WIP Wednesday - First Mataras: Irene

 

 Caught in the act

Irene had opted to go to the theater first and put away the disguise. Valentina had been hovering within sight far too often since nearly catching Irene hanging the Odeergin costume on the rack. Irene wasn’t positive the tempestuous star was watching her, but she hated to take chances. It seemed more likely Valentina would figure out the same cloak and headpiece appeared in Mrs. Hoffman’s laundry bag than Irene being caught in the hallways without a chaperone in the dead of night. There were other costumes in wardrobe she could put on to help her sneak to her quarters unidentified. Though they wouldn’t have the same effect as the frightening Odeergin getup, she believed they’d help her escape detection from casual curiosity.

She used the quiet service corridors to reach the theater and slipped in. She pulled her headgear off and rushed to the prop area. It took her only a moment to shove her disguise in the trunk.

She turned to find Valentina standing there, smirking at her.

“So. Our rising starlet is sneaking around without her chaperone as an Odeergin, How very interesting.”

Irene’s heart relearned to beat with a vengeance. It hammered in her chest as if it would break free. It took her a moment to note Valentina wore a man’s outfit, padded to disguise her curvaceous figure. No makeup, though her features were too lovely and soft to be mistaken for a man’s, but the absence of her black wavy hair under a newsboy’s cap, no doubt hidden by a wig cap would have kept her safe under casual scrutiny.

“It looks as if you’re sneaking around too.”

“Oh, but Rosalie is with me, as is proper. She’s waiting outside the door while we have our little talk. I’m not in violation of Church law. I’m also not spending hours on a Kalquorian ship doing heaven knows what with alien men.”

Dread was a weight in Irene’s gut. Two witnesses had seen her do the unthinkable. “You followed me.”

“For days, when I could sneak out. I wondered where you went in that terrible Odeergin outfit…an impressive disguise. I do give you credit for that.” Valentina softly patted her hands together in sneering applause.

 

Releasing June 23.

WIP Wednesday - First Mataras: Irene

 

 An impossible relationship

Sherv stared at the text message on his com, his emotions roiling. You’re leaving soon. We won’t have many more opportunities to see each other, and you aren’t playing tonight. Can I visit your ship after my performance?

It wasn’t signed, but as his com had been forced to translate the words from English to Kalquorian…his ability to read the alien language lagged far behind his speech…he knew it had come from Irene.

It had been two days since he’d last seen her. Two days that had crept by in excruciating slowness. Two days of her voice singing in his head. Two days to think about kissing and holding her. Two days of wondering what she was doing in a given moment.

Rusp was quiet, moodier than he got after talking to his parent clan. Jemi was the opposite. He kept begging to go to the opera again. “We don’t have to talk to her. Just seeing her and hearing her sing would be enough.”

Except it wouldn’t be enough. Sherv knew it just as sure as he knew letting Irene return to the ship would be a huge mistake. Give her permission to court being caught by those who’d harm her? It would be the height of selfishness to let her put herself in danger so they could what…play music no one else would ever hear because he couldn’t imagine anyone else singing it? So he could look into those deep, dark eyes? So maybe, if they hadn’t scared her into eternal chastity by going too far when he’d kissed her, he might be able to wrap his arms around her again?

Only to let her go in the end, probably to never see her again.

“What’s up?” Rusp sat at the dinette across from him and brushed crumbs from their breakfast to the floor, where the robotic sweeper would eventually collect and dispose of them.

Sherv hesitated, then pushed his com over for his clanmate to read.

“Ah, shit.” Rusp spoke quietly, his gaze darting to the corridor to make sure Jemi was nowhere in earshot. Their Imdiko would clamor for the visit if he knew Irene had asked. Rusp rubbed his hand over his eyes, then scratched his bearded chin. “It’s like dangling a ronka steak in front of starving zibgers.”

“No kidding. Of course she shouldn’t come here. It isn’t worth the threat.”

“I don’t see you sending her the message.” Rusp managed a grim smile. “Wrong to say yes, impossible to say no?”

“Why does her government have to be so fucked up?” Sherv scowled at his com, fighting the urge to fling it across the room. He couldn’t afford to replace it. “And why is this so hard? We’ll be out of here in a few days and probably never see her again. What’s the point?”

“One-two punch. Music and her. Mostly her. Mother of All, she’s the total package.” Wistfulness sat strangely on Rusp’s strong-featured face.

She was more than the total package. She was magic.

 

Releasing June 23

WIP Wednesday - First Mataras: Irene

 

 Caught in the act by a rival?

Irene pulled her Odeergin outfit from the laundry bag and hung it in its usual place on the rack, stowing the headgear in one of the cloak’s roomy pockets. She shifted the other clothes so the cloak was mostly hidden behind their folds.

She turned from the task. Valentina stood right behind her, her eyes narrowed.

“Sweet prophets! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” Irene grabbed the clothing rack for support, her knees turning to jelly at the surprise.

“Oh, it’s you. I wondered who was lurking back here.” Valentina’s gaze shifted momentarily to the clothes where Irene had hung the cloak. “Giving up on singing? Tired of coming in second to me, so you’ll become a laundress?”

“I was helping Mrs. Hoffman. Nice people do that, you know. What are you doing here so early?”

Valentina waved her hand as if shooing off a fly and turned away. “Fausto and I wish to change some of the blocking in the third scene of the second act. He keeps stepping on my dress. Come out when you finish playing in the clothes; see how professionals work.”

Irene scowled but remained silent as Valentina swayed off toward the stage. Her heart was still pounding, her gut ice-cold.

Had Valentina seen her hiding the Odeergin disguise? How long had she stood behind Irene?

Releasing  June 23.