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Xea is a deep sapphire-blue moon with streaks of silver and pink glimmering across its surface. The atmosphere is thick with clouds on an endless churn. Third of ten celestial bodies orbiting Vrut, it is the only moon hospitable enough on which to make a landing.
Cora sits forward, taking in the sight of Xea, her eyes wide with wonder. "It's beautiful."
"Yes, very." I can hardly drag my gaze from my mate as she studies Xea through the viewport.
As we fly closer, the gray-brown planet takes up the majority of the viewport. Vrut is enormous, and covered in toxic clouds and swirling debris. A soupy mix of a world more liquid than solid.
The other moons orbiting Vrut are far less spectacular than Xea. Mostly small and rocky with no atmosphere. Void of life, even Xea, as lovely as it is from a distance, is nothing more than a barren globe.
I scan the surface of Xea until I find the coordinates Behtu sent me and lock in on his location. Parked near a small crater, his large, silver craft reflects its surroundings, mirroring everything around it, including us.
Angled downward, we descend through the misty atmosphere. A canvas of multicolored rocks and sand greets us in hues of deep blues, greens, oranges, and reds, mixing together with silver and pink, swirling into an almost surreal landscape as we land on the rocky surface.
"With all the pretty colors, I expected there to be more here than rocks and dirt." Cora unstraps from her seat and sits forward. "Why does it seem like every planet I've visited is void of life except Zeva?"
"Xea is a moon, not a planet, but the majority of planets in the known Universe are habitable, just not the ones where Star Mavericks choose to meet," I tell her. "It wouldn't do us any good to land on a world filled with people as wanted males."
"True." Cora turns to me with a smirk. "I hadn't thought of that. You are still a notorious space pirate even though you've proven to have a softer side."
I suck in a sharp hiss of mock horror. "Soft? You think me soft, female?"
I move quickly, grabbing her and lifting her onto my lap. My fingers instantly go to work tickling her.
"No tickling, Navik!" Cora's delightful squeals ring out through the cockpit as she wriggles in my grasp. "It's not fair, you're stronger than me."
"Stronger, eh?" I curl my fingers into her side, setting off a fresh bout of breathless giggles. "I thought you said I was weak."
"Soft," Cora gasps out trying to catch her breath. "I said soft, not weak. And for a pirate with a beastly alter ego, you have a really soft center."
I place my hand over where hers covers my heart. "Only where you are concerned, starfire."
Cora's pale gray gaze meets mine and a gentle smile curves her lips. She leans in to brush her lips against mine, hitting me with a jolt of electricity that shoots straight to my cock.
"You still slumming around in that Bioti Nebula Shitter?" Behtu's sharp tone disrupts our intimate moment, reminding us why we are here and not still in our mated bed on Zeva.
"She might be a bit worn, but it's better than flying around in that unscathed hunk of metalloid looking like you've never seen any action," I fire back. "You been taking a break since commandeering that Lizordian freighter, Behtu?"
"You wish I'd leave the best loot for you, bliker," Behtu growls. "Is it my fault I'm a better pilot?"
"Delusional much, Behtu?" I snort.
"You bring the bounty?"
"Only if you've got what I'm buying," I reply.
"Open your hold, I'll bring it over."
I end the comm and stand with Cora still in my arms. "Wait here while I make the exchange."
"You guys sound like you hate each other."
"Just brotherly bantering," I say, smirking. "The only thing larger than Behtu's sarcastic mouth is his ego."
I leave Cora in the cockpit and pop open the hatch in the corridor floor. I don't waste time with the ladder but jump down into the belly of my craft with a resounding thud.
Inside the cargo hold, I clip a respirator onto my septum and engage the nano barrier before lowering the ramp. The air on Xea is barely breathable, kicking up clouds of colorful dirt as the ramp extends for Behtu's grand entrance.
Larger than life, my fellow Maverick strides through the dust and climbs up the ramp to stand before me. His towering, muscular frame casts a shadow over mine. It's been so long since last I saw him, I forgot how far I had to tilt my head back to look him in the eye.
