Page 39 of Sol Survivor

The corpse was discovered in such a pod.Drafe flicked the dot aside and chose another, hoping any difference would reveal more information.“Wouldn’t that mean opening ourselves to the same outcome?”

“Indeed.”Aehort squeezed his shoulder as if it bothered him.“I considered this conundrum.Not if we study it on an asteroid or desolate moon.”

Drafe traced a dot’s trajectory in reverse.“Where is the source of these pods?”

Aehort touched the model and blue lines formed, pointing to a planet nearby.“This is what the humans call Jupiter—to them it is but a ball of compressed gas.They have no knowledge of what lies on its surface or if it has one.”

“Yet, the pods originate from here?What about one of its moons?”Drafe spun the model, touching the closest moon to expand it.Details popped up: iced oceans, a silicate-rock mantle, and an iron core.

“It is possible.”Aehort tapped the model, and seventy-nine moons aligned from largest to smallest.“We’ll investigate everything to do with this planet.Monitor all communication in and around it.Mark future pod deployments.”

Aehort had a plan.The confidence crossing their bond bolstered Drafe’s flagging spirits.

“Leave us.”Aehort met the gazes of the males in the room, then waited for them to obey.Once they were alone, he faced Drafe.“She is yours.You need only be patient.”

Drafe winced.“Am I that obvious?”

The uz cackled, his laughter jarring his narrow shoulders.“Only to me.She is part of the solution to this, Drafe.”

He clenched his jaw at Aehort’s cryptic words—cursed Ivoyan intelligence granting the species a preternatural foretelling.Regardless, no way would Drafe endanger Vic.

“Be at ease.”Aehort patted his shoulder with his elongated fingers.“Now, bathe, you stink of mating.”

Drafe stumbled to his quarters, a little dazed as he unraveled and analyzed Aehort’s words.Stripping off his armor, commanding his symbiotes to unmask, he stepped under the water’s spray.While washing, he touched parts of himself she had, and when he rubbed his koq, renewed sensations bombarded him.If he didn’t resolve this mission soon, memories of her would be the death of him.

He snorted.When next he traveled home, all would know how he had lost his soul to a non-Qaldreth.If he had his way, Vic would be with him when he stepped onto his homeworld.

Chapter Fifteen

Year: 2219

Mula Pesada

“Dieter,thisisamazing.”Vic stood in chicken shit, with the stench of pigs and cows burning her nostrils.The chickens had two legs they scampered on but six on their backs like the spines of a dinosaur.The pigs were many and ravenous, whining when she neared.There were two cows, large rectangular beasts with eight udders each.The snorts, grunts, squawking echoed off the hull, sounding more like alien whales than farmstock.

“Yup, you have to feed them.The chickens get from this bag.”Along the wall was a row of bags, all beige.Someone had painted a ‘CH’ on it, for which she was grateful.“Spare feed is in the storeroom.The pigs get our kitchen scraps.About once every three months, we slaughter one.This is why we have so many.The cows you need to milk.Take turns, though.They get cranky if you milk them daily.”

“Farg.I’ve never milked a cow.”

He laughed.“It’s easy.I’ll show you in the morning.If your chore is to tend the animals, you have to rise earlier than the crew, as well.Might as well make breakfast while you’re at it since you would’ve gathered what eggs the chickens have laid.”He waved his hand at the strange peephole houses to the rear of the chicken pen.“Once you’ve done this and made breakfast, there’s the itaya to take care of.”

More for her to do?“The what?”

“An alien parasite that lives off sol, so tend to breed close to the engines.They’re space-worthy, territorial, and will attack if provoked.Spraying them with nitrous oxide is considered an act of aggression.”He grinned as if he hadn’t shocked the shit out of her.“Not to worry.You’ll be suited up, tethered, carrying the nitro gun and a blaster.You’ll do fine.”

She gulped.“Out there?”Pointing a finger, she indicated the outside of the ship, in space, no oxygen… No problem.

“Yup.The tether’s strong.I’ll show you, of course.I can’t send you out there not knowing what to look for.So once we’re out of the neutral zone around Lunar Base, we’ll suit up.”

“Sure,” but her voice quavered.“When do I get to see the engine room?”

“Off-limits to new employees for obvious reasons.”

“Farg.”Her shoulders slumped.“I used to repair solar plates when I worked my ma’s sol farm.I miss the smell of it, the steadfast presence of the machinery, their drones and twangs as if they offered comfort and companionship.”

He blinked at her as if she’d lost her mind.“You have maintenance experience?”

She bit the inside of her cheek lest she spewed nonsense again.One session with Drafe and her wits were scattered.“It’s been a while, but I am handy with a welding torch.”

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