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Thedoor slides open, andIquickly see she isn’t in the main room.Proceedingto the bathroom,Ifind she isn’t there either.Istand there for a minute wondering what is keeping her, but she has to be on the ship somewhere.Insteadof waiting,Idecide to fix us a snack so that we can veg out on my bunk later while we’re gossiping about today.Whilethe replicator is doing its thing,Istep into the miracle ionizer before changing into something more comfortable.WhenIget out a few minutes later, she still isn’t here, and nowI’mgetting impatient.

“HeyANDI, my love.Canyou tellMissLacieto get her ass home?Wehave things to talk about.”

“Iwould gladly do that for you,MistressBriar, but it appears she is not on board.”

“Areyou sure?”

“Yes,Ihave scanned every level twice.”

Pacingthe floor, nowIknow something’s not right. “Ok,Ihate to ask you to do this, but can you contactKirafor me?”

“Letme see if she is available.”

Momentslater,Kira’sface appears on the main holo screen in our room. “Briardear, did you forget something?”

“Yeah,Ithink it wasLacie.Didyou see her again afterMeKpacked her off?”

“No,Isimply assumed she was with him.”

“Well, she’s not here, andIhave this horrible feeling.Doyou think theCommandercould contactMeKand see if she’s there with him?Mechecking up on her like this will probably embarrass her to death, butIcan’t go to sleep untilIknow she’s ok.It’snot like her not to leave me a message or something, andI’vetried to comm her several times.”

“Giveme a second, dear.DaRis outside talking toKyT.”

Stillpacing the floor,Iwait for her to come back on the screen.

TheCommanderis the one who appears next. “Briar,Ineed this holo module to contactMeKsince he has returned to his main ship in orbit.So, give us a little bit to get back to you.”

“Ok, but please don’t leave me hanging here.”

“Iwill haveANDInotify you the moment we know something.”Thescreen goes blank.

“ANDI,Ineed to get back down there.”

“Iwill prepare a ship as soon as theCommanderresponds.”

WhydoIhave a feeling that it’s going to be too late?

Chapter Twenty-Three

DAR

“ANDI,Ineed you to confirm thatMistressLaciedid not board any of the drop ships.”

“Ihave scanned the levels twice,CommanderDaR, and she is not on board.”

“Isanyone else missing?”

“MasterEricis also unaccounted for.”

“Canyou scan the communal area and see if you can pick up either of their comm units or translators?”

“Iwill start the scan immediately,Commander.”

“SCOUT!Ineed you here as soon as possible.”

MyKirawalks up to me, her face concerned. “DaR, it can’t be coincidental that both of them are missing.IknowEricwatches her all the time, andIheard a few rumors today thatEricandMeKgot into an argument overLacieearlier.”

Hittingthe main controls,IpingMeK’sship.Hisface appears, but his eyes are cloaked as are his runes, like he is ashamed of the marks that show he is mine. “Father?”