by Ava York
“I’ll be here when you get back,” she chuckled.
“I know.” I smiled and pressed a kiss onto her forehead. “Last time I spoke to Strygan was the day he forced me into this match. I wasn’t happy with him then.”
“And now?”
“I’m happy I have you. I wouldn’t change that for the world,” I assured her. “However, he’s responsible for your abrupt departure from your family. He made sure I was assigned a mate as a reward even though he was about to send me off on a mission. He’s the reason you’ve been put through so much.”
“I wouldn’t change that for the world, either.” She ran her soft hand over my arm. “I could’ve done without getting snatched on the Suhlik hub, but everything else has been just lovely.”
I shook my head and laughed.
“Even the part where I locked you in my quarters?” I joked.
“I’d forgotten about that.” Lila laughed. “It’s funny now, but if you try that again, I’ll do more than hit you with a mop handle.”
“Now I’m tempted to try,” I teased, bending down to kiss her neck.
“I dare you,” she murmured against my ear.
“You’re making it very difficult to leave.”
“That’s part of the fun,” she giggled, and stepped away. “Go talk to your boss.”
“If I didn’t want to before, I really don’t want to now,” I groaned. “I’d rather stay here and make good use of the cleared table.”
“Oh?” Lila arched her brow. “Maybe there’ll be a reward on the table when you get back.”
Just looking at her made my blood grow hot.
“What sort of reward?”
Lila smirked over her shoulder as she collected the rest of our plates.
“I’m not telling. You have to go do your job if you want to find out.”
I couldn’t argue with that.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
She winked. “You better.”
It took all my self-control to walk out of that room.
The circular conference room was behind the cockpit, across from Kyre’s workshop.
Aside from the viewports looking out into the black, the walls were made of monitors. I wouldn’t need to use those monitors today. Instead, I stepped onto a circular platform in the middle of the room. There was a green button at my feet, which I pressed with the toe of my boot. A console rose out of the floor.
The console scanned my body, then prompted me to input Commander Strygan’s information. Across the room, a light dropped from the ceiling and beamed straight down. Commander Strygan’s holographic form appeared in the beam of light.
“Took you long enough,” he grumbled.
“I was in the middle of dinner,” I replied, bowing my head as a show of respect, though I didn’t want to.
“With your mate?” Strygan’s mouth curved into a smile.
“At it happens, yes. The computer mated me to my blood mate.”
“It all worked out for the best, then. I knew I was right to award her to you.”
I gritted my teeth. “What can I do for you, Commander?”
“I want you to explain why the hell you went so far off course,” he demanded. “You should’ve reached Gravum IV days ago.”
“My team and I were needed in assisting a group of civilians targeted by the Suhlik,” I explained.
“I’m the one who decides where you’re needed,” Strygan snapped.
“Will all due respect, sir, are you telling me that I should’ve let the Suhlik kidnap dozens of civilians for their breeding farms?”
I was pressing my luck and I knew it. I couldn’t stop myself. I was annoyed, verging on angry. I thought of Lila in order to stop my tattoos from glowing red.
“I’m telling you that your job is to follow orders,” Strygan growled.
“My orders are to protect innocents from the wrath of the Suhlik. If you’re asking me to apologize for doing that, I won’t.”
Strygan considered my words.
“You’re lucky I like you, Captain. That’s the attitude that allowed you to rise through the ranks as you did. Don’t push your luck.”
“I’m not trying to push anything.”
“Captain!” Strygan snapped.
“Apologies, sir,” I muttered.
“That’s better.”
“Is there something I can do for you, sir?” I asked.
“When do you plan on arriving at Gravum IV?”
“According to my pilot, we should be there tomorrow.”
Strygan nodded. “That’ll have to do.”
“Sir, once again, our mission dossiers are all but empty. I believe I’d be better able to prepare for this mission if I knew more of the details.”
He waved a hand. “It’s a simple retrieval mission.”
“I recall. However, I know nothing about the environment we’re entering.”
“Gravum IV is undeveloped. You shouldn’t have much to worry about.”
I noticed Strygan wasn’t looking into his camera anymore.
“What sort of local life can we expect?”
“There’s no reported life on Gravum IV.”
“None at all?” That struck me as odd. Only a small handful of planets were completely devoid of life. They were about as useful to us as a pile of rocks. If Gravum IV fit that description, I couldn’t think of why this mission would be treated with such a sense of urgency.
“None worth investigating.”
“So, there is life on the planet?” I prodded.
“None that’s been reported.”
“It can’t be both.” I laughed so I wouldn’t yell. My frustration mounted by the second.
“It’s an uninvestigated planet with no obvious signs of life.”
“This planet hasn’t even been investigated?” I exclaimed. “Didn’t you think that was worth mentioning before I volunteered my team for this? Our dossiers are empty because you don’t know what we’re going into.”
“Enough, soldier,” Strygan barked. “This mission is of great importance. I suggest you let those who are qualified worry about the details.”
“What details? How can you have details if the planet hasn’t been investigated yet?”
“You’re dangerously close to losing your team's furlough,” Strygan warned me. As much as I didn’t want to, I dropped my line of questioning. I got my team into this mess of a mission. The last thing I wanted to do was cost them their furloughs.
“It’s my duty to keep my team safe,” I said. “I can’t do that if necessary information is being withheld from me.”
“You have the necessary information,” Strygan insisted. “Should I start questioning your ability to do your job?”
“When I went after the kidnapped civilians, I was able to kill a wanted Suhlik general. You’ve wanted his head for months. Now you have it, thanks to me. Does that sound like I can’t do my job?”
“Taking down the general was an impressive feat,” Strygan admitted. “I only wish you’d followed protocol for that situation.”
“You mean, taken him hostage? Bring him on the ship filled with the rescued civilians he’d just tried to enslave?”
“Protocols aren’t always pretty, but they’re there for a reason.” Strygan sighed. “We could’ve gotten information from him.”
“He was a direct threat to my life, the life of my team members, and the life of my mate. I don’t regret the course of action I took. I believe it was the only course I could’ve taken.”
“Maybe so,” Strygan grumbled. “I’m still waiting on a full report of the incident.”
“It’ll have to wait until I complete the mission you’ve sent me on.” I knew I was pushing it. I waited for another reprimand from Strygan, but it didn’t come.
“Just get to the damn planet. Once you’re there, we’ll get in contact so I can tell you exactly what you’re looking for.”
Commander Strygan terminated the holoconference.
&
nbsp; I slammed the button at my foot and stormed out of the room.
“How did it go?” Kyre asked as I passed him.
“We’re still blind on this mission,” I grumbled without stopping. Kyre knew better than to keep asking questions.
I returned to my room to find Lila sitting on the table in nothing but one of my shirts.
“I didn’t pack any lingerie, so this will have to do,” she giggled. Her smile faded when she saw my face. “What’s the matter?”
“Frustrating call,” I sighed. Before I could stop her, Lila slid off the table and rushed to my side.
“I’m sorry.” She frowned. “Did you learn anything new?”
“No, and I got a tongue lashing for going after the Suhlik victims.”
“You got in trouble for saving innocent lives?” Her brows drew together in anger. “Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?”
“Exactly my argument.” I tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “I don’t wish to think about it anymore tonight.”
“I’m sorry, darling.” She wrapped her arms around my waist and rested her head on my chest.
“It’s all right.” I hugged her close to me. “Now, be a dear and get back on that table for me.”
“Yes, Captain!” She winked.
Lila
“What’s that over there?” Cedroc’s voice came through the intercom speakers. My stomach clenched.
“Tell me he’s joking?” I glanced up at Rekker from the corner of my eye.
“He is,” Rekker chuckled. “Most likely.”
I gingerly whapped Rekker on the arm.
“Don’t tease,” I chided. “It’s impossible to tell with Cedroc.”
“You’ll get better at discerning when he’s joking,” Rekker assured me. “Granted, it’s much harder to tell over the intercom.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
“Come on.” He pressed his hand into my lower back. “Let’s watch our arrival.”
I sighed. “I feel like we’ve been waiting for ages to see this planet.”
“My superior is going to get an earful when I finally get ahold of him,” Rekker muttered. “We still don’t know the full parameters of the mission.”
“Do you think we’ll stay a while?” I asked.
“I should think not,” Rekker said. “We won’t know for sure until we get there. Why do you ask?”
“I’ve gotten a taste for exploring new planets.” I grinned. “I want to have as much material as possible for when I write to my sisters. Nora wants every single detail. She’ll send me a telemessage if she thinks I’ve left anything out.”
“You can send them a message at any time,” he reminded me.
“I know.” I leaned closer to him so that my cheek rested on his arm. “Nora will still want letters, though. Jane likes to save things as well. She’ll probably have the letters framed or pressed into one of her scrapbooks.”
“Scrapbooks?”
“It’s exactly what it sounds like,” I laughed. “Humans like to keep photos, leaves, bits of ribbon or string, and keep them in books.”
“Why?”
“We’re a sentimental species. My mother has the ribbon she wore in her hair on her wedding day saved in a book. Nora saves old newspaper clippings of things she thinks are exciting.”
“What do you save?”
“Nothing really.” I shrugged. “Sometimes, when an animal I love passes, I’ll take a clip of their mane or coat to remember them by.”
It’d been some time since I’d thought of my animals. For once, instead of the thought filling my heart with anxiety, I felt calm.
They’d be alright.
They’d all be alright.
And so was I.
“That’s a nice idea,” Rekker said thoughtfully. “Maybe we can take something from this rock so you can carry on the tradition.”
He jerked his head toward the planet looming in the viewport. Now that we’d passed through the atmospheric layer, I could finally get a good look at the place we’d been trying to reach for so long.
“What’s it called, again?”
“Gravum IV.”
I must’ve made a face because Rekker laughed when he looked at me.
“It’s not to your liking?”
“It’s not a very pretty name,” I replied. “Not like Silva.”
“I didn’t realize names had to be pretty,” Rekker chuckled. “This one was named after the research team that found it.”
“Interesting. Even if the name isn’t pretty, the planet sure is.”
From what I discerned, there was at least one big continent on Gravum IV. Trees lined the coastline. As we moved closer to the planet’s surface, I could tell it was a swamp, as opposed to a forest. Light bounced off the water between the canopy.
A mile in or so, the swamp abruptly gave way to a flat stretch of desert.
“Brace for landing,” Cedroc said through the intercom.
“Cedroc,” Rekker said into his radio. “You’re getting a raise.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Kyre, who was on the opposite end of the room hunched over another one of his projects, didn’t bother to hide his laughter.
Rekker smirked. “Too bad it’s not in my power to give him one.”
Cedroc brought the Calliope down gently on the flattest stretch of desert.
“So, he can land without knocking me off my feet,” I chuckled. “I knew he did that on purpose.”
The hum of the Calliope lowered to a dull rumble as the ship powered down.
“I recommend we leave our food processors running,” Kyre said. “We don’t know what kind of resources will be available to us here.”
“Hopefully, we won’t be here long enough to need them,” Rekker said.
“Shall I signal Command?”
Rekker nodded. “Establish a secure connection to the Command base. I’ll return shortly when I’m ready to discuss the parameters of the mission.”
“Return?” I looked at him with a curious expression.
“Yes.” He smiled down at me. “We’re going exploring.”
A broad grin stretched across my face.
“Are you sure?” I asked. “Don’t you want to check in with your boss?”
“If he knew what we’ve gone through, I think he’d grant me an hour or two to enjoy myself.”
“What if it’s dangerous?”
“Are you doubting my ability to protect you, or do you just want an excuse to use the trident?”
“A little bit of both,” I laughed. “Mostly the latter.”
“Good. I’d hate to think my mate doubted me.” Rekker pressed a kiss into the top of my head. “And, no, you can’t use the trident.”
“Damn it,” I muttered.
“Cedroc,” Rekker called through the radio.
“Yeah?” Cedroc’s voice came from behind us. I whirled around, clutching at my chest as my heart sped up.
“How long have you been standing here?” I gasped.
“Long enough to know never to let you have the trident,” he smirked.
“What’s the local time?” Rekker asked, obviously used to Cedroc appearing and disappearing at will.
Cedroc pulled a small metal stick from his pocket. When he touched it, a holographic screen flickered to life.
“Night will fall in an hour or so,” Cedroc said, “but I’m reading no signs of sentient life, just smaller animals.” He closed his map with a snap. “More importantly, we’re having trouble with the comms. There’s something in the atmosphere that’s interfering with the signal.”
“Ah.” Rekker frowned. “Looks like we’ll be here overnight.”
“Can we sleep outside?” I asked.
Kyre, Cedroc, and Rekker gave me strange looks.
“You want to sleep outside?”
“Why not?” I shrugged. “My sisters and I used to camp in the back fields all the time.”
“Did you not always have
shelter?” Kyre asked.
I laughed. “We had shelter. We did it for fun!”
“I don’t understand humans.” Cedroc shook his head and walked away.
“Kyre.” Rekker turned to his engineer.
“Sir?”
“Get the others and start setting up a camp,” he ordered. “Secure a perimeter, just in case.”
Kyre grinned. “Yes, sir. It might be nice to be off the ship for a while, have a little more space.”
“It’s going to be fun, I promise!” I insisted.
“We’ve camped many times,” I mused. “However, it was always for survival or necessity, when we needed to station a base in a location the Calliope couldn’t reach. I’m curious to see how much fun it is without the threat of death.”
“Much more fun,” I laughed.
“Good. Are you ready to explore? We only have an hour.”
“Yes!” I bounced excitedly on the tips of my toes. “Did you see the swamps as we landed?”
“I did.” Rekker and I walked through the ship to the main entryway, which Kyre had already opened for us. Warm desert air swept through the ship. Unable to help myself, I ran forward down the ramp.
Fresh air kissed my skin. I turned my face upward to soak up the natural light. Being stuck on a ship for hours, even days, on end, made me realize how much I needed fresh air and sunshine. I felt like a wilting flower.
“Enjoying yourself?” Rekker called as he sauntered up to where I stood.
“I’m not meant to be kept indoors,” I replied. “From the time I could walk, I spent every day of my life outside from sunup until sundown.”
“I’ve spent so much of my life on ships in transit, I sometimes forget the way sunlight feels on my skin,” Rekker said thoughtfully.
“Soak it up,” I urged him. “We won’t be here long.”
“When we go to visit your family, will you show me how to work on the farm?”
His question was both touching and endearing.
I grinned. “I’d love to.”
I pivoted to take in the rest of the view, gasping when I saw the blue and purple peaks of the most glorious mountain range I’d ever seen.
“Look at that!” I cried. “They’re incredible!”