“He used to be more fun before we transferred to your ship.” Blaize shifts between his boots, his rifle still hanging across his chest. “It’s not you. It’s just his sense of duty that’s changed.”
“He thinks I’m something I’m not.”I just want to save our people from the rule of the kings and elders who have forgotten the value of our Storms.
Allele speaks through my implant.Aura, you can be. Please board to restock and replace that damaged armor plate on your shoulder.
I glance at my gray armor and see I do, in fact, need a repair.
Blaize leads the way up the ramp and grabs another plate from storage. He sits me down on a medical bed while Fieri checks the scanners. I can tell they’re both a little unnerved by my tactic, but I have no desire to hold back when life is on the line.
If I have a resource that could prevent the annihilation of innocents and allies, I will use it. Because if I don’t, I fear the guilt will destroy me if containing my Storm doesn’t. It’s why I always try to find a way to let it out.
“Do you ever get tired of this life?” I ask him.
Blaize takes in a deep breath as he dabs paste over a bullet burn mark on my shoulder, then collects a new armor plate. “What do you mean?”
“The perpetual space travel from one battle to the next and the next. I mean, sure, I can sleep in the ditches and eat freeze-dried food while enemy fire is all around us. But sometimes, I want to just dock for a while, you know? Look at something other than stars and enemy ships.”
After a moment, Blaize sighs. “You have no idea.”
Blaize finishes the replacement and leaves to restock his ammo with a slump to his body that’s uncommon to him.
I lean forward and savor the few moments of relative calmness after battle. I will soon be on edge again, pending another explosion, and the Nebs will no doubt try to get what they want somewhere else. It is a never-ending cycle. If it isn’t the Nebs, it’s the Novarks for stealing goods or the Denarso for taking females.
I’m not sure how much longer I can hold it together. Even now, I feel unbalanced and chaotic, like a nest of poisonous Firespines has invaded my chest. Being a prince doesn’t mean shit when biology and Storms have needs that can’t be fulfilled.
Why don’t you let Amphirans see this side of you?Allele asks.You are only ever this emotional with allies.
Because that’s not what leaders do. I don’t care about being an heir to my father’s throne. I care about the ones who raised me and managed to give me everything when we had nothing. I want to be a symbol of strength, not power. And I’m not emotional.
Being offended is in that category, Aura. Why don’t you talk to your friends about how you feel?
I ignore her jab but know she’s trying to keep me humble, reminding me not to be prideful like my father. I asked her to help me when she saved me. And she knows more about our people than anyone.
The medical bed is cold beneath my hands.Idon’t have friends.
Everyone on your crew is your friend. Their Storms are pure, or I would not have let them walk my halls.
How do you know they aren’t deceiving you? How can you trust your Storm not to lie to you?
I am older than all of you.
Fair enough.
Talk to Blaize.
Allele…
I know when an Amphiran is too powerful for his own good. You must share the burden with a mate, or you will nova. Until then, get your friends to help you stay calm.
So what if I do nova? Maybe that’s safer. Maybe I could take out a Neb mothership. One final useful action. I could inspire others and be a martyr.
But you will be missed. And because I see potential in you, and something special, something rare that your people need. Do not abandon them because your life is messy. That’s just life.
Your life isn’t messy,I say.
Not even when you taped that letunica to my roof when we worked on Vargas Three, so I had to listen to that damned whistling with no way to stop it?
I chuckle, thinking back to the prank.You eventually found it and zapped it off.
