Serena held the cup, one eyebrow slightly raised.
When she looked back up at Jerrick, her expression was thoroughly amused.
Was he actually giving her orders now?
Meeting her gaze, Jerrick stiffly added, "Continuous diagnostics cause mental fatigue, which compromises your data assessment."
"As the director maintaining Specimen Fourteen's stability, I am obligated to verify your physical and mental condition at all times. I will not allow your personal negligence to jeopardize my mission."
Serena was speechless.
She glanced down at the warm coffee in her hand.
Then she looked back up at the stern-faced man standing before her.
This excuse... was even more wonderfully clinical than the last one.
However, it was true that she had been up until past three in the morning dealing with Specimen Fourteen, grabbed barely any sleep, and then rushed straight here to run diagnostics on an empty stomach.
So, Serena didn't refuse. She took a slow sip. "You're very thorough, Captain Fenris."
Thanks to her mentor's grueling training, her body was practically immune to most toxins. Moreover, she trusted her senses completely—no poison in the world could slip past her taste and smell.
She wasn't remotely worried about this wolf spiking her drink.
The temperature was perfect.
The liquid slid smoothly down her throat, easing the dry scratchiness of the early morning.
Watching her drink, the rigid tension in Jerrick's brow finally softened, if only by a fraction.
It was a minuscule shift, but Serena caught it perfectly.
She lowered her eyelashes, masking the calculations running through her mind. Finishing the drink, she handed him the compiled diagnostic logs. "Fourteen is stable. I've reviewed all the overnight telemetry, and the containment seals are secure. We'll proceed with the original maintenance schedule."
Jerrick took the file, his voice flat. "Understood."
Serena set the empty cup aside and adjusted her grip on her medical kit. "Diagnostics are done, hydration complete. Surely Captain Repris can relax now?"
With that, she turned to leave.
She hadn't taken two steps when the man's voice rang out behind her: "Where are you going?"
Serena stopped, arching an eyebrow as she slowly looked back over her shoulder. The smile on her face had turned profoundly layered.
Her clear, dark eyes locked onto Jerrick.
Unlike her earlier casual teasing, this time, there was a sharp, calculating scrutiny in her gaze.
Jerrick's grip on the clipboard tightened, leaving a faint crease in the corner of the diagnostic report.
He had been too eager.
So eager that he was practically hemorrhaging tells in front of his sister.
While he frantically searched for a way to salvage the moment, the woman before
him let a slow smile spread across her lips. "Captain Fenris."
"Since when does taking over Specimen Fourteen's medical care give you
jurisdiction over my personal itinerary?"
Jerrick's mind raced, but his face remained a flawless mask. Meeting her probing stare head-on, he answered mechanically, "Standard procedure."
"Until the asset is successfully
transferred, I need to know the whereabouts of all essential
personnel to ensure immediate
mobilization in the event of a emergency."
"Oh, standard procedure..." Serena mused. Her smile deepened as she playfully dragged out the syllables. "And here I thought Captain Fenris had developed some inappropriate interest in me."
Jerrick remained silent.
A muscle in his jaw twitched. "You're overthinking it."
Serena laughed out loud, deciding to let him off the hook. "Don't worry, I won't be
leaving the ship just yet. As for where I'm going..."