Sang the Stray (Completed)

24. Red Tide

I spent most of the next few days feeling rather lazy and the boys stuffing me with as much food as possible. They must be used to seeing the Setari girls eat as much as themselves because as soon as I finished about half of the amount on my plate, they asked if I wanted more. If they keep this up I don't think I will remember what hunger feels like. Sean is the worst, giving me fruit pastry-like desserts, then a cheerful play-by-play of my weight gain in milligrams.

Gabriel hasn't been around since he left on some 'life-or-death' mission according to Silas. I find I miss the energy he brings into the group. He did send me a message to go back to the goo showers and 'recycle' my nanosuit. Evidently, the nanocytes have to recharge and cleanse. Now, all I can imagine is one big vat of goo that everyone's uniforms come and go from. I mean, the nanocytes on my knee could have been on Tsee Blackbourne's armpit or something yesterday. When I mentioned it, none of them thought it weird or gross. Although, I suspect that something was shared between the boys over the Interface. Victor's eyes had widened and he coughed a bit, while Kota blushed and Silas just smirked.

I have been diligently working through my lessons. Practicing speaking with the guys helps. I have a good grip on using prepositions and plan on tackling verb tenses next. If I can at least get past, present and future figured out, then I can move on to other grammar pieces. I know it's not a linear process, since language acquisition is more like putting a complex puzzle together. I just thought that maybe if I really focus on certain things it might help.

At second shift, Kota delivered me to MedBay for a quick check up with Ista Phillips. The doctor cleared me to begin an exercise regimen and even approved my request to go outside on the rooftop. Tare was having good weather today, and he couldn't argue my claims of Earth's mandatory outdoor recreation policies. I decided to go by myself. Ista Phillips reminded me of the fact that being on first level monitoring meant I did not really need to have a minder around at all times. He just cautioned me to be careful and watch for sudden wind gusts.

I watched the dark water swirl and waves crash against Konna's seawall far below me. The crescent-shaped island of black stone was almost completely covered by white stone buildings. I sat atop the KOTIS MedBay roof that was positioned towards one end of the island. In the middle, the island was divided to separate KOTIS buildings from a civilian city center by a 10 meter gap in the white blocks, the only bare section of the land. There was an enclosed sky bridge over the space which linked the two and served as a security checkpoint. I faced the concave side of the island and I could see doors for a hanger bay. My vantage point also afforded a view of Unara's tallest buildings across the sea. Unara, Tare's equivalent to New York City and Washington DC rolled into one, was the largest and most populated island city.

Clouds were beginning to thicken and drop rain over parts of Unara, but I hesitated to go back inside. Even with a partly clouded sky, I had soaked up the rays of sunlight that filtered down. I estimated that I was around thirty stories up on my current perch, seated on the roof edge, legs hanging over the side. I used a maintenance ladder to climb up from the roof access level just below and to my left. The door of which slid open and out stepped a Setari with short reddish-brown hair and angled jaw.

"Hey, someone out here?" he called out.

I stood and called down, "Yes, up here."

His blue-eyes met mine, wearing a solemn expression. This guy could mean business just by his look. He was about Kota's height but it was the bulk of his muscles, the broad tapered shoulders that had my spine tingling.

"Come on down. Tsee Blackbourne sent me to start fitness training with you," he said.

I turned and was just about to reach my
foot down to the first ring when a vicious gust of wind blew me off balance backward. I fell, but was wrapped in strong arms and the smell of cyprus and leather. My heart was pounding with adrenaline.

"It's okay. You're fine. You made it," he said softly, reassuringly.

Slowly, he let my legs drop from the bridal-style hold, and I pulled away from his chest. My face felt flushed. I was embarrassed for allowing myself to be in such a predicament. Ista Phillips had warned me about the wind. I didn't even know his name, only thought perhaps he might be with Fourth Squad since Tsee Blackbourne sent him.

"So, Sang right?" I nodded. "I'm Nathan," he introduced himself. "Let's go in before that storm gets here," he said with a chin jerk out toward Unara.

I agreed. The buildings I could see clearly only moments before were now obscured by curtains of rainfall marching our direction. I followed Nathan to the training wing. He stopped and turned suddenly, placing hands on hips.

"You have two choices," he said. "I can start teaching you Kalrani Combat forms, or we can swim."

Like there was even a choice. Nathan gave me some instructions on how to adjust the nanosuit for swimming, and I soon stood on the edge of the pool.

"How deep?" I asked in awe. When I was little, Marie and I briefly had swim lessons in a standard size Earth pool. This was like that pool on steroids. It had to be at least forty by forty metres, but incredibly deep, with an underwater obstacle course that had tunnels and circle tubes...I couldn't even see the bottom.

He didn't answer, instead placed his hand on my lower back and pushed. When I surfaced, Nathan dove in. I splashed him playfully when he came up beside me.

"Glad you chose swimming. We only started aquatic manoeuvres since some of the nearest spaces flooded two years ago. Ista Green said this will improve your overall fitness, and prepare you in case they decide to use you in the Ena," Nathan explained.

"I not hold breathe very long," I responded dubiously.

"Oh, we have special breathers for the deep stuff. Today, well just practice surface strokes," he assured me.

After we had done several laps of breast and butterfly stokes, we sat beside each other on the poolside for a break.

"You know my talent?" I asked.

"Tsee Blackbourne gave me an overview. I can't wait to see for myself."

"What yours?" I had seen red stripes on his arm.

"How about we make it a surprise for testing day," he teased with a wink. Even wet, his more-red-than-brown hair looked soft as rabbit's fur. I found myself wanting to run my hands through it.

Up until that point we had been alone in the pool room. I heard a peel of feminine laughter. My stomach dropped and I reflexively reached for Nathan's arm, my hand half encircling his bicep. He looked down at me in concern, but my attention was pulled away as a group walked in.

I heard Nathan mutter, "Oh no, not Fifth Squad..."

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A/n: Next chapter will be up as soon as my beta reader gives a thumbs up......