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Kira followed in the same direction, muttering to herself on the matter. “Praetorians again, given permission to be here.”
She clenched her hands into fists as she got onto comms and Quinn caught half of the conversation.
“Morgan, are you on the bridge?”
“How close are they?”
“Damn.”
Tapping into the mainframe, he judged they’d be within scanning distance in a matter of minutes. Cloaked as a transport ship, one doing a regular route, Ann would not have flagged them right away. There hadn’t been a concern before their sudden change in direction.
“It may be too late,” she said to Morgan. “If it is, you must stall for as long as possible. It will take me time to reach the lockup. Watson needs to get there now, too.”
Observing the ships, Quinn ran the math. If she went to the lockup... Well, she could make it, but it would be very close. Even if she rushed, it was hard to get an exact number, but her margin of error existed at about less than ten seconds to arrive safely. As long as he hurried, his margin of error was closer to forty seconds, so that made it the safest option for both of them. It also didn’t involve Watson and her in an enclosed space. A win win as he’d heard before.
“Uh, you could just go to my room with me. The praetorians are almost within scanning range and it’s the closer of the two.”
“Right, yours is blocked too?” She did not wait for an answer, instead she gave a quick, “Thank you Quinn.”
Jogging that direction once they were inside, the door closed and a faux wall went up in the hallway. They were completely undetectable to the rest of the known galaxy as he walked over to his bed and sat down. Normally he would lie down, but then she wouldn’t have anywhere to sit.
“This can’t just be West anymore.” Kira halted at the door, leaning her forehead against the cold metal. “They’re after something. There is no reason for us to be so accosted. I am sure that Paradigm put a number out for you.” One hand formed a fist, and it slammed down on it, but he couldn’t see her expression, only hear the anger in her voice as she said, “It’s ridiculous, you’re not some piece of property for them to claim.”
“I mean, from a legal point of view, there is a case for that. There was actually a fairly intensive file for that argument to be made in the event my existence was made public.” Since he hadn’t technically been born and had been augmented since birth and since said augmentation was the only reason he was alive... Well, it was a fairly lengthy and detailed document that sought to prove that he wasn’t a person by the legal definition.
“Well, they can burn for it.” She turned from the door, tears threatened to spill over her long eyelashes.
He’d never seen her so frustrated or angry before. Even when she’d broken her ankle, she’d not shed any tears at the pain. The fact that it was over- that her tears were for him, well, it was surprising to say the least. He rose to his feet. Tentatively, he made his way across the room, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder. It took him a moment, but he dragged her into a hug.
Her forehead came down against the edge of his shoulder. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have to deal with this. I’m being ridiculous too.”
“I mean, I don’t think you have anything to be sorry about. Thank you for caring,” Quinn said with genuine feeling in his voice. His life became better with her presence and seeing just how deeply she cared made him feel unsure. The complication frightened him.
“Mmmph,” she murmured, switching to her cheek, shifting and allowing him to draw her in truly close. “You are worth caring about, Quinn.”
He kept replaying how he’d felt earlier that day even if he wished to focus on this moment with her, not trying to figure it out, not trying to shield himself, just being with her. “I- I care about you too, Kira, more than anything.”
Her shoulders shook, but the fact she laughed abated his fear of her falling apart. “What a pair we make, then.”
“I guess.” Quinn said, echoing her laugh lightly, glad he could get a cheerful sound out of her through the tears. It made him feel like he’d accomplished something. “Despite my best efforts.”
“Oh, it would never work against my best efforts.” She drew back with a smile, wiping her cheeks. “I have more experience in bothering people than you do. I win in that category.”
“There is no denying I was in no way prepared for you,” he said with another laugh, this one a bit deeper as he continued to hold her tightly around the waist.
Happy just standing there, being of even the smallest amount of comfort for her. Her arms were situated just over his, where her hands fell on the edges of his shoulders. Her fingertips dug in just slightly, holding onto him. Barely enough space existed between them to see each other properly. Her eyes dropped low again. All it would take was courage on one of their parts.
“Well, we’re even, then,” she said in that same husky voice.
The shift in her voice couldn’t be missed. Quinn’s overt intelligence made him absorb information like a sponge, and that tone in her words, already burned into his mind from the memory of the hydroponics bay, had been playing for almost the entire day. The things that tone did to him, it made his body react in a way he’d never quite experienced before.
“Oh, that’s... good.”
Kira looked at his lips again, and he couldn’t help but look at hers. It felt like an invitation. It took him a moment to sum up the courage, but he leaned forward.
“You’re leaving,” she said suddenly, cursing aloud. “I’m sorry I should have never.” Her back met the door, putting the tiniest modicum of space between them. “You can’t stay and be hunted and trapped like an animal.”
“I-” He could not find the words. She made a valid point. “I just want to be with you. Even if it isn’t forever, just for now, just for as long as I can. I want to be with you.”
