by Lolita Lopez
He smiled at her. “I hope so.”
“Flight 6A boarding. Flight 6A boarding.”
“That’s us,” he said as the automated voice called out overhead. “Ready?”
She wasn’t, but the appointment for her first time in the hyperbaric chamber was today. Cipher had offered to reschedule when she had admitted her reticence, but she had decided it was better to face her fear. “I’m ready.”
“I’ll be with you the whole time.” He took her hand and interlaced their fingers. “I won’t leave you.”
She leaned forward and pressed her forehead to his. “Thank you.”
“Come on, baby.” He tugged her into a standing position and led her toward the boarding ramp for their vessel. “Let’s find you a window seat.”
She fell into step beside him, amused when he slowed his normally fast pace and long strides. When she noticed the way he constantly scanned their surroundings, she melted a little more for him. They were probably in the safest place possible, but he still maintained a protective stance, ready to shield her at any moment.
After they scanned their wrists at the entrance to the ship, they found seats in the front row. As promised, he secured the window seat for her. Like a child surrounded by presents on Wintermorn, she practically bounced in her seat as she waited for the ship to depart. She barely remembered her first flight so her excitement was high.
“Before we dock with the Mercy, you’ll be able to see Calyx from above and at least one moon,” he explained, handing her his tablet to hold while he adjusted his safety belt. It had clearly been used by someone much smaller and thinner, probably a wife, so he had to unfurl quite a bit of extra belt. “If you enjoy the flight, we can look into a pleasure cruise. There’s a line that operates out the colonies that’s highly recommended. I know a few guys who have taken their mates on it.”
“Where does it go?”
“It does a four-day loop around the colonies. There are shore excursions and it docks with a sky casino. It’s supposed to be a lot of fun.”
“I’ve never gambled before,” she said, settling back into her seat. “There were always games running on payday at the mines, but it always seemed like a waste of money.”
“It is,” he agreed, “but there’s nothing wrong with us doing a little frivolous spending every now and then.” He swept loose strands of her hair back behind her ear. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll be my lucky charm, and we’ll hit it big.”
She grinned at that image. Leaning closer and dropping her voice, she asked, “Are you going to rub me all over like a lucky rabbit’s foot?”
His eyes flashed. “I just might.”
Smiling like a fool, she glanced away and out the window as the ship began to move. The motion was smooth until it launched from the docking station when the ship bounced slightly and then veered off away from the much larger battleship. As their transport gained distance from the battleship, a giant floating construction platform came into view. “What is that?”
He looked around her to see. “It’s the new skyport. It’s phase one in the colonization plan. They need a skyport to dock supply and personnel ships. Once the skyport is finished, they’ll be able to start working on the infrastructure for the base down on the planet’s surface.”
“Where?”
“They haven’t made their final selection yet. There’s a shortlist of sites.” He gestured for her to hand over his tablet. After tapping on the screen for a few seconds, he showed her the list of sites being proposed. “This was the latest operation bulletin. Blue Shores seems like the most popular spot.”
“I can see why,” she murmured, looking at the beautiful images of blue sand beaches and shimmering water. “Have you ever been there?”
“Once,” he said, “for Venom’s wedding to Dizzy. I only had a few hours of downtime, but it was a very peaceful place. The people there are incredibly friendly.”
“I’ve heard the food is amazing.” She had seen a brochure for Blue Shores vacations years ago. It was the sort of thing that seemed like an impossible dream at the time. Mountain people didn’t go on vacations, especially not to expensive seaside resorts.
“It was pretty good,” he agreed. “The fish is so fresh, and they use lots of interesting spices and sauces.” He brushed his fingers over the back of her hand. “You want to go?”
She glanced over at him in surprise. “What? Like...today?”
He shook his head. “You can’t travel off the Valiant or her sister ships until you’ve finished the probationary period and we’ve signed our final agreements. But, maybe next month? If I can get the time off?”
“Are you serious? Yes! Of course!” She didn’t even try to contain her excitement as she leaned over and kissed him. Glad they were alone in their row, she let her lips linger on his before reluctantly pulling away. A sudden thought struck her. “Can I have a bathing suit?”
“Yes. Definitely,” he said, his voice husky. “A very small one. With ties. For easy access.”
“You’ll have to come shopping with me.”
“Oh, I will definitely be helping you in the fitting rooms.”
She blushed. “You’ll get us kicked out of the shop.”
“Probably,” he agreed before sneaking in another kiss.
“I’ve never had a bathing suit,” she admitted as she snuggled in close to his side. “I swam all the time as a kid, but I either did it completely naked when I was little or in old shorts and a cutoff shirt when I got older. I always wanted one, though. A red one or a green one.”
“Sounds like we’re buying two bathing suits,” he murmured before kissing her temple. “Red and green and very skimpy.”
Content to be cuddled up against him, she enjoyed the rest of the flight as he tapped away at his tablet and made design changes to the device he had imagined. As they neared the Mercy, he set aside his tablet and gestured for her to look out the window. When she did, she gasped at the incredible sight before her.
Calyx, her home planet, looked impossibly huge and bright. There were swirls of white obscuring some of the land masses and oceans. Never had she imagined that she would see something so incredible.
That’s where I lived. That’s where I was born. And now I’m up here in space.
“What do you think?” he asked gently.
“It’s wonderful.”
He smiled tenderly and held her hand as she stared out the window, her face pressed up close to the glass like a curious child. When one of the three moons came into view, she couldn’t believe how much texture there was on its surface. Down on the mountain, looking up at the night sky, the moon seemed so smooth and white. Up here, this close, she could see deep gouges in its shockingly pink surface. It was the palest pink, lighter than any flower she had ever seen. There were valleys and hills and even mountain-like projections.
“I had no idea,” she said in awe. “I had no idea the moon looked like this.”
He brushed his hand down her braid, and she leaned into his touch. He never made her feel small or insignificant or ignorant when she said things like that. He only encouraged her to learn and experience all that was possible now. Her eyes stung with tears she refused to shed as she realized how lucky she was to have found Cipher.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
She nodded. “Yep.”
He must have seen that she wasn’t ready to talk about what she was feeling because he let the issue drop. A short time later, they docked with the hospital ship and exited their transport vessel. They were greeted by an older soldier missing both arms. The mechanical limbs attached to his body fascinated her, and she had to remind herself not to stare as Cipher checked them in for her appointment and received the directions to the floor and room where they were expected.
When they reached the pulmonary unit, they were met by a medic who directed them to a small waiting area. They had barely taken their seats when she heard a familiar voice call, “Brook?”
Surprised to
see Chance standing in the open doorway of the pulmonary unit, she smiled as she rose to her feet. “I didn’t expect to see you here!”
“I’m floating between ships,” he explained. His gaze moved to Cipher who had risen with and now trailed her to the door. “Sorry, sir, but Reckless doesn’t allow family in the treatment rooms.”
Cipher frowned. “I’m her mate. I should be with her.”
Chance glanced back at the hallway behind him. “I agree,” he said, his voice lowered, “but Reckless has standing orders. She comes in alone—or she doesn’t come in at all.”
“It’s okay, sir.” She clasped his hand and gave it a little squeeze. “I’ll be fine. Chance took very good care of me when I was in the hospital. I’m sure he’ll look after me now.”
Cipher seemed less than enthusiastic as he said, “Okay, but I’ll be right here waiting for you.” He pinned Chance in place with a glare. “If anything happens to her...”
“Understood, sir.”
She rose on tiptoes and pecked his cheek. “I’ll see you soon.”
Falling into step with Chance, she walked at his side as they traversed the bright halls of the unit. They passed hospital rooms with patients asleep in beds, hooked up to all sorts of monitors and machines. Most of them looked very ill, and she wondered how many would never wake up again.
“They were on a cargo ship that fell out of orbit and crashed near the mine where you found Terror,”Chance explained when he noticed her worried gaze. “Their escape pods malfunctioned and failed to launch. They had no pressurization or breathable air. They’re basically dead,” he stated matter-of-factly, “but Reckless is keeping them alive on machines to test out different lung therapies.”
“That’s horrible! How is that even allowed?”
“It’s in our contracts,” Chance explained. “When we agree to serve, we give our lives to the cause. They own us until we retire or die.”
Her stomach lurched at the thought of Cipher being hooked up to machines and tormented like that. Wondering what the hell kind of doctor she was about to meet, she looked back over her shoulder at the door. How fast could she run down that hallway and back to Cipher?
“This way,” Chance said, gesturing to another hallway. “We’ll be all the way down at the end.”
She mustered her courage and followed him into the procedure room. She stood nervously by the door and took in her new surroundings. In the very center of the room was a large tube-like structure. It was white with a hinged, clear lid and shiny blue padding in the center. “Is that where I’m going?”
Chance glanced at the tube and nodded. “After you change,” he said and handed her a hospital gown. “Take off everything. Even the collar,” he added. “You need to wipe your entire body down with these.” He placed large sealed wipes on top of the gown. “Be thorough. The environment inside the chamber is highly flammable.” He glanced at her hair. “Is there product in your hair?”
She shook her head. “I washed it yesterday.”
“Wipe down your hair as well. Secure it under this cap. When you’re done, come out, and we’ll get started.” With an anxious look at a door across the room, he stepped closer. “Listen, Reckless can be very harsh. He’s just a miserable son-of-a-bitch. Whatever he says to you—don’t take it personally. He’s like that with everyone.”
“Okay.” She hesitated before walking over to the changing room he had indicated. Once inside, she peeled out of her clothing and unbuckled the collar. It felt strange to remove it, especially when it held so much meaning to the sky warriors. There was a small mirror mounted on the wall, and she flushed when she noticed the splotches on her neck where the collar had been. Cipher had taken hold of it earlier that morning while pounding her into the bed, marking her skin with his need and desire. She ran her fingers over the marks and felt a flutter of heat between her legs. Cipher was the sweetest, gentlest man, but inside the bedroom, when they were together, he could be wild and rough.
And she absolutely loved it.
Thinking of him, she cleaned her body as instructed and slipped on the gown and cap. When she stepped out of the changing room, there was another man waiting with Chance. Instantly, she recognized that Reckless was not a nice person. There was something in the air, a familiar vibe that set off her internal alarms.
“They let this little scrap of a girl pass the health inspection?” He looked at her as if she were the ugliest thing he had ever seen. “What the hell is Raze doing over there? Doesn’t he know we have standards? She’ll never be able to carry a baby to term with a shrunken, malnourished womb.”
She went cold as his mean words washed over her. She was thin, yes, but she wasn’t sickly. She had lean muscles and plenty of strength to climb and crawl and work in the mines.
He stepped toward her, and she took an instinctive step back. He glowered at her. “Get over here. Now.”
She bristled at being ordered around by such a mean old man but didn’t dare tell him no. She stepped in front of him and flinched when he reached out to touch her. He roughly gripped her chin, turning her face left and right. “So, you’re the dirty little rat they found to crawl through the tunnels and free Terror, huh?”
“Sir,” Chance cut in, offended on her behalf. “I don’t think that sort of language is appropriate for a mate.”
“Did I ask you for your opinion?” Reckless kept his irritated gaze on her as he said, “Chance, your parents have the right idea, arranging your marriage to a nice, clean girl from home.” He sneered down at her. “Look at this one. Uneducated. Underfed. Her parents were probably cousins or siblings. Spent her entire miserable life crawling through mine shafts like an animal.” He shook his head with disgust. “Cipher is one of the smartest men in our entire force. His genes are wasted on trash like this.”
“Sir!” Chance grimaced.
“Get her hooked up to the sensors,” Reckless ordered before moving to the control panel on the chamber. “I want a fertility panel run on her before the next scheduled treatment. If she’s as low quality as she looks, we aren’t wasting more treatment resources on her.”
Chance shot her an apologetic look, and she shook her head slightly, letting him know that she didn’t blame him for the horrible things coming out of his superior’s mouth. He applied the sensor stickers to her chest and back, keeping his eyes away from her naked skin as he shifted her gown out of place to reach the areas he needed.
“Get into the chamber, girl,” the doctor said when Chance was finished. She hesitated a moment too long, and he snapped, “Are you deaf? Get in now!”
She scrambled to comply. Too afraid to ask for a stool or help, she clambered into the chamber using her climbing skills. Once she was inside, she slid down onto the blue padding and placed her arms at her side.
“Don’t talk. Don’t move. Breathe in and out until the treatment is done.”
“Yes, sir.”
He seemed marginally pleased with her reply. He shut the chamber lid and locked it in place before disappearing from view. Alone and unable to see anything but the ceiling above her, she glanced around the confined space. There were locks on the inside of the lid, probably as a fail safe if the outer locks released too early. That morning, over breakfast Cipher had explained the way the chamber worked. She understood that an uncontrolled depressurization would be catastrophic.
A hissing sound startled her, but she remained still. She felt a strange pressure pushing her down and then her ears popped. She swallowed and cleared them. Slowly, she became aware of a strange smell in the chamber. It was a sharp scent, and her lungs burned a bit when she inhaled. She tried not to panic, but bad memories from the mines overwhelmed her. How many times had she only just escaped death from methane by pulling on a respirator?
“You’re okay.” Chance stared down at her through the glass lid. She tried to smile, but she was sure it came out more like a wince. “The treatment may feel uncomfortable, but you’re getting plenty of oxygen. Breathe as deeply a
s you can. I’ll be right out here the entire time if you need me.”
She nodded and closed her eyes again. Stuck in this tube, she was taken back to her life in the mines. Tight spaces had never bothered her. Neither had the dark. Even a hint of methane on the air did little to scare her.
But something about Reckless sure as hell did.
He clearly didn’t approve of her. Was he like that with all brides? Or only the ones who looked like her? After meeting so many kind men on the Valiant, she couldn’t understand why Reckless was so mean. Had something terrible happened to him? Was that why he was so bitter and cruel?
Not wanting to waste any more time on Reckless and his mean words, she turned her thoughts to Cipher and his offer to take her to Blue Shores. His teasing about the bathing suit gave her a pretty good idea of what they would be getting up to on their trip. As insatiable as he was, she had a feeling she wouldn’t be spending much time out of their hotel room.
After what felt like an eternity, Chance tapped on the glass. “You’re done. Hold tight, and I’ll help you out when the cycle finishes.”
When she finally was allowed out of the tube, she sat up and felt immediately woozy. Chance supported her with one hand on her back and the other gripping her hand in front. The air felt weirdly thin as she inhaled, and she started to cough violently. Chance was ready for it and pressed a paper-thin towel to her face. “Let it out,” he urged. “It’s part of the process.”
She hacked and coughed, fighting for her breaths as her battered lungs tried to purge the impurities the treatment had loosened. In between coughs, she gagged and spit into the towel. Pink sputum tinged with black and purple pooled against the towel, and she recoiled at the sight of it.
That was inside of me. That was trying to kill me.
“Deep breaths,” Chance coached. “I know it’s scary, but you need to try.”
She did as he instructed, and after a few minutes, the coughing eased but she started wheeze. The towel was moved away, and Chance slipped a mask over her nose and mouth. She immediately recognized the disgusting nebulizer treatment taste and made a face.