Page 14 of Star Bright
The being of light—Shanya—went black as he closed his eyes.
Darcy’s almost inaudible exhalation was like a plasma knife through him. “Your mate?”
Eyes still clenched tight, he closed the box. “Yes.”
“Vash—”
“I need to get back to the fledglings.”
They drove back in silence, the treasure box an almost unbearable weight in the breast pocket of his tunic, as if the specific gravity of this world would crush him.
“I took my most precious treasures across galaxies to this place,” he whispered. “And I fear why.”
“You’re already stronger than when you woke up this morning. My friend is sending more help. Your ship is being repaired, and we’ll send your message to the planetary overseer.” She glanced at him, though both her hands stayed wrapped on the wheel of the cart, as if she could control the outcomes of her checklist just as deftly as she steered the earthbound vehicle. “But I can’t imagine how hard this is for you.”
“I might break free from what blocks me,” he said slowly, “if I shifted to my beast.”
Chapter 6
Darcy tried to imagine it. She had her fair share of eating-healthy pants versus snacking-like-a-trash-panda pants, but to take a completely different shape… “Shift, like that picture of your mate? Why don’t you try it?”
“Because if my conscious control, like my memories, is too fragmented, the beast might rise too high.”
She chewed at her lip for a moment. “You mean your…beast is separate from you and might hurt you?”
“No, we are one, always. It would seek to protect me from the confusion, from any fear or pain. And I might not want to come back to my troubles.”
She nodded slowly, thinking of the glorious power that had been evident in every pixel of that little 3D video. “If I had an inner dragon, I can see how that might be a risk.”
Back at the main building, they unloaded his gathered belongings around the stasis pods.
Darcy peered at the control panel. “Are the lights blinking faster now?”
Kong popped out from behind the pillow fort. “The revival process is accelerating. Youngling physiology is often more resilient and recovers more quickly from the cryo process. How exciting.”
Vash hunched his shoulders. “How soon?”
“According to unit calculations, likely tomorrow.” The little robot spun an excited circle. “Additional bedrooms have not yet finished the cleaning cycle. Perhaps you might set up two more of these cushion cubicles for your younglings.”
Seeing Vash’s uncertain expression, Darcy cleared her throat. “They are called pillow forts. It’s an Earther thing. Kong, you run inventory and make sure we have food for little draklings. Vash,any preferences or allergies we should be aware of for your kids? We want to make them feel…” She couldn’t say at home. They might still technically have a homeworld, but everything they’d known would have changed. “Welcome and comfortable,” she finished.
While Vash consulted with Kong, she scavenged and reapportioned the available pillows and sheets. If she’d known about the giant 3D printer out in the garage, she could’ve made the kickassest fortever.
Would she have believed Brin about the existence of aliens? Or would she have thought her friend had gone full circle from debunking conspiracy theories to embracing them? Maybe she wouldn’t have come here at all.
“Midday meal,” Kong called, bumping her from her musings.
Having commandeered Vash’s hands, the little robot had brought out a sampling of the supplies that had been prepped for Darcy’s occupancy. “The main kitchen has a much wider array of stellar interstellar cuisine,” Kong said in a doleful tone, “while Darcy’s requests were much more…basic.”
Slightly stung at being judging by a motorized munchkin with no mouth of its own, she arched one brow. “That should be perfect for children who need to be welcomed and comforted.”
Vash pulled out a stool at the bar for her. “Drakling young are rarely particular about food. Their beasts are growing too and will eat almost anything.”
Darcy grinned at the thought. “Earther parents complain about hungry kids eating constantly. Must be even worse with an inner dragon taking half.”
“Fledglings don’t shift,” Vash said. “Which is probably good since they are already strong and bold. Flighted on top of that would be too much. Gaining wings at puberty is hard enough.” Though she almost missed it as he took the stool beside her, a dark look flashed across his face.
She angled toward him. “Everything okay? The weather isn’t looking great, but if this food won’t work for your kids, I will make the trip into town for more options.”
