Page 81 of Star Prince

Gann looked every inch the travel-weary space captain with too many solitary nights logged in. “Both.”

Ian studied him. Gann mourned the chances he had never taken, regretting all he had missed.

What if they stopped missing chances? he thought suddenly. Then there wouldn’t be any reason for regret, would there? Thoughtfully, Ian rubbed his chin. “I don’t have to be in Washington until the day after tomorrow. There’s a little time to play with.”

Gann’s mouth quirked. “I await your orders,” he said as he moved and his finger hovered over the destination icon for Los Angeles.

Ian turned to the crew. “Anyone opposed to a little detour?”

“No, sir,” they chorused heartily.

Ian’s blood surged. He would fix the problem on Earth, but first he would fix the mistake he had made with Tee. He was going to win her back.

Moments later, they were on their way to Los Angeles. Ahead, theQuilliebreezed past Interstellar customs with a thumbs-up from the infant agency Earth System Patrol and Customs, known as ESPAC. But when theSun Devilarrived at the checkpoint, the patrol ships denied them entry.

Gann swore. “I don’t believe this. Two women in a stolen ship breeze past ESPAC with a wink and a kiss, andweget pulled over?”

“Bad luck again,” Quin grumbled.

“No,” Ian said firmly. Everything he had once taken for granted was up in the air, putting everything he cared about at risk. “From here on out, we’re making our own luck.”

An ESPAC customs agent transmitted first in English and then in Basic. “Decelerate and prepare for boarding.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Ian replied with a dangerous smile. The official had no idea what she was in for. This time he was pulling rank.

Chapter Twenty

With newly boughteyeshaders hiding their eyes, Tee’ah and Lara hurried through what the Earth-dwellers called Los Angeles International Airport. The landing fee was exorbitant, explaining why there were no other merchant-class starships in residence, but Lara had paid the bill with funds borrowed from Gann’s supply of credits. “He owes me more than that,” she said matter-of-factly. “I was hired to find you and bring you home. The way I see it, I’m doing what I was paid to do.”

Tee’ah squeezed her arm. Lara gave her a small grin then glanced away. No matter how hard she tried, Tee’ah doubted she would ever be able to fully express how much this woman’s help meant to her. This no-nonsense, rough around the edges pilot from Barésh had aided her at the risk of losing her reputation and her starship, a craft Tee’ah sensed was the center of Lara’s fierceindependence. “I pray this doesn’t keep you from retrieving your ship.”

Lara’s mouth turned down. “Some risks are worth the trouble and some ain’t. Let’s leave it at that.”

A man thrust a piece of paper into Lara’s hands and walked away, speaking in English as he passed papers to others. “What does it say?” Lara asked. She handed the sheet to Tee’ah who input the runes into her hand-held translator.

“Earth First,” she read. “BoycottVash-made goods.” Uneasily, she glanced around the airport. Posters in store windows proclaimed, “Earth First.” Some were racist in nature, portraying highbornVashwith exaggerated characteristics—tawny hair and skin, high cheekbones, long straight noses, and pale golden eyes. Some had whips in their hands, subjugating an unwilling human population.

Anti-Federation sentiment had taken hold. For Ian’s sake, Tee’ah hoped that it hadn’t yet rooted too deep. Nonetheless, as a precaution, they didn’t pause to look around, as much as Tee’ah would have liked.

They approached a booth where they could rent a “cell phone” comm device to contact Ilana. The man sitting behind the counter had black hair and almost black eyes, with a smile brilliant against his smooth brown skin. They stared at him, enthralled. Preening slightly, he asked, “Just in from overseas?”

Lara followed Tee’ah’s lead and nodded eagerly.

“Welcome to the country, ladies.”

After much explanation on how to operate the device, they managed to pay for its services without incident. Many icons decorated the tiny screen. “This is the one,” Tee’ah said, seeing a symbol in the shape of a phone. Using her translator to decipher English numbers and display them as Basic runes, she waited for the transmission to go through. What if the data they had collected for Ilana was not correct? What if they could not make contact?

Tee’ah pinched the bridge of her nose. Exhaustion had set in, making her head throb and her eyes hurt. How long had it been since she last had more than a few hours’ sleep? She had lost count of the days. All she wanted was a soft bed, a full night’s rest, and—

“Hello?” It was the voice of a young women.Ilana.

Using the translator, Tee’ah recited, “I am Tee’ah Dar. Your cousin-by-marriage.” She paused to make sure she said the correct words. “I am in the Los Angeles…International…Airport.”

“Oh, my God. Tee’ah?”

“Yes. It is Tee’ah.”

“What are you doing here? Do you have a place to stay? Can I come get you?”

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