Page 39

Chapter

Thirty-Nine

Morgan

T he ship shook as the tractor beam locked onto us from behind, the metal hull groaning in protest as we were pulled inexorably toward the mysterious vessel. I stumbled, catching myself against the bulkhead as I finished fastening my uniform with trembling fingers.

"Can you identify it?" I called to Tivek, who remained at the controls, his back rigid with tension as he worked the unresponsive console.

"Negative," he replied, his voice tight. “We’re too far for visual, and our damaged sensors are useless aside from alerting us that there is a ship and it’s pulling us.”

My heart hammered against my ribs as I peered fruitlessly out the front glass.

We were being pulled backward, the blackness slowly replaced by the metallic interior of what appeared to be a massive hangar bay.

Not long ago, I’d been petrified of being stuck in space.

Now that we were being rescued, I was just as scared.

Who had found us and dragged us into their massive vessel? I couldn’t yet see any figures, so I didn’t know if it was friend or foe. My stomach twisted. Or Kronock.

I reached for Tivek's hand, intertwining my fingers with his, as a strange calm settle over me. “We’ve got this.”

He glanced up at me, momentary surprise flickering across his features before a small smile softened his expression. “With you, I have everything.”

Something had shifted between us. It went beyond the physical intimacy, beyond the shared secrets. I'd never been one to rely on others. I’d always prided myself on self-sufficiency. I’d hadn’t had much choice.

Yet being with Tivek, baring my soul along with my body, had given me a different kind of strength. I knew with complete certainty that he wouldn't let anything happen to me, just as I wouldn't let anything happen to him.

The ship jolted hard as we were set down, the abrupt release from the tractor beam sending us stumbling to one side. Then there was silence.

"Ready?" he asked, reaching for the release that would lower the exit ramp.

I nodded, squeezing his hand as we walked to the center of the ship together. "Ready."

The hydraulics hissed as the ramp began to descend, revealing glimpses of an oil-stained hangar floor.

The brightness of the hangar momentarily dazzled me after days in our dimly lit ship that had run on auxiliary power and only ambient light. As my eyes adjusted, I struggled to make sense of the figure bustling up the ramp toward us.

“Well butter my behind and call me a biscuit! These aren’t tribute brides.”

I blinked in disbelief at the small alien dressed in head-to-toe fuchsia, from his pointed boots to a ruffled collar that framed his face.

The only thing that was decidedly not fuchsia was his spiky hair, which was purple.

His oversized eyes widened even further as he reached us, hands fluttering in excitement.

“A Gatazoid?” Tiv said under his breath as he swiveled his head and took in the soaring ceilings crossed with beams and the other gleaming black ships lined up.

"We were supposed to receive Earth brides for the tribute program! But you're clearly not—well, she might be, but you're definitely Drexian, darling, and a handsome one at that.”

Tivek's jaw had dropped, an expression I'd rarely seen on his typically stoic face. I might have laughed if I wasn't equally stunned.

“Are Gatazoid’s friendly?” I whispered to Tivek as the Gatazoid circled me, tapping one long finger against his chin.

“Yes, but they don’t have their own ships. Their world was taken over by the Kronock and most of the remaining populace work for?—“

The creature who reached my waist thrust out a small hand. “I’m Serge, by the way, Chief Fantasy Wedding Designer for?—"

"Serge?" I interrupted, a memory suddenly clicking into place. "Reina talks about you all the time."

The Gatazoid froze mid-gesture, his mouth forming a perfect O of surprise as he pressed a hand to his chest and flattened the ruffles on his shirt. "You know Reina?"

"We're from the Drexian Academy," Tivek explained, still looking slightly shell-shocked. "Reina works there with Admiral Zoran's wife."

Serge staggered backward as if physically struck by this information, his large eyes unblinking. "The Academy? You're from—but how did you—we're nowhere near?—"

His sputtering was interrupted by the arrival of a tall Drexian in an immaculate dark uniform with a sash crossing one shoulder. His stride was purposeful and his expression stern but not unfriendly.

Tivek took one look at him and thumped his fist across his shoulder in salute.

"Captain Kalex of the Island.” The Drexian nodded to Tivek. "Welcome aboard."

The Island. Reina had talked about working on the Island. It was one of the tribute bride space stations. My knees nearly buckled with relief that we'd been found by Drexians after all.

Tivek squared his shoulders. "Lieutenant Tivek, adjunct to Admiral Zoran, and this is…”

“Morgan,” I said. “I mean, Cadet Caldwell, Captain.”

The Drexian captain flicked his gaze to our ship before wrinkling his brow. “You’re the only two passengers in the ship?”

“They’re from the Academy,” Serge said in a stage whisper.

Captain Kalex nodded slowly. “We did receive a transmission from the academy about a missing rescue ship.”

“That’s us.” I smiled at the captain, but his expression remained stern.

“It’s a long story but there was a jump drive malfunction," Tivek said. "We were hit by Kronock fire during the escape. When we initiated the jump, the coordinates were corrupted."

"We'll need a full report, but first, let me contact the Academy.” The captain gave us both another cursory glance. “They'll want immediate confirmation of your safety."

"The rest of the rescue team?" Tivek asked. "Did they make it back?"

“They did.”

Serge cleared his throat. “I hate to interrupt, but if our new guests will be here until they’re debriefed, we should give them accommodations.”

I sighed. “We have been floating in space for a while. A proper bed would be nice.”

“You can handle getting them appropriate accommodations?” The captain asked the Gatazoid, whose chest puffed up.

“You can count on me,” Serge said, bouncing on the toes of his platform heels.

I caught Tivek's eye, a smile tugging at my lips despite my exhaustion. He looked as relived as I felt.

The captain seemed on the verge of smiling but instead he frowned and locked eyes on Tivek. “We will debrief after you’ve had a chance to rest and eat.”

“Yes, sir.” Tivek gave the Drexian another salute as the captain spun on a heel and strode from the hangar bay.

Serge wasted no time in his task, clapping his hands and bustling ahead of us across the hangar bay floor. “This way, this way!"

Tivek and I followed him around the Drexian mechanics repairing ships and rolling barrels of fuel. The clanging of tools and echoing shouts muffled the Gatazoid’s enthusiastic chatter, so I jogged a few steps to catch up.

Serge led the way through a wide, open doorway and into another environment entirely.

Instead of iron beams and utilitarian steel floors, the walls outside the hangar bay were curved and gleamed white.

Windows on one side of the walls overlooked the interior of the space station, which seemed to be a long, vertical structure that was all glass and views to space beyond.

I gaped at the transparent tubes that crossed the center of the cylindrical station and created the appearance of a web. “What are those?”

Serge glanced back and followed to where my finger pointed. “The inclinators, of course.” Then he stopped at a set of doors that swished open. “We’re about to get in one right now.”

I knew of Drexian inclinators from the one at the Academy, but it didn’t pulse with pink interior light or play Muzak. I stifled a grin as I stepped inside and recognized the instrumental sounds of the vintage 80s song “Take On Me.”

As the doors glided shut and Serge continued to narrate our tour of the station, I found myself struggling to process our sudden turn of fortune.

Hours ago, we'd been lost in uncharted space, facing the very real possibility of never being found.

Now we were being escorted through a Drexian space station by a Gatazoid wedding planner.

I stole a look at Tivek, but his expression was unreadable. Was he pleased to be on a Drexian space station or was he eager to return to the academy? I, for one, was glad for a bit more time to sort out my feelings and figure out how I wanted to handle things when we returned.

When the inclinator slowed to a stop, Serge beamed at us and rubbed his hands together. “This is one of my favorite floors.”