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“I do, too. Do you think you could tell me some stories about them some time from when I don’t remember?”
The request was simple, yet Axur found it harder than he cared to admit. But he knew what answer to give.
“Yes.”
Her smile turned to one of gratitude. Axur cleared his throat.
“Well, it’s past time for us to be on our way to this meeting. Let us be going.” Once again, he turned on his heel to walk away.
“Wait! I just need to redo my laces.”
Axur glanced at his watch. He would already be at the office if it had just been him. His military discipline had pounded in the importance of punctuality, so it was always better to be early. That wasn’t going to happen today … or possibly any time in the near future.
Once she was done, she looked at him as if waiting for approval or assistance. He couldn’t tell which. Finally, Ayla spoke, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
“Can you check my laces? They always seem to come undone.”
Axur hesitated, not knowing how to help her do such a simple task. He could order men around all day, but aiding a child was foreign to him in every possible way. He cleared his throat.
“I’m sure it’s acceptable. Now, we should leave.”
The drive to the base was quiet. Ayla fidgeted in her seat with her hands, allowing Axur’s worst-case scenario to play out on how this meeting with his superiors would go.
He glanced at the nervous child sitting beside him in an attempt to clear his mind.
“Nothing bad will happen to you. I promise.”
Ayla motioned her quick signature nod and let her hands relax slightly.
Axur figured she knew the meeting was about their new situation and her parents. She was a smart girl, but he couldn’t let her know that it was specifically aboutwhat to dowith her. He at least knew that much.
They arrived on base and were cleared to go on site.
“I need you to remain out in my office while I’m in this meeting. Did you bring something to do?”
Ayla held up a book before heading over to the seat in the corner of the room.
“I shall return soon. Let Marina know if you need anything.”
Axur nodded toward the grouchy-looking woman at the front desk. He turned and marched to face his fate. There was no telling how the meeting would go.
But so far, things weren’t looking good for either him or Ayla.
“You know the military is for single men only. No wife, no kids. Those are the rules,” his commander reiterated.
“I understand that, sir. All I’m asking for is a grace period to figure out the best scenario for her. I want to continue to serve, but her parents died a few days ago. I don’t want her to be with a stranger.”
“We understand her loss, as well as yours, General Axur,” the Species Resource Officer said in his neutral, overly understanding voice. “It was a terrible accident that took your brother and his wife and left their child an orphan. But there has to be another option if you want to stay in the military. Those are the rules.”
Axur knew what had to be done, but he couldn’t just hand Ayla off to someone. He cared for her and wanted to make sure she was with the best. Someone who could give her what he couldn’t … a loving, dependable family. He just needed time to get it all sorted.
“I know it’s frowned upon for me to have a daughter, even temporarily, but I’m the only living relative she has. This will in no way affect my ability to work or be deployed. I’m simply asking for time to get it taken care of, that’s all. Could we at least do that?”
He looked at his audience with pleading amber eyes. Surely, they would be able to allow him that much.
“Give us a moment.”
Axur watched his commander and the rep debate quietly on the other side of the door. He could tell they weren’t happy with his request, but they hadn’t just flat-out told him no, so that was a good sign. Or so he hoped.
