Page 18 of Ava Stargazer (Planet Xai #2)

The shuttle bringing Vox and the others back descended carefully through the neural net protecting Xai until it hovered right above the ground. Ava watched, standing next to Orla, shuffling her feet and clutching her hands.

“It’s here,” Orla said, sighing. “I was beginning to think they got the time wrong.”

They had been waiting for nearly the entire morning. Xai’s large sun was already high in the sky, and the humidity was rising with it. How long does this heat last? All of summer? Ava had no frame of reference for how long anything on this planet lasted. She sipped some water while waiting, wiping sweat from her brow.

“Well, we did decide to come a bit early in case it arrived ahead of schedule,” Ava said mildly, pulling her jumpsuit front from her body, where it was sticking. So gross.

Orla absently patted the head of the coar Erox owned that had brought both her and Ava here this morning.

Ava pet the animal as it moved its large head her way to look for further pets when Orla moved away, scratching under its horns while it closed its eyes. She smiled as it nudged her hand when she stopped, looking for more. You are so soft and fuzzy.

Now that the shuttle was coming closer, the markings were easily identifiable. It was not the same Spry shuttle that had left roughly a week before. What was also not the same was the charred side with a neural field over a hole, a temporary emergency patch that deploys only when a ship sustains damage. Fear, fast and sharp, ran down her spine. Oh no.

Ava’s eyes tracked the ship as it landed a distance away, not paying attention anymore to the coar or Orla as her feet dug in the dirt and her heart pounded as she ran closer.

She stopped at the edge of the landing pad, her eyes raking the shuttle as the door opened and a bloodied Erox was lifted out. It was then that she became aware of Orla’s presence next to her as Orla audibly gasped seeing Erox, his face visibly scarred in a way Ava could already tell would never fully heal. Rhutg was next to him, holding an emergency sealer to his wounds, keeping him stable as they exited together.

Ava’s eyes flitted up and met with Vox’s a moment later, a flush of relief going through her at seeing him standing, unharmed, before returning her focus to Erox.

He nodded to her, mentally saying, “Ava. I am fine,” before turning back to his brother.

A small crowd had begun to gather, already drawn by the shuttle arriving, as the landing pad was near the main lake. Now even more came, hastened by the alarm. For once, Ava didn’t feel them, having reached that state of effective detachment in her panic.

She swallowed as Erox was lifted down, deep gashes in his side in addition to his face. Ava hung back as Orla rushed ahead, not wanting to get in the way as Erox’s wounds were assessed. But she watched as Pyra came, fast as he could, with a stronger heat seal from the quorum hall near the landing pad. The same place where Ava had attended that meeting several weeks ago.

Vox came to her then while Rhutg stayed next to Erox, taking the heat seal from Pyra and holding it to his side, discarding the weaker one from the shuttle.

“Is he going to be alright?” she whispered.

Vox swept her into his arms instead, hard, before dipping down and nuzzling her neck. “Yes, in all the ways that matter.”

He held her until it hurt slightly from the force. Vox pulled away, and a line of sticky blood clung to Ava’s jumpsuit where he was pressed against her.

Red blood, like hers.

She pointed to the deep gash on his jumpsuit. “Vox. You're injured.”

He shook his head, looking back at his brother. “Erox needs tending to first. My injury is not critical.”

“What happened? How were you hurt?”

“The Tuxa fired a parting shot at us as we left. One got through our defenses and hit the side of the hull Erox was standing on.” He pulled her again next to his non-wounded side and they watched as Erox’s wounds were sealed, more of a crowd filtering in as time went on.

Rhutg pulled his hands away after several heartbeats. “He’ll need to rest now. We’ll do more once we get him settled.”

Erox appeared more lucid now that the most critical wounds were sealed. He gave a feral look to the crowd. “Those bastards.” Then he snarled in Pyra’s direction as Rhutg held the seal against a smaller wound on his leg. “Do you see, Pyra? The Tuxa attack again; they do not care about peace agreements.”

Rhutg stood, alone unharmed of the three of them from the shuttle. “Rest, Erox. We will take the cart back, you take one of the hovers.”

Ava went to Rhutg, now engaged in talking to the quorum members who were filing in about the peace talks and subsequent attack. He looked down at her as she tugged at the heat seal, then handed it over, not pausing his conversation.

She turned away from them, eyes only on Vox and the blood dripping from the wound on his shoulder as she walked back to him and carefully moved his jumpsuit, activating the seal. Vox grunted as the heat started. The wound was deep, and even after holding it for several seconds a large gash remained.

It's too big for the seal to fix. She patted the area with hands coated in his blood. “We can get the seal on Celestial for you and Erox once we get back.”

He shook his head and pulled his hands down and away. “Enough, Ava. Sometimes nature just needs to take a minute to catch up.”

She took a deep breath and looked up to see several of the quorum members were watching, glowing as they did, her emotions and actions on display. Her eyes snagged on Keervel, expecting to see a sneer, but only seeing speculation instead. Well, they can see I care at least.

Vox looked over her shoulder at them and replaced what he could of his jumpsuit, covering his torso. “Let’s get home, alright?”

She looked over at Erox, who was being loaded in a hover brought over by Zeed. He had fallen back unconscious, with Rhutg carrying him.

Zeed’s eyes flitted up to meet hers over the steering wheel before he focused again on Erox being placed next to him.

Ava turned to Vox as the hover carried both Erox and Orla away, back to their house on the lake. “Yes, let’s go.” She rubbed her face in his chest, wishing the fabric of the jumpsuit he wore was not in between them and he was whole again. “You’re okay, I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“I'm fine, Ava,” he murmured into her hair, grounding her with the pressure from his arms.

Rhutg watched, detachment in his gaze. “Other than the parting shot, we did learn a lot. We should go to Cipra sooner rather than later. Not only because of Ava, but there’s too many strings now being tugged in that direction.”

Vox pressed his head onto the top of Ava’s before turning and meeting Rhutg’s eyes. “I agree. After a few days’ rest.”

Rhutg stretched his arms out to the side. “I’m ready to leave whenever. I want to be back before the next peace meeting in a month, especially after this attack.”

Ava’s heart fluttered with uncertainty. “So soon?”

Vox looked sidelong at her. “Yes, now is the time to go. That is, if you still are wanting to...”

“Yes,” Ava immediately answered, despite the unease in her stomach. I will do this. “But I don’t think the Spry finished everything on the ship yet.”

“Fijjak has messaged that everything external is completed. It’s just hookups now to the weapon add-ons and further software changes. He will come with us to continue working on the way. The Spry want to see what happened at Cipra as well. Knowing there was something covered up as big as Humans has piqued their interest.” Vox paused and added, “Not to mention, by coming they can see the biologics in action.”

Ava thought of Fijjak and the conversation in the solarium. “Yes, Fijjak. He has been very kind. I think the Spry do want to help.”

Vox squeezed her close with his non-injured arm. “That is why they are our allies. Luckily, the Phor ship is even faster and has more defensive capabilities than this shuttle.”

Ava bit her lip as she watched Rhutg leave before angling Vox down to kiss his brow. He let out a low thrum in his throat at her touch, and she looked deep into his amber eyes. They softened as she stared at them intensely. “I missed you,”

Vox touched his forehead to hers again as he ran his hands down her arms, at a practiced angle to not scratch. “Ah, yes. But you knew I would return.” His voice deepened with his sincerity. “I will always return for you.”

“I know. But . . .”

He hummed, calming her down. Ava leaned into his touch. “Shh, Ava. Your mind doesn’t stop. I know. Erox will be alright.” He pointed at his wound. “And I will just wear a new scar.”

A new scar, I’m so glad that's all there is. She leaned against him after they climbed in the cart, making sure to sit on his non-injured side. I just want it to be us again. I missed him so much .

“You are affectionate.” Vox held her close, rubbing down her side while she leaned closer. Her body began to shake once they were out of sight, the adrenaline of seeing him and Erox injured wearing off. Vox stopped the cart and turned to hold her, humming until her tears flowed and she calmed.

She choked out, “You’re the one hurt and I'm the one crying?”

At that, he chuckled. “That salt water just lets me know you care. It’s alright. Now we are better prepared knowing the tricks the Tuxa will still pull.’

Ava’s breathing finally slowed as they sat there in the shade of a large tree, the coar standing without a care as it waited.

Vox angled her head up to his, kissing her deeply. “I missed you too,” he said heavily, breaking apart from kissing her to touch foreheads. He opened his connection as he met her eyes, and Ava felt his words deep in her bones. “I have missed you.”

When they exited next to Celestial , Ava hopped out and retrieved the stronger heat seal from the med bay. She handed it to Vox, who took it with the cart to Erox’s house while Ava stayed behind, pacing a moment before walking to look at Vox’s birds. She stood next to the gift she made him, already attached to the side of the bird’s pen. This seems so small now, after such a close call.

“What is that, Ava?”

Ava pulled away from the device and saw Vox behind her. “Is Erox alright?”

“Yes, but he will have even more scars than me. Some have all the luck.” He knocked her elbow as he came to look into the bird pen with her. “What are you looking at?”

Ava fumbled her words, her back to her creation. “It’s ah . . . silly. Especially after . . .”

“Hmm?” He craned his neck to try to look around her.

“It's not big. You've given me so much, I just thought . . .”

Vox looked closer. “Is it a bird feeder?”

“Yeah, from leftover parts in the engine hall.” Her fingers tangled as she demonstrated. The bird feeder was not beautiful, but it did work perfectly. There was a pause as Vox continued fiddling with it. Ava filled the silence. “I know your mother watched your birds when you were away before, but this can also help. It feeds them and is solar charged.”

The gift seemed even sillier in light of the attack Vox just underwent. Under her breath she said, “It’s downright primitive compared to anything you can trade for, but . . .”

Vox flushed a deep purple, then looked at her with heat in his eyes. “The fact that you thought of me like this ... your heart, Ava. Thank you, sweet bird.” He pushed into her, nudging her forward. “Into the house, Ava. I had a close call today, and I need you. I will show you how I am thinking of you.”

“Your injury.”

“It’s sealed enough. You can use the healing cream on it later. I need you now.”

Vox’s eyes shone in intensity as he pressed her against the wall the moment they were behind the door to their house. Ava felt shivers down her spine as his body radiated heat through her thin jumpsuit, warming her in a way that had been missing since he left.

He murmured into her skin, at the top of her collar bone, tugging on her jumpsuit. “Why are you still wearing this?” He opened his connection as he deftly took off her suit, throwing it to the corner.

Vox’s member was already extended out of its slit, coated in its own lubricant and ready as he shed his own suit. His eyes were luminous in the dark and flashed when he regarded her, keeping his hands on her as he pushed her back toward their bed.

Ava felt the connection between them surge as fast as the biologics, her heart lighter than it had been in several of Xai’s moons. “I’m not wearing it now.”

Vox chuckled as he leaned forward and gently cupped her face in his hands. “No, you are not, are you?” He pressed his forehead to hers. “I have missed you so much. Especially your thoughts, right now, how they race.” He sat up and closed his eyes, sharing so Ava felt it too.

She pushed his head back and climbed into his lap, arching her back into him. “It just wasn’t right with you gone. I was around a lot of others, but...” She spoke softly as his arms came down around her. “I’m glad you’re back.”

“Yes, Ava.” His gaze was leashed fire as he looked down at her, his hands moving between her legs, running his fingers up and down from her clit to her entrance, their joined minds enhancing the sensation. “I have missed every part of you. Especially this one.”

Ava laughed, but then stopped as he slipped his thumb further into her, taking her slickness and carrying it to her clit again. “I have missed this too.”

Vox trembled, his fingers insistent as they played with her. “Already, you’re ready. Your body as well as your mind sing for me.”

He leaned forward again, humming as he stroked around her entrance. He leaned forward to kiss her stomach while Ava whimpered from his hands. “Those sounds especially sing for me.”

“Vox.” Ava was tired of going slow. Their actions were becoming more familiar to her, allowing her to feel braver.

She leaned forward and grabbed his cock, guiding him toward her opening. “Now.”

Vox chuckled. “Insistent?”

“Yes.”

He let her lead though and thrust inside of her. She was tighter again after his absence for over a week and he paused, giving her time to adjust. Ava felt him open the connection more, feeling through her mind where to push, what angle to deepen. She was soon gripping the bed behind her with her hands, overcome with feeling.

He pushed up off her and looked down, giving them both a view of him entering her, but soon shook his head and leaned down over her torso, saying roughly, “I wanted to watch it slow, but I have missed you too much.”

Ava reached up with her legs to pull him in even deeper as his thrusts became more urgent and primal.

Vox opened the connection again as he reached his completion, adding his sensation to Ava’s. The intimacy of the moment pushed her over the edge. He stayed inside her for a time after before rolling to the side. Silence fell as Ava felt his heartbeats slow to normal. Vox spoke again, softly. “I always wondered what love would feel like. My parents loved, but it is different feeling it directly.”

Ava paused. “That’s...” Her heart felt light, feeling his words echo deep inside.

Vox ran his fingers through her hair. “It is so many little moments that build until they are the only moments that matter.”

He fell asleep soon after, but Ava stayed awake, watching him breathe. She idly ran her fingers along his scarred arms, then stroked his soft, frilled head. I love you too.