyes glazed. Then she said, “Tell me everything you know about helicopters. Start from the beginning.”
“You’re really pulling me on that now?” I shivered, and she pulled me in even closer, and pulled a wire up from her side, clicking a button. Heated blanket? No wonder her bed was so warm. Even if it had been off, she had it to kick start it.
“Yes, I want to get you warm before you sleep,” she admitted. “Tell me everything.” Softly, she ran her nails through my hair. It wasn’t quite the massage I got from Lacy, but it made me feel much better. Cared for. I lay my head on her chest and tried not to think of the soft padding there. She was perfect, and this, this made her the perfect friend. A friend I really needed right now.
I told her what I knew about helicopters, starting with the smallest, the training ones, and working my way up. When I stopped shivering, Malaki eased out from under me, got up for a moment, and fetched a bottle of fluids, I saw the label: Clemont, and she picked out three pills. She got back in bed, and I took the pills, swallowing them down with the enhanced drink, hoping they worked quick.
“You do know they’ll see your face tomorrow, right? The bruises are going to be nasty.”
“Can I miss it tomorrow?”
“You can’t afford to miss it,” she said with a frown.
“What if you take me out somewhere, anywhere, teach me?”
Malaki frowned. This close to her forehead, she had the slightest wrinkles, but her eyes sparkled with intelligence and wit. “I can’t do anything this morning,” she said. “I have to complete my punishment. But I can probably work something out this afternoon.”
The pills were making me even more sleepy, and I struggled to keep awake for the next few hours. She questioned me about my childhood, my first memories, and then about my family and my home. I told her all about my dad, how he’d taught me everything he possibly could as a kid, then all about my mom and her strict home-schooling. I surprised myself when I told her how my dad had died on the Wall, and how my mom had met Tsomak, who had helped us to survive. Malaki just listened. If I got too sleepy, she got me to sit up, let me drink, and carry on.
I was so comfortable. I felt warm and content. I tried to move as something vibrated against my neck. We’d both fallen asleep. When I opened my eyes, I was staring straight into hers.
Her face flushed rosy, pink. “I’ve, I’ve never slept with anyone before.”
“It was nice.” I yawned, and my lips cracked. “I needed it; everything hurts.”
She was silent, embarrassed? I didn’t want to feel rejection at any level right now. I couldn’t take it.
“I really do have to go.” She pushed her hair to one side. “It isn’t you. Even though it was so little, that was one of the best sleeps I’ve ever had. I have never felt so…” She struggled with the word she wanted. “Safe. If I had my way, you would happily stay, and I’d just curl up and go back to sleep.”
I know, I let out a sigh. “Can I stay?”
“Yes,” she said. “They’d catch you going in and out. Sleep while you can. I’ll come back later and wake you with some food, then see if you’re up for some training.”
I nodded, tucking back into her pillow. My eyes were closing already. “Thanks,” I whispered.
“Are you feeling okay?” she probed.
“Painkillers are good,” I said. “Feel like I just need some sleep, for the right reasons now. Thanks for keeping me awake.”
“Thanks for talking to me,” she quipped and slipped out of bed.
It was cooler without her there, and I let my eyes close, only hearing the odd bit of moving around. I opened them just the once to find her changing out of her PJs. Friends or not, she wasn’t just beautiful, she was fucking hot and I wanted to see her to test myself and my feelings. Was I normal if I didn’t take in her every curve? As she slipped off her shirt, I saw something: a thick black line that traced down her spine. What?
I made the decision to look away, and was surprised when her stats flashed before me. I scanned them quick without thinking on that either.
Identification: Malaki Canlas
Call Sign: Dizzy101
Species: Human
Bonus: Due to Injury: Minus 2 to Strength
Mod Capacity: 20 *with mods* 24
Mod Capacity in Use: 8
Stat
Current Points
Description
Mods
Quality
Dexterity
12
Governs agility and movement.
R&L Arm Mod:
Cost:
Mental Power
12 = *15*
Governs swiftness and fortitude of the mind.
Q7: Brain Mod: 3
Cost: 4
(+MP 3)
Professional
Perception
14 = *17*
Governs senses and connection to surroundings.
Q1: RI Mod: Class 3
Cost: 4
(+PER 3)
Professional
Strength
11 = Minus 2
Total: 9
Governs physical strength and damage dealt.
Torso Mod:
Cost: Minus 2 to Str
Toughness
8
Governs the body and internal fortitude.
Organelles:
Was that something to do with her accessing my stats in full. I could see hers too. It felt like an invasion of her privacy… Shit and I flicked it away.
Malaki’s eyes met mine as her clean shirt fell down her back; she hiked a pair of pants up over her ass and the rest of the mark vanished with it. She sat on the end of the bed to slip her boots on. “Anything changes,” she said. “You comm me, all right?”
“I will,” I said, my mind running double time over the mark she had. What was that? I’d never seen anything like it before.
She stood, grabbed her data pad, and went to the door. “Back soon.”
The thoughts of her mark were gone in seconds, and I was fast asleep again. I woke up at some point to find a bathroom. It was at the end of the hall. No one was around, but I still hesitated in leaving her room just in case I was spotted or, more importantly, got her into trouble for fraternizing or something.
The bathroom was empty; it was 11 a.m., after all. The water was cool when I washed my hands, and I moved to the shower stall, putting my wrist to it.
I noted the wash dispensers and slipped the rest of my clothes off to step in. Once again, my skin was decorated with bruises, though it was in spots this time. Nothing like the car crash.
I washed, rinsed, then dried myself off on a fresh towel before getting dressed again and heading back to her room.
I hadn’t paid much attention to the building block, but it was for visitors, not trainees. I was probably okay here for now, and she wouldn’t get into trouble. At least, I hoped she wouldn’t.
Her room was larger than the usual bunks, with twice the width. It provided room for a desk and a small cupboard at the end that was just big enough to fit a few days’ clothes. I opened it all, looked around, then settled back in her bed with my head on the pillow. I smelled clean, but the pillow smelled of her still, and that gave me great comfort.
31
It wasn’t long. At least, it didn’t seem like long before the door was opening again, and Malaki slipped back inside, putting her stuff on the small desk.
“Hey.”
“Feeling any better?” she asked and sat on her chair, opening her bag. She fished something out—a small jar—then she opened the lid and, putting some of its contents on her finger, moved towards me.
“What is that?”
“I ran by the med unit. Told them some of the truth. It’s fast healing and nite enhanced cream. It will help.”
I sighed inwardly, expensive she meant. “More than Clemont’s?”
Stick an M-Corp tag on anything and it came in fancy packaging and with a fancy price to boot.
“I also got you some extra special Clemont’s drinks, so yeah, together they’ll help a lot.”
I sat up a little more, and she smoothed it over the whole right side of my face. It was cool to my skin, which at this moment in time was hot.
“Does it feel warm?” I asked her.
“Yeah,” she said. “You’ve run a bit of a temp since I left. I’ve kept a close eye on you. But you’re due some more pills, too.”
“Thanks. For looking after me.”
“We made a deal,” she said. “I can’t exactly go back on it on the first day.”
“I wouldn’t have blamed you,” I said.
“I meant everything,” she said. “I want you along for the ride.”
That got a smile out of me, almost, as my lips cracked again. This time I tasted blood. “Anything for this lip?” I asked.
