Maggie shuffles to look at me. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t want you to physically come with me. Both you and I know we cannot take such a risk.” I stroke my thumb over her stomach. “Don’t we?”
Maggie opens her mouth and after a beat, shuts it again, instead glaring at me with bright eyes.
“But I need eyes and ears. I need a pilot and I need backup.”
“I agree, but it’s not something I can do, apparently,” Maggie growls.
“That’s where you’re wrong.” I stand up and offer her my hand.
“I’d have thought you’d realize by now, I’m never wrong.” Maggie gazes at my hand before she takes hold of it and heaves herself to her feet with my assistance.
“I have something to show you,” I say, leading her through the ship until we reach the place I’ve been working on for a nova-week.
“What’s this, Driok? A closet?” she asks as I open up the door. It’s dark inside, but as I step in, the lights come on.
Maggie follows me and stares around.
“Is this some sort of cockpit?”
“It is not a place I would keep my cock,” I respond, brow furrowed.
“I mean, it’s sort of like the flyer,” she says with a brief glance at me as she trails a hand over the controls.
“Yes, it is. Only it won’t ever leave this ship.”
Maggie looks at me with confusion in her eyes.
I put my palm down on the starting sequence, and the entire place lights up with the various screens I have installed along with the controls.
“This is your control hub. You will have a flyer and multiple smaller flying bots at your disposal. All of which will be of assistance to me when we reach our destination.”
Maggie stares at everything, and I can see the realization creep over her face.
“This is all remote,” she says, and then she claps her hands together and jumps on the spot. “I can go with you, but I’m not with you.”
“You’re going to need to practice,” I warn her. “This is not easy.” I gesture to the consoles.
Maggie fixes me with a look. “I think I’ll manage,” she says, with ice in her voice.
“I’m absolutely sure you will. It’s the reason I built it. For you. After all, you didn’t think I’d leave you out of all the fun, did you?”
MAGGIE
If I had ever wondered what Driok had been doing in between servicing me and piloting the ship…and eating…discovering he’s been building an entire remote cockpit which gives me access to so many toys I’ve yet to count them all…was not what I expected.
Having spent a heady few hours in there, getting my bearings and having the time of my life with both the simulators he has installed as well as doing some limited flights of the real thing around the empty cargo holds of this space bus, I finally emerge hungry, thirsty, and needing a pee.
Driok is hunched over a console when I re-enter the bridge, holding a large container of water and a platter filled with treats I’ve coaxed out of the food dispenser. I figure he deserves them. Hell, I figure I deserve them too.
Everything I ever thought I knew about the males of any species has been completely blasted into the next galaxy. I expected Driok to leave me behind, especially now I’m quite clearly pregnant, but he had absolutely no intention of doing so.
Instead he has put time and energy into creating something which means we will remain together, even when it’s not possible physically.
Quite honestly, I think my heart might have exploded just a little bit.
“Hey,” I say, as I get closer, and he looks up, a smile appearing on his face which makes him look less like a warlord every single day. “I brought snacks.”
