Queen & Commander (Book One of the Hive Queen Saga)

Chapter Eight: It's In the Manual

Luciano had passed through Dyfed’s orbiting spaceport before, when he’d first arrived from Nuova. Then he’d been impressed by its dust-free cleanliness and brightly-lit schedule boards. Now he paid its corridors scant attention, eager to board his new ship-home for the first time.

Unchallenged by any security officials, he entered the Cauldron via her docking spoke. Her small, bare corridors gave no clues to the ship’s size or layout. He was grateful the old crew had painted blue arrows on grey bulkheads to help the newcomers explore.

His boots banged a steady rhythm against the steel-and-Kevlar floors. Those floors matched equally uncovered walls—blank except for metal panels that kept the ship’s innards from spilling onto unforgiving ground. After he met with Rhiannon, he’d see if Medical was just as gutted and unfinished. Hopefully all the necessities would be stocked.

She’d set the location for their one-on-one as the pilot house, so he climbed the metal rungs to it. A room only meant for one person, maybe two if they squeezed, already warm. After the bare corridors with their frigid hostility, Rhiannon’s presence and body heat lent a coziness to the space. Every available surface was coated and crammed with instrumentation. No one had skimped on equipment in this room, for all that the pilot’s chair had no cushioning.

His perfect Queen leaned over the console in front of the pilot’s chair and looked up to greet him with sparkling eyes. Her face was flushed, and her hand came up to push an errant hair behind her ear. Her usually meticulous eyeliner was smudged from the heat and the work.

“Hi, Luciano,” she said.

Pinkened, disheveled, streaked. She’d never looked more beautiful.

“Hi.” He looked forward to years upon years of her energy and vision, God willing.

He climbed the last rung and found himself nearly pressed against her. He could smell the maple that lingered in her clothes and the inoffensive chemical she used in her hair.

“I’m glad you made it.” Her bright smile lanced through his chest like the Spear of Longinus.

He’d do anything to keep her happy. He’d bring her his best accomplishments. He’d discover a new species with attendant antibiotics. He’d make her happy forever, his Queen.

“I’ll always come when you call,” he said. It was part of his oath, after all. “I can’t tell you what we need in Medical yet, sorry. I’ve only just arrived. But I’ll get on that as soon as we’ve finished here.”

He’d show her how good he was at his job, even though they’d had to leave school at sixteen. He knew his stuff so far. Plus he’d learn more from books and exploration and local practitioners they met along the way.

“Ah, about that.” She looked away from him. Her right hand twisted in her silky, near-black strands, while the other rooted around beneath the main console and pulled out a very thick, very physical book. It was so heavy that her fingers shook and the tendons in her hand stood out, outlining musculature and veins.

He plucked the book from her grip with his stronger hands. Although the cover looked old, the pages had never been opened. Outdated fonts proclaimed it Manual Pilot Manual: Best of the Century!!!. The tome rested in his hands like a new Bible, a single block full of important information that had yet to be cracked and explored. Strange that it’s not on a pad. Maybe if a pilot needs to use it, that means the power’s gone out?

He wished she’d look directly at him again, the way she had when he’d come in. Maybe he could tease her into paying attention to him. God, he was never as real on his own as he was when she included him in her world.