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The corner of Wrin’s lips lifted in a half-smile. “He’s had the run of the ship. And I’m fairly certain he’s conned every single member of the crew into giving him treats.”
“Yes!”Max trotted down the corridor ahead of us, his fluffy black tail raised like a proud flag.“Me smart.”
I laughed.“Enjoy it while you can. This new crew is used to kreecats.”
“None like me.”A wave of pure confidence rolled through my mind.
Devalia waited for us inside the shuttle bay. It was just big enough to hold two personal shuttles, and the deck plates were a gleaming silver that looked like someone polished them. The inside of the senatorial ship was less ostentatious than the wealthy on Earth had lived, but everything was made of the finest materials and in perfect repair.
“I’m sorry I have to go straight to a meeting with the other senators inside Breyva. I really do want to see your home.” Her careful politician’s mask cracked for a moment, and a mixture of love and sadness warred in her eyes.
An echoing ache flashed through Wrin’s. “I want to show it to you.”
“We have a lot of lost time to make up for.” She hovered in front of him, her hands half lifted, as if she wanted to hug him but worried he’d reject her.
His back remained straight as a board, and he’d shuttered his emotions until his face became an impenetrable mask. But a sense of longing filled my chest, and I knew, in my heart, it came from Wrin. He wanted that hug, even if he wouldn’t admit it to himself.
These two were both so proud and used to wearing a public face that they were going to takeforeverto work this out.
I placed my hand on Wrin’s lower back and tried to give a push. He went freaking nowhere, big slab of muscle that he was. I stepped behind him and put my whole body into it.
He took a stuttering half step forward, and that’s all it took.
Devalia’s arms flew up and around him. She stepped forward, embracing him so quickly the sides of their curved horns clacked together, since they were about the same height. She gave a choked laugh and squeezed him even tighter, her eyes closing.
Wrin stood frozen for several seconds, and I thought I’d have to poke him or something to get him to hug her back. Then the pang in my chest swelled and popped with a feeling of relief. His shoulders dropped as he relaxed into her hold, his arms looping around her back.
I let out a soft sigh, thrilled they’d made it this far after circling each other for the last few days.
Everyone remained like that for long moments, even Max remaining quiet by my side.
Then one of her staff appeared in the larger shuttle’s open hatch. “Senator, we’re about to lose our approach window to Breyva.”
Devalia pulled back with an audible breath and gathered herself. Her hands squeezed Wrin’s shoulders, and she turned her head to catch my eye, giving me a solemn nod of thanks. Then she whirled into motion, barking commands about notes to prepare as she strode into her shuttle’s airlock, ready to broker the power deals that would cement Zaar’s participation in our alliance.
Wrin escorted me and Max over to the other shuttle, and we cycled through a small white airlock into a pleasant light-blue cabin lined with chairs. We sat for a few moments while the senator’s shuttle launched first, then ours followed. Wrin synched his phone with our shuttle’s cameras so he could show our approach to theDaredevil. In only a couple of minutes, we were sliding through its ship airlock—which was a brilliant way to keep from needing to evacuate an entire shuttle bay—and setting down.
The pilot called the all clear, and Wrin leaped from his seat, pulling me up with him. His eagerness infused me, and via me, Max, and anticipation crackled in the air of airlock as we waited for the outer hatch to open.
Then Wrin’s body straightened to full height, his shoulders going back as his face took on the steely expression of a commander. As soon as we stepped out that door, he’d be their captain.
I should probably assume my own mantle of authority, the one I’d worked so hard to build because I was short.
TheDaredevil’s well-lit shuttle bay was huge, the ceiling high overhead. The metal deck plates were clean and in good repair, but bore the scuffs and nicks you’d expect from a working ship. Only a few other craft took up what was mostly empty space—everyone out, working on various missions.
The people waiting caught my attention. Blue Zaarn faces topped with purple horns stood behind a group of human faces in all the shades of brown. Any shot I had at steely resolve flew out the airlock faster than I did. Before my movements fully registered, I was running, my feet thudding on the metal deck, my arms spread wide.
A familiar face stepped to the front. Short and slim, she had a gorgeous brown face with lovely cheekbones set off by the short, kinky curls of her dark hair.
“Mollie!” I screamed.
We collided, our arms wrapping each other in a tight hug we’d never have done on Earth. Back then, I’d been the captain and she’d been my top pilot. Hours spent training onARK 1’s bridge had forged a bond of mutual respect for each other’s skills, but it hadn’t made us friends.
Noneof that mattered now. Here, we were two humans in a sea of aliens.
The rest of the women gathered around us in a crush of a hug. I didn’t know all of them, but here they were, giving me the comfort of their presence, their humanness, in the simplest, most direct way possible.
We were sobbing and laughing and swaying in place as we held each other. It w—
