Kef me. It's been six keffing standard hours. I just roll my eyes and head for the mess hall.
Dopekh trails after me, like a needy pet. "My lord, should we really be trusting him with her safety?"
I find a mug, put it under the dispenser, and hit the button for night tea. Not my favorite, but necessary at this time of night, because something tells me I'm not going to sleep at all. "Who do you think should be put in charge then, Dopekh? Aithar? He's barely out of his cloning tube. Zaemen? He forgets his shoes everywhere. He forgets to log his night shift hours so he can be paid. Do you really want to find out he's gone and forgotten a human somewhere?"
"Well, no, I just thought…"
I frown over at Dopekh, who's tapping his two forefingers together, a puzzled look on his face. "You thought what?"
"I thought, you know, she might be a distraction for Kazex." His face turns a deeper shade of red.
I move to the food dispenser and dial Ruth's favorite crumbly cakes. After the disaster with the sweets the first time we were on Prefalon, I've paid close attention to my wife's food preferences, and she absolutely loves the tiny jam-stuffed hard biscuits that are a common snack on the outer farm planets. I put in a request for a dozen and wait as the machine whirrs, selecting ingredients. Just in case Ruth wakes up, I want her to have a comfort food nearby. As it works, I turn back to Dopekh. "He is the head of security, is he not?"
Dopekh nods.
"Would you say he is looking after her security?"
He taps his forefingers together again, his brows furrowing. "I just think…it's not good for him to spend so much time with her."
I squint at him. Where is this coming from, unless he's somehow transferred his feelings for me onto someone else? "Are you jealous of Kazex, Dopekh? Is that it? You want to be spending time with the female instead?"
"I-no—"
"Might I remind you that you were the one that stepped down from the security position." I pick up the cup of night tea and take a sip, then grimace at the strong taste. Awful. Just awful. "Do I have a problem on my ship?"
"No, my lord, it's just that…" He trails off, then sighs. "It's nothing."
"It is change," I say quietly. "Change is difficult. Ruth has brought a lot of changes with her since she arrived, and something tells me that we're going to have even more before this is all settled. Kazex is doing what he feels is best, and so he's watching her. It's to be commended, but if you think he's up to no good, I want you to watch him, too. You can report back to me if you think he's being inappropriate."
"Kazex is a good man, my lord. He'll treat her perfectly," Dopekh says, and I can't decide if the look on his face is one of defeat or chagrin. Maybe both.
I decide Dopekh's affectionate spirit needs camaraderie once more. I set my mug down and move to his side, squeezing his shoulder. "All of my crew are good men."
He gives me a faint smile. "Thank you, my lord."
I nod, and when we break eye contact, I lick my finger and shove it into his ear. Dopekh makes a gurgling sound like a dying meat-stock animal. He scrambles away, but there is a goofy smile on his face as he rubs his ear. "Augh, Captain, that's disgusting!"
It is, but he's smiling. Perhaps the va Sithai brothers are smarter than they look.
82
RUTH
I wake up in the middle of the night, the scent of coffee in my nose. I sit up, frowning, and rub my face. "What time is it?"
Straik, my husband, holds his cup out to me. He sits upright in the bed next to me, legs under the blankets. "Do you want this, love? I can't stomach any more of it." When I take the mug from him, he pulls a small plate off the nightstand. "I brought you a snack. You missed dinner and I want to make sure you're eating."
"Thanks," I say softly, touched at how sweet he is. "You're a good man."
He snorts. "I'm the captain of a crew of idiots."
Uh oh. What now? "Something wrong?"
"Just the usual bickering. Don't let it worry you." He puts a hand on my thigh and squeezes it as I dunk one of the cookies in the night tea. "Feel better, my love?"
Do I? I'm not sure. Sleeping was a good call, because it made the problems seem far away for a time. Now that I'm awake, all the problems come rushing back. "I'm still not sure what to think. What if she's the real thing and I'm the clone, Straik? What if the person you married is a fraud?"