Page 6 of Every Almost

"Tell Tavi he has three weeks. I'll send over the coordinates for pickup and expect your update on what he's developed to ensure the creatures are brought onto the Emberkind and contained safely. That is the whole point of your manifest, isn't it?" Vondra's gaze bore into Reyna's, and Reyna knew immediately what was coming. "It's what Elena would hav?—"

"—it's what Elena would have done," Reyna interjected, bottling her feelings at the mention of her old Captain's name, the woman lost thirteen years ago. "Of course it is," she added quietly, her gaze dropping to the surface of her desk.

"Even Jerel, for that matter," Vondra continued.

Reyna's eyes shot back up to the Admiral's face on the screen.

"Yes, Admiral. It would have been."

"So I can count on you to get it done?"

Of course the Coalition could count on her to get it done. The Emberkind was built for exactly these purposes, retrofittedyears ago to rescue, care for, and transport animals from across the galaxy that were in need, all because of her old Captain, Elena Voss. Between Elena and Jerel Nox'thelan Carrothi, an incredible Qorrathi Animal Specialist, known to his friends simply as Jere, it was because of them that the Emberkind existed in its current state, had done such good over the years, and was still highly considered among the Coalition's fleet.

That didn't stop her heart from clenching at either of their names. The loss of her two best friends within a year of one another was what brought her into her position as Captain of the ship after serving as Elena's First Mate. But sometimes, she chose to forget at what cost.

With their mention, though, there was no way she wouldn't make this happen, even if it did happen within the Emberkind's space art.

She just had to figure out exactly how to do so.

She needed to talk to Tavi.

Immediately.

"Of course, Admiral. We will be at the coordinates at the arranged time, and we will have a plan to get them on board the Emberkind."

"That's what I like to hear," Vondra said. Something shifted in the resonance of her voice, a warmth that the Voxlink caught. The water around her hummed, just slightly, at a frequency Reyna felt in her sternum more than heard. A Lithyn smile. "Coordinates are on their way, Captain. I'll see you in three weeks."

"Thank you, Admiral."

The display went dark, and Reyna was left in her office, staring at a blank screen, wondering how her Lead Software Engineer was going to capture, transport, and contain three creatures that could only survive in zero gravity.

She took a long breath. Then she pulled out her datapad from inside her captain's jacket.

"Tavi?"

A few seconds went by before a voice crackled through.

"Yes, Captain?"

"Can you come to my office, please? We have a new mission."

There was a pause.

"A new mission, huh," Tavi said flatly. Reyna pressed her lips together, containing her retort. A moment went by before Tavi spoke again. "What miracle am I going to have to perform this time, Cap?"

Reyna sighed before replying.

"What do you know about containing zero-G fields, Tavi?"

Tavi Breck arrivedat her office seven minutes later, knocking on the door frame before entering.

"Hey, Cap. What's cookin'?"

"Take a seat, Tavi, please," Reyna said, her voice even and calm. Tavi nodded and walked into Reyna's office. The top of his head barely came up to the height of her desk, but Reyna could still observe him walk around and sit in the chair on her left, climbing up into it with no issue despite his small stature.

Tessarae were known for their size first and foremost, but it was also always the least interesting fact about them. Tavi stood just under four feet, compact and solid, with warm copper-amber skin that shifted in gradient across his arms and face with mosaic markings blazing in bold crimson and gold. His hair was a deep copper-red, pulled back in a short braid, while his hands, slightly larger than would seem proportionate to his frame, were already moving before he'd fully entered the room.

"Zero-G containment," he said, settling into the chair across from Reyna's desk. "That's the miracle?" Tavi laughed, the sound warm and solid.Just like Tavi, actually,Reyna thought. "I was expecting something harder."