Page 38 of Sway’s Peace (Delivery Service #2)

“Yeah. I accept undivided attention, massages, kisses – whatever you feel the need to practice. I’m flexible.”

“How generous of you.”

“Aren’t I just?” She smiled. “And you know what else I bet you need practice at?”

“Do tell.”

“Accepting adoration.” She caressed her other hand down his arm. Luxuriating in the softness of his feathers. “You probably haven’t done much of that either.”

“I have not,” he agreed. “I’ll look forward to it then. Now, what was that about kisses?”

Grace grinned, pulling on his neck. Coming up on her toes. Maybe this wasn’t the most romantic place for a first kiss, but she was caught up in the moment and didn’t rightfully care that-

“Hey, you’re back!”

A male voice cut harshly, excitedly through the moment. He sounded surprised. Sway and Grace didn't fully separate, but they put some distance between them as they turned, looking behind Sway towards the source of the call.

The male standing there was wrapped in fabric head to toe with a pair of goggles over his eyes, concealing his species rather well.

He was about as tall as Sway, but bigger in the arms. He had come up from behind and, apparently, hadn’t seen Grace.

He caught sight of her now though and fell back a step.

“Oh! Sorry,” he chuckled apologetically. “I didn't see you were with a female.”

“Do I know you?” Sway asked, all the warmth gone from his voice. He didn’t let her go, but the way he turned clearly put himself between the stranger and Grace. She wouldn’t say he sounded hostile, just cautious and firm.

The guy chuckled, putting a hand to his chest. “It’s me! Chim. Remember? We had that talk about family goals and plans last time you were here.”

Grace looked from him up to Sway, surprised. But Sway just stared at Chim, his expression unreadable. He certainly didn’t seem to recognize him.

“I’ve never been here before,” Sway said, his tone neutral.

“Huh? What do you…? You were just here for that big weapon shipment, right?”

“I’m here to pick up the weapon shipment, but I’ve never been here.”

Chim’s hole face, under his goggles, tightened as he tilted his head, confused. “You’re not Veesway?”

Sway stiffened. His expression didn’t change though. Grace, however, couldn’t keep the surprise off her face.

That couldn’t be the same Veesway, right? How common of a name was that for the farasie?

Who happened to look similar enough to be mistaken for him…

“He’s not,” Grace said quickly, smiling. Years of practice had her smoothly reaching for a cover for Sway’s sudden stillness. “But I think we know him. You said he was here for the weapon shipment?”

“Hm? Oh, yeah,” the guy cocked his head, looking at her curiously. “He’s part of the Song of Retrieval. Leader of it, actually. He was here to negotiate for the weapons.”

“A farasie? Was negotiating for weapons.”

“Well, they weren’t for him. They were for his security team. He wasn’t thrilled about getting them. You know how farasie are. But he admitted they were necessary. And he was a real good guy. Is that the guy you know?”

“I don’t think so. Thank you, though!”

Twisting, she grabbed Sway’s hand and pulled him away before the guy could ask any further questions.

They hadn’t managed to get very far from the shuttle, so it wasn’t a long trip to get back and hide away inside.

The moment they were in and the door was shut, she turned to Sway.

His secondary eyelids were blinking away the dust, but it was reflexive.

He had that distant look on his face again.

She placed her hand on his cheek. He was unmoved.

“It’s not him,” he said immediately, his tone even.

“Right,” she agreed, not willing to argue it right now, and not having proof either way regardless. “What’s the Song of Retrieval?”

“I don’t know.”

“Are you… Are you okay?”

“Of course, I am.” That’s what he said. It was even how he looked. But this close, she could still feel the tension in his body. He was more affected than he wanted her to believe.

“Is it better to know, or not?” She asked, voice soft. Leaving it up to him.

He didn’t answer immediately. She waited. Even if the possibility was remote…

“I don’t care,” he finally said. It sounded like he really might not care. But he was clinging to her tightly. Staring down at her. Almost like he was saying he was leaving the decision up to her.

Grace bit her lip. Thinking it over. It wasn’t about her curiosity or what she would want. She had to think of it from Sway’s point of view. What would be best for Sway.

He’d given up his parents for dead. His entire life for dead. He probably felt he had to. In order to survive on Rik-Vane.

In fact, she knew he had to. If he had been forced to deny his natural, pacifistic nature, to ignore his own species instincts, he likely he had to cut off everything that once made him who he was. And that had to include his parents, his feelings for them.

But he was trying to reclaim his identity. Including his pacifism. Maybe he couldn’t make the decision about reclaiming his past as well because he’d had to cut it off so ruthlessly. In that case, maybe he just needed help.

Reaching down into her pocket, Grace pulled out her combot. Sway didn’t look away from her face as she brought up a holodisplay. That guy, Chim, spoke about the Song of Retrieval like it was a thing. So, by that logic, it should be a thing she could look up.

And it was.

She very quickly found the site for the Song of Retrieval.

They were a farasie based group of people who had dedicated themselves to tracking down and recovering victims of pirates, traffickers, and kidnappers.

There was a heavy focus on farasie in particular, as they were an at risk group since they would not fight to protect themselves, but the site stated that they were willing to find and help anyone.

And there, right at the front, a full body shot of a farasie male with light blue feathers.

His crest was fully raised, the orange, yellow, and fuchsia feathers on proud display in a way she’d never seen from Sway.

He was thin, not really lean like Sway, and he was wearing traditional farasie style clothes – a bare chest and a loincloth with a long, white half skirt held in place by a decorative belt.

There were certainly differences between the two, but it couldn’t be denied…

He looked just like Sway.

Against her hips, Sway’s hands tightened briefly.

“Is it him?” She asked, her voice a whisper.

Sway didn't say anything. Which was answer enough. If it hadn’t been, he would have just said that. But he was shaking, almost imperceptibly, his head lowering like he was trying to hide behind her. To not look at the glow of the holodisplay.

Grace continued to read through the site.

It talked about how the Song was a peaceful organization, but that they employed a group of domini to act as their protectors.

That must be who the weapons were for. They explicitly stated that they weren’t trying to hunt down criminals, as that was a job for the peacekeepers, only recover loved ones.

And there, near the end of the blurb, was a place where you could donate to the cause and, beside it, a location for their headquarters.

They had a base on a colony world, like the one they were on now, though that title was the only similarity.

The forested, beautiful, mostly wild photo surrounding a beautiful, artistic stone compound was the total opposite of this desolate factory colony.

They encouraged visitors. Volunteers. Those searching for lost loved ones.

Sway had practically collapsed, his head down on her shoulder, crest tight to his head.

He was holding her with the desperation of a drowning man holding onto driftwood in a storm.

She couldn’t imagine what he was feeling, but she could feel the intensity of it in the trembling strength of his arms gripping her so tight.

She put her arms around him in turn, the holodisplay still floating there. She couldn’t really offer him any comforting words, but she could hold him.

And she did. Neither of them moved or spoke until they heard the distinct sound of the others returning. She quickly closed the display then and Sway let go, stepping back. His expression hadn’t changed at all, but she realized now that he was exceptional at keeping a mask over his true emotions.

So, until he was ready to bring it up, she did the same. Her well-trained, professional facade was back in place as she greeted the others with a smile. She acted extremely interested in how they were going to be leading a cargo shuttle up to the Humility and attaching it to the main stowage doors.

Sway didn’t take a single step from her side as the others explained it to her and started going through the process.