Page 13 of The Build Up

Xal and Sera are momentarily caught up in one another—and the twins.

Tarak stands quietly beside me. To my surprise, he radiates a certain peacefulness amidst all the commotion.

For once, there are no enemies to fight.

No imminent threats.

There’s just the sublime chaos that is our little family.

And all is well.

FOUR

ABBEY

“We won’t hide anymore,”Tarak says quietly as he surveys the streetscape from behind dark glasses. “There’s no need to.”

I can hardly believe we’re walking down the esplanade in broad daylight with Ami between us. She’s holding hands with Tarak and me, laughing as we swing her back and forth.

Tarak takes most of her tiny weight, making it easier on my tired body.

A warm breeze swirls around us, chasing away the humidity for a brief, blissful moment.

The sun is starting to dip toward the horizon, the stifling heat dropping just a little, enough to make it almost… pleasant.

I don’t even know how Tarak’s been tolerating it. Hehateshot weather, but considering the kind of discomfort he’s used to tolerating, this probably ranks very low on his list of agonies.

Out of necessity, he’s mastered the art of ignoring pain. He experiences excruciating agony every time he activates his armor-suit.

But he likes to bitch about the heat and sunshine on Earth. I swear he does it for my benefit, to make him seem more human-like.

A wave of affection surges through me. This big, gruff, complicated man of mine. Seeing him now, so relaxed, walking casually along a tropical street, wearing a white linen button-down shirt and loose khaki trousers, and of course, the wayfarer-style shades that accentuate his chiseled features.

Catching me staring, he glances at me, a hint of a smile tugging at one corner of his mouth. “So. This is what you humans call aholiday.”

“It doesn’t need to be big or extravagant,” I reply, wincing as I release Ami’s hand. Our child is getting heavier by the day, and I’m quite achy right now. “Just a few days away can make a difference. Clear the mind. Allow one to readjust their perspective.”

“Hm.”

“Although I have to say, Iamsurprised that you’re willing to allow us to walk around in the open like this.” Normally, Tarak would be going overboard with the security.

He gives me an indulgent look. “Aren’t you the one who’s always telling me you would like a bit of normality in our lives?”

“It’s just fleeting wishful thinking. I had the most ordinary of upbringings—in a good way. I didn’t even realize how good it was until I look back on it now. Even though his job took him away a lot, my father went to so much effort to try and make sure I had a grounded childhood.” Wisftulness turns into a pang of sadness as I remember my dad.

I was an only child. He was a busy man who worked long hours, rising up the ranks to become Chief Scientist at SynCorp. But he always tried to make time for me. Every year, we went on a holiday—to interesting places like Antarctica and even a floating zoo in Earth’s lower orbit. When he was away, I would stay with Aunt Kenna, who treated me like her own daughter.

Both she and Dad taught me how to grow things.

If not for them, I wouldn’t have been able to set up the floating agricultural stations that will guarantee food security for the entire human species.

According to the official records, he was killed in a factory accident. A walkway above gave way, crushing him underneath.

They said it was a structural fault, but Aunt Kenna and I have always had our suspicions.

I’ve never had the power to do anything about it. We raised our concerns with the authorities, but the evidence SynCorp provided was far too conclusive, so an investigation was never opened.

My way of dealing with it was to bury it—it was too painful to think about. I immersed myself in study and work. I took the job on Fortuna Tau to get away from it all…

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