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"No," I said automatically, then caught myself. What was the point of lying now? "Yes. Maybe. I don't know."

Reina waited, the silence stretching between us with nothing but the lapping of the water and the far away caw of a gull to interrupt it.

"I've always liked him," I finally admitted, the words tumbling out. "Even when I barely knew him. But during the away mission, we were thrown together. He saved my life more than once. Then when we were marooned…” I trailed off, remembering things I wasn’t willing to share with Reina. “Part of me thought maybe we could have..." I gestured vaguely, unable to put a name to the possibility I'd glimpsed. "But then I overheard him being offered a promotion on Earth. I could never stand in his way.”

"And you told him to take it," Reina guessed.

I nodded, a traitorous tear escaping despite my best efforts. "What was I supposed to say? It was just a shipboard fling." The lie was bitter on my lips. “It wouldn’t have lasted. I did us both a favor."

"Are you sure about that?" Reina asked, her voice gentle.

I swiped at my eyes. "Doesn't matter now, does it? He's going to Earth. I'm going back to the Academy. End of story."

"Morgan—"

The door chimed again, cutting her off. I rose automatically, grateful for the interruption.

The door slid open, and Serge barreled in, his shoes slapping the wood floor loudly. When he spotted Reina, he lurched to a stop. "There you are! I've been looking everywhere!" His gaze darted to me then back to Reina. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No," I said, just as Reina blurted, "Yes."

Serge's eyebrows shot up and he frowned. I got the idea that the Gatazoid did not like being in the dark about anything.

"I have to go change," Reina announced suddenly and hurried to the door. "Morgan needs to ask you something, Serge."

"I do?" I asked, bewildered.

“She does?" Serge echoed, equally confused.

But Reina was already moving toward the door with a determination that seemed strangely urgent. "I'll see you both later!"

The door glided shut behind her, leaving me staring at Serge, who looked just as confused as I felt.

"What was that about?" he asked.

I shook my head slowly. "I have absolutely no idea."

“You have nothing to ask me?” Serge’s purple brows rose.

I shook my head, still shell-shocked by Reina’s appearance and abrupt departure.

Serge, however, hadn’t been stunned into silence. He waggled a finger in the air. “Reina is up to something. Mark my words.” He tugged at the hem of his garish jacket and headed for my door again. “And she’s lost her mind if she thinks she can fool me.”

Chapter

Fifty-Eight

Tivek

Isat in the cockpit of the Drexian transport ship, fingers moving across the glossy black console as I finished the safety checks. Glancing up at the reflective viewscreen, I saw my grim-faced, clenched jaw expression distorted and reflected back to me.

I looked away abruptly and started calculating my route to Earth. It would take me at least two jumps to reach the planet, which was one of the reasons I was delaying my takeoff. The other was probably in her fantasy suite.

This is the logical choice, I reminded myself. The promotion to Earth was everything I had worked toward, and it was a career-defining opportunity. Besides, Morgan didn’t want me. She’d encouraged me to go.

Then why did it feel like I was running away?

Morgan's face flashed in my mind and my breath caught. Then I remembered her expression when she’d insisted I take the promotion. If there had been regret in her eyes, I hadn’t seen it.