Page 89 of Stars in Nova

Their hands brushed briefly as they turned a corner, the contact sending a jolt through both of them.

Samira stiffened, her gaze snapping forward, while Kisan cleared his throat and adjusted his bag.

Neither spoke of it, but the tension between them only grew heavier.

The Cephei’s flyer waited in a hidden alcove near the edge of the cavern system. Its sleek silhouette contrasted with the rough-hewn stone around it.

After helping Samira onboard and packing their supplies into the hold, Kisan settled behind the operating panel, stealthing the craft from Corilian eyes.

The skimmer lifted off, his hands steady on the controls. He punched the engines, and they rose rapidly into orbit.

The Cephei was waiting in the cover of a roiling cloud system high up in the atmosphere, cloaked in the wake of a giant thunderstorm rolling over the planet’s arctic oceans.

Its stealth wrap shimmered as its expansive rear deck yawed open to let the flyer in.

With a feather touch softness, they landed.

‘Welcome to my ship,’ Kisan intoned, hopping from the smaller craft onto the deck of the gunship.

Samira marveled at the vessel’s design as they got through the airlocks and took the stairs to the bridge.

The exterior was a masterpiece of slick lines and engineering.

Inside, the ship blended cutting-edge technology with understated luxury. The cockpit gleamed with holo-displays, each alive with streams of data. The walls were lined with sleek panels, and the floors were made of reinforced material that absorbed the throb of the power core.

The atmosphere exuded metal and clean circuitry.

‘This is impressive,’ Samira admitted as the Rider guided her through the corridors.

‘It’s Sable tech; they do things well.’

‘They? Aren’t you one of them?’

‘I’ve never quite fit in,’ he confessed in a growl.

Samira tilted her head, studying him, her eyes glittering with humor. ‘’Tis true, you’re a creature apart, once removed from their species.’

‘Fokkoff,’ he rasped, their eyes locking and familiar aching attraction arcing through the air.

Kisan broke off the scorching connection, slicing his eyes away and lifting his hands to gesture around the bridge.

‘The Cephei is a work of art, but not just for show,’ he grunted. ‘She’s built for stealth, speed, and silence. Perfect for what we’re about to do.’

She let the moment pass with a slight shrug.

He caught it but glanced away, striding ahead without a word.

He came to a stop at a door. ‘Your onboard quarters.

She peeked at a compact but tidy space with a narrow bed, a small desk, and a storage compartment. The walls were plain, with shelves on one side and dominated by an expansive window to the exterior world on the other.

‘There’s a head through that door for dual water and sonic showers.’

Samira placed her satchel on the mattress and turned to Kisan. ‘Sante.’

‘You’re welcome,’ Kisan said, his green eyes solemn.

As he left her to settle in, the door sliding shut with a soft hiss, Samira sat on the edge of the divan.

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