Read Online The Crucible: Leap of Faith by Odette C. Bell - Free Book Online

body graceful as she lifted onto her feet. Her shoulders
dropped down, and then, with just a slight pause, she turned to
face me. “Yes, I was involved in the accident. No, I am not hurt.
As I am uninjured, I didn’t think it was worth mentioning. I assume
you have come to check up on me, Lieutenant Commander?”
    “Lieutenant
Commander?” The young Ensign’s face
practically went blue. She swiveled her gaze back to me. “I’m so
sorry, sir. You weren’t wearing your insignia,
and—“
    I put up a hand. “It’s fine,
Ensign. Do you think you could give us a couple of
minutes?”
    The Ensign scurried from the room
without another word.
    I took a few minutes to stare at
Jenks. My gaze shifted down her body. There really was no sign of
injury. She was poised on her feet, had a balanced stance, and
though she didn’t have a powerful build, there was something
powerful about her demeanor nonetheless.
    I found myself swallowing again.
“I just wanted to check how you are. And… thank you for saving
me.”
    “I didn’t save you, Lieutenant
Commander.”
    “If you hadn’t stopped me, I
would’ve crawled all the way through the corridor to get to my
ship,” I said honestly, voice cracking with emotion.
    She dropped her gaze, and I
realized that for the first time she’d actually been looking at me
when she’d been speaking.
    Despite everything that had just
happened, my natural curiosity flared again. “Are you sure you’re
alright though? That explosion came out of nowhere….”
    “It was an accident. Nobody was
killed. Why wouldn’t I be alright?”
    There was something about the
direct way she spoke that was so off-putting.
    I pressed my lips
together, briefly looked at my feet, then managed a nod. “You make
a fair point, but it’s not always that easy. Sometimes even the
smallest things can affect us. That’s why it’s always important to
have… someone to talk to. Do you… need… anyone to talk to, Ensign
Jenks?” I pushed my words out. I wasn’t sure if it was wise to
utter them, but I couldn’t simply stand around and do nothing.
There was clearly something torturing Ensign Jenks. She hadn’t been
a member of my crew before, but now I’d transferred to the Ra’xon , technically she
was under my command. Though I wasn’t her captain, I was still her
superior, and I still had an obligation to ensure every member of
the crew was okay.
    She didn’t appear to understand my
question. She blinked. “Why would I need anyone to talk
to?”
    I had to take things carefully. I
wasn’t a counsellor. But that didn’t mean I could walk away.
“Ensign Jenks, you’re quiet and subdued. Every time I’ve seen you,
you’ve been distracted. I may not be the most empathetic man in the
world, but I can tell when a member of my crew is going through
difficulties.”
    She took a step backwards, that
trapped look returning to her gaze. “I have no… difficulties,” she
managed. “Sir, you must be tired from your injuries. I assure you I
am fine. Please go get some rest. And I’m not a member of your crew
anyway,” she added at the end.
    “You are now. I
was transferred to the Ra’xon a few hours ago.”
    “Oh.”
    I’d lost her gaze again. She was
staring at some patch on the carpet, and no matter what I did, she
wouldn’t glance my way again.
    I cleared my throat. An awkward
silence descended between us. Technically, this was my cue to
leave, but I wouldn’t. “The Star Forces expects the best from every
crewmember. If you’re distracted, you may not be able to give your
best,” I defaulted to saying, relying on the line they’d rammed
down my throat at the Academy.
    Her demeanor changed. She sliced
her gaze to the side, staring at the wall. “The Star Forces will
get everything they can from me, Lieutenant Commander. You don’t
need to worry about that.”
    It was an odd
statement.
    Perhaps she realized that, as she
took a stiff breath and added, “I am not distracted, and my