Page 37 of My Alien Sunshine

I finish the glass in a few big gulps. These people have been nothing but good to me, unless I’m counting Lyriana’s less than stellar welcome. They wouldn’t have to resort to trickery if they wanted me drugged. At some point in my life, I’m gonna have to start trusting someone, and this point feels as good as any.

I murmur a thank you as I return the glass, my eyes glued to the screen showing the Crimson Serpent alongside the unknown battleship.

D’Aakh, the tech guy with the two insect-like antennae, studies his datapad before cursing again. “It’s the Arcade,” he says. I’m not the only one who stares at him in confusion. Rolling his eyes, D’Aakh swipes a finger over his screen to transfer the information to the central projection. “Does anyone ever read my reports? It was mentioned in the data Faelin’s UGC contact shared with us. The Arcade is a traveling black market, focusing on illegal merchandise. Whether you want weapons, drugs, or exotic pets, the Arcade is the place to go.”

“Slaves?” I ask, my voice trembling.

D’Aakh gives a solemn nod. “Yes, it’s rumored to house the largest slave market in this part of the galaxy.”

“And it’s a fucking battleship,” Astra’s boyfriend growls. “Look at this. Point defense, missiles, multiple fighter bays, laser cannons. They’d give a UGC contingent a run for their money with just this one ship.”

Lyriana glares at him. “Faelin is there. We’re going in.”

“I never said we weren’t, Lyri. I’m just wondering how the fuck we’re going to pull this off. I mean, the Supernova is a good ship, especially with the alterations D’Aakh ordered, but still…” He waves his hand over the screen to point out the futility of our position.

My heart drops. They aren’t going to do it. The risks are too high, the odds impossible. They’d be insane to go forth with the plan.

Well, they can stay back. I can’t. “Do you have a shuttle I could take?” I ask, my voice surprisingly strong.

Lyriana cocks her brow. “What the fuck for?”

“What do you think for? I understand you don’t want to risk your lives on an impossible mission, but I’m going. Alone, if I have to.”

“And do what exactly?” she asks with derision. “Shut your mouth and stay out of our way.”

Before I can think it through, I’m grabbing the front of her shirt. “I. Am. Going,” I repeat, baring my teeth at her. I don’t have the right organs to growl, but I do my best impression. “My daughter is in there. My daughter! I will not sit on my ass while she’s in danger!”

Lyriana is an elite super soldier. There are probably two hundred objects in this room she could kill me with, including the room itself. Yet, she merely watches me as I yank on her shirt, her smirk morphing into a grin. “You’ve got fire,” she says, knocking my hands away in a motion faster than I can comprehend. “I like that. But touch me again and I’ll break both of your arms.”

“Lyri…” Astra’s boyfriend admonishes. “She’s a guest.”

“Tareq…?” Lyriana repeats mockingly. “I don’t give a shit. Captain, what’s the plan here? The thing we did on Porma 3? Or do we use the same tactic we used when we brought down the drug cartel fleet in sector L-8?”

Zarkan considers it before responding, “Porma 3. D’Aakh?”

I have no idea what they’re referring to, but I understand one thing—they’re not giving up. My tears overflow, streaming down my cheeks. I blink rapidly, wanting to keep my vision clear, but the tears keep coming.

“Getting us in won’t be a problem,” D’Aakh says lightly, his attention on his datapad.

“I thought it was an impenetrable fortress,” I note, wiping the tears and snot from my face with the back of my hand. I’m disgusting and I don’t even care.

D’Aakh’s antennae twitch as he shakes his head. “It’s more like a prison. Getting in isn’t the issue. Getting out is. I’ve already prepared fake credentials that will allow us to dock with the Arcade. Unless we draw attention to ourselves, the fake IDs will get us past the guards. However, I do not see a way to get out clean, Captain. The Supernova is a fine vessel, but we simply do not have the required firepower to hold out for long enough to make the jump to hyperspace.”

“Leave the exit strategy to me,” Zarkan replies thoughtfully before giving each of us a long look. “This will be a dangerous mission, regardless of whether you go in or stay back on the ship. Anyone who doesn’t want to take the risk can take the Dart. It has a small hyperdrive. A few short jumps will get you safely back to the Farpoint Gateway.”

Tareq looks at Nikolai. “You’d better stay back with Astra.”

“With who?!” she shouts, shoving at his chest. “If you think I’m staying behind, you’re mistaken, my dear tiger. I’m going with you. And,” she adds, her glare silencing his protests before they even leave his mouth, “think twice about what you’re going to say next or you won’t be getting any for a very, very long time.”

He heaves a sigh, closing his eyes in defeat. “I just want to keep you safe, my Myále.”

“I don’t want to be kept safe. I want to make my own decisions,” she replies, caressing his cheek. “You freed me once. Don’t put me back in a cage.”

A blonde Quintran laughs, his wings twitching. “Not a cage, no,” he says. “But he might have to collar you for this to work.”

Chapter 20

Nala

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