Learning to Dance

that you’re down a few bunkmates, aren’t you? You brought
the girl on board, Lieutenant. She’s your responsibility until
we get to the Academy.” She stood up, too, and gestured at
the door. “Congratulations, Up. You get to keep your pet
after all.”
He saluted, and walked out of her office. Snide bitch, he
thought. Reassignment was fine with him.
The girl was sitting, legs curled up around her, in one of
sickbay's metal chairs while medics bustled back and forth
between Rangers suffering varying degrees of injury. She’d
been cleaned up and her wounds tended to, and someone
had scrounged up an old ensign’s uniform for her to wear.
She looked lost, out of place.
“Hey there, uh-”
She looked up, and relief flooded her face. “Taz,” she
said.
“Taz, yes, Taz.” Up scratched his neck uncomfortably.
“Well, I reckon they’re full up in here. Commander says
you’re to come with me.”
“Come with you?” She sounded surprised.
“Ya see, Taz, I kinda – I kinda goofed up bringing you
on board the ship. Not supposed to happen that way, strictly
speaking, but the Commander’s agreed to let you stay until
we get to the Academy in a few weeks’ time. Thing is,
you’ve got to stay with me.”
She raised her eyebrows at him. “So I am your
punishment?”
He didn’t know what to say. Finally he shrugged. “Looks
that way.”
She nearly smiled, and stood, holding her side gingerly.
He looked at her, quivering in her too-big clothes. Her
cheek was still swollen but her skin was clean now, and he
could see her better than he could before. She looked so
young.