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Story: Secrecy

Tivek took one look at him and thumped his fist across his shoulder in salute.

"Captain Kalex of the Island.” The Drexian nodded to Tivek. "Welcome aboard."

The Island. Reina had talked about working on the Island. It was one of the tribute bride space stations. My knees nearly buckled with relief that we'd been found by Drexians after all.

Tivek squared his shoulders. "Lieutenant Tivek, adjunct to Admiral Zoran, and this is…”

“Morgan,” I said. “I mean, Cadet Caldwell, Captain.”

The Drexian captain flicked his gaze to our ship before wrinkling his brow. “You’re the only two passengers in the ship?”

“They’re from the Academy,” Serge said in a stage whisper.

Captain Kalex nodded slowly. “We did receive a transmission from the academy about a missing rescue ship.”

“That’s us.” I smiled at the captain, but his expression remained stern.

“It’s a long story but there was a jump drive malfunction," Tivek said. "We were hit by Kronock fire during the escape. When we initiated the jump, the coordinates were corrupted."

"We'll need a full report, but first, let me contact the Academy.” The captain gave us both another cursory glance. “They'll want immediate confirmation of your safety."

"The rest of the rescue team?" Tivek asked. "Did they make it back?"

“They did.”

Serge cleared his throat. “I hate to interrupt, but if our new guests will be here until they’re debriefed, we should give them accommodations.”

I sighed. “We have been floating in space for a while. A proper bed would be nice.”

“You can handle getting them appropriate accommodations?” The captain asked the Gatazoid, whose chest puffed up.

“You can count on me,” Serge said, bouncing on the toes of his platform heels.

I caught Tivek's eye, a smile tugging at my lips despite my exhaustion. He looked as relived as I felt.

The captain seemed on the verge of smiling but instead he frowned and locked eyes on Tivek. “We will debrief after you’ve had a chance to rest and eat.”

“Yes, sir.” Tivek gave the Drexian another salute as the captain spun on a heel and strode from the hangar bay.

Serge wasted no time in his task, clapping his hands and bustling ahead of us across the hangar bay floor. “This way, this way!"

Tivek and I followed him around the Drexian mechanics repairing ships and rolling barrels of fuel. The clanging of tools and echoing shouts muffled the Gatazoid’s enthusiastic chatter, so I jogged a few steps to catch up.

Serge led the way through a wide, open doorway and into another environment entirely. Instead of iron beams and utilitarian steel floors, the walls outside the hangar bay were curved and gleamed white. Windows on one side of the walls overlooked the interior of the space station, which seemed to be a long, vertical structure that was all glass and views to space beyond.

I gaped at the transparent tubes that crossed the center of the cylindrical station and created the appearance of a web. “What are those?”

Serge glanced back and followed to where my finger pointed. “The inclinators, of course.” Then he stopped at a set of doors that swished open. “We’re about to get in one right now.”

I knew of Drexian inclinators from the one at the Academy, but it didn’t pulse with pink interior light or play Muzak. I stifled a grin as I stepped inside and recognized the instrumental sounds of the vintage 80s song “Take On Me.”

As the doors glided shut and Serge continued to narrate our tour of the station, I found myself struggling to process our sudden turn of fortune. Hours ago, we'd been lost in uncharted space, facing the very real possibility of never being found. Nowwe were being escorted through a Drexian space station by a Gatazoid wedding planner.

I stole a look at Tivek, but his expression was unreadable. Was he pleased to be on a Drexian space station or was he eager to return to the academy? I, for one, was glad for a bit more time to sort out my feelings and figure out how I wanted to handle things when we returned.

When the inclinator slowed to a stop, Serge beamed at us and rubbed his hands together. “This is one of my favorite floors.”

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