Bard looked down at her in consternation and then back up at the human doctor.
“What am I supposed to do?”
Dr. Olivia frowned.
“Well, I would say we could give her a shot of translation bacteria so we could try to explain things to her, but somehow I think poking her with a needle wouldn’t exactly earn her trust. Of course, I should be able to understand her language since I’ve had the bacteria myself, but she doesn’t seem inclined to talk to me.”
She peered at the girl, who was still clinging silently to Bard with her arms and legs wrapped around his body as though he was a tree she had climbed and had no intention of coming down from. Makenna gave the human doctor a frightened glance and then buried her face in Bard’s broad chest again, her grip on him tightening.
The gesture of fear made his heart tighten like a fist.
“Whoa—she’s about to strangle me. Think she’s really scared, Doc,” he said to the human doctor. To Makenna he murmured, “It’s okay, baby girl. Nobody’s gonna make you do anything you don’t want to.”
Dr. Olivia nodded.
“It seems to me that she’s latched onto you as a source of safety and comfort. Until she calms down and realizes that she’s safe, I don’t think I can get her away from you to examine her.”
“Meaning what?” Bard demanded, looking up from the girl in his arms.
Dr. Olivia shrugged.
“Meaning you’re just going to have to take her home with you—back to your suite. Here—I’ll give you a pill containing the translation bacteria. It doesn’t work quite as fast as the shot, but it should still do the job.” She handed him a small pouch with a large pink pill in it. “Once she’s calmed down some, try to get her to take it. Then you can explain that I only want to examine her and I won’t hurt her.”
Bard took the pouch awkwardly in one hand, since he was still supporting the curvy body clinging to his own. He was keenly aware of how this must look—the young woman holding onto him with her loose gown flapping around her. He wanted to tuck it in some and cover the sides of her breasts, but he was afraid of touching her inappropriately.
Like having her naked body rubbing against yours isn’t fucking inappropriate enough, whispered a sarcastic little voice in his head.
“So you really want me to take her back to my suite?” he asked, uncertainly.
Dr. Olivia nodded.
“Yes. I don’t think she’s in need of any immediate medical care so it should be safe. But as soon as you can get that translation pill in her and explain that I only want to help, bring her back. In the meantime, just try to be comforting and calm and treat her gently.” She gave the girl in his arms a sympathetic look. “It looks like she’s been through a lot.”
“She certainly has,” Bard agreed, and sighed. Well, it looked like he and Makenna were stuck together—literally, he thought, looking down at her clinging to him. At least until he could make her understand that the staff at the Med Center only wanted to help.
“Bring her back when she’s ready,” Dr. Olivia told him. “I’ll be here.”
“Thanks.” Bard gave a sigh and shifted the girl in his arms. Standing up fully, he wrapped his arms more firmly around her. “Come on, baby girl,” he murmured to Makenna. “Looks like it’s just you and me. I hope Tiny won’t be upset.”
And with another sigh, he carried her out of the Med Center and back towards his suite, at the other end of the Mother Ship.
5
Makenna clung to the big man who had saved her from the Trollox as he carried her through the vast, alien ship. She wondered where he was taking her—someplace safe and quiet, she hoped. It was crowded and noisy in the tram hub with all the people talking in an unfamiliar language.
Makenna listened, but hardly understood a word—they were all talking so fast. She wished she had been able to pick up more of the universal Standard dialect from the other girls while she’d been at the Pleasure House. But she hadn’t exactly been there to learn languages.
No, you were there for that horrible Trollox—that Biter, whispered a little voice in her head. He was going to take you back to his home planet and breed you—plant his baby in your belly and let it grow until it chewed its way out!
Makenna tried desperately to push the voice away—it brought memories with it—terrible memories.
The Pleasure House she’d been sold to had catered mainly to Trolloxes. The huge troll-like creatures had few females of their own species and anyway, they preferred to bed smaller humanoids. Due to their DNA, they were able to implant a male offspring in almost anything with a vagina and a womb, so Makenna and her kind were considered fair game.