Page 33

ALICE

Our new quarters were luxurious beyond belief. The mattress was out of this world—literally—adjusting in just the right places and with the right temperatures. A real shower and bathtub waited for me in the bathroom, and best of all, there were no nutrition dispensers. Silla had filled Luph's cargo hold to bursting. I had no idea how they kept everything fresh because the bread tasted freshly baked, but I would definitely investigate it later when I had a moment.

Because we had been up late last night, or should I say early in the morning, the lights were about to dim for the night again by the time we ate breakfast. Raasla had left earlier for a scouting trip, and Zoe sat anxiously at the table, not eating anything.

"What if they caught him?" She said for the hundredth time.

"We don't see any ships around Darlam," Noodar tried to soothe her by bringing up a cube screen and showing her a single blip, which was supposedly Raasla. "Looks like he's already on his way back."

"Are your marks hurting?" I asked her.

She shook her head, "We never had that distance thing problem."

"Ours are gone too, thank God." Sloane picked up another piece of bread. "This is so good."

"Isn't it?" I agreed. "I have to figure out how all that food keeps so fresh."

Xyrek shook his head, "Don't."

"Oh ye of little faith," I teased him.

"You still have three bots to fix," he reminded me with a smirk, to which, in reply, I made a face at him.

"By the way, what is a Xanomarph?" Noodar asked.

"Xenomorph," Nova giggled.

"Please tell me she made that thing up," Zaarek groaned, still recovering from his headache.

"It's a made-up thing from one of their Earth movies…" Tharaax drew his brows together in concentration, "Alien one, two, three, four… right?" He looked at Hannah for confirmation.

The men stared at him, dumbfounded.

"What? Do your mates not let you watch Earth movies?"

"Oh, they're so much fun," Nock exclaimed, holding a box of honest-to-God Oreo cookies in his hands and munching on several.

"Alright, I vote we do movie night once we've figured this Darlam thing out. We'll start with Alien!" Nova decided. Sloane high-fived her.

"All clear," Raasla declared, walking in. Zoe rushed forward and melted into his embrace. Over breakfast, I’d learned that Zoe was about three months pregnant, but besides a tiny pouch, she didn’t show at all.

"What do you mean, all clear ?" Sloane stared at him.

"There's nothing there. No Ohrurs, no Space Guardians." Raasla clarified.

"They do know we have three Ohrurs as our captives, right?" Luph clarified.

Last night, they explained that three Ohrurs were needed to get through the forcefield surrounding Darlam.

"They assume we have two males and one female," Hannah snapped her fingers. "I bet they think the field won't let us through because of the female."

"Why?" I asked, confused.

"Because the Ohrurs have this chauvinistic attitude toward women. They think we're inferior to males," Sloane explained with a disgusted expression.

"That would make sense," I remarked, earning me some strange looks from the other women, and I hastened to explain. "I don't mean it makes sense they think we're inferior, just that they would have calibrated the field to only allow men through."

"Oh. Okay." Sloane nodded.

"Are you some kind of inventor or something?" Zoe wanted to know.

"Or something. I'm an engineer. Or was." I explained.

"You still are, always have been." Xyrek kissed the top of my head.

"That makes sense," Nova agreed. "Wow, I'm glad you guys caught that traitor and brought him instead of the woman."

Confused, I looked from one to the other, and they quickly explained what had happened to Sloane and Vraax on Ohrur. It was mind-boggling; we had already talked all night, but there was still so much that hadn’t been shared yet. I hadn't known about this or the secret underground city on Ohrur that they spoke of. I was also more than shocked about how the Ohrurs treated their women. What a despicable species they were. Whatever revenge we would be able to dish out, they deserved even more.

"They must have full trust in their forcefield then," Noodar said.

"Let's go," Raasla started for the door.

"Hold on. Let's think this through strategically," Sloane stopped him. She quickly glanced through the room to ensure everyone was accounted for. "We need only one of you," she looked at the Space Guardians, "and the three Ohrurs. You'll use the ship that Vraax and I stole, which should fulfill the requirements of getting through.

"Once you've safely landed, you will need to find the source of the forcefield and shut it down before the rest of us can follow. I also want at least two of you," again she stared the Space Guardians down, "to stay in orbit and monitor for hostiles."

"I'll take the Ohrurs to Darlam," Xyrek volunteered, and my heart sank. This was it then. This was really it. I had known we would do this, that we would risk our lives, but suddenly, what had been something that would happen in the future had caught up to us. The thought of losing Xyrek nearly tore my heart apart.

"I got Possedion. I'll go." Tharaax stood up. Hannah clamped her hands in front of her mouth. Just as fearful as I felt.

"If that's the case, I'll go, I got Moddekdum," Vraax stated.

" We got Moddekdum," Sloane corrected before she took a deep sigh. "I'm sorry. Noodar goes. Vraax and Raasla are our best pilots. They will watch our backs."

I expected loud outcries of protest, but they all just stared at Sloane. She nodded. "Good."

"Sloane," Vraax moved to her and pulled her into his arms. "I don't want you going to Darlam without me."

"I know," she replied, returning his embrace. "But you'll have to let me go."

The war on Vraax's face was evident. His face was pale, his jaw set, and every cell in his body cried how much he didn't like the idea, but there was also resolve.

"I trust you." He finally said. "Let's go, Raasla!"

Without looking back, he left. While Sloane watched him retreat, a small smile curved her lips. "Space Guardian!"

She called after him. He stopped by the doorway.

"I love you."

He didn't turn, but from his profile, I saw a smirk and wondered what had just happened. It had to be something just between the two of them.

"With all due respect, Commander," Nova interjected, addressing Sloane mockingly. "I don't think Noodar should go alone."

"I understand." Sloane looked thoughtful, considering Nova's words.

"Once you’ve successfully penetrated the forcefield, Noodar, come back and get the others before disembarking on Darlam." Sloane decided.

Noodar crossed his arms over his chest, "So it's alright to send me out alone on a suicide mission, but not to set foot on Darlam?"

I swallowed. He was right. It was a potential suicide mission. If the intel was wrong, the forcefield could shoot the ship down with everyone aboard. Nova blanched.

"In essence, yes. Do you have a problem with that?" Sloane challenged Noodar.

"Nope, I'm good." The Space Guardian replied with a small chuckle.

"Well, get going," Sloane moved her hands to shoo him out.

"Yes, ma'am!" Noodar had obviously learned about human military manners. I would have smiled had he not been on his way to find out if he could penetrate the forcefield or not.

My stomach sank when I watched Noodar and Luph embrace as if it were their last time. Tears stung my eyes, not just because that could be Xyrek and me, but because the love between the two was so obvious and beautiful. It hurt watching their pain.

Zoe walked over and took Luph into her arms after Noodar freed himself. Hannah moved forward and supported Luph's other side, nodding at Noodar to move out through the hatch where Xyrek, Zaarek, and Tharaax stood. They had brought the prisoners aboard Vraax’s ship since one of the requirements was that the ship had to belong to the Ohrurs—another hitch in the plan. Technically, the ship had been stolen from the Ohrurs, but we were operating on the assumption that any Ohrur-owned and made ship would be okay. We had to. We didn't have another choice.

"You three," Sloane pointed at Xyrek, Zaarek, and Tharaax, "be ready. Noodar is going to make a test run down to the surface and then come pick you up."

The men looked surprised; Xyrek's eyes met mine, and I felt his excitement for going home and forced a smile on my lips to match his enthusiasm. At least he wouldn't be on board for the test run , as Sloane called the suicide mission so diplomatically. I didn't even try to imagine Luph's emotions right then. The thought of Xyrek boarding the ship after it was deemed safe was enough to make me hyperventilate.

"Everything ready?" Sloane asked Tucker as he exited the other ship.

"All good." He nodded.

I hadn't talked much to him yet, but he seemed easygoing. His charismatic smile reminded me of the actor Matthew McConaughey ; it was the kind that could sell a beekeeper honey. But there was also darkness surrounding him, the same darkness I had seen on the face of the dealers who sold meth to my parents and siblings.

It still amazed me, the way fate had twisted things—Sloane knowing him on Earth, and him turning out to be Nova’s long-lost brother... No, I corrected myself. That sure wasn't a coincidence. My logical mind was taking a huge hit here, but this was fate—all of it.

"It will be alright," I told Luph as the hatch closed behind Noodar.

She looked at me questioningly. The pain in her eyes hurt my heart.

"How do you know?" She asked.

"I feel it in here," I said, thumbing my heart. "We were all brought here for a reason, and trust me when I tell you that the reason is not watching Noodar get blown up on a spaceship."

She sniffed and hugged me. "Thank you."

I had no right to make this kind of promise to her, none, but deep down, I felt that everything would be alright.