Page 26 of Kranow (Brides of the Mylos #4)
Two days of being confined to bed in the sterile environment of the private, locked room in sickbay later, Marley heaved a sigh of relief when the door slid open and revealed Darla.
“ Come on, we ’ re blowing this Popsicle stand! ” Darla said cheerfully. “ You ’ re being discharged. Come on, now. I ’ ve got two guys from Security waiting outside to walk us to your quarters. ”
Marley didn ’ t have to be told twice. She swung her legs over the bed and reached for the change of clothes Darla held. “ Hot damn! ” she said, not caring that her friend was still in the room watching her change. “ Umm, are the security guards to make sure we ’ re safe because of ongoing terrorist threats and you ’ re the Fleet commander ’ s wife or because I ’ m still thought to be the target? ”
Darla waved a hand from side to side. “ A little bit of both, really. They still have no leads on who ’ s responsible and why. Plus, Gundar is wanting to be extra cautious now that Jackie O ’ Hannigan ’ s onboard. She ’ s making noise about you having been at the cafe just before the blasts. ”
Color drained from Marley ’ s face as a cold fist of dread settled into her gut. “ She thinks I ’ m the one who did it? ”
“ Yeah, well, we know it wasn ’ t you, ” Darla replied, jutting her chin out. “ But in case some idiot believes her, it ’ s been decided you are best left under watchful protection. ”
Marley slid her feet into the mules Darla had brought. “ Yeah, well, she can go to Hell. I had nothing to do with any of it. Even back in my HR days, I wouldn ’ t have participated in maiming and killing anyone. That ’ s just sick. I get that she ’ s upset about her employees getting hurt, but so was I, and my friend and co-worker died after that second blast hit her with shrapnel. You don ’ t see me blaming Rosa or my waitress or anybody just to have someone to point a finger at. ”
“ Oh, honey, nobody who knows you thinks you had anything to do with it. The parents of the kids in your class are all standing up for you, too. Sachuu says it ’ s just bad timing that you were there. He says he ’ s fairly certain that when they are done processing, he can prove it definitely wasn ’ t you. He just doesn ’ t want to tip his hand yet, in case it scares off the real culprit. ”
The knot in her gut loosened. “ Oh my God, he has evidence that might reveal who did do it? ”
“ Goodness, yes. I have no idea what it is yet, but Gundar says that when the test results are all in, they will be able to arrest the guilty party. I think it must be some evidence with DNA on it or something. It ’ s just a shame that the AI was unable to provide a complete record. It ’ s as if whoever did it, knew how to make sure the AI ’ s logs would be disrupted. ”
“ So they could have had an accomplice. ”
“ Mmmhmm. Which means it ’ d have to be someone with access to the AI protocols. ”
“ So it could be a Mylos. ” Marley ’ s eyes grew round at the thought. “ But why? ”
“ That is the million dollar question, isn ’ t it? Now, come on. You don ’ t want to stay in here, do you? ”
Marley shook her head emphatically no. “ I certainly don ’ t. “ She ran a hand through her hair. “ I ’ m as ready as I ’ ll ever be. ”
“ Do you need to pack any stuff? ” Darla asked, looking at the hairbrush on the bedside table meaningfully.
“ No, that isn ’ t mine. Well, it is now, I suppose. It was given to me in here. I don ’ t need it, though. I have a better one at home. ”
Darla nodded and knocked on the door. It slid open in response, revealing two large males, both wearing Security uniforms and bearing sidearms.
Marley ’ s eyes widened. She ’ d expected them to have some sort of gun but the twin swords strapped across their backs and the daggers on one thigh surprised her.
“ Pretty bad ass, huh? ” Darla whispered, catching her stare as they followed the two males out of sickbay. “ I asked Gundar if just Security used those and he said that the two swords and the dagger are something every male learns from the age of ten. Once proficient, they are gifted with their own. ” Darla giggled softly as the two males pretended to not hear their conversation. “ I had Gundar take his out and model them for me. He even did some moves! It was hot. ”
“ He had the swords in your quarters? ”
“ Yeah, turns out that closet has a hidden panel concealing his little personal armory. I couldn ’ t believe it. ”
“ Wow! Do you think Kranow … ? ”
“ All of our quarters have them, ” the guard on the left said.
“ So he has these swords, too? ”
“ And probably a dagger, ” Darla confirmed.
“ But why hide them? They could hang on the wall or something, be easier to reach. Wait, they don ’ t keep one of those guns in there, do they? ”
“ Those are kept in the ship ’ s armory, ” the guard on the right answered. “ Disruptors are not permitted within quarters. ”
“ Gundar said that displaying them openly is like boasting. You have to master the swords to be awarded them, and the hilts reveal your level of mastery, ” Darla said.
“ Okay, so no showing off how bad ass you are unless you intend to kick ass with them, ” Marley said.
“ Yeah, ” Darla replied. “ Pretty much. ”
They ’ d reached the elevator at this point and got on. “ I wonder if Kranow will show me his moves, ” Marley mused.
“ You should definitely ask. I had to fan myself watching Gundar. ” The two guards smirked. Marley resolved to ask Kranow when he returned after this was all over. She began to fantasize about watching him wield his twin swords in demonstration, his torso shirtless. Then, he would sheathe them and carry her off bridal style to be ravished. Oh yeah …
Darla giggled. “ I can guess what you ’ re thinking, ” she said in a sing song voice as the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened. The quartet exited the elevator and completed the short walk to Marley ’ s door. Marley opened the door, looking askance as one of the two guards pulled her back as the other entered. He reappeared moments later.
“ It ’ s clear. ”
“ Couldn ’ t you just have asked Xero that? ”
“ No, in case someone s tampering with the AIs, ” the one holding her replied as he released her. “ You are both cleared to enter. We ’ ll remain out here until shift change. ”
“ Okay. Uh, may I ask what your names are? ”
“ I ’ m Lothar, ” the one who ’ d checked her quarters replied.
“ I ’ m Jerill, ” said the other.
“ Okay, well, it was nice meeting you, ” Marley said. “ Shame about the circumstances. ” She stopped and stared at the sight that greeted her as she stepped inside. Swaths of fabric lay across her sofa and chairs. “ What is all this? ” she asked, turning to Darla.
“ Oh, well, see, I need you to pick a dress and some fabric. ”
“ Whatever for? ”
“ For your wedding dress. Kranow asked me to arrange y ’ all ’ s wedding. Because of everything that ’ s happened, he ’ s being allowed to test out early, in two weeks. So, we only got two weeks to get everything ready. ”
“ Our wedding? Really? ” Marley squealed. “ Wait, in two weeks? How are we going to- oh, yeah, I can pick a readymade dress, right? And we ’ ll have it in one of the parks, I guess. Or I my living room. Then a buffet. Just me and Kranow and you guys. ”
“ Nope! ” Darla grinned. “ You ’ ll look at sewing patterns and pick a dress and the fabric and Xero will have the dress replicated for you using your measurements, a few days before the wedding so if you gain a bit around the middle suddenly, it ’ ll still be a perfect fit. And Gundar and I managed to convince the governor of Florida that you are totes reformed and innocent of this current act of terrorism, so he ’ s agreed to let us hold a ceremony on Grayton Beach. Steven got himself ordained so he ’ s gonna marry y ’ all and then we ’ re gonna barbecue in the pavilion they have there. You get a week there at a B and B that ’ s got beach access. Then after that, you and Kranow are going fly out to stay in a catered cottage on the Isle of Barra. That ’ s in the Outer Hebrides, and the government of Great Britain has given permission for you two to stay there for two weeks, provided Sachuu and a few of his hand-picked men provide you with security. They ’ ll be staying in the cottage next door, which is another holiday rental. They ’ ll be at Grayton, too, staying at the same B and B. ”
“ Oh, wow! That ’ s so amazing! ” She threw her arms around her friend and hugged her tight. “ I don ’ t know what to say! ”
“ How about you just tell Xero what you want to drink, and let ’ s start looking at dresses! Anyways, you can thank Melissa for the Grayton beach suggestion. She ’ s from a town right near there and she ’ s the one thought of it. She showed me pictures of the emerald waters and sugar sand beaches, and I just knew it ’ d be perfect! ”