The docking with the Ophir went smoothly, far less rough than either of them were accustomed to with military ships. They debarked the transport and entered the docking tube.

Even the docking tube had gravity, an unheard-of extravagance on a military military vessel.

The hatch irised open with a soothing hum, admitting Grimthorn and Kinnit to the Ophir.

Kinnit's face was a study in joyous rapture, a delighted smile gracing her face. Grimthorn briefly wondered if she might do herself injury by keeping her face locked in that expression for so long.

The docking tube opened out to the Star Deck of the Ophir. Technically speaking, it was the Primary Forward Observation Deck, but everybody, from passengers to techs, called it the Star Deck.

Kinnit gasped with renewed delight as they stepped out into the Star Deck.

The transparent dome soared forty feet above their heads, crystal clear. Mebrin graced half the view, its scintillating waters throwing sparkles back into the viewer's eyes. Beyond Mebrin lay the trailing edge of the nearest spiral arm, the cloud of stars sweeping across the blackness of space.

As it orbited, the Ophir maintained a slow roll around its longitudinal axis, causing the planet Mebrin to rise and fall in the view of the Star Deck every few hours.

Kinnit wandered slowly across the Star Deck, her eyes fixed on the spectacle above her. Grimthorn gently guided her, to keep her from meandering into the other cruise-goers.

"It's so wonderful," she breathed. Grimthorn shepherded her to a bench so she could gaze at the stars.

He chuckled.

"You haven't even gotten off the entry deck, yet," he said. "Wait until you see the rest."

"No," she said, her luminous eyes filled with the universe. "Nothing could be better than this."

Grimthorn said nothing, only stood beside her bench at parade rest with a small smile, looking at the stars.

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Grimthorn was eventually able to pry her away from the Star Deck, but only after making the gravest of promises that they would be back soon.

He led her to their suites. An unassuming white door stood in a richly carpeted hall.

"This room's yours," he said, handing her luggage to her. "I'm next door, right down there."

He paused, looking uncomfortable.

"What's wrong, sir?"

"Oh, nothing's wrong. There will be someone coming by your room afterwhile."

"Oh?"

Grimthorn was stiff as a board.

"There's a ball tomorrow night on the Star Deck. If you're interested. I've ordered a service to make you a ballgown." He gave her a creditable bow. "I would be honored if you would join me for the ball tomorrow evening."

"Of... of course," she said, trying not to hyperventilate. "I... I think I need to rest for a bit."

"Of course. Evening meal's at 1800 hours. Feel free to pluck my scanner if you need anything."

She nodded silently and stepped into her room, closing the door behind her.

Her room was not a room so much as it was three adjoining rooms: A luxurious sitting area, a tasteful bedroom with a massive, graceful four-poster bed, and a lavatory.

She flung herself on the bed and buried her face in one of the many pillows that graced it.

It was too much. It was all too much.

She wept into her pillow, emotionally overwhelmed.

She didn't deserve all this. She was just a dirty little Kobold from a backwater of the galaxy, trying to make a way for herself and her people.

Grimthorn was being so kind, and trying so hard. And it was all so wonderful. But she couldn't help feeling a horrible sense of out-of-place-ness, as though she had accidentally been swept into a grander and more glorious life than she could appreciate, much less earn.

After she'd had a bit of a cry and regained her equanimity, she explored the suite. Like everything on the Ophir, it was elegant and ornate, just barely on the right side of overdone. There was even a complimentary bottle of champagne in the sitting area. Remembering her last experience with Terran alcohol, she carefully ignored it.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

It was an hour or so later when there came a deferential knock at her door. It was firm, but not demanding.

She opened the door, and bristled. There stood two odd creatures. They were tall and spindly-thin, with grey skin, and huge, almond-shaped black eyes. Their legs were reversed, like a chicken's, and their arms appeared to have too many joints. They didn't seem to have hands: just long, thin fingers that grew directly from their arms.

Kinnit's first impression was that they looked like bugs, almost like giant praying mantises towering over her. And given her recent run-ins with insectiform species, she was suddenly tense.

"We're with Bella Luna Dressworks," one of them said, her voice high and flutey and silky-smooth. "We've come to fit you for your ballgown."

Kinnit's first instinct was to close the door in their faces. But they were polite, and she really did want to go to the ball. Reluctantly, she stepped aside and let them in.

They moved in with an awkward grace, their movements flowing, but still with the stuck-out neck-bobbing of all chicken-walkers. Kinnit tried to smile, but she was afraid it was coming out as a grimace.

"Let's take a look at a look at your feet first, dear," said one. "We'll work out your shoes and go from there."

Kinnit nodded and let the strange alien examine her. She had to try her very hardest not to shriek as the thin fingers tripped across her skin.

"Mmmm, no high heels for this one," said the dressmaker, her flutey voice ripe with disappointment. "Legs are the wrong shape."

"Sandals," the other said. They both stood back and nodded, looking at her with calculating eyes.

Kinnit shrank under their intense scrutiny.

"Stand up straight, please," said one. Kinnit stiffened.

"Skin coloration is pale red," said the other. "Perhaps an emerald green base for the dress?"

The other nodded. "Good. Yes. And gold for the accessories, to match the collar."

"Yes, yes. Horn danglers?"

"Yes, very nice. Gold, with emerald insets. Anything for the tail?"

"Perhaps. A gold band might be nice near the base. Or too much, do you think?"

"Possibly too much. What do you think, dear?"

Kinnit gaped. They were asking her opinion?

"What do I think? About what?"

"A tail band, dear. You would wear it here," the creature said, tracing a line around her tail up near her spine. Kinnit twitched.

"I... I don't know much about this. I think... something simple would do?"

"Yes. Less is more. Very elegant." Their fingers rubbed together in excitement. "Walk for us, dear."

"I'm sorry?"

"Please, if you will walk back and forth? So we may see you?"

"Oh." Kinnit walked nervously across the sitting area and turned and walked back, feeling very silly.

"Very nice. Natural, poised. Alert. Something long, flowing, perhaps."

"Yes, yes, very nice. Off shoulder. Sweetheart neckline?"

"Yes, very good. Very nice. Now come, we must measure."

They had her strip down to her bare essentials, and she spent the most uncomfortable fifteen minutes of her life with those thin fingers brushing along her skin as the measured her from stem to stern. There were some kind of thin hairs on the fingers that allowed them them to grip things without squeezing them. Their fingers were ticklish and light. She spent the entire time nearly vibrating with revulsion, her skin trying to crawl away from their touch.

At long last they were done, and the pair withdrew, casting compliments at her in their strange, stilted speech.

She breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed on the settee once they were gone.

She hoped that would end up being the worst part of this trip.

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Grimthorn paced around his suite, completely oblivious to his extravagant surroundings.

He had determined to keep his feelings to himself. But seeing her so happy here, so alive, was crumbling his resolve. Earlier, on the Star Deck, his very bones burned within him to reach out and take her in his arms.

But she was interested in someone else. Which didn't change how he felt.

He swallowed hard. He'd thought this was a clever ruse to give her a reward: set up a luxury cruise for her that she'd never be able to afford on an Assistant's salary by pretending it was for him. Now he was wondering if he'd only set himself up for a week of extended pain as he tried to stuff down his feelings for her.

He muttered curses under his breath.

He'd faced down pirates and marauders and every kind of species imaginable, most of which wanted him extremely dead. But none of that frightened him nearly as much as the thought of her casting that easy, uninhibited smile at someone else. Someone younger, more handsome, and frankly more deserving, like that interviewer, that Koro Melemann.

He stopped and wrestled within himself.

What had he gotten himself into?

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He knocked on her door precisely at 1800 hours to take her to dinner. They dined sumptuously in the dining hall, and did a brief tour of the ship.

It was a vessel thoroughly outfitted for entertainment, with an outdoor holo theater, live shows, a massive swimming pool, a VRcade, a small amusement park, and Krokke ball courts. There was even a casino on the lower decks, but Kinnit simply shook her head and wouldn't go near it.

They discussed and strategized how they could take in as much of the entertainment as possible during their time there. But as the evening wound down, the only thing Kinnit wanted to do was to go sit on the Star Deck and look through the dome.

The lights were low on the Star Deck, and the evening stars shone unnaturally bright. Kinnit sat on a bench. Grimthorn, after a moment spent debating within himself, sat next to her.

"If everyone only knew how amazing it all was," she said, "they'd all join the Navy. Space is filled with such intense beauty."

"Space is filled with death," Grimthorn said without thinking. "We have our technology to maintain our frail bodies against lifeless vacuum and hostile species. Every breath we draw is a statistical impossibility. And yet we persist."

She looked up at him with affectionate exasperation.

"Grimthorn, you have the soul of a rock," she said with a smile. "If you wrote poetry, I bet it would read like a technical manual."

He shrugged uncomfortably, belatedly hoping he hadn't ruined her moment.

"It's... just how I feel."

"Well I think it's beautiful." Her eyes turned back to the stars. "I'm so glad I'm here. Thank you, Grimthorn." She laid her hand absently on his arm, setting off a torrent of feelings raging through him, but he kept his face carefully still.

"I'm glad you're here, too, Kinnit," he said.

He wondered how he would possibly get through the ball tomorrow night.