Page 62

Forty

Tivek

As much as I’d heard about the tribute bride space stations, I’d never come close to visiting one. Already, the polished white interior was a marked change from the dark stone of the academy, and the pastel lights and peppy Earth music were as far away from the atmosphere on Drex as I could imagine.

Serge stepped from the inclinator and threw his arms wide. “Welcome to the South Pacific!”

I had no idea what the South Pacific was, but it was more foreign to me than any alien world I’d visited. The sky was an impossibly vibrant blue canopy that stretched as far as the eye could see. Fluffy white clouds dotted the horizon, and a warm breeze carried the scent of salt water and sweet flower blossoms.

Morgan gasped beside me. "This can't be real."

"It's not, darling.” Serge winked at her as he led us onto a wooden walkway that stretched over crystal-clear water."Almost everything here is holographic. The climate control system mimics the humidity and temperature of Earth's tropical regions while our holosimulators create the visual elements. Even the scents are manufactured to mimic the environment exactly.”

The wooden planks creaked beneath our boots as we made our way across the walkway. To either side of us, overwater bungalows with thatched roofs perched on stilts as water lapped against the wooden pylons beneath us. Somewhere in the distance, birds cawed. Holobirds, that is.

"This is all a simulation?” Morgan crouched down to dip her fingers into the water. "It feels real!"

"Oh, it is real," Serge said, his tone suddenly serious. "In the sense that you could very much drown in it if you're not careful." He glanced around conspiratorially and lowered his voice. "We had a tribute bride nearly drown a Drexian commander once. Quite the scandal."

“Really?” Morgan looked instantly intrigued.

Serge waved his hand dismissively as the roots of his purple hair turned pink. "That's a story for another time, darling."

I'd heard plenty about the tribute bride space stations, of course. They were massive structures designed to house and entertain the human females who had agreed to be potential mates. Well,nowthe human women agreed. Initially, they’d been taken from Earth.

The stations were famous for their holographic environments and, specifically, the fantasy suites intended to make the procured women more inclined to stay and be happy. But nothing had prepared me for the sheer opulence of theenvironment. Even the holochambers at the academy weren’t so immersive. Or maybe I’d never run the right program.

This simulation was clearly designed to create an intoxicating illusion, from the distant sound of waves crashing against a shore that didn't exist, to the gentle rustle of palm fronds overhead, to the occasional colorful bird that darted across the sky.

As we approached the end of the walkway, Serge stopped at one of the larger bungalows. "This will be your accommodation, Lieutenant Tivek.” He pressed his palm against a discrete panel, and the wooden door slid open silently.

The interior was just as impressive as the exterior. An open-concept suite was constructed of highly-polished wood with high ceilings supported by exposed beams. Floor-to-ceiling glass on one side offered views of the endless blue water. In the center of the room stood a massive four-poster bed draped in gossamer white fabric that billowed gently in the breeze coming through the open balcony doors.

I found myself at a loss for words. “It’s…”

"Yes, yes, it's lovely," Serge said, already backing toward the door. "The environmental controls are there, communication panel there, refreshment replicator in the corner. Now, I must show your colleague to her suite next door."

Morgan hesitated before following Serge, our eyes meeting briefly. There was something unspoken in her gaze, but before I could say anything, Serge had ushered her out. I was suddenly alone in the hush of the suite, with nothing but the soft sound of water and distant birds for company.

I moved slowly to the balcony, still struggling to process everything that had happened in so little time. The rescue mission, the ambush, the desperate escape through Kronock territory, and finally, our rescue by the tribute bride station. It felt like years had passed since we'd left the academy, not mere days.

Exhaustion washed over me, and I found myself sinking onto the edge of the bed. It was impossibly soft and so unlike my rigid academy bed. I hadn't realized how tense I'd been until I felt the muscles in my shoulders finally begin to uncoil.

We were safe. For the first time since we’d left the academy, we were truly safe.

I closed my eyes, and my thoughts instantly drifted to Morgan. To the feel of her body pressed to me, to her lips on mine, to her fingers tangled in my hair.

Decisions made in moments of extreme stress weren't always rational. I knew that better than most. People said and did things they might later regret when faced with their own mortality. But what had happened between us hadn't felt like desperation or fear. It had felt inevitable and real.

Still, I couldn't help but wonder if Morgan was now having second thoughts. The intensity of the situation had passed, and in the clear light of this artificial day, would she see things differently? Would she regret throwing caution to the wind for a Drexian who lived in shadows and secrets?

I didn't regret it. Not a moment of it. But did she?

The soft beep of the door panel interrupted my thoughts. My heart quickened slightly as I rose from the bed. Had Morgan come to see me?

But when the door slid open, it wasn't Morgan. Instead, a Drexian officer stood on the other side of the door with a small, flat device.

"Lieutenant Tivek," he said with a curt nod. "This is for you."