Page 34 of Across The Stars
“Pretty sure that was gek’tal. Looks like they’re tracking us and riding the stream.”
“Riding our stream? Like, following us?”
“Yup,” she said, popping herP.“Zen, what’s on our tail exactly?”
“No recognizable readings detected. Spacecraft is of unknown origin.”
“Awesome,” Quinn grumbled. She spun around in her chair, pointing an accusatory finger. “If I get fucking probed, I’m going to kick your ass, Harmon.”
“Me?! Why me!”
“Because you had to volunteer for this stupid job and I didn’t want to look like a little bitch, so I came, too!”
“We’re gonna get probed?” Sam yelled, straining her voice.
This was absolutely not the time to lose our shit. I gripped my sanity as well as my seat and I just held on for my life. There was nothing else I could do.
15: Vahko
I was sitting on the bridge of the Irlos, staring blankly at the control panel in front of me. Salukh was sitting nearby, pretending to punch commands into the ship’s systems, but I knew he was itching to ask questions. I was slouched low in my seat and deep in thought, one elbow propped on the arm of my chair. That sensation of being skin-to-skin with the human female had warmed my blood. My second heart had come to life at her touch and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was not speculation anymore. There was a surge. The first organic surge I’d felt in many cycles. The first one any valerian had felt in ages.
Which was going to make me the center of attention…
“Ok,” Salukh said, spinning around in his seat. “What’s going on with you?”
I looked up at him, watching the colors on his crown turn from a rich, golden yellow to a hot green with curiosity.
“I’m thinking about the woman,” I said honestly.
“About that. What happened with you two exactly?”
“I touched her hand in greeting.”
His sly smirk faded and he straightened. “Arealgreeting?” His eyes darted to my hand. “A keha? Skin to skin?”
“Yes,” I answered.
He leaned forward, perching his elbows on his knees with interest. “You’re aware that’s a courting gesture, right?”
I hissed at him, hitting him with a sharp glare. I knew what a keha was and I was hoping to the stars around us that it wouldn’t make me feel even more wound up.
“What did it feel like?” Solukh continued.
I hesitated to answer because, if I was being honest, it felt like nothing I’d ever imagined. It was warm. Electric. Thought-provoking, erotic, sweet, and intriguing all at once. My cock twitched at the thought. I took a breath to answer when the console behind Salukh started to light up near the communication port. He noticed the vivid, blue light flashing and spun around to look into it. I turned my attention to the coms panel immediately, putting my thoughts of Innifer aside.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Looks like a distress call,” Salukh answered. He turned to glance at me over his shoulder, forehead creased with confusion. “It’s from a vessel near the storage station.”
“The freighter?” I asked.
“Too small. It could be a recon vessel.”
“No other ships have clearance to be in this area.”
I stood, crossing the small area to the control panel where Salukh had the distress signal’s coordinates raised on the screen.The signal was weak and likely from a small transport or perhaps even an escape pod.
“That’s definitely a distress beacon,” I said.
