The Nobleman's Masterpiece ✔

23 MYSTIC

A gentle beeping sound filled Midge's room, a call was coming in. He ignored it. The call could wait—maybe the caller would be courteous enough to give up.

Midge was waiting. For what, he wasn't sure. Joshua would need a lot of work, but Queen would no doubt take care of any and all complaints. Having a brother high up in defenses had its advantages. With the way Midge felt, he was tempted to throw himself at the nearest guard and rot away in jail.

If Queenie didn't come through this time, then Midge figured he might as well stay awake. He was confident none could find his home in this realm, but if they were coming, they'd come during his time of rest.

All sections adhered to their own time frame. It was essential in keeping the entire Colony functioning at all times. He'd chosen this time zone because it was the time when nearly all of the Colony was asleep, meaning he himself could do so uninterrupted. It had worked just fine, until today.

Right hand behind his head, Midge laid in bed staring up at the dark ceiling. He traced his stomach, debating what to do.

Thoughts of Lydia filled him with dread. He hadn't caught up to her in time before she transported out. Maybe if he'd moved faster he could have said something.

He wasn't sure what he could have said, but he could have said something. He should have said something. At the very least, he could have asked permission to contact Lydia again.

Not that the noblewoman would want anything to do with Midge now. In an effort to give those diskettes back but without being too obvious, Midge marked them as scheduling diskettes. He turned them over to the medical section's lost and found. Lydia's mother was on a very strict schedule and Lydia would no doubt head to the medics at some point. As soon as she did, the diskettes would reach her.

Done and done. Midge had done something right at least.

Thoughts of Joshua plagued Midge, but he was haunted more by the fact that he felt no guilt. He'd injured the man, and not just slightly. The only thing he lamented was how stunned and disgusted Lydia had been. The way Lydia had pulled away....

I'd never hurt you. How could you even think that?

Then Queen had to go and hammer a final nail in the coffin. Maybe Midge should have explained that, also.

Groaning, Midge closed his eyes and resolved to answer that gaw-ro message.

He dragged himself into a sitting position and reached out, directly to his left, and touched the wall. "Accept call."

In the blink of an eye, a fifteen by fifteen screen appeared on the white surface and an uneasy grimace along with it.

Lydia's image on the interface came into focus. "Good morning."

Midge's heart stopped. He could only manage to whisper, "Good morning." He sat up, pulling the sheets higher around his naked waist. It must be four in the morning for you.

"Before you ask...." Lydia brushed her neatly combed hair out of her eyes. "I got the code to your channel from the medical archive. I took it in case of an emergency. I was scrolling through and saw your name."

Her rigid way of speaking shouldn't have come as much of a surprise. It seemed so far removed from the woman who'd run him down. Midge leaned closer to the screen. "Emergency? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Lydia didn't move a muscle. "I'd like to request your assistance, but perhaps you are busy."

The catastrophic situation with Joshua and then Queen was still fresh in Midge's mind. He almost said yes to being busy but behind Lydia's calm expression there was something else.