SFR Brigade Presents: MNIA Part 5

I was thinking about doing some from my current WIP, but what the heck! I'll do at least one more from My Name Is A'yen. It's been awesome getting feedback in the comments and seeing other people fall in love with these characters.

Here's part one, part two, part three, and part four.

This is longer than the 200 words we're supposed to do, but it's another taste of just how different A'yen is from the rest of his people.

The door slid open and he crossed the threshold. Dr. Hart looked up from the table, frowned and stood with her arms crossed, staring at him. “Dr. Cooper told me he saw you in the captain’s quarters.”

“Yes he did.”

“Why were you over there?”

Her tone made him bristle and he squared his shoulders. No human, man or woman, would ever break him. She had to know he meant his next words. “I told you, this ship is my second home. Cap and KK have always treated me like one of their children. Your presence isn’t going to change anything. My past is none of your business.”

To her credit, she didn’t back down. “When it affects my present it most certainly is. I know you heard Dr. Cooper on the shuttle yesterday. It was no idle threat. If you don’t toe his line he’ll have you locked down faster than you can blink and there won’t be a damn thing I can to do stop it.” Her arms relaxed and the fire left her eyes “I don’t want that any more than you do.”

“Why should I believe you?” Still keeping himself straight and tall he tried to let the tension flow out of him. If he didn’t he’d end up on the floor again.

“I can’t force you. I have a feeling I can’t force you to do anything.”

“Nobody can.”