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“Sorry to hear about your dad,” Kaia finally said. “But don’t blame me for it. I didn’t pick the destination. I got no say in what goes on up there. I’m just surviving this shit, like you are.”
“Right. Absolve yourself of all responsibility like the rest of them. I thought maybe you of all people would be different with your history. But hey, a taste of the rich commander’s life and you’re all over it, huh?”
“You know shit about my history, or what I’ve—”
But Peter didn’t wait for her to finish before slipping back into the crowd, like a fucking Old Earth fish.
CHAPTER47
ORION
Orion only half-listened to his mother lecturing about the colony’s resource stockpile that morning. He didn’t bother trying to question her again. His mind was occupied with other things.
Like the bruises adorning the curve of Kaia's ass when he woke, captivating beneath the tangle of blankets from which her leg had been poking. But more importantly, the disappointment of the bombshell she'd dropped on him the night before.
He’d been wrestling with the realization that Kaia hadn’t been “converted” into compliance by his handling of her. She hadn’t learned anything at all, choosing instead to delude herself with this magical exorin immunity she’d dreamed up. He tried to keep his mind off that while perusing files in his NS overlay as his mother droned on.
Orion glanced up when the head of communications, Portia-something, asked about the wedding.
“That can wait,” Mare Halena waved her question off. “Many aspects remain to be seen.”
“Aspects?” Orion cut in.
Mare Halena shot Portia-something a displeased look, as if it were all her fault this box of bolts had been opened. “Honestly, Orion, you know you have options here. Take your time to decide.”
“I decided, Mother. I sense you’re having difficulty understanding that. Are your cognitive abilities declining?”
Finally she was giving him some real satisfaction in the matter. She may have been acting casual about it, but she loathed the idea that he picked some random scavenger to be his bride. The more she tried to delay the issue, the sweeter his triumph.
She dropped the subject and continued droning on about whatever the fuck. When the meeting came to a merciful end, Ptolin Geeson was waiting to enter in the hall. He nodded at Orion as he passed, the door sliding shut on him and Mare Halena with a decisive hiss.
Orion didn’t remember seeing this man around when he was onColossalas a teenager. But apparently he was responsible for convincing his mother that the effects of their uhyre genes were less potent than one may expect. Orion would need to sort out that mess later. For now, he had the expedition to worry about.
Many things had changed since Orion was away, and the level of investment he now felt in catching up on everything he’d missed annoyed him. This was exactly the kind of shit he wanted to avoid, yet now found himself unable to ignore. Mostly because he knew he’d have to live with whatever mess his mother got him into before her Upload.
“Orion.” His father’s voice coming down the hallway made him pause. Per Halen seemed to be wandering the halls aimlessly, as usual.
“Father.”
“How are you doing, my boy?” His father slapped an awkward pat on Orion's shoulder. “How is Kaia settling in?”
“Well, apparently she’s immune to me, so just fine I guess,” Orion muttered, making to brush past him.
“She’s what?” Per Halen raised his brows.
“Never mind. What’s with Mother’s sudden interest in genetics?” Orion peered at the closed office door.
“This ship does run on your genes, Orion. You know that.” Per smiled.
“Yeah, and the colony designers made the gene code uncrackable, even by us. She’s never taken an interest past ‘reproduce’ before.” Why was Mother wasting her time on this when she should be preparing for her last expedition?
“I’m sure you’ll get to that part of your handover training when you’re ready. But you know how your mother gets. She’s trying to make sure everything is in order before her departure.”
Per Halen didn’t linger to chat, thank fuck, making for the door to join the meeting. Orion could just picture him in there, smiling and nodding at whatever his mother would say. Even as a kid, Per Halen followed his wife to all the meetings, all the functions, like a lovesick puppy. Maybe it helped him feel useful.
Orion supposed no one could predict how someone would approach the last months of their life. His mother clearly approached them by spreading herself too thin in nonsensical directions. This was worrying. Orion would be the one picking up the pieces once she was dead.
He intended to focus on doing more digging, but his mind once again gravitated to the buzzing fly in his head that would just not leave him alone. He checked the location of Kaia’s comms bracelet.
