Tor
Home.It had been longer than I could count since I’d seen my planet. After my maether’s death, and then later my paether’s, I hadn’t felt like I had a home anymore. But now?Jane.She was it. Wherever we went, no matter what the fates had in mind, if I was with her, I’d always be home.
Gathering the ergamite, we waded through the water and to the side of the pool in which we’d entered. On the shore, our original clothes waited for us, including my vest full of daggers, and a basket of food. The note atop the basket was written in a delicate handwriting. It read in universal standard, “In case you get hungry.” It was signed with a C and an L.
“They truly are the most wonderful people.” Jane hugged the card to her breast.
“I can’t disagree.” I put the ergamite next to the basket and reached for our clothes. I slid my pants over my hips and my vest through my arms. I tapped the daggers beneath, feeling more at ease with their weight against my chest. My boots were most welcome after the thin sandals. “Are you ready to leave?”
Jane dressed in her pants, sleeveless shirt, and boots. A hair tie from her pocket pinned her hair atop her head in that circular style she liked. While I loved when her hair brushed against my skin, I wanted her to be her most comfortable and authentic self. She was beautiful, regardless of her hairstyle or clothes.
With a last look around, she turned those incredible blue eyes to me. “Yes,” she said with a wistful smile. “A part of me is going to miss this place. So much happened here.” Sliding her fingers through mine, she brought our joined hands between her breasts. “But I’m ready.”
As if sensing our needs, the water rose and transformed in the air. The molecules bunched together to form a solid, circular pod. The waterfall disappeared along with the pool, leaving behind a smooth surface. The pod landed on it, and a ramp extended from its center.
“Yeah, that’s still cool.” Jane waved at our new ride.Think its tech or magic?
I’m not sure I believe in magic.I picked up the basket and the ergamite.
She scoffed.No magic? The Rhonar have literal fated mates. Like one person in all the universe to complete you. And even after all your people have lost, you somehow, against all odds, have begun to find them again.Her arms wrapped around my waist, tickling my ribs. With my arms full, I couldn’t stop her.No magic. What a silly thing to say, my cocky commander.She let me go, lifting the second ergamite and heading for the ramp.
My matedidhave a point.
I followed her inside. The interior was a simple design. A flat, circular bench lined the perimeter with ample seating. A center console projected a holographic map. The controls had their purpose spelled out in universal standard. I placed our supplies in a storage box under the bench and headed for the console.
“Well, this is simple enough.” Jane swiped through the holographic projection.
I set the controls to rendezvous with our ship. “For now,” I reminded my mate. “But we still need to get the ergamite back to Earth.”
“Don’t be negative,” she chided, reviewing the coordinates. “We’ve got this far.”
The ceiling opened to reveal the planet’s orange sky, and the pod lifted off. Using the highest point of the Prism Palace like a slingshot, it launched us in a circle toward the landing bay. The refracted light of the sun against the prismatic towers cast rainbow hues on all it touched.
The pod connected with our ship, and within moments, we were standing in our own vessel.
“Ah,” Jane sighed as we filed in and headed for the bridge. “It’s good to be back.” I packed the ergamite safely away and took the pilot’s chair. Jane was already programming our course home. “How do you want to play this, Commander?” She shot me a grin, then her expression turned serious. “We can’t use stealth mode the whole ride, can we?”
“Unfortunately, no.” I checked our reserves, determining how and when to best engage the shielding. “It’ll deplete our energy and strand us in space.”
“Hmm,” she tapped her nail against her chin, “that’s a technical flaw we’ll have to figure out and fix when we get back home.”
“Are you planning a new career in engineering?” I chuckled, setting the ship for launch.
She snorted. “Hardly. It’s the Captain’s life for me. But I do have a tech genius aboard the moonbase,” she paused, and her eyes twinkled with mirth, “even if she does have the worst taste in clothing.”
I pictured Jane in the sexy outfits I’d spotted in her bags. “If she’s responsible for your packed garments, then I’d have to disagree.”
Swatting my arm, she smirked. “I might be persuaded to wear one or two.” A shudder ran through her. “Butnotin public again.”
“Fair enough.” I was more than happy to keep my Jane all to myself.
The space fighter took off, and I engaged stealth shielding. We shot through the planet’s atmosphere and into space. The Mangox knew our destination as Sense VII, so between here and their outpost would be the most dangerous part of the trip. We had to get free of their territory and to the coordinates where we could employ the wormhole generator and return to Earth’s solar system. But the Meta Sector was vast, and the Mangox had spies everywhere. If we tried to use stealth mode from here to the coordinates, we wouldn’t make it.
I wrestled with the problem as the computer monitored the space around us. It was quiet. Uncomfortably quiet.
The tension pinged back and forth. I could feel Jane working through our dilemma too. I caught snippets of her thoughts as she subconsciously projected them to me. Then, she snapped her fingers. “Are there other Rhonar in the sector?”
My brows winged up. “There are.” My fingers flew over the controls. “They’re in search of the lost science team from your missing deep space vessel.” It was a testament to my mate’s leadership skills that she would think to call for aid. “Computer, put out a message on the encoded channel to all Rhonar vessels in the area. We are in need of an escort.”
