Page 74 of Sol Survivor

Vic drew in a slow breath, taking the plunge.“I too will be going to Ivoy.”At some point in the future.

“Oh.Then, of course, I’ll go.I didn’t want to be a burden nor the only human woman on board their ship.”Her smile was so bright and carefree.Vic had never known such an emotion, not as a child, and sure as shit, not as an adult.

“Tiny, sweetheart, you helped us free the prisoners.You’re not a burden.”Vic squeezed her shoulder.“Since you’re in Nenn’s capable hands, I’ll return to the bridge.I’m sure there’s much to discuss.When you are feeling better, please care for Themba.He’s…” she winced, “not well.”

Abandoning them to whatever she had stumbled upon, she hurried along the passage to the bridge, sliding in to lean against the bulkhead, her knees trembling.Pretending to be emotionally stable was draining.A dark room, a bed, and time were all she needed.

When Dez spotted Vic, he crossed the room to grab her hand.“Victorious, thank you.”

“It’s just Vic.”She forced a smile, uncomfortable with his gratitude.

He bobbed his head.“Fair enough.Drafe tells me he has the security protocol to breach the facility’s defenses.”

She grasped the news, needing it to focus her spiraling thoughts.“Good.We must end these experiments and the deployment of explosive pods.”

“With Iain’s promise of assistance, we hope to find a new home down there.Maybe set up a control base.”Dez smiled but sadness lingered in his brown eyes.

He and his fellow prisoners must have endured much, yet he chose to face the future with courage.So too should she.There would be time later to mourn Ande.

She rolled her shoulders, trying to ease a burning ache in the middle of her back.“So, minimize damage is what you’re asking for.”A shadow pressed down on her again, smothering her thoughts, what her senses communicated, what her purpose was for being there.Her gaze settled on Drafe leaning over the console, chatting to Caah, flashes of a smile between comments.He would be her beacon of light and hope.

Dez chuckled.“Something like that.”He squeezed and released her hand, drawing her back to the moment.

“I’ll try.”That was all she could promise, because at that moment, she wanted to burn Carne to the ground.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Year: 2219

Aboard the Mula Pesada.

“Wehavethesecurityprotocol, but there are still two hours before we will be in range.”Drafe gripped Vic’s arm and ran his thumb over where her wound had been.“I need to speak with you.”

She offered a small smile.“Sound’s serious.”

He nodded.“I need you alone.”

She peered around Drafe at a grinning Caah.“Please go with Dez.Make sure the shuttle is ready for departure.”

The bridge cleared.

Drafe hesitated to speak after several minutes had passed.

“What is it?”She frowned and captured his hands, running her thumbs over his knuckles.

“Nenn suggested I share a little of my home, of its blazing suns, the endless sand plains, the rolling dunes, the vasquva, the hudu, the garak, the venai stones.But none of those convey the sunbaked scent greeting you in the morning, the crunch of salt beneath your boots, the sweet tang of dried vasquva, or the warm glow of a venai stone across your beloved’s face.”

“Beautiful, Drafe.”He had her at sunbaked scent.“Are we going to Qaldreth?To your tribe?”

“Yes, after we have appeased the Q.C.C.There is more, Vic.”

“I don’t doubt that.Why don’t you start withgevatia.Why does Caah find the use of it alarming?”

Drafe’s eyes glowed a brilliant amber as he cupped her cheeks to tilt her face to his adoring gaze.“It is Qaldreth for…‘my heart.’”

She gaped, then blinked to clear her blurring vision.He couldn’t mean… She shook her head as the tears slipped free despite her best efforts.“Is it the symbiotes talking?”They’d only known each other for weeks.Love couldn’t stem from that.It was illogical and lacked a strong foundation.

“No.”He smiled and snuck a kiss, his lips lingering on hers.“I loved you from the moment you told me not to waste your time and from the second you kissed me.”

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