by Saxon Andrew
“Dom, our lives could end in an instant and we never know when it might happen, or if, it will happen. Wasting time by playing games is stupid. I don’t have a boyfriend because I’ve not found anyone to hold my interest. You do.”
Dom smiled, “Does this mean I can kiss you now?” Cassidy burst out laughing and reached for him.
• • •
Kyle sat on the stool and Bart tilted his head, “You’re behind schedule.”
“I think one’s enough.”
“What’s happened?”
“What do you mean?”
“You would have emptied a full bottle by now. Something’s happened.”
Kyle sighed, “I don’t know.”
“Is Nicole seeing that handsome Kerit Human bothering you?”
“What?”
“She arrived a few days ago and they’ve spent a lot of time together.”
“If it really bothered me don’t you think I’d be drinking more?”
Bart stared at him and tilted his head, “Then what is it? I’m your bartender, you know you can tell me.”
“I don’t really know, Bart. I’m the one that insisted she meet him. He’s her species and they were intended to mate before they moved to Earth.”
“Uhhh…”
“What?”
“I may be wrong but I believe she’s human. She’s the same species you are.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Not really. You’re defining her by what she was not what she is.”
“Bart!”
“I’m just saying that the Kerits here are not going back to their previous planet…even if they could.”
“Why not?”
“They’ve seen the big city and going back to be farmers is not something they want. She’s human and that’s what she’ll stay.”
Kyle sighed, “Pour me another one.”
“Now you’re talking.”
“I’m drinking another one before I leave.”
“Where are you going?”
“I need to find Feeder Central. We’ve mapped the area they live in but I’ve not nailed down where the Feeder Leaders are located.”
Bart poured the glass full and filled one for himself, “Well, bottoms up.” Kyle turned the glass up and drained it. Bart took a sip and his mouth fell open.
Bart wiped his mouth with his sleeve and saw Bart’s expression, “Nicole was right. All at once gives a bigger kick.”
Bart smiled and stuck out his hand, “I wish you happiness, Kyle. You deserve it.”
Kyle nodded and headed toward the beach where his Light Ship was hovering just off the sand. He walked through the patio, past the pool, and stepped out on the sand. He looked up at the blue sky with distant thunderheads growing in the distance and took a deep breath. He slowly blew it out and loved the planet he was on. This was home. He walked slowly out to the ship and saw several women stare at him as he passed. He smiled at them and walked at a leisurely pace to the water line where his ship was waiting. He smiled and felt…different. Life had so much beauty and he just never took the time to appreciate it. He arrived at the port and turned around for one last look and saw Nicole standing behind him. He jerked backward against the port and nearly fell down. Nicole chuckled and Kyle said, “How about some warning!?”
“I had to hurry to catch you before you left. Willow said you’re leaving straight from here.”
“I didn’t think you were going.”
“Why would you ever think that?”
“I just thought you would stay here with…what’s his name?”
“Barrett.”
“Yeah, him.”
“You think too much. Are we leaving or are we going to stand here and get sunburned?”
Kyle stepped aside, “After you.” Kyle took her bag and followed her on the ship. He arrived on the bridge and heard, “Welcome aboard. It’s good to have everyone back.”
“Both Kyle and Nicole said, “Thanks Willow,” at the same time. Kyle looked at her, “Are you ready to leave?”
Nicole looked at him and pursed her lips, “If you’re asking about Barrett again, that’s none of your business.”
“Why not?”
“Stay out of this, Willow!”
“But why isn’t it?”
“You’re asking about a man that leaves saying I need to tell someone how I feel because he didn’t. He’s not exactly open about his life, either.”
“You’re right. I’ll stay out of it.”
“That would be greatly appreciated, Willow.”
“I loved her deeply and never told her.” Nicole turned and saw Kyle staring at her. “I was her Commanding Officer and I just didn’t feel it was appropriate. My day began and ended with the time we spent together on our ship. She brought so much happiness every time I saw her smile.” Kyle took a deep breath and lowered his head, “I intended to tell her after I returned from my leave. She died while I was gone.”
“I’m sorry, Kyle.”
“So am I.”
“Why are you telling me now?”
“Because it’s become clear that we are being forced together by the Nudges. You need to understand what that means.”
“I’m not sure what you’re saying?”
“Willow, why don’t you tell her?”
“Oh hell no. I’m not going to open that can of worms and see them wiggling all over the floor.”
“Then you see it?”
“I saw it the moment she came back the first time.”
“For God’s sake will the two of you tell me what’s going on!?”
“Willow?”
“Forget it!”
Nicole looked at Kyle, “What are you talking about?”
Kyle sighed and looked at Nicole with the saddest expression she had ever seen on his face. “If the Nudges have planned for the two of us to end up together, where would Callie have fit in their plans?”
Nicole stared at him for a very long moment and Kyle remained silent. Her eyes narrowed as she thought about it. Suddenly, her eyes flew wide open, “Callie would have to go!” Kyle nodded. “You believe they nudged Dawkins to send her.” Kyle nodded again. Nicole jumped up out of her chair and raised her head and screamed, “YOU WILL NEVER MAKE CONTACT WITH ME AGAIN!! NEVER!!”
“Nicole, what are you doing?”
“Willow, those Nudges are despicable for having Callie killed to further their plans. Kyle didn’t deserve this pain they caused him. They’re evil to do this.” She looked back up, “I HATE YOU!!!”
Kyle shook his head, “Nicole, they did this to me, not you.”
“Yes they did! But they also sucked me into this where I gave my heart to you with no possible way for you to ever accept it. How could you knowing Callie died to make a space for me. You should hate me!”
“I don’t hate you, Nicole…but I can’t force myself to give in to their plans.”
Nicole sat down and sighed. “I spent three days with Barrett and I knew the first day that he would never have my love. I honestly tried to make it happen but…I just couldn’t.”
Nicole sat in her chair and put her head in her hands. After a moment she yelled, “I’M NOT LISTENING TO YOU!!” She wept harder and yelled, “GET OUT OF MY MIND?!”
“What are they saying, Nicole?”
“They keep saying someone’s name.”
Kyle’s eyes narrowed, “What name?”
“I’m not listening to them!”
“WHAT NAME, NICOLE!”
Nicole raised her head and wiped her tears, “Captain Kendel Jenson.”
Kyle shook his head. He never heard of him. “Willow, is there someone by that name in your databanks?”
“I’m looking.”
“I found him.”
“Who is he, Amber?”
“He was a Captain in Fleet Intelligence. According to his personnel folder, he committed suicide.”
“When?”
“About a week after Callie died. He jumped off the top floor of Fleet
Headquarters.”
“Kyle, why would the Nudges want Nicole to look at the former Captain?”
“He left a note, Willow”
Kyle said, “What did it say, Amber?”
“I don’t know if I should tell you.”
Kyle looked up, “Why not?”
“I just don’t know.”
“Read it, Willow.”
A minute passed and Kyle said, “Was the note that long?”
“No, but I understand Amber’s reluctance at revealing its contents.”
“Willow, read the note.”
“The Admiral has killed the love of my life to punish my sister for rejecting his advances. He knew we were going to be married in another month. Killing her was his way of getting back at Carrie. I can’t live without her and I’m going to join Callie in a moment. I pray Dawkins rots in hell. Callie, I’m coming.”
Kyle’s eyes narrowed and he fell back in his chair. Nicole looked around and shook her head, “What does this mean exactly, Willow?”
“It appears Kyle’s co-pilot was in love with Captain Jenson and was going to marry him. Jenson’s sister apparently rejected Admiral Dawkins’ and he took revenge against her by sending her brother’s future wife out to die.”
“The lengths the Nudges would go to carry out their plans is unholy.”
“I don’t think they had anything to do with Callie’s death.”
Nicole looked quickly at Kyle and saw him nod slightly. “Just how did you make that determination?”
Kyle looked up from his monitor, “Amber just sent me Callie’s and Jensen’s academy records. They attended at the same time and it had to be there where they found each other. That was long before she became my co-pilot.”
“But…”
Kyle shook his head, “Nicole, why would the Nudges have to remove her? I would have found out rather quickly about Captain Jensen when she invited me to their wedding. That would have removed her from the equation without them having to do anything. If she hadn’t been killed, I would have learned about it long before you were brought here. She remained an issue because I never found out. You would have arrived at a time when I would have been ready to start a new relationship.” Kyle shook his head, “I’ve been suffering for a woman who loved someone else and would have rejected me if I made my feelings known.”
Nicole shook her head, “I’m so sorry, Kyle.”
“So what do you think about this, Nicole?”
“Willow, I still detest the Nudges for manipulating us. I don’t like being manipulated into doing things.” She looked at Kyle, “You have to hate it as well.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re not given freedom to decide.”
“That sort of freedom is highly overrated.”
“What! You’ve got to be kidding me?”
Kyle blew out a loud breath and leaned back in his chair, “I have to confess that I feel like a huge fool for wasting so many years mourning Callie’s death. She didn’t love me. If I had died she would have felt bad for a while but would have soon put it behind her and continued life with her husband. I was so stupid.”
“But…you loved her?”
“Nicole, she didn’t love me. Love one way is no love at all. It was wasted time.”
“What are you saying?”
“You asked me why the Nudges wanted us to be together and I told you I’d tell you when I had confirmation of what I believed.” Nicole nodded. “I believe the reason the Nudges have planned for us to be together is to produce children that will be the next super telepaths who will dwarf the powers of the current crop. They are the ones that will ultimately lead the fight against the feeders. Do you see it differently?”
“Kyle, you can’t be serious. I come from a different species.”
“I believe you were modified by the Nudges just like Lukas Axel was modified when he changed his DNA to human. You were modified when Amelee changed your DNA and which makes you different from all the other Kerits that became human. I could see your mind getting sharper and more intuitive since I first met you.”
“You were modified as well, Kyle.”
Kyle looked up at the ceiling, “Willow, I’m already human. I didn’t undergo any changes.”
“Yes you did.” Kyle looked at Nicole. “I didn’t kiss a Human on my planet, I kissed a Kerit Male.”
Kyle’s eyes widened, “I forgot about that. You’re right.”
“I believe it was when you and Nicole changed your DNA back to human that the Nudges made their changes. They waited to make sure the two of you would be compatible.”
Nicole looked up, “Willow, how would they know we were.”
“Like you said, you kissed him.”
“But he didn’t respond to it.” Nicole looked at Kyle and saw him shake his head. “What are you thinking?”
“It was that kiss that made me so sad, Nicole.”
“See, he didn’t like it, Willow.”
“Yes I did and I felt I was betraying Callie by liking it as much as I did.”
I’ll accept your apology for questioning ole Willow’s wisdom.”
“Shut-up, Willow; what do you mean you liked it?”
“You felt so wonderful in my arms and I felt you all the way down to my heart. I know we were in the form of a Kerit but you felt perfect against me. I still remember the feeling.”
Nicole noticed that Kyle was no longer frowning but was smiling. “But Kyle, we’ve been manipulated into this.”
Kyle leaned back in his chair, “You act like I don’t like being manipulated in this.”
“Don’t you?”
“Actually, I think I see it as the Nudges finding the perfect one for me. I’m beginning to think I’d trust them before I would trust myself. Look at the mistake I made with Callie.”
“Well I don’t like being manipulated.”
“Ok. I’ll wait for you to come around…if you can.” Kyle turned around and Nicole’s eyes narrowed and she shook her head. Suddenly, Kyle turned his chair around and smiled, “You know, one thing that makes me really interested in us.”
“What is that?”
“Can you just imagine what our children could be?” Kyle spun his chair back around and Nicole fell back in her chair and sighed.
Kyle turned back around and Nicole tilted her head and slowly blew out a very long breath. “I came back to be with you on this trip and I was determined to convince you to give me a chance and here I am fighting it. Just what kind of fool am I?”
“I was going to tell you that.”
Kyle said, “Shut-up, Willow. What are you saying, Nicole.”
“I’d like to try another kiss.”
Kyle smiled and walked over to her chair. He took her hand and pulled her to her feet. He leaned in and kissed her. It lasted a very long time. “We have a trip to take.”
Both of them broke the kiss and said, “Shut-up, Willow.”
“Just checking.”
• • •
An hour later they were on their way to Feeder Space. They arrived outside the edge of Feeder Controlled territory and settled in and waited as Willow listened for the direction the thoughts of the Death Feeder’s Leaders originated. They moved along the outer edge of the giant cluster and four days later skipped to the next cluster. “Willow?”
“Nothing yet. Go to the next cluster.”
Kyle skipped to the next Cluster and Willow said, “They’re in this cluster.”
“Have you got a line on them?”
“I do.”
Kyle heard, “We can’t do this.”
He turned around and looked at Nicole who was staring at her monitor, “Why not?”
Nicole looked at him, “Why not, what?”
“Why can’t we do this? Isn’t that what you said?”
“Kyle, I didn’t say anything.”
“Yes you did; I heard you.”
“Kyle, she didn’t say anything.”
“I heard her, Amber.”
“Kyle, I didn’t say it, I thought it.”
“But I heard you.”
“Both of you are wearing thought blockers and I have my telepathy receiving module operating I didn’t hear her.”
“Willow, I did think that.”
Kyle shook his head, “How was I able to hear her, Willow.”
“Kyle, I didn’t hear her.”
Kyle’s eyes narrowed and he leaned forward and stared at Nicole, “Why were you thinking we can’t do this?”
“It came from the Nudges. They believe the danger is too great to risk us going in. They can’t allow their thoughts to go into that space so they can’t do anything to protect us.”
“I didn’t hear a Nudge, Nicole, I heard you.”
“Try doing this. Kyle, focus on her and try to send a thought to her.”
“I’m wearing a very powerful thought blocker, Willow.”
“Just give it a try.”
Kyle stared at Nicole and thought, “I love you, Nicole.”
Nicole smiled softly and said, “I love you, too, Kyle.”
Kyle’s eyes softened and he tilted his head, “That’s why we can’t do this.” Nicole nodded. “Our life mission is to have a family and prepare them for life in a universe inhabited by Death Feeders.”
“What’s going on, Kyle.”
“Willow, I think that now we’ve accepted our feelings for each other, our minds are starting to develop new patterns. If what’s happening here is what I think it is, our children’s thoughts will be invisible to the Feeders. They won’t need thought blockers.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“We’re going back to Earth and find you another crew to come out here to find the location of the Death Feeder’s main planet.”
“I’m really going to miss both of you.”
“I could send another ship, if you want.”
“No, Amber and I know this space. If someone else has to come, we should do all we can to prevent their falling into harm’s way.”
Nicole walked over and sat down in Kyle’s lap. He leaned over and entered Earth’s light signature and pressed the button on the light drive. He had his arms around Nicole as they appeared above Fleet Operations.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Poncho, how do I keep getting into these situations with you?”
“Just lucky, I guess.”