Zehra dropped Thea's limp body onto the carpeted floor of the hotel in surprise. Did she—faint? Why did she faint? What the starshit! Uh. . . Zehra kicked her gently in the arm with the tip of her boot. "Thea, you can get up now." The woman didn't stir. A light snore started to proceed from her mouth.

Another employee walked up, the name Janice pinned to her basic, white scrubs. She glanced between Zehra and Thea, then pulled a holopad out of Thea's pocket and started to type. "She's needed rest for a long time, I'm going to contact her bosses and tell them where to shove it." Janice continued typing, followed by several dings. "Are you just going to stand there flabbergasted or get the woman to my vehicle? She should be sleeping in her own bed."

Zehra opened her mouth to speak and was cut off when Janice raised her hand. "Pick her up, follow me, hot cakes."

"Hot ca—" Zehra halted her protest when the woman started marching quickly through the hall. Every day spent here just gradually got more strange. Zehra picked Thea up in her arms, the woman was surprisingly light, almost too light. Did she faint? Or had she collapsed from exhaustion? Not that Zehra knew how to treat either, medical had never been her speciality. Starshit, she barely took care of herself to know the correct way to handle things. Dropping Thea on the ground probably wasn't the best start.

Zehra met Janice at the elevator, stiffening when the woman wrapped an arm around her shoulders as the door closed.

"So, what are your intentions with our Thea? Because I will slit your throat and bury you far beneath the waters where no one will find you if you intend my friend harm," Janice declared, gripping harder.

"You do know that as a starship Captain I am trained in thousands of different ways to kill you. I wouldn't threaten me, but I understand the sentiment," Zehra stated cooly.

Janice removed her hand as if she had been burned and coughed. "Well, I watch murder mysteries. I know a lot of ways."

Snorting, Zehra glanced over at her. "Right, because a staged murder on a screen is effective." She shook her head. " I have no idea what my intentions are, your friend demanded I take her on a date. And because I was a starshit to her earlier, I feel that I owe her at least that."

Smiling slyly, Janice leaned against the side of the elevator. "Is that so? Didn't you know she has a shame kink? Loves the insults."

Zehra choked. "Excuse me?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just don't toy with her emotions. Thea is a little—fragile right now," Janice declared, her tone turning serious. "She's good at hiding it but she lost someone dear to her about a year ago." Janice brushed Thea's hair out of her face. "As her friend, I know she isn't handling it in a healthy way."

Sunshine Thea, grieving? Zehra looked down at the small woman in her arms. Granted she barely knew her, but she wouldn't have thought—Of course she wouldn't have. Zehra was always too caught up in herself to notice the sufferings of those around her. Sure, she'd be concerned if she noticed but that was a big if.

The elevator dinged, opening it's doors on the floor level. Zehra followed after Janice in silence. From this point going forward, Zehra would do her best not to be as brutally blunt as she often was. She knew what it was like to lose someone close. In the battles she'd faced as a new recruit, she lost too many friends to count. All that remained of her troop mates were the ashes she'd scattered in the sea and the memories in her heart.

Janice handed her a helmet. "Thea lives in the aquatics, you'll need this till we reach her bubble apartment."

Zehra placed the helmet on her head, pressing a few buttons to engage the air regulation before getting onto the hovering vehicle. It had no wheels, just propellers, and empty space. It appeared as though it were meant for two. Zehra gripped Thea tighter and pressed her knees into the side of the vehicle as if they were her lifeline.

Reviving the engine, Janice took off full speed toward the beach. Sand flew behind them, hitting some patrons in the face and ruining the ice cream bar.

"Hey! Janice!" The ice cream man cried.

Janice smiled sweetly and flipped him off.

Water splashed Zehra's clothes moments before she was completely encased in it. Other's of the same species as Janice and Thea swam beneath the waves, the gill's on their necks visible. Fish, more colors than the rainbow swam about freely, completely unaware or uncaring of the noise around them. Bubbles passed between the aquatic species, popping in a language Zehra didn't understand.

The first complex they passed contained five bubbles per apartment. Based off of what little was visible in passing, this appeared to be very luxurious place, decorated in lush furniture. The further they went, the fancier things got, save for the half bubble apartments hidden between rocks.

A few creatures, dressed in nothing more than coral swam in their direction. Janice glanced back and turned cranked the engine. She pushed the throttle forward, almost throwing Zehra off of the vehicle. "They may seem like beggars, but most of them are robbers who prey on tourists. Don't let their game faces fool you." 

Zehra nodded absently, glancing down at Thea. It was mesmerizing to watch her gills open and close on her neck. It seemed they stretched down to—Zehra immediately averted her eyes. Looking at a strangers breasts while they were unconscious was a new form of scandalous. That had not been intentional.

A large structure rose as the distance between them and it closed. Multi-colored bubbles with a protective layer against prying eyes that reached from almost the top of the water to the depths of the trench stretched on for a good mile in width, maybe more.

Janice lowered her vehicle, chaining it to one of the coral's at the front entrance. Zehra had never seen anything like it. Aquatic flowers decorated the front lawn, swishing in the waves as if prompted by a breeze. In one of the larger areas, what she assumed was the lobby, lights shone in all directions, in sync with the vibrations shaking the sand lightly beneath her feet.

Grabbing Zehra's arm, Janice swam forward. "They aren't too fond of strangers here, but you look rich enough, you should be fine. Just continue acting like you with the murder threats and you'll be good."

Zehra nodded. Just be her unwelcoming and blunt self. Easy enough. Janice took a small card from Thea's pocket. "If they go nuts and call the guards, punch them in the throat, they're wimps."

"Wait, what?" Zehra asked, unable to get clarification because they were already inside.

A desk made of multi-colored shell, in a similar hue to opal's, stood to the right with five aquatic creatures dressed in tuxedoes. One had kelp-like black hair that just barely reached below his neck. His brown eyes narrowed on the group as they approached the desk. The other four were twice as tall as Zehra, with twelve tentacles each. They moved in unison to surround the smaller fellow.

"What business do you three have here?" The concierge asked, his voice clipped.

"Thea lives here, we're bringing her home," Janice stated, placing her hands on her hips. "Got a problem?"

The concierge mimicked the movement, displaying his name tag, which read Steven. He proceeded to type on a small holopad. "If Miss Thea cannot bring herself home, then we'd rather she not come home at all. Besides, she owes the mortgage in two days, might as well kick her out now before she can fail to pay, again."

Zehra stiffened, handing Thea to Janice. She walked forward and slammed her hands on the desk, coming inches from Steven's face. "If she has two days, she has two days. Break the contract and you break the law. Wouldn't want the investigators prowling around and messing up your little party, would you?"

"You don't live in this apartment, or even on this world. What could you possibly hold over us? Hmmm? Your sparkly hair? Get lost," Steven said, slamming his holopad on the countertop. "Besides, there's no need for all three of you to go."

"Got a problem with poly?" Janice spat.

Zehra choked, having to compose herself before she reached into her jacket, pulling out her military ID. "This isn't a costume, Steven."

His green face turned yellow. The others surrounding him stepped back.

"How much does she owe on the remainder of her mortgage?" Zehra asked, taking out a silver card.

"I can't give you that information, it's private, the part-party has to give consent," Steven stammered. "Even a Starship Captain is not above such things. You three may go, but I will not give out financial information without Miss Thea's consent."

"So you aren't entirely a starshit," Janice said, strolling past the dancers performing on the stage on the opposite side of the room. "Come on, Cap, let's get this girl to bed."

Grabbing Steven by the collar of his shirt, Zehra lifted him slightly off the ground. "If I find that you've done anything to breach the contract you have with Thea, I'll be coming back to 'speak' with you."

Steven gulped. "Understood Captain."

Zehra let him drop a little roughly, to ensure his ass landed on the ground. It was odd how protective she felt of Thea, but she was just doing her duty to ensure everyone was treated fairly, right?

Right?