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Dare glanced at her, and saw she was struggling to contain how upset she was.

“Maybe lava covered the wreck?” Nissa suggested.

“This is only a proto-planet with limited atmosphere,” Ry added. “Perhaps it impacted with the original planet.”

“Dakota?” Dare asked. She was staring hard at the screen. “What do you want to do next?”

“Nothing.” Her arms fell to her sides. “There is no next. I’m out of options.”

Hell. He hated seeing her so lost, with that bruised look in her eyes.

Suddenly, Nissa straightened. “We have an incoming transmission. There’s a ship on course for us and the proto-planet.”

Dare frowned. “Justyn?”

“No.”

“Put it up on screen.”

The screen filled with the image of a young man with pale-blue skin. He was sitting in a small cockpit. His blond hair was swept back off his face and gills were just visible on his neck.

“Hello, my name is Ralu.” The man smiled. “You have something of mine.”

Dare’s brow creased. “I’m convoy master Dare Phoenix. I’m not sure who you are, Ralu, but we don’t have anything of yours.”

“The orb.” The young man’s smile disappeared, leaving a hard look on his blue face. “It belongs to me.”

There was silence on the bridge. Dakota stepped forward. “No, the orb belongs to me.”

Her jaw was tight, and Dare could feel her anger.

“Everyone wants a piece of this.” She lifted the orb up, dangling it from the chain. “And frankly, I’m sick of it. This is mine. So whoever the hell you are, you can fuck off.”

The man tilted his head. “I want the orb, and I’ll trade you for it.”

She shook her head. “I’m not giving it up. You have nothing that could interest me.”

“I’m not so sure about that. I have something I think you’ll all find very interesting.” The man’s gaze shifted to Dare, and then the man moved to the side.

Behind him, tied to a chair, was Justyn.

Nissa gasped and stood. “What the hell have you done to him?”

Justyn was slumped forward, and appeared unconscious.

Dare felt the icy blade of anger. His brothers, his family, his convoy. They were all his to protect, and whoever this man was, he’d hurt one of Dare’s brothers.

“Send a shuttle down to the proto-planet. We can make the exchange there.” The man smiled. “You have thirty minutes.” The man’s image disappeared.

Ry moved to Nissa, pulling her close to his side.

Dare dragged in a deep breath. Justyn was his, but the orb wasn’t. He knew Dakota inside and out. Knew just what the treasure represented to her.

He looked at her and saw she was staring straight ahead, her face blank.

“Dakota?”

She refused to look at him and didn’t say anything.