Damn it, Tal! You jinxed me!
10: Aurelius
Blaize and myguards, like the other security teams, follow in the racers’ ships not far behind as the ABR transport travels us to Earth’s moon. The enforcement squads employed by ABR are now comprised of a mix of human males and bonded alien males in greater numbers than I remember with Elix and Zariah’s race.
They’ve made some changes. I hope they’re effective this time.
I’m still not sure I should be here.
A human walks up to me with a crate tucked under an arm. He holds up a familiar disc. “You need to wear a spark arrestor.”
I chuckle. “That doesn’t do shit. I have my own.”
He glowers at me.
“It can handle ten times what yours can.” I pull the much larger disc from my shoulder blade and show it to him. With the device disconnected, my Storm lights my skin with green arcs. “You want an upgrade? Talk to my munitions specialist, Eluni.”
He nods and walks to another species with glowing eyes. I slap the device on my shoulder blade again and feel it bite into my skin.
Aura?
Yes, Allele?
Is now a good time to refresh your memory of the additional mating practices of the Amphirans?
Additional? No.
Why not?
I walk through the transport’s open cargo areas, hanging onto the grab bars overhead. Finding a window, I peer out at the moon we approach, still just a marble in the distance. We are traveling fast, behind schedule due to a conflict with some Ginarigons who wanted in when they aren’t allowed this round.
I do not care to follow my people’s ways any longer. They are stifling and formal and do not reflect who I am.
Sir, I have been researching the old ways.
Allele, stop.I can’t take it anymore.This is something I need to do alone. And listening to you talk about sex when you’re a ship is a bit strange.
Have I offended you?
No. I just need to listen to my Storm and feel this out. It’s not you or anyone else. I’ll keep the chip in my armor so you can track me.
But to not use all available resources puts you at risk for mistakes, Aura.
How did you navigate the nebula when navigation was down and you couldn’t access any external databases before Elix and MONA arrived? You knew only what you knew. I couldn’t help you.
Allele is quiet.
Used your Storm, didn’t you?
Yes.
MONA offered you a beacon when they arrived. Your Storm could hear him when no sensors could. Well, this race feels as chaotic as the nebula did to me.
I regret entering, but I’m here, and I have to navigate my way out by feel. When I find her, if I find her, I will let her guide me. And I will let my Storm do what it needs to navigate us through this. It has never let me down.
I understand. I will await a signal from you and let your crew assist with these matters of the flesh.
I hang my head and smile.You have a vessel, too, Allele.
