Trait of Honor Excerpt 4

“No,” Domino protested.  That was the opening Voice Two needed as he tilted the bottle and the liquid poured out.  Domino choked and swallowed reflexively.  “Stop!” she cried as the bottle was pulled away.

Maybe it was because she had not had the stuff in her system a while, but the drug hit harder and faster than ever before.  The net above her shimmered and wavered dreamily.  “Stop…” Domino said again, but this time she meant the net.  It was disconcerting to see so much happen all at once.  Too much, too fast.  Boat. Boat boat boat.  Didn’t that have something to do with water?

Water… She could do with some water.  She was thirsty. But wait, that net looked kind of pretty once you got used to the billions of rectangular patterns it made as it moved.  Maybe that was her boat. Or the water.

“Watch yer ceiling,” said Voice Two pleasingly.  “It’s pretty than ever, ennit.”

“Yes,” Domino said, grinning.  “I like this ceiling, Voice Two.  I like it a lot.”

Trait of Honor Excerpt 3

Juvinich did not want to.  He had to think of a way out of this problem quickly.  With a sideways glance at the man, he stooped to crawl into the hut.  The woman inside scuttled to press herself against one wall.

There was barely enough room inside for two people, especially if they wanted to keep from touching each other.  Against all intention, Juvinich wound up sitting so that his thighs rubbed against the thighs of the woman.  In the dark, he could barely see her face.  Long hair hid most of it as she kept her eyes lowered.

She looked soft enough, Juvinich supposed.  She risked a quick glance at him before hiding behind her hair again.  From what he could tell, her clothing barely covered delicate areas most women in The Militia would be appalled to admit having.  She shifted her weight, not because she was uncomfortable with touching him so much as she was supporting herself with one hand on the ground.

“I’m sorry,” Juvinich said, “but I’m not looking for a wife.  I tried to tell your father, but he wouldn’t listen to me.”