She had no idea how much time had passed when she heard a scraping noise on a door on the other side of the room. The metal panel scraped as it jerked to the side. She saw a slender gap in the door. Dark brown fingers curled around the edge and pushed the sliding door into the wall.

A large dark-haired man wearing the dark green Calazian uniform stepped into the room. His broad shoulders and tall muscled body made the doorway seem smaller than it was. His green eyes swept the room and locked on her. A wide smile curved his lips, softening the harsh rugged lines of his face.

"I thought you might be here. We saw you in the hall as you were coming this way but I don't think you saw us," Commander Finn Tarn offered, a friendly smile on his face, the crinkles at his eyes creased the black tattoo at his temple.

No she hadn't noticed him this time. She had seen him a few other times and knew that "we" must mean the other black-haired Calazi commander. That black hair was almost the only thing they had in common. This man reminded her of a fierce powerful warrior, especially with his flattened nose. The other man wasn't flabby, but his muscles weren't as obvious beneath his sun-touched gold of his skin.

The Calazi intrigued her. As a people, they were inventive and adaptable. They'd had to be to survive living on a dying world. Their culture was very different from the Laurati culture. She'd always wondered how their social structure had come to be. Calazi males had a tendency to join with another male as lover and partner. Together they chose a woman to complete their bond.

"Actually, I didn't think anyone was in this section, Commander Tarn. Do you know if this is going to last long? I don't know if any of this is perishable." Kyna gestured to the boxes but didn't take her eyes off the large, very attractive man in front of her. She wasn't going to miss any opportunity to look at him.

He frowned as he studied the boxes. "No, that shouldn't have anything perishable. It should be plates and utensils. As to the power I don't know. This isn't a planned downtime. I'm afraid until it comes back on, we're stuck in this section. Come on out into the dining room."

"I have to stay with the boxes until the kitchen staff claims it." She was more than tempted to just leave the boxes and join them but she focused on her duty and her goals. If she wanted to advance, she couldn't make any stupid mistakes. She had to stand out in dedication and performance.

He looked at her, his head tilted to the side as he considered her. She knew he was thinking of ways to change her mind. She didn't try to tell him that he wouldn't succeed. A man didn't get to his rank without a certain arrogance. Besides she enjoyed hearing that deep voice and the company even though his size made the room seem even smaller.

Commander Tarn smiled and turned to the door. As he went through it, she sighed. She hadn't really wanted him to leave, but she couldn't expect him to stay in the kitchen.

After he left she wanted to rush after him, but stayed where she was. Knowing that he was just in the other room sent her thoughts along impossible paths. He and the other commander would be in charge of this base for at least two years. Getting involved with them wouldn't help her achieve her goals.

Movement again drew her eyes to the door. This time she saw the other Calazi commander, Commander Drace Amon step into the open doorway. His face was leaner more angular than Commander Tarn's and he also had a tattoo at his left temple. For a moment, she enjoyed his watching his toned, athletic body. His golden tan enhanced the bright silver color of his eyes. She thought she saw a hint of irritation there. Somehow the idea of annoying him sparked a perverse sense of amusement in her.