Sage woke with such a fierce headache stabbing at the backs of his eyes that he wished he hadn’t woken up. Had someone stunned him? Waking up from a stun usually involved a headache, but as his thoughts collected, he remembered the ship’s situation and having the headache before being knocked out. Along with that blasted itch. He also remembered being stunned. By Dr. Tala of all people.

A surge of irritation flooded him at what seemed a betrayal, but he tried to quash it. He was still being affected by the nebula. He knew that. And he’d known that even as he’d fought Lieutenant Commander Zakota. And Ku. He’d known they had more important things to do, but he hadn’t been able to allow their insubordination. He’d been forced to teach them a lesson. No, he’d wanted to teach them a lesson. He’d reveled in the fighting, in showing them that he wasn’t an old and incapable man yet.

Sage groaned at himself. He was definitely still under the nebula’s spell.

He turned his head from side to side, trying to figure out where he was. On his back on a cot in Svetloka's office. No, Tala’s office now, for as long as she wanted it.

The office door was open, and voices drifted in from the main sickbay room—it sounded busy out there. He could hear Eridanus’s droll tones delivering instructions on how to inject painkillers and heal wounds.

Sage patted himself down, wondering if he had wounds and that was why he’d been brought here. But other than the splitting headache and some bruises from the fights, he seemed intact.

“I should be on the bridge,” he said, sitting up.

Who in the hells had ordered him brought down here? And what was going on up there?

“Captain,” Tala said, appearing in the doorway, her logostec projecting a holographic display full of data before her. “Good, you’re awake.”

“I have to get to the bridge.” He winced at the headache, but swung a leg over the side of the cot.

“I’m afraid I need you here.” Tala approached him, a stunner in one hand and an injector in the other. “I’ve relieved you of your duty.”

He scowled at her. “What you did was shoot me when I was already down.”

“You weren’t down. You were in the middle of a fight with your helmsman. A fight you started.” Tala stared at him, almost defiantly, her dark brown eyes cool and determined. Before, she’d been holding the stunner loosely, but now, she pointed it at his chest.

Getting stunned repeatedly wasn’t good for the body, and he needed to be conscious and on the bridge, not down here and knocked out. What was wrong with her?

“I was dealing with insubordination,” Sage said. “Granted, not as well as usual, but—what’s going on up there?” He lifted his logostec. “Korta, are you up there?”

“Yes, Captain. It is good to hear you awake. Have you been experimented on yet?”

“What?”

“I believe a simple injection to shift your hormone balance may help you deal with the affects of the nebula,” Tala said. “At least in the short term.”

“Shift my hormone balance to what?”

“More estrogen than testosterone.”

He stared at her, his mind feeling sluggish. Finally, he got it into gear. “Because the women are less affected?”

“Yes. I’ve had a look at before-and-after shots of Treyjon’s brain. I still don’t know what is causing the ailment, but it’s clear that it disrupts testosterone specifically. There are pronounced changes to the Wernicke’s and Broca’s areas. It’s a wonder everyone’s not grunting instead of speaking.”

“So you want to turn me into a woman?” Sage eyed the injector. He had assumed it was a sedative, but perhaps not.

“I’ve already applied a dose of the enzyme to Treyjon, and he’s shown no ill effects.”

“How long has it been?”

Tala glanced at the logostec. “Well over… a minute.”

“A minute.”

“Closing on two.”

“Is he calmer?”

“It’s too early to tell.”

“Sir,” Korta said over Sage’s logostec, “we have a problem in engineering that remains unresolved. Perhaps, as soon as you’re able, you could attend to it.”

“What problem?”

“Chief Hierax has locked himself inside and isn’t letting anyone in. Ensigns Lysan and Hammer are attempting to force the lock, but they were attacked.”

“By Hierax? Why didn’t they just grab him when he came out?”

“Actually, the assailants were tiny drones that flew out of a ventilation duct. They attacked the ensigns with pellets.”

Sage growled. “I’m out for fifteen minutes, and the entire ship turns into a farce?”

He’d expected trouble—there was a reason he’d contemplated sedating everyone—but for some naive reason, he’d believed his people would react better than the men on the military ship he’d been on for his last visit to the nebula. These were Star Guardians. Elite troops. The best of the best.

“Fool,” he grumbled, swinging his other leg off the cot.

“Sage?” Tala raised the injector.

“I don’t have time for that. Especially when we don’t know if it’ll do anything.”

He stood up, but Tala didn’t back away. She still had that stunner out, too, and her finger tensed on the trigger.

“Doctor,” Sage said, struggling for his usual cool and rational self, even though his face was hot, his neck itched like mad, and all he wanted to do was knock the stunner out of her hand. “I can deal with Hierax like this. Someone has to.”

“You’ve been relieved of duty,” she pointed out. “I’m perfectly willing to countermand that, if you accept the shot.”

“You don’t have the power to—”

“You gave it to me.” She lifted her chin, her dark eyes blazing with indignation, and maybe a touch of impatience.

“To exercise if I’m acting in such a manner that I’m endangering the ship. That is not the case.”

“You almost knocked Lieutenant Coric out of her seat when she was piloting the ship around mines!”

Sage hesitated. Had he done that? When he was fighting with Zakota? He couldn’t remember.

“Just let me try it on you, and I’ll let you go,” Tala said, stepping close and angling that injector toward his bare arm.

Without conscious thought, he caught her wrist to stop her. She gave him an exasperated look.

“What, are you afraid you’re going to lose your pretty arm muscles? It’s one damn dose of estrogen, Captain. It’s not going to turn you into a woman.”

He wasn’t sure what the expression on his face was—he felt utterly pissed that she presumed to point that injector at him—but some of her determination disappeared, and she glanced back, as if looking for help. Or a way to flee. But he held her wrist, and she couldn’t.

Sage released her and did his best to smooth his face. He was the competent commander of this ship, not some testosterone-fueled madman that she needed to fear.

“Do it,” he said, wondering if he secretly was worried that increasing his estrogen would somehow emasculate him and steal his ability to command. If so, that was foolish. And he ought to know it.

“Please,” Tala said, smiling, though her eyes were tense. She was looking at him the same way he looked at Treyjon’s svenkars.

“Please. Please turn me into a woman, Dr. Tala.”

She snorted, set down the stunner, and came forward to clasp his bare arm. His instincts, the ones that didn’t like to be cornered, made him contemplate lunging for that stunner and taking full control, but her touch distracted those instincts. And turned them in another direction. There was nothing sexual about her grip—she was simply holding his forearm with one hand while she pressed the injector to it with the other—but he wasn’t wearing his jacket for some reason, and he found himself extremely aware of her light touch on his bare arm.

He scarcely noticed the faint hiss of the injector. Instead, he noticed the tingle he felt at her touch. And the way her dark hair wasn’t pulled back as it usually was. Now, it fell straight down to frame her face. She had elegant features, a straight nose, high cheekbones, and soft lips. Lips that grew particularly appealing when she smiled. Why was he always arguing with her? Yes, the fury in her eyes and the way she stood up to him also appealed, but those glimpses of smiles he’d seen… He ought to spend more time trying to make her laugh. Or to at least look at him like a person instead of an obstacle. A person she liked.

“I’m sorry, Doctor—Tala,” he said softly as she released his arm.

One of her eyebrows arched. “For what?”

“Being an ass.”

She considered him, and he wasn’t sure if she appreciated the apology, didn’t care one way or another about it, or thought he might be shifting tactics with her because he wanted to go back to his duty. He did want that—why was Hierax fiddling around in engineering instead of building that mine detector?—but she’d already said she would release him if he accepted the injection. And he had.

“If I were a mature and magnanimous person,” Tala said, “I’d tell you that you haven’t been an ass, that you’ve only been doing your job.”

“But?”

“You’ve been an ass.”

He grinned.

Her mouth parted, and she stared at him. She almost looked dumbfounded.

“What?” he asked.

“I didn’t know you could do that.”

“What? Grin?”

“Yes.”

“You aren’t a grinner, either, you know.”

“This is true,” Tala said.

“Your hormone is probably putting me in touch with my softer, grinnier side.”

She snorted again. “If you truly believe it’s going to do that, you’re not nearly as smart as your crew thinks.”

“I’m not going to develop breasts, am I?” He prodded one of his pecs.

“Definitely not as smart as your crew thinks.”

He grinned again, then looked around for his jacket. Had he taken it off on the bridge? His memory was fuzzy, but he remembered being hot and wanting to more easily scratch all the itches.

He swatted at the spot on the back of his neck that had been bothering him.

“Here, let me put some of this healing salve on that,” Tala said, extracting a tube of Veoderm from a pocket. Judging by its thinness, it had seen a lot of use recently.

Though the wounds on the back of his neck were minor, Sage knew the cool gel would feel good as it healed the scratches. He bent his head, so Tala could reach them.

“Sitting would be better,” she said, stepping forward to rub some on the back of his neck.

“I’m leaving soon.”

“Right, and the act of sitting and standing takes eons.”

“Are you always so contrary?” he asked, though there was no bite to the question. He was too busy appreciating the gentle touch of her fingers on the back of his neck, their warmth contrasting with the cool feel of the gel. It was electrifying, and all his nerves stood up and paid attention. That wasn’t his usual reaction to Veoderm.

“I’m positive that should be my line for you,” Tala said dryly.

“If so, the answer is yes.”

“I thought so.” Her fingers lingered on the back of his neck, rubbing in slow circles over his tense muscles.

Had he injured himself more seriously than he’d thought? Or was she possibly enjoying touching him?

He watched her out of the corner of his eye, careful not to move his neck, lest she stop. She wasn’t far away. Her face was only a few inches from his, and her expression seemed contemplative. Because she was thinking about how attractive she found him—and his neck? Or because he was some oddity worthy of study?

Her fingers trailed away from the scratches and down the side of his neck. That sensation of electricity crackling along his nerves intensified. Her lips slightly parted as she looked at his neck. Then, as her fingers shifted to run along his collarbone, her gaze dipped to his chest, the swell of his pectoral muscles under his tank top. Would she let her fingers wander lower? To stroke his chest?

He stood utterly still, not wanting to do anything to interrupt her perusal, but she seemed to catch herself—or maybe she noticed his eyes turned toward her, for her fingers froze. She appeared on the verge of startling away, like an animal about to dart back into its thicket.

“Don’t,” he whispered.

Tala licked her lips, her pink tongue arresting his attention before it disappeared back into her mouth. It left her lips moist. Appealing.

“Don’t what?” she whispered.

It was a question, so he should have answered it. But all he could think about was how much he wanted to taste her mouth, just as her own tongue had done.

He leaned in slowly, so she wouldn’t be alarmed. So she could object if she wished. But he hoped she wouldn’t.

She opened her mouth, as if to invite a kiss, and his body thrummed with an exultant feeling not unlike that of succeeding in battle. She was not an enemy, but surely this felt like a victory. To have her want him.

Their lips met, and hers were as warm and appealing as he’d hoped. He slid his tongue along them and was surprised, and then delighted, when her own tongue slipped out to meet his. They explored each other, neither overly bold, nor tentative either, and her fingers pushed into his hair, careful to avoid the healing scratches. His senses lit as she rubbed his scalp, and he inched closer to her, a hand finding her waist.

More than his nerves had come alive, and he was careful not to ram his groin against her, having a notion that such things were rather forward for a first kiss. Still, he couldn’t help but imagine pulling her over to that cot and—

His logostec beeped, and Tala jumped back.

Her cheeks were flushed and her lips moist. He wanted nothing more than to ignore the comm message and return to kissing her, but he couldn’t turn his back on the needs of his ship, no matter how much he wanted to extend this moment. Besides, Tala looked a little uncertain, like she wondered if she’d just been kissing the enemy.

“That I do not want to be,” he whispered.

“What?” She squinted at him.

He shook his head and raised his logostec.

“I’m on my way to deal with him now, Korta,” he said, seeing who had commed and being certain of what he wanted.

“Good, sir. Korta, out.”

“I need to go to engineering and deal with Hierax.” Sage said it casually, as if he didn’t expect her to object, but despite that sweet kiss, he wasn’t positive she would release him from sickbay. He didn’t look at the stunner sitting on the desk, but he had already noted its position. He wouldn’t use it on her, but he would make sure she couldn’t use it on him.

“I had Eridanus prepare enough for several doses.” Tala held up the injector, easily going back into work mode, as if the kiss hadn’t happened.

Sage told himself that was good, and that he appreciated her professionalism, even if he wouldn’t have minded her flinging herself at him and begging him to stay, to satisfy her every need.

“Shall I come along?” she added.

Her offer surprised him, and he paused to consider it. Though he wouldn’t mind having her company, she ought to stay in sickbay to monitor Treyjon and the others.

“I can take it and jab him with it,” Sage said. “Though I don’t think we’ve decided yet that it does anything.”

“It’s made you… grinnier.”

That wasn’t the only thing he’d been. “That’s not a word, is it?”

“It’s not in my language.” Tala touched her chest. “But I figured ship commanders had the prerogative to make up words.” She waved the injector. “I’ll have to adjust the dosage depending on Hierax’s size—and the size of any other people we encounter that we may want to inject.”

“Are you sure you don’t just want to come along to monitor me? And stab me in the butt with that if you think more doses are necessary?”

“That thought might have crossed my mind. I wouldn’t mind stabbing you in the ass a few times.” She smirked.

“Have I been that bad?” he asked softly.

Her smile faded. “You’re just difficult.”

“I’m sorry. I appreciate you. And that you’re helping me with my people.”

She blinked several times, then stared at him in surprise again.

By Zeus, was he saying all the wrong things to her? Even when he tried to be polite? She’d kissed him. Or allowed him to kiss her. Surely, that meant she didn’t loathe him.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Nothing. I mean, it just surprised me, because you said something similar in a dream.”

“You had a dream about me?” Not knowing the context, he supposed he shouldn’t be pleased, but he found himself inordinately curious, and maybe a little smug, that he’d shown up in her dreams.

“No. I mean, yes, but you were just in it. It wasn’t about you. At all. It was about… things.” The bronze skin of her cheeks flushed an impressively dark shade of red.

He had never seen her look so flustered. Huh.

Had he been mature and magnanimous, the words she’d used earlier, he would have let it go, but that curiosity continued to burn, and he had to know more.

“What kind of things?”

“Nothing,” she said, and clamped down on the uncertainty, bringing back what he’d come to think of as her doctor calm.

It wasn’t that different from his command calm. They weren’t that different from one another. Even if he was more of an ass.

He nodded toward the doorway. He’d already dallied enough.

“Maybe someday, you’ll feel comfortable enough to tell me,” he offered.

“I… don’t think so,” she said, following him out.