Page 31 of Human Reclaimed
I soon found Rune down the hall in deep conversation with the tall, imposing man I recognized as Aeon. When Rune turned and saw me in the fitted black uniform shirt, his eyes darkened with approval and something far more primal. A shiver ran through me at that look.
“The uniform shirt suits you,” Rune said, his voice dropping to that deep timbre that seemed to resonate directly through my body. “Like it was always meant for you.”
Something in me hummed with recognition. “Thanks. Olivia was a great help.”
Aeon nodded politely to me. “Captain Reed, I trust your shoulder is healing well?”
“Miraculously so,” I answered, fighting the urge to touch the barely-there scar beneath my new shirt. “Your medical treatments are impressive.”
“We’ll review the new perimeter designs later, Aeon,” Rune said, clearly eager to move on. He placed his hand on my back, guiding me away. The warmth of his palm radiated through the fabric, marking me in a way I didn’t entirely mind.
We walked through the colony center toward the security building, passing the garden area where colonists were tending to unfamiliar plants with purple-tinged leaves. The morning sun glinted off the metal structures that blended seamlessly with the surrounding jungle. It was a strange paradise—both alien and oddly appealing.
“We’ll need to prepare a full report for Helix about last night’s drill,” Rune said as we entered the security center. The blue glow of holographic monitors lit the curved metal walls. “Though perhaps we’ll omit certain details about your injury.”
I grinned. “What Commander Helix doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”
We headed to Rune’s office tucked in the back of the security center. It was a surprisingly comfortable space with his large desk formed from what appeared to be polished native wood. The tactical maps of the colony’s defenses glowed from the wall displays.
“I’ve been thinking,” I said, settling into the chair opposite his desk. “Your brigade handled the drill impressively, but I noticed some gaps in their adaptive response tactics.”
Rune leaned forward, his forearms resting on the desk. “I saw that, too. Their formation shift when the simulated breach occurred was delayed by 2.3 seconds.”
“Exactly. Too rigid.” I pulled up the schematics on my datapad. “If we double the training tempo and restructure the targeting simulations, we could have them ready for more adaptive, aggressive attacks by the end of the week.”
“You’re suggesting we push them harder?” Rune’s mouth quirked into that half-smile that did ridiculous things to my pulse.
“They handled everything we threw at them last night. They’re ready for more advanced training.”
Rune nodded, typing rapidly on his laptop. “I’ll schedule the brigade for afternoon drills with the new parameters.”
We quickly drafted the drill report, careful to highlight the successes while strategically omitting my plasma burn. As Rune finished, he pressed a button on his wrist communicator.
“Sage, report to my office.”
Minutes later, the door slid open, and the tall blonde woman entered. Her sharp blue eyes immediately flicked between Rune and me, one eyebrow arching knowingly.
“Take this report to Commander Helix,” Rune said, handing her a datapad. “Full authorization for the evacuation protocol is requested.”
Sage took the datapad, her gaze lingering on how close Rune and I were now sitting. “You two seem pretty cozy,” she observed with a smirk. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you voluntarily share your personal space, Rune.”
Rune’s jaw tightened. “We are. And it’s none of your business.”
I laughed, diffusing the tension. “How could I not fall for a handsome, smart, and kind man like Rune?” I winked at Sage. “He’s quite the catch, even if his recruiting techniques need some refinement.”
Rune’s cheeks actually flushed, and Sage barked out a laugh.
“Well, well,” she said, her eyes dancing with amusement, “I like this one, Rune. Much better than the last tactician you worked with. That bore couldn’t take a joke to save his life.”
“The report, Sage,” Rune prompted.
“I’m going. I’m going.” She backed toward the door. “Enjoy your… strategic planning.”
After she left, Rune turned to me. “Did you mean that?”
“Mean what?”
“What you said. About me being…” He hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the compliments.
