Page 9 of Stars At Dusk

‘Who are you?’ she shot out.

He pushed off the wall with his boot, running a palm over his face. Harlow almost touched the weariness oozing from every pore of his body.

‘Kage. Also known as Shadow.’ His voice was low, gravelly, with an intonation she couldn’t quite place.

‘Appropriate.’

‘I’m a friend of Selene Munene. She sent me to transport you to safety.’

Harlow pulled a face. ‘Selene sent you? To track me down in Axuma and send me where?’

‘To Zulu One. The command centre for the Free Dunia Coalition.’

Harlow arched an eyebrow in disbelief. ‘But why would she do that?’

‘We have intel that Massimo Makori, who has some idea of your work here on Axuma, might be trying to get a hold of you and, therefore, of your project’s research. We’ve intercepted comms that he’s hired a group of dangerouskinais, now active on Axuma, specifically to track you down. We have to get you out of here ASAP.’

‘Damn,’ Harlow said, shocked. ‘And how do you know Selene?’

‘My, shall we say, band of brothers have been helping the alliance against the coup.’

Harlow was unconvinced. ‘How can I be sure you’re working with her?’

He tapped his wrist comm, rapidly swiping his lean, long fingers across the screen. Shortly, a 3D holo display popped up to reveal Selene’s face.

‘Harlow honey, this ispre-recorded. Shadow, also called Kage, is a good friend. He’s from Eden II. He’s part of The Sable Group, which has been instrumental in helping us take back Dunia. We also have credible evidence that you’re a target because of your research work which Massimo would love to get his hands on. So please, don’t be your usual stubborn self. Let Shadow bring you to where I am. On Arumba at one of our safe garrisons. It’ll be temporary, hon. The sooner we get Dunia back in our control, the sooner we can get you back home. So pack a small bag, grab your research and get here.’

The display flickered to a close, and Kage withdrew his arm.

‘You’re part of The Sable Group?’ Harlow said slowly.

He nodded.

She was immediately intrigued, given she’d always wondered what or who was behind them. ‘I know a little about your outfit,’ she mused. ‘Rumours have it that y’all run the best ship-building shop in all of Pegasi. You churn out the fastest, sleekest fighters, interceptors, gunships and racing pinnaces. Your security tech rocks and your weapons manufacturing is state-of-the-art.’

‘Guilty as charged.’ He said it offhand and casually, but she caught the flash of pride on his face.

‘So where do you sit in the grand scale of things?’

He shrugged, eyes flicking past her shoulder and then back to her face. ‘I’m just a soldier, doing as commanded.’

‘Bull spit!’ she called out. ‘You’re more than that. Selene wouldn’t trust me to just anyone. Plus, your suit tech. That’s high-end and proprietary. I haven’t seen it on anyone else. Neither have I read or caught wind of it. So it won’t surprise me if it’s DCM. And if it is, and you’re walking around in it, and Selene is working with you, it means you’re not just some super soldier grunt. You’re right at the top.’

‘Maybe, maybe not.’

‘You won’t say?’

He smiled at her, but the expression around his silver eyes was tight.

‘Fine,’ she said with a cold smile. ‘Stay smug. Keep your secrets to yourself. I’ll find out anyway. I have my ways and means.’

‘Do your worst,’ he taunted back. ‘Meanwhile, I’ve got a corvette waiting for you and whatever you need to cart off Axuma. Can we move this discussion to your apartment? So you can get your shit, and we can push off this city?’

‘Don’t order me around!’ she shot out, irked by the strange debate and his insistence.

‘Now, now, temper, Harlow,’ he said softly. ‘Get upstairs or wherever your apartment is, pack your stuff and let’s roll.’

‘Not so fast, cowboy,’ she warned irately.

---