Crystals Three Chosen Mates Read Free Page A

solely on nutrishakes.
    They definitely needed some of Crystal’s cooking.
    She wiped her hands on the towel tucked into the waistband of her military uniform and stepped up to the grill in the middle of the kitchen.
    “Sammy, I need two plates of fish and veggies, ASAP.” She wished it were the last week of the moon cycle. Then she’d be able to give these underfed men a hearty piece of beef, but this fish steak was all she had to work with for now.
    “Yes, Specialist Crystal. Coming right up, boss,” Sammy replied.
    She blew out an exasperated sigh. “Sammy, you’re not military. You don’t have to call me by my rank.”
    Her younger sous-chef gave her a cheeky wink. “Just giving you the respect you deserve, ma’am.”
    “You’ve been surrounded by military uniforms too long, Sammy. You’ve adopted all their best behaviors,” she said with a touch of sarcasm. Having grown up in a military family herself, she knew all too well the positives and the negatives, but she wouldn’t change any of it. Family was more important than anything else on the planet.
    Sammy refrained from replying. Instead, he flipped two beautifully grilled fish steaks onto plates and added a side of roasted root vegetables.
    Crystal grabbed two sets of silverware wrapped in cloth napkins along with the plates of food. With her elbow, she tapped the wall panel and waited for the door to the dining area to slide open. Then, she approached the two men who’d found seats at an empty table at the back of the mess hall.
    “Here you go, boys.” She set a plate in front of each of them.
    The men stared at her, then at their plates, then back at her.
    She chuckled softly. “It’s fish steak. Sorry I can’t give you any beef today. Our order comes in next week.”
    “Beef? From the Bovidae family?” the brown-skinned man with the short black curly hair asked.
    “We didn’t expect anything,” the olive-skinned man said. “We came in here to talk.”
    “This is the mess hall,” Crystal explained. “Most people come in here to eat, and you boys look like you could use a good hot meal. Now, eat up.”
    “Not until you do us the honor of allowing us to introduce ourselves,” the man with the silky black hair said, using the formal method of address. He appeared to be the senior of the two men; or rather, his natural leadership made him seem more mature.
    She nodded her consent at his request for an introduction.
    The men pushed back their chairs and stood. The senior man held out his hand, palm up. “I am Doctor Henri, son of Kevin, Robert and Oliver, mates of Cecilia.”
    Crystal laid her palm over his and answered, “I am Specialist Crystal, daughter of Jeffers, Thomas and Vanguard, mates of Priscilla.”
    He squeezed her hand for a moment, and Crystal sensed a deep strength both in his physical presence and his personality. When he withdrew his hand, Crystal turned to the taller man for his introduction.
    “I am Doctor Stepho, son of Santos, Russell and Owen, mates of Angelina.” His voice was soft and deep.
    Crystal placed her hand over his much larger, darker one and repeated her lineage. His palm was warm and slightly rough, not what she would have expected from a member of the intelligentsia, who were known for their brain usage, not their physicality.
    “Now, sit and eat before it gets cold,” she urged the men.
    “Are you able to join us?” Stepho inquired. “We’d be most interested in learning about these food items.”
    She quirked a brow. “It’s fish steak and root vegetables. Pretty standard fare.”
    Stepho shook his head. “Not in First Quadrant. We have mutton once a moon cycle and green leaves at our nightly meal for those who choose them.”
    “That’s it?”
    Henri nodded, a lock of his hair falling over his forehead. “We are agricultural engineers, but we’ve never worked with food like this. Sit and tell us about your work.”
    Were they serious? She glanced from Henri’s face to Stepho’s