Page 9 of Ava Stargazer

Vox noted her arrival, his eyes lingering on her in concern as she took deep breaths from running so hard all the way up there. “You alright?”

“Yes.” Ava stood up, facing the hologram head on. A direct line to Iryl, straight to his feed at the Galactic Board, was the only communication they dared do with the Phor transport until it could be retrofitted to remain untraced and undiscovered. As much asCelestialwas Ava’s in her heart, it was technically a stolen vessel.

The familiar hologram of Iryl, complete with amused eyes, stared back at her while she caught her breath.Oh, Iryl.He was thinner than Vox, and always much less serious looking than any of the males she had come to know.He looks happy to see me.

The morning sun came in strongly through the navigation windows, cutting through the hologram. The sun’s rays lent an otherworldly glow to Iryl’s transparent form, adding to the sense of mystery he always seemed to exude.

“Ava,” Iryl addressed her warmly.

Ava’s mouth broke into a wide grin. “Iryl, I’m so glad to see you.” She stood in front of the hologram, her black hair tied back in a messy bun and a bit of dirt across her nose.

“How are you settling in? Has Xai been different?” Iryl asked, his face tilting this way and that, animated.

“Ah, yes,” Ava said, now recovered from the run up to navigation. “Xai is a beautiful planet.”Almost everyone has been welcoming as well.

“It is beautiful,” Iryl agreed.

“It even rained last night!” Her tone rose, remembering her excitement.

“Yes. You never had anything like that before, huh? Must be different.”

Ava blushed and dipped her head forward, remembering what else happened last night. She looked at Iryl in the hologram and tried to see past him. “Where’s Lirell?” The youngest of the Vorbax who had gone on the rescue mission with Ava had joined Iryl at the board almost immediately after landing back on Xai. “Is Lirell there?”

“No, an embassy representative just arrived, and there was a ceremony. I sent Lirell to stand for us in attendance.”

“Oh.”

Iryl huffed, looking distracted. “So many meetings. In fact . . .” He pointed at Vox, directly over Ava’s head. “I will need you to schedule another meeting with us and part of the quorum after this is done.”

A bright blue came from Iryl while saying this, which made Ava frown.Fear?

Vox answered calmly, though his eyes narrowed. “Alright.”

Ava eyed Iryl as he turned back to her. “What?”

Iryl had a forced smile on his face. “Just updates on the peace talks. The Tuxa have been vocal since we went to Torga.”

Ava had forgotten that those talks would need to happen, mandated by the Galactic Board. There was an intense pressure from the Galactic Board to settle for peace. “Are the talks going well?”

The bright blue flash was still there as he replied, tone scattered, “As good as they could be.”

Ava rubbed her face in confusion.Why is he bright blue?That usually only meant fear. She had a distinct feeling something was being omitted.

The uncertainty in Iryl’s eyes dimmed into seriousness. “Anyways. Besides that. I have several pieces of news for you.”

“Yes?” Ava clasped her hands and clipboard together across her front.

“Yes.” He turned away from the feed. “I have additional information about ah . . . where you were born? Cipra.”

He paused as Ava processed what he said. The clipboard drooped in her hands as her mood turned somber.Oh. There.She squirmed uncomfortably at hearing the name of the place she wished she could forget.

Iryl continued in a softer tone, “It’s good, though, Ava. We received more data. A packet actually. I will send the full data packet to you after this call. You can try to make sense of it all.”

“Data packet?” Ava scrunched her nose in thought.About Cipra?

“Yes. It was ... ah ... sent directly to me right as you arrived on Xai. I believe it was from that Phor you were close with, Ebel. But you’ll have to see it once you get it to confirm.”

“Ebel?” Her voice wavered.Did he know more than he told me?The clipboard drooped even further in her hands.

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