8 Lawrence - Escape (1/2)
I jerked around to see a Sergeant of the guard at the kitchen door, looking right at me. I'd be darned if that little mouse didn't start running up and down my spine again.
”Be a chum mate—one of my girls found her way into a pond,” a huge smile broke across his previously stern demeanor. I couldn't help myself and laughed out loud, and he joined in, wiping the tears from his eyes. ”She won't live this down for a while, that's for sure. All that Gunk on her is drying now, and she has the itches bad. I know that it is against policy, but be a pal and help her clean up—she's a mess,” the Sergeant said, as he jerked this thumb back over his shoulder.
I hadn't noticed her, standing there behind him. She was a sight, blushing, pulling a handful of almost dry but still slimy green algae out from under her blouse. Her other hand was attempting to get to an itch between her shoulder blades. Her hair had green streaks that were starting to dry to a stiff board like texture. What was I to do? There was a fresher up the hall. I had passed it on my to the security room. With a chuckle, to disguise my voice, I said, ”Sure, it's up the hall,” and pointed.
The Sergeant smiled and slapped her on the back. ”Serina, Hurry and get cleaned up I'll cover for you, for a few minutes.” Then he turned and marched away.
I smiled, my arm sweeping in an expansive gesture, giving her free run of the place. She started peeling her uniform off while still outside, shaking the worst of the crud off. As Serina got close to bedrock, she hesitated. I began to blush. To hide it, I gathered up her uniform and shoved it into the Ultraclean.
Serina dropped a frilly bit of lace, dotted with large red hearts— that was definitely non-regulation—over my shoulder. Staring fixedly at the display on the Ultraclean, I told her ”It's down the left-hand hall. I'll bring your uniform to you in Five minutes,” as I pointed.
She started up the hall, and I could resist no longer, and I stared as she swayed away from me. She shot a glance over her shoulder and nodded her acknowledgment. Her stride seemed to dare anyone to laugh. Serina's sway could cause heart failure in any man, I know because my heart stopped until she finally disappeared into the fresher. Feeling that I couldn't handle another shock, I decided to take the direct approach….
”Imp, let's go home.”
”My synthesis indicates that you should cover your tracks here first.”
”Are you sure?” I said, like a spoiled child who doesn't want to clean up his room.
”There is only a twenty-eight-point-four-five-nine percent chance of being caught, based on my observation of recent movement inside this domicile.”
”All right.” I sighed. ”Would you at least start the calculations to get me out of here?”
”Already done,” Imp replied, ”. . . Pretty isn't she.”
I blushed again, snapping, ”Serina's working for the wrong side! Besides I'm engaged already.”
Slowly the vision of Diana, my fiancée brought to my mind by the thought of her, changed right before my eyes. My bride to be was a delicate blonde with sea green eyes. Her hair turned to a deep mahogany with that subtle red cast, her eyes a liquid brown, her nose somehow becoming pert and impudent, delicate would not describe Serina, full-bodied, healthy—not lush.
I shook my head to dispel the vision of Serina walking down the hall to the fresher. I could hear water running and tried to hold my imagination in check. There was something familiar about this woman if I could just put my finger on it. The Ultraclean beeped, and I removed the uniform, the dirt having been blasted off ultrasonically. Folding the uniform gave me something to keep my mind off what was happening just up the hall that is until the feel of sheer silk slipped sensuously between my fingers.
The water stopped, so I gathered up the bundle and knocked on the door. Serina opened it just far enough to reach the bundle. As she was reaching the door swung wide open. She blushed—a heavenly-pink—from the tips of her toes up. Now, this is not standard behavior nowadays. However, I wasn't paying attention; my ears were burning. She took the bundle and hugged it to her breast then spun about and kicked the door shut with her foot.
”Well!” Imp said, ”She's kept her natural hair color.”
”Oh? I hadn't noticed,” I sputtered, righteously, while a vision of Serina in all her glory burned brightly in my mind.
I puttered around the kitchen waiting for her to get dressed and leave. Serina walked into the kitchen and flowing up tight against me— I could feel twin points of heat starting to blister my chest, my mind freezing in mid-thought, my heart trying to pound its way out of chest—grasping my shirt sleeves with both hands she pulled me even tighter against her.
She was looking me straight in the eye a wicked gleam in her eyes; her lips started to the part when the Sergeant just seemed to materialize in the doorway and spit out, ”Specialist T'gerr!”
”Sir!” She said as she jumped away from me.