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“So … you’re Canadian,” she says slowly, like the pieces are starting to click together. “But you don’t have an accent. You don’t sayabootand stuff like that.”
I tilt my head, smiling at her. “Really? You still think all Canadians sayaboot? You really don’t get out enough.”
Kallista laughs. First time I’ve heard her laugh all day. It’s like music to my ears. “Yeah. I know, I’m sheltered. I debuted three years ago and ever since then it’s been go, go, go. Whenever I do come back to Terra, I have the same reaction every single time. I see Luna and I just… end up panicking.” She runs her fingers through the ends of her hair, and her gaze flicks down. “And the last time I was here, we did a show in Tokyo and Paris. I rarely tour the Milky Way anymore if I can help it.”
Frowning, I ask, “By your request, or your label’s?”
“A little bit of column A, little bit of column B, I suppose. I don’t like coming back here. Too many painful memories.”
Her face falls, and I clench my jaw. Why did I have to go and do that? Get all mopey on her when she was finally starting to cheer up? “Maybe while we’re here we should make some newer, better ones. Come on, Aiken’s waiting for us.”
She perks up at the mention of Aiken, and I chuckle before getting out to help her from the jammer. “Excited to see him again, huh?”
“He’s nice,” Kal says, taking my hand like a regal lady descending a carriage. “So, yes. I like him.”
When I turn, Aiken is already walking toward us, holding the hoodie and a huge sign that readsWelcome home, dickheadin enormous letters. Kallista’s eyes fly open when she sees the sign, and I run my palm down my face with a groan.
“Wait, what?” Kallista mutters, looking totally confused once Aiken is within earshot. The Gorcian, unfazed as always, merely shrugs and hits me in the face with the sign.
I swat the sign away and roll my eyes. “It’s a bit of a running joke between us. Ignore him. He’s not calling you a—”
Aiken suddenly realizes the misunderstanding and waves his meaty hands around in the air in a flurry of panic. “No, no, no! I love Kallista! Would do anything for Kallista!”
The urge to deck my partner in his chubby neck is overwhelming, but Kallista wouldn’t appreciate it, so I just … sigh. Deeply. Then I grab him by his dangling jowls and squeeze them.
“Aiken, what did we talk about? Code names. Code. Names. Only.”
Aiken’s face crumples when he realizes his gaff. “My apologizes, ma’am.”
Kallista winces. “Please don’t call me ma’am. I am at least six or seven years away from being a ma’am. Actually, I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to be a ma’am, come to think of it.”
I offer my arm to Kal, which she accepts, and we head out of the hangar into the busy streets of Toronto. As we step onto the front landing, the city skyline is the first thing to come into view. Kallista’s jaw drops as she stares out at the azure sky dotted with large, fluffy white clouds. Birds fly overhead. Jammers and hoverbuses zoom past at a low hum, and the occasional terminal screen flickers across the glassy skyscrapers in front of us. Despite the advances in other cities across Terra, Toronto is largely unchanged, except for parts of the skyline and the fact that the roads are clear of cars. Once hovercrafts became the norm, everyone took to the skies, leaving the streets free for pedestrians. Absolute bliss for my morning jogs.
“I prefer this planet,” I say as Kallista gapes at the view. “It’s not as beautiful as Zenos, but it’s a hell of a lot better than Xilia. It’s more real. Authentic.” The air here is actually breathable, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee carries on the wind past our nostrils. I draw in a deep breath and grin. “Good to be home.”
But when I look over at Kallista, she’s hugging herself tightly as she stares out at the CN Tower. She may be smiling, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.
“It’s been a long couple of days,” I say, taking her by the elbow. “Once we get you something to eat and a hot shower, we can just rest and watch movies or something.”
Kallista raises a brow at the suggestion but doesn’t complain as I lead her toward the elevator. Aiken gives the two of us several feet of space, apparently having picked up on the strange tension between us. When he found out about the shooter at the meet and greet, it took me a while to calm him down. He wanted to fly out to Zenos and beat the guy to a bloody pulp, but no one would appreciate a Gorcian male stomping into the precinct to mete out vigilante justice, so I talked him out of it.
At least we won’t have to ride around in a cramped jammer while we’re in Toronto. We’ll be riding in style in a hoverjet, which is like a jammer, only twice as big. Lots more leg room, finally.
When we reach Aiken’s massive hoverjet, I pull Kallista aside before we get into the vehicle.
“What’s up?” she asks, pursing her lips.
I lean in, frowning. “Are you okay? You’ve been unusually quiet.”
“I’m fine,” she grinds out. She’s lying, of course, but I don’t blame her, nor do I want to push too hard after everything’s that happened. Still, it’s important to me that she knows she can count on me.
“Hey, it’s okay. You don’t have to put on a tough front all the time. I just … I just want you to know that I’m here for you. If you need to talk or anything.”
Kallista’s eyes flick up to mine, then back down to her feet. The look is brief, but it says all that needs to be said. She doesn’t want to be coddled, poked at, or prodded. I get it. It’s just so damn hard, leaving her at the mercy of her own mind right now.
“And I want you to know that no part of this was your fault,” I whisper.
She looks up at me in horror. “Iknowthat,” she spits. “I didn’t ask for any of this.”
