Have they fucked already? Who gave the permission? A dark shadow of displeasure flitted across my face, which Dylan noticed, casting a victorious glance at me.
...No way! What a monster!
Damn... Am I jealous? Of whom exactly? Of her, of course, with him! I felt so obsessed at that moment! Dale is mine only!
"What is wrong, Commander?" Dylan suddenly lost his smile, folding his arms on the chest and fidgeting in the chair. "Are there any problems?"
"What's going on between you?" I looked at them both seriously.
"Taen... nothing!" Dalla clasped her hands, blinking her eyelashes in confusion. "I'm just explaining to our pilot why I spent so much time studying the amazing Latega tribe..."
"And I'm very impressed! They're quite amazing... We absolutely must go there, Taen... you personally promised me... remember?"
Dalla' eyes widened significantly after Dylan's remark, as if she'd guessed my relationship with the pilot was far too personal.
"So you already know everything about my research, Dylan? And I'm chattering away!" She pouted sheepishly, nervously tapping her thin fingers on the table.
"Not that much!" my lover grinned coquettishly. "You see, my dear... I really want to get there and have some fun with those affectionate savages... but how can I do that? I just can't... How did you, such a charming little trick, manage to secure funding for your research?
... No! The passion between them is only growing stronger... or rather, lust, on his part! Imagine that! And she naively thinks he only wants scientific discussions at a local colloquium about some horny jungle aborigines. Dalla, wake up and get out of here, and I'll give that pilot a good beating for flirting!
"It's not that hard!" She narrowed her eyes, wrinkled her cute perky nose sweetly, and smiled. "I pulled some strings... the right ones!"
"What strings? If I ever need them, I want to know too!"
"Those strings! You hardly can!" she continued teasing furiously.
"And why can't I? And what if I can? I have a pretty good idea what those strings are!"
"And what kind of hints are you?" Dalla assumed a defensive stance. "I simply approached the right people! The proper and responsible management!"
"Stop it!" I growled angrily, noticing the interest of the crew, hanging out in groups at the tables. "You're attracting attention... now the entire team will be begging me to ask the management for similar research."
"So?" "Dylan squeezed out tensely. "I just want to know how to do it... go into the wilds and visit such creatures!"
"And why would you do that? To fuck everything in sight!"
"What kind of conclusions are you drawing? Are you jealous?"
Dylan suddenly jumped up and fiercely crushed his lips to mine... in front of everyone!
... Ow! I nearly died of shame, pushing him away and running out.
I had to avert my gaze when I met the coworkers in the cramped corridors... and I didn't punish Dylan for this brazen behavior, didn't curse, didn't slap him, I just ran out of the cafeteria like an idiot to the silent amazement of the staff...
Each of them later hid a smile on their faces as they collided...
And Dalla? She was already certain who we were to each other! That was Dylan's way of revealing our relationship to everyone! Ow, screw it! I'll fire him!
I didn't want to start a showdown or throw a tantrum with him and immediately contacted Louis remotely.
"Fire him? For what?" the refined blond drawled melancholically from the flickering hologram. "He seemed to have performed admirably recently, deftly handling an emergency. And he has a pretty high emotional intelligence, judging by the tests he's taken. What exactly did he do? Admit it!"
"Ah... fell in love with me... bastard! And he brazenly revealed it all! Kissed me so passionately in front of everyone!"
"Ouch... cringe... he can't do that! But it's hot... what can I do? Well... that's good, isn't it?" Louis's mischievous eyes gleamed dreamily. "So to speak, the atmosphere of love keeps the team in high spirits... You guys had already gotten along well back in the pretorian terms, and I was surprised myself that you didn't reject him... You once told me you preferred girls... and then this! Oh, oh, oh!"
"You won't fire him?" I interrupted his drawn-out discussion of the importance of setting a positive motivation for employees.
"Let me think... I'm proposing something else... We'll temporarily exchange Dylan for another pilot from one of the starships."
"Is that possible?"
... Louis began describing, with a ringing glint in his eyes, one of the valiant commanders of the Coalition fleet. And when will this personnel officer stop falling for charismatic men? It's detrimental to professionalism! I imagine his bubbling jacuzzi has seen many candidates for prestigious positions pass through.