"Whoops!" Nina turned her head just in time and missed a splash of slimy water, though a few drops still made it onto her mask and goggles. "Hey, that wasn't necessary," she said to the worm in her hands. The red worms were beginning to recover from their illness, as evidenced by the return of their energy and enthusiasm for wiggling. Behind her, Meem snickered as she wiped down the inside of a freshly scrubbed tank. Still, four days had passed and Nina was getting tired of cleaning and disinfecting the same six filters. She could smell the disinfectant in her dreams. The worm squirmed and splashed again. "All right, all right, you're clean." Nina climbed down from the metal crate that stood in for a step-stool and released the worm into a tank of fresh water.
"They are lively today," Doctor Ardus commented, wrestling with a much larger worm as he fed it. He jerked his head to the side, its spined tail narrowly missing his cheek.
"They're definitely feeling better," Meem said, "See how that one you have is darker than the others?" She pointed to the worm's spine end. "They're getting closer to breeding season."
"Should we expect more worms soon?" Nina asked, cleaning her goggles.
"Not this year, I won't be breeding them. I only lost two worms, I still have enough for venom collection." She had resumed collecting the day before, and a large worm as long as Nina's arm lay flaccid in a tray before her. Nina collected the last worm to be bathed, tucking the spine end under one arm. The one in Ardus's hands spat out the feeding tube and spewed formula on his smock. "Drown you," he muttered, "you are wasting perfectly good food." Nina chuckled as she passed him, and he gave her a sidelong look. "Glad to see you are enjoying yourself."
"Excessively," Nina tossed back. She grinned under her mask and caught the corners of his eyes crinkling and his flat nose-bridge wrinkling in return. In the flurry of caring for Meem's worms as well as helping with the other tasks in the specimen lab, they hadn't had much time to talk. On top of that, Ardus was frequently in meetings with either the financial department, acquisitions, or with Dean Reda discussing his plans for the upcoming fieldwork trip to the north. Their encounters were few and far between, but moments like these made her smile.
Nina spent most of her free time reading about the creatures she could expect to see up on the point. With all these new animals and environments, so different and yet similar to the ones she knew on Earth, Nina felt like she was back in undergrad studying for the first time. There were dozens of new names to learn, patterns to recognize, tracks to identify. Looking over the photographs and drawings, the sheer number of species and incredible diversity seemed like it would overwhelm her. On Earth the situation was just beginning to recover from the abuse dealt by her own people, with several thousand species lost to time forever. Nina had been two when the last tiger died, rendering the entire genus extinct. There seemed to be no such problem on Dreenai, save for the rare creatures that often went years without a sighting. The enormous creature that she shared a name with, the massive starfish that lived thousands of feet below sea-level, hadn't been seen in years, but the occasional gnawed carcasses of smaller sea animals like eastern grey screamers evidenced that the starfish were doing well.
Cleaning up after the worm feeding and bathing, Ardus and Nina washed up and started back towards the office they shared. "I have another meeting with Baru in a few minutes, so you will be on your own for an hour or so."
"I can handle that, I need to finish today's report and get back to reading about ungulates. I hope we see a rusty strider, they look interesting."
"If we are lucky," Ardus said, toweling his hands, "we should see the same herd I have seen before on the trail cameras. Last year a new bull joined the herd and I am interested to see how the herd has grown."
"That sounds great," Nina hung her apron up. "Meem said it was getting close to breeding season, does that track across more than just the worms?"
"There is a good chance we will see a decent number of yearlings, especially the striders. You will recognize them as their pelts are still striped."
Nina settled in and documented her tasks for the day, referring to notes scribbled on her tablet. She smiled as she mentally cataloged. Washed worms, fed worms, transported worms, got teased by boss, boss keeps looking at my ass. When that was done, she went over to the bookshelves and searched for more reading materials. She pulled down a handful, and saw another on a higher shelf. Pushing her chair over, she climbed up and reached for it. As she turned to climb back down, the door slid open and Ardus returned from his meeting. He raised his eyebrows at her. "Climbing again?"
"Just getting a book." She hopped down and stacked the books in the seat, pushing her chair back. "How did it go with Baru?"
"He is reluctantly letting go of the funds we need, but he is making sure I hear every complaint about it while he does. He has informed me to no end that the university's sponsors and donors are, what was the word he used, frantic to see those funds going to good use." Sliding into his chair, he stretched his neck and winced.
"Something wrong?"
"I do not think so, just a little soreness. I have probably overexerted myself helping Meem with her worms." He lifted one shoulder, making a face. He settled down, though, and Nina sat back and began reading. Her geology was rusty, and she had to review some of the terms. This place we're going to, it sounds nice. A little cooler than here, but not by much. I should bring long pants as well as short, just in case it's chilly. And I should pack extra socks. There's a beach up there, I should bring a swimsuit just in case. I'll have to get my wetsuit out of storage – I hope it still fits. She looked up when Athe came in with a folder for Ardus and an announcement. "Boda and I are going to the solstice tide festival this weekend," he addressed Nina, "you should come, I think you'd like it. There will be music and food and most people put extra lanterns outside their homes, so the city is lit like a beacon all night."
"What's a solstice tide festival?"
Athe set Ardus's package on his desk. "This weekend is the solstice, so the tide that comes in is the highest tide of the summer. It used to be primarily a festival for Omi the moon goddess, but we still celebrate because it's an opportunity for people to get out and meet up with friends. It was my mother's favorite festival." He turned and gave a pointed look at Ardus. Ardus coughed and ignored him.
I wonder what that's about... "That sounds like fun," pulling her hair back, Nina wrapped it into a knot. "I'll make time to come see it."
"You absolutely should. Boda and I will take you, we'll eat fried clickers until we're sick and go sit on the beach and watch the tide come in. It's a beautiful sight – it's supposed to be clear this weekend so you might see Omi's Necklace at its brightest. You can come with us, unless you're planning on going with someone else." Athe raised his eyebrows, an obvious question.
"Ah...no, I don't have any plans." From the corner of her eye, Nina watched Ardus glance up and back down. Oh, I see. "Yes, I'll definitely be there. I'll make sure I dress up for it." Another flicker of the eyes, and Nina resolved to be at this festival, come hell or – literally – high water. Perfect! The tide thing sounds fun. And if I run into him, so much the better. She turned her smile on Athe. "Thanks for the invitation, Athe."
"Of course. I don't expect to see him there, though," Athe gestured towards Ardus. "He seems to forget that Dreen are supposed to be social creatures."
Ardus frowned, still looking at his screen. "I do not."
"Oh? When was the last solstice tide you went to?"
Ardus cut his eyes at Athe with a scowl, but said nothing to defend himself. Athe smirked. "That's what I thought." Turning back to Nina, "We'll stop by your apartment on our way there, I'll get back with you when that will be." Athe collected a short list of tasks from Ardus and excused himself. Nina went back to her book, a document open on her terminal for notes and her tablet close at hand. The quiet room felt comfortable, the only sounds the turning of pages and tapping of keys. Getting into the text, Nina pinched her lower lip between her teeth and repositioned, tucking one foot up into the seat.
֎
I have not been to a solstice festival in years, I wonder how much it has changed. Ardus moved a file to the university's common drive, waiting for the upload to finish. The last time I went, I did not stay long enough to watch the tide come in. I had no reason to. He glanced at Nina, she was reading quietly with her knee drawn up to her chin. I should tell her I will be there. I should ask her if she would like to see the tide come in. But...if I do that... He shook himself. Watching the tide come in is an activity for paired Dreen, I do not want to give the wrong impression. Just because she turned down Doctor O'Connell... Ardus rested his chin on his hand, his elbow on his desk, pretending to read a report. Nina still sat across the room reading a volume about tidal pools, scratching the occasional note. His mouth moved before he could stop himself. "Nina..."
"Hmm?" When she looked up, her grey eyes erased his original thought.
"Er, well, I was going to say... Since you have just made plans, I will not schedule anything for you this weekend. You should enjoy yourself at the festival." Stupid old fish.
Nina's lips curled in a slow smile. "Yeah...thanks. It does sound like something I'd like to see." She dropped her foot and turned in her chair. "What about you?"
"Pardon?"
"Are you going?"
Ardus reached up and ruffled his barbels nervously. "Oh, well, I had not thought about it," he lied, "I...I was not planning on it, in fact I forgot it was happening at all." He inspected his claws, his stomach knotting.
"Uh-huh," Nina's lips pinched together. "Well, I've never seen a solstice tide, so I'll be there. And I do love fried clickers. Not as much as, say, baked eel, but they're pretty good."
Ardus swallowed hard. "Right, well, I hope you enjoy yourself. It is a popular festival, or it was the last time I went, there should be quite a crowd."
She smiled. "Don't worry, I won't get knocked over again." Grinning, she went back to her book. Ardus stared at his hands on the typing surface. She has done it again, walked me right where she wants me. How does she do it? Well, now I have to go. It would be good to get out, he'd spent the last four nights polishing his arguments and cost-accounting paperwork. Walking her to her building seemed ages ago, and Ardus wondered if he should follow up about Doctor O'Connell. He hadn't seen the man at all, save for a brief glimpse in passing where the human man ducked out of sight too quickly for Ardus to get a word in. Ardus recalled the strange thought he'd had when he saw the back of Martin's head: Yes, slink away little lizard. It was a bizarre thought to have, not just at his age but for him. When did I get so possessive? That, and the persistent soreness in his muscles concerned him. He had as much energy as ever, and his nightly laps in the pools seemed to be helping with his sleep. But once his mind settled down enough for him to drift off, the dreams began. Just a few hours before rising he'd dreamed of her again, an incredibly vivid dream of her climbing into bed with him. It had seemed so real he could have believed he'd actually felt her slight weight settling in next to him. Ardus had come awake suddenly, his heart thudding and a pillow gripped close to his chest. Feeling like a stupefied youth, drunk on infatuation, he'd huddled around the pillow in the dark and remedied the hard heat in his lower belly again. Just looking at her feels like a vice around my lungs. I had better get this under control before heading into the field.
Nina stood and stretched and Ardus tried to ignore how her little body moved, the way her spine curved and her shoulders rolled taunting him. "I'll be right back," she said, but Ardus made no show of acknowledging her. She left the office they shared and Ardus looked at the door for a moment. I know she did not do that on purpose, but her very existence teases me. For someone so small... A roguish thought came to him then, and as he was alone Ardus made no effort to hide his grin. He moved and was back in his seat before Nina returned. She slid back into her chair, pushed a few things around on her desktop, and made to settle in for another hour or so. Ardus tapped away at his terminal, wrapping up expense documentation for Baru and copying Dean Reda. When her voice finally came to him from across the room, Ardus clamped his tongue between his teeth.
"Um, Doctor..." He heard the suspicion in her voice.
Looking up placidly, his face blank, he answered. "Yes?"
"Where's my tablet?" Looking up from her desk, Nina gave him what Ardus interpreted to be a knowing smirk.
Folding his hands together on his desk, he feigned innocence. Rather well, he believed. "Sorry?"
"My tablet. It was on my desk when I left." He could tell she was fighting not to smile, it was taking every gram of willpower for him to do the same. "Know anything about that?"
He shook his head. "Certainly not."
"Uh-huh." Nina stood, moving towards the bookshelf. "You're sure about that?" Standing before the high shelves, Nina turned her back to him and began searching the stacks of books. Her hair up in a knot behind her neck, Ardus saw that today's outfit sported a circular opening between her shoulders the size of her outstretched hand. Bare skin, the color of hammered bronze, flashed and Ardus bit his lip. When she stretched to look at the higher shelves, her tunic rode up on her back and those maddening dimples on either side of her spine winked at him. Ardus's breath left him in a hot rush through his nose. He hoped she wouldn't find her tablet for at least another moment or two – the view was exceptional. To compound his delight, Nina bounced up on her toes and her round little rump bobbed entertainingly. Oh, this is wonderful. She made a little frustrated huff and Ardus asked with excessive politeness, "Doctor, is something wrong?"
She turned, her eyes hot and bright. "Somehow, my tablet got up there," she pointed, and indeed her tablet lay just beyond her reach, peeking over the edge.
He raised his eyebrows. "How did it get up there?"
"I don't know, Doctor." She gave him a look that would have been pure venom if it weren't for the struggling curl at the corner of her mouth. "I'm not tall enough to reach that shelf."
"I can see that. How odd."
Nina folded her arms. "Would you get it for me, please?" Her cheeks pinked.
"Certainly." Ardus stood, shuffled some papers on his desk, adjusted his terminal screen. He took his time walking around his desk, stopping to look at a display of fossils encased in glass. Nina waited, impatiently by the set of her chin and the tapping of her fingers on her arm. By the time Ardus made it around his office and to the shelf, Nina's lips were pinched between her teeth and she was trembling with the effort to not laugh or even smile. "Could you hurry up? I need to go home soon."
"Oh, is that so? I am sorry, if I had known you were in such a rush I would have been right over."
"Uh-huh, sure. Just get it for me, please."
"Of course." Plucking the tablet from the shelf, Ardus held the tablet below eye level, a good two feet above her head. "You know, you ought to keep better track of this, it is an expensive piece of equipment." She reached for it, and Ardus twitched it up with a flick of his wrist. "Ah, what is this?" Holding it higher than necessary, he flicked imaginary dust from the glass. "Oh, never mind. It was nothing. Now, what was I doing? I am sure I came over here for a reason..." He tapped the tablet against his chin. Glancing down he saw Nina was about to lose her battle against smiling, her mouth pinched and her chin stiffened. "Yes?"
Nina held out her hand. "Tablet, please."
"Oh, right. Try not to lose it again." Letting his arm down, ponderously slow, he let her reach for it and take hold. She pulled, trying to take it from his fingers, but his grip was too strong. "Let go," Nina said through gritted teeth, her eyes glittering. Oh, this is delightful. He let go. Nina pulled the tablet close, pressing it to her chest. "Thank you, Doctor."
He narrowed his eyes at her. "My pleasure."
"I'm sure it is. See you at the festival."