EvO (Darverius, House of DaR #16)

Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

EVO

I walk up to the viewer that overlooks the main dock. “ Destroyer , how is the recharging going?”

“ I am currently at eighty-nine percent and gaining.”

“ Repairs to your haul?”

“ Almost complete, once finished, we should be able to start the journey back to our original entrance point.”

“ Any contact with SCOUT yet?”

“ Negative , but I have sent drones ahead.”

“ Status update on the pods?”

“ Captain , since the retrieval of the pods, I have been able to access several of the commands pre-installed. There is a set of instructions available for me to wake the inhabitants slowly as the pods are opening. Would you like me to proceed?”

“ Absolutely , we need to get these humans out of those floating coffins. Initiate the ones that seem to be in the worst shape first. Do I need to be present?”

“ It is not a requirement, but I am sure once awakened they will be disoriented and concerned.”

“ How long will it take to get them out and the shells of the pods removed?”

“ If all goes to plan, the first could awaken in half a tick.”

“ I will prepare Qwin and Ember for their arrival, as I am sure they would prefer to be here.”

This excuse simply allows me to head back to the Med bay. Opening the door at first, I think Qwin is asleep until she looks up at me. “ Hello beautiful, how are you feeling?” She blushes, shaking her head before answering me. I am having a hard time not pressing lips with her again, but I am determined to show her that I am a worthy male. After all, I am in this for forever, not as a passing fling.

“ Wonderful actually, whatever super shot LeX gave me a little while ago has taken all the fatigue away. I feel more like my old self. What have you been up to?”

“ I was overseeing the process of the pods being brought into the ship. They should be opening soon. I’m sure a familiar face in the room when they wake would make things easier for all concerned, that is, if you’re up to it.”

“ Absolutely , I don’t know how long I’ll feel this way, but I am ready to get out of this bed and do something useful.”

“ LeX , are you prepared?”

“ I am as ready as I’ll ever be, EvO , but Qwin needs to eat before we head that way.”

“ Sustenance , it is then.”

“ You should call for ViN and Ember . Qwin needs something familiar in her stomach.”

“ Destroyer , inform my brother that he is needed in the main sustenance chamber and that I don’t want to hear the excuse that he is fornicating with his mate.”

Out of habit, I reach down and pick Qwin up and head towards the door.

“ Hey , I can walk you know.”

I pause before entering the hall passage, a frown upon my face. Qwin reaches up, tracing my bottom lip with her tiny fingers, and I act like I am going to bite her. “ I like having you here.”

“ Yeah , I missed you too, but sooner or later you are going to have to let me walk.”

I smile as I head out of the room. I even hear LeX snicker behind me. Nevertheless , life is good. I have my mate in my arms, with a smile on her face, and I am a happy male. However , I barely get us out of the way when I hear Ember laughing as she runs right straight towards us. Only a few steps behind, we hear ViN’s huge feet stomping after her. Ember ducks behind me when ViN reaches for her. All of a sudden, we are all nothing but arms and hands as we get tangled up together.

Ember’s laughter is contagious and before long we are all in on the catch and release they were playing coming down the hall. She squeals when ViN finally gets a hold of her. Throwing her playfully over his shoulder, he smacks her on the butt. “ Lead on brother I am famished.”

“ Put me down you, Brute !”

Qwin’s face is flushed, but she is all smiles as she watches them together. We all head towards one of the larger tables, and I set Qwin down gently next to me.

“ Ember , can you get something for Qwin to eat? She isn’t familiar with the replicator.”

“ Sure , as soon as this cave man puts me down.”

ViN smacks her ass again before gradually lowering her to the floor. They share this look in between them that I never understood until I held Qwin in my arms. Now , I can’t wait until I can share these moments with her in front of everyone.

“ Qwin , whatcha want to eat?”

“ You got pizza, or a big ass cheeseburger in that magic box?”

“ It’s not exact, but I can make a mean pizza.”

“ Sounds wonderful.”

Shortly after that LeX comes over with several plates for all of us males to share. Only to turn around to help Ember with her and Qwin’s . He is always taking care of everyone.

Ember sits down next to ViN who has been shoving his substance in like a starved male from the moment it was set before him. “ Be open-minded, Qwin . Nothing is going to taste the same.”

I wait until Qwin has taken a bite before digging into my own plate. “ Is it terrible?”

“ No , it tastes like a store bought frozen pizza, but right now, I am so hungry it’s wonderful. Thanks , Ember .”

“ I’ll show you all my tricks later. I bet I made a dozen plates before I found a few I could tolerate. How I wish we had some of the spices and vegetables from home. Once we get back to civilization, I plan on asking ANDI on how we can obtain some of those things. From what I understand, he is all knowing when it comes to Earth . Lord knows, I was never one for being in the dirt, but if it means I could possibly have a baked potato again, bring it on.”

I jump when the ship starts talking.

“ Mistress Ember , I was not aware that your palette was not being satisfied by the replicators onboard. When we obtain communications, I will look into ways to rectify this. If my memory banks are correct, I believe General Tordan’s mate Luna runs the harvesting section on Falcor . I will ask to speak to her directly.”

“ Thank you Destroyer , that is very kind, and it’s not like I’m starving, just would like a small taste of home.”

“ Acknowledged .”

I hear the ship speaker click off and before I can say anything Ember looks over at me. “ Don’t you think her name is rather harsh? The Destroyer … Here she is, saving all our lives, keeping us safe from the cold and the gasses outside, and has that horrible name. Who gave that to her, anyway?”

The guys all look up from their food toward EvO ?

“ It was me alright. In my own defense. She is heavily weaponized and was previously used to destroy other ships. It’s a battle tank floating through space. I thought it was fitting, but names can be changed. However , I don’t think that’s the most important thing going on right now. As soon as you are all finished eating, we are going to head towards the dock. Several of the pods will be opening soon.”

The room gets quiet with my last words and as I’m eating I keep glancing over at Qwin , realizing she is taking up my every thought. The pull not to act like ViN and throw her over my shoulder so that I can take her to my quarters and have my way with her is becoming hard to resist especially when she starts licking her fingers. I must have made a noise because every eye is on me instantly.

ViN with a knowing grin just has to say something. “ Don’t hold back Brother , let all those pent-up emotions out.”

I have never wanted to rip ViN’s head off so bad before, but I would love to wipe that smirk off his face. LeX being LeX , of course, intervenes.

“ Don’t make me separate you two, I am going to have my hands full soon enough, and will not have the time, nor patience to deal with either of you. If you are all finished, I would like to head towards the dock. I need to get a few things set up before they awaken.”

Qwin doesn’t say anything, but she does have a slight tint on her pale cheeks. When I reach down to pick her up, she scoots out of the way holding her hand out. “ Ok , as much as I love having you as my personal transportation. You know, I am going to forget how to walk if you never let me do it. I am not saying I don’t need your assistance because I do, but I am not going to regain my strength with you packing me.”

“ It brings me pleasure to pack you.”

“ That’s obvious, sweetie. Let’s try something else, come here and stand next to me then give me your arm.”

“ My arms are not detachable.”

Quin’s instant laughter fills my heart. “ Lord , give me strength,” she whispers, still laughing at me, as I walk beside her looking down at how short she is.

“ Your legs are too short to carry you for long distances. I would prefer to carry you simply so that we can arrive quicker.”

“ Did you just call me short and slow?”

“ It’s a fact, you are quite small in stature.”

“ Maybe you are just too tall.”

“ I am of average height. ViN is the one that is too tall.”

“ You two keep me out of this, but by all means continue. I am enjoying the little female putting my overbearing little brother in his place.”

Before I can turn towards him, Qwin tucks herself into my side. “ Here hold your arm like this, I will tuck my hand inside. This was a common way for a couple to walk together in my world. It’s a way for the woman to feel secure and for her man to keep her safely tucked in next to him.”

“ What is a couple?”

“ Ughh , well It’s two people who choose to be together and enjoy being close. Husband and wife, boyfriend, girlfriends, close friendships, even a mother or father may prefer to walk with a loved one like this.”

“ Oh , like mates?”

“ I reckon, yeah.”

I watch as ViN instantly holds his arm out for Ember in this same way. She must have already taught him this little trick. Now I am angry with myself for not paying closer attention to their interactions. I instantly mimic him putting his hand over Ember’s , by laying mine on top of Qwin’s .

LeX leads the way and we quickly fall behind. I fight the urge of simply reaching down and picking Qwin up. That is, until the moment I feel her breast pressed up against the back of my arm. Instantly , I shorten my steps so that Qwin is not running to keep up with my larger ones. Rubbing her small fingers lying beneath my own, I catch myself watching her instead of where we are headed. A slight tug of her hand stops me before my brothers can tease me further when we arrive at the dock.

LeX opens the wall viewer, and I hear a gasp from Qwin . “ Oh , wow, I didn’t expect there to be so many.”

“ This is the first group we have brought in. There will be several more once we clear the dock of the emptied pods. Destroyer , update the pod status.”

“ Captain EvO , several will be awakening soon. I have already positioned hover beds beside them for the Med bots to transfer the organics onto. Medic LeX , the pod in the process of opening right now needs your assistance, its inhabitant is in distress.”

He is through the doors before I can say a word. “ Well , I was going to suggest that it only be the females present when they all awaken, but little brother has decided he is going in one way or another.” I signal with my hand, “ ViN after you.”

Just as we all walk into the docking bay. LeX starts immediately motioning for us to come to where he is at. The look on his face has me instantly letting go of Qwin’s hand, sprinting towards the back of the dock, ViN right on my heels.

“ Help me get her out. The cryo tank’s main lever is stuck and her mask has come loose from her face. If we don’t free her before that pink goo gets in her lungs we’ll lose her.”

ViN grabs one side and I take the other, both of us straining against the metal holding her prisoner inside. The tank cracks, but not to the point we can get her out. “ Destroyer , I need one of the Guard bots here immediately,” I yell.

“ Do we have a security breach, Captain ?”

“ Negative , I need it to break through this container.”

All three of us start pulling hard on the sides only managing to pop a few of the bolts loose. Suddenly , the Guard bot appears beside me. “ Destroyer , give the order for the bot to tear this unit apart, but not to the point it injures the organic inside.”

We step back when its arms turn into small saws, strategically making small cuts until the entire top of the container is unattached and we can lift it away. Inside , wearing a pale yellow covering lies a young female. LeX doesn’t hesitate. He yanks the covering off her face and then detaches the leads connected to her skin before physically lifting her out of that pink goo. He doesn’t say a word to the rest of us as he races out of the room with her in his arms. The pink substance drips off her as they go.

Before I can yell out his name, Qwin is calling for me. “ EvO , we need you guys over here. All three of these are opening at the same time and I know I can’t lift them onto these beds.”

ViN and I work together quickly to extract all the humans. We were scared to leave any of them lying in the cryo pods because of that pink goo stuff. While we are getting them all on the stretchers. Ember and Qwin are opening the pod doors, pulling out anything stocked inside. Thankfully , none of the occupants have awoken fully yet.

Once empty, the pods are lifted off the floor by the Maintenance bots and released back out into space away from the ship, leaving the dock full of hover stretchers with humans. I have no idea what to do with them.

“ Destroyer , call LeX to the dock, please. Then confirm that he is coming.”

“ Captain , he said he would be here as soon as he stabilized the female.”

Qwin is standing closest to me, but leaning over another female on a stretcher, cleaning her face off with a cloth. “ Our doctor seems to be preoccupied. Do you have any suggestions of what to do once they start waking up?”

“ From what I can tell, if these sensors are correct, most of the people in here are alright. Malnutrition seems to be the worst of it, and I notice some also have a little bruising in different places. They must have gotten knocked around pretty hard out here in space somewhere. The Med bots have removed most of the IVs and ports from everyone in here already. Thank heavens, because I don’t even know how to unhook one, let alone remove it. I reckon we just wait and see how everyone reacts. Expect the worst, and hope for the best. That is a saying on Earth that seems appropriate right now.”

“ Since we have a moment, I am going to step out and go check on LeX . He needs to be here and he won’t answer his comm.” I start to lean down, hoping to possibly press lips against Qwin’s again when the Destroyer interrupts.

“ Captain EvO , you are needed at the helm.”

“ Frack , ViN can you take care of that?”

He kisses Ember quickly, “ I am on it, go find out what’s keeping, LeX .”

I see what I think is disappointment on Qwin’s face when I start to turn and leave. Stopping instantly, I gently grasp her around the waist, bringing her slight form up to mine. Pressing my lips against hers momentarily before sitting her back down. Her lips are slightly puffy and her cheeks slightly flushed when I sit her back down. She grants me a small smile before I walk away, and I can’t stop the skip in my step as my whole body is tingling all over.