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Dani sat beside her locker, staring at the sign.

NEXACOR. REBUILDING WORLDS.

Everything had been a disaster. The little relief she felt being back on the ship with everything in tow was overshadowed by the crushing weight of what she had lost.

Now that she was “safe,” that heavy grief hit her all over again. She had to blink back tears seeing Morse in his funny green goggles coming to greet them. Before he could mumble out a word, she was pulling him in and hugging him tight, a little sob escaping her after the words. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

She told him what happened and saw the defeated look in his eyes. They discussed whether it was worth it for him to continue working on the ship now that another had come, but he said he didn’t mind. He’d rather be working than sitting around thinking about what had happened to their team.

Dani had offered to help, wanting something to take her mind off everything too, but he declined, saying he had more than enough help already.

“Give yourself some rest, Dani,” Myrell said, patting her shoulder. “I’ll start making a report, so we can have it ready as soon as we get back to the main ship. At least we can say we grabbed almost everything.”

Almost.

Dani handed over the cryo-batteries in her pack to Myrell who then disappeared into the supply room. Now, she sat in the locker room, listening to the sounds of thumping in the engine room and men talking outside. She stared down at her hands, clenching them tight, noticing they were still trembling. When she shut her eyes, she saw the flash of fire.

Taking a deep breath, she slid her pack closer to her feet. She reached in and took out one of the growth tanks. The plants had gotten a little shaken inside, but they were still intact.

You fucked up, Dani. But maybe they’ll give you the blue suit in exchange for the plants.

A bitter laugh broke from her as she gripped the tank tighter. She set it down next to her and took out the others. She turned the last in her hands. The Tigrus Bluum.

“Why…why did you do it?” she whispered, pressing the glass of the tank to her forehead. “Why…”

She remembered his piercing gaze on her in the dark. How he had looked at her…He’d wanted to protect her. He had wanted to…

Her throat tightened and she swallowed hard.Damn you, Kryxis.

Angry that she was just sitting there, wallowing, she put the plants back and set the pack aside. No, she had to do something. Even if all she could do was limp around and demand to see what the drones had found.

As she rose, she heard a shout from outside. She listened, and fear gripped her once again.

Was something attacking again?

She almost stumbled out the door from her stiff ankle. She drew the gun from her belt, ready for a damn fight.

Veering around the front of the ship, she saw the soldiers rushing to the courtyard, heading toward—

She let out an unexpected cry and dropped her gun.

Lex broke into the courtyard first, with messy black hair and face dirty with dust, clutching Phen who had her arm in a sling. Behind them Tom followed, his head patched on one side. Sheek came last, blade in hand.

Her team had returned.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Dani

She wasn’t one to usually believe in miracles. But that was beginning to change.

For a moment, she wondered if she was actually dreaming or had somehow been transported to an alternate universe where they’d never set foot on that bridge. Both felt more possible than seeing them before her alive.

She didn’t ask them how at first, having been too shocked even for that. Instead, she’d closed the distance between them, letting them pull her into a group hug.

Words were exchanged, tears were shed, then laughter when Tom said he’d be making a complaint to management.

“Oh, I’m going to be asking for an extra raise after this,” Lex said. “And also complaining.”