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He must be important, because the highest level fork lines are reserved for royalty, government officials, and military usage.
“But he already has quite a head start,” I point out. “I would have to go to Station City to obtain that access.”
“That’s why I’m going to let you borrow one of my girlfriends so you can head there now. Kira can hack us into the forklines illegally. I’ll risk the fines, and hopefully your access cert will be booked in the system before I’m stopped by any law enforcement.”
“This is the kind of behavior that lost you your license, I’m guessing?”
Rossa purses her lips. She dislikes playing by the rules of the universe.
I can tell by Kaye and Raina’s expressions that their understanding of the situation is tenuous.
“I’ll do what needs doing. Raina, will you come with me? Or stay here with the crew?”
I try not to sway her with my words, but I don’t want to leave her. She’ll be safe with Rossa, but I hesitate to be parted, especially when she’s only just accepted our bond.
“Will you need help?”
“It’s tedious stuff. No assistance needed.”
Raina hesitates. I know she is drawn to danger, and she wants to be there for her friend. I fear I know her answer before she does. The choice between pursuing a criminal with Rossa’s motley crew and a bureaucratic battle with paperwork? It’s no choice at all for my adventurous mate. The only reason she’s stopping to consider things is because she knows how addicted I am to her. I tell her all the time how I never want to leave her side, but I would never hold her back from this.
But before my mate opens her mouth, it’s Kaye who speaks up.
“Go with Niko, Raina,” she says. “I’ll be here to welcome Frankie and help her adjust if we can find her.”
“No, I should stay with you too,” Raina begins to argue. “I can’t leave you alone so soon when you’ve been through so much.”
The rust-haired female grabs my mate by the arm and pulls her away, whispering in her ear. Rossa and I exchange a glance as the humans quietly argue.
“—you deserve, no NEED, to take a break! Let the man take care of you. Look at him,” is all I catch from Kaye as her voice rises towards a squeak. They both look at me over their shoulders. I pretend not to notice, scratching the back of my head and staring at the ceiling. Raina makes some incoherent grumbles for a moment. Kaye puts on a big smile and whips around to face us again. “Raina’s going with Niko. And I’ll stay here.”
“Fine by me,” Rossa says. “But you stay on the civilian level, and you follow orders, especially once we’re in the thick of things.”
“Got it.” Kaye nods seriously.
“Kaye,” Raina hisses. “You’ll be alone here. And Rossa might be taking the ship into a dangerous situation.”
“I’ve been living in dangerous situations for weeks,” her friend replies. “I can handle this. Frankie needs one of us here, and you need to go with your man.”
“But I don’t. He’s a big boy, and he can go by himself.”
I stay silent on my personal objection to being referred to as such. At least in public. When in bed, I don’t mind at all when Raina calls me her ‘boy.’ A secret smirk plays on Rossa’s lips as she, too, notices the phrase.
“Yes, and I’m not so weak myself,” Kaye huffs. “I’ll be fine.”
When Raina finally relents, she appears surprisingly relieved. She smiles at me.
“All right then. Station City it is.”
While Rossa explains the details to me, Raina and Kaye share a quiet goodbye of their own. There’s no time to waste. Now that the decision has been made, Raina and I will be on our way to get the forkline certs approved as soon as possible.
“What news of this Kallasiko?” Rossa quietly asks as she hands me the control card for one of her small ships.
“I haven’t heard from him,” I tell her. “If he wants to find me, he’ll find me.”
“The brother is moving to Station City. Maybe you could meet with him. He has a human mate.”
“The deadhead?” I snort. “You mentioned the human. It doesn’t mean anything. He’s still a deadhead.”
