by Elin Wyn
Aavat stopped talking for a moment to look at me, his eyes flicking to Lynna, then back to me.
I didn’t like this.
“However, in light of recent events, we feel that a little more stealth is needed.”
“Now,” Kovor said, taking over the conversation smoothly. “Although Aryn and I,” he nodded to her, “have experience in doing this, there is a large possibility that our experience with Skud and Enclave back at Qasar has gotten back to the crew of The Terror. So, after some discussion, we’ve decided that another team with a successful record, but a bit less, shall we say, exposure, handle this mission.”
No.
I knew what he would say before his lips formed the words.
“We’d like to ask Lynna and Valtic to handle this mission.”
“No.”
Everyone turned to look at me. Some of their looks were confused, but most were just curious as to what I would say next.
Except Lynna. For once, I couldn’t read her expression. But it didn’t matter. She wasn’t going.
I wouldn’t allow it.
“What do you mean, ‘no’?” Kovor asked.
I cleared my throat as I sat forward in my chair, placing my elbows on the table as my hands covered my mouth for a moment. I took a deep breath before looking over at the three ship commanders, four, if you counted Kalyn.
Never had I refused a mission. Never had I disregarded orders. Well, other than that one slip with Itair, but anything regarding that buffoon couldn’t be counted.
But this, this was new territory.
“I will go. I work best by myself. Lynna cannot be allowed as a part of this mission. She is far too valuable to the ship and crew as the doctor. She cannot be risked. I refuse to allow it.”
“I understand your concern,” Dejar said slowly. “But your actions at the dock were impressive. Both of you did well and brought back useful information. As Kovor said, he and Aryn are too well known to conduct such a mission themselves.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but Lynna’s voice interrupted me. “Can I say something?”
“Please,” Dejar nodded.
I looked at her and she gave me a faint smile before speaking. Surely, she understood this was madness. She’d see that she couldn’t take part in this. I’d go, I’d do whatever needed to be done, and I’d come home to her.
No.
I caught myself. I’d come back to the Rogue Star, where she would safely stay.
“Would you mind telling us what the general plan is first, before anyone decides if I can or cannot go?”
The floor fell out from under me.
“Good point,” Aavat responded. “The idea is for you to disguise yourself from head to toe as one of the escaped women from the auction we raided here on Katzul and allow yourself to be taken on board by The Terror’s crew.”
Never.
“What?” I barked. “You want her captured by the same monsters that steal and sell women all over the cosmos? How is she supposed to get away?”
Aavat held up open hands to calm me. “Easy. We thought about that.” He turned his attention back to Lynna. “If you agree, we’ll fit you with a tracker, multiple trackers in case they search you, and we trace your movements through the ship.”
He turned his focus to me next. “While she is inside, you will be outside waiting for her.” His lips twisted. “We’ll take a trick from their own book. She’ll use an airborne sedative to knock everyone out, search for the information we need, and leave quietly. Other than a headache and a vague memory of another woman, they may not realize anything has gone wrong at all.”
“And if anything goes wrong?” I asked.
“That’s when we go with the less quiet plan. Lynna will have an emergency comm. If she gives you the signal, you go get her. Hopefully, in the process, one or both of you will have found the evidence we need.”
“And,” Dejar continued, “this might give us a chance to get an inside look at that ship and figure out what we’re up against. If we can map it, we can know what its capabilities are. If we can get information about their navigation logs, their regular ports, who their contacts are… anything. We need all the information we can get, Valtic. That’s why we’re asking the two of you to do this.”
“Maris and Orrin have built a program that, if placed on any part of the ship, can track it if it comes within a certain range of us, as well,” Aavat added. “It could be instrumental in keeping us alive in the future. And Qal has programmed a device to clone their navigational computer. We’ll see everything, where they’ve gone, and when.”
This was a terrible plan. Far too risky.
The need was great, but surely, I could manage by myself, storm the ship, plant their devices.
Map things, do whatever was needed.
Just Lynna needed to stay—
“Alright, I’ll do it.”
I shot a hard look at Lynna. How could she be in agreement with this assignment?
“I like the idea of multiple trackers, we can put one in a piece of jewelry, then maybe another subdermally, where they can’t take it away.” She nodded as she spoke, almost as if she were trying to convince herself as she agreed.
“No,” I said, still looking at her. “You can’t do this. The dock was easy because the man was an idiot, this is going to involve a crew of cut-throat individuals. They won’t hesitate to kill you if they sense something wrong.”
I turned back to Dejar, ignoring Lynna’s words. “Captain, you cannot be serious about this.”
“I’m sorry, Valtic,” Dejar apologized. “This is what needs to be done. We won’t get another chance at this. We’ve tried to think of anything else.”
I turned to Itair. “This is the only information you have? You have nothing else that can help us? No paperwork, no secret recorded conversation, that can give us what we’re looking for?”
Itair shook his head. “My sincerest apologies, young man, but I don’t. I only know of The Terror as an Enclave ship. Any connection to the Dominion, if there is one, is hidden, even from me. I truly wish that I could tell you more.”
His voice and words sounded sincere, and his expression seemed real enough. Scro. How could anyone in here be willing to do something like this? Didn’t they see the potential disaster behind all of this?
I turned back to Lynna. “This is too dangerous. I won’t let you do this.”
The sharp intake of breath from Kalyn and Aryn told me they thought I had overstepped, but I didn’t care.
Lynna’s reaction was the only one that mattered.
I cared too much for her and had just found out that she cared for me in return. I wasn’t prepared to risk her life.
She shook her head sadly. “I’m sorry, Valtic. If this is the idea that they think has the best chance, then we have to try it. I trust you. You won’t let anything happen to me.”
Her words struck at me. No matter how I felt, she shouldn’t trust me.
I rose from the table, barely containing my rage at the situation.
“Very well.”
I left the conference room, made my way through the halls and down to my office. And I started planning.
It would take time for Lynna to be properly disguised, so I would use that time trying to come up with a different way onto that ship.
If I could find a way onto the ship, find a way to get the information we needed, and do it all without getting Lynna involved, then all the better.
I had to come up with something.
She couldn’t be risked.
There was a chance that I could sneak in through an exhaust port, a ship that size would need either hundreds of small exhaust ports or, if it was anything like the Rogue Star, it would have a few big ones that could be opened and closed when needed.
Or I could wait for a crewmember to disembark. Surely any number of them would be ready to partake of the delights of Katzul.
I’d wait, stun one, and use him to gain entry to the ship.
It was a better plan than Dejar’s. My plan only endangered me and left Lynna safe on board our vessel. I would be better able to get aboard the ship, better able to fend off any attackers, and better equipped to deal with whatever was on board.
There were bound to be dozens of other plans that would work, none of them putting Lynna in harm’s way.
If I happened to be captured, I was more capable of withstanding any interrogation techniques they utilized than Lynna, and my probable death would be less harmful to the crew than hers.
I was the expendable one, not her. Couldn’t they see that? Couldn’t she see that? No matter her feelings for me, she was more important and would be able to move on more easily. If I died on this mission, her friends, the crew would help her through it.
If she died…
I entered my office and immediately went to the back corner where my tactical gear was stored. I began a quick inventory, even though I knew it was all there. I quickly took apart one of my handguns, then put it back together.
No surprises. No faulty mechanisms to misfire.
I went through my other two handguns and my short rifle before the inevitable knock at my door interrupted me.
I knew it was Lynna.
She was certainly here to talk me into letting her go, to tell me that she was going to be fine. I couldn’t let her go. I had to stop her.
If I ignored her knocking, I could sneak off the ship when she left to get disguised.
So, if I knew all that, why was I at the door, pulling it open?
Lynna
Fury rolled off Valtic in waves as he stalked out of the room.
In an odd way, I admired that when he was angry about something, he removed himself from everyone so no one else had to deal with his mood.
It was strangely considerate and oddly noble.
Or he was being an ass and making sure he had the last word.
I wasn’t sure yet.
“I don’t think he likes that you’re sending me,” I said to Captain Dejar.
“I gathered,” Captain Dejar sighed. “You know why I’m sending you, don’t you?”
“Not really,” I confessed. “I have some operations training, but nothing like this.”
“I want you to do what you did when you and Valtic went after the dockmaster.”
“You want me to pretend to flirt with The Terror crew?” I gasped. “I can’t do that. I hated doing it the first time.”
“No,” Captain Dejar laughed. “Forgive me. I should’ve been more specific. I want you to go so I can be sure Valtic won’t do something reckless and get himself killed. If you’re there, his top priority will be returning you to the Rogue Star alive.”
“And to do that, he has to be alive, too,” I concluded.
“Exactly,” he captain grinned.
“I’m going to go talk to him. I know he’ll follow orders, but I’d feel better if he didn’t hate the assignment.”
“By all means.” Captain Dejar opened the door for me. I didn’t need to think twice about going to Valtic’s office. That’s where he always went.
When I knocked, he answered right away. “That was quick,” I grinned.
“You’re the only one who knocks on the door,” he replied.
“Is that your way of saying you’re excited to see me?”
“Yes,” he grinned. His smile could be so subtle. Just the smallest inflection at the corners of his mouth. Yet, somehow it was able to light up his whole face. He stood to the side and gestured for me to come in.
“Can I turn on a light?” I asked. “The harsh light of the monitor hurts my eyes.”
Valtic hesitated before he nodded. I pressed the button on the wall. The lights overhead didn’t turn on right away. Before I could ask if they worked or not, they slowly flickered before settling on a dull yellow color.
“I should change those,” Valtic frowned.
“I doubt they’ve been getting much use,” I teased.
“It’s easier to see the subtle details on the monitor in the dark.”
“Makes sense.”
Valtic offered me the single chair in the room. I’d never seen his space in the light before. His office wasn’t dirty, but it was in dire need of decluttering. I couldn’t work in the med bay if everything wasn’t neatly put in its place.
“Let’s talk about our assignment,” I said.
Valtic’s face darkened. “What about it?”
“I know you’re not happy with it.” I reached out and offered him my hand. He looked at it like he didn’t know what to do with it. I smiled and rolled my eyes before standing up and leaning forward to grab his hand, pulling him along as I sat back down.
With his hand firmly holding mine, I resumed the conversation. “Why don’t you like the plan?”
“I don’t like how easy it is for the captain to send you into danger,” he answered.
I lifted my eyebrows, surprised, and laughed. “I didn’t expect you to give me a direct answer.”
Another surprise, he smiled. “That’s why I gave one,” he said smoothly.
“Never a dull moment,” I grinned. “I don’t think any of this is easy for the captain. I think I’m the only one who’s not worried about my safety.”
“How can you not be? You’ve seen what The Terror can do.”
“I know.” I gave his hand a squeeze. “Look, either we can do this together, or you can sneak off to storm the ship by yourself. Except, I’ll keep to the original plan. But this time, you won’t know where I am, because you won’t be the one watching my tracker.”
His eyes blazed. Gotcha.
“I know I’m going to be fine because I trust you to keep me safe.” I smiled up at him.
His eyes weren’t warm like I wanted them to be. They had gone cold and distant.
“What?” I asked gently.
“You shouldn’t trust me with your life.”
“Why not? You saved me before.” I rubbed my thumb over the top of his hand.
“Others have trusted me and they weren’t so lucky.” He didn’t look at me when he spoke.
“What do you mean?” I stood up and stepped closer to him.
“My squad put their trust in me. They’re all dead now because of it.” His voice was hard and closed off.
I thought about asking for more details. I was certainly curious enough. But I forced myself to hold my tongue. If Valtic wanted to tell me more, I would let him tell me in his own time. If I’d learned anything about him, it was that he didn’t like to be cornered.
However, I couldn’t just stand there in silence. He already had a difficult time believing I really cared about him. I didn’t want to do anything that would cause him to doubt me.
What would I want if our situations were reversed?
I let go of his hand so that I could wrap my arms around his waist. I hugged myself close to him, pressing my cheek against his solid chest.
The steady thrum of his beating heart comforted me. No matter how he acted, there was a warm, feeling man in there. He just had to let me see past the teasing glimpses he gave.
Just like when we first kissed, he went very still. His arms were slightly lifted, so that he wasn’t touching me at all. I waited, content to hug him while he processed this.
Slowly but surely, he lowered his arms and held me to him. He rested his cheek on the top of my head, and slowly, almost imperceptibly, began to gently sway us back and forth.
“The last time someone hugged me like this, I was saying goodbye to my family before I boarded my first military posting.”
Oh. My heart broke, just a bit for him. What would he have been like as a young man? Unsure? Cocky? Or had something already happened to close him off?
“Is it too much?” was all I asked.
“No,” he sighed, squeezing gently.
“Good. I’m in no hurry to let go,” I giggled. “Thank you for telling me about saying goodbye to your parents.”
“You’re the on
ly person on this ship that knows I have parents.”
“You must be in a good mood if you’re making jokes,” I teased.
“You have a positive effect on my mood,” he admitted. “Though I really haven’t told anyone about my family.”
“That’s not a surprise.”
“Talking about personal things is not something that comes easily to me.”
“Again, not a surprise.” I tipped my chin up so I could look at him. “But there’s nothing wrong with that. You get to decide what you tell people and when you tell them.”
“I would prefer not to tell anyone anything.” Valtic sighed. “I already have to live with the memories. It’s not right for me to push them on to someone else.”
“No one told me you were so honorable. Oh wait, that’s because no one else knew, either,” I teased.
Valtic chuckled. “Very funny.”
“I kept coming after you because I want to know you. But it’s even more important to me that you want me to know you.”
“I do want you to know things about me. I want to know things about you, too.”
“It’s okay if you don’t know where to start. Honestly, I don’t know where to start, either.”
“You don’t?” Valtic sounded surprised.
“On my planet, women don’t meet their males naturally,” I began. “It’s all arranged. There’s a lot of tests and a long application process. I’d be at a loss with a human male. So you can imagine how lost I am floating through space, outside of my home universe, with a kind, noble, caring Shein male like yourself.”
“Would you consider me less noble if I told you that made me feel better?”
“Only a little,” I joked.
“I can live with that.”
Valtic dipped his head to kiss me. I stretched up to meet him.
His lips were gentle, almost tentative, against mine.
Feeling bold, I darted my tongue out, curious to taste him.