She helped me out of the ReGen pod and walked with me over to an examination chair in a smaller room. Settled there, I was sitting, mostly. Which was fine, because my legs were still a little shaky and I hadn’t figured out how to deal with the giant beast lurking in the room.
Doctor Moor settled me and wrapped her hand around mine where it rested on my thigh. “After you talk to Doctor Mersan, we’ll talk about your future. All right?”
I nodded, but when she tried to release my hand, I held tight to her fingers. If I couldn’t have Nyko, it didn’t really matter who I ended up with. I just needed to get this thing out of my head and get out of the Fleet. I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t fight and scream and kill. I didn’t want to be brave. I never wanted to see another one of those blue-skinned freaks or hear the monotone voice of another Hive Soldier saying the word “we”.
My mother would tell me I was broken, but I didn’t want to do it anymore. I’d hurt and killed and bled enough. I wanted a life. A real life, with family and wine and music concerts and children. Chocolate every night for dessert and hot sex before sleep. I wanted someone to hold me when I closed my eyes and to make me feel like I wasn’t so alone in this shit-hole universe. “Do it, Doctor. Run the brides protocol. Match me. I’m done.”
That earned me a huge smile. “Excellent. I’ll get you settled while you talk to the Doctor Mersan.”
“Good. But I can’t transport directly after the match. I have to make a delivery first.”
She tilted her head, but grinned. “Fine. How long will that take? I think I ought to let your mate know an expected arrival date.”
How long before I could transport to my new mate once I was matched? That was an excellent question. I had to transport to the I.C., meet with Doctor Helion and the Core team, update them on what I saw when we encountered the Nexus Unit, spend several hours in debriefing, go to surgery, get this damn thing out of my head, and heal.
“Five days.”
“That’s acceptable.” Doctor Moor nodded and walked away, humming to herself. I imagined her doing a little hop and a skip on her way to the controls to process me for my matched mate.
As long as I didn’t look at Nyko, I could do this.
Nyko didn’t move, he was like a sentinel nearby. Protecting me still, even though his new Interstellar Bride, his perfect match, could arrive any moment.
My stupid heart didn’t care. I didn’t have the strength to ask him to leave. He wasn’t mine, but he made me feel safe. And I didn’t know Doctor Mersan. Sure, the I.C. said he could be trusted, but I was hurt and tired and heartbroken all at once. I didn’t want to deal with him alone.
The Prillon warrior in green chose that moment to enter the small exam room. He closed the door behind him, giving us privacy for a conversation no one else but Commander Karter himself had the clearance to hear.
He turned to Nyko. “You may go, Warlord.” I tensed at the command, not wanting to be alone in the room with the doctor.
“No.” The beast didn’t even twitch.
“Warlord—” The doctor started, but Nyko stood and walked around to stand beside my shoulder. Like a lovesick idiot, I smiled up at him, not even trying to hide the need on my face. He did that to me, made it okay for me to be vulnerable. It was a crazy feeling, but once I started with him, I didn’t seem to be able to stop. It felt good to lean on him, to trust him. Too good. I’d seen him pull Hive Soldiers in half. I wasn’t worried about the doctor, not with Nyko beside me.
The doctor changed tactics, looking at me. “Captain Simmons. This is not a conversation for others to hear.”
I rolled my eyes. “Look, Doc, he was in the cave with me. He saved my life. He killed all three of the Nexus units, and helped me remove the sample from the creature’s head. He’s already seen everything. He knows more about them than you do.”
Doctor Mersan pursed his lips and nodded, looking up at Nyko, which was no small feat, since the doctor was probably seven feet tall himself. “You should be debriefed, Warlord. We will have some questions for you.”
Nyko simply growled and for some inexplicable reason, that made me laugh. I knew Nyko would calm down and tell the I.C. anything they wanted to know. I was sure the doctor knew it, too, but he scowled at Nyko and shrugged. “And that is why we don’t recruit Atlans.”
That was that, and he ignored Nyko’s presence. “How are you feeling?”
“Better.”
“You never should have removed your helmet so close to Latiri 4.”
“I know that now.”
Nyko interrupted. “Why? Why not hurt now?”
Mersan was a Prillon warrior in his prime, maybe forty years old. His skin was a deep bronzed gold, his hair a burnished copper. His eyes were dark, coffee brown and intelligent. Shrewd. But he knew better than to argue with Nyko. Especially if he wanted the Warlord to volunteer any information on those Nexus Units.
“The Karter is orbiting well outside of the Hive’s current communications range. The Hive’s network can’t reach you here.”
I looked up at Nyko, wanting him to understand. “My helmet shields me from Hive transmissions, just like that cave.”
He grunted in understanding as the doctor continued. “The commander is running a continuous scan for their command sub-frequencies, now that you’re back on the ship, but we need to get you out of here as soon as possible. If you came in direct contact with a Nexus Unit, they know you exist. They’ll be hunting you, Captain. You’re a danger to the ship and everyone on board.”