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“Good girl.” He pulled her closer, drawing her up onto her side so she snuggled against him. “Wondering about the future is a waste of time. We’ll plan for events as much as possible and then deal with whatever happens. Anything else is a waste of energy.”
Neloff scooted closer to her back and stroked the length of her hair. “We can deal with anything fate throws our way, mate, because we’ll face each challenge together.”
The thought made her smile and their gentle touches helped her relax. Safe and warm in the embrace of her mates, Eden soon fell asleep.
* * *
Neloff watched Eden react to his home world, knowing she’d be fascinated by the stark contrast between Torret and Earth. Her brow furrowed, her eyes widened, and then her eyebrows drew together again.
“I was here for less than an hour before, and all I saw was a shuttle lot.” She paused and looked at him as Kyrex piloted their small ship closer to their destination. She sat in the navigator’s seat so her view was unobscured. Neloff stood in the aisle between the seats, his hand lightly resting on her seatback. “Besides I was too worried about you to enjoy the uniqueness of the planet. When will I be able to see one of the cities?”
As if to answer her question, Kyrex sent the ship diving into the water.
Eden cried out in surprise, her fingers digging into the armrests of her seat.
Kyrex grinned as the ship broke through the surface then continued its descent until the water becoming a murky midnight blue. The ship finally leveled off and Eden’s soft gasp drew Neloff’s gaze back to her lovely face. She stared out into the ocean as Hanoto came into view. The city consisted of thirty-seven connected domes. They varied in size and were arranged in multi-level clusters.
“This is Hanoto, the Imperial Capitol of Torret. The city began with the cluster of domes in the middle and has been added onto for the past three centuries. Last time I checked the total population was around four million.”
“The location Laidon gave us is in Dome Six of Sector B,” Kyrex told her. “That’s over there.” He pointed far to their left.
“I feel like I’m looking at snow globes of Manhattan or some other massive city. All the domes look so crowded.”
Neloff had never been to Manhattan, but he’d seen pictures of the city. Manhattan was an island so most of the buildings were tall, narrow towers. Similarly, Hanoto’s domes developed into warrens of horizontal structures to maximize the limited space.
“How far do Torretians need to travel if they want to spend some time outdoors?”
The wistful quality to Eden’s voice made it obvious that she would never be happy without that option. Neloff wasn’t surprised by her attitude. She’d been raised among soaring mountains and crystal-clear water, with sunlight continually warming her face. Life inside the Torretian domes would be stifling for her. “There are virtual reality simulators and leisure islands.”
“But nothing like the grandeur of Alaska,” Kyrex admitted.
“Well, this is just a visit,” she said softly. “We’re not thinking about relocating here, are we?” She looked from Neloff to Kyrex and back.
“No,” Neloff assured her. “I have no desire to live on Torret again.”
“We’ll likely return to my estate on Houkdi,” Kyrex added.
Eden just nodded and shifted her attention back to the main display.
They arrived at the coordinates Laidon had provided forty minutes later. Neloff had expected a converted warehouse or secluded paramilitary encampment. But their destination turned out to be an abandoned sports arena. Kyrex set the ship down near the front entrance then activated the advanced security shields. The area surrounding the arena appeared derelict and dangerous. The parking lots were split and overgrown, as if they had not been used in years, perhaps decades.
“Charming,” Kyrex muttered as he helped Eden down through the forward hatch and then secured the ship.
Neloff paused to look around. He was not familiar with this part of the city, or the location had changed so much in the past fifteen years that he no longer recognized what he was seeing. The split and deeply pitted parking lots were littered with abandoned ships and land vehicles. Most of the surrounding businesses had been closed down for years, perhaps decades.
“Do you know this place?” Eden asked, anxiety radiating off her despite her brave façade.
Neloff shook his head. “Manufacturing is centered at the other end of the city. That’s where my family lived.”
A tall, muscular male in paramilitary garb waited for them near the front entrance. He was flanked by armed guards. His booted feet were shoulder width apart and his hands were clasped behind his back. Wavy dark hair just reached his shoulders, and his eyes were an unusual shade of teal. “I’m Soro Kintar,” he announced as they approached. “Welcome to the ass end of Torret.”
“Neloff Binzon,” Neloff responded.
“Kyrex,” Kyrex provided, omitting his family name. It was unlikely that any of the rebels would know the full name of a Wraith councilmember, but Kyrex wasn’t taking any chances. “And this is our mate, Eden.”
Her annoyed glance reminded Kyrex that she could speak for herself, but she just nodded to Soro.
“Laidon is waiting inside.”
