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“ S o the Star is still missing?” I’d already guessed that, but I had to confirm.

Hazel looked around as if checking to see that no one else was within earshot. “Yes.”

I shrugged, because honestly, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. “Where could the guards have taken it? There’s only one way off this deck.” Not to mention the starliner was a finite space. A very large space but finite all the same.

Hazel sighed. “Technically, there’s only one direction off this deck. Down. There are, however, three points of egress. The elevators, the stairs, and the escalators. None of which were locked down at the time.”

I glanced at the ASF officers posted by the security gate. “Like they are now.”

She gave a quick nod, the tension on her face plain in the lines around her mouth as she glanced at the crowd. “We have to find the Star, or this will become an interstellar incident.”

She’d said “we.” Did she mean to include me, or was she speaking generally? I didn’t want to assume. I also didn’t want to take up more of her time when she was obviously stressed and had things to do. “Well, I’m glad Frank was able to help with the lights.”

She met my gaze again. “So am I. Listen, if this thing doesn’t turn up, I may need your help. You did a great job with the Woolsey case.”

“That’s sweet of you to say. But I’m sure the Star will turn up any second. The guards are probably on their way back right now.”

“I don’t know. I’m not saying I don’t have faith in the Loessaian guards, but if something isn’t right… My career could be on the line.”

That blast of cold reality stiffened my spine. If Hazel thought the situation was this precarious, then I needed to take it more seriously, too. “I hope that isn’t the case. I want you to know I’ll do everything in my power to prevent that. Whatever you need, you just let me know. I’m always here for you, Hazel.”

Her smile was quick and unconvincing. “Thanks, Mom. I’ve got a team of people sweeping the ship right now, looking for those guards. If they don’t turn up, we’ll start interviewing people.”

Three low chimes sounded, and Kaffi was on the mic again. “Ladies and gentlemen, dinner is being served. If you could make your way back to your seats, that would be marvelous. You do not want to miss this sumptuous meal, I promise you.”

“I’d better go.” I gave her hand a little squeeze. “It’s going to be all right.”

She took a deep breath. “It needs to be.”

Rife with concern, I went back to my table. There was no other way I could feel when it came to my daughter. What bothered her, bothered me. If her career was going to be on the line for this, I would go to the ends of the universe to support her.

Whatever that meant.

Frank got up to pull my chair out as I approached, his gaze sweeping my face. “What’s wrong?”

I realized I must be telegraphing my worries, so I pasted on a smile as I looked at the others at our table. I didn’t want to spread the news of what was actually happening any more than it already was.

As soon as Frank and I were both seated, I turned my face toward him and spoke softly into his ear. “The Star is missing, as are the guards who were supposed to be looking after it.”

Without a sign of care on his face, he answered me in tones just as low. “Could be they’re just waiting for some kind of all-clear.”

“Maybe. Let’s think positively. That must be it.” But if that was the case, why hadn’t word come down from the premier that the Star was safe? Surely the guards would let him know, wouldn’t they?

I tried not to go down the rabbit hole of worst-case scenarios, but my mind wasn’t so easily reined in. Thankfully, dinner arrived and provided a brief distraction.

The meal started with a salad that Frank ignored. I wasn’t the biggest fan of vegetables either, but a little salad never hurt anyone. There were bits of dried fruit, toasted nuts, and the dressing had some kind of sweet, peppery herb in it that I knew was from Loessa.

Orange-braised short ribs followed, accompanied by fingerling potatoes and sauteed greens that, like the oranges, were part of the most recent harvest. The agricultural department was really going gangbusters lately.

We’d had a bumper crop of citrus recently. A big deal on a ship of any kind. Oranges, lemons, and limes. I had a feeling dessert would feature at least one of those, and I wasn’t wrong: lemon cheesecake tarts with a lime shortbread cookie crust and a segment of candied orange peel as garnish.

By the time most people were through dessert, Ensign Ludwig had reappeared and Ayronina had returned to the stage. She was in a different gown now, a sparkling white number that glinted with pink iridescence when the light caught it right. Accompanied by the quartet, she sang some lovely songs that reminded me of old-fashioned standards from Earth.

I swear one of them was the Loessaian version of Fly Me To The Moon , which seemed appropriate, all things considered.

Frank held out his hand. “Care to take a spin with me on the dance floor? Not often you get to dance by the light of a nebula.”

I smiled. “No, it’s not.” Other couples were already out there. We joined them, connecting with an ease that didn’t surprise me. Frank and I worked very well together. Why should dancing be any different? We sometimes slow-danced at his place, when the music moved us.

This was a bit different. There was a lot more room, for one thing. And other people to avoid running into.

He led beautifully, and as we made our way around the floor, it was easy to see that the Omega Min Star had not been returned to its pedestal. I also caught sight of the admiral and the premier in a deep discussion that looked pretty serious.

No doubt the admiral was having to explain that no one knew where the Star was or the guards in charge of it. But that couldn’t reflect badly on Hazel. After all, the Loessaian guards were the ones responsible.

I was sure the premier wouldn’t see it that way. Not when the gala had been put under Hazel’s charge.

My heart grew heavy thinking about how she must be feeling and how this might blow back on her.

On the next pass, I shifted my attention to Ensign Ludwig. He was gazing at Ayronina as if she was the center of the known universe. For him, I supposed that was probably true. I could imagine a bit of what he must be feeling.

My mother, Dorthea, may she rest in peace, had been one of Elvis’s biggest fans. She loved to tell the story of how she’d seen him in Vegas once, walking through a casino, flanked by a cadre of security men.

Those were the early days of our first contact with the Orgenia, a benevolent race that had made all of this possible. They’d gifted Earth with the incredible advances in technology that had made our rapid ascent toward space possible.

Elvis had been a huge fan, which often makes me think my mother would have loved seeing her daughter and granddaughter living on a starliner.

Anyway, Elvis had wiped his brow with a cocktail napkin but dropped it on the way. My mother had fought two other women for it and come away victorious. She kept the napkin in a small Plexiglas box meant to house a signed baseball. It sat on a shelf with an autographed picture of Elvis that she’d gotten from her fan club membership.

As a kid, I’d rolled my eyes at that display so many times it was a wonder I didn’t suffer an ocular strain, but as an adult, I could understand. I’d had a few celebrity crushes myself. There was something intoxicating about the thought that someone the whole world wanted might want you.

I no longer harbored those kinds of feelings. I was a grown woman. A widow. A mother. The shiny parts of life had long been worn away. Which wasn’t to say I was cynical or jaded, just that I had a much greater appreciation for reality than illusion these days.

Like the man currently twirling me around the dance floor. He was the kind of reality that made my heart flutter now. The kind that was worth my time and attention.

“You’re awfully quiet,” he said.

“Sorry. Lost in thought.”

“You want to share?”

I exhaled. “If that gem doesn’t show up, Hazel could be in trouble. This gala was her responsibility.”

“We won’t let that happen.”

I could have kissed him right then and there. I smiled even as I said my next words. “You know, this could be dangerous. If someone’s taken that gem, they’re not going to give it up with just an apology. It’s worth more money than you can imagine. Well, okay, maybe you can imagine it, but most people couldn’t.”

Not long after I met Frank, he’d confided his secret to me. He was incredibly wealthy. In spite of his money, he chose to live a more blue-collar life, working in the Mechanical and Engineering Department on the starliner, putting in a full day just like anyone else might do. He liked being useful, liked contributing in a meaningful way.

I understood that need, and I admired his work ethic. Just one of his many outstanding qualities.

I was sure most people didn’t have a clue what he was worth, but his money was visible in his quarters. He’d upgraded quite a few things, something I didn’t blame him for in the least.

He took my hand, spun me out, then spun me back in again. “I don’t mind a little danger. Might be fun.”

“Fun?” I laughed as I put my hand on his shoulder again.

“You know what they say—once a Space Marine, always a Space Marine.”

“Says the man with the titanium shoulder.”

“At least one part of me is indestructible.”

“True.” I was all warm inside from how wonderful he was, but the reality of what Hazel might be facing put a little chill on that.

As if sensing my worry, he continued. “You just tell me what you think we should do, and we’ll make a game plan. We’ve got five days before we return to the starport to take the premier and his citizens back home. Until then, there’s no way for that gem to get off this ship.” His eyes narrowed. “Except…”

The chill turned into a shiver. “Except what?”

“The starliner is equipped with lifepods. Enough of them to save everyone on board.”

“True. Are you saying the guards could have taken a lifepod and gotten away?”

“I’m saying it’s a possibility. One that is undoubtedly being checked on.”

I glanced in the direction I’d last seen Hazel, but she was no longer there. “I’m sure you’re right.”

Hazel was no dummy. You didn’t get to be vice-admiral because of your looks or your sparkling personality. She’d earned that job through her merits. But the mother in me really wanted to check.

I tamped those thoughts down. Hazel didn’t need to be reminded of the obvious.

We danced a bit more. Ayronina sang a song in English, a plaintive tune about wishing someone would save her, take her away into the stars, something like that. I couldn’t imagine what she needed to be saved from, but maybe being the planet’s most popular singer wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

“Hey,” Frank said softly. “This is still the observation deck. Why don’t we go up to the balcony and observe?”

“Let’s.” I was ready to get away from the crowd a bit. Half of the attendees seemed to be on the dance floor, and Ayronina’s voice was lovely, but the music had gone in a more pop direction that wasn’t my thing.

Frank took my hand, and we ascended the steps. It was quieter on the balcony, despite the bar, which was mostly unoccupied except for a few servers getting drinks. We found a spot at the end by the railing that gave us a fantastic view of the deck below as well as the nebula.

The windows were two-story, and because of how the deck was situated, the largest window was across from us.

I stared at the nebula, wanting to remember it in all its beauty for eternity.

Frank nudged me. “Look.” His gaze was focused downward.

I followed his line of sight. The guards had returned to either side of the pedestal, which now held a gleaming, colorful gem once again.

“Crisis averted,” Frank said.

My eyes narrowed as I studied the gem. I focused, hard. After a few more seconds, I knew everything I needed to. I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

I looked at him. “Because while that’s a very pretty stone, it most definitely is not the Omega Min Star.”