Sweet Starfire

self-control again. She knew instinctively that he placed a high value on his own sense of control. He was the pilot in command, and the concept was important to him. His sense of responsibility ran deep.
    They were four days away from Renaissance when disaster struck in the lav. Cidra had just turned on the spray and was anticipating her all-important evening shower when she realized that something had gone wrong. The spray bubbled briefly from the surrounding walls and then died. She stared at the disappearing drops of water in dismay. Keeping the length of her showers to a minimum was hard enough; to do without a spray altogether was unthinkable.
    “Severance!”
    He was at the panel in an instant, sounding alarmed. “What’s wrong?”
    Clutching the panel to shield her naked body, she peered around the edge. “The spray fixture is broken. There’s no water.”
    His alert, concerned expression turned into one of sardonic interest. “Is that a fact?”
    “Severance, this is serious! We’re four days from Renaissance. What are we going to do?”
    “Use a lot of deodorant?”
    She glared at him. “This is not a joke.”
    “I know it’s not for you. Anyone who spends a couple of hours a day in the lav probably finds this a full-scale catastrophe.”
    “I do not spend two hours a day in here, and it is a full-scale catastrophe. I have never gone one day in my life without a proper bath.”
    “It’s all right. Fred and I aren’t overly sensitive to a little sweat. We’ve learned to take things in stride. I’m sure mat after a couple of days we’ll all be accustomed to each other.”
    Cidra was appalled. “I can’t possibly go four days without a bath. You have to do something, Severance.”
    “Such as?”
    “Such as fix the spray! You keep telling me you’re the one in charge around here. Well, here’s your chance to prove it.”
    He leaned against the bulkhead, arms crossed, and considered the situation. “What’s in it for me?”
    “A clean passenger.”
    “I was thinking of something a little more useful.”
    She eyed him warily. “What do you want?”
    “A kiss from my passenger.”
    Cidra blinked in astonishment. “That’s all you want in exchange for fixing the spray?”
    “Do we have a deal?”

    “Maybe you can’t fix it. Maybe that’s why you’re teasing me like this.”

    “A deal?” he persisted.
    “Can you fix it?” she countered.
    “Lady, I may not have your education, but I’m good with my hands. In a situation this critical, a few practical manual skills are a hell of a lot more important than a headful of fancy Harmonic philosophy.”

    She smiled winningly up at him. “I have great respect for knowledge of any kind.”
    “A deal?”
    Cidra nodded once, very firmly. “A deal.” Severance straightened away from the wall. “Stand aside.” He had the spray working twenty minutes later. Cidra was elated. “You’re a magician, Teague Severance. Where did you learn such skills?”

    He activated the spray experimentally to make sure it was now functioning properly. “Here and there,” he said vaguely.

    “I’ve always had a knack for keeping machinery running. Comes in useful on Renaissance.”
    “On Renaissance?”
    “Yeah. That planet’s hell on machinery. The heat and humidity are enough to cause problems on their own, but there are also a whole bunch of corrosive plants and soil materials. A good mechanic can name his own price on Renaissance. Stuff is always breaking down.”
    “Were you a mechanic for a while?”
    “I told you. I spent a year as a bonus man.” He gave her a brief, hard smile.
    “A bonus man is a mechanic?” she asked.
    “In a way. He does whatever he gets paid to do.” He stepped back. “Your spray awaits, Otanna.”
    “Thank you, Severance.” She hesitated and then quickly moved close to him. Balancing on her toes, she braced herself against his shoulders and brushed his mouth with her own.
    Cidra had disappeared into the lav before Severance could catch hold of her and claim a more thorough kiss. He stood staring at the closed lav panel and tried to tell himself that it was just as well. No sense fueling the ache in his gut.
    But a part of him didn’t buy that logic for a minute.

Chapter Seven

    Cidra’s first impression of Renaissance was that it was too green. As the planet had filled the observation port during Severance Pay’s approach, some of that endless green had been broken up by the blue expanse of