Page 4 of Baby For the Mosaic Med Chief

Briana nodded, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Yes, it’s like a thread that ties me to my past, to the love and warmth that once filled our home.”

“Tell me about your family...if you wish.” He sat down at the dining nook across from her as he issued the invitation.

“My mother was the heart of our home.” Her voice was soft with nostalgia. “She had a voice that could melt the coldest hearts, and her music filled every corner of our small apartment. I can still hear her singing lullabies to me and my little sister.”

A wistful smile touched Briana’s lips as she continued, her eyes glistening with tears. “And my father was the gentlest soul. He played the piano with such grace and taught lessons from our home. His melodies always carried a touch of melancholy, as if he held the weight of the world in his fingers.”

Quillin’s presence was a comforting anchor despite him technically being a stranger. “Tell me more about your little sister.”

Briana’s sighed with joy and sorrow. “Lisa was a ray of sunshine. Always laughing and always finding joy in the simplest things. She had an innate gift for music. She could hear a piece and replicate it immediately without formal training on any instrument she tried.”

“Do you have that gift?”

She shook her head. “My talents are in singing, but I used to envy her. Not that it was a bitter thing. She was my playmate and best friend. I used to play games with her, giggling until our stomachs hurt. She had the most infectious laughter—it could brighten even the darkest day.”

His eyes shimmered with understanding. “I can imagine the profound impact their love for music had on you.”

Briana nodded, her voice filled with yearning. “Their passion for music was infectious. It awakened something within me...a desire to express myself and find my own voice. They nurtured that spark, encouraging me to explore my own musical talents.”

Silence settled between them, filled with the echoes of lost melodies and cherished moments. Briana took a deep breath, summoning the strength to share the painful truth. “But then...the Vorathans invaded. They destroyed everything we held dear. My family was taken from me in just a few minutes.”

Quillin’s grip on her hand tightened, his touch offering a steadying presence. He didn’t need words to convey his empathy. His presence alone spoke volumes. He was a kindred spirit and obviously a survivor of his own tragedy if he was part of the Faction.

She mustered the courage to ask, her voice gentle yet filled with curiosity, “What about your family? What happened to them?”

His eyes grew distant, as if he was transported back to a time of pain and loss. After a moment, he sighed heavily and met Briana’s gaze. “The Vorathans invaded my homeworld when I was just an adolescent. They swept through our agricultural settlements, leaving destruction in their wake. My family were farmers.”

He paused, his voice tinged with both grief and determination. “I was away at school preparing for a medical career when the attack occurred. When I returned, my world had crumbled. My parents and my younger brother, Rion...all gone.” The weight of his words hung heavily in the air.

Briana reached out, her hand gently resting on Quillin’s arm. It was a small gesture, and a silent offering of comfort, though it sent a spark through her to touch him. They both understood the magnitude of each other’s losses and the raw wounds that still lingered.

He continued, his voice laced with sorrow. “Their memories remain etched in my heart. The warmth of their love and the joy we shared I carry with me, even as I strive to rebuild and protect others from the devastation we experienced.”

Her heart ached for the young man who had lost his family and the man he had become. “I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through,” whispered Briana, her voice filled with genuine empathy. “No one should have to endure such loss.”

“I agree, as do most of the Faction. When the Coalition turned its back on all the Zed-Class worlds, many of us were disgusted. We wanted to end the Vorathans, but we also wanted to ensure no one else experienced the pain of losing their family and homeworlds to those vicious marauders.”

He spoke with such passionate intensity that it was impossible to look away from him. She blinked after a moment. “I’m glad the Faction helped us, but they demanded a heavy price.”

Quillin’s eyes flickered with a mixture of determination and regret. “Yes, the Faction’s assistance came at a cost. The draft is not a path any of us would have chosen willingly, but we believe it’s necessary to protect what remains of our species.”

She couldn’t hide her dissatisfaction. “Being forced into a mating feels like giving up our freedom and our choices. I understand death by Vorathans would have been much worse, but it’s disheartening to lose my right to choose.”

Sympathy tinged his expression. “I understand. The draft has its flaws, and it often feels like we’re mere pawns in a grand game, but we must remember that even amid these circumstances, there’s still room for us to find understanding and perhaps even love.”

“So, where does the Mating Flare fit into all the politics and treaties?” She arched a brow as she awaited his response.

He looked uncomfortable. “It carries no weight. It’s such a rare thing and only takes place in Mosaics. It only began happening to us when we integrated other species’ DNA into our own to ensure diversity and survival. Who knows from which species it originated, but it happens so infrequently that I don’t believe there’s a rule written to address it.”

“But you taking me from Zartik breaks plenty of rules.” She bit her lip, not liking the idea of him being in trouble. She also didn’t like the idea that she could be taken from one alien by another, as though she were property, but Quillin was clearly the better of the two.

Not that she planned to stay around and get acquainted. Once he was asleep, she was out of there. She’d already be gone if she hadn’t been so panicked as to suggest they hide in her POD.

His expression turned somber, his gaze shifting away for a moment. “You’re right. The Mating Flare doesn’t hold much significance in the grand scheme of politics and treaties. It’s an enigma, a natural phenomenon that defies explanation. While it brought us together, it doesn’t have the power to break the rules that bind us.”

He met her gaze again, his eyes filled with determination. “Some rules are meant to be challenged, especially when they conflict with our sense of right and wrong. I can’t deny the attraction between us or the undeniable connection the Mating Flare signifies. It’s why I was willing to risk everything to be with you.”

Briana’s brow furrowed as she absorbed his words. “What if we get caught? What if there are consequences?”

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