Page 37 of Sway’s Peace (Delivery Service #2)

By the time they were coming in on approach to the colony planet, Grace and Sway had come back to a point where they were conversing naturally, though it wasn’t as easy as before. Still, she could feel the desire to make it easy again coming from both of them.

The factory colony was built on a partially terraformed dwarf planet rich in natural minerals needed for production.

The mines on the planet had been around for generations, the factories only popping up later as the terraforming process advanced enough to allow people to live on the surface.

They still required the use of obelisks out beyond the highly populated areas, but they didn't need to wear full space suits anywhere on the planet any longer.

Grace found herself in the position, for the first time since leaving Earth, of being the one who knew all those ‘normal’ things. She was the one explaining all of that to Garnet and Goldie.

Obelisks were extremely advanced technology.

They looked as they were named – massive, squared columns with pyramidal tops.

But they served a function in that they produced literal tons of breathable air.

They were capable of stabilizing wild atmospheres, including weather and temperatures, as well as altering gravity into more standard strengths in a given area.

Obelisks were used on asteroids and colony worlds and terraforming planets as borders around towns to create livable ‘bubbles’ wherein people could live comfortably.

The colony they were going to was so old and well established, the obelisks were only serving as gravity modulators.

The atmosphere had already been altered enough that it was full of breathable air, and the weather and atmosphere had completely stabilized.

The planet was covered in so many of them by now, around each of the mining and factory populations, that only the most extreme parts of the planet would need some kind of life support assistance.

Grace had never been to a colony world like this before.

She’d only been to Holotulle and Hir-Fallow – both of which were extremely cool in their own rights, but were still just cities.

Holotulle was a ringworld, but she’d lived in a city upon it.

Hir-Fallow was a station, but she lived in an apartment and walked to work like a city.

This colony was the first time she’d ever been to a place like this.

She felt like a tourist, especially when she asked Sway if she could go down to look around.

The entire crew were all going to pick up the delivery – it was a big one, so they needed everyone to help.

The twins, she was told, would be going too, but they were serving as security, not actually picking up anything.

Garnet and Goldie were going to stay on the ship, since the colony wasn’t really anything worth seeing from an exploring perspective.

Goldie had work to do, and Garnet was going to take that opportunity to sort all the supplies they’d picked up on Hir-Fallow.

Similarly, Loyalty was opting to stay inside.

He had one reason to be here – to get home – and he was just riding along for now because this delivery came first.

Grace, however, wanted to see the colony.

She knew there was nothing to really see.

It was just a factory, housing for the workers, and some basic stores for those same workers.

It was like saying she wanted to go sight seeing in a small town in the backwoods – there was nothing to see .

But despite that, or maybe even because of it, she really wanted to go.

When she said as much to Sway, he offered to go with her. Just like that. And she accepted.

As far as date locations went, it wasn’t really a good one.

But she was still excited as she got dressed that morning and went to meet the others at the landing shuttle.

The Humility was just a bit too big to land easily on planets, so they needed the shuttle.

All of them piled inside, the others giving her and Sway curious looks, though they didn't question anything.

“Be back at the shuttle in one mark if you aren’t picking up,” Tanin ordered everyone as he piloted the ship down. “We’ll be taking off then.”

“Yes, captain,” the guys all intoned at the same time, though it was clear he was only speaking to Sway and Grace.

She couldn’t help but smile. The dynamics between the guys were interesting.

She didn't know if she’d call it close like a family, or even that overtly friendly, but there was a dependence between each other.

Like soldiers falling in line beneath a commander.

They were clearly comfortable with each other, but there was no teasing or ribbing or playfulness that she expected from friends.

What a strange relationship. She wanted to ask them about it. To know more. But she bit her tongue for now, more focused on the colony coming up to meet them.

The dwarf planet was rather dry and arid. Very much a desert, but without the soft sand. It was all hard packed dirt and whipping winds. The soil itself was a very bland gray color, and it seemed to stain everything, all the buildings and factories and even the people were covered in it.

The shuttle landed in an open field with a group of similar ships. The others all got off first to do actual work. Grace only climbed down after them, gasping in awe. And excitement. It was, technically, her first alien planet. And it wasn’t much, but she was still so excited.

“It’s so pretty!” She declared, taking a deep breath of dusty, dirty air. It smelled like metal and smoke and looked like a coal mining town, but in the best way.

Sway stepped down after her, a second pair of eyelids closing over his eyes to protect them from the dusty air. The wild winds whipped up, ruffling all his feathers, but he paid it no mind as he gave her a curious look.

“What did you want to see first?”

“Let’s just walk around,” she said, grabbing his hand with far more boldness than she actually felt.

Her heart raced even from just that, but she didn't want to let go.

Especially when he smiled back at her, his fingers slowly, deliberately closing around hers making her heart race.

His grip was warm and steady as she walked ahead, eagerly looking at everything.

And, okay, it wasn’t a pretty place, but it was still fascinating in its own way.

The streets were practically empty as everyone was up at the factory.

This wasn’t the kind of place where there were a lot of families.

This was the kind of place that had a high turnaround as it was all hard, unskilled labor.

It was mostly bachelors or seasonal workers.

There was no one to pay them much mind as she walked around with Sway, looking at everything.

It was all new and exciting to her, even if it was just a bunch of dingy gray buildings.

But when she glanced at his face and saw him just looking forward, expression blank, she realized how boring and uninteresting this must be for him.

“Sorry,” she said, coming to a halt, surprising him. He turned his gaze down to her, black eyes dulled thanks to the membrane covering them.

“Sorry?” He repeated, confused. “For what?”

“This is pretty lame, isn’t it?”

He shook his head. “You’re having fun.”

“But you’re not.”

“I am.”

“You don’t have to lie to me.” She gave him a pained smile. “I know it’s not interesting.”

“The town? No. The town isn’t interesting at all,” he agreed, giving her a soft smile. “You’re interesting. I’m having fun watching you enjoy yourself. That is what is fun to me.”

Grace’s cheeks burned but she couldn’t help but smile. “You’re pretty good at this. Did you have a female back on Rik-Vane?”

“I’ve never claimed a female. I’ve never been interested.” He lifted her hand, kissing the back of it so sweetly. “But I’m glad I’m doing it right.”

“You’ve never had a female before?”

“There aren’t many on Rik-Vane. And the ones there aren’t really the type to want romance or sweetness.”

Grace shifted her weight. “Erm, just to be clear, I am the type to want romance and sweetness.”

He chuckled. “Are you?”

“Oh, yeah. Definitely. In fact, I would like to be adored and spoiled. If at all possible.”

Sway didn't answer immediately. He looked thoughtful for a moment before tugging on her hand, pulling her in close. He put his arms around her as she rested her hands on his chest.

“I think I would like to spoil you,” he admitted, something strange in his voice giving her pause. That wasn’t the tone that she would expect. It wasn’t flirtatious or teasing or anything that she’d consider appropriate for the moment. If anything, he sounded sad.

“Sway?” She stoked her hand up, cupping his neck. “Are you okay?”

He nodded. “I’m fine. I just realized that I’ve never had a chance to adore someone before. I’m not entirely sure I know how.”

Grace expected as much, if he’d never had a female before.

But then she realized what he meant.

It wasn’t just that he wasn’t used to adoring someone.

He wasn’t used to being kind to people. Nice to people.

He worked with a mad scientist that made him experiment on people.

He probably, in some way, still only saw people through the cold, unfeeling eyes of a scientist. He’d been forced to hurt people.

Forced to torture them. He would have had to cut off his own empathy in order to not lose his mind while doing it.

He didn't know how to adore someone, because he’d only ever hurt them. And that realization hurt her heart. Even as she forced a smile on her face.

“You should practice.”

He focused back on her face. “Practice?”

“Sure! How else are you supposed to get good at something? For reference, I am absolutely down to be your practice test dummy.”

He chuckled. “Oh, really?”