Free Intensity by Viola Grace Page B

on her lavender face was genuine.
    Raine stepped down and turned to lock her shuttle, the heady scent of the floral crown surrounded her. The attendant carried the bag easily, so Raine shrugged and walked at her side.
    "Do you have many guests?"
    "Currently, there are approximately a dozen other guests here. High season does not resume for another two months."
    "Ah. What is your name?"
    "Heela of the Mordichai cluster." The woman's elaborate black coronet bobbed as she inclined her head.
    Raine was wearing her hair in her customary ponytails on either side of her head. They left her ports open for jacking in at any time. She couldn't help but admire the detail in the braiding and smiled at the knowledge that Heela was a married woman with her husband on the planet.
    The detail of the braids indicated social standing, marital status and spousal occupation.
    "Your husband works here as well?"
    The woman grinned at her. "Yes, he is the manager at the front desk. If you need anything, ask for Tvoro. He will sort you out or I will be loosening my braids."
    Raine chuckled. "Is that an offer made to any guests?"
    "No. Most of them believe that there are no physical means for their services, everything happens by magic. It is refreshing to work for someone who works for a living."
    They cleared the private landing area and when they rounded the corner, a glowing palace of crystal hummed in the afternoon sun. "Welcome to the Yosh Resort and Spa."

    Chapter Two
    Every inch of the facility was spotless. Pale grey marble lined the floor, flowers bloomed everywhere and fresh breezes blew through, bringing the sounds of nature in from the bay and the gardens in the centre of the complex.
    A handsome man wearing the tight braids of a married Vendu greeted her at the desk. "Madam Burke, welcome to the Yosh Resort and Spa."
    "Thank you, Tvoro."
    Heela winked and nodded. "I will bring these to your room while you check in."
    Chuckling, she asked Tvoro, "Why do I need to check in when you have already assigned me a room?"
    "Ah, Madam Burke, it is so that I can acquaint you with the facilities and amenities of our facility. Please, come with me." The man waved two of his four arms as he exited from behind the desk.
    Bemused, she followed him to an open office with windows facing the interior garden.
    "Here at the--"
    "Yosh Resort and Spa. Yes, please, get to the point. I am rather thirsty." She waved her hand in circles to speed his speech.
    "Please forgive me. Of course, you must be tired from your journey." He pressed a discreet button on the table and in less than thirty seconds, a woman appeared with a pitcher of iced water with slices of citrus and a glass.
    "It isn't that I am thirsty from the journey, I have just been spending quite a bit of time in space. Water isn't plentiful on rations."
    He darkened to purple. "I forgot."
    "Don't worry, Tvoro, I am the forgive-and-forget type." She took the glass he handed her and sighed happily as the liquid slid down her parched throat. "This place is truly lovely. Why haven't I heard of it before I was sent to set up the relay station?"
    He looked down. "This is an expensive and exclusive resort. Few Alliance members can afford it."
    She blushed this time. "Right. I forgot that I was allowed to come here due to political manoeuvring."
    He looked surprised, his black eyes widened. "On the contrary, you were invited by our management."
    That shocked her to her toes. "I was?"
    "Of course. You have the prime guesthouse. We had to extract a few of our regular guests to make that happen, but management made it worth their while."
    She wrapped some hair around her finger and furrowed her brow in confusion. "I don't understand. When was this done?"
    "Three days ago. The management insisted on nothing but the best for you and that is what we provided." His chest puffed out in pride. "The resort provides round-the-clock room service. Whatever your species needs, we can provide. There are full spa treatments