Episode 9. Part 5

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Meanwhile, as the menfolk linger downstairs talking, Delilah goes up to Rina and Mike’s room and knocks on their door.

Rina and Mike are in the middle of preparing for bed—he on one side of it, she on the other—when the knock sounds. Mike’s taking off his shirt and Rina’s in her jog bra and jogger’s tights when Delilah opens the door and steps inside. Delilah looks Rina up and down and sighs.

Delilah: Back when I used to be able to work out like that….

Rina glances reflexively down and crosses her arms over her exposed midriff.

Delilah: (continuing) Can I borrow your friend for a little while?

Rina’s first impulse is to refuse, but Mike is right there and it’s really not her decision.

Rina: (looking over at Mike) I think that would be up to him.

Mike is, quite simply, poleaxed.

Mike: Uh-what? Who? (Recovering) I don’t really need a…Companion… Delilah: (quickly to Rina) I’m not offering him my services. (to Mike) You couldn’t afford them. Rina: So…? Delilah: We just need to talk. Rina: (thoroughly hinked) Not without me. Delilah: (gently) Don’t worry. Rina: Could you give us a moment?

Delilah nods gracefully and retreats to the hallway outside, closing the door behind her. Rina turns to Mike, keeping her voice low against eavesdropping.

Rina: What was that all about? Mike: I don’t know. I’ve never met this woman before, I’m pretty sure. In fact, I was kinda scrambled up there back on Hera but I’m pretty sure I’d remember her. Rina: (torn) I’m lost. I don’t know what to do. What does your gut tell you? 'Mike: She seems trustworthy. (lightbulb!) You don’t think that I would do anything? Rina: No, no, no—I’m more worried about what she’s going to do to you. If nothing else, what she’s going to ask you that you’re not going to be able to resist— Mike: What would she ask? I mean, we’re staying here. If they wanted to do something to us, they could just call the authorities. Rina: In my paranoid heart of hearts, I would say ‘not without a wire’, but I don’t think you brought any equipment with you, did you? Mike: No. Rina: Damn. (pacing back and forth) God, I hate this. I suck at field work, you know that. Mike: I don’t think that you need to do any. But if you don’t feel comfortable—. Rina: I’m worried for you. I…I, I can’t, I can’t— Mike: I’m on the traditional capital of the Alliance.

Not exactly, but close enough as makes no difference and Rina lets it slide.

Mike: (continuing) There are literally tens of thousands of Alliance agents and Blue Sun agents on this planet. Somehow, I don’t see Christian’s mom as being my main concern, here. In fact, making her happy seems to be a bigger concern. If they think we’re dangerous to her son, we need to convince her we’re not a danger to her son. Don’t you think?

Rina just looks at him standing there shirtless, trousered and barefoot…and relents.

Rina: Look, you’re more experienced in this than I am. I’m gonna go with your judgement on this. I…I just… (turns away, frustrated, turns back)… I know I’m paranoid… I’m… I feel like a fifth wheel…I… (whispers) Just be careful. Mike: As best I can. Rina: In my memory, your best is pretty damned good. Mike: Okay, then. Rina: Okay.

Mike shrugs back into his shirt and walks barefoot through the door. Delilah leans back inside.

Delilah: I won’t keep him long.

Then the door closes and she’s gone, and Rina’s left to pace the room til Mike’s return. And when he finally does return in the wee hours of the morning, he’s not quite the same man as when he’d left.

And as all this is going on, Christian is next door in Nika’s room, telling her his misgivings over the missing artwork and the bad news it implies. Nika admits to a personal issue of her own and together they spend some time talking it out. When they part a little while later both come away, if not comforted, at least better able to face their troubles.

The next morning at breakfast, several of our party are missing: Mike and Rina, and Manuel and Sean. Christian actually catches Manuel and Sean leaving before it’s served, both are carrying hunting rifles. It seems Manuel has indeed found something entertaining for Sean to do that will occupy him elsewhere. Christian bids them good hunting and goes to the breakfast table to tell the others the news. Nika is interested—as someone from the Rim, she’s eaten game meat and knows it would be a welcome addition to our ship’s stores.

Nika: Are you bringing back real meat? Christian: I assure you, the bacon you smell cooking is real.

After all, not all Buddhists are vegetarian and as Companions, the Edges have to be able to eat anything for the sake of their clients.

Nika: Yeah, but if they bring back real meat, we can dry it and take it on board as jerky. Christian: Mmmm….jerky. Nika: It lasts a long time that way. (looking around the table) Where is Rina, anyway? Christian: Umm. She and Mike are… spending some quality time together.

It’s obvious what he means and Nika holds up a hand.

Nika: I don’t wanna know. Really. Other than it’s a good thing. Christian: You mean, you didn’t hear it? Nika: (aghast) Hear what? Never mind—I don’t want to know. Really. And don’t tell me she’s a screamer, ’cuz I don’t wanna know. Christian: (roguishly) Honestly, it’s my impression that she’s not, but he is.

Nika starts laughing and off-color comments fly fast around the table. Arden pulls out a chair and says he’s contacted his doctor friend, and everyone quiets down to listen.

Arden: I called my friend. Christian: We can borrow my parents’ car to go visit her if we need to. Arden: We probably will. I’m a little concerned about how much information we’re going to have to give her, because we have to give her something. Nika: Yeah, we’re probably going to have to give her a good bit more than we’d like, given his condition. Christian: You could invite her here. And I can guarantee you my mother and father can tell us if we can trust her or not. They’re much better at this than I am. Nika: That might not be a bad idea since it keeps us from being out in the public too much. Arden: Yeah, but then it also takes away our only escape. Christian: True. If she were to go to the authorities, they’d know that we’re here, and… Nika: There is that, yeah. Christian: And no one’s infallible. Nika: And it would expose your parents to the risk. Arden: I think that the best way is, when Mike is able, to just take him in directly to her office and try to get a brain scan first thing before we even talk about what he’s got or who he is. Nika: We do not talk about who he is, at all. Under any circumstances. Arden: Right. Well….when there’s blood work done and stuff, if she wants to know why he has this drug in his system, we’ll have to have an answer for that. Do you have an answer for that? Nika: We’ll come up with something but we should not tell anyone who he is. Christian: If she asks him, it doesn’t matter what our story is. Nika: Mike, yes…. (speaking of which…) and I forgot. (to Arden) You can’t tell a lie to save your life.

True.

They shelve the topic for now and just enjoy the food and the company. The two Misses join our party and get some food into them, then wander off to explore the extensive garden. We idly watch them. A little later on, Mike and Rina finally show up. One look is all Nika needs to confirm Christian’s comments. For one thing, Rina’s smiling, and both she and Mike have that post-coital glow. Christian puts a heaping plate of food in front of them both and Nika very pointedly leaves the two of them alone. Tomorrow is soon enough for the grim and gory. For now, we take a break and just breathe.

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