Class Zero
Stellar Born, Book 3
By
Viola Grace
Chapter One
Padana’s eyes were welling, and she sniffled as she fought to keep from bawling outright. Her throat swelled, and she coughed slightly.
The proprietor looked at her. “So, are they hot enough?”
Padana nodded, and she carefully set the meat-filled pastry down. “Yes, yes, they are.” She nodded. “Just what the consort has been demanding. Box them up, and I will get them down to the household.”
The proprietor bowed and smiled. “I will wrap them up immediately.”
Padana nodded to her guard, and he followed the proprietor into the kitchen to supervise the loading of the shipment.
“Are they really that hot?” Lady Amerthet asked curiously.
Padana broke a piece of the highly peppered meat pie and handed it to Thet. “Try some.”
Thet took it and put it in her mouth, grabbed a napkin, and spit the item out. “How can you even swallow that?”
“Practice.”
There was a masculine laugh a few tables down. Padana looked over, and a dark green male was looking toward her, amusement in his golden eyes. His crest of hair was a thick, dark wave.
She blushed and looked toward her companion. “It appears that we have an audience.”
“Do we, lady?” Thet smiled.
The man and his companion got up and walked over. “May we join you, ladies?”
Padana swallowed. “Certainly, but we are leaving in a few minutes.”
“I shall just have to make the most of it then. Are you from Torgny?” He sat down, and his Azon companion joined them.
“We are. We are on our way back with a gift for the consort. It is her birthday, and there are always challenges to come up with something unique. This year, I believe I have come across the perfect thing.”
He looked down at the pastries in front of her. “Are these them?”
She grinned. “Yes. I think she will enjoy them, and the emperor will be appalled.”
His dark emerald lips twisted into a smile. “You don’t fear the emperor?”
“No, the consort keeps him in a fairly good mood, and he doesn’t lash out at the population much.”
“So, you are ladies of the court?”
Thet looked away from the Azon’s handsome features and smiled at him. “Um, yes. We are both members of the court.”
He inclined his head and was about to speak when Thakos came out of the food prep area and froze at what he was seeing. “Mistress, you know that the consort would not approve.”
Padana sighed. “Right. Well, sir, it was charming meeting you, and I hope that your journey continues smoothly. Bright greetings to your day.” She crossed her arms over her chest and bowed deeply. It was the standard formal greeting to an heir to the throne of Hredu.
He blinked, and she got up, realizing what she had done. Thet scrambled to her feet, and they left with Thakos carrying the super spicy pastries.
They were at the port when the dockmaster approached and bowed. “Princess, your vessel was needed to transport another dignitary whose ship had suffered damage. A separate ship can be arranged for you if you need it.”
“Where is the other dignitary going?”
“He is landing on Torgny.”
Padana smiled. “Then where is the ship? I shall simply request the jump seats.”
“Well, he is looking for a pilot, so if you like, I can ask him if he will accept your services.”
“Please. We will wait in the lounge.”
He nodded, and a few minutes later, he came to her with a relieved smile. “He will accept your services as a pilot and transport your companions as well.”
“Excellent. Where did you put the shuttle?”
“In the secure area.”
She nodded. “Of course. Right, well, we are going to head over, and he can join us whenever.”
“I believe he is on the way.”
“Even better.” Padana nodded, and she led her companions to the secure area, where they went through complete bio scans that left her skin tingling.
She returned to her shuttle and settled into the pilot’s seat, running the pre-flight checks. Thakos was guarding the cockpit.
She saw the increase of life signs and cargo. She sent an announcement into the passenger area. “Sir, if you are ready to depart, we can get underway. The station’s rotation is optimal right now.”
“We are in, and our cargo is onboard. You may depart at your leisure.”
She smiled at the familiar voice. She spoke in Hredu. “Please, strap in. We need to do a drop from the station.”
Amused by transporting the imperial heir of Hredu, she got the clearance from the dockmaster, and she verified the pathway to the drop door. She counted down the drop for her passengers, and their shuttle floated away from the station and the engines engaged.
She called in for clearance at the imperial spaceport and punched in her authorization code and access password. It took forty minutes to go from station to ground, and when they landed, she sighed in relief and checked her chrono. She had time to make it home and get dressed for the party.
She unbuckled her harness and got to her feet. Thakos was waiting on the other side of the cockpit door, and the man with the dark green skin was on the other side of him. She met the man’s gaze with her own. “We have arrived at the imperial landing area. You are welcome to share our transport to the palace.”
She was as surprised as Thakos at the offer. Thet grinned from behind the imperial representative of Hredu.
Her guest blinked and smiled. “That would be very welcome, Lady.”
She inclined her head and tapped Thakos’s shoulder. “Come on. We have to get ready for the party.”
Thakos muttered, “Your father is not going to be happy.”
“I left the planet without authorization; he is going to shit a brick.” She murmured it, and her guard winced.
“Mistress, your language is unfortunate.”
She pushed past him, and the Hredu royal stepped aside. Thet was waiting with the pastries, and the Azon was behind her.
She unlatched the hatch door and elbowed it open, heading down the descending steps. They could follow her or stay.
Her skimmer was waiting. The item was covered with palace seals, and when the two guests arrived and stepped inside, she checked to verify that they were stable, and she lifted off while communicating with both the tower and the palace.
She informed the palace that she was carrying the Hredu guests, and arrangements were made to have them greeted while Padana and her crew got ready for the party.
“You seem to know your way around vehicles, Lady.”
He was next to her, and his vantage point made her want to check her cleavage to make sure he couldn’t see all the way down. A quick glance let her know that she was fine.