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She dusted off her hands. ‘Satisfied, Commander Sable?’

His eyes were murderous.

‘Nada.’

A small, dark laugh left her lips.

‘Not surprised.’

Issa swiveled to tag Juno’s shocked expression.

‘What the hell was that?’ the paramedic breathed.

Issa hesitated, wondering whether to send a memory nudge.

That’s when she sensed a cloud of metanoids blanket the medics and pilot, and without warning, Juno’s face shifted and relaxed, and her eyes canted away from Issa.

Issa stared at the medic and then turned to Riva, Zera, Bear, and Klash, whose gazes were also dilated.

The surgeon shifted to Ki’Remi to find his eyes glowing at her. ‘They don’t get anything from you until I do.’

‘A mind wipe?’

He arched a brow and quirked his lip. ‘Wouldn’t you like to know?’

Emotion arced between them as their eyes locked, and they swayed toward each other, a feral, wild, repelling yet attracting magnetic instance.

A voice interrupted the moment.

Juno was shaking her head, running hands over her face, confused. ‘Did we crash land?’

Issa gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder. ‘We did; the hot touchdown shook your memories. Klash even got a concussion, but we’re all good now.’

‘The ship?’ Bear asked, incredulous.

‘Gone.’

‘Were we hit?’ Juno went on.

‘Something like that.’

Issa huffed in shock as Ki’Remi murmured to the disoriented crew and Zera.

His metanoids had changed their recollection of events.

Fascinating.

‘We have to move,’ Bear growled, scanning the area, ‘and get this young woman back to her people.’

‘Indeed,’ Ki’Remi said, ‘but first, I must send a distress signal. We need a pickup very soon.’

He sliced eyes at his colleague. ‘In case any hostile types show up.’

Ki’Remi narrowed eyes on her.

Issa didn’t care.

She had far more significant problems than his skepticism.