Page 35 of Conquering the Skies

Geneva swiveled to face him. “Whenever there’s a catastrophic event like you mentioned, it seems like the whole galaxy rallies and rushes to lend assistance. People a lot more knowledgeable and experienced than me have a pretty good handle on emergency aid, but there are a lot of places where people struggle in different ways. I won’t claim to have all the answers, but I want to try to find a way to make things better.”

His gaze flicked to the side before returning to the road. “I won’t rehash everything you’ve read, since I’m sure you don’t need me to. It just feels like amidst all of the colonization and development of this sector of space, Luranga has been…forgotten.”

“I did note how the closing of the mines years ago led to an economic downturn here.”

“Yep. And then as people’s quality of life goes down, crime and violence go up, everything falls into a state of disrepair, and our brightest minds start searching for an escape route. Not like I can blame them.” He blew out a long breath and his expression softened. “Despite all of our problems, we have our communities, and our culture, and our traditions that have been passed down through generations since the first human settlers arrived here. Even when things seem bleak, I have to believe there’s something here worth saving.”

“I’m sure you’re right, and that there are plenty of other people who feel the same way.” She tucked a stray piece of hair back behind her ear. “We’re not planning on suggesting you abandon your history or change your ways of life. It’s not our intent at all. But maybe, with some observation and brainstorming, not to mention the funding we’ve procured, we can find solutions to some of these problems.”

The road opened out into a clearing, and Geneva caught her first glimpse of one of the towns on the planet on the opposite side of a dusty field. Wooden buildings stood in crooked rows, and she strained to make out any unique characteristics. Brody steered the truck toward the settlement. “I suppose it’s my turn to tell you about how I checked into your credentials,” he said. “I’ll admit I was a little wary when I saw you were from Pasurea, but then when I read the rest of your message, it started to make more sense.”

She fought the urge to roll her eyes. “Yeah, I’m aware of its reputation. However, Ash and I traveled all over the place with the Terran military. We’ve seen a wide range of inhabited planets, from the opulence of the Enegar system to derelict colonies that had been taken over by criminals.” Her mouth twisted to one side. “Hopefully, we can put all our acquired wisdom to good use somewhere.”

Brody adjusted one of the cooling vents on the dashboard. “I have to hand it to you. If I had the option of living comfortably on Pasurea or a similar planet, I don’t know if I’d leave to come all the way out here.”

She stared out the windshield at the cracked pavement in front of them. “There were times when I hated where I came from. For many years, I thought it was just plain disgust, but as I got older, I started to realize there were some feelings of guilt in there, too.” Emotion stirred in her chest. “Eventually, though, I realized it’s part of who I am. And I believe everyone should have a home they’re proud of and have the same opportunities I did.” Shrugging, she turned back to Brody and smiled. “So, there’s another answer for why I’m here, I guess.”

“Sounds reasonable enough to me.”

He drove past a dense cluster of taller structures. Squinting, Geneva tried to read some of the writing on the windows and signs as they whizzed by, but the truck moved too quickly for her to discern anything other than identifying them as shops or other businesses. Beyond what appeared to be the commercial district of the town, the buildings thinned out, separated by worn footpaths and rickety fences.

Brody slowed as they passed a group of children playing with a ball in a yard. “As we discussed, you’ll stay with my partner and me tonight,” he said. “We’ll let you get settled, and then tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to some of the other community leaders, who can hopefully answer any questions you have.”

“Great.” She fiddled with the communicator around her wrist. “I have a list of basic topics we can analyze, like communications and infrastructure. You know, things that need to be in place before we tackle the more nuanced issues, which I’m looking forward to hearing about firsthand, in detail. Then from there, we can decide where to focus our efforts and allocate our funds.”

He pulled into the driveway of a modest house flanked by gardens of well-maintained shrubs and flowers. Once the truck came to a stop, Ash opened the door on his side and Geneva slid out behind him. Brody reached inside the rear of the truck to retrieve their luggage then led the way up a set of steps to a bright-red painted door.

Inside, he introduced them to another man around his age, who offered a warm welcome before they went upstairs to the second story of the house. “We set up our spare room for you,” he said. “It’s not much, and I know you’ll be touring other areas of the planet soon anyway, but you’re welcome to it whenever you’re here.”

Ash set his bag down on the floor and grinned. “It’s more than enough. You don’t even want to know about some of the places we’ve slept while out on various military assignments.”

“I can imagine.” Laughing, he stepped backward into the hallway. “Dinner will be ready soon, and then I’m sure you’ll want to get some rest after your long trip.”

Geneva clasped her hands in front of her. “Thank you, both for the accommodations and this opportunity. I hope tomorrow’s meetings will be productive and we can start finding ways to improve people’s lives here.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll see you downstairs.”

After Brody closed the door behind him, Geneva stood in the center of the room and turned in a slow circle. Meeting Ash’s gaze, she raised her palms in an exaggerated shrug then let her arms drop to her sides. “So…I guess this is the start of our first mission where we’re the ones coming up with all the plans and strategies.”

He clutched his chest, feigning shock. “What do you mean, ‘we?’ I thought you were in charge and I’m just along for the ride.”

“Very funny.” Frowning, she plopped onto the corner of the bed that had been prepared for them and sighed. “Part of me is so excited to start something new, something which I hope will help a lot of people, but then another part of me is wondering if I’m in over my head and all I’m doing is wasting time and resources.”

Ash sat next to her and, wrapping one arm around her waist, pulled her close. “Whatever the next steps are, you’re going to kick ass while taking them, as always.”

She kissed his cheek. “I couldn’t do it without you.” After giving his leg a gentle squeeze, she pushed up her sleeve and glanced at her wrist communicator. “I should message my mother to tell her we’ve arrived safely. Then at some point, I want to check in with Claire to make sure everything’s going okay at the office, and also Marcus and Adele, since they really came through with some fundraising efforts to assist us here.”

“Sounds like a plan.” The impish gleam in his eyes reappeared. “Maybe if we can get a strong enough connection, we could even make some video calls.”

“As long as you promise to behave yourself while we’re guests in someone else’s home,” she said, lacing her fingers through his atop her hip.

“Hey. I’m always a—”

“A perfect gentleman. I know.”

“Either way, it would be nice to have a live conversation with our friends and family every now and then while we’re here.” Ash brushed the loose strands of hair that had escaped her ponytail away from her face. “See? It’s not just me. You’ve got a lot of people cheering you on, and it’s one reason why you can conquer anything you set your sights on.”

She leaned against him, tucking her head into her favorite spot between his neck and shoulder. “I’m a very lucky woman.”

Sitting in a small room in a stranger’s house on a remote planet, Geneva believed she was where she needed to be in the universe. The love surrounding her inspired her to make her world a place where everyone could achieve the same sense of satisfaction and contentment. Regardless of whatever physical distance separated them, she knew she could count on the support of those she cherished most. Despite acknowledging how there were bound to be obstacles and setbacks along her path, nothing would stop her from setting off on her next adventure.

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