Part 52 (1/2)
She squirmed and gasped in playful protest, any resistance only part of her fun.
When they were naked together, his fingertips traced lazy circles up the softness of her inner thigh.
That didn't get the reaction Arun was after. She went rigid.
He'd pushed too far!
But then she leaned back on folded arms and released a long, long sigh - one of tension released rather than erotic pa.s.sion.
”That's it, twinkle eyes,” she whispered. ”Keep doing that, and never stop...”
”I have to go,” said Arun about an hour later, with as much relish as the condemned walking to their place of execution.
Xin leaned over and looked him in the eye. ”Stay.”
”I can't be AWOL. Not even for you.”
”Stay till the end, Arun. h.e.l.lenstein was on his way to see Del-Marie Sandure. So your unit will know. They'll understand that you should be here.”
”It's not my crew who bother me. Sergeant Gupta and Corporal Majanita-”
”Will understand.”
Arun sighed. ”It's time. You need to explain.”
Xin spent several seconds searching for the right words. She looked up at the roof, ignoring Arun. ”Bolt Squad will embark on the transport shuttle leaving Docking Bay 2 at 05:30. Destination: fleet transport Themistocles.”
”What is your role on Themistocles?” he said carefully, dreading the answer.
”The G-year and G-1 year companies of 8th depot battalion have been detached to form the 87th field battalion. My cadet years are already over, Arun. We've all graduated. All my life I've wanted to earn my place out in the stars as a Marine. I want to go but... only when I was ready. I was having a blast back in Detroit.”
He kissed her sad eyes. ”Scared?” he asked ”A little. It's whatever threat is making them rush us out when we're not ready. No one is saying what that is, but it can't be good.”
Arun gave her a nod, as if he understood what she was going through. He embraced her against his chest and held her there.
Jimmy h.e.l.lenstein and the rest of Xin's section returned soon after. They made a show of ignoring Arun and Xin.
Xin tapped Arun on the head. ”Don't mind them,” she said. ”Will you stay with me until I embark?”
Arun nearly said she ought to be spending the time with her comrades. Then he remembered she'd been transferred because of Pedro's interference. Her friends were still back on Detroit. She knew Arun better than anyone else on this little world.
From along the dorm warren, a boisterous group of newly minted Marines launched into song.
”Of course,” he said. ”Let's join in the fun.”
* Chapter 69 *
Early the next morning, Arun accompanied Xin as far as the broad transit corridor that zigzagged its way to the embarkation point for Xin and the other Bolter Marines. Waving Xin off at the shuttle airlock, like a distraught parent, would hardly help her settle into her new role. So he hung back at the junction, applying a gentle pressure to her shoulder.
She came to a halt, turning around but not able to meet his eyes.
Xin needed him. Arun knew that. But however hard he tried to find words that would boost her morale, everything that reached the threshold of his lips sounded too trite to speak.
Eventually it fell to Xin to squeeze his hand and break the silence. ”Things happen around you, McEwan. I like that about you. And you are kind of cute. But there's another reason why I want to stay close to you.
”Shus.h.!.+” He pressed a finger hard against her full lips. ”You and I are special. You know that, right? Well, so do I.”
Xin's eyes went wide. He had to stifle laughter because she looked farcical with wide eyes and his finger still on her lips.
Then she gave a curt nod of understanding. How much did she really understand? Had she too talked with the Night Hummer?
”No need for us to brag about it,” he said, withdrawing his finger.
”We'll be each other's little secret,” she breathed acting the part of an impa.s.sioned secret lover. ”Fate is about to separate us. But we must do everything we can to let each other know where we are. One day, I believe, we will be reunited. Our destinies are entwined.”
Then something happened that Arun would never forget but neither could he ever explain how it came about. Maybe Xin's words were too close to revealing the truth and he needed to shut her up. Perhaps he wanted to test how much of her lover's act was rooted in truth. Whatever the reason, he found he had swept his lips against hers and she was responding and kissing him greedily. She slid one hand around his neck, resting the other on the small of his back. Arun was barely conscious of his hands, and cared less about the Marines flowing around them on their way to the shuttle; his attention was limited to the brush of her lips, the warmth of her mouth When, eventually, they broke, it was only to take a quarter step back so that Xin could rest her gaze in Arun's.
Arun chose to believe Xin's feelings were genuine.
They stood there in silence - for how long, even Arun's time counters couldn't tell - until they were disturbed by the rattle of an ore-laden truck coming along the hover-rail out in the main corridor. With blinking eyes (was that a tear?) Xin mournfully cast down her gaze and walked away with head high, and kitbag over her shoulder.
She didn't look back.
Arun didn't look away. Not until Xin had disappeared around a turn in the tunnel.
Sighing, he made his way back to his comrades. Keeping Xin as an impossible fantasy lover would have been so much simpler.
He shrugged, managing a grin.
Simplicity was overrated.
* Chapter 70 *
With over an hour to go before reveille, Arun's section should have been asleep, but when Arun slunk back into his dorm chamber, he was surprised to be greeted by a ragged cheer.
Umarov had activated his nuclear-powered snore, oblivious to the universe, but the others were drifting in a place between light slumber and quiet contemplation. Not Del-Marie, though. He looked drained of blood.
Of course. Jim had been here, to say his farewells to Del.